Las Vegas Raiders cannot afford to lose tight end Darren Waller
By Brad Weiss
The Las Vegas Raiders saw star tight end Darren Waller get injured during the second quarter against the Cowboys, someone they cannot afford to lose.
The Las Vegas Raiders are taking on the Dallas Cowboys on Thanksgiving Day, and for the most part, it has been all positive for them in the early going. With two touchdowns, one to DeSean Jackson, and one by Josh Jacobs on the ground, they have gotten out to a 14-6 lead over Dak Prescott and company.
However, like I said, it is not all positive, as they may have lost Darren Waller for an extended period of time. After a nice catch-and-run in the second quarter, Waller appeared to injure his knee, and would not return for the rest of the possession.
The telling sign that something is really wrong is the fact that he did not go in when the Raiders got into the red zone, which is something to keep an eye on. Waller is one of the best players in the NFL at his position, and losing him is not just a ‘this game’ thing, but could be a big problem for them moving forward.
Raiders need Waller for a playoff push
While the Raiders have a capable backup in Foster Moreau, he is nowhere near the player Waller is, as No. 83 is the best player on this Raiders roster. The Silver and Black have been doing whatever they want on offense with Waller on the field, and without him, they stalled on the drive, settling for a field goal by Daniel Carlson.
If Las Vegas wants to make a playoff push, they need Waller back as soon as possible.
The Raiders look outstanding early on in this matchup on Thanksgiving Day, and the hope is they can finish it out and move to 6-5 on the season. Las Vegas has looked terrible on offense since the bye week, so maybe this is a sign that things are about to turn around for the Silver and Black moving forward.