Oakland Raiders: 5 keys to victory over Denver Broncos in Week 12
By John Buhler
Derek Carr must stretch the field with his arm.
It’s simple really. When Derek Carr averages more than 8.0 yards per attempt in a game for the Raiders this season, Oakland is 4-0 on the season. In games where he is under that benchmark, Oakland is 0-5. Add in the Week 5 game where the Raiders lost to the Baltimore Ravens with EJ Manuel at quarterback and there you go.
This departure in the downfield passing game has been most troubling for this Raiders offense. There are a few contributing factors to this for sure. One, the Raiders have a new offensive coordinator in Todd Downing, who has a West Coast approach schematically. Two, Carr did break a bone in his back, meaning he probably want to hold on the ball too long to avoid getting hit. And three, the Raiders receivers live to drop passes. It’s both alarming and embarrassing how often it happens.
Regardless, the Raiders need to buck these three trends and get back to what worked for them last year. Carr to Amari Cooper on 40-yard bombs is exactly what this Raiders offense needs to get back to good. It will open up more passing lanes for a not-so accurate Carr to work with. This will help create space for the ground game to improve.
Yes, the Broncos have elite players in the secondary, especially at cornerback. However, the Broncos don’t have the offensive personnel to hang tough with the Raiders in a shootout. SO let’s hope for a shootout in The Coliseum on Sunday. Let ‘er rip, Carr!