The past week has been a mixture of emotions for the Oakland Raiders as the team sits on the brink of a division title, but without their starting quarterback to lead the way. The Silver and Black suffered the loss of Derek Carr last Saturday with a broken fibula, thus giving the team a giant lump of coal as an early Christmas Present.
The time to be upset has passed and the team is moving forward with plenty of playmakers capable of leading this group going forward. The Raiders have been preparing throughout the week for their final regular season matchup, which happens to be against their division rival Denver Broncos. If the team is able to close out the 2016 season with a win, it'll find itself atop the AFC West wearing hats and t-shirts labeled "Division Champs."
Heading into the New Year's Day skirmish, let's take a look back at the Week that Was.
**Head Coach Jack Del Rio sat down on The Silver & Black Show to chat with 95.7 The Game's Chris Townsend to discuss the opportunity of clinching the AFC West.
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**Rookie running back DeAndré Washington appeared on The Silver & Black Show for the first time to talk about staying hungry and continuing to develop.
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Five Questions Answered In The Oakland Raiders Week 16 Win Over The Indianapolis Colts
Before the Oakland Raiders took the field for their Week 16 showdown with the Indianapolis Colts at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum, we posed five questions that we were hoping to have answered during the game.
With Derek Carr breaking his fibula during the fourth quarter it's easy to forget that the Raiders actually won the football game, taking down the Colts 33-25, improving their record to 12-3 in the process.
With the win over the Colts now in the rearview mirror, let’s review our five questions, and see if we got any answers.
Oakland Raiders Power Rankings: Week 17
It's been three days since the loss of Derek Carr, and the shock of his broken fibula is still reverberating throughout Raider Nation. There's no denying No. 4's importance to the Oakland Raiders, as he's led seven fourth quarter comebacks in 2016. Carr's production from the quarterback position has not only put him on the map as an MVP candidate, but has also helped the Silver and Black regain playoff relevancy after 14 years.
With one game left in the regular season, the Raiders can clinch the AFC West for the first time since 2002, and will give it everything they've got when they battle the Denver Broncos on New Year's Day.
The "Next Man Up" mentality holds true for teams around the league, and with quarterback Matt McGloin stepping in the team is ready to rally and keep pushing toward its goal. Football is clearly a team sport and regardless of whether Carr takes the field, under the leadership of Head Coach Jack Del Rio the Raiders can still accomplish big things.
Heading into Week 17, here are the Oakland Raiders Power Rankings brought to you by NFL Extra Points.
Three Matchups We Watched In The Oakland Raiders Week 16 Win Over The Indianapolis Colts
Before the Oakland Raiders took on the Indianapolis Colts Saturday afternoon, we highlighted three matchups to keep an eye on at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum.
While the biggest takeaway from the game was the loss of Derek Carr due to a broken fibula, the Silver and Black took care of business, beating the Colts 33-25 to chalk up their 12th win of the season.
Now that the Raiders are a step closer to capturing their first division title since 2002, let's review our matchups and see how they played out.
Quarterbacks Coach Todd Downing Talks Matt McGloin: "This Moment Is Not Going To Be Too Big For Him"
Matt McGloin isn't riding shotgun with a clipboard and an earpiece anymore. As a result of Derek Carr's broken fibula, he now he has the keys to the car, and is tasked with driving one of the most high-powered offenses in the NFL into the postseason.
McGloin has just six career starts to his name, and has played sparingly since his rookie campaign in Silver and Black concluded in 2013, but the former Penn State Nittany Lion has approached his preparation week in and week out as if he were going to take the field. Just ask his quarterbacks coach Todd Downing.
"He has prepared like he's the starter every single week I've been with him," said Downing of McGloin. "He's dialed in. He's focused. He just happens to now have the steering wheel in his hand, as opposed to watching from the passenger's seat."
The fourth-year quarterback hasn't started a game since December 2013, but following Derek Carr's injury last week in the win over the Indianapolis Colts, McGloin is set to enter the spotlight once again, and keep a Raiders offense, that currently ranks in the top 10 in the NFL, moving as it prepares to enter the playoffs for the first time since 2002.
Donald Penn Receives Third Annual Craig Long Award
Donald Penn was named the recipient of the Oakland Raiders Craig Long Award, the team announced Thursday.
Chosen by a select group of local media and facilitated by the Oakland Raiders' media relations department, the Craig Long Award is presented annually to the player who best exemplifies professionalism and collaboration with the media at large.
Penn, who was named to his second career Pro Bowl last week, has started every game at left tackle for the Raiders since coming to Oakland as a free agent in 2014. He anchors an offensive line that has surrendered a league-low 16 sacks and ranks sixth in the NFL in total offense with 383.5 yards per game this season. Entering Sunday's regular season finale at Denver, Penn has started 155 consecutive games in 10 seasons with Oakland and Tampa Bay, marking the second longest streak among active NFL offensive linemen.
Long, who passed away in 2007 at age 36, was a valuable member of the Oakland Raiders' public relations staff from 1997-2004. An Iowa native, Long fulfilled his childhood dream of working in the front office for his favorite team.
Craig Long Award winners
2016 – T Donald Penn
2015 – S Charles Woodson
2014 – DL Antonio Smith
AFC West Update: Broncos Eliminated From Playoffs And Chiefs Set Sights On The Division
With one week left to go in the 2016 NFL regular season, the playoff picture has just about taken shape, especially in the AFC. While the San Diego Chargers have been eliminated from postseason contention for a while, the Denver Broncos were officially eliminated from the tournament this past Sunday with a loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.
The reigning Super Bowl champs won't be participants in the postseason for the first time since 2010, and will wrap up the regular season against the Oakland Raiders this Sunday. It feels like there isn't a week that goes by when there isn't an injury to a player in the AFC West. Clearly the Chargers have dominated injury headlines all season long, but another big name in the division now finds himself on the Injured Reserve list.
Heading into Week 17, let’s get you caught up on the action from around the division.
Key Matchups To Watch: Oakland Raiders vs. Denver Broncos
The Oakland Raiders travel to Colorado this weekend to wrap up the regular season Sunday afternoon against the Denver Broncos.
While the Raiders have already clinched a playoff berth, with a win in the regular season finale against the Broncos, the Silver and Black can secure their first division title since 2002.
Head Coach Jack Del Rio's team will have their hands full with the defending Super Bowl champions, so before the team departs for Denver, let’s highlight three matchups that will be crucial in determining the outcome of the Week 17 showdown.
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