Arizona Cardinals vs. Oakland Raiders: Full Report Card Grades for Oakland
Six games. Six losses.
There are a lot of ways to break down the Oakland Raiders' season up to this point, but it all comes down to the fact that after seven weeks of the NFL season, the Raiders are the lone winless team in the league.
The offense was unable to build off of last week's success, as it once again reverted to its inconsistent form. The unit showed signs of life, but it was unable to create sustained drives throughout the game. Too many of the drives stalled, and the team failed to score more than 14 points for the fifth time this season.
Despite struggling in the same areas it has all year, the defense somehow managed to be somewhat effective. It gave up big gains and was mostly ineffective against the run and the pass, yet this was somehow still a one-possession game with minutes left in the fourth quarter.
Unfortunately, the defense once again struggled mightily on third downs, and this ultimately proved too much of an obstacle. The unit was too often unable to get off the field, giving the Arizona Cardinals too many opportunities.
After the first few games, the Raiders still had hope of turning things around, going on a winning streak at some point and turning this into a rare successful season.
After six games, what the team is left with is the knowledge that this is about as good as it's going to get this year. For now, the team's singular goal is to get that first win.
Here's a full breakdown and grades for every positional unit following Sunday's 24-13 loss to the Cardinals.
Quarterback
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After a breakout performance in Week 6, Derek Carr was unable to recreate his performance on Sunday. He finished a disappointing 16-of-28 passing for 173 yards.
He didn't throw any interceptions, but he also didn't have any touchdowns. Aside from a 55-yard completion that set up Oakland's only touchdown, he had a very quiet game.
Carr avoided any major mistakes, but he was unable to make enough plays. This was especially frustrating because this was a winnable game. It was also frustrating because the Raiders had opportunities to score more than 13 points, but the offense consistently stalled. This falls on the quarterback.
The telltale drive came late in the first half following Charles Woodson's interception. The offense did come away with three points.
However, the truth is that the unit got the ball in scoring position, so credit for the score goes to Woodson's 30-yard return. The offense managed only two yards on what was essentially a three-and-out drive.
The offense is going to go as Carr goes. On Sunday, he didn't do enough. Rookie or not, he's the leader of this offense, and performances like the one he had against the Cardinals aren't good enough.
Grade: D+
Running Back
2 of 12
Darren McFadden didn't have a bad game, but it was an ineffective performance once again. With 48 yards on 14 carries, he had some decent runs and did score Oakland's only touchdown, but at only 3.4 yards per carry, the run never became something the Arizona offense had to worry about.
Maurice Jones-Drew once again had a few token touches—three carries, six yards—but he remains a non-factor in the offense. Since returning from injury, he's had no impact on the offense.
There's been no real explanation for it, but the Raiders continue to show a lack of commitment to the run. The running backs combined for only 17 carries. As a comparison, Arizona's Andre Ellington alone had 24 carries, and the Cardinals as a team combined for 37.
No matter who's running the ball, that's not enough carries to establish a running game. Until Oakland commits to this facet of the offense on a regular basis, it's going to continue to struggle.
Grade: D+
Fullback
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Jamize Olawale got the start in place of the injured Marcel Reece, but the results were the same. Aside from a seven-yard reception, Olawale was nowhere to been seen during the game.
Because of Reece's abilities and Olawale's potential, there were high hopes entering the season that the fullbacks could become the Oakland offense's secret weapon. But after six games, it's become clear that they're not a major part of the game plan.
Until the evidence proves otherwise, the fullbacks can't be considered when assessing the offense.
Grade: N/A
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Tight End
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Another game, another underperformance from Mychal Rivera.
What was supposed to be one of the Raiders' breakout spots on offense has turned into the most disappointing. Rivera can't seem to get open, and Brian Leonhardt gets only spot duty as a blocker and an occasional receiver. David Ausberry rarely sees the field and appears to have fallen completely out of Oakland's plans.
There's a clear gap in the Oakland offense, and it's the one left by the tight ends. Rivera and Leonhardt combined for 22 yards on two catches. That's not even a bad game. That's a disappearing act.
They stayed away from major mistakes and generally performed well as blockers, but they did nothing besides that to help the offense.
