Mike Grimala
Story Archive
-
SportsAnalysis: Three changes Raiders could make to improve defense
Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2020 Jon Gruden was not happy with what he saw from the Raiders’ defense in Sunday’s 45-20 loss to Tampa Bay. It was such a poor performance that Gruden went as far as to promise changes during ...
-
SportsOn game's biggest play, Raiders pay the price for playing it safe
Monday, Oct. 26, 2020 Raiders coach Jon Gruden is catching a lot of heat for kicking a field goal on 4th-and-1 inside the red zone in the fourth quarter of Sunday’s loss to Tampa Bay.
-
SportsInstant Analysis: Same issues remain for Raiders after tumultuous week off field
Sunday, Oct. 25, 2020 The Raiders started fast but were ultimately overwhelmed by Tampa Bay on Sunday, falling at home, 45-20. Las Vegas is now 3-3 on the season and still firmly in the playoff hunt, but the Raiders missed a chance to make a statement with ...
-
SportsFive big obstacles facing the Raiders this week
Friday, Oct. 23, 2020 You would think that with a 3-2 record and coming off a bye, the Raiders would be relaxed and soaking in good vibes right about now. But that is decidedly not the case, as Las Vegas is battling through a tumultuous week — much of it their own ...
-
SportsRaiders relying on offensive line depth in wake of COVID-19 absences
Thursday, Oct. 22, 2020 Raiders coach Jon Gruden has a lot on his plate this week. Not only does he have to scheme against his longtime personal nemesis, Tom Brady, for their Sunday Night showdown, he also has to figure out a way to move the ball against a ...
-
SportsRaiders signing David Irving to bolster pass rush
Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2020 The Raiders are getting creative in their efforts to improve their pass rush, as the team is reportedly signing defensive end David Irving, who has been out ...
-
SportsRaiders' Clelin Ferrell coming into his own as stout edge defender
Monday, Oct. 19, 2020 After the Raiders’ 40-32 win in Kansas City last week, coach Jon Gruden said it was probably the best performance of Clelin Ferrell’s career. It would be easy to snicker at that comment and make a joke about how Ferrell hasn’t set ...
-
SportsWith Ruggs running deep, Carr looks like a new man
Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2020 Derek Carr has a reputation around the NFL, and it’s not exactly flattering. The word on the seventh-year Raiders quarterback is that when given the choice between pushing the ball down the field in pursuit of a substantial gain or taking a short ...
-
SportsHeading into early bye, Raiders have the look of a playoff team
Monday, Oct. 12, 2020 A lot can change in one week in the NFL, and Week 5 made a big difference for the Raiders. After last week’s home loss to Buffalo, which dropped Las Vegas to 2-2 on the season, the FiveThirtyEight playoff projections gave the Raiders a 27 percent chance of making the postseason ...
-
SportsInstant analysis: Big plays power Raiders to shocking win at Kansas City
Sunday, Oct. 11, 2020 The Raiders notched a potentially season-defining win on Sunday, as they went into Kansas City and beat the defending Super Bowl champions, 40-32 ...
-
SportsWith starters back, Raiders equipped for shootout at Kansas City
Saturday, Oct. 10, 2020 Let’s be realistic, the Raiders defense is not going to stop Kansas City on Sunday. The best Las Vegas can probably hope for is forcing one or two punts on the day ...
-
SportsRaiders' defensive woes extend beyond coordinator
Friday, Oct. 9, 2020 The Raiders defense is a problem. The team ranks near the bottom of the league in just about every key statistical category, and the eye test matches the numbers. For Sunday’s home game against Buffalo, defensive coordinator Paul Guenther ...
-
SportsVideo: These 7 plays have defined the Raiders' season through four weeks
Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2020 The NFL season is still young, but in this unprecedented 2020 campaign, the only thing that matters is the present. And right now, the Raiders are a 2-2 team. We’ve seen some good and some bad ...
-
SportsGruden downplays defensive coordinator's move upstairs
Monday, Oct. 5, 2020 The Raiders have lost two straight games and currently rank in the bottom five in the league in yards per play allowed, yards per rush allowed and takeaways.
-
SportsInstant Analysis: Raiders are a mess in 30-23 loss to Buffalo
Sunday, Oct. 4, 2020 The 2020 Las Vegas Raiders are not a perfect team, as there are major deficiencies on both sides of the ball. But if we’ve learned anything about them through four weeks, it’s that the team is good enough to compete on a weekly basis ...
-
SportsRaiders defense focusing on fundamentals against explosive Bills
Friday, Oct. 2, 2020 By most metrics, both standard and advanced, the undefeated Buffalo Bills sport one of the NFL’s best offenses. They rank third in points per game (31.0), third in yards per play (6.6) and sixth in Football Outsiders’ DVOA (22.2 percent) ...
-
SportsAfter latest COVID misstep, Raiders insist team is doing 'excellent job'
Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2020 Despite multiple violations of the NFL’s COVID-19 protocols — including an apparent breach on Monday in which several high-profile players were caught mingling in a crowded ballroom without masks — the Raiders believe the team is doing an ...
