In a major switch, Raiders are dominating third quarters

The Raiders could not have ended the first half against the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday any worse even if they tried.

In the span of 19 seconds against their AFC West rivals, the Raiders gave up a touchdown and a field goal to flip a seven-point lead into a three-point deficit.

A year ago, a similar slip-up would have been catastrophic. But thanks to the incredible turnaround the Raiders have made in the third quarter this season, that collapse was quickly overcome. The Raiders outscored the Chargers 14-3 in the third quarter to take back control of the game.

In 2019, the 15 minutes after the halftime intermission were a snake pit for the Raiders. They averaged the fewest points in the third quarter in the NFL (1.7) and allowed the second-most points, giving up an average of 6.9.

But that has all changed this year. The Raiders now average the ninth-most points in the third quarter (5.1) while allowing the fourth-fewest at 2.4.

In the process, they have turned a major weakness into an absolute strength. And given the importance in the NFL of owning third quarters, it’s no surprise the Raiders have won five of their first eight games to firmly plant themselves in the AFC playoff race.

To put the importance of third quarters in perspective, all 12 teams that qualified for the playoffs last year were among the top 18 teams in the NFL in third-quarter point differential. Nine of those postseason teams were among the top 11 in that category, including the four finalists in the AFC and NFC championship games.

Last year the Raiders were dead last in the NFL in third quarter-point differential at minus-84. This year they are sixth at plus-22. Over the course of 16 games in 2019, the Raiders scored a minuscule 27 points in the third quarter while giving up 111.

In eight games in 2020, the Raiders have already exceeded their 2019 third-quarter point total with 41 while surrendering just 19 points.

“It’s always emphasized,” Raiders head coach Jon Gruden said. “The first five to seven minutes of each half, to start the game and to start the third quarter, is always emphasized.”

For the Raiders, that meant making it a focal point in training camp. Gruden would simulate game situations by breaking up practices into two segments to give his players the equivalent of a halftime break. The goal was to create a stop-and-go situation in which players had to mentally and physically plug back in to start the next phase of practice as active and engaged as they finished off the first phase.

“He’d say ‘Alright, this is the second half, come out ready to go,’” Carr remembers.

Making the adjustment from one half to the other was also behind Gruden’s thinking during two training-camp scrimmages at Allegiant Stadium in which the Raiders created virtual halftimes by actually leaving the field after the first segment of practice.

“We went into the locker room, came back out and said let’s go,” Carr said. “So it was definitely a point of emphasis that coach Gruden was putting on our minds.”

The impact is evident in every key statistical category. “I’m glad we’re doing better because it’s something coach was harping on,” Carr said.

It is pretty simple how they are doing it

The Raiders are fourth in the NFL in time of possession percentage at 59.40 percent. They were 20th last year at 48.53.

Meanwhile, Carr is fourth in the NFL in third-quarter passing rating at 116.5. Last year he was 31st among eligible quarterbacks at 78.6, well below the league average of 91.9.

The play of Carr, in particular, has set the tone.

“When you’re moving the ball and scoring points, you always start with the quarterback,” Gruden said “He’s playing great. He isn’t playing good, he’s playing great for us.”

In spite of having to dig deep into the offensive line depth chart because of injuries and illness, Carr is surrounded by a better, more experienced group of teammates. So obviously that helps.

“We have a better supporting cast this year, not even close, to be honest with you,” Gruden said. “These guys are really in it, they’re on it. So I think that has a lot to do with it.”

The key now is keeping it up. Gruden is taking nothing for granted,

“It’s not where you line up, it’s where you wind up,” Gruden said.

Contact Vincent Bonsignore at vbonsignore@reviewjournal.com. Follow @VinnyBonsignore onTwitter.