Raiders looking to rebound vs Broncos after big loss and recent history suggests they will

After an embarrassing loss like the Raiders had last Sunday in Washington, it can cause what is often referred to as ‘prisoner of the moment’ syndrome. Also known as ‘what have you done for me lately?’.

It’s important not to get too caught up in that. After all, on the other end of that was the Broncos who were 2-0 coming off a big win over the Cowboys only to lose to the Bills.

The Raiders and Broncos were both 2-0 prior to their losses last weekend. And recent history shows the Raiders may be better equipped to bounce back.

First of all, the Raiders haven’t lost two in a row since Week 11 of the 2015 season. And prior to the Broncos’ stroke of luck in the 2016 season finale, facing the Raiders without Derek Carr, they had lost three straight to finish out the season.

In total, three times last season the Broncos followed up a loss with another loss. Even in the Denver’s Super Bowl season in 2015, they twice lost back-to-back games – one of those came courtesy of the Raiders.

They won’t get the Raiders sans Derek Carr Sunday. And since the first win of Derek Carr’s career back in 2014, the Raiders are 11-3 following a loss with a point differential of +38 in those games. In those 11 wins they have an average 6-point margin of victory.

Their 17-point loss in Washington last Sunday was their 5th largest margin of defeat since week 10 of 2014. None of the games with wider loss margins were followed up by another loss. And of their 11 losses of 7 points or more, the Raiders are 9-1 the following week.

Derek Carr said after the loss to put that one on him. He says that after every loss, but this is one of those times you believe it. It was arguably the worst game of his career, though based on passer rating (52.9), it was his third worst.

After his nine worst performances as a pro prior to last Sunday, he has a passer rating of 95.0 with 16 touchdowns to 4 interceptions. This includes his best game as a pro which came after the worst loss in Raiders history – the 52-0 loss to the Rams in St Louis in 2014.

“Anytime, like anybody, you get punched in the mouth, you have to fight back,” Derek Carr said this week. “Obviously, if you got hit, you didn’t do something right, you have to fight back and figure out what it was.”

Washington got to face Carr coming off the Raiders win against the Jets in which they scored the most points since Derek Carr arrived in Oakland. And perhaps his preparation fell off because of it. Perhaps they were looking past Washington to Denver. Well, Denver is here now and recent history says the Raiders will be at their best.