I saw a lack of emotion, a lack of consistency and the same levels of dysfunction that have plagued this franchise for the better part of the last 20 years.
Understand, New Orleans is a potent offensive team, but the Raiders didn't even require it to beat them with the offense. Two turnovers, including another Carson Palmer pick-six and a crushing interception off the hands of Brandon Myers in the end zone, all but pushed the game out of reach early. A third just made the game worse.
Oakland was sloppy in all three phases, and making matters worse, head coach Dennis Allen did not seem to be able to foster much in the way of an attitude adjustment.
Ironically, the Raiders may have run the ball the best they have overall in 2012. But even that silver lining comes with the reality that offensive coordinator Greg Knapp strangely went away from it in the first half after Marcel Reece established the ability to pound the ball on New Orleans.
There was no pressure on Drew Brees, and the run defense was again nonexistent. Add it up, and you have another crushing blowout.
In 1981, the Baltimore Colts allowed an NFL-record 533 points defensively. The 2012 Oakland Raiders are officially chasing that mark. Over 16 games, that's an average of 33.3 points per game. In the last three Raider games, they have allowed 135 points, an average of 45 a game. That is bad on any level, and there is nothing I have seen to suggest it will slow down.
So recapping the five keys I had for victory, it is apparent that Oakland is bad enough to lose the rest of their games and finish 3-13.
Keep It Clean
That didn't...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Oakland Raiders
