Oakland Raiders’ 2014 Midseason Grade
By Ryan Ratty
@RyanRattyNFL
Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Well, where should I start with this football team? After spending money in free agency and spending high draft picks on notable rookies, there was reason to be excited for the 2014 Oakland Raiders. However, after eight weeks of the season, the Raiders have failed to win a game and the front office has proved they are inept to run a successful NFL franchise. With rumors looming about moving to Los Angeles, this franchise is dysfunctional, to say the least.
Despite having the league’s worst record at 0-7, the Raiders have shown glimpses of a decent football team in 2014. The main example of this was in Week 6 when the Raiders played a tightly-contested game against the San Diego Chargers. If it weren’t for a last-minute touchdown from Philip Rivers, the Raiders would’ve won that game. As expected when they declared him the starter over Matt Schaub, rookie Derek Carr has had an up-and-down season, but that is usually the case with rookie quarterbacks. Carr has played well at times, but there are times when he looks lost and it doesn’t help that the skill players around him are sub-par.
Even though their defense got better, it is still one of the worst in the league. However, the Raiders are one of the youngest teams in football. Carr will only get better, and young players like Keith McGill, Khalil Mack and Sio Moore will only improve on the defensive end. This team will get better in the coming years, but the Raiders need to make sure they hit on their draft picks, which is something that has been a problem in the past. Oakland’s 2014 season is down the drain, and their 2015 season may not be that much better. The 2016 season might just be the year the Raiders compete. Anything later than that will not be good news for general manager Reggie McKenzie.
Midseason grade: D-
Ryan Ratty is a featured writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @RyanRattyNFL or add him to your network on Google.
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