The Raiders have one job this week. Win at all costs.

Last time we saw the Raiders, they fell to the Chiefs by more than 30 points. They got no sacks and couldn’t rush for over 40 yards or pass for over 100 yards. Kansas City was literally taking shots during the blowout. It was an embarrassing loss for a team that has had plenty of shame held over it the last twenty years.

Jacksonville is their own scrap heap. One week the Jaguars look like a playoff contender, the next week they get dog raced. For instance, they beat the Chiefs, 49ers and Texans early in the year. They lost to the Rams and Seahawks in their last two games.

Vegas is coming off a Bye Week and they will be at home. Brock Bowers and Jakobi Meyers are both back too. Meyers is playing to get traded. There is no reason they can’t catch the Jaguars slipping.

Trevor Lawrence leads the league in turnovers since he entered the league. The Silver and Black need to force him into mistakes with constant pressure. Jacksonville’s defense has playmakers with Brian Thomas Jr., Travis Hunter and Travis Etienne. Hunter cooked with them against the Rams. Thomas is trying to get back on his path from last season. Vegas needs to play discipline and not allow explosive plays and they need to create turnovers.

The Rams did an excellent job creating pressure versus the Jaguars with over 6 sacks. Vegas needs a similar impact. It’s got to come from someone other than Maxx Crosby. Adam Butler, Jonah Laulu, Malcolm Koonce and Tyree Wilson have all had moments. Vegas needs someone to step up and provide consistent pressure, not one off pressure.

Side bar, Devin White has had a resurgent year after the Texans and Eagles left him for dead. Jamal Adams also got a sack last week after taking over for Germain Pratt. I hate to see this Raiders defense waste their presence at linebacker with weak secondary play and average defensive line play.

Offensively, the Raiders just need to show some life. Run the offense around Ashton Jeanty, that’s why you took him high in the first round and over a quarterback. Create big plays with Tre Tucker. And where has Dont’e Thornton been? For all the offseason hype, he’s been absent from the gameplan.

I know they want to sprinkle some veteran Tyler Lockett in. They just signed him, he has rapport with Geno and Pete Carroll from Seattle. However, he’s old, off-injured and borderline washed. That’s why Tennessee cut him after only a few games.

Beyond that, Meyers and Bowers should hep the Raiders stay in front of the chains. Unfortunately, they don’t really have a competent offensive line. Since Kolton Miller went down, they don’t really have any one they can count on upfront. Jackson Powers-Johnson should be that guy but they are so committed to making him a center over a guard. Caleb Rogers and Alex Cappa haven’t done much despite being coveted offseason additions. Dylan Parham and DJ Glaze aren’t terrible but I think both could be better at different positions.

Regardless, Geno Smith needs help from his offensive line. The Jaguars defensive line has high end athletes like Travon Walker and Josh Hines-Allen on the outside. They got established vets like Arik Armstead and Emmanuel Ogbah providing versatility and experience. Davon Hamilton is stout in the middle. Vegas will have a tough challenge upfront.

If the Raiders offense can show some life off great play from their offensive line, they got a chance. If they play bad, I’m not sure what the bottom is for this team? We should have reached it versus the Colts or Chiefs but Vegas is adamant on sticking with Geno. We’ve seen them move on from coaches quick, but they respect Pete Carroll too much. At the very least, a blowout loss here means Vegas has to blow it up by benching Geno and moving every one with value. A win here means they can keep pushing towards mediocrity and a respectable .500 record.

Beat the Chiefs and Vegas Wins

Everyone says the Raiders usually give the Chiefs one tough game a year. Last year, both games came down to one score — Vegas upset the Chiefs in 2023 and nearly did in 2022. Vegas already dropped their first AFC West matchup to the Los Angeles Chargers. Nobody wants to start the division schedule 0-2.

