Fansided

Las Vegas Raiders 2021 NFL schedule: 5 must-win games

By Russell S. Baxter

DENVER, COLORADO - JANUARY 03: Head coach Jon Gruden of the Las Vegas Raiders watches as his team plays the Denver Broncos in the second quarter at Empower Field At Mile High on January 03, 2021 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
DENVER, COLORADO - JANUARY 03: Head coach Jon Gruden of the Las Vegas Raiders watches as his team plays the Denver Broncos in the second quarter at Empower Field At Mile High on January 03, 2021 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
2 of 5
Next
INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA – JANUARY 03: Head coach Frank Reich of the Indianapolis Colts walks off the field after a win over the Jacksonville Jaguars at Lucas Oil Stadium on January 03, 2021 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images)
INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA – JANUARY 03: Head coach Frank Reich of the Indianapolis Colts walks off the field after a win over the Jacksonville Jaguars at Lucas Oil Stadium on January 03, 2021 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images) /

4. at Indianapolis Colts

This may have been the team’s most embarrassing defensive showing of 2020. In Week 14 on a Sunday afternoon in Sin City, the Raiders hosted the talented Colts and old friend Philip Rivers. At one point, Jon Gruden’s club owned a 14-10 lead early in the second quarter over their guests.

But by intermission, the Silver and Black had fallen behind by six points and would never catch up. Frank Reich’s playoff-bound squad rolled up 456 total yards in a 44-27 Indianapolis’ triumph. That included 150 yard rushing and two scores by Colts’ rookie running back Jonathan Taylor. All told, the Colts rolled up 212 yards on the ground in the 17-point win.

More significantly, it was the start of three straight losses for the Raiders, all at home. The team came into the contest with a 7-5 record and would score at least 25 points vs. Indianapolis, the L.A. Chargers and Miami Dolphins. But the club also surrendered at least 26 points in each of those setbacks and a combined 100 points over that stretch.

Quarterback Derek Carr also had his issues against Matt Eberflus’ unit. He threw for 316 yards and two scores but was also picked off twice, one of those returned 50 yards for a touchdown in the fourth quarter.

Home/Las Vegas Raiders