Facing the Indianapolis Colts at home, this game was an absolute must-win for the Las Vegas Raiders.
It would not only be their last chance to gain a win against another struggling team at home this season, but they also needed to win this game to regain any slim shot that they had of making it to the postseason.
Unfortunately, this team continued to struggle on Sunday against the Colts. The Vegas offense continues to struggle week in and week out and seems unable to get into their flow or gain any kind of momentum. This team is heavily inconsistent and has a very difficult time finishing games. In this game, Vegas had a chance to gain a victory but in the end, they could not pull it off.
First half
Throughout most of the first half, the Raiders could not move the ball on offense. They punted the ball away on their first three drives and turned the ball over on downs on their fourth.
Finally, on the fifth drive of the game, they were able to finish a possession with a touchdown via a 4-yard throw by Derek Carr to tight end Foster Moreau. These were the only points that the Raiders’ offense was able to put up in the first half, coming with just one minute remaining.
Indianapolis had already put 10 points on the board by then and added another field goal just as the first half expired, giving the Colts a 13-7 halftime lead.
Second half
The second half started off a lot better for the Raiders, as they were able to score a touchdown on two of their first three offensive drives in the half to take the lead.
The first touchdown came via a Josh Jacobs run from one yard out, putting Vegas in front 14-13. The lead would not last long, however, as the Colts answered with a Jonathan Taylor 66-yard rushing score on the ensuing drive.
On the next Raiders scoring drive, they finished it off with a big play of their own. Derek Carr was able to find star receiver Davante Adams for a 48-yard touchdown, making the score 20-19 Las Vegas. The Raiders elected to attempt a two-point conversion to extend the lead, but it was unsuccessful.
The Raiders would give up one more touchdown to Indianapolis, and the Colts would also have an unsuccessful two-point conversion attempt. Despite the failed attempt, the visitors still led 25-20.
Vegas had one final shot to win the game but they could not do so, turning the ball over on downs on their final possession. Dropping yet another close game, the Raiders’ record now sits at 2-7.
What’s happening?
This season has not been what fans had anticipated in any way. Much has been said about the struggles that this team has had since the beginning of this season, but some were holding onto the hope that they would turn it all around.
However, at this point of the year, it seems that this is who Vegas is for this season. They have many struggles finishing off games and have been very inconsistent. This team sits at the bottom of the AFC West and their postseason hopes are non-existent.
They have looked like one of the worst teams in the league and they have disappointed their fans this season. With eight games still to play, can they figure out a way to be more efficient and win close games? If they are unable to improve upon these early struggles then there will be a lot of questions going into next season.
Up next
The Raiders head on the road to play the Denver Broncos on Sunday, Nov. 20. The game will kick off at 2:05 p.m. MT and can be seen on FOX.