A win here would give the Raiders a lot of momentum. It won’t be easy. The Chiefs are getting healthy. Rashee Rice is expected to play, along with Hollywood Brown and Xavier Worthy. This will be the first game of the season where the Chiefs have their full slate of receiving targets. The Raiders’ corners are already suspect. Kansas City’s speed on the outside is a nightmare matchup for Vegas. They can’t afford to give up big plays or pile on penalties.

Pat Mahomes already looks back in MVP form this season. The Chiefs are relying on him to get the ball out quick. They also have former Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce on staff. It would be nice to go home with a victory here.

I was fortunate to see their second win of the season last week in Vegas. Let’s hope that’s not the last one this year. It was great to see the Raiders keep Cam Ward contained. They dominated Tennessee so badly that the Titans fired their coach after the loss. At the end of the day, Raiders fans were just glad we’re not that bad.

Last week, the Raiders gave up a couple of sacks — one to interior lineman Jeffrey Simmons. Now they face another big test against Chris Jones. We know what he can do.

The silver and black did manage to register five sacks of their own. Maxx Crosby had two, while Devin White added a sack and an interception. Vegas needs both of those guys to dominate again. The team must execute collectively, and their stars need to make plays and force turnovers. That’s the only way you beat a Chiefs team more talented than you.

Offensively, it was encouraging to see the Raiders stick with Ashton Jeanty in the run game. It wasn’t super effective, but they stayed committed. Vegas also did a good job spreading the ball around. Tre Tucker made a couple of big plays, while Jakobi Meyers and Michael Mayer were active in the intermediate game. Brock Bowers is out again, so expect much of the same formula. The Raiders need to protect the football and get their run game going against Kansas City. Jeanty and the ground attack will help keep the Chiefs’ offense off the field, and it will make the passing game more effective if they avoid third-and-longs.

At the end of the day, the Raiders hired Pete Carroll to keep them competitive in these division games. It doesn’t take rocket science. To beat the Chiefs, the defense has to be disciplined and create turnovers. Offensively, they need to control the clock and find ways to make big plays. No one expects much from the Raiders — and that’s for good reason — but that could all change if they find a way to win today.

Quick thoughts before the Titans

Vegas got embarrassed last week in Indy. It was bad enough they did not score a touchdown, but then the Colts signed backer Germaine Pratt almost immediately after the game. Pratt was a healthy scratch versus the Colts. 

Do you know how long I wanted Pratt to be a Raiders LB? Now he goes down in history with DeAngelo Hall, Christian Wilkins,Davante Adams and the list of Raiders acquisitions that ended prematurely.

Offensively, the Raiders found some good things. Geno Smith was 25/36 on passing attempts. Minus the two interceptions off tipped passes, he was efficient. The Raiders had 7 different receivers catch a pass. Tre Tucker and Jakobi Meyers both got their touches. Ashton Jeanty had over 60 yards on the ground and averaged 4.8 carries. The problem, this game was basically out of reach in the second half so those stats are empty. The Raiders have got to find more ways to make big plays. They also need to find ways to convert in the red zone and third down. 

On defense, the Raiders got no turnovers or sacks. And they gave up 40 points.

This week, the Raiders need to establish an identity versus a Titans team that is rebuilding. I’m here in Vegas and we just want a win.. 

Raiders vs Colts Preview

The Raiders absolutely blew it last week. They should’ve beaten that Bears team at home. Instead, they gave Caleb Williams and company way too many opportunities. It all came down to a last-minute field goal. Even if it hadn’t been blocked, it was a long attempt that could’ve easily missed. I don’t want to see my offense in that situation. The Raiders should’ve put the game away long before that final snap. They looked way too comfortable settling for a kick instead of pushing for a touchdown.

That was the theme of the day. Raiders quarterback Geno Smith was shaky, throwing three interceptions and finishing with just 117 passing yards. That’s not an explosive offense.

Defensively, the Raiders did enough to win. They just needed more help from the offense to avoid costly turnovers. Tyree Wilson got a sack, the unit collected eight tackles for loss, and Maxx Crosby even came up with an interception.

