Oakland Raiders: The good, bad, and ugly in season opening loss to Rams

Good and Bad: Coaching and Game Plan

It was clear from the start that Gruden had a game plan coming in. Which is a good thing, and a nice change of pace over the last few years, when you got the idea they were just winging it.

Even better was the fact that Carr and the offense were executing it to perfection.

Gruden’s new offense, a blend of his old style, with all the new tricks he’s learned since leaving the sidelines, looked shiny, new, and most importantly – effective. With some power running and precision passing, the Raiders strung together some drives that took advantage of LA’s weaknesses, and even better, took time off the clock, keeping Goff and company neutralized.

After holding the ball for more than twenty of the thirty first half minutes, Gruden had to feel good about going into the break, sitting on a 13-10 lead.

But, in a plot twist everybody – most especially Gruden and DC Paul Guenther – should have seen coming, the Rams began making their adjustments.

LA defensive coordinator Wade Phillips, one of the best at his job, figured out how to shut Carr down and take away what had made them successful in the first half, while Guenther struggled with what he was seeing from Sean McVay and his offense.

To put it bluntly, Phillips figured it out, Guenther never did. Guenther never adjusted (or at least, his adjustments weren’t effective, which should have prompted further adjustments) to how McVay tweaked his offense, and it cost the Raiders dearly.

Maybe not as bad as Carr did, but it cost them dearly enough.