Raiders weekly mailbag reflects angst of fans

Raider Nation is obviously disappointed by what happened last Sunday in the Raiders’ 43-6 loss to the Atlanta Falcons. That is reflected in some of the questions readers sent us in this week’s mailbag.

With five games remaining and the Raiders’ playoff hopes hanging in the balance, these are uneasy times. Raiders fans are anxious.

Sean McCollom (@seanmccollom): Compared to past seasons, this Raiders team seems to have more of a sense of resolve. Is this sensed in practice?

Vincent Bonsignore: Unfortunately, beginning this week, the media is no longer allowed access to the Raiders’ practice facility because of the increased COVID-19 restrictions.

That said, one impressive aspect of this Raiders team that is among the five y0ungest in the NFL is its maturity level. That was noticeable all the way back to the offseason and during an extremely altered training camp. This group has done a good job dealing with all the upheaval because of COVID-19.

It isn’t always going to be perfect. The game against the Falcons is a prime example of that. But for the most part, the Raiders have operated on an even keel. It’s imperative they find that center point again. The next five games are critical to their playoff hopes.

Apple Sticker (@OilOracle): Why don’t the Raiders give Marcus Mariota a go as backup QB? After that final quarter versus the Falcons, it’s obvious Nathan Peterman isn’t backup talent.

VB: Hard to really judge Peterman on last week. The Raiders believe if he had to play on a short-term basis — perhaps in relief of Derek Carr during a game — he can manage. But the point is well taken. If it came down to a prolonged absence by Carr, the sense is Mariota would be the backup of choice.

Obviously, Mariota’s $7 million contract plays into that. But the best way to look at it is this: The Raiders spent that money to create peace of mind in case something happened to Carr and there was a need for a quality backup with a proven track record.

Ideally, though, Carr plays wire to wire and there is never a need to use Mariota, or any backup. However, should something happen, it is much better to have Mariota on hand, even at that cost, so they could turn to him should Carr be out an extended period of time.

As a result, the practical value in spending that money on Mariota is only realized if and when the Raiders have to play him. However, the intangible value of having peace of mind is also worth the cost. It beats the alternative of not having a quality backup.

Maino (@Maino03): What will Jon Gruden and Derek Carr do to get Henry Ruggs and Bryan Edwards more into the mix? I figured over this three-game stretch with defenses below average, they would use the opportunity to feature both of them.

VB: The sense is, this is just as much about the two young wide receivers making themselves more available in their route running as anything else. That isn’t a knock on either player. It sometimes takes time for young wide receivers to master that part of the game, and with both players suffering some setbacks health wide, it takes time to get back on track.

Ruggs made a nice play on a big gain against the Falcons, showing off his speed and athletic ability. But that was a 50/50 ball opportunity rather than him working the defensive back or coverage to find open space.

Moving forward, that will be the challenge for Ruggs and Edwards. They need to have a better understanding of the position and coverages in order to work their way into open situations.

NiseMonogatari (@RaiderBigMike): Josh Jacobs’ status for this week?

VB: He is out, as is Johnathan Abram.

Anthony S Dubee (@dubee_s): Can Vic Beasley make an impact on our defense?

VB: That is the hope. Even if it’s just a little bit, creating some pass rush pressure, it will make a big impact.

OAKFitnessGuru2019 (@OGuru2019): What has led the Raiders to go from having so few penalties to so many these last few weeks?

VB: There will always be penalties that teams disagree with and dispute. But aside from those, the sense is there has been a lapse in focus. That, coupled with a breakdown in fundamentals, which often goes hand in hand with focus, creates situations where players get beat or are out of position and, as a result, commit penalties. Tightening up the focus will go a long way in getting the penalties back under control.

Contact Vincent Bonsignore at vbonsignore@reviewjournal.com. Follow @VinnyBonsignore onTwitter.