Now, they’ll take on a Colts team that got robbed by the Rams last week. Indianapolis had the Rams on the ropes but couldn’t close. Daniel Jones and the Colts offense have been one of the surprises of the season.

Stopping Jonathan Taylor will be the Raiders’ top defensive priority. Taylor already has over 400 rushing yards this season. Tight end Tyler Warren and wideout Michael Pittman Jr. will attack the middle of the field, while Adonai Mitchell—who had huge plays last week—may be limited. The Raiders’ best chance is to disrupt Jones early and often.

Offensively, they’ll be without Kolton Miller and Brock Bowers, two of their better players. That means leaning heavily on Jeanty and the run game. They also need to rediscover their big-play passing attack. Tre Tucker has to stretch the field and change momentum with a deep conversion.

If the offensive line can give Geno Smith time, this is a winnable game. If not, it could be another long Sunday.

Raiders Reactions and How to Beat the Bears

The Raiders haven’t done much competing lately. First, they got smacked on Monday Night Football against the Chargers. The offense couldn’t find the end zone. They were dominated by a Chargers team that played without Khalil Mack (for the first half). The Chargers looked like a contender.

Everything got worse six days later: the Commanders (or whatever you call them) ran the Raiders out of the building. The worst part is, former Raiders backup Marcus Mariota carved up the defense. Meanwhile, ex‑Boise State running back Jeremy McNichols gashed the Raiders for a big run. Overall, the team was dominated by some “practice squad” type players.

So far, all the blame has fallen on offensive coordinator Chip Kelly (Las Vegas Raiders). People are making jokes because he hasn’t used Ashton Jeanty in the past game. Others point to the offensive line. Media keep asking about Jackson, who is playing guard. (Everybody cites that he won the “best center in college” war, but Vegas likes his bigger body at guard.) Raiders fans are making quarterback jokes about Geno Smith — but it was all good just two weeks ago.

Now the Raiders are tasked with a “get‑back” game at home versus the Bears. Chicago reworked their roster in the offseason, particularly at skill positions and along the offensive line. Caleb Williams has looked a lot better in Year Two compared to Year One. The Bears still have their low moments, though — their defense has been up and down. The Raiders should find opportunities to push the ball downfield.

Of course, the Raiders haven’t beaten the Bears since they were in Oakland (in 2019). The Bears have beaten the Raiders the past two matchups.

On defense, overall the Raiders have been decent. They haven’t put themselves in too many bad spots. There have been growing pains with a new unit, but they’ve looked more physical than past Raiders defenses. They’ve been finding ways to force turnovers and get stops. The team is swarming to the ball for the most part.

Up front, the Raiders haven’t been good enough lately. In the past two weeks they allowed too many sacks. All season, they’ve permitted too much contact on the edge. Last week, Tre Tucker blowing up people’s fantasy lineups was the lone bright spot.

As for the pass rush, it’s been reduced to what we’ve often seen: underwhelming. In the Commanders game, Maxx Crosby was the only player to record a sack. Against the Bolts, Jonah Laulu had two sacks. The Raiders must find ways to generate pressure from multiple players. You can’t rely on just one guy — Crosby is great at improvising, but you need more.

They recovered a fumble in each of the last two games; however, they haven’t produced any interceptions. The talk of training camp was about the Raiders’ defense. We all expect more. The secondary will be tested with DJ Moore and Rome Odunze at receiver for Chicago.

Offensively, expect more of the same. Jeanty, Meyers, and Bowers will set the tone, with sprinkles of Tucker. Can we also get some Déonté Thornton?

At the end of the day, the Raiders just need to win. Protect the home field and get back to .500.

Chatgpt edited this voice transcription.

Considering what the Patriots did to Miami yesterday, the Raiders should feel good about last week’s win over a revamped New England coach with Mike Vrabel at the helm. The highlight was Ashton Jeanty’s run. I’m sure you heard the stat of him having 44 YAC with only 38 yards from the day. Brock Bowers balled out with 100 yards on five receptions. Vegas held rookie phenom TreVeyon Henderson to only 27 yards on 5 carries. 

