The Oakland Raiders are two early losses into a young 2012 NFL Season, and given than problems on the offensive side of the ball were pointed to by this blogger in preseason, it’s time to push the panic button. There’s no reason to believe this team will beat the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday of next week.
In looking at the Oakland Raiders opening plays against the Miami Dolphins on Sunday, it’s clear the Fins came out with a clear strategy: give the ball to Reggie Bush early, and often. The Dolphins first run was for 11 yards with Bush, and from that point on, they gave it to him in a steady diet. The result was 263 yards rushing on 43 carries, 26 of them by Reggie Bush, who finished with 172 yards.
And while Raiders QB Carson Palmer finished with 373 yards, it was in a catch-up mode. The Raiders didn’t translate those yardage gains into scores, even as Carson Palmer was the leading passer in the contest.
The Raiders Offense could not match that running game prowess: it had 14 carries for 24 yards for the entire game. It’s passing offense was in catch-up mode, but the Raiders could not finish drives. A lack of well-designed short yardage plays, coupled with a predictable offensive attack that was food for the starving Miami Dolphins.
This blogger misses Hue Jackson as the Oakland Raiders Head Coach.