Skip to main content

Week 4 Preview: Pressure On Raiders Defense

It's all about the defense this Sunday. The performance of the defense will either cement the Raiders as one of the elite teams in the NFL or it will push the Raiders back into mediocrity.

 

Richard Seymour vs Patriots Offensive line

If the success of the defense relays on the play of the defensive line, then everything starts with Richard Seymour. Seymour has been one the most dominant defensive linemen in football for the past decade and is the defensive captain. If Seymour gets penetration early, look for the doors to open up for other linemen. The Patriots offensive line features all-pro Matt Light and Logan Mankins but will be without starting right tackle Sebastian Vollmer. Containing the Patriots passing game starts with Seymour up the middle.

 

Chuck Bresnahan vs Tom Brady

Every defensive scheme has a weakness and Tom Brady will find it if given enough time. The question is can Bresnahan keep Brady guessing? The Raiders must mix up and disguise their coverage well. Bresnahan needs to call blitzes at the right times and find a way to get consistent pressure on Brady. If not, Brady will turn the Raiders injured and inexperienced secondary into Swiss cheese.

 

Raiders Secondary vs Wes Welker

Being Brady’s favorite target, Welker is on path to put up Madden-like numbers. Last week he had 16 catches, 217 yards and had two touchdowns. That is more catches, more yards and more touchdowns than any Raider receiver has so far this season. Welker is the best slot receivers in football. In a perfect world Stanford Routt would stick with Welker, but this is highly unlikely. Welker will move all around the field and will test the entire secondary. The Raiders secondary needs to do a lot of things right to win this match up. The Raiders defensive backs will have their hands full this Sunday.

 

Rob Gronkowski vs Mike Mitchell

Mitchell often has been assigned to receiving tight ends. Even though the Raiders will change-up their coverages, look for Mitchell to be around Gronkowski a lot. With the secondary pummeled with injuries, Mitchell will be relied upon heavily in his return to the playing field. Gronkowski, who is Brady’s second favorite target this season, leads all tight ends in catches, reception and touchdowns. Mitchell will be tested early and often.

 

Rolondo McClain/Quentin Groves vs Danny Woodhead/ BenJarvus Green-Ellis

Woodhead’s versatility could pose problems for the Raiders linebackers. BenJarvus Green-Ellis is an 1,000 yard rusher and often overlooked in the Patriots pass happy offense. Even though McClain and Groves both have made progress this year and have made some plays, both are still inconsistent. This is a match up the Raiders have to win.

 

Jason Campbell vs Patriots secondary

With Darren McFadden running all over the Jets last weekend, the Patriots will try to stuff the box to test Campbell’s consistency. Campbell needs to make the Patriots pay for loading the box and over playing the run. So far this year Campbell has been very dependable. Expect Campbell to spread the ball around and to take advantage of the league’s worst pass defense. To win this game, Campbell needs to be clutch.

 

Darren McFadden vs Patriots front seven

New England ranks last in total defense but have a respectable rush defense. Most teams pass on them, but those teams don’t have Darren McFadden. The Raiders will need McFadden to pound the football, pick up first downs and control the clock. The Raiders need to win the time of possession battle and that rests mostly with the success of Darren McFadden/

 

Hue Jackson vs, Bill Belichick

For the Raiders to win Hue Jackson must outwit Belichick. These two playcallers will match wits when the Raiders have the ball. Belichick's defense has been atrocious, Jackson's offense has been great. Belichick will likely have to load up the box to stop Oakland's running game. For the Raiders to win, Hue needs to call the right plays to maintain long drives and make Belichick pay for sneaking up a safety.

Don't forget to check out Bram Makonda's Raiders Fantasy Outlook.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Oakland Raiders Swing for the Fences in 2016 NFL Draft

[embed align="center"]http://gty.im/153039819[/embed] These aren't your daddy's Oakland Raiders or even your younger self's Raiders. If anything, these are your newborn's Raiders or your puppy's Raiders. These are the Raiders we've never seen before. Indicative of the freshness of the franchise was their 2016 NFL Draft. No longer slave to a high draft pick and desperate needs, the theme of the draft for the Raiders was upside. It's as if general manager Reggie McKenzie got so used to hitting his draft picks out of the park that he started swinging for the fences. We'll have to wait a couple of years before we know if he struck out or if he'll continue his Ruthian ways. First, McKenzie boldly went with a safety at No. 14 overall. Kyle Joseph is coming off a torn ACL and fills a major need, but safety isn't a premium position. Only a handful of safeties have been drafted in the first 14 picks in the last 15 years and include names like Ea...

The Raiders aren't who we thought they were....they're better

The Oakland Raiders are tired of being the team that will be good in a year or two. The team expects to win now and it is winning now. We thought the Raiders needed more talent. We thought that being in the playoff hunt was a year away for this team, but we were wrong. This isn't the team we thought they were, they're better. On Sunday, they moved to 3-3 on Sunday with a 37-29 win over the San Diego Chargers that wasn't close until the final minute. It was also the Raiders second road win of the season. The last time the Raiders had two road wins by their sixth game was 2011. Before that, a five-year streak from 1998-2002. The Raiders went 8-8 in 1998, 1999 and 2011 and narrowly missed the playoffs each year.  They made the playoffs in 2000, 2001 and 2002. They didn't have a losing record in any of those seasons because teams that can win on the road are usually pretty good. As the season matures, there is more and more evidence that some of the "best-case scenario...

Oakland Raiders' Studs and Duds From Preseason Week 1

[embed]http://gty.im/484069738[/embed] The Oakland Raiders finally look like a competitive football team again. That should be the biggest takeaway from their preseason rout of the St. Louis Rams. Quarterback Derek Carr and the offense looked significantly improved from a year ago, thanks in large part to some of the studs listed below. The starting defense was still a little shaky, but there were still a few bright spots. Overall, the Raiders can feel good about their first live action of the year, especially since there appeared to be no significant injuries to come out of it. Studs Rodney Hudson Of all general manager Reggie McKenzie's offseason acquisitions, he committed the most money to center Rodney Hudson. Offensive linemen rarely get the praise they deserve, but a great offensive line as anchored in the middle can be huge for an offense. Hudson was very solid in his debut against a very good defensive front. If Hudson and the offensive line can consistently protect Carr an...