Otherwise, the Raiders offense showed an explosiveness not seen in years. Dont’e Thornton caught a couple of big passes. Tre Tucker caught a touchdown and another big pass. Jakobi Meyers and Michael Mayer were effective. Jack Bech also moved the sticks. Overall, the

On defense, the Raiders got a pick from Isaiah Pola-Mao. The pass rush came up big with sacks from Tyree Wilson, Malcolm Koonce, Jonah Laulu and Maxx Crosby all walked away with sacks. The defense was as advertised. 

Now, the Raiders will take on their AFC West rivals the Los Angeles Chargers. Los Angeles looked great popping the Chiefs on Friday in Brazil. Justin Herbert carved up Kansas City for three touchdowns and over three hundred yards. Quentin Johnston caught two of the passes. Omarion Hampton showed some sparks. This passing offense seems to have taken an another step in Year Two of Herbert. 

You can expect a Jim Harbaugh team to run the ball and play physical defense. Harbaugh and Carroll know each other well. They played against each other in the Pac-12 and NFC West. Carroll has won five of the last six. Harbaugh popped USC. Both guys want to compete as well as play smart and physical football. 

Let’s bring Pete Carroll a win for his 74th Birthday!  The Raiders need to establish Ashton Jeanty and the offensive line. They also need to prove their offensive line can maintain that offensive explosiveness in every game. It’s great to see Geno Smith spread the ball around. The tight ends must continue to be factors every week. 

Defensively, the Raiders need to find ways to create turnovers. The goal is to make Sam Darnold uncomfortable and force him into bad throws. If the defensive line can play as well as they did last week, they have a good chance. Overall, you want to see the Raiders establish their home field advantage in the first year. 

A Lot to be Excited about this Week One

Raiders fans have a lot to be excited about with Football back. First, we got a competent linebacker corps. I always have wanted to see Devin White and Germaine Pratt in Silver and Black. Jamal Adams was signed and moved to backer to be a wild card. Vegas finally has guys that are tough, experienced and athletic in the middle of their defense.

Second, Pete Carroll has long been one of my favorite coaches. Maybe, it’s because we share initials. Maybe, it’s because I live just a few miles from where Pete made a name for himself in Los Angeles.

We all wanted to believe the Antonio Pierce hype. However, the Raiders have captured that energy without compromising the discipline it takes to build a championship culture.

All reviews have indicated Pete has this group energized and playing their best ball. Either way, the Raiders finally have a proven leader at the helm.

Sure, we all wanted the Amari Cooper comeback to last longer than a week. Regardless, it’s better Cooper left if he did not fully by into the program. The Raiders actually have some young players ready for ascension. Jack Bech was a guy who rose up draft boards after the Senior Bowl and Dont’e Thornton killed the NFL Combine. Thornton has been picking up lots of hype in fantasy and bettingg circles.

Tre Tucker should benefit from another year under his belt. Brock Bowers took off last year and he should be even better with more weapons around him. Jakobi Meyers captured late season headlines by asking for a new deal or a trade. That seems to have calmed down a bit but it is worth monitoring depending how the season goes. Maybe Cooper saw what was in Vegas and determined there was not a role for him. Geno Smith already has a lot around him.

There’s some questions at offensive line. After a heated camp battle, Jackson Powers-Johnson ends up at right guard and Jordan Meredith ends up at Center. Alex Cappa will come off the bench despite signing a big free agency contract. DJ Glaze beat out Thayer Munford for the right tackle position again. Dylan Parham remains at left guard, although rookie Caleb Rogers could surpass him by the end of the season. This revamped offensive line isn’t the biggest in the league. However, they are physical and quick. Look for the Raiders to really try to spread teams out and gash them with Ashton Jeanty.

