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Las Vegas favored for top pick following brutal showing against New York
It was a wild week in the Las Vegas organization but it ended in potentially taking another step toward securing the top pick in the NFL Draft. Albeit at the expense of another loss amidst this continuing season-long losing streak.
Facing the New York Giants in a Week 17 matchup, the Raiders were thumped, 34-10, Sunday, Dec. 28 from Allegiant Stadium. In eight home games played this season, the team has just one win.
“I think the issue was those guys weren’t playing,” head coach Pete Carroll said. “And then we go down a level.”
Las Vegas is on a 10-game losing streak that now ties the longest losing streak from last season. Entering Sunday, New York held the best odds to land the top pick in the upcoming draft while the Silver & Black was positioned in the second slot.
Following the result, those odds have flip-flopped. Even with the new development, nothing has changed in Carroll’s relationship with ownership.
“I do feel like I have their support,” Carroll said. “What that means? I don’t know but our conversations have been really good.”
The season finale looms as the Raiders will get one more chance to improve on its 2-14 overall record. That final chance will come next week in a home game against the Kansas City Chiefs.
The game details have not been set yet as the Week 18 scheduling is pending.
“We didn’t win a game in preseason,” Carroll said. “We were fortunate to tie with Seattle at the end of preseason. We just haven’t found our wins, we just haven’t found a way to win.”
With the decision to shut down Pro Bowler Maxx Crosby (knee) for the season, much of the talk all week surrounded his absence from the team facility after being given the information. Additionally, he wasn’t in the stadium for the game Sunday either.
“Max was freakin’ heartbroken that he couldn’t play,” Carroll said. “It means so much to him, he was having a great season. He’s been hobbling around for months just to get to the games and it just got too far and that’s why he couldn’t play. He would never have taken himself out.”
In addition to the absence of Crosby, the Raiders lost defensive tackle Adam Butler in the second quarter to a bicep injury.
The combination of the two helped contribute to a big day on the ground for the Giants. The visitors came into the desert and rushed for 141 yards on 19 carries for an average of better than seven yards per ground touch.
“We knew that it would be different,” Carroll said. “Because [Crosby’s] leading the league in tackles for loss or whatever, he’s way up there. Not to mention the sack production that he brings us so we knew that there was going to be a bit of a void there.”
After a first quarter interception, the New York offense took over from the Las Vegas 44-yard line. It would score after a 29-yard run would get the team a yard out from the end zone, which would be reached on the very next play.
Rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart picked up two first downs with his legs in the second quarter on the way to a 12-yard touchdown run. That score on the ground would be the first of an eventual two for the former Ole Miss signal caller.
Crosby wasn’t the only player shut down as second-year tight end Brock Bowers was ruled out for the final two games of the season as well. He finishes the year 680 receiving yards and 64 catches with seven going for touchdowns.
“We missed our guys,” Carroll said. “All those guys were hurt, they were hurt. The stories go otherwise but they were hurt.”
With a bigger role in the offense, tight end Michael Mayer led the team with seven catches for 72 yards.
“I think Brock Bowers [happened], really,” Carroll said. “[Mayer] filled in admirably for one of the best players in our league in Brock. And he did a great job today but you can’t throw 20 balls to the tight ends in the course of a game.”
Quarterback Geno Smith was back under center slinging the ball for Carroll’s club after missing last week nursing several injuries. Things didn’t go much better for him in this one.
Smith was picked off with the ball at the Giants’ 12-yard line on the 10th play of what looked to be a promising drive. Later in the contest, he’d be intercepted again.
Now with 17 interceptions this season, he leads the league in that department. Moreover, he has thrown at least 10 interceptions in five of his 12 years in the NFL and three of at least 15 picks.
Smith went 18-for-24 with 159 yards, that interception and a touchdown. That score came late in the third quarter to cut the once 17-point lead to 10.
Moments after that big play, Giants kick returner Deonte Banks raced 95 yards to the end zone to push the lead back to 17 points.
“It’s unbelievable timing,” Carroll said. “We go down and get a touchdown [so] it’s 20-10. And we didn’t have a flash of a moment to benefit from that and the next thing is 95 [yards] and away they go. It has happened throughout the year where we’ve given up monster plays in games, those are crushing.
“I can’t remember – and you guys can do your homework on that – I can’t remember returns like that in my history of coaching in Seattle and in college.”
After posting career-highs in nearly every category last week in a road game against Houston, rookie running back Ashton Jeanty was held in check in this one. He was suffocated to the tune of 60 yards on 16 carries.
Jeanty didn’t do much in the pass-catching game as well after recording 13 yards on just two catches.
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