The Atlanta Falcons will face off in opposition to the Las Vegas Raiders on Monday Night time Soccer. Solely 4 video games are left within the season, and yet another loss could possibly be the ultimate blow to the Falcons playoff hopes.
The Raiders have had a disappointing season after committing to Antonio Pierce full-time. I needed to achieve extra perception into what has been occurring and the place the group is headed. Matt Holder of the Silver and Black Delight was excellent for the job.
1) Are the Raiders in tank mode, or is that this season a collection of unlucky occasions?
Matt Holder: The latter.
I feel the final two video games are good examples of how the Raiders are nonetheless attempting to win however simply aren’t ok to get the job carried out. They battled again in opposition to the Chiefs on Black Friday, took the lead at first of the fourth quarter, and may need gained that sport if it weren’t for a botched snap. In Tampa Bay final week, the Bucs went up 14-0 after their first two possessions and the group may have simply rolled over in the event that they had been actively attempting to tank as an alternative of preventing again to make it a sport.
2) What do you imagine Tom Brady will convey to the group as a partial proprietor? Will he be hands-on, or is that this simply an funding transfer?
Matt Holder: Proprietor Mark Davis mentioned this week that Brady may have quite a lot of involvement with the group. If Antonio Pierce is fired on the finish of the season, I’d anticipate Brady to guide the committee in advising Davis about who to rent subsequent.
Davis has admitted that he’s not a soccer thoughts like his dad was, and he has at all times leaned on a committee to choose a head coach. Additionally, I anticipate the G.O.A.T. to assist common supervisor Tom Telesco consider this 12 months’s quarterback class within the draft.
3) Two-win groups typically get little protection or respect. Who’s a Raider flying below the radar this season that deserves extra nationwide protection and respect?
Matt Holder: I’ll provide you with two, one on both sides of the ball; security Tre’von Moehrig and heart Jackson Powers-Johnson.
Moehrig has primarily lined up at free security up to now however has taken on a much bigger position this 12 months with extra reps within the field. He’s lastly turn out to be the versatile security that he was at TCU and might affect the sport in a number of methods. Final week is a good instance of that as Moehrig led the group in complete tackles with eight, had three passes defended, recorded a half-sack and recovered a fumble on one other pass-rush rep. I broke down his efficiency on this article if Falcons followers need to have a look.
Whereas Brock Bowers is, rightfully, getting the Offensive Rookie of the 12 months love, Powers-Johnson has had a powerful first marketing campaign as nicely. He’s been a giant motive why the working sport has improved not too long ago and is coming off a robust efficiency in opposition to Vita Vea, tossing Vea out the membership on this video on social media. I even have a breakdown on one in all JPJ’s outings if anybody is .
4) Maxx Crosby was a sizzling title across the commerce deadline, however possession made it clear he wasn’t available on the market. Will that change this offseason?
Matt Holder: Davis was adamant about Crosby not being out there on the commerce deadline, going out of his solution to electronic mail ESPN that the pass-rusher gained’t be getting dealt. Crosby has mentioned up to now that he doesn’t need to play wherever else and desires to make it work in Vegas, however he has additionally mentioned he doesn’t need to be a part of one other rebuilt and that’s the path the group is trending.
So, there could possibly be a state of affairs the place Maxx asks to be dealt this offseason. Nevertheless, so long as he desires to be a Raider, he’ll be a Raider.
5) The Falcons are on a four-game shedding streak; do you suppose the Raiders will make it 5?
Matt Holder: The Raiders are using a shedding streak as nicely, a league-high nine-gamer. They’ll’t get out of their very own method and haven’t given me a motive to suppose the group is able to beating anybody at this level.
Las Vegas’ final win got here in September in opposition to a Deshaun Watson-led Browns group. So, the Falcons have a possibility to get again on monitor Monday night time, until Kirk Cousins continues to play the best way he has during the last 4 months.
