Ranking Oakland Raiders' Best Individual Performances Through 11 Weeks
The Oakland Raiders embarrassed themselves in Mexico City through a 33-8 loss to the New England Patriots on Sunday. Still, at 4-6, head coach Jack Del Rio's group is hanging on to the AFC playoff picture by a single thread.
After watching the Patriots throttle the Raiders, the good times seem faint. However, the Silver and Black have shown slight glimpses of what they can do with extensive preparation and fewer self-inflicted miscues.
As a whole, the AFC has so much more mediocrity than the NFC, which gives the Raiders more than enough opportunities to straighten the wrinkles in their game. A victory over the Denver Broncos and a Los Angeles Chargers loss would push the Silver and Black into second place in the AFC West.
Along with the coaching staff, some players will have more pressure to pull through with some stellar performances. We'll look back and rank the top individual feats in ascending order through 11 weeks.
EDGE, Khalil Mack, 2 Sacks in Week 4
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Edge-rusher Khalil Mack's only two-sack game barely made the cut. The Raiders lost on the road to the Denver Broncos in Week 4, but the Defensive Player of the Year flashed his power and speed against a division rival.
Mack has a knack for showing up big in Denver. During the 2015 campaign, he sacked quarterback Brock Osweiler five times at Sports Authority Field at Mile High. Ironically, he could see the 26-year-old signal-caller again on Sunday in Oakland.
Despite losing their starting quarterback to injury late in the third quarter, the Raiders defense kept the game close. Unfortunately, the offense failed to put up enough points with quarterback EJ Manuel finishing the game under center.
Oakland's defense needs a boost going forward. Mack will need to put a cape on to salvage the poor play on that side of the ball. Since this particular performance, he's only logged a half-sack.
TE, Jared Cook, 8 Catches, 126 Yards in Week 9
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Oakland acquired tight end Jared Cook to add another dimension to the offense. He's accomplished that with reliable hands for the most part. He dropped a couple of critical passes against the Broncos in Week 4 and fumbled on the opening drive in the following game against the Baltimore Ravens.
After some rough patches, Cook rebounded with two 100-yard games. He recorded his best performance in Week 9 against the Miami Dolphins. The 30-year-old tight end snagged eight out of nine targets for 126 yards.
Cook has found his niche within the offense running routes up the seam and turning upfield after the reception for long gains. He's clearly the No. 2 pass-catcher in the offense through 11 weeks.
Offensive coordinator Todd Downing should continue to lean on the 6'5", 254-pound tight end to breathe life into a sputtering passing attack.
QB, Derek Carr, 23-of-28, 230 Yards, 3 TDs, in Week 2
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In Week 2, quarterback Derek Carr showed efficiency in the pocket. He didn't throw for more than 300 yards but put together a strong performance.
Carr completed 82 percent of his passes against the New York Jets in the team's home opener. For the fans, who didn't see him throw on the road against the Tennessee Titans, his three-touchdown performance gave hope for another productive season in a new offense.
After suffering a broken leg in the previous campaign, many needed to see Carr string together consecutive solid games to relieve any concern about his play after a significant injury.
Lately, the 26-year-old hasn't looked as sharp with his ball placement. At times, he holds on to the football too long. Obviously, he must play well to provide the Raiders any chance at winning games.
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WR, Michael Crabtree, 6 Catches, 80 Yards, 3 TDs in Week 2
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In Carr's efficient Week 2 showing that led the Silver and Black to a 45-20 victory over the Jets, wide receiver Michael Crabtree logged his second career three-touchdown game, per ESPN Stats & Info.
Crabtree's Week 2 output would have ranked higher, but he's been the most reliable pass-catcher since signing with the team during the 2015 offseason. If not for Carr's generosity in spreading the ball among his pass-catchers, the 30-year-old wideout would have more games with a hat trick in the scoring category.
Oakland had good field position at the start of drives during this game. As a result, the offense didn't need to travel 75 yards downfield to score. Carr's efficiency as a passer matched Crabtree's numbers as a receiver. He didn't need to eclipse 100 yards to impact the outcome.
Nonetheless, when the Raiders needed a touchdown, Carr relied on No. 15 to secure the reception for a score.
K, Giorgio Tavecchio, FGs 4-of-4 in Week 1
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In the first week, kicker Giorgio Tavecchio showed why he belongs on the field. In his first regular-season contest, his ability to convert on four field-goal attempts—two from 50-plus yards, propelled the Raiders to victory.
The 27-year-old kicker didn't show any signs of jitters during his debut performance. In stone-cold fashion, he drilled back-to-back 52-yard attempts.
Tavecchio replaced Sebastian Janikowski, who's known for his strong leg. The newcomer's accuracy and power allowed the Raiders to leave the 39-year-old on injured reserve. There's definitely a change in the guard at kicker for the Silver and Black.
After essentially auditioning with the Raiders over the past four offseasons, Tavecchio finally earned a spot on the roster for the long term and it started with his no-fear showing in Week 1.
QB, Derek Carr, 417 Yards, 3 TDs in Week 7
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In Week 7, Carr played one of his best games as a pro at a time when the team needed him to pull through with a clutch performance.
The Raiders signal-caller capped three out of four scoring drives with touchdowns. He also racked up 417 yards while carving up the Kansas City Chiefs defense.
Of course, the win ranks as a top priority. Before this contest, the Raiders had lost five consecutive games to their division rival. Typically, Carr struggled against Bob Sutton's defense, but he broke through finally and led his team to victory.
He fearlessly led the offense on a game-winning touchdown drive to triumph and snap a four-game losing streak.
The Raiders gave fans hope the offense had found its groove with Downing as the play-caller. Yet, at this moment, Del Rio will have to relocate some mojo to re-energize the aerial attack.
WR, Amari Cooper, 11 Catches, 210 Yards, 3 TDs in Week 7
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The Raiders' most dynamic wide receiver has been a complete enigma through the 2017 season.
When he entered the 2015 draft, many college football analysts described him as a consistent player with a high floor. At the least, the Raiders would have a pass-catcher who's reliable in productivity—not necessarily with eye-popping numbers.
Wideout Amari Cooper showed a full picture of what he could become in a well-designed offense. The Chiefs pass defense didn't have an answer for him in Week 7, and he accounted for more than half of Carr's 417 passing yards.
In this outing, the 23-year-old eclipsed his total receiving yards between Weeks 1 and 6. It's the version of Cooper many Raiders fans dream of seeing every week. Unfortunately, he's only scored in three games and hasn't accumulated more than 65 yards in any other contest.
Once again, drops have plagued Cooper's season. He's largely inefficient with his targets. It's also clear the Raiders need to help him find his 2016 form to elevate the offense. He doesn't have to accumulate 210 yards per game, but where's the consistency in his productivity?
Whatever led to Cooper's Week 7 output, he needs to repeat the routine for more big games down the stretch.
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