Rivera found something that worked last season in a surprisingly productive rookie year. Whatever that was, he needs to find it again. Until he does, the offense is going to continue to miss a major part of the attack.
Grade: D-
Wide Receiver
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The wide receivers had a great game last week. While they didn't play poorly this week, they were unable to generate enough of the same big plays.
Oakland's top three receivers—Andre Holmes, James Jones and Brice Butler—combined for eight catches and 124 yards. However, almost half of those yards came on Butler's 55-yard reception, his only catch of the game.
Even if the big plays aren't there, the receivers still have to produce consistently throughout the game. There were times when Carr had plenty of time to throw, but the receivers couldn't get open, and he had to go with a dump-off pass or just throw the ball away.
The receivers made a few nice plays, but they were collectively quiet for long stretches of the game. It can't be feast or famine, but that's what we saw between last week and this week.
Even if the big plays aren't there, the receivers have to be reliable and consistent enough to move the chains and remain dangerous.
Grade: D+
Offensive Line
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The offensive line remains one of the Raiders' few consistently good units. Carr was sacked once and hurried a few times, but he generally was able to stay within the pocket and let plays develop. The O-line held up well the entire game in pass protection.
The primary area that still needs work is the run blocking. As good as the group has been protecting the quarterback, it's been just as disappointing in creating running lanes.
The responsibility is shared by the running backs, but too often the opposing defense is meeting the runners at the point of attack or after only a couple of yards.
The run blocking needs work, but the protection was sound, and the group stayed away from any penalty issues. This was another solid performance from what's been Oakland's most reliable unit.
Grade: C+
Defensive Line
7 of 12
No member of the defensive line has played well this season. The unit as a whole has been disappointing, and the one who had been the least disappointing (relatively speaking), Justin Tuck, missed Sunday's game due to injury.
The three remaining starters—Pat Sims, Antonio Smith and LaMarr Woodley—combined for a pitiful four tackles, no sacks and no tackles for loss.
Tuck's replacement, C.J. Wilson, had the best performance of the group (again, relatively speaking). He finished with two tackles, one of them for a loss.
As the game wore on, the group was getting a bit more of a push, but it was still unable to get to the opposing quarterback. Carson Palmer had enough time all game to read the defense and pick his targets. This was a big reason why he was able to complete over 70 percent of his passes.
Unlike previous games, the opposing running backs were somewhat kept in check. Watching the game, it seemed as if Andre Ellington and Stepfan Taylor ran for about 200 yards, but they actually finished with only 128—Ellington for 88, Taylor for 40. They both averaged less than four yards a carry.
The problem was that most of this defensive success came on first and second down. The running backs still picked up enough yards on third downs to move the chains too often. This falls on the D-line's inability to get past the offensive line and attack the runner.
The defensive line is bad. There's really no other way to put it. And unless someone currently on the roster suddenly starts playing much, much better, this is how it's going to remain.
Grade: D
Linebacker
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Along with the offensive line, linebacker is one of two units on the Oakland roster that has played well.
Khalil Mack and Sio Moore were once again two of the bright spots on defense, as they were effective in pass coverage, very good against the run and dangerous as pass-rushers. Mack finished with a team-leading 11 tackles (three for loss), and Moore had five (one for loss).
The biggest issue remains in coverage, and the primary culprit is middle linebacker Miles Burris. As was the case last week with Philip Rivers, Palmer regularly looked Burris' way, and this frequently proved to be a good idea.
Burris has struggled, but he needs to be given credit for playing out of position, something that's had to happen because of all of the injuries.
He was moved over from weak-side linebacker and was only supposed to be a place-holder until Nick Roach returned. Now that Roach is out for the year, Burris has been left to do the best he can at a position he doesn't have the speed or coverage ability for.
As good as the group has played overall, it hasn't produced enough game-changing plays. The responsibility for this belongs to Mack and Moore.
Mack has yet to earn his first sack. Once this becomes a more frequent part of their performances, this unit will need to be accounted for even more, which will open things up for the rest of the defense.
Grade: C+
Secondary
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In the immortal words of Dennis Green, the Oakland safeties and cornerbacks "are who we thought they were."
