Second-Half Woes" Commentary Week 11

For the second week in a row, the went into halftime leading against a formidable AFC West opponent. And for the second week in a row, they relinquished that lead en route to a painful 17-13 loss.So what exactly is going wrong? Why can't the Raiders transfer their early-game success into4 Brett Favre Purple jersey
the latter stages of contests? Apparently, it has little to do with who is starting at quarterback. Last week, it was youngster Andrew Walter who was at the helm when Oakland crumbled. This week, it was veteran Aaron Brooks calling the signals and failing to lead his team to the win.Some might blame the defense for these second-half collapses, but the reality is that Raiders' stop unit has given up only 20 total points in the second stanzas of those two ballgames.So what it is it, then?The easy answer is simply "offense" (or lack thereof). Oakland has failed to score a single point in the second half of its last two contests against the Broncos and Chiefs, with turnovers and the lack of a consistent running attack serving as the main culprits responsible for this offensive ineptitude. Against Denver, it was two fourth-quarter fumbles by Walter that sealed the loss. On Sunday, it was a late Brooks interception that foiled a late rally. Mind you, the Raiders attempted to run the football in the second half of both contests, but were simply unable to generate enough first downs or run enough time off the clock to preserve a victory.But as with most things in the NFL, these two crushing losses cannot be pinned on just one aspect of the game. The defense also played a part in these tragic results, allowing its opponents to mount sustained scoring drives and generating just one turnover in four quarters of second-half play.Now here's the part were a silver lining can be found:The 2-8 Raiders are a fairly young football team that has actually outperformed the expectations laid out for it early on the season. And what's more, Oakland came fairly close to upsetting two legitimate playoff contenders. This past week's effort was especially impressive, Steelers 36 Bettis Jersey
considering that KC boasts one of the most imposing home-field advantages in all of football.In the end, though, nobody really cares about moral victories. But at least the Raiders are showing that they are capable of playing with some of their respected AFC West brethren. Hopefully for Oakland, the team can somehow continue that trend next week against red-hot San Diego Chargers.Get daily insights at (27)