Is it time to take the Las Vegas Raiders seriously after a Week 7 win over the Eagles?
Plenty of momentum is firmly in place for the Las Vegas Raiders as they head into their bye week.
After falling behind 7-0 in the first quarter, the Raiders reeled off 30 unanswered points for a 33-22 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday at Allegiant Stadium.
Rich Bisaccia is now 2-0 as the Raiders’ interim coach, and it seems the team has found an extra boost under him after starting 3-0 but losing two straight before Jon Gruden resigned amid an email scandal.
The Raiders are atop the AFC West and will return to action in two weeks on the road against the New York Giants.
The schedule after the Giants includes home games against the Kansas City Chiefs and the red-hot Cincinnati Bengals before a Thanksgiving Day game at the Dallas Cowboys.
This is a new-look Raiders team under Bisaccia. The players have responded well in critical moments, led by Derek Carr.
Carr has thrown for 300-plus yards in five games this season. He finished the game against the Eagles having completed 31 of 34 passes for 323 yards and two touchdowns with one interception.
Carr is getting help from the defense, which went after Philadelphia quarterback Jalen Hurts throughout the game. Yannick Ngakoue dominated the first half with two tackles, a sack and two pass deflections.
Except for the 2016, season, defense has been lacking in most of Carr’s first eight years with the Raiders.
But the addition of free agents such as Ngakoue, Quinton Jefferson, Casey Hayward Jr. and Solomon Thomas and the hiring of Gus Bradley as defensive coordinator have proven to be smart moves as the bye week arrives.
And don’t forget Denzel Perryman, whom the Raiders acquired by trade from the Carolina Panthers just prior to the start of the regular season.
Carr talked about the benefits of having a short field to work with and the defense picked up a turnover against the Eagles when Jefferson forced a fumble that was recovered by Johnathan Abram at the Eagles 29-yard line — even though Las Vegas settled for a field goal.
The bye arrives at a good time for the Raiders, allowing them to rest up and hope key injured players return in time to make a push for the postseason.
What doomed past Raiders’ playoff bids often were the defensive shortcomings. There is considerable improvement under Bradley, and that bodes well for the stretch run.
Big drive of the game
The Raiders were backed up at the 4-yard line in the second quarter.
No problem for Carr and Co.
The Raiders went 96 yards on 10 plays in 4:28 capped by Josh Jacobs’ 8-yard run for a 14-7 lead with 1:38 left in the first half.
Carr threw for 72 yards on the touchdown drive.
Jacobs exits with injury
Jacobs left the game because of a chest injury, the Raiders said.
The extent of the injury is not known, but NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero said it appeared the running back avoided a major injury.
Darren Waller inactive
Raiders star tight end Darren Waller was inactive.
Las Vegas updated its injury report and had Waller as questionable because of an ankle injury.
Waller reportedly was hurt when he tripped over a teammate at Friday’s practice.
Foster Moreau started in place of Waller.
This story was originally published October 24, 2021 at 6:14 PM with the headline "Is it time to take the Las Vegas Raiders seriously after a Week 7 win over the Eagles?."
