Las Vegas Raiders 2020 Week 8 review: Studs and Duds

Las Vegas Raiders 2020 Week 8 review: Studs and Duds

The Duds

Raider Nation for doubting Trent Brown

Before we start discussing the players let’s talk about some of the shameful behavior from the fans. Trent Brown missed the Week 7 matchup with Tampa Bay after testing positive for COVID-19 and many fans saw that as an opportunity to pile on the player who has been in and out of the lineup this season.

This week he was all set to play but just before the game he was placed on the inactive list with no explanation and many fans took the chance to pile on even further on Brown. The amount of hate he received on social media was appalling and it was even more so when it was announced that he was ruled out because a pre-game IV went bad.

Brown was “wheeled out” of the locker room per Derek Carr and taken to an area hospital for further tests and as Ian Rapoport mentioned he stayed overnight. So Brown missed the Browns game through absolutely no fault of his own and it is shameful that the fans jumped to conclusions before knowing all of the facts.

Even if the IV did not go wrong, Brown is just coming back from a positive COVID-19 diagnosis and deserves more respect from his team’s fans. Social media can be a toxic place for fanhood and Sunday was a prime example.

CB Nevin Lawson

In a game that saw very little from either QB in the passing game, Nevin Lawson stood out as particularly bad in the Raiders’ defensive backfield. The veteran corner had a rough game against Tampa Bay, as did the rest of the DBs, and struggled in Week 8 against Jarvis Landry.

A few plays stood out in the third quarter as he missed Landry in the open field on a play where he showed little effort to make the tackle near the sideline. A few plays later he was beat in the end zone by Landry for what would have been Baker Mayfield’s first touchdown of the game but was saved by the officials as the ball hit the ground. It is only a matter of time before Damon Arnette comes back to reclaim his starting spot and Lawson has given the Raiders staff no reason to doubt that decision.

The Officials

The officials in Sunday’s game had their hands full with trying to manage a game that was taking place in such wild weather but it is baffling that they can still get a call so horribly wrong even with all our modern technology. The play in question turned out to be inconsequential but could have really impacted the game.

On 3rd and 10 from just outside the Cleveland 10-yard line, Derek Carr lofted a pass up to Henry Ruggs in the corner of the end zone that at first glance looked to be caught out of bounds. The referees ruled it incomplete but after a Raider challenge, looked like it should have been overturned to a touchdown. The video evidence looked clear and conclusive but somehow the official missed the strip of green between Ruggs’ toe and the sideline.

https://twitter.com/__RUGGS/status/1323022851574824960?s=20

After review they said the play stood as called and the Raiders had to settle for a field goal. In a game where both offenses combined to score one touchdown this play could have been all the difference. Luckily the Raiders still won the game and this play becomes an afterthought but it is still a massive headscratcher given the obvious evidence that it was a complete pass.