Of course, Jeanty is already one of my favorite players thanks to his ties to Boise State. That’s the school where my cousin played and coached at. I’ve enjoyed watching Jeanty on Saturdays and I can’t wait to see him ball out on Sundays. He is a versatile and physical back who should keep us ahead of the chains. The biggest question will be how does his speed translate versus NFL defenses.

In all, the Raiders season really comes down to defending the pass. Most people have been critical of the Raiders’ secondary. They added safeties Jeremy Chinn and Lonnie Johnson. Johnson is hurt but Chinn has a major piece in Washington’s playoff run last year. Vegas also signed Eric Stokes and drafted Darien Porter. Training camp reports loved Chris Smith at safety and Decamaerion Richardson at corner. Vegas felt good enough about the group to trade Bennett. This group won’t scary any one on paper but Carroll knows his DBs.

Upfront, the Raiders let defensive coordinator Patrick Graham bring back his guys. Christian Wilkins is gone after only playing a few games in Silver and Black. We all wanted that to work but the foot just did not get better. It doesn’t help that Wilkins was apparently doing wild things to teammates.

Nonetheless, the Raiders brought back Malcolm Koonce after he missed last season with injury. They also brought back Adam Butler for his second year as a full-time starter. We are all still waiting to see if Tyree Wilson can meet his potential. And they traded Jakorian Bennett for defensive tackle Thomas Booker IV. They still have Max Crosby but the defensive line is really going to determine how well the Raiders finish.

In Week One, Vegas will take on a Patriots team a lot of folks love. People love the Pats’ new head coach Nick Vrabel. He is a defensive guru that brought in former Raiders Robert Spillane and K’Lavon Chaisson.

They re-did their receiver room by signing Mack Hollins and Stefon Diggs as well as signing Kyle Williams. They drafted Will Campbell and Jared Wilson to give Drake Maye some added insurance. Running back TreVeyon Henderson has also got hype as a rookie runner. They also added Harold Landry and Carlton Davis to a revamped defense. This is a legit opening week test for the Raiders.

Vegas must stay ahead of the chains against this physical defense. They must make the young offense uncomfortable with varying pass rush looks. If Vegas can create pressure and force some turnovers, they should leave New England with a decisive win. If they let this team get in rhythm, it could be a long day for the Silver and Black.

Whatever happens, the Raiders still got a lot to look forward to this season!

2025 NFL Draft: Why Vegas’ House is Finally Set to Win

Let’s start by saying the Raiders killed free agency. I’m not saying that because they actually signed guys that I wanted, the one year I don’t publish your agency preview. I love the Geno Smith acquisition as the veteran quarterback gives this team a much higher floor. Signing linebacker Devin White was a high upside move. They also added Elandon Roberts who is a decent starting backer. Safety Jeremy Chinn adds athleticism and playoff experience to the backend. Running back Raheem Mostert brings some veteran experience to an uncertain backfield.

I even understand letting Robert Spillane, Trevon Moehrig, Jack Jones and Nate Hobbs walk for more money. Keeping Adam Butler and Malcolm Koonce gives the defense continuity. Exploring trades for Michael Mayer, Kolton Miller and Tyree Wilson proves this group is ready to field the best team possible, no matter the costs.

Under new head coach Pete Carroll, the Raiders roster is entering the draft with a higher level of competition throughout the roster. There are still some glaring team needs that must get fulfilled in this NFL draft. Mainly, this team needs high impact playmaker with athletic traits to stay on the field in the modern NFL

This is exactly why I feel like the Raiders will trade in the draft. Whether they trade up or down, Seattle was always a wildcard in the draft under Carroll. This should be the case for the Silver and Black.

Moreover, it is a good thing that there is no consensus on what the Raiders will do. Some say they will trade up, others say down. Regardless, that speaks to how much stronger this organization is. Nothing but noise is getting out.

As much as you could argue this team still needs a quarterback for the future, I never saw them taking one in the top-10. Carroll never did that in Seattle and our new GM John Spytek comes from an organization that rarely drafted a QB with the Buccaneers.

