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Articles by Grant Richards
Raiders Report: Jacobs And The Leadership Plan
Embed from Getty Images Despite a precarious contract situation, Josh Jacobs could emerge as the leader the Raiders will actually need. While RaiderNation remains split on Derek Carr’s value on the field, it is certainly more difficult to dispute his leadership value. As starting quarterback, it was common to see Carr brought out first for interviews and other media obligations. Now, with his absence, the void will needs filling.
Raiders Opinion: Favorable Schedule Should Benefit Team
Embed from Getty Images The Las Vegas Raiders should enjoy a surprisingly successful 2023, buoyed by a favorable slate of games. While their opponents may be a bit of a challenge, the Raiders’ 2023 schedule is just about as favorable as it could have been. The team’s longest road trip is two games. Meanwhile, they stay home (or not play) four straight weeks at the back half of the season. As expected, their most difficult opponents come from their own division.
New Dynamic Duo?: Adams And Garoppolo Must Build Chemistry
Embed from Getty Images With the arrival of Jimmy Garoppolo, Davante Adams will need to connect with his third quarterback in as many seasons. This will serve as his strictest test. When the Las Vegas Raiders indicated they would be moving on from their nine-year starting quarterback in Derek Carr, it was also made known that superstar wide receiver Davante Adams would have weighted influence regarding his former college teammate’s replacement.
Raiders Preview: Team Steps Forward, Forgets Recent Past
Embed from Getty Images Despite the criticism far and wide, the Las Vegas Raiders continue to firm up their 2023 plans with the NFL Draft directly ahead. As the Las Vegas Raiders offseason careens towards the NFL Draft, a bit of a vision is beginning to emerge. Many questioned the trade of Darren Waller, but with the Raiders signing tight ends O.J. Howard and Austin Hooper, the offensive mold has been formed and filled.
George Smeddles announces his 'System On' EP
George Smeddles’ South Records imprint unveils its first release of 2023, delivering a diverse selection of club-ready grooves. Following an impressive year of more growth for ever-popular UK artist George Smeddles in 2022, his first South Records release of 2023 serves up a spirited selection of four immersive club-focused cuts that make up his ‘System On’ EP.
Raiders Preview: Ziegler Needs To Draft With Immediacy
. Embed from Getty Images While the NFL Draft remains of utmost importance to the Las Vegas Raiders and its braintrust. Smarter decisions must be the rule of the day. When Dave Ziegler’s first offseason as general manager of the Las Vegas Raiders resulted in the signings of Davante Adams and Chandler Jones, a precedent was set that he intended his team to win for years to come.
Raiders Opinion: The Case For Rebuilding
Embed from Getty Images With the AFC West evolving into the toughest division in the NFL, the Raiders may need to rebuild. As the AFC West continues to bolster its rosters and staff or compete in the Super Bowl, the Las Vegas Raiders are getting left behind. The Denver Broncos added head coach Sean Payton, who solidified his Hall of Fame career by continuously finding success despite rostering a quarterback in the sunset of his career, and still hold an impressive defense.
Raiders Offseason: The Quarterback Conundrum Starts Original
Embed from Getty Images The Las Vegas Raiders need a quarterback. They enter the offseason without a clear choice. Whoever the select will set the tone for the next couple of seasons. Additionally, the Raiders have made it fairly clear that Derek Carr will not be returning as QB1 for the team in the 2023 season, creating the opportunity for Las Vegas to use their pick to find his potential replacement.
Raiders Need Simple, But Physical Plan In Pittsburgh Original
Embed from Getty Images The Las Vegas Raiders need to brave the elements and a Steelers’ home crowd that desperately wants to win the game. Fitting for the Christmas season, the weather in Pittsburgh on Saturday will be downright frightful. The weather forecast for the Raiders’ 4 PM kickoff sits at about eight degrees Fahrenheit, with wind chill making things feel closer to ten below zero.
Raiders Opinion: The Pain Lingers After Loss In Inglewood Original
. Embed from Getty Images The Las Vegas Raiders need to shake off the inexplicable loss to the Los Angeles Rams. Question is, can they? After the Las Vegas Raiders come from behind victory over the Los Angeles Chargers, I had jokingly suggested that the Raiders start each game with a turnover, in order to rev up the defense and keep the team locked in and hungry.
