Oakland Raiders: Keys To Victory Over Denver Broncos

Oct 4, 2015; Chicago, IL, USA; Oakland Raiders quarterback Derek Carr (4) looks to pass as Chicago Bears inside linebacker Shea McClellin (50) chases during the second half at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports

Spread the Ball, Spread the Field

OC Bill Musgrave has certainly been more creative with the offense than the previous coaching regime. He’s also allowed Carr the freedom to air it out now and then. The result has been a sometimes dynamic and explosive offensive unit. It’s a unit that hung 37 points on a Baltimore defense that a week earlier, had limited Denver to just 19 points.

But Musgrave sometimes also has a penchant for going a little more conservative with his play calling. Yes, some of it is situational, but some of it is mind boggling.

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The Raiders have an unbelievable array of weapons that include Amari Cooper, Michael Crabtree, Seth Roberts, Andre Holmes, Rod Streater, Clive Walford, Mychal Rivera, Marcel Reece, Latavius Murray, and Roy Helu. The Raiders can attack opposing offenses in a multitude of ways – and yet, at times, Musgrave seems to go back to the same well over and over again.

Against the Broncos, he is going to have to open up that playbook. He is going to have to be creative, and he is going to have to attack Denver’s defense in every conceivable way. He’s going to have to throw to his tight ends – who, to this point in the season, have been almost invisible. He’s going to have to utilize his wide receivers and he’s going to have to utilize his running backs.

Yes, it’s up to Carr to make the reads and make the right throws, but it’s up to Musgrave to come up with a game plan that will keep Denver on their heels.

With Denver’s defense being as stout against the run as they are, the Raiders would do well to throw short and intermediate routes, forcing the linebackers to stay out in coverage rather than pinning their ears back and coming after Carr and the running backs.

The Raiders need to use multiple receiver sets, use dummy routes, use pick plays and bunch formations, go with a no huddle attack – in short, Musgrave is going to have to deploy all of his weapons to help Carr stay upright, help open up the running game, and help open up the passing game as well.

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