Oakland Raiders: Notes And Observations From Week One

September 13, 2015; Oakland, CA, USA; Oakland Raiders head coach

(left) pats free safety

(24) during the second quarter against the Cincinnati Bengals at O.co Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

For the Oakland Raiders – and their fans – a truly forgettable week one is in the books. Needless to say, it was a less than auspicious start to a new era in Raider football being ushered in by HC Jack Del Rio. With a productive offseason behind them, the hope and expectations surrounding this Oakland squad were as high as they have been in quite some time. For some, those hopes and expectations took a hit as the Raiders were crushed by a good Bengals team.

Perhaps it was a case of opening game jitters. Perhaps it was a case of the team folding beneath the weight of such weighty expectations. Perhaps they just didn’t come ready to play. Whatever the reason, the Raiders came out incredibly flat and were never able to muster any sort of momentum on offense or on defense.

More from Derek Carr

• Oakland Raiders: Derek Carr is garbage and everything is his fault
• Oakland Raiders: Derek Carr passes Rich Gannon on all-time passing list
• Oakland Raiders’ Young Core Must Lead Their Resurgence
• Oakland Raiders: Derek Carr Overhyped And Overrated?
• Oakland Raiders: Carr And Cooper Must Improve When It Matters Most

And coming out that flat cost them dearly, as the Bengals raced out to a 33-0 lead. The Raiders, often looking dazed and confused, could never manage to catch up. It was an ugly game that was difficult to watch. But at the end of the day, it’s one game in a much longer season.

Yes, the Raiders looked beyond terrible against the Bengals. But they’ve turned the page on it and are gearing up for their next challenge – the Baltimore Ravens. A new week brings a chance for a fresh start and to put the past behind them. To paraphrase that old fount of wisdom, Bill Belichick, “we’re on to Baltimore.”

But before we dive into the week that will be, let’s look back at the week that was with some notes and observations from the Raiders’ opening week.

Next: Straight Talk