Las Vegas Raiders 2020 Week 14 review: Studs and Duds
Las Vegas Raiders 2020 Week 14 review: Studs and Duds
Studs – Trent Brown and the offensive line
In the lead-up to this game, Derek Carr called RT Trent Brown the best in the world at what he does and after Brown’s return to the lineup from an extended absence, he backed up that compliment with his play. The Raiders’ offensive line has struggled, especially in pass protection, in recent weeks but that was not the case at all against the Colts.
The Colts are a middle of the pack team in sacks but are in the top 7 in the NFL in QB pressures but they didn’t do much to bother Derek Carr except on plays where he was forced to hold the ball for an extended time. Indy finished the day with no sacks and just two QB hits and was kept away from Carr for the most part.
The return of Brown is huge for the Raiders down the stretch as they fight to keep their playoff hopes alive. His ability to block just about anyone one on one frees up the rest of the offensive line to double up on the inside and create a comfortable pocket for Carr.
Unfortunately, they could not get much going on the ground, leading the way for just 79 yards on 22 carries but much of that was game script as the Raiders were chasing the Colts from the start. Despite the struggles on the ground, perhaps to be expected against the stout Indy run defense, the offensive line deserves their plaudits for keeping Derek Carr’s jersey and pocket clean.