Turnovers are key in Raiders’ offensive issues

The Las Vegas Raiders are glaring examples of the importance of ball security on offense.

When the Raiders jumped out to a 5-2 record, they did an excellent job of keeping the ball on offense, committing just five turnovers in their first seven games. However, in back-to-back defeats to the New York Giants and the Kansas City Chiefs, Las Vegas has matched that total with three turnovers against the Giants and two more in a 41-14 blowout loss to the Chiefs.

A crucial mistake by new Raiders’ wide receiver DeSean Jackson essentially sealed the loss on Sunday night. With the Chiefs leading 24-14 in the third quarter, Jackson fumbled his first catch as a Raider deep in Kansas City territory.

Game over.

Raiders’ quarterback Derek Carr — who has committed four turnovers in the past two games and nine of the Raiders’ 10 turnovers this season — knows the sloppiness has to be fixed as the 5-4 Raiders prepare to host the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday.

“I’m trying my best, especially the whole fourth quarter, just trying to take shots, even forcing balls,” Carr said. “It’s just one of those things where it’s football. They punched it out, they got a tip ball up in the air and they got their hands on them. It sucks, but they got them.”