After an encouraging start, the Raiders were unable to get anything done offensively for most of the game. During a stretch of the game from the second to fourth quarter, Oakland went more than 20 minutes of game time with only one first down. Whether it was passing or running the ball, nothing worked.
As ineffective as the offense was, the defense was arguably worse. The defense did hold the Jets to only 19 points, but that doesn't tell the real story. The New York offense was able to move the ball consistently throughout the game, and the Raiders defense regularly gave up big gains the entire game.
It became obvious toward the end of the third quarter that the Jets had begun to go conservative with their offensive play-calling, both because they felt they could push the Oakland defense around whenever they needed to and because they already knew the offense had become a non-factor. They were proven right on both counts.
While the play on the field was disappointing, some of the responsibility falls on the coaches. On both sides of the ball, the play-calling left a lot to be desired.
It's only the first game of the season, but Oakland was alarmingly ineffective for much of it. The offense couldn't get anything going with the exception of a few drives, the defense was pushed around for four quarters and the coaches seemed clueless as to how to fix it.
There's plenty of time to fix the problems Oakland exhibited against the Jets, but it's going to be a tall order. The Raiders should be a better team than what they showed this week, but "should be" doesn't help. If Oakland doesn't begin to perform much better starting next week, the probl...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Oakland Raiders
