The first season of Jon Gruden’s return to the sidelines hasn’t gone as planned, and the Oakland Raiders coach knows the team isn’t close to breaking out.
Gruden acknowledged as much prior to Oakland’s upcoming clash with the Seattle Seahawks, per Michael Gehlken of the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
English reporter asked Jon Gruden how close Raiders are to turning the corner. “I think we have a ways to go. We have a lot to prove.”
— Michael Gehlken (@GehlkenNFL) October 12, 2018
Entering Week 6, the Raiders hold a measly 1-4 record. At this point, it’s improbable Oakland will reach the playoffs.
Although the offense ranks sixth in yards per game, the Raiders are only 23rd in points. They regularly move the ball but consistently fall short in scoring territory. According to teamrankings.com, Oakland’s red-zone touchdown rate is 47.4 percent.
Veteran quarterback Derek Carr, who’s tossed eight interceptions, is not having a good year. Although only two of his picks officially happened on red-zone snaps, defenders have caught seven of those interceptions inside the 20-yard line.
That’s inexcusable.
Factor in the Raiders’ lack of a pass rush after trading Khalil Mack — they have a league-low six sacks — and it’s no wonder Oakland has struggled so mightily.
But there isn’t a quick fix to these problems. Gruden has contributed to them, but the Raiders must be patient in order to correct their many issues.