Ronson McDowell from Ohio asks:
Do you believe the bye week will help us refocus in order to make a run at the NFL playoffs?”
The Raiders appear to be taking things one game at a time. The bye week should only help them fine-tune their game.
This is the first time the Raiders have had a bye week in Week 10 or later since 2017. The team has had a difficult season, battling with injuries and midseason coaching changes. Nonetheless, all of their objectives remain in front of them.
“Twelve weeks in the National Football League is a long time.” “That’s tough on the body,” remarked Interim Head Coach Antonio Pierce. “Having those guys return and now having an extra seven or so days to prepare for our next game, before we play the Vikings, is huge for our team.” Also, I believe it is an opportunity for us to mentally reboot.
“This year has been full of ups and downs,” Pierce concluded. “A lot of ups and downs, and you sit back, reset, think about it, spend some time with your family, and you start missing football again, that Friday, Saturday, Sunday you’re not playing.” Get these individuals back into the building as soon as possible.
Chad Dubs from Arizona asks:
Could the freshly signed Jack Jones have an immediate impact?”
All indications point to Jack Jones taking over as a starter in the near future.Following the Raiders’ decision to release Marcus Peters on Monday, Jones will have more reps. The former Patriots cornerback is gaining experience with the Raiders defense, recording five solo tackles in the last two games. After seeing just 12 snaps against the Dolphins, he saw 40 against the Chiefs. Pierce expects his snap count to rise, along with additional reps for youngster Jakorian Bennett at the two outside cornerback positions.
“Obviously [Jones] is going to be a work in progress learning the system and scheme, but the athleticism is there,” he said. “[He has] the abilities to cover what we want to do schematically with PG [Patrick Graham] and the defense.” He provides us some chances to make plays, and certainly, as we go forward, his reps will increase with the coaches’ faith in him.”
Tyree Wilson’s performance in the last few games has given me hope.”
You can see Tyree Wilson’s progress while watching him play.
People focus too much on the rookie’s pass rushing numbers, but his ability to help stop the run has began to stand out to me on video. The Raiders can use his size and athleticism to play him wherever on the defensive line. While the edge rusher has 1.5 sacks, his role and production will most likely grow over time.
“[F]ocused on him just improving,” said defensive coordinator Patrick Graham. “I mean, defensive line, whether you’re a nine technique or a five technique, I know the block combinations can be different, but it still comes down to reading your keys, striking your keys with your hands, getting your hands out in front of your eyes, and then transitioning in the pass rush.”
“I always think it’s beneficial for a young edge player to have some experience down inside, because I’ve told you guys before in college, when they’re that good, nobody’s ever really blocked them.” So, how skilled are their hands? … When you move him up and down, I believe there are many advantages.
