Raiders’ playoff hopes essentially die with loss to Chargers

Not even New Math can likely save the Raiders now.

Happens fast, no?

What was assuredly a must-win game to keep their postseason hopes alive instead ended in disappointment Thursday night, the Raiders falling to the Chargers 30-27 in overtime at Allegiant Stadium.

It brings the Raiders’ record to 7-7 just weeks after they were 6-3. Back then, it just didn’t seem possible that a repeat of last year — the Raiders went from 6-4 to losing five of their final six — could happen again.

They seemed better this time. More capable.

One-track mind

“Obviously, that’s frustrating,” said running back Josh Jacobs. “Trying to go on this journey of what we envision ourselves at the start of the year, what we want to do as a team, what we want to accomplish … obviously, it’s frustrating.”

The journey will assuredly end now with no playoff appearance in each of the three seasons since Jon Gruden returned as head coach, since he was awarded a 10-year contract to reportedly rebuild the Raiders into a team that wasn’t home watching each January.

But they haven’t been near good enough the last month, having only survived the pitiful Jets amid losses to the Falcons, Colts and now Chargers. They haven’t been good enough defensively, it seems, in forever. The firing of defensive coordinator Paul Guenther had no effect on what transpired Thursday. The Raiders still struggled mightily stopping the other guys.

“I have a one-track mind and that involves winning,” Gruden said. “This is going to help us in some ways, but it’s really painful to lose. We’ve had a lot of tight games go down to the buzzer … this one was tough.

“It’s unfortunate we couldn’t find a way to win that game. It’s on me. When it comes down close games, it’s usually on the head coach.”

What now?

The Raiders have games remaining against the Dolphins (Dec. 26) here and at the Broncos (Jan. 3). It might allow them time to see what they have in quarterback Marcus Mariota.

Derek Carr went down with an injured groin Thursday and the veteran Mariota was more than solid replacing him, completing 17-of-28 for 226 yards and a score while also running for 88 yards and another touchdown.

Mariota signed a two-year contract worth $17.6 million this past offseason, $7.5 million of which is guaranteed. With the playoffs now essentially out of reach, it wouldn’t make much sense to play Carr the last two games if he isn’t 100 percent.

It’s a groin injury. He won’t be 100 percent.

Coaches don’t always think this way, of course. Not in this league. But it’s also true that Carr comes with just a $2.5 million dead cap hit next season. Shouldn’t the Raiders see as much of Mariota as possible to determine what, if any, future he has with them?

Time flies

These aren’t the sort of questions Gruden and his staff thought they would be contemplating just weeks ago. But here they are, playing out another string because they don’t have good enough personnel on defense and have a playoff-level offense that sputtered too often this past month to save things.

Suddenly, things will turn to the draft and where the Raiders might end up selecting in the first round and what prospects might be available at such a spot.

Suddenly, this season has become like the last two under Gruden.

Thought it would be different this year. Thought it a better team. Better chance to outscore folks if needed. Thought at some point the defense might even come up with a season-saving stop.

OK, so I’m not sure anyone thought that.

“It sucks,” said tight end Darren Waller. “You want in these stretches to be able to play your best football. But the results haven’t been what we wanted them to be and we have to live with it. I’m still proud to be part of this team and love these guys for how hard they work and what this team stands for. But, yeah, it sucks.”

Another season will pass, it appears, without a playoff berth.

There has been just one since 2002.

Time flies, yes? Happens fast, man.

Ed Graney is a Sigma Delta Chi Award winner for sports column writing and can be reached at egraney@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-4618. He can be heard on “The Press Box,” ESPN Radio 100.9 FM and 1100 AM, from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. Monday through Friday. Follow @edgraney on Twitter.