A weekly series recapping three players on the Oakland Raiders whose stock is on the rise after playing well, and three players whose stock has taken a hit after a poor performance.
In what could’ve been a division-clinching win for the Oakland Raiders, Sunday’s 24-6 beating at the hands of the Denver Broncos was anything but. While Oakland succumbed to the Broncos amid the Denver altitude, Broncos Head Coach Gary Kubiak ended his career on a high note.
The defending-champion Broncos served as spoilers, being knocked out of playoff contention in week’s past. Denver’s win, along with the Kansas City Chiefs win, knocked the Raiders from second to fifth-seed in the AFC West. In the untimely absence of injured quarterback and leader Derek Carr, Oakland took a beating on both sides of the ball. Yet and still, several players managed to step up amid their seemingly-silent teammates. Here are three players who stepped up, and three players who had it rough in Week 17.
Stock Up
Let’s start with players whose stock is on the rise.
Jan 1, 2017; Denver, CO, USA; Denver Broncos running back Devontae Booker (23) runs the ball as Oakland Raiders cornerback David Amerson (29) and strong safety T.J. Carrie (38) defend in the third quarter at Sports Authority Field at Mile High. The Broncos won 24-6. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports
David Amerson
Watching Sunday’s game, you would think Broncos quarterback Trevor Siemian hasn’t struggled this season. A big reason was David Amerson, who got burned up in coverage multiple times.
When Amerson was in position to make a play, he faltered, whiffing three tackles. Adding insult to injury, he also drew a defensive pass interference and face mask penalty.
Matt McGloin
There was so much riding on this game for the Raiders, as well as Matt McGloin. Aside from a win and playoff seeding, McGloin was playing for a potential shot with another team. In his biggest game on the biggest stage, McGloin missed, bad.
McGloin went 6-11 for 21 yards, but in action, it seemed worse. Aside from a clear miss on a potential touchdown to receiver Amari Cooper, McGloin was simply errant. Of his five incompletions, the majority were wildly overthrown. The veteran quarterback resembled a deer caught in headlights, overwhelmed by the moment.
Dan Williams
The blame on Oakland’s lack of pressure can’t all fall on its stars — everyone must play their part. Nose tackle Dan Williams failed to do that Sunday, being neutralized against the pass and gashed in the run game.
Denver rushed for 148 yards on the ground, and Williams lackluster play in the trenches was a big reason. While Oakland as a whole failed to wrap up on tackles, Williams was non-existent in many instances of play.
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