Las Vegas Raiders and the art of blowing double-digit leads

Las Vegas Raiders and the art of blowing double-digit leads

So what gives?

To fall apart in the 2nd half, you must also commit more penalties, specifically in crucial situations. In those four games, the Raiders committed over twice the amount of penalties in the 2nd half (25) compared to the 1st half (12). That’s almost 70% of the penalties happening after they established a double-digit lead.

Again, player execution just becomes lazy and mindless.

But it’s also the timing of some of these 2nd half penalties, occurring at a crucial part of the field on a third down giving the opponent a brand-new set of downs.

With about 20 coaches and 53 players, it takes influence from a lot of people to fall apart in the final 30 minutes of a game. When that many people fail at the same time, it’s leadership that is most responsible. The head coach, the coordinators, and the player captains need to right the ship before it hits the iceberg.

The Raiders have done something no NFL team has ever done – they have perfected how to consistently lose games after having double-digit halftime leads.

Raiders head coach Josh McDaniels has been too conservative this year

Raiders head coach Josh McDaniels is coaching like he’s still in New England and that has been a major problem this year.

It’s frustrating as a Raiders fan, but it’s also fascinating as a football fan, because it’s so hard to lose like that. In 2023, it is crucial that they perfect how to close out games and only then will they become a playoff team again.