Every member of the Raiders secondary steps onto the field ready to battle, but they're all either a step too slow or a year or two short on experience.
When Reggie McKenzie put this group together, he was hoping for a good mix of youth and experience. Instead, what he got was a combination of too slow and too young. This unfortunate result leads to a lot of open receivers, and most quarterbacks in the NFL are good enough to make a defense pay for this.
The best performer of the group remains Charles Woodson, who came up with another interception and a 30-yard return that the offense was unable to turn into a touchdown.
Besides Woodson, rookie T.J. Carrie has turned into the most promising corner on the team. He's able to maintain tight coverage, and he's begun to develop the ability to make plays on the ball.
But the two of them can't cover everyone, and the corners and safeties collectively always seem half a step behind the play.
This unit has plenty of fight. Unfortunately, it takes more than just desire to keep up with NFL receivers, especially when the quarterback has so much time to throw.
Grade: D
Special Teams
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Sebastian Janikowski has fewer field-goal attempts than any kicker in the league (six), but he's only missed one. On Sunday, he was 2-of-2, hitting from 29 and 53 yards away. He's been accurate, but he hasn't had enough opportunities.
An interesting development was the move to turn Matt Schaub into the holder on kicks. Marquette King seemed to have been doing well in the role, but perhaps the coaches like the idea of having someone who can throw a pass holding the ball.
King continues to show development as a punter. He can still get the distance on his kicks, but he's become much more effective in his placement. Of his six punts on Sunday, he was able to pin the Cardinals inside their own 20-yard line three times.
Coverage was solid and was able to stop Ted Ginn Jr. from any big returns. Ginn had two punt returns for only seven yards, and Arizona had no kick returns on the day.
T.J. Carrie once again looked dangerous on kick and punt returns. His longest punt return of the day was called back because of a penalty, but it seems like only a matter of time before he breaks loose on a return and takes one to the house.
Overall, a productive, mistake-free day for special teams.
Grade: B-
Coaching
11 of 12
The coaches didn't make any obvious, egregious errors in their game plan, but the play-calling lacked the spark that it had last week. There were some signs of the same aggressiveness, but it proved ineffective.
Jason Tarver's defense continued to disappoint, and he certainly is a major part of that. But it can't be denied that he has no control over some of the defense's biggest issues.
The secondary is a step too slow, and the defensive line is unable to get off its blocks and get to the quarterback. There's nothing Tarver can do about that.
Offensively, there's been a major change since the firing of Dennis Allen. Greg Olson's game plans have been more aggressive, but the offense remains unable to get anything going on the ground. This is in part due to the offensive line's inability to create running lanes, but it also has to do with Olson's lack of creativity.
For whatever reason, the running plays remain almost exclusively up the middle. This is fine if you're setting up outside runs where McFadden has always been more effective, but those plays never appear. Instead, there's just run after run right into the teeth of the defense.
Although he's gone 0-2 to start, Tony Sparano's influence is evident, and the Raiders have had an opportunity to win both games. But none of that matters as long as the team keeps losing.
The team has improved. Now, it needs to figure out a way to close out games and make those extra plays that make the difference between a win and a loss.
Grade: D+
Final Grades
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| Positional Unit | Overall Grade |
| QB | D+ |
| RB | D+ |
| FB | N/A |
| TE | D- |
| WR | D+ |
| OL | C+ |
| DL | D |
| LB | C+ |
| Secondary | D |
| Special Teams | B- |
| Coaching | D+ |
| Cumulative Grade | D+ |
Oakland didn't play poorly against the Cardinals, but the team didn't do enough to win. The defense gave up too many important first downs, and the offense was unable to sustain that one key drive that would get them the lead.
The team is moving in the right direction, but it isn't making enough plays to come out on top. As has been the case several times this season, the Raiders were in the game late, but they just couldn't quite get that one play to win that the other team always seems to create.
At this point, the Raiders know who they are. They're going to be outmatched in most games, but they can win if they make that one extra play and stay away from big mistakes.
Oakland has shown improvement in its last two games, but that has yet to result in a win. The team now has another week to try and figure out the right formula to make that happen.
Unless otherwise noted, stats provided by from ESPN.com.
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