The Las Vegas Raiders choked away a 20-point lead to lose to the Arizona Cardinals in overtime and Twitter took them to task.
The first week of NFL action was all about missed kicks. The second week was all about blown leads.
The Raiders may have avoided getting pulled into the kicking drama last week but they were front and center in Week 2 with a stunning collapse against the Cardinals.
Las Vegas had a 20-0 lead at halftime. They went into the fourth quarter comfortably ahead 23-7. They gave up two fourth-quarter touchdowns, including one as the clock ticked to zero, and two fourth-quarter two-point conversions.
Since it apparently wasn’t painful enough to watch their big lead evaporate, Las Vegas then found the most excruciating way to lose the game in overtime. Hunter Renfrow fumbled not once, but twice. He got away with the first one. Byron Murphy scooped the second one up and returned it 59 yards for a touchdown.
Fans who watched it all play out could only shake their heads and scream into the void.
The Raiders’ collapse had fans screaming and rivals howling
IM DONE WITH YOU @Raiders first time in history. A HISTORY WERE YOUVE SHOCKED EVERYONE you blow a lead up 20. Maybe send Davante and Carr out for another 4 hours. Have Carr look left and let Davante run sprints on the right side. You owe us that for spending 4 hours watching you
— code toke (@ToKeNasty) September 19, 2022
ONLY THE RAIDERS CAN LOSE A GAME IN THAT FASHION. IV’E WITNESSED IT ALL MY LIFE.
— Mark Gunnels (@MarkAGunnels) September 18, 2022
Why do raiders do this to me i pay taxes i recycle i mean damn 😭 pic.twitter.com/hwxRyQeJ8m
— Dontrelle Willis (@DTrainMLB) September 18, 2022
Being a Raider fan the hardest thing I ever been through in my life
— That’s Crazy (@ItDntStop) September 18, 2022
Raiders fans right now pic.twitter.com/415yRlYCV5
— Josiah Johnson (@KingJosiah54) September 18, 2022
The best memes were saved for Renfrow thanks to his fumbles.
Hunter Renfrow trying to get into the Raiders’ practice facility tomorrow: pic.twitter.com/9c87Ehoo8j
— Legion Sports Management (@thelegionsm) September 19, 2022
Hunter Renfrow after fumbling the first time. pic.twitter.com/NAMW7M5yuS
— Leo Luna (@LeoLuna93) September 18, 2022
Hunter Renfrow in overtime 😂 pic.twitter.com/ePIu34PyyY
— Pickswise (@Pickswise) September 18, 2022
Hunter Renfrow after fumbling twice in OT pic.twitter.com/cA8c3elzF7
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) September 18, 2022
Renfrow after his first fumble https://t.co/PJmwpFWqZC pic.twitter.com/hsiA3yQKfc
— . (@DeadPoole3_) September 18, 2022
And of course, fans of opposing teams jumped at the chance to troll the Raiders in every way they could.
nfl scriptwriters cooking up the las vegas raiders’ season pic.twitter.com/Pe6psEAZRe
— Ava (@avatarrant) September 18, 2022
Raiders fans were like, “it’S JuSt tHe CaRdiNaLs” when the Chiefs SMACKED them last week. Now, that same team just lost to them at home 🤣.
— Mark Gunnels (@MarkAGunnels) September 19, 2022
It the Chiefs beat the Cardinals because they're trash, and the Raiders lost to the Cardinals, then... Something something transitive property
— Ja Ja Ding Dong (@SilentMusicJack) September 18, 2022
Watching the Raiders downfall pic.twitter.com/jzhJ0CHPO0
— Alex 👋 (@Dubs408) September 18, 2022
nobody brings me more joy than knowing Raiders fans are out here sick and miserable right now
— Mykayla (@ickymickeyy) September 18, 2022
This was the first time in franchise history the Raiders have blown a 20-point lead.
Meanwhile, star receiver Davante Adams was limited to just two catches. Las Vegas clearly has to get him more involved if they want to avoid embarrassing themselves like this again this season. Starting 0-2, they now have a hill to climb to get the season back on track. This is definitely not the way Josh McDaniels will have imagined things going in his first campaign.