The Las Vegas Raiders are playing some of their best football of the season in the last two weeks. They have won two games in a row, bringing their record back to .500 on the season ahead of a matchup against the Chicago Bears in Week 6.
While winning normally smooths over any issues that a team has, there are still some things that Las Vegas needs to work on. Star wide receiver Davante Adams has voiced his frustrations about his role in the offense once again despite the team winning games.
Adams has seen his involvement in the passing offense drop significantly during the winning streak. He has been targeted only nine times, catching six passes for 74 yards against the Green Bay Packers and New England Patriots.
It is something he wants to see change soon. The change in philosophy has helped the team win, but Adams doesn’t want to just be along for the ride, he wants to lead the charge for the Raiders going forward.
“I’m a human being and I have extremely high standards for myself in this offense,” Adams said on Wednesday, via ESPN. “I’m sure people are thinking, ‘They won the game, why is there an issue?’ I mean, you see why it’s an issue. Y’all should know who I am, know what I’m about at this point … when you’re a player like me, mentally, my benchmark is not wins and losses — it’s greatness. So when I go out there, I expect to be able to have that ability to put that on tape and have an influence on the game. That’s my purpose for being here. I’m not here just to hang out; I came here to win and to do it the right way.”
There are certainly some bold takes in those comments. There are some people who will be rubbed the wrong way when they hear that, as winning should be the No. 1 goal. But, for a player of Adams’ caliber, there is more to the game than just winning it, as he wants to produce big numbers in addition.
“So if it don’t look like it’s supposed to look, then I’m going to be frustrated if I’m not a part of that plan,” Adams said. “Because I have the opportunity to go and change that and make it look like a much better picture out there. And if that doesn’t happen, then I’m going to be frustrated. If Jakobi [Meyers] goes out and has a monster game or if the offense is scoring every five plays, like our first drive on the Bills, then it is what it is.
“It’s not about me, but I’m one of the bigger pieces as to why this offense is going to go. And if I’m not getting it, then that’s obviously not according to plan.”
There is some nuance that needs to be used to fully understand where Adams is coming from. He holds himself to a very high standard and if he isn’t meeting that standard, he is going to put more pressure on himself to reach those lofty standards.
Talks with Raiders head coach Josh McDaniels have certainly put Adams a little more at ease about the situation. But this is something to keep an eye on, especially with starting quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo dealing with a back injury.
For the Raiders to reach their true potential, getting the ball into the hands of their stars makes the most sense. Right now that isn’t happening, and Adams feels the other shoe will drop sooner than later if it doesn’t change.
