3 Changes the Raiders Need to Make to Snap 2-Game Losing Streak

The Las Vegas Raiders' current two-game skid is starting to feel a whole lot like deja vu. 

The franchise had a devastating end to the season in 2019 when it finished 1-5 in its last six games after starting the season 5-4. Then, in 2020, it turned a 6-3 start to an 8-8 record by finishing 2-5 over the final seven games. 

After starting this year 5-2 going into the bye week, the record is now two games closer to .500 and there's an ominous feeling there could be another late-season collapse. 

That's far from set in stone, though. There's still time for the team to make some adjustments and turn things around, but it won't be easy. It has a dangerous Cincinnati Bengals team followed by a road trip to the Dallas Cowboys next, but the Raiders can still be in the playoff hunt. 

However, it's going to take some adjustments. As Las Vegas heads into the latter portion of the season, here are three tweaks that could help it avoid another second-half disaster. 

The Raiders went out in the offseason and signed Kenyan Drake to pair with Josh Jacobs, so they might as well be using both of them.

The Las Vegas offensive line isn't perfect and the team struggled to move the ball on the ground against the Chiefs, but once they went down, they mostly abandoned the run and resorted to letting Derek Carr drop back on every play. 

In total, Drake had four carries for 16 yards and Jacobs had seven carries for 16 yards. 

The offensive line, which has allowed Carr to be sacked 20 times already this season, isn't great in pass protection. That becomes even more difficult when the run is abandoned because it allows edge defenders to pin their ears back and hunt. 

Against the Chiefs, the Raiders' O-line gave up 14 pressures and two sacks, per PFF. 

Even if the run game itself isn't prolific, it should provide a little more balance to the offense and ease some of the pressure they are putting on the quarterback. 

The two can continue to alleviate the pressure on the offensive line and Carr in the pass game. They have combined for 49 catches, 421 yards and a touchdown as receivers. The tandem should be the central focus of an offense that needs to cut down on turnovers after committing five over the last two weeks. 

The Raiders are the most conservative team in the NFL when it comes to blitzing. Gus Bradley has only sent a blitz 11.5 percent of the time, which is last by a five percent margin. 

There's some validity to the approach. They are 20th in pressure rate just using their front four, which features two premier pass-rush talents in Maxx Crosby and Yannick Ngakoue. However, mixing in more blitzes could be the solution for ramping up the pressure. 

One way they could do that is by bringing Johnathan Abram from his safety position more often. 

For one, the 25-year-old is a liability in coverage. According to Pro Football Focus, he gave up 10 completions on 10 targets for 134 yards against the Chiefs. At that point, what's even the purpose of dropping him in coverage?

Last season, Abram blitzed 47 times and generated nine pressures with four quarterback knockdowns. This year, he has only been sent on a blitz 17 times and is still fifth on the team in pressures. 

If the Mississippi State product is going to continue to be on the field and get torched in coverage, the Raiders need to turn up the heat and find ways to scheme pressure with their safety. 

This might seem a bit counterintuitive. After all, DeSean Jackson's fumble was a turning point in the team's collapse against the Chiefs. But the 35-yard catch that preceded it was still one of the few explosive plays the Raiders had all game. 

Even at 34 years old, Jackson has proved he can still take the top off the defense. Despite only 16 total targets on the season, he is tied with Deebo Samuel and Ja'Marr Chase for most receptions of 40 yards or more this season with six. 

Hunter Renfrow has been great this season working underneath routes and finding holes in the defense, Darren Waller is still a menace in the intermediate passing game and a mismatch nightmare, and Bryan Edwards has found success as a physical jump-ball player. 

But if Carr doesn't have some success throwing the deep ball, it's going to be easy for defenses to load the box and dare him to beat them with his arm.

Jackson can be the guy who helps him have that success. He just has to run straight with the ball once he catches it instead of making bizarre moves like the one that caused his fumble against the Chiefs. 

Advanced stats via Pro Football Reference unless otherwise noted.