“I took it personal.”
Las Vegas Raiders DE Maxx Crosby said to Arnie Bazemore of Vegas Sports Today in response to critics following a big 26-23 win over the Baltimore Ravens.
The Silver and Black made a statement after a disappointing Week 1 22-10 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers. The trio of Gardner Minshew, Davante Adams and rookie sensation Brock Bowers paved the way on offense, while Crosby wreaked havoc on Lamar Jackson and Co.
The Raiders sit at 1-1 and will face a struggling 0-2 Carolina Panthers in their home opener. However, should fans be ecstatic or anxious moving forward?
Raiders’ 2 Ups, 2 Downs
Up: Momentum
Going into Week 2, the Silver and Black nearly had a 50-game losing streak when trailing by 10+ points in the 4th quarter.
On Sunday, they snapped it. That says a lot about character, the locker room and leadership under Pierce.
It is no easy task to win in Baltimore in front of a loyal and arguably one of the most energetic fanbases in sports. The Raiders face the Panthers, Cleveland Browns and Denver Broncos within the next month, so this sets them up for the best opportunity to start 4-1 at best. If you’re the Ravens, that’s another story (literally).
Down: Run Game
Coming from a 13=point deficit is always something positive to look forward to. However, there are concerns with this Raiders’ team and the run game is simply abysmal.
According to Yahoo Sports, the Raiders are 7th in passing yards per game at 229, but are dead last in rushing yards (49).
The trio of Zamir White, Alexander Mattison and Ameer Abdullah have rushed for 98 total yards combined on 39 total carries (2.5 YPC) in two games. The silver lining is that the Panthers rush defense is 31st in the league ahead of the Indianapolis Colts, giving up just under 200 yards per game.
Up: Defense
Crosby alone is a headache for opposing o-lines and shutting down a two-time MVP in the fourth quarter seems impossible on paper.
The captain played 100 percent of defensive snaps for the second week in a row and according to Pro Football Focus, he earned an 81.7 grade against the rush.
In Week 1, the Raiders allowed only three first downs on seven drives in the first half. The Ravens may have reached the end zone twice in the second half, but they were otherwise scoreless.
Robert Spillane made history as the third player in Raiders history to record at least 10 tackles in Weeks 1 and 2 during a season (Kirk Morrison and Denzel Perryman were the others)
The secondary is also showing promise, especially from Jakorian Bennett below.
With veteran QB Andy Dalton starting over Bryce Young, expect the defense to pick up the pressure and heat.
Down: Andy Dalton
This is more a pro for the Panthers rather than a kryptonite for the Raiders but it is worth noting that Dalton is 4-0 (3-0 as a starter) against the Silver and Black in his career with a 114.2 passer rating.
By benching Young, Carolina will certainly be more aggressive in the air due to Dalton’s experience and love for launching it in the air, especially with Adam Thielen and Diontae Johnson as his targets (fantasy football tip).
Could this be an infamous trap game for the Raiders where they beat a Top 5 team, then follow with a loss against a bottom 5 squad? Circumstances have changed since Dalton’s last start against the Raiders (24-0 win with the New Orleans Saints), but it is reasonable to feel cautious if you’re a Raiders fan and/or a bettor.
Key To Success
Simple: defense, lock down Dalton, keep feeding Adams and Bowers and try to run the ball (no jet sweeps). The Raiders have ways to go regardless of what happens in their Week 3 home opener, but by adding just a small component of rushing, the Silver and Black can be more exciting to watch and bet on this season.