Had Carr not been injured, the Raiders might have turned the game against Los Angeles. With Mariota, however, a backup QB was used who has never been on the field this season.
The replacement QB has neither the quality nor the gaming experience to stand up to the Dolphins. Coach Gruden already had enough problems with his defense.
Actually lists NFL.com the Defense of the Raiders ranked 25th out of 32 in the league. Not without reason, because Chargers QB Justin Herbert could never really be put under pressure on Friday.
With the motivation at a low point and with 145 approved points in the last four games, it is difficult to believe in a turnaround. Especially when Mariota only had a few days to prepare for his second season outing against the Dolphins.
The Dolphins are currently in second place in the AFC East with a balance of (9-5). The “Phins” are currently fighting a long distance duel with the Ravens (9-5) for the last available playoff spot. Neither team can afford to lose in the remaining two games.
With the important 22:12 victory over the Patriots last Sunday, Miami was able to defeat the easiest opponent in the remaining program. Now that the Raiders are out, the air might be out against the Dolphins.
The fact is, the Floridians can fall back on two strong running backs against the Raiders. Salvon Ahmed and Matt Breida ran the Patriots dizzy with over 200 yards. The only problem in the game of the Dolphins remains the weak quarterback position.