Raiders Opinion: Two Weeks To Show Signs Of Pride Original
Embed from Getty Images The Las Vegas Raiders face opponents in two winnable games. Yet, can they put aside the dreadful losses and compete? Over their next two games, the Las Vegas Raiders will face the New England Patriots and the Pittsburgh Steelers. Seeing as the Raiders sit in a bit of a sour spot, being too far gone from a playoff spot but having an outside chance at a top-five draft pick. Many would advise the team to do their best to not win another game for the rest of the year.
Raiders Opinion: Tough Choices Litter Rest Of Season Original
Embed from Getty Images The Las Vegas Raiders face an incredibly difficult decision as to how to proceed with the rest of the 2022 NFL season. As the Las Vegas Raiders stand at 4-7, the team has to make a decision on how to proceed with the rest of their season.
Raiders Corral Broncos, Show Faint Signs Of Life
Embed from Getty Images With the game looking like another lost Sunday, the Las Vegas Raiders managed to pull one out. Prior to the Las Vegas Raiders Week 11 game against the Denver Broncos, the team had a relatively loud week in the media. To start, Derek Carr broke down in tears during a postgame interview following the Raiders’ loss to the Indianapolis Colts, frustrated with the team’s lack of buy-in to new head coach Josh McDaniels and the general lack of success surrounding his team.
Empty Bucket: Raiders’ Fortunes Take Downward Turn Original
Embed from Getty Images The Las Vegas Raiders continued the nightmare season with an embarrassing 24-0 defeat in New Orleans. Yesterday was Halloween, the Las Vegas Raiders kept with the spirit of the holiday and brought out one of their spookiest performances in recent history. The New Orleans Saints shut them out, 24-0. Stopped By The Statistically Subpar Over the last couple of seasons, the Saints were relatively defensive-minded and kept their opponents to a lower-than-average score.
Good Bye: Raiders Plan To Build Momentum After Break Original
Embed from Getty Images Although the team started 1-4, the Las Vegas Raiders still believe they can make a run after the bye. When the Raiders 2022 schedule was released, a Week Six bye seemed incredibly early for a team that made a habit in 2021 of turning their weekly matchups into grueling battles that may have led them to hope for a later bye to recover and prepare for a potential playoff run. However, after a crushing 1-4 start, the bye week could not have come at a better time.
Raiders Opinion: RB Jacobs Rushing Towards Pay Day Original
Embed from Getty Images The Las Vegas Raiders, despite having declined the option on Josh Jacobs, may still end up paying him. When the Las Vegas Raiders announced they would not be picking up Josh Jacobs’ fifth-year rookie option, many believed it was a hint that the team would be seeing some new faces in the backfield in 2022. When the season started, the Raiders followed this narrative, as Jacobs averaged 14 touches, 64 rush yards, and 0 touchdowns through his first three games.
Raiders Preview: Avoid The Easy Path, Run To Daylight
Embed from Getty Images Offensively, the Las Vegas Raiders need to play to their pronounced strengths and away from being dragged into a shootout. Although there has only been one team to provide a blueprint on how to beat the 2022 Kansas City Chiefs, there is still much to be learned from their game against the Indianapolis Colts.
Raiders Preview: Gameplan Must Stay Diverse, Imaginative
Embed from Getty Images In order to keep the offense clicking, the Las Vegas Raiders must go through Arrowhead. The Chiefs will always be ready. If Derek Carr’s statline (21/34, 188 yards, zero touchdowns, zero interceptions) was posted sans the final score, it could be easily assumed the Las Vegas Raiders dropped their fourth straight game to open the season. However, this assumption would be incorrect, mostly due to a previously under-utilized man named Josh Jacobs.
Raiders Review: Offense Gets Rolling, Carr Starts Moving Original
Embed from Getty Images On offense, the Las Vegas Raiders finally started to click. Can they take this intensity deep into the season? Although Josh Jacobs deserves the premier game ball for Sunday’s 144-yard, two-touchdown performance, many other players stepped up to make the 32-23 win over Denver a bit less stressful. Defensively, the Raiders came to play against an offense many expected to be one of the league’s best at the start of the year.
Raiders Review: Vegas Falls Short At Nissan Original
Embed from Getty Images The Las Vegas Raiders faltered in Tennessee, with failure from both sides of the football. The clock continues to tick. Sitting in the cheap seats of Nissan Stadium on a hot Sunday in Nashville is like a sweatier, more expensive version of an All-22 subscription. While sitting closer to the field provides more of an in-person experience, being able to see every player on the field with a mere shift of the eye is quite beneficial.
