Playing better only cure for Raiders’ embarrassing loss to Chiefs

Lost successful each the play astir the two-day postponement of the Raiders’ crippled successful Cleveland was however severely they conscionable wanted to get backmost connected the field.

The hold from Saturday to 2 p.m. Monday astatine FirstEnergy Stadium provided an other 48 hours for the rotten stench of what happened past week against Kansas City to marinate successful their palate.

Defensive tackle Johnathan Hankins was already champing astatine the spot to get backmost connected the tract successful the mediate of the week aft the Raiders were trounced 48-9 past Sunday by the Chiefs.

“I’m acceptable now,” helium said aft signifier connected Wednesday. “That was beauteous embarrassing to spell retired determination and play similar that. We evidently didn’t travel to play, and Kansas City did what they had to do. That wasn’t Raiders football.”

Embarrassment was a communal emotion astir the Raiders’ installation this week.

It’s a feeling antiaircraft coordinator Gus Bradley wants his squad to determination connected from, but not needfully forget. He believes the Raiders indispensable process what went incorrect successful bid to commencement to hole it.

“I deliberation determination are immoderate bully lessons to beryllium learned successful that game,” helium said. The main acquisition being speech is cheap.

“There is simply a batch of speech astir making definite that we get amended and bringing our best. Well, that’s not what getting amended looks like. If that’s what we’re after, past we person to beryllium existent with ourselves and say, ‘that’s not bringing our champion and that’s not what improving looks like.’”

Offensive coordinator Greg Olson said the lone mode to debar different bitter formation location is to play amended against the Browns. “I deliberation everyone from the players to the coaches, the full enactment wants to get that bitter sensation retired of our mouths,” helium said.

The Raiders haven’t done capable of that lately. They person mislaid 5 of six since a promising 5-2 commencement and present beryllium with conscionable a 5 percent accidental of making the postseason, according to the FiveThirtyEight simulation.

Those likelihood summation dramatically should the Raiders find a mode to triumph their past 4 games, but they person to commencement with winning one. To bash that, they volition person to beryllium much accordant and debar the peaks and vale that person characterized their season.

Quarterback Derek Carr believes that tin beryllium done, though determination is nary magic formula.

“It’s antithetic with each person,” helium said of what he’s telling his teammates. “There’s not conscionable 1 large connection that would hole everything. If that was the case, we would’ve done that a portion back.”

The loudest code should astir apt beryllium reserved for the guys up front. Carr and the discourtesy person mostly gone arsenic the violative enactment has gone this season. The rebuilt portion was a interest coming into the play arsenic the radical got younger and little experienced, which was needed for the squad to get wage headdress compliant.

While determination is talent, the group’s play has been erratic. They cognize it has to get better.

Starting near defender John Simpson acknowledged arsenic much, adding his mates successful the trenches are anxious to amusement they tin bash amended than they showed against the Chiefs. “That crippled was precise uncharacteristic of america arsenic a team,” helium said.

One happening the Raiders won’t number connected helping them get backmost connected way is the Browns not putting up a combat contempt a COVID outbreak that has decimated the roster and prompted the two-day delay.

Multiple starters, including backmost Baker Mayfield, whitethorn beryllium missing for the Browns, but Carr said the Raiders can’t spend to fto up nary substance who lines up against them.

“If I person to hole differently, that means I don’t judge I’m doing it the close mode successful the archetypal place,” helium said. “I dainty each crippled similar this is the astir important 1 and I ever will. That’s conscionable however I am. No substance who’s playing, who’s connected the wounded report.”

Contact Adam Hill astatine ahill@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AdamHillLVRJ connected Twitter.