Oakland Raiders: 2017 first quarter report card

5 of 5

Coaching

Dissecting coaching this early in the season is hard, as we’re not entirely sure how good this Raiders team is or how good the competition Oakland has gone up against is. So far, we know that the Raiders are 2-2 and their four opponents have gone a combined 9-6. That could be 10-6 or 9-7 depending on what the Redskins do versus Kansas City on Monday Night Football.

Of the four games Oakland has played in, only one game plan was atrocious. That would be that terrible game back in Week 3 versus Washington. Nothing was good about that game. Oakland beat a comparable team in Tennessee in Nashville.

The Raiders beat a Jets team badly that may not be the worst team in football anymore. Losing by six points on the road against Denver isn’t shameful, especially when you lose Carr in the third quarter due to a back injury.

Downing has had two good games as offensive coordinator and two bad ones. We know which games those are. His play design can be intricate and looks great when it works. However, his play calling can be a tad bland and predictable when the tricky stuff isn’t working.

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Defensive coordinator Ken Norton Jr. has been getting solid pressure out of his front-seven. His linebackers are holding their own, but the secondary looks to be over its skis in most games. Strong safety Karl Joseph has been promising, but free safety Reggie Nelson may have seen his best ball behind him. The overall state of the defense is getting better, the unit is still very much a work in progress.

Of course, Brad Seely has to be thrilled out of what he’s getting out of his special teams players. Now let’s look at what head coach Jack Del Rio is doing. His players are playing hard for him. It hasn’t been the easiest first four games for the Raiders either.

Only Washington’s Jay Gruden has outcoached him so far. Vance Joseph might have edged Del Rio on Sunday, but that might have more to do with Denver’s defense being elite, that game being a home game for the Broncos and Carr leaving the game with an injury.

Next: Raiders at Broncos: Highlights, recap, final score

Overall, you have the feeling that the coaching staff in Oakland is doing a fine job. Nobody is really crushing it just yet. Not to say that any of them will, but the Raiders will be able to get a few wins over disorganized teams at varying points this season.

Grade: B

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