Opinion: Raiders Must Avoid Cliches, Start Winning Original
Embed from Getty Images The Las Vegas Raiders, so far, continue to show an astonishing lack of killer instinct. They must rapidly develop it. Although the actual game played between the Las Vegas Raiders and Tennessee Titans was frustrating enough for Raiders fans, the most aggravating part of Sunday may have come after the clock hit zeroes. In a postgame press conference, head coach Josh McDaniels stated that the team needed to “learn how to win games”.
Raiders Review: No Excuses, Just Heartbreaking Defeat Original
Embed from Getty Images If luck is the residue of design, then the Las Vegas Raiders failed to scheme up any good fortune on Sunday. Seeing as Daniel Carlson recorded nine lead-changing field goals in the final two minutes of overtime in 2021, it becomes evident that the Raiders struggle to win games comfortably.
Raiders Review: Dog Day Sunday Afternoon Original
Embed from Getty Images The Raiders left Los Angeles with a loss. Games like this will do nothing but test the mettle of a team. Folding isn’t an option. Although the NFL season has the fewest games of any major professional sport, there are still enough games for teams to drop a “stinker” or two while still remaining successful. Unfortunately, it appears the Las Vegas Raiders opted to get one of their more disappointing games out of the way in the first week of the season.
Raiders Need Jacobs To Use Declined Option As Motivation Original
Embed from Getty Images When Josh Jacobs takes the field on Sunday, he will carry a chip on his shoulder. The Raiders need that chip to spur a productive season. When the news that the Las Vegas Raiders would not be picking up Josh Jacobs’ fifth-year option broke, it came as a bit of a surprise. Jacobs started his career strong, rushing for a thousand yards in each of his first two seasons and finished second in Offensive Rookie of the Year voting.
Raiders Reflection: Running Back Position Sharpens Focus
Embed from Getty Images The Las Vegas Raiders cleared up their running back issues. Now, how will they be used after a few key cuts? Entering this year’s offseason, many expected the Las Vegas Raiders to come into the 2022 season with a two-headed monster from the running back position. In this assumption, Josh Jacobs would start games receiving a majority of snaps from rushing roles, and Kenyan Drake would take the field for pass setups.
Raiders Opinion: Crosby And Jones Will Ignite Defensive Surge
Embed from Getty Images The fate of the Las Vegas Raiders depends on their defense. Can Maxx Crosby and Chandler Jones ignite the entire unit? The need for a capable pass rush will remain important for years to come. A dominant pass rush slows and clogs lanes. Not to mention, a quarterback under stress will attempt poorly-advised throws. The Raiders need their duo of Maxx Crosby and Chandler Jones to serve as the defensive catalysts in 2022.
Raiders Opinion: Zone Defense Will Suffer At Offense’s Hands
Embed from Getty Images While the zone defense is the bane of offenses, the Raiders manage to excel. How will Davante Adams improve that even more? The more weapons an offense possesses, the more likely their opponent is to come out in a zone defense. A zone defense allows defenders to cover areas on the field instead of being assigned a specific pass-catcher. Due to the variety of locations each defender can cover, zone can be confusing to less-experienced quarterbacks.
Numbers To Know: Raiders Need Offensive Outbursts To Win
Embed from Getty Images To win the AFC West, the Las Vegas Raiders need to cash in on offensive opportunities. Above all, scoring more sixes than three takes the pressure off the defense. With the AFC West panning out to be the most contentious divisional battle in recent history, the understanding that everyone must step up has never been clearer, especially for the Raiders.
Jack Swift collaborates with Damon Trueitt as he returns to Make You Move Records and unveils his first EP on the label
An artist embedded within London’s underground scene for years, Jack Swift is growing and gaining his well-deserved plaudits as an exciting talent emerging from the capital. Known for his technical prowess as a DJ, traversing genres and drawing from the full spectrum of house, garage, and beyond, Swift’s focus more recently has seen him hard at work in the studio as he shapes his sound as a producer.
Raiders Opinion: This Hall Of Fame Game Carries Greater Weight
Embed from Getty Images When the family of Cliff Branch gives his Hall of Fame induction speech, the Raiders will officially kick off the start of a hopeful playoff journey. The “dog days” of the 2022 summer have been a bit more grueling than usual for Raiders fans as they wait for the debut of Davante Adams in the Silver and Black. Yet, the wait is coming to an end.
