Football Talk (Raiders Preview)
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🌟 Introduction
Silas:
Okay, welcome back to Football Talks. We're talking today about the Raiders preview, and I'm mostly excited for this game. It's an Eagles game, so they're hosting at the Link. And you've got the Raiders, who are 2-11😟, and you've got the Eagles, who are still much very in play to get the playoffs. I think it's a get-right game. I think it's one of those games that falls perfectly in the schedule, especially after a nightmare of a loss in the Chargers-Eagles loss. And I think it comes at a right time.😬
Micah:
Yeah, I'm excited for it. Some people may be saying, this is a little game that should be easy for the Eagles. Well, it should be. People are looking at it as this easy, simple game, and they're thinking, you know, this one doesn't really matter too much. But if you look at it, too, I think it's a way to get a win, but not only get a win, but also just get some practice in, actually prove yourselves and show that even though the game may be little, you can still win.
🚨 Raiders Key Players & Offensive Overview
Silas:
Okay, first we're going to be talking about the Raiders key players. I'm going to have here, I have some stats. When you look at the passing attack, it was split up. In the first two and a half quarters, you have Geno Smith passed for 13 and 21. 116 yards, touchdown, no picks, and then he left with a shoulder injury. That's some big news we need to talk about later. Kenny Pickett came in and played very nice. Had an over 110 plus rate. He had 8 of 11, 97 yards, touchdown, and an interception. Most people are saying that while they did lose 24-17, that Kenny Pickett looked really nice. It was a good surprise, a good shake-up for the Raiders.😐
Silas:
Mike, how do you think Kenny Pickett starting could affect the Eagles?
Micah:
Well, I think it's a good thing for the Raiders to some extent because I feel like it's good to get some fresh blood in there. Good to get him, just because he's looking a lot better and I think they need that going forward to this game.
Silas:
And when you look at it, I think this is also Kenny Pickett's last shot as being a starter. You look, he's had opportunities with the Steelers, he's had opportunities with the Eagles, with the Browns. You just look, he's had so many places and he's not done very well. I think, honestly, this could be a chance. Let's say he takes the next four games and just absolutely crushes it.
He does really good. Maybe they think he's a good quarterback. I'm not really sure with that. I know they're not confident in Geno Smith. He will not be there next year. But this is honestly his last shot as a starter.
When you look at the rest of it, Ashton Jeanty once again, they have a terrible O-line, so keep that in mind. Ashton Jeanty, 10 rushes, 30 yards. Receiving, their lead receiver was Jack Bech. Six catches, 50 yards. They got Brock Bowers, they're tied in with 46 yards and a score. The Raiders moved the ball better in rotations. Bowers and Bech paced the passing game. And Smith was productive before exiting. And Pickett showed efficiency with limited snaps.
🛡 Raiders Defense Analysis
Silas:
Is there any other final notes you have to say about the Raiders' defense, though?
Micah:
Well, I think it's not going to be too hard for the – not really. I think with the Raiders' defense, they're a middle-of-the-pack defense. Well, maybe even more like in the early 20s as far as that. They have a terrible offense. Defense has struggles.
Silas:
And when you look at it, they're not playing for anything, right?
Micah:
Yeah. They're trying to get a better draft overall.
Silas:
And so, next, let's talk about the – we talked about the Raiders' performances. Talked about some of their players. I think the overall expectations for the Raiders, they're trying to remember this. They're trying to get a draft, a lower draft pick or a higher draft pick, and they do that by losing. They're 2-11. They're not going to the playoffs. What do they have to play for? And that's an interesting question.
💥 Eagles Offensive & Defensive Stats
Micah:
Well, we see that Jalen Hurts made 21 out of 40 throws were complete, and then he had 240 yards, zero touchdowns, and four interceptions. It was a career-worst outing, including 2 turnovers on one play. He just wasn't doing good, and I hope to see him improve on this game. He did have four carries for eight yards, and we're just not seeing the old rushing he had. Four carries for eight yards isn't very much for him. I think we need to have him just do some more runs. Ever since we've had him do less design runs and run less, he just hasn't been as successful for the Eagles, and that's a weapon that I feel like we've lost because we haven't been using that ability he has as much as we should be. So I think we should have him do some more running plays, and we just need to see him have less interceptions.
