Getty Oakland Raiders OL Richie Incognito.
What started off as a very promising season for the Oakland Raiders has officially turned into a disaster. The team has lost three games in a row by at least 21 points and it comes right after they had a three-game winning streak. It’s starting to look like that winning streak was somewhat of a fluke and Richie Incognito agrees.
“We got home after the big road test, we got three in a row,” Incognito said, via The Athletic. “In my opinion, we probably weren’t playing our best ball during those, but we’re still winning. And then we take the trip to New York and get exposed, went to Kansas City and they jumped on us, and then today. I’m pretty shocked that we’re in this position.”
It’s true, the Raiders barely won three games over teams that are currently under .500 and far removed from the playoff race. Oakland looked impressive at times during those wins, but only beating the Cincinnati Bengals by one score should’ve been the first red flag. The losses to the New York Jets and Kansas City Chiefs could’ve been blamed on the fact that they were on the road and in bad weather. However, Sunday’s loss to the Tennessee Titans was inexcusable.
Richie Incognito Explains Titans Loss
The Raiders had a solid first half on offense against the Titans, but the wheels fell off in the second-half as the team was shut out. Incognito went on to explain where the team went wrong.
“On offense, we just bogged down,” he said, via The Washington Post. “Three-and-outs, our Achilles’ heel. When we’re going three-and-out and not picking up first downs and going down and scoring points, it’s tough. The offense put the defense and the rest of the team in a tough position to start that second half, and they just exploded on us.”
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Incognito Made PFFs Team of the Week
While there’s plenty of blame to go around for the Raiders’ recent slump, Incognito isn’t someone who should get the finger pointed at him. Pro Football Focus put him on their “Team of the Week” and had some high praise for the veteran:
What Incognito has done at 36 years old after spending a year away from football is nothing short of incredible. He’s only allowed nine pressures all season long, including none against the Titans. He’s been the eighth-highest-graded guard in the NFL this year.
Considering the offensive guard was out of football last season, it’s crazy how well he’s been playing. Jon Gruden has made clear that the team wants Incognito back next season and the feeling seems to be mutual. If he can continue to defy father time, he could be an important part of the Raiders’ early year in Las Vegas.
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