Room To Run? Raiders Embrace Back By Committee
Embed from Getty Images In shifting to a committee approach, expect 2022 to be an interesting year for the Raiders and the running back position. With the Las Vegas Raiders leaving Josh Jacobs’ future up in the air, the team also stirs up questions regarding the running back room. The Raiders enjoyed Josh Jacobs’ talents for the last three seasons. He tallied 3,087 rushing yards and 28 touchdowns. However, they do not seem too intent to extend him after the 2022 season.
Biding His Time? Raiders Delaying Waller Extension
Embed from Getty Images Despite being one of the league’s best, tight end Darren Waller is still waiting on a lucrative extension from the Raiders. As the Las Vegas Raiders continue to build their team from a “win now” point of view, the team’s strategies and transactions shift towards the short term. Since Davante Adams’ and Hunter Renfrow’s contracts both run at least four years each, that is currently where the Raiders’ window for success stands. Darren Waller is still waiting. Why The Delay?
Raiders Preview: AFC West Gauntlet Determines 2022 Fate
Embed from Getty Images The Raiders enter their 2022 season with expectations and a brutal AFC West schedule. With all four AFC West teams entering the 2022 season pursuing playoff intentions, every matchup between these teams will mean significantly more as the playoffs are near. Seeing as each of these games will be highlighted with heightened significance, the surrounding factors, such as location and time, must also be regarded with raised importance.
Southern Takeover: Raiders Must Capitalize Versus Vulnerable Teams
Embed from Getty Images In the middle of their 2022 schedule, the Las Vegas Raiders face a tricky but manageable slew of games that they need to win. The 2022 NFL season is going to be a gauntlet of unprecedented proportions for every AFC team. Regardless of their playoff aspirations, due to a vast majority of teams are also in a playoff push. Assuming most of the major moves click, the fate of these teams comes down to the schedule.
Triple Threat: Raiders Pass Catchers Will Unleash Versatility On Defense
Embed from Getty Images The pass-catching trio of Waller, Adams, and Renfrow should light up the scoreboard for the Raiders. Although WAR is most known by baseball fans as “Wins Above Replacement”, the acronym could be familiarized amongst Raiders fans. For Raiders fans, WAR could stand for (Darren) Waller, (Davante) Adams, and (Hunter) Renfrow, which has shaped up to be one of the most dangerous offensive trios in the league.
Cashing In: Raiders Reward Renfrow With Extension
Embed from Getty Images Hunter Renfrow received a well-earned contract extension. This week, another key piece to the Las Vegas Raiders stays in the fold. Over the span of his short, three-year career, Hunter Renfrow has progressed from an underdog story to a household name. Prior to his NFL career, he was best known for catching the game-winning touchdown in the 2017 National Championship game. But just fifteen touchdowns, 208 catches, and 2299 yards later, Renfrow is turning heads.
Raiders Opinion: Fighting Through Contentious AFC West
Embed from Getty Images The Raiders rebuilt parts of their roster for a deep playoff run. How will they stack up in the loaded AFC? While the Las Vegas Raiders have spent the offseason bulking up their roster in an attempt to build on last year’s playoff appearance, a vast majority of the AFC has decided it is also the time to do the same. Despite none of their 2022 draft picks projected to start, the Raiders have pieced together their best roster since at least 2016.
The Brutal End?: Raiders Close 2022 With Grueling Schedule
Embed from Getty Images In order to make the playoffs, the Las Vegas Raiders must battle through an insanely difficult end to the 2022 NFL season. Historical Context When the Raiders went on their jaw-dropping 4-0 run to finish the 2021 season and sneak into the playoffs, they had to get through one team that would join them in the postseason.
Bumpy Road: Raiders Must Travel Rough Path In 2022
Embed from Getty Images If the Las Vegas Raiders are going to return to the playoffs, they will need to navigate a tough schedule of games. Over the last three seasons, the Las Vegas Raiders have started the year with a 2-0 record, and have started 3-0 in two of the last three. However, if the Raiders are to continue this trend in 2022, they could find themselves garnering national attention as favorites to win the AFC.
