In autumns past, the Raiders franchise found much success in the vertical game.
While it may not exactly be a wink to a pass as much as a realization of the current talent, Oakland coach Jon Gruden wants quarterback Derek Carr to go downfield.
"The better your receivers are, the more aggressive you are," Gruden said via The Athletic. "And the better your line is, the more vertical shots you can call. We think we are better on the line. We think we are better outside. With that being said, we are going to take more shots, I hope."
If all goes to plan, Carr will be chucking it deep to new Raiders talent Antonio Brown and Tyrell Williams, among others.
While Gruden has employed a West Coast offense traditionally, he appears in favor of getting the most out of said new talent and likewise exploring new rule sets.
"When you have Antonio Brown and Tyrell Williams, you have to commit yourself to throwing them, and same with [tight end Darren] Waller," Gruden said.
And whether or not the downfield deliveries turn into receptions really doesn't matter.
"We got to throw the ball down the field and if it's incomplete or we get the catch, we can always challenge (Al) Riveron (the senior vice president of officiating) in New York and see what he thinks," Gruden said, referring to the new NFL rule on challenging pass interference calls. "It's going to be a very, very subjective call this year, but we are trying to be more aggressive."
If the Raiders do decide to chuck it, it will no doubt be a change from last season in which Carr hit career-highs for completion percentage (68.9) and yards (4,049) by favoring a shorter game. Then again, it was a much different team at the skill positions, with the top two receivers being a tight end (Jared Cook, 68 catches) and a running back (Jalen Richard, 68 catches).
Good news for the Silver and Black is that when Carr does go long, he's proven himself adept. According to Pro Football Focus, he was the most accurate deep passer (targets 20-plus yards downfield) in 2018.
So perhaps Chucky is on to something when it comes to Carr chucking it more often.
"He looks comfortable to me," Gruden said of Carr. "I think he's had a great OTA period, he's had a great camp. He's only had one (preseason) drive, but he's got great rapport, I think, with his receivers. He showed a lot of leadership and command and I think the better our defense plays, the better our offensive line and receivers are, I think the better he'll be. And I just hope I don't screw it up."
