Las Vegas Raiders

Raiders prove they can't win a game on defense alone

Published Nov. 16, 2015 9:37 p.m. ET

foxsports

Oakland forgot to bring its defense to a defensive battle against the Minnesota Vikings.

Instead, that group couldn't pick up the necessary slack for a slumping offense and sunk the Raiders again on Sunday.

"They're (The offense's) not going to click every week," veteran safety Charles Woodson told ESPN's Bill Williamson. "But you need the other areas to click ... I think we're good enough to do that."

But even that hasn't been enough to ensure victory (see: Steelers, Week 9). And when Carr and Co. aren't in sync like they were on Sunday, there's almost nothing that can be done.

It fell on the defense to rebound from a last-second meltdown against Antonio Brown. Instead, they let Adrian Peterson bruise them for 203 rushing yards -- and surrendered at least 29 points for a third game.

"Obviously, he (Peterson) made us pay," linebacker Malcolm Smith said. "We just have to be sharper, more detailed and just finish better. Obviously, that's been kind of our downfall."

(h/t ESPN)