Losses piling up is never great for morale. But the way the Raiders have been losing this season and the quality of the teams they’ve been losing to of late, they are well past low morale and into shambles territory.
Buy Raiders TicketsThis week there seemed to be pretty strong evidence this team was packing it in and shifting their focus to next year. Or at least it did with regard to the transactions that were made which sent several players to injured reserve and a couple players gone via cut and retirement.
Following Sunday’s 25-20 loss to the Colts, we got proof positive that checking out has permeated the entire team.
Derek Carr took to the podium already visibly emotional after he and other team leaders had a heated talk about a perceived lack of energy and effort. That emotion continued as he several times got choked up and either had to take a moment to compose himself or couldn’t finish at all.
“I can’t speak for everybody. I know where I stand and I love the Silver & Black and I’m going to give it everything I can every time I go out there. I can’t speak for everybody. For every man, what’s going on in there head, but I can tell you what’s going on in my head and I’m going to give it everything I have every single time…”
That’s was Carr’s first answer and that’s as far as he got before having to stop.
It was the emotion of a guy who knew coming into this season that it seemed like the best and perhaps the last chance this team as currently constructed would have to make a playoff run. And with still nearly half the season remaining, that ship has already sailed.
But Carr went farther. Giving us a glimpse into just how dysfunctional this locker room has become.
Carr said he “doesn’t think” the issue is with a disconnect between him and the coaches. Then he got choked up again and had to take another moment.
“I’m sorry for being emotional. I’m just pissed off about some of the things that a lot of us are trying to do just to practice. What we put our bodies through just to sleep at night,” Carr said through tears. “And for that to be the result. Of all that effort. It pisses me off. Pisses a lot of guys off. It’s hard. Knowing what some guys are doing. Like I said, just to practice. What they’re putting in their body just to sleep at night. Just so we can be there for each other. And I wish everybody in that room felt the same way about this place. And as a leader that pisses me off.”
Davante Adams echoed these sentiments after the game. Though neither would point fingers.
What we saw from the Raiders early in the season was an inability to put together a full game. Sometimes it was a slow start, sometimes it was a flat finish. But at that time, it seemed like growing pains. Something that as the season went along and the players got used to the scheme, things would improve.
It seemed to improve for about three games, with the Raiders beating the Broncos, hanging with the Chiefs most of the game, and then beating the Texans. Then they fell back to earth.
Since then, the Raiders were shut out by the Saints, blew a 17-point lead to lose to the Jaguars, and Sunday had a slow start AND a flat finish to lose to the Colts.
It was clear this team was missing something. And Derek Carr was not immune. He started the game 0-for-five passing in the first quarter with three straight three-and-outs.
Then Amik Robertson had a forced fumble and suddenly the offense was energized. Then Maxx Crosby made a big sack that led to a missed field goal and once again the offense was energized and went down and scored.
“Having those plays really fueled us,” said Derek. “I’m happy we made those plays because it really got us going.”
It was like a switch was turned on that light that came on flickered out not long after.
The problem is clearly that this team can’t generate its own power. It seems to need a jolt to play up to its potential.
And no one is immune from this. Even Derek Carr is not immune, despite him being the one to call out the lack of energy on the team. It’s part of his job, after all, to lift this team up.
He did a miraculous job of lifting this team late last season. But that unlikely rally for a playoff run is feeling like ancient history now and this team has lost its mojo.
And Carr knows that it could mean a lot more than just ‘maybe next year’ this time. I could mean his time is done with the Raiders along with several others as the Raiders try to shake things up.
