Raiders are done with moral victories now they need actual wins

Six measly points.That is the combined margin separating the Raiders from the Chiefs and Bills in two gut-wrenching home losses over the last three weeks.Two competitive, winnable games against teams widely considered among the favorites to represent the AFC in the Super Bowl.If you were measuring the distance, it might be a yard.

A yard and a half, tops.For a franchise that has spent most of the last three decades wandering through the wilderness, that represents progress.Especially for a team pegged for six or seven wins this season, and especially coming a week after the Patriots knocked the Raiders sideways in a blowout loss.They got back up Sunday.

They answered.They pushed Buffalo to the limit before falling 33-30.So why was the prevailing sentiment inside the Raiders’ locker room that you could take all that progress talk and shove it where the sun doesn’t shine?Because they are tired of close.They are sick of almost.

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By clicking above you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.Never miss a story And because the distance between where they stand and where they want to go keeps getting filled with mistakes they know they are capable of eliminating.That was the aggravating part Sunday.

The Raiders could appreciate the caliber of the opponent without accepting that losing to it was inevitable.They could see the encouraging signs without overlooking the opportunities they squandered in dropping their third straight game to fall to 3-3.“We are not satisfied with morale victories,” is how Raiders coach Klint Kubiak put it.Or, as Raiders quarterback Kirk Cousins said: “It’s one of those games where it’s hard to sleep afterwards.

When you kind of think through the plays that you could have, should have made.”Should have, being the key phrase.But didn’t.Again.Close.Just not close enough.N...