If you have a problem with Klint Kubiak calling his shot at halftime Sunday, all but guaranteeing the Raiders would beat the Chiefs, have at it.
asserted
Raiders → have → it
If you want to question his decision to take three points off the board in the third quarter, when presented with a more manageable fourth down, the floor is yours.
asserted
floor → want → down
And if you spent the drive home wondering about the all-out blitz that left rookie safety Treydan Stukes chasing Tyquan Thornton across the field with the Raiders protecting a 19-17 fourth-quarter lead, there is plenty to discuss.
asserted
Raiders → spend → lead
The Raiders lost for the first time this season, 30-27, to the Chiefs at Allegiant Stadium.
asserted
Raiders → lose → Stadium
The decisions that helped shape that outcome are fair game.
asserted
that → help → outcome
That comes with the headset and the responsibility of trying to drag this franchise somewhere it has spent far too little time lately.
asserted
it → come → time
Just understand something before demanding that Kubiak turn down the temperature.
asserted
Kubiak → understand → temperature
Those are going to be permanent fixtures.
asserted
Those → go → ?
“He’s coming in to win, he’s not coming in to keep it close,” Raiders quarterback Kirk Cousins said.
asserted
Cousins → come → it
The Raiders are building a team that expects to win these games.
asserted
that → build → games
A team willing to put pressure on its opponents and accept the pressure that comes back the other way.
asserted
that → put → pressure
A team that sees an opportunity to finish off the Chiefs and reaches for it.
asserted
that → see → it
Sunday, that reach exceeded their grasp.
asserted
reach → exceed → grasp
That hurts.
asserted
That → hurt → ?
It also leaves plenty to correct.
asserted
It → leave → plenty
But the worst lesson the Raiders could take from their first loss under Kubiak would be that they need to become more afraid of losing.
uncertain
they → take → Kubiak
They have spent enough years giving everyone reasons to expect the worst.
asserted
They → spend → worst
A coach willing to stand in front of a television camera at halftime and say he expects the best is hardly something to discourage.
asserted
he → stand → best
“Gotta be better, but you know what?
asserted
you → got → what
We’re winning.
asserted
We → win → ?
We’re gonna win the game,” Kubiak told CBS’ Tracy Wolfson at halftime.
asserted
Kubiak → go → halftime
The Raiders led 13-10 at the time.
asserted
Raiders → lead → time
He was right about what his team needed to hear.
asserted
team → need → what
And he wasn’t about to back down after the loss.
asserted
he → back → loss
“That’s how I felt,” Kubiak said.
asserted
Kubiak → ’ → ?
“I just said what I felt.”
asserted
I → say → what
What, exactly, was Kubiak supposed to communicate with the Raiders leading Kansas City?
asserted
Kubiak → suppose → City
That he hoped they could hang around? That perhaps the Chiefs might be generous enough to leave the door open?
uncertain
Chiefs → hop → door
His players had spent a half earning the lead.
asserted
players → spend → lead
Their coach believed they could spend another half finishing the job.
uncertain
they → believe → job
The problem was that they didn’t.
asserted
they → do → ?
And there were substantive football reasons for that, beginning with a running game that continues to make too many ordinary situations feel like extraordinary challenges.
asserted
situations → be → challenges
That is where the scrutiny needs to be relentless.
asserted
scrutiny → need → ?
Kubiak’s offense needs a dependable way to move defenders and generate yards on the ground.
asserted
offense → need → ground
Until the Raiders develop one, protecting leads will be harder, short-yardage decisions will be more complicated and too much will fall on the passing game.
asserted
much → develop → game
Confidence cannot block anyone.
asserted
Confidence → block → anyone
Neither can a halftime declaration secure a kickoff return.
asserted
declaration → secure → return
Dareke Young’s fourth-quarter fumble changed the entire dynamic of the game and compounded the damage at the worst possible time.
asserted
fumble → change → time
Kenneth Walker immediately scored on a 22-yard run to put the Chiefs up 30-10 with just over three minutes left.
asserted
minutes → score → Chiefs
Those are failures the Raiders have to own.
asserted
Raiders → have → ?
…and 43 more, not listed.
The Aporia
