Getty Las Vegas Raiders CB Jack Jones.
With the 23-20 loss to the Indianapolis Colts, the Las Vegas Raiders are officially eliminated from the playoffs. However, the team was very close to staying alive had it not been for a number of questionable calls from the officials.
With just minutes left in the fourth quarter, the Raiders were down 20-13. The Colts attempted a 50-yard field goal that missed wide right. Las Vegas was set to take the ball with over three minutes left and good field position. Instead, cornerback Jack Jones was called offsides. The Colts attempted the field goal again and made it.
The problem is that it doesn’t look like Jones was offsides on the replay. Based on the replay, it appears that the cornerback’s burst is timed perfectly with the snap. Jones took to X and said “watch the tape” with a clip of the replay attached.
🤐… on to next week.. watch the tape
Though he doesn’t directly say anything, it’s clear that Jones isn’t thrilled with how the play was called. Just a few plays earlier, he was called for a questionable pass interference call that put the Colts in field goal range.
Jones even said in a subsequent X post that he checked with the officials and they confirmed that he didn’t go offsides.
It’s been a season of questionable officiating decisions and the Raiders’ loss against the Colts is the latest example.
Missed Opportunity for Las Vegas Raiders
It will be easy for fans and players to blame the officials for the Raiders losing against the Colts but that doesn’t change the fact that the team didn’t play well. There were plenty of opportunities but penalties and playcalling ultimately cost the Raiders.
Coming off of wins over the Los Angeles Chargers and Kansas City Chiefs, the Raiders looked like one of the hottest teams in the NFL. Their playoff hopes became realistic but they needed to win out. The Colts have played well this year but just came off of a blowout loss to the Atlanta Falcons.
They certainly weren’t a powerhouse. The Raiders had every chance to win but mistakes caught up to them.
What’s Next for Las Vegas Raiders?
There’s only one game left for the Raiders and there’s not much left to play for. The playoffs are out of reach and the only thing the team can really hope for is to improve draft position. However, the team is playing the Denver Broncos at home to end the season so they’ll likely be fired up to play a rival.
The biggest thing for the Raiders going forward is figuring out who their head coach and quarterback will be next season. Interim head coach Antonio Pierce appeared to have the job locked up after beating the Chiefs but losing a winnable game with the season on the line will likely stick in owner Mark Davis‘ head.
While Pierce is still in the mix, the Raiders need a new quarterback. Aidan O’Connell can make nice throws from time to time but he has no mobility whatsoever. He’s not a franchise quarterback and the Raiders likely know that. If the team gets the coach and quarterback right, it’s clear there’s enough talent for them to be in the playoff mix again next season.
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