How Reeling Raiders Will Make the Most Out Current Situation

The Las Vegas Raiders' season has been marked by numerous injuries, which have led to several of their rookies and young players receiving more playing time than others. The Raiders entered the season determined to prove they were just starting out but on the right track.

Raiders' Growth

Their 2-13 record makes it hard to believe any progress has been made. That would be a fair assessment on paper. However, a deeper and more intricate look at how things have gone this season for the Raiders would show that, Las Vegas has a few positives.

Las Vegas entered the regular season with one of the better draft classes in the National Football League, only for most of their rookies to have little impact on the season's result. Until a few weeks ago, the Raders had barely played those rookies. Now, they are playing and earning more time.

At this point in the season, there is nothing for the Raiders to lose by getting their young players additional playing time down the stretch.

On Monday, Raiders Head Coach Pete Carroll noted what rookie cornerback Darien Porter brings to the table. Porter has continued to earn additional playing time with strong practices. The injury to cornerback Kyu Blu Kelly also meant more playing time for Porter.

"Yeah, he's doing a lot of things well, and I mean, to take it to the other end of the spectrum, on the short yardage play that he has a chance on and the toss, they go his way, he played it beautifully and set the edge physically," Carroll said.

"[Porter] started the opportunity for the guys to hit that thing and knock a third-andone to a loss of two, couple, two, three yards. It was a huge play in the game for us, and he was right there on point, and he had a big tackle on special teams as well, a really nice tackle, again."

Carroll believes Porter is beginning to figure this out slowly but surely. Time will tell whether he does this season. Sunday's performance against the Houston Texans was encouraging.

“So, his game is rounding. It's rounding into shape. I don't know, because we haven't talked about what he felt like at the end of the game on those couple plays that he had chances to make. When he's all over it and he's right there, I don't know how comfortable he was in those moments, but what we're working towards is, 'I've been there before. I know what this feels like. This is how I make my play.' And that's still yet to come, where he can become a very, very effective football player, and I think he has no reason not to get there," Carroll said.

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