The Raiders got smoked last week and gave up their first lost to the Broncos since moving to Las Vegas. Denver pretty much controled the game the entire time. Now, they jump ahead of .500 and hold a valuable lead over the Raiders in the AFC West.
Gardner Minshew threw two interceptions. He got yanked for Aidan O’Connell. The Broncos defense looked elite with Riley Moss and Patrick Surtain both getting picks.
Brock Bowers was the most reliable target and caught a touchdown. Jakobi Meyers was by far the best receiver on the outside with Davante Adams out.
Reports indicate Adams could play for Vegas again as soon as his hamstring gets right. Either way, a trade probably still makes sense for both sides.
Otherwise, the Raiders did do so much on the ground. Ameer Abdullah popped off for some bursts but Alexander Mattison was largely ineffective as the starting runner.
Maxx Crosby ended up playing and registered two sacks. Christian Wilkins also got his first solo sack of the year. Unfortunately, Wilkins is now hurt and slated to miss the year. That’s a huge loss given all the money they spent on him in the offseason. He really helped the whole defense. Now, John Jenkins and Adam Butler need to step up again. Vegas needs Tyree Wilson to develop ASAP as well.
Regardless, Bo Nix still played one of his best games as a pro. Nix threw two TDs, over 200 yards and only had 8 incompletions. The Raiders needed to capitalize on a Nix mistake but it never came. Denver also got over 100 scrimmage yards from Javonte Williams. He averaged nearly 5 yards-per-carry on the ground too.
Now, they play a tough Pittsburgh team off two tight losses. The Steelers narrowly lost to the Dallas Cowboys last week. Rico Dowdle popped off for 87 rushing yards while Dak Prescott threw for over 300 passing yards. It really could have gotten uglier if the Steelers did not get two interceptions and a couple of sacks.
Offensively, Justin Fields was again the team’s biggest playmaker. Najee Harris barely averaged three yards-per-carry. Fields rushed for 27 yards and threw two touchdowns, despite only throwing for 131 yards. Look for him to try and find George Pickens early and often. Pickens was held to just three catches last week.
The previous week, Pickens caught 7 balls for 113 yards. Fields put up over 50 rushing yards and 300 passing yards. He added three total touchdowns in that one-score loss too. That is still the kind of performance they want from them versus the Raider.
Otherwise, the Raiders have been a mixed bag at home. One week they looked great versus the Browns and the other week they got smacked by the Panthers. It is still unclear who this team is given how much drama and injuries have impacted the team.
A win over an old-school rival could help the Raiders steady the ship at 3-3. A loss here could also bury either team’s Wild Card hopes in a loaded AFC. Remember, Vegas lost in Pittsburgh last year. That ended up making a huge difference at the end of the year. Jimmy G, never recovered and the coaching staff never recovered from some bad calls.
Ultimately, the Raiders are tasked with both applying pressure to Fields and keeping contain. That will be harder without Wilkins pushing the pocket.
Pickens and Calvin Austin will challenge the Raiders’ speed outside. Both teams struggle to make big plays. The Raiders defense must play discipline and not give up anything easy. A turnover from either team could also be the difference.
The Raiders defense get s back Divine Deablo this week. He should help them defend the backfield against Harris. Harris might not be elite but he is big and strong. The Bay Area native loves going after a team he watched growing up.
These games are also always really close. Expect both teams to try and establish the run. Whatever unit can control the clock, will control the game. A big running play always means momentum in a physical game like this. An effective running game could keep the Raiders out of unmanageable third downs. That is a big key considering the struggles the team has at QB.
Again, if the Raiders can run the ball and play stout defense they have a shot. Big plays and/or turnovers will be the difference maker for both teams. The Raiders have a shot if they can establish their identity and fhe running game. Otherwise, they’re looking at falling to 2-4 with no QB and franchise receiver that wants out.
In some ways, this game could be our Super Bowl. Just Win Baby!
