Here are some areas the Oakland Raiders need to focus on after a 34-10 road loss at the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday:
Recap: The season continues to unravel for the Raiders. They are 3-8 and have lost four straight games. Oakland is simply not competitive . It is being blown out routinely and has allowed 169 points in the past four games. It is the third highest total in any four-game stretch in NFL history, according to ESPN Stats & Information.
Biggest area to fix: Starting fast. We can go in any number of directions here. But the Raiders aren’t going to win a game unless they don’t compete early. Cincinnati led 24-0 at the half. The Raiders are going to have to find a way to avoid these slow starts.
Biggest area to build on: Penalties. The Raiders have improved in this area this year after setting NFL records for penalties and penalty yardage last season. But they have had some setbacks this season. Sunday, Oakland was penalized just three times for 25 yards.
What to watch for: The Raiders host the Cleveland Browns (3-8) on Sunday. This is a winnable game for Oakland. And the Raiders badly need to stop the bleeding. If Oakland loses this game, things will get even more tense for the team.