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DENVER, CO – SEPTEMBER 16: Head coach Jon Gruden of the Oakland Raiders walks onto the field before a game against the Oakland Raiders at Broncos Stadium at Mile High on September 16, 2018 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images) /

. L, 20-19 @ Broncos. Previous: . Oakland Raiders. 29. team. 28

OK, so it was a short week for head coach Jon Gruden and the Oakland Raiders as they lost Week 1 on Monday Night Football to the Rams before traveling to Denver and taking on their AFC West rivals, the Denver Broncos in Week 2. And in fairness, the Raiders looked solid enough over the first half before Denver rallied to the tune of 20 points in quarters three and four.

More importantly, quarterback Derek Carr and wide receiver Amari Cooper looked much, much better than they did in Week 1.

Oakland coughing up the lead, however, tells you a lot about what’s going to be wrong with this team. Unless Gruden’s offense is firing on all cylinders — it wasn’t in Week 2 — the Raiders defense is going to be vulnerable and susceptible to giving up a lot of second-half points.

The Raiders did score a touchdown on their first possession of the second half. But that was answered by a turnover on downs, a punt and a one-play last chance at the end of regulation.

That effort failed, and Gruden’s return to Oakland is off to an ugly start.