OAKLAND -- The Raiders fought hard for their second win this season. They ultimately didn’t get it, falling 20-6 to a superior Los Angeles Chargers team.
There was no questioning the team’s hustle and heart in this one, even if the result marked a fifth consecutive loss that dropped the overall record to 1-8.
That’s why Raiders coach Jon Gruden praised his team’s effort first in his postgame press conference, hoping that wouldn’t be lost in another double-digit defeat.
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SIGN UP HERE “This will be a year that a lot of us will never forget,” Gruden said. “It is painful. It is hard. It will be hard to sleep again and get up in the morning, but we are going to keep working hard. This will be the foundation that this program will lean on -- mental toughness and physical toughness.
“We will do everything we can in the eye of adversity. I know it sounds corny to some people, but that is the grit and toughness this organization is built on, and that is what we are going to continue to strive for.”
This season has been brutal, with a terrible on-field product and unpopular personnel decisions, including the Khalil Mack and Amari Cooper trades. The Raiders have seen Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie retire and defensive captains Derrick Johnson and Bruce Irvin released around midseason.
On Sunday, the defense played a lot better than recent weeks, but the offense couldn’t get anything going for a second consecutive game, producing more frustration for the Silver and Black’s fan base. That came after a disastrous showing against the 49ers, where effort and desire were called into question during a loss to one of the NFL’s worst teams.
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Gruden plans to rebuild the Raiders from the ground up, knowing full well that real dividends are a few years away and only will come if he drafts and spends salary-cap space well. He looks at the 2018 season as part of the foundation he’s trying to build after tearing down Reggie McKenzie’s roster. The veterans on this roster, Gruden believes, will help set the tone for future seasons.
Winning this season will be hard, no matter how much effort is put in during the second half. The Raiders have lost five consecutive games by 14 points or more.
In no way, however, are Raiders players tanking. They consider the term offensive, actually.
“We don’t prepare the way we do to tank,” defensive lineman Maurice Hurst said. “It’s annoying to hear from fans and stuff. … It definitely pisses us off. That’s disrespectful.”