posted on
Good, Bad and Ugly from Las Vegas Raiders vs Pittsburgh Steelers
Oh, this was brutal. Time to talk about Christmas Eve's Las Vegas Raiders vs Pittsburgh Steelers game.The Good: Las Vegas Raiders get an early score
[caption id="attachment_23251" align="alignnone" width="1024"]
Source. YouTube[/caption]
Derek Carr is a man on two missions. The first is to make sure the Las Vegas Raiders make the playoffs. The second is for the veteran quarterback to keep his job by proving he can win games under pressure. He accomplished this in the first quarter with a 14-yard toss to Hunter Renfrow. The score put the Raiders up 7-0 early and was a promising sign for the team.
Related: Best Las Vegas sports moments of 2022
Even Better: The Raiders hold the Steelers to 3 points in the first half
[caption id="attachment_22908" align="alignnone" width="1024"]
Source. YouTube[/caption]
The Raiders' defense needed to stop the Steelers from scoring a touchdown and accomplished that goal in the first two quarters. The Steelers did knock in a 44-yard field goal with under two minutes left but were prevented from reaching the end zone. The effort was led by Luke Masterson with three solo tackles and two assisted tackles before halftime.
Why couldn't the defense finish the game though? This is the question that continues to befuddle the whole organization and cost them close games. In fact, the Raiders' defense has done a great job of preventing their opponents from scoring in the opening half. They just give up too much in the second half for it to matter.
The Bad: Derek Carr struggles in the second half and throws three picks
[caption id="attachment_21130" align="alignnone" width="1024"]
Source.https://www.facebook.com/Raiders/photos/5922379507792487[/caption]
Derek Carr might show flashes of brilliance but gets frustrated when his weapons aren’t open. Once Carr’s frustration level is at its max, he is more prone to making errant throws and mistakes. This culminated in the second half, where Carr missed several throws and eventually gave away three picks to the Steelers. The last one came right after the Steelers took the lead and ended the game for the Raiders.
This is exactly why Carr needs to step up or step away from the Raiders. He gets frustrated, starts lobbing it toward the endzone, and then gets picked off. Carr just looks unwilling to methodically move the ball down the field. He needs to focus on short or medium-sized throws and stop trying to go for the monster play every time.
Even worse: Joshua Jacobs can’t get the ground game going
[caption id="attachment_22911" align="alignnone" width="1024"]
Source. https://www.facebook.com/Raiders/photos/6124603144236788[/caption]
Joshua Jacobs has been nothing short of spectacular this season and many thought that would carry over into the Steelers game. Unfortunately for Raiders fans, Jacobs could only manage 15 carries for 45 yards, and 2.9 yards a carry. Jacobs also failed to reach the endzone, making him a nonfactor in Saturday night's game.
The Ugly: Las Vegas lets it come down to the wire
[caption id="attachment_21372" align="alignnone" width="1024"]
Source. YouTube[/caption]
There are two people that deserve blame for what played out Saturday night in primetime. The first is Derek Carr, who failed to get his team back into the endzone despite having multiple chances. Carr couldn't even get the Raiders close enough for another field goal and paid dearly for it. He also only found Davantae Admas twice for 15 yards the entire game.
Next is the Raiders' defense. While they do deserve credit for keeping mostly Pittsburgh scoreless, allowing a touchdown in the fourth quarter is unforgivable. The Raiders needed their defense to step up, and instead, let a game-winning touchdown pass slip by them. That’s why they deserve to be out of the playoffs this year.
Final thoughts on Las Vegas Raiders vs Pittsburgh Steelers
[caption id="attachment_23252" align="alignnone" width="819"]
Source. https://www.facebook.com/Raiders/photos/6250295911667510[/caption]
What a frustrating way to end the season. The Las Vegas Raiders put up a ten-point lead, only to let it slip away in the final seconds of the game. Derek Carr had so many drives to capitalize on and get the ball down the field but failed. The defense was pushed to its limits and eventually broke at the worst time.
The Raiders are now officially out of the 2023 playoffs and will be watching all the action from their couches. Josh McDaniels will hopefully be a one-and-done coach or his future will be highly contingent on how he improves the defense. As for Carr, maybe the three picks will be proof that he doesn’t deserve the starting job anymore.
Next: Ranking every Las Vegas head coach from worst to best
You may also like
-
“Weird Al” Yankovic Brings BIGGER and WEIRDER Tour to MGM Grand Garden Arena in 2026
-
Stanton Social Italian Brings Bold New Energy to Caesars Palace
-
Bellagio’s Holiday Conservatory Unveils “All Aboard for Holiday Bells and Whistles” for 2025
-
Golden Steer Las Vegas Named to OpenTable’s Top 100 Restaurants in America for 2025
-
Guinness and Last Crumb Drop a Holiday Cookie Collab — Plus a Snowy Pop-Up Hits Las Vegas
-
The Mayfair Supper Club at Bellagio Unveils a Dazzling New Evolution for New Year’s Eve
Comments
0 comment