Graney: Inexcusable loss was as bad as any under Josh McDaniels
CHICAGO — They are all a central part to this embarrassment, inexcusable how a 30-12 loss to the Bears played out Sunday at Soldier Field.
No one is immune to serious critique on the Raiders’ side of things.
All parties — well, the punter was good again — failed miserably.
It’s not even a mystery, how a 3-3 team coming in and playing one of the worst rosters in the NFL could come out and lay such an egg.
The supposed offensive-minded coach (Josh McDaniels) doesn’t have an offense. Not one that consistently moves the ball or scores. Not one that does the most basic of tasks that gives you a fighting chance most weeks.
Who’s the quarterback?
Hasn’t mattered much. Jimmy Garoppolo missed the game with a back injury, so McDaniels chose veteran backup Brian Hoyer to start over rookie Aidan O’Connell. But none has shown an ability to create enough of a spark through seven games that makes you believe the attack will suddenly become potent. Or even above average.
How it looked
Given where each team sat — the struggling Bears at 1-5 and the Raiders with a chance to climb above .500 — this was Indianapolis of last season bad. This was New Orleans of last season bad.
Just the way it played out. Just the way it looked.
Jeff Saturday could have coached the Bears on Sunday and won.
“We didn’t do anything good enough to deserve to win,” McDaniels said.
Such a defeat also causes you to look deeper than a final score. It brings to the surface yet again how truly valuable Tom Brady must have been to the success McDaniels found in New England as its offensive coordinator. Because what’s happening here isn’t working.
And the only place you’ll find Brady is at an Aces game.
“I don’t have a reason for it, honestly,” wide receiver Davante Adams said. “I have no idea. We basically didn’t even score. Everybody can be ready, but it’s not about that. You can beat your chest and have war paint on your face; it doesn’t matter if you’re not making plays.
“As long as I’m here, I’m going to have confidence and do my part and make sure I’m helping the guys around me. We’re going to work together and try to figure this out.”
McDaniels said his team was ready to play, and perhaps because it stopped Chicago on a three-and-out to begin things and then drove into field-goal range, there was some early juice inside those silver helmets. But it quickly dissipated.
It might have been ready but wasn’t prepared. It’s broken record time. The Raiders again couldn’t run the ball a lick, totaling 39 yards on 14 carries. This is what’s killing them most. Opponents know the numbers. They watch the film. They understand how pathetically poor the Raiders’ ground game really is. And they defend as such.
The Raiders have the reigning NFL rushing champion in Josh Jacobs, who is barely averaging 3 yards per carry.
What really doesn’t give you a chance in a game like this: When the one side of the ball that has played well lately also doesn’t show up.
The Raiders couldn’t tackle you Sunday. The Bears constantly gained yards after initial contact. It all helped rookie quarterback Tyson Bagent — he of Division II fame from mighty Shepherd University — settle into a productive afternoon that was more than enough to lead his team.
On everyone
“You never see a loss like that coming,” Raiders cornerback Amik Robertson said. “Stay together. Don’t point fingers. It’s not his fault or a coach’s fault or an assistant coach’s fault. At the end of the day, we’re all in this together. We have that bad taste in our mouth.”
He’s right. It’s on everyone.
“I don’t know,” star defensive end Maxx Crosby said. “We just weren’t good enough.”
In any phase. Against the lowly Bears and an undrafted rookie quarterback making his first NFL start.
30-12.
Totally inexcusable.
Ed Graney, a Sigma Delta Chi Award winner for sports column writing, can be reached at egraney@reviewjournal.com. He can be heard on “The Press Box,” ESPN Radio 100.9 FM and 1100 AM, from 7 to 10 a.m. Monday through Friday. Follow @edgraney on X.