-
SportsAnalysis: Raiders need more from Maliek Collins
Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2020 The Raiders’ run defense took most of the blame for the team’s 36-20 loss at New England on Sunday, as the Patriots racked up 250 yards on the ground, but that wasn’t the only worrying trend to emerge from Las Vegas’ first loss of the season ...
-
SportsRaiders need Josh Jacobs to perform at elite level on weekly basis
Monday, Sept. 28, 2020 Josh Jacobs didn’t play well in Sunday’s loss at New England. He wasn’t terrible, but he wasn’t particularly good, either. And at this point in their rebuild, the Raiders aren’t equipped to survive that. It’s a testament to how good ...
-
SportsRaiders get run over at New England
Sunday, Sept. 27, 2020 Late in the third quarter on Sunday, Raiders safety Johnathan Abram found himself as the last line of defense as Patriots running back Sony Michel broke into the clear. Abram, widely recognized as Las Vegas’ hardest hitter, lined up to take a shot at ...
-
SportsLive coverage: Raiders defense falters in 36-20 loss at New England
Sunday, Sept. 27, 2020 Is it possible for an NFL game to have playoff implications in Week 3? Don’t scoff at the idea so quickly.
-
SportsWhy Derek Carr will need to be perfect against New England
Friday, Sept. 25, 2020 Derek Carr got most of the credit for Las Vegas’ upset win over New Orleans on Monday night, as he completed 73.7 percent of his passes and tossed three touchdowns. If the Raiders have intentions of improving to 3-0 with a victory over the Patriots ...
-
SportsHating the Patriots: Why it's your duty as a Las Vegas Raiders fan
Thursday, Sept. 24, 2020 The Raiders have only been in Las Vegas for two games now, so we can cut the local fans a little slack if they’re not completely up to speed on franchise history just yet. So in the spirit of helping new supporters jump on board the bandwagon ...
-
SportsThrough two weeks, Darren Waller is Raiders' Mr. Reliable
Tuesday, Sept. 22, 2020 The Raiders strive to run a balanced offense, but in the team’s first game at Allegiant Stadium the field was tilted decidedly in Darren Waller’s direction. Quarterback Derek Carr spread the ball around to 12 different receivers in Las Vegas’ 34-24 win ...
-
SportsInstant analysis: Raiders ride Carr's hot hand to historic win over Saints
Monday, Sept. 21, 2020 The Raiders’ first game in Las Vegas came with enough glitz and glamor to live up to the city’s reputation, but aside from the jet flyover and the Killers’ halftime show and the bright lights of Monday Night Football, there was still a game to be played ...
-
SportsWith Brees showing the way, Derek Carr happy to play the short game
Friday, Sept. 18, 2020 If there’s one criticism that Raiders quarterback Derek Carr has heard enough of, it’s that he loves the short stuff ...
-
SportsThe Davis dream: After decades of wandering, the Raiders found a home in Las Vegas
Thursday, Sept. 17, 2020 How long will it take before Las Vegas begins to feel like “home” for the Raiders? For a franchise that has been defined by transiency throughout its 60-year history, it may have already happened. And owner Mark Davis understands that could very well end up being his lasting legacy.
-
SportsJosh Jacobs showing off receiving chops in second year
Thursday, Sept. 17, 2020 Josh Jacobs created a bit of a stir in training camp when he proclaimed that one of his goals for the 2020 season was to catch 60 passes. It seemed like a lofty benchmark for the second-year running back at the time, as he had just ...
-
Sports
Analysis: Raiders' pass rush missing in Week 1 win
Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2020 The Raiders won their season opener on Sunday, and in the NFL, every victory is earned. But it won’t be a celebratory week of practice ahead for Las Vegas — not after the defense allowed 30 points to a Carolina attack that is projected to ...
-
SportsHenry Ruggs shows big-play ability in Raiders' Week 1 win
Monday, Sept. 14, 2020 When the Raiders used the No. 11 overall draft pick to select Henry Ruggs, they did it because they believed he could change the team's offensive identity with his big-play ability. Jon Gruden and Mike Mayock have to be feeling good about the ...
-
SportsInstant Analysis: Raiders survive shaky defensive performance due to Jacobs' 3 TDs
Sunday, Sept. 13, 2020 The Raiders opened their first season in Las Vegas with a 34-30 win at Carolina, but getting to 1-0 wasn't easy.
-
SportsAre Raiders on track in Year 3 of Gruden rebuild?
Friday, Sept. 11, 2020 Heading into the 2017 season, the Raiders thought they had a roster capable of contending for a deep playoff run. Coming off a 12-4 campaign in 2016 that doubled as a breakout year for quarterback Derek Carr, the Oakland decision-makers at ...
-
Sports
Five players who could determine the Raiders’ success this season
Thursday, Sept. 10, 2020 If these five players perform at or above expectation, the Las Vegas Raiders could be in for a great first season.
