Well, the Oakland Raiders' 2019 road trip for the ages didn't start off on the best foot Sunday afternoon, as the Silver and Black lost to the Minnesota Vikings 34-14 at U.S. Bank Stadium.
With the loss, Head Coach Jon Gruden's team drops to 1-2 with Chapter II of their lengthy road trip – a matchup with the Indianapolis Colts – coming up next.
The Colts are coming off an impressive win over the Atlanta Falcons, but before our focus shifts to Jacoby Brissett, Marlon Mack, and Co., let's take a look back at the playtime percentages from Sunday's game against the Vikings, and see what we can learn from the numbers.
| Player | Position | Offense | Defense | Special Teams |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| R Incognito | G | 59 - 100% | 3 - 12% | |
| K Miller | T | 59 - 100% | 3 - 12% | |
| J Devey | G | 59 - 100% | 3 - 12% | |
| D Carr | QB | 59 - 100% | ||
| R Hudson | C | 59 - 100% | ||
| T Willams | WR | 57 - 97% | ||
| D Waller | TE | 53 - 90% | ||
| T Brown | T | 50 - 85% | 2 - 8% | |
| J Nelson | WR | 46 - 78% | ||
| H Renfrow | WR | 33 - 56% | ||
| J Richard | RB | 29 - 49% | 9 - 36% | |
| J Jacobs | RB | 25 - 42% | ||
| F Moreau | TE | 23 - 39% | 16 - 64% | |
| D Carrier | TE | 10 - 17% | 19 - 76% | |
| B Parker | T | 10 - 17% | 3 - 12% | |
| D Washington | RB | 9 - 15% | 8 - 32% | |
| A Ingold | FB | 7 - 12% | 15 - 60% | |
| K Doss | WR | 2 - 3% | ||
| K Joseph | SS | 61 - 97% | 10 - 40% | |
| T Whitehead | LB | 59 - 94% | 6 - 24% | |
| D Worley | CB | 55 - 87% | 7 - 28% | |
| C Ferrell | DE | 52 - 83% | 6 - 24% | |
| G Conley | CB | 52 - 83% | ||
| V Burfict | LB | 51 - 81% | 5 - 20% | |
| J Hankins | DT | 47 - 75% | 6 - 24% | |
| C Riley | FS | 45 - 71% | 11 - 44% | |
| J Mauro | DE | 40 - 63% | ||
| P Hall | DT | 38 - 60% | ||
| M Hurst | DT | 33 - 52% | 6 - 24% | |
| N Morrow | LB | 32 - 51% | 11 - 44% | |
| L Joyner | FS | 23 - 37% | ||
| E Harris | SS | 19 - 30% | 22 - 88% | |
| K Wilber | LB | 19 - 30% | 22 - 88% | |
| T Mullen | CB | 18 - 29% | 7 - 28% | |
| M Crosby | DE | 16 - 25% | 11 - 44% | |
| B Mayowa | DE | 16 - 25% | ||
| A Key | DE | 11 - 17% | ||
| M Lee | LB | 5 - 8% | 1 - 4% | |
| K Nixon | CB | 22 - 88% | ||
| D Leavitt | SS | 16 - 64% | ||
| T Sieg | LS | 7 - 28% | ||
| A Cole | P | 7 - 28% | ||
| D Carlson | K | 6 - 24% | ||
| D Good | G | 3 - 12% | ||
| A James | T | 1 - 4% |
Offense
Darren Waller feasted – When you're talking about Sunday's game in Minneapolis, if you're a fan of the Silver and Black, that conversation has to start with Darren Waller. The athletic tight end was the team's best offensive weapon against the Vikings, and far and away enjoyed the best statistical day of anyone in a Raiders' uniform. All told, Waller played 53 snaps (90%), and finished his career day with 13 catches for 134 yards – both single-game highs for any tight end in the NFL this season.
J.J. Nelson finds the end zone – After not playing in the first two games of 2019 as he dealt with a nagging injury, J.J. Nelson returned in a big way for the Silver and Black Sunday at U.S. Bank Stadium. Nelson played 46 offensive snaps (78%) in his regular season debut as a Raider, catching four passes, including a 30-yard touchdown, the first of the day for the Silver and Black, and the first for Nelson as well.
Tyrell Williams scores again – The explosive wide receiver has had quite the start to his career as a Raider. After scoring in the team's first two games of 2019, Williams found the end zone once again Sunday, even if it was in the final minutes of regulation. Williams played 57 snaps (97%) in the Week 3 clash with the Vikings, finishing his afternoon with three catches for 29 yards and the aforementioned touchdown. With the score, No. 16 became the third receiver in franchise history to record at least one receiving touchdown in each of the first three weeks of the season.
Defense
Karl Joseph paces the defense – No Raider on the defensive side of the football played more against the Minnesota Vikings than Karl Joseph. The hard-hitting safety played 61 defensive snaps (97%), finishing his Week 3 outing with a team-high eight tackles.
Tahir Whitehead stands strong – The Silver and Black's linebackers got banged up Sunday afternoon in Minneapolis. Marquel Lee and Vontaze Burfict both dealt with injuries throughout the game against the Vikings, but through it all, Tahir Whitehead remained the constant presence in the middle, playing 59 defensive snaps (94%), totaling three tackles.
Jonathan Hankins holds down the middle – The big man along the interior of the defensive line was once again a constant presence on the Raiders' defensive front. Hankins played 47 snaps (75%), finishing his day with seven tackles and one quarterback hit.
