Latest Loss Exposes Oakland Raiders' Lack of Overall Talent

The Oakland Raiders' late push fell short Sunday in a 16-9 loss to the New England Patriots in Foxborough. It wasn’t a moral victory for the Raiders, but it was a good reminder that coaching isn’t the only reason the team is 0-3.

Head coach Dennis Allen’s team fought hard for four quarters, but it wasn’t enough to get a road win against a Bill Belichick-coached squad that hasn’t lost more than six games since 2002. While a coaching change is still possible if the Raiders can’t beat the Miami Dolphins in London next week, Sunday’s result suggests that it might not make much of a difference.

An overall lack of talent was to blame for the loss to the Patriots, and it should share some of the blame for the Raiders' atrocious start. General manager Reggie McKenzie added a lot of talent in the offseason, but it’s clear his team still has a long way to go.

No place was the lack of talent more clear than at inside linebacker and wide receiver.

Starting inside linebackers Sio Moore and Nick Roach were out with injuries, so the Raiders started backups Miles Burris and Kaluka Maiava. Both Burris and Maiava are nothing more than special teams players on most teams, but the Raiders had to lean on them heavily against the Patriots.

Burris and Maiava were largely responsible for covering tight end Rob Gronkowski, running back Shane Vereen and helping a team that had allowed 400 rushing yards in two games stop the run. Maiava was a liability in coverage while Burris in all areas.

On a key 3rd-and-5 in the fourth quarter, Burris couldn’t stick with Vereen in coverage. Vereen easily evaded Burris’ tackle attempt to pick up 12 yards and the first down at Oakland’s 32-yard line. A few plays later Patriots kicker Stephen Gostkowski made a 36-yard field goal to put New England up 16-9.

Maiava lost Gronkowski on a crossing round in the second quarter that turned out to be the only touchdown of the game. Maiava simply doesn’t have the foot speed to cover a talented player like Gronkowski, but the Raiders couldn’t hide him on every play.  

The Patriots ran the ball 29 times for just 83 yards if you exclude runs by quarterback Tom Brady, but Maiava and Burris combined for five tackles. By comparison, strong safety Tyvon Branch had seven tackles in less than three quarters of play.

Burris failed to get off blocks to make tackles, or the Patriots otherwise took him out of plays. On the rare occasion Burris was unblocked and in the correct gap, he’s able to make the play, but it was not often enough.

The Raiders were better against the run than they were in previous weeks, but Burris and Maiava had little to do with the improvement. The Raiders allowed just 2.4 yards per rush and 76 net yards, which is something they can try to build off going forward.

Wide receiver Rod Streater went down with a foot injury early in the second quarter that forced Denarius Moore into full-time action and elevated Andre Holmes a spot on the depth chart. Streater had three receptions for 32 yards in a little more than a quarter of play, and the offense to that point was moving the ball consistently.

Moore finished with three receptions for 23 yards and a key drop on the Raiders' final drive that resulted in an interception for the Patriots and sealed the game. Moore allowed Carr’s short pass to bounce off his shoulder pads, and cornerback Logan Ryan tipped it into the arms of defensive tackle Vince Wilfork.

Holmes had one catch for 29 yards and drew a pass interference call that netted 24 yards to get the Raiders in position to tie the game, but he also had multiple miscommunications with quarterback Derek Carr that kept the offense from getting into a rhythm. Holmes has big-play potential, but talent needs to extend beyond simply running and catching.

Carr finished with 21 completions on 34 attempts but for just 174 yards. The wide receivers aren’t creating yards after the catch, they can’t get open deep or Carr simply doesn’t have the confidence in his receivers to haul in passes down the field.

Of course, inside linebacker and wide receiver aren’t the only positions where the Raiders lack talent. The Raiders haven’t been able to run the ball effectively this season despite rebuilding their offensive line.

Adding Maurice Jones-Drew to a stable of backs that included Darren McFadden, Latavius Murray and Marcel Reece has proved fruitless for all parties. Jones-Drew was ineffective in Week 1 and missed the last two weeks with a hand injury, and McFadden hasn’t done much better in his place.

The offensive line, the running backs and the play-calling all share some of the blame, but it’s not solely a coaching issue.

Things may get worse before they get better for the Raiders. Streater and Branch each broke a foot in Sunday’s loss, as Allen said after the game via Fallon Smith of CSN Bay Area.

That means Moore and Holmes will continue to see action until the Raiders can acclimate the recently signed Vincent Brown. Safeties Usama Young and rookie Jonathan Dowling will have to fill in for Branch, who leads the team with 23 tackles.

“That cost us a little bit later in the game, took us out of some things we wanted to be able to do later in the game that we weren’t able to get to because of the injury situation,” Allen said of the injuries to Streater and Branch after the game, via Raiders.com. “It’s something we’ll have to look as we move forward and see where we’re at.”

Roach has been out with a concussion for over a month, so when or if he can return is in doubt. Sio Moore didn’t practice all week with an ankle injury, so his status in the immediate future is also unclear. That means the Raiders will have to continue to trot out Burris and Maiava, which is obviously not ideal.

Football can be a brutal game, but the Raiders can’t afford to lose anyone else. It’s not as if the Raiders have a ton of injuries or that injuries are an excuse; they simply lack the talent to compete without all of their starters.

Up until Week 3, Allen hadn’t made the most of the talent he has, but he came a lot closer to it against the Patriots. McKenzie should at least share part of the blame for a team that lacks depth.

If the Raiders don’t win in Week 4 and owner Mark Davis decides to fire Allen, don’t expect things to get much better than they were vs. the Patriots. All the assistant coaches and coordinators will still be in place, and one will be pulling double duty. As long as Allen can inspire his team to put in the effort, the team’s overall lack of talent may be the bigger issue.