Indiana, IndianapolisThe Las Vegas Raiders (7-9) witnessed their prospects of making the 2023 NFL Playoffs evaporate today when they were defeated 23-20 by the Indianapolis Colts (9-7).
We provide you with a thorough game recap and the most recent details on the coaching watch in this edition of the Las Vegas Raiders Insider Podcast.
The statements made by quarterback Aidan O’Connell and wide receiver Davante Adams following today’s game are transcripted here.
DAVANTE ADAMS, WIDE RECEIVER FOR RAIDERS
Situationally, it seems like there were some mistakes made in short-yardage scenarios and several penalties today. How annoying is it that some of the injuries were self-inflicted during such a close game?
That, in fact, has been our year’s narrative. It’s been more about us defeating ourselves and failing to score when we should have or committing those penalties, which obviously makes it much more difficult to win the game. Thus, it is undoubtedly annoying.
It felt like you guys were learning your lesson, and then today it kind of just reared its ugly head in a game that you had to win. I know you’ve talked about it and I want this group to know about it. Does the fact that you had been performing well in such circumstances make it even more frustrating?
Indeed. We didn’t really demonstrate discipline and consistency today, which is important. Without a doubt, we had performed better. As the club with the fewest penalties, we didn’t do that in this particular case.
Is this a season of squandered opportunities now that the club has been declared out of the playoffs and you’ve looked back at some of these games that you guys should have won?
“Every season you miss out on the playoffs is a wasted chance.” The way you play matters more than any squad in this league; all of them are good teams. We simply weren’t skilled enough to accomplish that. Not just us, but all the other teams that are out at this point must be frustrated. Based only on our current situation and the potential of this club, we are unquestionably a little bit above average.
What aspects of Aidan O’Connell’s play at quarterback that you thought improved in the second half?
“I believe he was just placed in advantageous positions and carried out his duties.” He seemed to get slightly more at ease, as you could tell. We just didn’t really have a flow in the first part. The inability to vary calls and force some disputed drives makes it difficult for the offence to establish a rhythm. Receivers need to improve their ability to make contested catches whenever they are available, and coaches need to position us to be as successful as possible.
