It's time for a graduation of sorts for this Raiders team. They went from shocking the world with their 3-0 start, to feeling like they proved that start was no fluke by hanging in with the Chiefs. Than after a letdown in New England, they hung around again versus the Bills. The days of hanging around and being competitive against good teams is over. This team must take the next step now.
"It's such a competitive game and if you're just hoping to keep it close in the fourth quarter, that's not a winning mindset," Klint Kubiak said this week. "So just having the mindset to, when you have an opportunity to make a play, when you're playing complimentary football on one side of the ball, special teams gives you good field position, you gotta go score
on that drive. Defense gets a turnover, you gotta go score on that drive. If there's a sudden change defensively, then we gotta get a stop. So, just having the ultimate competitor's mindset of not being okay with having the game be close in the fourth quarter. That's not what we're here to do."
One thing that seems to be getting lost in those two 'competitive' losses against the Chiefs and Bills is the Raiders got it close when it was too late to finish the job. They were coming from two scores down to make it a one score game. The next step would be either not finding themselves in a two-score deficit late or actually having the lead.
Sure, they were able to do that in their first three games, but the teams they faced on those games have a collective 2-15 record.
The Rams are 2-4 on the season, and have seen many of their stars lost to injured reserve. But they still have a talented and well-coached team, who, even in a loss, up more points (34) on the Bills than the Raiders did (30). So, they are still a good team. Providing a decent chance for the Raiders to show they can not just compete, but beat a good team.
Now, back at .500 (3-3), the days of proving things is over for Las Vegas. The days of putting wins on the board must start now. In fact, there is a rather famous saying Al Davis had about this. Famous enough, I don't think I even need to say it, do I?
This article originally appeared on Raiders Wire: Raiders must move on from competitive losses to find 'winning mindset'