Micah:
In receiving, we see that A.J. Brown had six catches for 100 yards. Dallas Goddard had eight catches for 78 yards. Devontae Smith had four catches for 37 yards. Saquon Barkley had 20 carries for 122 yards in one touchdown, and Tank Bigsby had one carry for four yards.
Micah:
We talk about the Eagles' defense, and one thing that also stands out is their seven sacks. They were able to do just a good rate. They were able to really stop it. Really, if you think about this, besides a really good play to their running back, Vidal, for the Chargers, Justin Herbert would of had less than 100 passing yards. He had a sub-60 rate, and then he had an interception. The Eagles have been playing at a top-five defensive level. They're playing really good right now.
🔥 Key Matchups
Silas:
When you look at key matchups, there's a bunch of interesting key matchups because you're looking at a team that's fallen, and you got a team that's always been falling, the Raiders. It's gonna be some interesting key matchups.
Micah:
On the defense, the Eagles defense, Raiders offense, what key matchup are you looking for in this game? Well, I'm looking forward to seeing the Eagles defensive line against the Raiders offensive line. Just looking at it, this past game, they were able to sack Justin Herbert seven times, and that's just crazy, and I'm excited to see how many times they can sack the Raiders quarterback just because they don't have a very good offensive line. The Raiders are on a seven-game losing streak and sit at two and 11 for the season. And the Eagles defense is a better scoring defense. They're in the league top 10 for scoring on defense. I'm just excited to see how many sacks they can get in and what they're going to be able to do this game just by using the defense.
Silas:
And for me, I think the biggest key matchup for me, well, that one's intriguing. I think what's, to me, more interesting is more of a battle it's going to be, is Kenny Pickett versus the Eagles cornerbacks. I think it's going to be interesting because it's fresh blood. So when you're looking and you're trying to game plan, the Eagles are trying to game plan for the Raiders offense, they don't have Kenny Pickett. They're not familiar with how he's been playing this year at all. So I think that's going to be interesting to me. He could make a good shakeup. He obviously had some good passing yards in that quarter that he played. That's obviously not telling much, but again, I'm interested in this matchup. I hope not, but maybe what's going to happen is he's just going to blow it up. We have no clue. That one's really interesting to me.
Silas:
When you look at the offensive matchups, my favorite one, and I'll go ahead and start, my interesting matchup is going to be obviously Jalen Hurts versus the entire Raiders defense. He had a nightmare of a game and he's got to improve upon that. There's people already saying, calling for job security, which I don't think is warranted right now. It's not justifiable. I actually have a blog post from Football Talks. You can go look at that later, but I just don't think it's justifiable right now, but I think this needs to be his get right game. If this team wants to get to the playoffs or far into the playoffs, they've got to win this game and Jalen Hurts has to improve.
Silas:
What matchup are you excited to watch?
Micah:
I'm looking forward to seeing Saquon Barkley and how much rushing yards he can get, how well he can do. We can see last game with the Chargers, he was able to get in a lot of good runs. I believe that he got in 122 yards and that's one of the best games he's had this year. The Raiders, I don't think they've been doing too well against the run offense. I'm just excited to see what he can do and maybe have a really good game.
Silas:
I think lastly, when you look at key matchups, just realize how terrible of a Raiders team is. Not only are they in a 7-game losing streak, they have the worst rushing offense of the league, but not only have all those things, but then think about this, they have the 31st worst offense and the points scored is 15 points per game. That is horrendous going against top 10 defense.
📊 Game Score Predictions
Silas:
And lastly, we have some of our fun little more section. We have game score predictions, and I'll have you go ahead and start first, Micah. What's your game score predictions, but not only that, but why do you think that?
