2021 AFC West roundup, Week 7: Raiders roll over Eagles
By Nick Bailey
2021 AFC West roundup, Week 7: Raiders roll over Eagles
Las Vegas Raiders
The Las Vegas Raiders have been a topic of conversation for the mainstream media the last couple of weeks, with the Gruden email scandal dominating the headlines, and then the absolute dismantling of the Denver Broncos the following Sunday. Heading into their matchup with the Philadelphia Eagles, the Raiders hoped to keep the good times rolling, and they did just that.
Sunday’s matchup against the Eagles almost followed the game against the Broncos to a T.
The Eagles marched down the field and scored a touchdown on their first offensive possession of the game, they then went scoreless the rest of the game until the fourth quarter, which, like the Broncos game, made the blowout look a little less like a blowout.
The Raiders beat the Eagles with a score of 33-22, and like I said, it wasn’t even that close. The entire defense played well in this game, as Yannick Ngakoue got another two sacks, Maxx Crosby once again made his case for the Defensive Player of The Year award with a Troy Polamalu-type dive over the line to save a touchdown in the third quarter, Casey Heyward is getting the lockdown corner treatment, only getting targeted one time in the game, and new starter Brandon Facyson only allowed 49 yards on nine targets.
Derek Carr and the offense were pretty much flawless on Sunday, with Carr going 31-34 with only two of those incompletions actually hitting the ground because one was an interception early in the first quarter. Carr finished the game throwing for yet another 300+ yards, a feat he has done in every win, and the running game finally got going combining for a total of 119 yards, with Kenyan Drake leading the way with 69 yards and another touchdown.
Josh Jacobs had 29 yards on the ground and 39 in the air before leaving the game in the second after scoring his touchdown. Foster Moreau stepped up big time in place of an injured Darren Waller, leading the team with 60 receiving yards and a touchdown.
The Eagles defenders did a good job against Henry Ruggs and Bryan Edwards limiting them to a combined 67 receiving yards. The Raiders are on their bye next week before traveling to New Jersey to take on the New York Giants.
Los Angeles Chargers
The Los Angeles Chargers were on their bye week this week and fell to second place in the AFC West after the Raiders victory over the Philadelphia Eagles. The Chargers welcome Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots to LA next week.