Lots have changed since last playoff game
The Las Vegas Raiders play at the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 9 on Sunday with a 10 a.m. PT kickoff.
It will be the first time the two teams have met since the Raiders lost a wild card game 26-19 in Cincinnati in January, 2022.
A lot has changed for the Raiders since then. Let’s take a look:
Head coaches:
The playoff game was the final game for Rich Bisaccia as the Raiders’ interim head coach as he took over for Jon Gruden, who was forced to resign in October, 2021 because of an email scandal. Bisaccia was a candidate, but Raiders’ owner Mark Davis hired Josh McDaniels. He lasted 25 games in Las Vegas and was fired last October. Antonio Pierce took over as the interim coach. Unlike Bisaccia, Pierce did not lead the Raiders to the playoffs as the interim coach. Also, unlike Bisaccia, Pierce was given the full-time coaching job.
Quarterbacks:
Derek Carr, who threw an interception on fourth and goal on the Raiders’ final play of the the Bengals’ loss, was cut in 2023. Since then, the Raiders have named Jimmy Garoppolo, Aidan O’Connell (twice) and Gardner Minshew as the starting quarterbacks.
Key additions since that game:
Davante Adams, Jakobi Meyers, Robert Spillane, Garoppolo, Tyree Wilson, Michael Mayer, Tre Tucker, O’Connell, Jack Jones, Christian Wilkins, Minshew, Brock Bowers, Jackson Powers-Johnson, D.J. Glaze.
Key departures since that game:
Carr, Darren Waller, Hunter Renfrow, Josh Jacobs, Adams.
Conclusion:
The Raiders have not been to the playoffs since and haven’t had a winning record. The Bengals, who went to the Super Bowl in the 21-22 season, went to the playoffs the following seoans and have had a winning record in both seasons since. The simple difference between these two teams since that play game is the Bengals stability at coach(Zac Taylor) and quarterback (Joe Burrow) compared to the Raiders’ constant change at the key spots.