-
SportsDo Raiders have a plan to defend Christian McCaffrey?
Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2020 The Raiders rebuilt their defense over the offseason, and thanks to the NFL’s schedule-makers it shouldn’t take long to find out if it worked. Las Vegas will travel to take on the Carolina Panthers on Sunday, and if your fantasy league has drafted already ...
-
Sports100 predictions for the Las Vegas Raiders in 2020
Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2020 Heading into the Raiders' inaugural campaign in Las Vegas, let's make 100 predictions for the 2020 season.
-
SportsA look at some remarkable moments in Raiders history
Monday, Sept. 7, 2020 The Raiders have one of the most storied histories in all of the NFL. Three Super Bowl championships, 26 members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, plenty of memorable games and even more memorable characters.
-
SportsRaiders trade rookie Lynn Bowden for draft pick
Saturday, Sept. 5, 2020 The Raiders came away from the 2020 draft believing they had stocked up on offensive weapons, but that plan took a hit on Saturday when the team traded third-round pick Lynn Bowden to Miami ...
-
SportsJavin White released by Raiders; practice squad possible
Saturday, Sept. 5, 2020 When he was a star linebacker at UNLV, Javin White had a habit of staying late after practice to run sprints, often by himself. Even when the temperature rose above 100 degrees or ...
-
SportsDo the Raiders have enough elite talent at top of roster?
Saturday, Sept. 5, 2020 Cut-down day in the NFL tends to put the focus on the bottom of the roster, obviously, but with a week to go before the start of the 2020 season this is also a good time to assess the top of the Raiders’ roster ...
-
SportsProjecting the Raiders' 53-man roster
Friday, Sept. 4, 2020 Saturday is cut-down day, when the Raiders will have to narrow their roster to the 53 players they intend to take into their Week 1 matchup against Carolina, and Jon Gruden’s philosophy toward building the roster ...
-
SportsRaiders roster continues to evolve as cut-down day approaches
Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2020 Mike Mayock and Jon Gruden have to cut the Raiders roster from 80 to 53 players by Sept. 5, and any time you’re shedding nearly 34 percent of your personnel there are bound to be a few surprises. That’s especially true this year ...
-
SportsWith training camp finished, Raiders move on to game prep
Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2020 For the Las Vegas Raiders, the 2020 season unofficially began on Monday morning. The Raiders wrapped their inaugural training camp in Las Vegas on Friday, then took the weekend off. On Monday, they returned to the field bright and early to begin ...
-
SportsHave the Raiders done enough to fix their slot coverage problem?
Monday, Aug. 31, 2020 Before the 2019 season, the Raiders signed veteran corner Lamarcus Joyner with the intention of lining him up in the slot against smaller, shiftier receivers. It didn’t work, as opposing quarterbacks completed 69.4 percent and racked up a passer rating ...
-
SportsWhat the Raekwon McMillan trade means for the Raiders
Saturday, Aug. 29, 2020 The Raiders spent much of the offseason revamping their linebacking corps, and that effort continued on Saturday as Las Vegas traded a draft pick to acquire third-year inside linebacker Raekwon McMillan from the Miami Dolphins ...
-
SportsBig day for Henry Ruggs as Raiders stage mock game at Allegiant
Saturday, Aug. 29, 2020 If the Raiders’ mock game on Friday was any indication of what will happen when the season begins, then rookie receiver Henry Ruggs is the real deal. Ruggs was everywhere during the team’s tightly managed practice at Allegiant Stadium, hauling in several deep passes ...
-
SportsWhat we've learned from Raiders training camp
Friday, Aug. 28, 2020 The Raiders still have a week of training camp left, but for the media the curtain has been drawn. The remainder of Las Vegas’ practice sessions will be closed to outside observers, so reporters won’t be able to watch any more action on the field until ...
-
Sports
Raiders defensive depth chart taking shape; Javin White stands out again
Thursday, Aug. 27, 2020 While Las Vegas focused most of its draft efforts on offense, the defense received more love in free agency, as the team brought in at least three Week 1 starters and several other veterans who are competing for key roles ...
-
SportsBreaking down Raiders' offensive position groups at midway point of camp
Wednesday, Aug. 26, 2020 Had the COVID-19 pandemic not canceled the NFL’s preseason schedule, the Raiders would have two exhibition games under their belt right now and the all-important third contest coming up on Aug. 27. That’s when we would have seen ...
-
SportsWith Tyrell Williams battling injury, spotlight on young Raiders receivers intensifies
Tuesday, Aug. 25, 2020 The Raiders have invested heavily in receivers in the last two drafts, and it looks like those young pass-catchers will have to show what they’re made of a bit sooner than expected. Veteran receiver Tyrell Williams has a torn labrum ...
-
SportsUNLV football recruiting at high level under Arroyo
Sunday, Aug. 23, 2020 Kevon Ivy knew there was something he liked about the UNLV football coaching staff when, during a Zoom call a couple months ago, the topic of conversation turned to ...
