Miami Dolphins at Las Vegas Raiders: 3 things we learned

The Las Vegas Raiders blew a chance to stay alive in the playoff race on Saturday night, losing heartbreakingly to Miami.

After winning at the last second just a few weeks ago, the Las Vegas Raiders found themselves on the other side of the scoreboard and watched their playoff hopes fully dissipate. Though they appeared to have inched out a win, the Raiders ripped defeat out of the jaws of victory and unbelievably lost to the Maimi Dolphins.

After getting some unexpected grace from the refs, the Raiders took the lead 25-23 with 19 seconds left on a Daniel Carlson field goal. And despite the defense reeling in the fourth quarter, they only needed to hold on for the remaining seconds to give the Raiders a hard-fought win.

…and they couldn’t do it.

Fitzmagic was on full display, as the Dolphins quarterback completed an impossible pass while getting his head nearly ripped. That, combined with some confusion in the Raiders’ secondary, allowed the Dolphins to save their season while simultaneously ending the Raiders’.

There is so much to say from this loss, but there aren’t many new things we learned from this game. Sadly, it was more of the same as the Raiders couldn’t close out another game, which is now a pattern that has plagued them throughout Jon Gruden’s second tenure as coach.

Nevertheless, here are three things we learned (or relearned) in Saturday night’s game.