Las Vegas Raiders 2021 NFL Season Analysis

By Lizandro Gutierrez (@nasandro12). Follow your project on @nacionpatriots Y nacionpatriota.com

Many people around the league were already dooming 2021 as the last for GM Mike Mayock and HC Jon Gruden at the helm of the Las Vegas Raiders. But no one was prepared for all the events that would cause those predictions to come true. However, despite everything, the Raiders achieved one of their best seasons in the last twelve years, with a trip to the playoffs included.

We are going to review the best and the worst of this team’s season.

The 2021 Las Vegas Raiders Season

This unique and colorful franchise garnered much of the attention throughout the year. From the death of sports icon and legend John Madden, to Henry Ruggs III being jailed for a high-speed accident that killed a young woman in Las Vegas, to coach Jon Gruden, who, with his ten-year contract and $100 million, was in trouble for a leak of emails expressing racist and misogynistic views.

Add to that a video of 2020 first-round CB Damon Arnette being cut off by a leak of a foul language video carrying firearms, and the Raiders seemed headed for a resounding failure this season because of all those distractions.

Due to the above, the fact of reaching the postseason with a record of 10-7 is a great achievement, since the problems they had were the perfect cause to destabilize anyone.

However, interim head coach Rich Bisaccia managed to put together a team that, despite its irregularity, showed its face, played hard and achieved its second postseason in the last twenty years. Plus, they came within a couple of best-executed plays of eliminating Cincinnati in the wild-card game.

The MVPs of the season

Maxx Crosby, DE

A true Draft gem in Mayock’s brief stint as general manager, mad maxx He has become the soul of this team’s defense, reminiscent of the Raiders of yesteryear who gave this franchise its name and fame with his tough and spectacular play. He had 7 sacks despite double-blocking, had 56 tackles and an impressive 30 hits to the passer to finish a Pro-Bowl nominee.

Derek Carr, QB

Although he is not the favorite of many and his poor execution in the last plays of the Wild Card game is marked, Derek Carr showed this year that he is the leader of the Raiders, that he has enough quality to lead the project and that he deserves more respect with his 4,804 yards, 23 TD, 14 INT to generate 10 exciting and hard-fought wins.

The best moment of his 2021 season

Without a doubt, it was the final game of the season, where they received the Chargers and in an exciting duel, they won at the last second in the OT with a field goal by Daniel Carlson.

With a stadium full of joy (the first in a long time), they witnessed a game where they could well finish tied and qualify both rivals for the postseason. But no, things happened and Las Vegas did not want to leave any doubt by winning and eliminating the Chargers.

The worst moment of his 2021 season

Here, without a doubt, we have in a draw the unfortunate fact of the young Henry Ruggs III, the death of an innocent person due to his recklessness and the fact that there are still problems of maturity and criteria for young people who enter the NFL to earn millions of dollars. .

Along with the above, unfortunate is the evidence that was shown of the real Jon Gruden. As many say, we are in a time where respect for ideas, beliefs and ways of life is sought, but at the same time, ignorance and prejudice are stronger than ever. In the case of the former Raiders head coach, it is just one more proof of the individuals who hide behind a character and who do not do well in these times.

What is expected for 2022 for the Raiders?

Despite a year in which they could have had plenty of excuses to return to mediocre results, the team showed its face and managed to enter the postseason. Now, for 2022, we have already confirmed the arrival (always cautiously until he saw him on the sidelines in his first game) of Josh McDaniels as head coach (they did not want to keep Bisaccia and this makes more than one scratch their heads), prop up the roster, trying to retain its veteran stars and trying, finally, after more than twenty years, to achieve consistency and back-to-back playoff seasons.

Eye, Las Vegas are far from competing in the AFC, but they are very close to no longer being the mockery of the league.

Read the rest of our 2021 Season NFL team reviews here: