3 takeaways from Raiders’ loss: Injuries pile up on Cincinnati turf
CINCINNATI — Here are three takeaways from the Raiders’ 41-24 loss to the Bengals on Sunday at Paycor Stadium:
1. Burrowed
The Raiders went up against one of the AFC’s elite quarterbacks for a second game in a row. The results were predictable.
Cincinnati’s Joe Burrow, like Patrick Mahomes last week, showed why he’s one of the NFL’s most dangerous passers. Burrow extended plays and threw a career-high five touchdown passes Sunday. He often found room to maneuver in the pocket and then kept his eyes downfield to find a receiver.
Burrow completed his first 15 passes to put the Raiders on their heels early. He finished with 27 completions on 39 attempts for 251 passing yards.
The Raiders tried to hang around after falling behind 31-10. Cornerback Jack Jones had an interception return for a touchdown in the fourth quarter to cut his team’s deficit to 31-17.
But then the Raiders committed the kind of unforced error that has been all too common for them in key moments this season. Linebacker Kana’i Mauga was called for a neutral zone infraction when the Bengals were lined up to punt with 6:24 to play. That gave Cincinnati a fresh set of downs. The Bengals scored three plays later on a 47-yard catch by tight end Mike Gesicki.
The Raiders fumbled their next offensive play. Those kind of mistakes are why the team has lost its last five games.
2. Depth tested
The Raiders entered Sunday’s game somewhat healthy. That’s now how they left it.
Ankle injuries were a real problem in Cincinnati, and the offensive line in particular was decimated. Left tackle Kolton Miller suffered an ankle injury in the first half and didn’t return. Andrus Peat took over for Miller and struggled before suffering an ankle injury of his own.
Thayer Munford Jr., who opened the season as the Raiders’ starting right tackle, was the third man up at left tackle. He was even worse.
Left guard Cody Whitehair suffered an ankle injury as well. He was replaced by Dylan Parham, who missed the Raiders’ previous two games with a foot injury.
Tight end Harrison Bryant, who was nursing an elbow injury during the week, suffered an ankle injury on Cincinnati’s turf as well. So did cornerback Nate Hobbs, which led to him being carted to the locker room in the second quarter.
3. New guy
Quarterback Desmond Ridder hasn’t even been with the Raiders for two weeks, but he was pressed into extensive action Sunday.
Ridder, a former University of Cincinnati star the team plucked off the Cardinals’ practice squad Oct. 22, took over for starter Gardner Minshew in the third quarter.
Minshew was largely ineffective after the Raiders scored a touchdown their opening drive. He also got knocked around behind the team’s makeshift offensive line.
Ridder completed 11 of his 16 passes for 74 yards. He threw one touchdown, a 22-yard score to rookie tight end Brock Bowers with 41 seconds remaining. Ridder was sacked four times and fumbled once.
Minshew completed 10 of his 17 passes for 124 yards. The Raiders did fumble with him in the game on a failed handoff to wide receiver DJ Turner in the third quarter.
Contact Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AdamHillLVRJ on X.