Raiders Opinion: Better Talent Widens Offensive Opportunities
Embed from Getty Images Unlike previous seasons, Derek Carr won’t have to be surgically precise. Instead, improved talent gives the Raiders a greater margin of error. Following Derek Carr’s three-year extension, which will net him around $40 million per year, the Las Vegas Raiders are now officially set to make a case as one of the top offenses in the league.
Carlson's Overworked Foot Helps Raiders, Hides Offensive Inefficiency -
Embed from Getty Images Daniel Carlson appears automatic from inside of forty-five yards. However, his success masks the red zone failure that plagues the Raiders. While analysts and fans gush over the Las Vegas Raiders’ new, star-studded offense, many tend to overlook one of the team’s most reliable players. In the 2021 season, kicker Daniel Carlson was the only player to make 40 field goals, which he did at a 93 percent rate (T-3rd in NFL).
Raiders Opinion: Overcoming Red Zone Failures In 2022
Embed from Getty Images The Las Vegas Raiders profoundly struggled in the red zone over the last three seasons, despite serious offensive talent. Over the last three seasons, the Las Vegas Raiders have not achieved a red zone touchdown percentage higher than 54 percent (meaning that, from the red zone, the Raiders would score a touchdown fifty-four out of a hundred times). Of the three statistically disappointing years, the 2021 season was surprisingly the team’s worst, at 51 percent.
Raiders Opinion: Staying Competitive In The AFC West
Embed from Getty Images With the Raiders bringing in top-tier talent on both sides of the ball, the team has made its intentions of competing in the dangerous AFC West incredibly clear. All four AFC West teams made major moves, (Denver gets Russell Wilson, Los Angeles gets Khalil Mack, and Kansas City gets Juju Smith-Schuster) but will the Raiders’ acquisitions of Davante Adams and Chandler Jones be enough to keep the team in contention?
Raiders Opinion: Remember The Players That Made The Offense
Embed from Getty Images On the final meaningful play of the Las Vegas Raiders postseason, Derek Carr threw an interception on the goal line with a chance to tie the game. While this alone is not particularly noteworthy, the location of his two leading receivers is. Both Darren Waller and Hunter Renfrow did not cross the goal line on that fateful play. Two of the targets Carr had looked to his entire season were essentially used as decoys during the most important play of the team’s season.
Raiders Opinion: The AFC West Arms Race Begins
Embed from Getty Images When Aaron Rodgers announced he would be returning to the Green Bay Packers, the AFC West exhaled. Many believed the Denver Broncos could land the reigning, two-time MVP. Then, hardly an hour after the news, the Broncos traded for Russell Wilson. Although the AFC West currently enjoys three teams with playoff hopes in the final week of the season, Wilson’s arrival in Denver turns the West into even more of a “buzzsaw division”.
Raiders RB Jacobs' Uncertain Future
Embed from Getty Images When the 2022-23 season begins, Josh Jacobs will be on the final year of his rookie deal. In his first three seasons, Jacobs has rushed for over 3000 yards, has a Pro Bowl appearance, and finished his first year as the runner-up for the Offensive Rookie of the Year award. Fast Start, Underwhelming After In his first season (2019), Jacobs appeared in thirteen games but would total his career-high 1150 rushing yards.
Raiders Opinion: The Carr Extension
As Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford hoisted the Lombardi trophy in his first season since leaving the Detroit Lions, the team which drafted him in 2009, comparisons to Derek Carr began to formulate. Although Stafford’s Super Bowl-winning season came in his thirteenth season and 2022-23 will be Carr’s ninth, the Raiders quarterback is currently one contract extension away from beginning his career the exact same way.
Raiders Opinion: The Long Game
As the Las Vegas Raiders announced the signing of Head Coach Josh McDaniels, a variety of emotions emerged. The initial realization after the signing was that interim head coach Rich Bisaccia’s run had come to an end. Bisaccia was highly respected in the locker room, not only as a coach but as a human. Many players vouched for him to shed the interim tag and receive the head coaching job, including Derek Carr, just minutes after the team’s playoff loss to the Cincinnati Bengals.
Raiders Rewind: 2021 Coordinators
As the Las Vegas Raiders proceed with their house cleaning, releasing GM Mike Mayock, and continuing the search for an official head coach, the team’s coordinators must know they will soon fall under the microscope. When reviewing the general statistics, it is safe to say neither Greg Olson nor Gus Bradley had exceptional years. Do Numbers Lie?
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