The Oakland Raiders stand at 2-3 entering Week 7 after the bye, and although they have shown vast improvement there is still work to be done.
Oakland could easily have a few more wins in the win column, but due to lack of execution, a few costly turnovers, and failure to make crucial defensive stops there record is what it is thus far.
That being said they have the foundation set to become a tough competitor for years to come. They have a franchise quarterback in Derek Carr, a key receiver in Amari Cooper, and a beast in the pass rush with Khalil Mack; three crucial pieces to the puzzle, but some more building has to be done.
When it comes to this season, a player that has highlighted the first five games for the silver and black is a veteran who is a future Hall of Famer, Charles Woodson. Woodson, 39 years old, recently stated he has 10 years left in the tank, and as of right now he’s putting up some impressive numbers. He has four interceptions and 26 combined tackles. He also dislocated his shoulder earlier in the season and hasn’t missed a beat, playing in every game and being an impact player on defense in a very depleted secondary.
Offensively, there is a lot of talent and key players.
Carr has proven he can lead this team and crucial fourth quarter drives for the victory as he did in Week 2 against the Baltimore Ravens. The 24-year-old has kept the Raiders in contention in the AFC as they stand alone in second place in the AFC West.
Thus far this season Carr has thrown for 1,171 yards, eight touchdowns, and three interceptions for a quarterback rating of 93.9.
One of his favorite targets has been rookie Cooper who is gaining national recognition. The receiver has 28 receptions, 386 yards, and two touchdowns on the year.
On the ground, Latavius Murray has been solid and has greatly added to this offense. He has 80 attempts for 336 yards and two touchdowns.
Offense is night and day from last year, as they have brought in key additions to get this team going and scoring points. They have even hung in with teams such as the Broncos and moved the ball against their dominant defense, showing a lot of improvement to go toe to toe with an undefeated squad.
Defensively, the Raiders have good and bad days. The pass rush is decent with Mack and Aldon Smith, but the line took a hit with the loss of Justin Tuck to a torn pectoral. Tuck will miss the remainder of the season.
Oakland’s secondary is in need of a lot of improvement. D.J. Hayden gets burned more times than not and displays poor coverage throughout the game. TJ Carrie is decent but not an explosive playmaker on defense.
Overall, the Raiders rank 28th in total offense, and 23rd in passing. This is still a pass heavy offense as the run has failed to work on occasion, but it is much better than last year.
Defensively, the Raiders rank 11th in total defense, and 18th in pass defense.
The Raiders face the San Diego Chargers this weekend fresh off the bye. This is an important game for both teams, but one the Raiders must win if they want to stay in contention.
They have shown a lot of improvement in Jack Del Rio’s first year as head coach, staying in games, showing heart, and battling all four quarters. That being said they have a lot more to improve on and build off of for future seasons.
They have been impressive thus far and are gaining recognition, rightfully so, but it will be interesting to see how they finish out the season and what adjustments they’ve made after the bye week.