Las Vegas Raiders 2020 Week 11 review: Studs and Duds
Las Vegas Raiders 2020 Week 11 review: Studs and Duds
Duds – Part 2
Johnathan Abram’s misplaced aggression
The Raiders had a tall task on Sunday night to try and stop the Chiefs offense and the one thing they could not do was beat themselves. Johnathan Abram may not have gotten that message as he continues to be inconsistent and hurting his team as much as he is helping them.
Abram’s aggression has been a weapon for the Raiders in the run game and in helping to set the tone for the defense but it can also be his downfall. On Sunday, the first example as his unnecessary roughness penalty on Tyreek Hill in the 4th quarter as the Chiefs were in their own territory. This Chiefs offense is dangerous enough as is without gifting them 15 free yards because of a frustration penalty.
The second play where Abram hurt his team was the one that cost them the game. The Chiefs were on the Raiders 22 with 34 seconds left in the game and as Mahomes rolled right to escape the pocket, Abram left his zone to pursue the quarterback and left TE Travis Kelce wide open in the end zone. Mahomes delivered the strike and just like that the game was essentially over.
If Abram wants to be a leader on this team for a long time then he will have to work on controlling his aggression and making smarter plays. The worst Mahomes could have done when he rolled out if the Raiders stayed in coverage was gotten a first down but instead Abram went for the kill shot and ended up killing his own team’s chances of winning the game.
Jon Gruden still doesn’t know when to use his challenges
After Sunday’s challenge on a Demarcus Robinson catch, Jon Gruden is now 1-3 on challenges this year and a few have been obvious calls that were never going to be overturned. The Henry Ruggs catch in the end zone against Cleveland ruled incomplete should have been overturned but that would still put Gruden at 2-2 on the year.
This year is just the continuation of the trend since Gruden has come back to the NFL as he went a stunning 1-9 in 2019 and 3-4 in 2018. That puts his record at an abysmal 5-16 in 2.5 years and is a worrying sign for the Raiders. Gruden needs to be more judicious in using his challenges, not just because he shouldn’t be wasting challenges, but also because he shouldn’t be wasting timeouts either.
Gruden has this offense clicking and has them playing at an elite level so it’s clear the NFL has not passed him by but there are some that suggest his approach to challenges, and to fourth downs, need to catch up with modern times.