Las Vegas Raiders' season trend is finally going in the right direction just at the wrong time
The Las Vegas Raiders have been one of the biggest victims of injuries this season. Although, there have been some pretty significant players, like when they played the Cleveland Browns and were without both Maxx Crosby and Davante Adams. Of course, that example doesn't really matter though because that is one of their two wins […]
The Las Vegas Raiders have been one of the biggest victims of injuries this season. Although, there have been some pretty significant players, like when they played the Cleveland Browns and were without both Maxx Crosby and Davante Adams. Of course, that example doesn't really matter though because that is one of their two wins on the year.
Michael Mayer, a young tight end, was dealing with personal issues rather than physical injuries, but his intermittent availability added another layer of complexity to the team's offensive planning and hasn't really allowed rookie tight end Brock Bowers to start slow and then ramp up. He's been thrown right in the fire, and fortunately, it's worked.
Defensively, the Raiders faced another blow when linebacker Robert Spillane, a tackling machine, suffered a knee injury. Despite initial fears, he managed to return to the field, though not without some doubt hanging over his durability week by week.
The quarterback position, often the focal point of any football team, wasn't immune to the injury bug either. Aidan O'Connell has suffered a broken thumb, which happened right as he was named the starter. Let's also not forget the likely season-ending injuries to guys like Malcolm Koonce and Christian Wilkins.
As the season progressed, these injuries affected individual games as well as the team's overall strategy and morale. The Raiders, known for their resilience, adapted game plans almost weekly, with younger players thrust into spotlight roles they might not have been ready for. The depth chart became a revolving door, with players from the practice squad to veterans stepping in, sometimes with mixed results.
Now, it seems to be getting a bit better, only, it's too late. The team is getting healthier at the wrong time. Here is a look at the depth chart this week for their game against the Cincinnati Bengals, which looks much better than what we have been accustomed to seeing.
The Raiders get a bye week after this game on Sunday and then will face the Miami Dolphins, Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Atlanta Falcons, New Orleans Saints, and Los Angeles Chargers, where they could end up losing every game remaining.
Bengals expert reveals that the Raiders could have little success in the area Antonio Pierce wants fixed the most
The Raiders could still struggle there.