Micah:
My prediction for the game is I think it's going to be 28 to 10. I think that the Eagles are going to do pretty good. Obviously, the Rangers aren't a good team, as we've talked about, and I think against their defense that we're going to be able to get in quite a high score game, and I think we're going to do really good. Also, against the defense against Kenny Pickett, I think we're going to get maybe a pick or two here and there, and I think we're going to be able to get some extra leverage and some points off of that. I'm guessing 27 to 13.
Silas:
That's my take. My take is 27 to 13, and my reasoning why is I think Jalen Hurts has a get-right game, and that's just going to be what I'm going to go with. I think AJ Brown does well. I think watch this. Watch Saquon Barkley. He's going to go out, I think, 70-plus rushing yards. He's going to have a better day, and obviously maybe not to peak 22-24 for him, but he's going to have maybe 70, 80, even 90 rushing yards, have a better day. I'm saying 27-13. I'm not worried about the defense. I'm not too worried about that. I could see Kenny Pickett maybe surprising them, I've heard, but I think they'll settle down. Vic Fangio is a great adjuster. I'm not worried about that, and I think it's just going to be 27-13. I think Dallas Scott is going to be involved. We’re going to get Saquon Barkley. Jalen Hurts is going to do better. That's going to be my score prediction.
💡 Bold Takes
Silas:
Lastly, I want your bold take, and I'll go first with my bold take. Here's going to be my bold take. Jalen Hurts is going to have a crazy, insane game. He may not have the insane stats that we're looking at, but he's not going to turn the ball over. He's going to play really good, and he's going to put his effort into it. That's something you really want to see a quarterback, his effort put into it. I think he, put it this way, Jalen Hurts is the master, he's the champion of handling adversity. Don't tell this man he can't handle adversity well.
He handled maybe the biggest drama in 2019 when he got benched by Alabama, by the GOAT of coaches, Nick Saban, who's benched in the championship game at halftime for Tua Tagovola. He can handle adversity well, even this year. Think about the Rams game. They were struggling. They had hardly put up any points. They were down by multiple scores. Jalen Hurts was able to come back, handled adversity like a champ, and I think that's what's going to happen this one. He's had a lot of, there's been a lot more talk, even about benching it. His job security is in question right now. I think this is when he lights it up. I think, see, he puts the downers away for a little bit, and I think he acts it out.
Micah:
Well, first of all, I think that's, that, I think I might have to disagree on your bold prediction. I think that's great, and I think Jalen Hurts is going to have this game where he does really good, and, but I don't think he's going to, I think he's going to be a little bit nervous on that passing. You know, he does deal with adversity very well, but when you have four turn, or four interceptions in one game, I think you're going to be a little bit nervous, more nervous, and have second thoughts about each throw you throw. So I think, I don't know if I totally agree with that, but I do think he's going to have a good game. I do, my bold prediction is on the defense. I believe that the Eagles defense is going to top their last game and have eight sacks. You might, might think that's a little crazy, but I, I think it's actually a pretty good bold prediction. If you think about it, they get the sacked the most out of the, out of the whole NFL league, the Raiders do, and when you got a defense going up against them that just had seven sacks against an overall pretty good team, I think when they go up against the Raiders, the most sacked team, I think they're going to have quite a few, quite a bit of sacks.
🏁 Conclusion
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Okay, well that pretty much sums up our Raiders-Eagles preview. Obviously, maybe, probably around, I'll say Monday, I'll say Monday afternoon, we're going to have a recap of it, and just some news, just to get you updated, is we'll have that Monday, hopefully later throughout the week, we're gonna have a guest post on Football Talks with Nehemiah. We've had him once before, but not for this, not what we're doing here. We're gonna have him, he's gonna talk all about the Patriots, gonna talk a little about the Chargers, or I'm sorry, the Eagles, and it'll be great. Thank you for reading.
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