CLICK HERE if you’re viewing on a mobile device.
Grading the Raiders’ 35-31 loss Sunday night to the Kansas City Chiefs:
PASS OFFENSE: B-plus
Derek Carr was 23 of 31 for 275 yards and touchdowns of 17 yards to Nelson Agholor, 3 yards to Darren Waller and 1 yards to Jason Witten. Hard to fault him for the last-ditch interception after the Chiefs had taken the lead with 28 seconds left. Threw up a prayer wasn’t answered. There were some big drops on admittedly tough catches, but receptions an NFL receiver can make. Agholor and Alec Ingold come to mind. Darren Waller caught seven passes on seven targets for 88 yards including his longest gainer, a 26-yard play. Agholor had six for 88 yards. Hunter Renfrow had two catches for 37 yards and both were important. Henry Ruggs III was pretty much a non-factor but it’s hard to fault the passing offense as a whole for that. It was very, very good.
RUN OFFENSE: C-minus
There were some hard runs, but the yardage as a whole just wasn’t there and the Raiders could have used some more for clock-killing purposes. Josh Jacobs had 17 carries for 55 yards, Devontae Booker found the going rough with five carries for 16 yards. Longest gains were 13 yards by Jacobs and 12 by Henry Ruggs III on a sweep. Minus those two runs, the Raiders averaged 2.6 yards per carry against team that hasn’t been particularly stout in that area.
PASS DEFENSE: D-minus
The only thing that keeps it from a failing grade is an interception at the end of the first half by Trayvon Mullen that was actually more of a gift that a great play. Patrick Mahomes showed he can be as dominant when he’s patient as when he’s winging the ball downfield, completing 34 of 45 passes for 348 yards. He had no gain longer than 22 yards, and that play, to Travis Kelce, was the game winner. Chiefs receivers were considerably more sure-handed than the Raiders and were mostly open, although there were at least a few instances (a Nevin Lawson play comes to mind) where coverage was very good and Mahomes was better in terms of ball placement.
RUN DEFENSE: D
The Chiefs weren’t spectacular, with 108 yards on 27 carries and a 4.0 average. But they rushed for 10 first downs to help keep the ball in Mahomes’ hands and had rushing touchdowns of 3 and 13 yards by Clyde Edwards-Helaire and 6 yards by Le’Veon Bell. The Raiders had just three tackles for losses — one by Kendal Vickers, one by Maxx Crosby and one by Arden Key. The Chiefs were more productive on the ground than the Raiders, which would have been a tough sell going in.
SPECIAL TEAMS: C
The Chiefs’ average drive start after kickoffs was their 21-yard line as opposed to the 28 for the Raiders, but seven yards wasn’t going to matter much in this game considering how the offenses had their way. Sound wasn’t going to do it. They needed takeaways and didn’t get them. A.J. Cole had two punts for a 36.5 net average and one inside the 20-yard line. Daniel Carlson made his only field goal attempt from 35 yards. Renfrow had two punt returns for eight yards and the Raiders never did return a kickoff.
COACHING: C
One of Gruden’s best game plans in terms of execution and keeping an opponent off balance. Even without the running game getting big yardage, the Raiders managed to get 26 attempts (yes, it matters). A play in which Carr flipped a short pass out of the backfield to Derek Carrier was a new wrinkle and inspired. This is a playoff caliber offense. On defense, the Chiefs racked up 36 first downs and drove for about the easiest 75 yards you’ll ever see for the final touchdown, gaining 460 yards in all. Yes, the Raiders were without as many as 10 defenders during the week of practice and it matters. But it should matter that much. Paul Guenther has a lot of corrections to make Monday.
