Las Vegas Raiders

Oakland Raiders: Week 1 Excellence, Silver Lining, Black Cloud

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

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What worked and what went wrong for the Oakland Raiders? Who’s performance should be recognized for excellence? What’s going on within the AFC West?

Oakland Raiders fans left the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans with something to talk about on the plane ride home.

Raiders head coach Jack Del Rio ordered his team to take the bull by horns and ride the fierce animal into the sunset with a victory. Quarterback Derek Carr connected with wideout Michael Crabtree for a walk-off two-point conversion victory.

The Raiders’ final offensive drive provides an eye-catching highlight for casual NFL fans, but what’s the overall analysis on the game as a whole? When looking beyond the flashy plays and under the hood of this Raiders team, what did we learn in Week 1?

Every week, we’ll delve into the Raiders’ version of the good, bad and ugly coined as the commitment to excellence, silver lining and black cloud. The first and third subjects have obvious connotations. The silver lining will find the good in a situation that’s open to varying perspectives.

We’ll finish with each week’s biggest overreaction or concern and a recap on the AFC West divison.

Sep 11, 2016; New Orleans, LA, USA; New Orleans Saints wide receiver Willie Snead (83) makes a catch while defended by Oakland Raiders defensive back Sean Smith (21) in the second quarter at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports

Black Cloud: Secondary Looked Awful

We’ll start with the bad news, which came as no surprise. The secondary looked like a fresh piece of swiss cheese at your local deli. New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees felt very little pressure in the pocket, and he continuously picked the Raiders’ pass defense apart with ease. He logged 423 passing yards and four touchdowns.

The Raiders started three new defensive backs. Sean Smith, Reggie Nelson and Keith McGill played majority snaps at cornerback and safety. How could anyone expect a relatively brand new secondary to shut down Brees, who averaged 324.7 passing yards in the previous season behind a familiar offensive line and two starting wideouts?

Most analysts expected a shootout between an established offense and a developing offensive unit. It’ll take a few weeks before the Raiders secondary jumps to the same page.

As a potential playoff team, defensive coordinator Ken Norton must devise a better plan to defend high-powered passing offenses, but the Saints quarterback/offensive line/wide receiver combination will be the biggest challenge for the Raiders all season.

Sep 11, 2016; New Orleans, LA, USA; Oakland Raiders running back Latavius Murray (28) scores a touchdown over New Orleans Saints linebacker James Laurinaitis (53) and others in the first quarter at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports

Silver Lining: Latavius Murray Looked Average

The heat continues to raise the temperature on Latavius Murray’s seat as the starting running back. Rookie ball-carrier Jalen Richard put together a 75-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter to tie the game at 27. Now, questions about who’s the better starter in the backfield flood Raiders’ message boards and discussion groups.

Don’t concern yourselves with the starter in the backfield. It’s just a label. Last year, the starting ball-carrier meant something because the Raiders only had one viable running back on the roster. This year, offensive coordinator Bill Musgrave will divvy the carries among a committee, which include Murray, DeAndre Washington, Richard and Jamize Olawale in short-yardage situations.

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Focus on the hot hand in the backfield, not the symbolic starter. The coaching staff will feed each running back based on their production and situation. If it’s third-and-2, expect Olawale to use his size to rumble through defenders. On passing downs, Washington will step in as a threat in the short passing attack. For early downs, opposing defenses must prepare for Murray, Washington or Richard.

Varying options at running back keep all four ball-carriers fresh through the contest, which allows the offense to close out games on the ground. On Sunday, the running backs scored three out of the four touchdowns. Murray doesn’t need to run for 100-plus yards to validate the Raiders’ ground attack. As long as he’s averaging four or more yards per carry, he’s in a secure role in the backfield.

Sep 11, 2016; New Orleans, LA, USA; Oakland Raiders head coach Jack Del Rio celebrates as he leaves the field following a win against the New Orleans Saints in a game at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. The Raiders defeated the Saints 35-34. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

Commitment to Excellence: Del Rio’s Team Confidence

Del Rio’s decision to go for the win as opposed to the tie goes deeper than winning the football game.

We can point to Brees’ success against the Raiders secondary factoring into the two-point conversion play call, but the Raiders head coach also showed trust in his offense to execute a difficult play on the road. He doesn’t make this decision with a mediocre or poor offense.

Del Rio’s trust in his offense will resonate within the locker room for the remainder of the season. It’s a small gesture in an effort to shed the team’s perpetual image of incompetence over the past few seasons. The renewed confidence on one side of the ball shows the spoken faith in the top players on the roster takes a step further than lip service.

Last year, the Raiders offense started strong but went through bouts of conservative play with a young roster. Del Rio sent an early message, which highlights his perceived growth in the team’s ability to execute in critical situations.

Aug 2, 2015; Napa, CA, USA; Oakland Raiders general manager Reggie McKenzie (left) and owner Mark Davis at training camp at the Napa Valley Marriott. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Biggest Overreaction: The Raiders Overpaid for Sean Smith

In March, Smith signed a four-year, $38 million contract with $20 million guaranteed, per spotrac.com. Six months later, Saints wideout Brandin Cooks embarrassed the Raiders’ new No. 1 cornerback on the perimeter. Now, fans wonder if he’s an overpaid asset.

For starters, Smith’s yearly salary ranks No. 13 among all cornerbacks in the league. His contract doesn’t compare to Washington Redskins cornerback Josh Norman’s five-year, $75 million deal with $50 million guaranteed or New York Giants cornerback Janoris Jenkins’ five-year, $62.5 million contract with $28.8 million guaranteed, per spotrac.com.

Smith, as a No. 1 cornerback, signed a far less extravagant pact with the Raiders. As for his performance, he’s a big-body defender with length. Typically, he’s going to struggle against quick-twitch receivers with speed when he misses on jams at the line of scrimmage.

Don’t expect Smith to continue riding the bench. Del Rio already told local reporters (h/t San Francisco Chronicle reporter Vic Tafur), the cornerback would be back. The coaching staff simply pulled Smith in a poor perimeter matchup.

Sep 11, 2016; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Alex Smith (11) is congratulated by team mates after scoring the winning touchdown in overtime against the San Diego Chargers at Arrowhead Stadium. The Chiefs won 33-27 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

AFC West Standings and Notes

AFC West Standings
Team	Wins	Losses	Next Opponent
Denver Broncos	1	0	Vs. Colts
Kansas City Chiefs	1	0	At Texans
Oakland Raiders	1	0	Vs. Falcons
San Diego Chargers	0	1	Vs. Jaguars

Every AFC West team won their season opener except the San Diego Chargers, who lost 33-27 in overtime to the Kansas City Chiefs. The Chargers suffered another loss after the game when doctors confirmed their top wideout, Keenan Allen, tore his ACL, per NFL Network reporter Ian Rapoport.

The Chiefs continue to ride their magic carpet to miraculous wins and scoring streaks. The Chargers led 27-10 in the fourth quarter. Then, the defense allowed 23 unanswered points. Running back Jamaal Charles sat out as he continues to recover from a knee injury.

The Denver Broncos repeated as the victor over the Carolina Panthers in last week’s Thursday Night Football matchup.

The Raiders’ fiercest division rivals looked impressive in a different fashion in Week 1. The Chiefs offense continued to click without Charles and overcame a late deficit for the win. Broncos quarterback Trevor Siemian dinked and dunked his way downfield, but the defense still looks stout on all levels.

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