Oakland Raiders: Notes & Observations From The Week That Was

September 20, 2015; Oakland, CA, USA; Oakland Raiders quarterback Derek Carr (4) celebrates after the game against the Baltimore Ravens at O.co Coliseum. The Raiders defeated the Ravens 37-33. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

The Oakland Raiders, for the second straight week, squared off against a tough opponent from the AFC North. And after the battering the Raiders took at the hands of the Cincinnati Bengals, most of the so-called “experts” didn’t give them much of a chance against the Ravens. On Sunday though, the Raiders showed that the “experts” don’t know quite as much as they think they do.

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After the dismal performance both offensively and defensively the Raiders put up in week one, the natural inclination for many was to believe that the Jack Del Rio era in Oakland wouldn’t be any different than the Dennis Allen, Hue Jackson, Tom Cable, or Lane Kiffin eras in Oakland. Most believed it was just going to be a lot more losing, unfulfilled expectations, and shattered hopes.

After all, this was a Ravens team that had made Peyton Manning look positively pedestrian and the Denver Broncos look absolutely average. Against the Broncos, the Baltimore defense was smothering and suffocating, limiting Manning to 175 yards, no touchdowns, an interception, and a dismal 59.9 QB rating on the day.

Against the Ravens though, the Raiders showed that under the fiery leadership of Del Rio, they are not going to go down without a fight. Against the Ravens, they showed a fire, grit, passion, determination, and a will to win we haven’t seen from a Silver and Black squad in quite some time.

And while it was just one game in a much longer season, it was an important one. It was an important win for this team to get under their belts.

There is no question that it was a good week for the Raiders as a whole. While there are still plenty of issues that need to be addressed, this team showed that it has the potential to be far better than most believe them capable of being.

As the Raiders prepare to go on the road to face the Cleveland Browns, let’s take a look at some notes and observations from the week that was.

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