Raiders preseason: 5 things to watch against Minnesota Vikings

The Las Vegas Raiders open their preseason game against the Minnesota Vikings on Saturday. Kickoff is at 1:00 p.m. PT.

Here are five things to look out for in the game:

The quarterbacks:

That’s been the story of the offseason and training camp, so it’s natural that the battle between incumbent Aidan O’Connell and the free agent addition will be the biggest story of this game (and every preseason game). O’Connell and Minshew should get playing time with the front guys. The team wants one of the two to lead the way, and a strong performance from either of these contenders could change the battle.

The rookies:

The preseason is all about the young players and it will be exciting to see the Raiders’ draft picks and undrafted players play. First-round pick, tight end Brock Bowers, may not play much, but there will be several rookies that will get their work cut out, including running back Dylan Laube, linebacker Tommy Eichenberg, cornerbacks Decamerion Richardson and MJ Devonshire, and safety Trey Taylor. Let’s see what they can do.

Defense:

Patrick Graham’s unit finished strong last season and dominated much of training camp. It will be interesting to see how it fares against another team. But remember, we won’t learn much in these games. The Raiders’ starters will play a few times, but the opponent’s backups might face them. Plus, Graham will likely keep the scheme pretty boring. Still, we’ll expect effort, speed, and physicality from the Raiders’ entire defensive unit in this game.

Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images

Coaching vibes:

There is great chemistry between Antonio Pierce, his team and his players. Everyone feels great. It will be interesting to see how that translates against an opponent. The Raiders have been very disciplined in nine games as interim coach under Pierce. Let’s see if they can keep the penalties and turnovers to a minimum like they often did last season under Pierce.

Health:

Just because this item is listed last doesn’t mean it isn’t one of the most important goals of the game. Getting through the preseason as healthy as possible is always a major goal for any team. This is especially important with Pierce players so the core players can get a few games in during the preseason. Keeping everyone upright and ready for the regular season is crucial.