The Oakland Raiders looked just fine without Antonio Brown on Monday night with Darren Waller flashing his upside in the offense. To no one's surprise, Jon Gruden plans to continue giving the ball to Waller as long as he produces.
TE Darren Waller was #Raiders one skill position player to play 100 percent of offensive snaps last night. Gruden said role didn't necessarily grow b/c a certain receiver wasn't there.
"We're goign to get the ball to Waller. Waller's special," Gruden said.— Myles Simmons (@MylesASimmons) September 10, 2019
Against the Denver Broncos in the second Monday Night Football game, Waller became immediately involved in the offense on the first drive. Derek Carr connected with his athletic tight end on two passes that went for 36 yards on the Raiders' first possession.
The drive resulted in an eight-yard touchdown from Carr to Tyrell Williams to give Oakland an early lead. From that moment on, the Raiders were able to control the game on their way to a 24-16 victory in Jon Gruden's 100th-career win as a head coach.
As for Waller, the 6-foot-6 pass-catcher showed why there was so much hype surrounding him throughout training camp. The fifth-year tight end finished Week 1 with seven receptions for 70 yards in just his fifth career start.
Furthermore, Waller seemed to have a decent rapport with Carr with him leading the team in targets and receptions on Monday night. That likely comes from them having ample time to get acquainted with each other with the AB saga unfolding.
Waller began his career with the Baltimore Ravens as a sixth-round pick in the 2015 NFL Draft. The receiving tight end joined the Raiders in 2018 as a free agent.
Nevertheless, there is now a reason for optimism for the Raiders after their Week 1 victory over the Broncos. With Waller becoming a vital part of the offense, Gruden's squad looks like they could turn some heads in 2019.
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