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Raiders Mailbag: How can team capitalize on strengths, minimize errors moving forward?

Oct 17, 2024 at 04:37 PM

Levi Edwards

Digital Team Reporter

Dale McSwain from Mississippi asks:

"How will the offense play against the Rams defense?"

All signs point towards the Raiders getting the ground game going in Los Angeles.

The rushing offense struggled in the first three games of the season, averaging 51 yards a game in that stretch. Business has picked up since that slow start, doubling the average on the ground (108 yards) since Week 4. Alexander Mattison has been a huge factor behind the recent success, especially as he's totaled three rushing touchdowns.

"22 [Mattison] has earned everything he's gotten since he's been here, right? He's kind of done it the right way," Luke Getsy said Thursday morning. "He's come in, he's worked hard. He's not expected anything. He's earned everything. And I think all the reps and his play style and his efficiency in what we're trying to get done. He knows what to do, how to do it, the way to do it."

It's also worth noting that the Rams defense has allowed 157.6 rushing yards a game this season, the most of any team heading into Week 7.

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Robert Hicken asks:

"Will they leave AOC in as QB for the rest of the season?"

Antonio Pierce has stated that he didn't necessarily foresee himself making the switch from Gardner Minshew II to Aidan O'Connell, nor does he plan on going back on that decision either.

O'Connell was named the starting quarterback going into the team's Week 6 matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers, in which he threw for 227 yards and a touchdown. While it was a fairly efficient and accurate day for the second-year quarterback, he only had two pass completions for more than 10 yards with an average 4.5 intended air yards, according to NFL Next Gen Stats.

"I think for us, it's just about executing and moving the football," O'Connell said Wednesday. "I think we got behind the sticks a few times last week on the early downs and put ourselves in some bad situations. So, yeah, obviously we want big, explosive plays, but we want to be able to move the ball, chip away and just stay in positive downs. I think the call sheet gets tight when you back yourselves up into bad situations. So, try to give Luke [Getsy] as many options as possible on every play."

While at the moment nothing indicates that the Raiders will change quarterbacks again, it's still to seen how much O'Connell will progress in Luke Getsy's offense as the season prolongs. He'll be in an advantageous position this Sunday against a Rams defense that's allowed a league-high 117.2 passer rating to opposing quarterbacks.

Ben Montoya asks:

"What seems to be the Raiders' biggest problem at the moment?"

Tackling seems to be the Raiders' glaring issue heading through six games.

The Silver and Black defense can hang their hats on being reliable against the pass while also allowing some of the lowest third-down and red zone conversion percentages. However, they have racked up a league-high 62 missed tackles. It also doesn't help that missed tackles have accounted for many of the explosive plays the Raiders have allowed.

"[I]t has been an issue for us. ... But at the end of the day, I always say tackling is a want to," Pierce said. "Either you want to do it or you don't. You want to get dirty or you don't. You want to have the aches and pains or you don't, and we've just got to have that mindset that we know we need to take some Advil before and after the game in this one because it's going to hurt."

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Las Vegas Raiders guard Cody Whitehair (65) during practice at Intermountain Health Performance Center.