The rumor mill and Raiders Twitter are obsessed with Michigan DT Mason Graham and BSU RB Ashton Jeanty rumors. You could argue that number six is too high to take a defensive tackle or running back. However, those are both key positions with how this group likes to build their roster. You could also add that both are the rare prospects that offer production and athletic upside.

Defensive back also comes into play if the team loves Michigan corner Will Johnson or somehow Travis Hunter slides down. Yet, Carroll has proven he can develop defensive backs from anywhere in the draft. Johnson is expected to slide to the later rounds despite Charles Woodson hyping him up.

Factor in the trade rumors about the Raiders trading for Jalen Ramsey or Tyreek Hill, and anything is on the board. Vegas could take Tetairoa McMillan or trade back and try to catch him or another receiver.

They could also need a tackle or defensive end if they move Miller or Wilson. Missouri tackle Armand Membou is one guy the Raiders reportedly love for his athleticism. LSU tackle Will Campbell is seen as a can’t miss prospect. Campbell may be gone and Raiders fans have too much PTSD from the team selecting tackles that bust. The same goes for defensive end, although Penn State Edge Abdul Carter is probably too good to pass up.

Either way, this draft is really hard to predict. Some players are going anywhere from top five to top 40 in Mock Drafts. After the top four, this draft is really deep. However, teams are really splitting hairs based off preferences.

Overall, the running back and defensive tack class seems very strong collectively. It seems like you could get a starter in the middle rounds at either of those positions. That’s why the Raiders may take Graham or Jeanty because they are at the top. Or they may just wait for more value later.

All in all, the Raiders could draft every position at some point. They could use a developmental QB even if it comes after the first few rounds. Running back needs to be addresses in the top three rounds and some great talent should slide out the first.

Vegas needs depth along both sides of the trenches and there is a lot of athleticism to develop from this class. Defensive back and corner could use a spark of talent up and down the depth chart. Linebacker seems solid but that could change quick with one injury. And we know the Raiders love TEs. Don’t be surprised if they take one from this loaded class.

Still, Raiders fans should feel better about this draft then any in the past decade. Their leadership has shown the brass and willingness to upgrade the roster via trade, free agency and developing internally.

The Draft will be no different. Vegas has assets they can leverage in trades. Teams are taking them seriously as they have the flexibility to really define how this draft goes.

Fans should walk away happy as long as the Raiders acquire a QB, RB and WR in the top half of the draft as well as some depth across the roster. What’s on your NFL Draft Wish List?

A quick note on winning

A lot of fans are mad at the Raiders for winning last week. I said it before and I’ll say it again, losing does not breed winning.

Getting a high draft pick does not guarantee success. This team has messed up so many draft picks, it is hard to have blind faith. So yes, I’m happy they won last week and I want them to win again this week.

This New Orleans Saints team is down the top receiver running back and they are on their third quarterback. Anything can happen when the Raiders travel across the country.

K’Lavon Chaisson came up with a sack last week. Raiders need that pressure again. They also need Tyree Wilson to flash his first round talent.

Otherwise, the Raiders will try to control this game with their running back and intermediate passes to Jakobi Meyers and Brock Bowers. If they execute, there is no reason they can’t win. Yes, they should win.

A quick note on beating the Jags

The Raiders got a chance this week. They’re playing the 3-10 Jaguars who are starting a backup QB.

They can’t go to sleep on wide receiver Brian Thomas or tight end Brent Strange. The Raiders will also be without running back Sincere McCormick.

Quarterback Aidan O’Connell is expected be back. He should help the Raiders push the ball down the field. Expect them to force the ball to Jakobi Meyers and Brock Bowers. Michael Meyer has also been poaching fantasy points.

Ultimately, the Raiders gotta stop the run. Travis Etiene is explosive. Tank Bigsby can be hard to tackle.

Vegas also needs to pressure Mac Jones and force him into mistakes. Alexander Mattison needs to keep them in front of the chains.

The Raiders don’t need to do anything crazy. They just need to stick to the script and will their way to a win at home.