As far as preseason games go, this is the most important in the Raiders’ recent history.
The Raiders will host the Cowboys for their second preseason game on Saturday at 7 p.m. at Allegiant Stadium.
This will likely be the last time the Raiders’ starters will be on the field before the season opener against the Chargers on September 8, and it’s a final chance for Aidan O’Connell and Gardner Minshew to prove themselves as starting quarterback.
Focus on the following three things:
The quarterbacks
If training camp and the first two weeks of the preseason were a school semester, Saturday would be the final exam for Minshew and O’Connell.
How much emphasis coach Antonio Pierce, general manager Tom Telesco and offensive coordinator Luke Getsy placed on Saturday’s performance is a question only they can answer. But with Pierce indicating he wants to make a final decision by next week, what happens against the Cowboys will likely play a significant role.
It is of utmost importance to avoid losing the ball, playing efficiently and throwing with the right timing and precision.
Both teams already achieved this at a high level in the season opening game against the Vikings, which is why the competition will continue on Saturday.
Minshew is expected to start and play the entire first quarter. O’Connell, who started last week against the Vikings, will play the second quarter.
Expect the Raiders’ core players to get plenty of playing time, although it remains to be seen how much, if any, star receiver Davante Adams plays after he said this week he would rather not play in the preseason.
Pierce is expected to make a final decision regarding his quarterback soon after.
Secondary level
The Raiders did not conduct any joint practices with another NFL team during their training camp, thus depriving their players of the opportunity to compete extensively against other players who operated in a different scheme.
This was evident in the inconsistent, sometimes sloppy performance of the Raiders’ young defensive backs against the Vikings.
In particular, young cornerbacks Decamerion Richardson, MJ Devonshire and others made mental errors that led to big plays.
That was understandable considering how many valuable reps they missed in practice together, but it was still noticeable for a team that may have to rely on young backups this year.
With veteran cornerback Brandon Facyson out with an unspecified injury – his second training camp setback in as many years – the Raiders’ young players have been thrust onto a bigger stage. If Facyson isn’t ready to start the season, players like Richardson and Devonshire could be playing much sooner than expected.
After their performance against the Vikings, it’s fair to question their readiness. The club will be hoping to see a big step forward against the Cowboys. If not, it may be time for the Raiders to look outside the building for help.
Run defense
Pierce has made stopping runs a priority on defense, and there were far too many breakdowns for his liking against the Vikings.
Because the linemen couldn’t break their blocks, the linebackers didn’t fill the gaps properly, and the supporting players took poor tackling angles, the Raiders left themselves vulnerable on big runs.
This could be a side effect of playing against another team for the first time.
Still, there are some areas that need to be cleaned up, starting with the defensive line winning more one-on-ones and the linebackers getting better running passes. The Raiders open the season with back-to-back games against run-oriented opponents, the Chargers and Ravens, coached by Jim and John Harbaugh, respectively.
The Raiders’ defense is considered one of the best in the NFL, but a large part of their success comes from making their opponents one-dimensional by stifling their running game and forcing them to throw. This plays right into the hands of a potentially dominant Raiders pass rush.
It starts with the run defense. And that has to get better on Saturday.
Contact Vincent Bonsignore at [email protected]. Follow @VinnyBonsignore on X.
Next
WHO: Cowboys at Raiders (preseason)
When: Saturday, 7 p.m.
Where: Allegiant Stadium
TV: Fox, NFL
Radio: KRLV-AM (920), KOMP-FM (92.3)
Line: Raiders -6½, total 39
