The Monday morning reflection: Raiders vs Lions

Did anyone else wake up today with a little bit of pep in their step? It’s amazing what a Raiders win can do for morale on a Monday. Doesn’t the coffee taste a little sweeter? A little less road rage on the commute to work. Yes, this is what Monday mornings are suppose to feel like.

Having had the night to sleep on the Raiders 31-24 win, it’s time for some reflection.

First thoughts, how great is Josh Jacobs? Wow, what a player. Kudos to Jon Gruden and Mike Mayock for going against the belief that it’s not necessary to draft running backs in round one. Has there been a better value pick in round one of the 2019 draft than Jacobs?

The rookie carried a season-high 28 times for 120 yards and two touchdowns. The improved play of the offensive line and emergence of a run game have been a godsend for Derek Carr.

Speaking of With his 289 yards passing and two touchdowns yesterday, Carr has now thrown for 867 yards with a touchdown to interception ratio of 7:1 in the last three games.

With the game tied at 24, Carr led the Raiders down the field on a 7-play, 75-yard scoring drive after going three-and-out on the previous two possessions. The drive got started on a beautifully thrown wheel route to Jalen Richard for a 31-yard gain.

Then, on third-and-goal from the Lions 9-yard line, Carr made the play of the season by escaping pressure, rolling to his left and hitting Hunter Renfrow for a laser touchdown.

On defense, it wasn’t pretty. The Lions racked up 473 yards of total offense, with Matthew Stafford throwing for 406. It was nice to see the team create some turnovers, and even better to see the turnovers converted into 14 points on offense.

Daryl Worley’s interception is sure to be on the SportsCenter top 10 this morning. The play was a big moment in the game. After the turnover, the Raiders marched 80 yards in 11 plays to take a 17-14 lead in the half.

Despite giving up 473 yards, it was the one yard they didn’t give up that mattered the most. After driving 76 yards, the Lions were faced with a fourth-and-goal from the Raiders one. To nobody’s surprise, Darrell Bevel choose to throw the ball (sorry I had to).

Not biting on the play action Karl Joseph, made a big-time play, going up the back of 6-foot-7 tight end Logan Thomas to break up the pass and seal the victory.

The rookies all contributed to the win. In addition to Renfrow’s game winner and Jacobs’ two rushing touchdowns, Foster Moreau hauled in a nice touchdown as well. Clelin Ferrell flashed today, and although he didn’t register a sack, he certainly made his presence felt and applied some pressure. Trayvon Mullen held his own again in his second career start.

The rookie class is really playing well, and credit goes to Mike Mayock for a job well done.

The win improves the Raiders to 4-4 on the season, squarely in the thick of the AFC playoff hunt. The victory did come at a cost however, as Trent Brown was injured in the first half did not return. Daryl Worley also did not finish the game, not to mention Rodney Hudson, who was not able to play. With the Chargers coming in on Thursday night, that is not a good thing.

Enjoy the win Raider Nation. But it’s a quick turn around this week, and there’s no time to rest on your laurels now.