Normally I am not one to look down upon a win, no matter how it was earned. But what is most disconcerting is the fact that this afternoon, the Raiders looked like the same undisciplined, unfocused team of old against a bad Jaguars team. Although Jacksonville lost their superstar Maurice Jones-Drew after two carries (and just six yards) to an ankle injury and quarterback Blaine Gabbert soon after, they were in position to win because the Oakland gave them three turnovers that led to 13 points.
What's more, the penalty bug returned to the tune of eight for 53 yards. After looking so good in that department in the first four weeks, it's been the same old Raiders the last two, with an average of 10 penalties against Jacksonville and Atlanta.
To add to that, Darren McFadden again was shut down in the running game. Just 53 yards on 19 carries, fewer than three yards per carry. Amazingly, his average of 3.2 yards entering went down. However, Carson Palmer endured a beating to throw for 298 yards and accounted for two touchdowns (one passing, one rushing). He was the star of the offense today.
Somehow, someway, the Raiders rallied from a 20-6 deficit to win and improve to 2-4. The defense was outstanding in the second half, regardless of who was playing. That is what I will take away from today on the positive.
Recapping my five keys to the Raiders winning today, it seems I had the most important one out of order. Oakland had woes in the Red Zone for much of the game. They scored two touchdowns and kicked three field goals. In the end, the points added up. But let's recap the other four.
No fluky Special Teams plays. So much for th...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Oakland Raiders
