2017 Oakland Raiders: Third quarter report card
By John Buhler
The Oakland Raiders have gone 3-1 in their last four games to improve to 6-6 on the year. Here is the Raiders’ third quarter report card for the season.
After a rough second quarter of the 2017 NFL season for the Oakland Raiders, one where they went 1-3 during that four-game sample, the Raiders have bounced back to get back to .500 entering the fourth quarter of the year. The Raiders went 3-1 in their last four games to stake a claim for first place in the AFC West.
Oakland won on the road on Sunday Night Football in Week 9 over the Miami Dolphins at Hard Rock Stadium, 27-24. The Raiders would be on their bye in Week 10. Having two weeks to get ready for the New England Patriots in Mexico City, the Raiders played one of their worst games of the season, getting trounced by New England 33-8 in Week 11.
The Raiders would bounce back with two consecutive wins over two of the worst teams in football. They beat the division rival Denver Broncos 21-14 at home in Week 12. Oakland got back to .500 at 6-6 with a win over the New York Giants in Week 13, 24-17.
While the Raiders haven’t beaten a good team during this last four-game stretch, being 3-1 over that period with a neutral-site loss to the juggernaut Patriots isn’t bad. Let’s take a look at what the Raiders have done in the last five weeks, including the bye, to hand out some grades on their third quarter report card.