Changes the Raiders Must Make After Blowout Loss to Falcons

The Las Vegas Raiders took a major step back in their playoff quest on Sunday when they suffered their worst loss of the season to the Atlanta Falcons. 

If the coaching staff has not burned the tape from the Week 12 clash yet, it should be on its way to the dumpster. 

Las Vegas did not play well offensively, and the mistakes made in that facet of the game cost it any chance of recovering from a poor start. 

The good news for the Raiders is they have the NFL's ultimate fixer-upper style game in front of them in Week 13, as they visit the winless New York Jets. 

Jon Gruden's team should be able to fix the majority of its mistakes in a commanding win, and while it tortures the Jets defense, it should make a few changes that could help achieve success for the rest of the season.

Changes Raiders Must Make

Don't Turn The Ball Over

For the Raiders to make a playoff push, they must fix the turnover issues that plagued them in a handful of losses. 

In Sunday's 43-6 defeat, Derek Carr lost three fumbles and threw an interception. The quarterback has lost a fumble in five games this season and lost multiple fumbles in two contests. 

Las Vegas has 12 turnovers in its five losses, with six of them coming in the last two weeks against Atlanta and the Kansas City Chiefs. 

Part of Carr's struggles could come from the absence of offensive tackle Trent Brown, who is working his way back to the field. 

Gruden said Brown is not expected to play against the Jets, but "will be back at practice on Wednesday," per KSNV's Jesse Merrick. 

When Brown returns, Carr should have more time, which could lead to a few more seconds to work in the pocket that can turn into a complete pass or a throw away. 

Carr has been sacked on multiple occasions in four losses, and Sunday's three sacks tied a season high. 

In Week 13 without Brown, Carr needs to work on his progressions in the pocket and holding on to the ball when he does go down. 

The Raiders can't afford a second straight disappointing performance. A loss to the Jets would be even more embarrassing than a defeat to the Falcons. 

If Carr cleans up his play versus New York, he could set himself up for a successful stretch run of the regular season that features three consecutive home games. 

Two of those three contests come against Las Vegas' direct wild-card competition. Indianapolis comes to Allegiant Stadium in Week 14, and Miami visits two weeks later.

Get Henry Ruggs III More Involved

Las Vegas has one of the most dangerous rookie offensive weapons in the NFL, but Henry Ruggs III has not been used much in recent weeks. 

In the last three weeks, the first-year player out of Alabama has seven receptions off 10 targets. He has a single 50-yard performance in the last five contests. 

Ruggs averages 18.4 yards per reception and is not the focal point of opposing game plans with Darren Waller on the field. 

If Carr develops a long-play connection with Ruggs in December, the Raiders may make a few game-changing plays that put them at the forefront of the wild-card conversation. 

The best way for the two to gain more chemistry in the passing game is to face the Jets, who allowed 10 of their 11 opponents to score 20 or more points. 

Indianapolis and Miami do not possess a receiver of Ruggs' down-field speed, and he could be the X-factor in the matchups that will decide the wild-card race. 

At the moment, the Raiders sit in ninth place in the AFC at 6-5. Miami and Indianapolis are each one game ahead of them, and head-to-head record is the first tiebreaker. 

The Raiders already have a victory over the Cleveland Browns, and if they pick up victories in Weeks 14 and 16, they could be in a safe position to advance to the postseason. 

If they get Ruggs more involved, Carr would enter the playoffs with a more complete passing attack. He has a top target in Waller, a reliable third-down receiver in Hunter Renfrow and a red-zone threat in Nelson Agholor already in place.

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Statistics obtained from Pro Football Reference