It took a little while, but the Las Vegas Raiders are beginning to find their footing. After going 2-7 to start the season and people questioning if Josh McDaniels was going to make it through the year as head coach, the team responded following Mark Davis giving McDaniels a vote of confidence.
Las Vegas has won three games in a row, finally finding some success in close games. All three victories have come by one score, with two of them coming in overtime, after going 0-1 in overtime in the first nine games and 0-6 in one-possession games.
On defense, the pass rush has finally begun waking up around Maxx Crosby. Chandler Jones woke up from his season-long stupor against the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 14, picking up 3.0 sacks and five quarterback hits and two tackles for loss.
Jones hadn’t had a tackle for loss since Week 1 and only six quarterback hits on the season heading into the game against the Chargers. Hopefully, that is a sign of things to come, as the pass rush has been pitiful all season.
He wasn’t the only big offseason acquisition, as the Raiders also made a big move on offense, acquiring Davante Adams in a trade with the Green Bay Packers. Las Vegas traded their first and second-round picks in the 2022 NFL Draft to Green Bay while signing Adams to a five-year, $140 million contract.
Overall, Adams has had a very good season, but he has really turned things up in recent weeks. In four out of the last five games, Adams has surpassed the 100-yard receiving mark. In addition to that, he has caught multiple touchdowns to go along with 100+ yards in three of the games.
On the season, Adams has four games with at least 100 receiving yards and two touchdowns. According to NFL on CBS, there isn’t another player in the league with more than two such performances this season.
The Raiders acquired Adams so that Derek Carr would have a true go-to, No. 1 receiver to get the ball to. The former Fresno State collegiate teammates picked up right where they left off as the chemistry was evident right from the start despite some shaky performances in the early going.
On the season, Adams has caught 79 passes for 1,176 yards and a league-high 12 receiving touchdowns. He is fifth in the NFL in receptions and fourth in yardage as he remains one of the best wide receivers in the league, earning his massive contract on a weekly basis.
