Raiders’ Week 10 Focus: Executing at home

The final two weeks of soccer for the Las Vegas Raiders have been a grueling highway journey. That journey hardship was solely matched by the debilitating defeats the Silver & Black suffered by the hands of the New Orleans Saints and Jacksonville Jaguars in Weeks 8 and 9.

However alas, Week 10 is an entire new week and the Raiders will meet the Indianapolis Colts at dwelling inside the confines of Allegiant Stadium. The incoming horsemen are as disjointed because the Silver & Black — however they’ve received another win and a tie at 3-5-1 — and if there have been ever a recreation that tilted closely in the direction of the Raiders favor, that is it. However anybody who has adopted the Raiders lengthy sufficient is aware of, no recreation is a gimmie.

Maybe training in acquainted services and the house cooking offers the antidote to the Raiders’ ails. But, in response to offensive coordinator Mick Lombardi, if Las Vegas can’t seize the ever-elusive consistency, the Raiders will proceed to be in for a world of harm.

“I feel each sequence you go on the market and also you attempt to have a sequence of performs and also you simply attempt to execute the job to the perfect of your potential,” Lombardi mentioned throughout his mid-week media session. “So, whether or not it’s scheme or whether or not it’s execution, I feel all the things might have been somewhat bit higher on Sunday when it comes to the second half and simply stringing constructive performs collectively.”

The constructive performs got here in bunches within the first half towards the Jaguars for the Raiders offense. That’s progress contemplating the face plant Las Vegas’ offense had the week prior towards the Saints. However within the second half in Jacksonville, positivity evaporated and Las Vegas was shutout after scoring 20 first-half factors. The 2 halves have been polar opposites of each other leaving solely bitter disappointment for each Raiders and their followers, alike.

Queried about precisely that, Lombardi went to the E phrase: Execution.

“As an offense, it takes 11 guys to do their job and do their job properly,” he started, “So, I feel simply from a consistency standpoint, every man doing their job properly constantly is what we’re going to try to do. I can’t actually pinpoint any particular instance, however we simply received to do a greater job of stringing constructive performs collectively constantly.”

Capturing consistency and execution is the Raiders’ focus — once more — and is a must-do towards a Colts protection orchestrated by a well-known face: Gus Bradley. He captained the Raiders protection final season for the earlier regime and will probably be on the opposing sideline attempting to stymie Josh McDaniels’ and Lombardi’s offense. What Lombardi mentioned concerning the Raiders needing all 11 to do their jobs is one thing he admires about Bradley and his Colts protection.

“They don’t do loads of issues, however they’re all related. All of them play 11 related as a result of they play quick, they usually get to the soccer,” Lombardi mentioned. I feel you guys noticed that on Sunday of their efficiency towards New England.”

Whereas the Colts misplaced that Week 9 matchup 26-3 to the Patriots, Lombardi’s level on Indianapolis’ protection nonetheless holds true. Regardless of the report, Bradley is supplied with high quality gamers within the trenches, at linebacker and within the secondary. It’s sufficient to spoil the Raiders day if Las Vegas isn’t on level.

And whatever the protection they’ll matchup with, Las Vegas’ offense must execute, even when “rhythm” isn’t there. Why put that phrase in quotes? Let’s permit Lombardi to elucidate:

“Folks discuss rhythm, I feel as an offense, it’s our job to go on the market and rating factors each time we get the ball,” Lombardi mentioned. “So, no matter when we’ve it, how lengthy we’ve it, we received to go on the market and string constructive performs collectively and rating factors. We must always do higher. We received to do a greater job of that within the second half to proceed to attain factors and to take a lead and broaden a lead as a result of we simply can’t anticipate to go on the market and play half-hour of soccer. We received to play 60 minutes of soccer.

“So, if we had the ball 9 occasions, 10 occasions within the recreation; at any time when these occasions come, we received to attain and we’re going to try to rating on all 9 or 10, and that’s the objective for us as an offense.”

Profiting from alternatives — whether or not if they’re in abundance or restricted — isn’t one thing Las Vegas does very properly in 2022. Therefore the 2-6 report.

Whereas many will level to teaching or scheme, participant execution stays one of many evident omissions to Raiders soccer. Sure, play calling and in-game changes want to enhance, too, nevertheless, watching the tape and also you’ll see a number of areas of alternative in all three phases (offense, protection, and particular groups) of the Raiders that may get higher. Veteran security Duron Harmon isn’t one to talk on teaching or scheme. To him, it’s all concerning the gamers doing their job this Sunday: