After starting the season with a 2-7 record, the Raiders picked up a desperately needed win on Sunday.
It took an anxious overtime period to get the job done, but a 35-yard touchdown throw from Derek Carr to Davante Adams nailed down the Raiders third consecutive season sweep of the Denver Broncos.
It was an especially big win for Josh McDaniels, who has been meeting all of the criteria of a head coach on the hot seat.
Maybe now he gets a little breathing room. It was also a significant win for Carr as the scene in the locker room after the game said a lot about how the team feels about him. Just a week after Carr gave an emotional post-game speech, the players danced around him chanting his name…
With all of the emotions floating around in the Raider locker room, It felt good to see the team supporting each other on the field Sunday against the Broncos.
With a new coach and the losses piling up, Carr’s job security with the Raiders was starting to feel a little uncertain – especially with the team cruising toward a top pick in the draft.
Sunday’s win probably bumps the Raiders out of serious contention to draft Bryce Young or C.J. Stroud and that should make Carr the favorite to return to Las Vegas for his 10th season with the team.
It’s worth nothing that the Raiders’ offense is still far from playing like a well oiled machine, but they at least had good moments on Sunday against a stout Denver defense on the road.
It might be a little to late to satisfy the expectations that most Raider fans had at the beginning of the season, But the Raiders can still finish strong. Let’s see if they can build on that next week in Seattle.
