Oakland Raiders: Notes And Observations From Preseason Game #2

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Jan 4, 2015; Indianapolis, IN, USA; General view of a penalty flag in the 2014 AFC Wild Card playoff football game at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Weber-USA TODAY Sports

7. Sloppy Play Is Very Sloppy

Against the Rams, the Raiders played very disciplined football and ended the night with just a pair of penalties. It was a very good step in the right direction for a franchise who is traditionally at the very top of the league in penalties.

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Against the Vikings though, that discipline seemed to go right out the window as Oakland was flagged 13 times for a total of 106 yards – as a comparison, Minnesota was flagged once for 10 yards. The Raiders offensive line accounted for seven of those 13 flags, with starters Donald Penn, Gabe Jackson, and newly acquired center Rodney Hudson each a penalty.

The Raiders are hoping that it was an anomaly, perhaps a result of an odd night that saw an hour plus delay because of lightning strikes, and a game played in sloppy conditions. But it’s an ominous sign for a team trying to shake the reputation of being one of the league’s most undisciplined groups who are one of the most penalized.

If Del Rio has anything to say about it – and he will – look for a marked improvement in the penalties next week against the Cardinals. The Raiders can ill afford to continually shoot themselves in the foot by taking bad penalties.

Next: An Unexpected Surprise

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