Raiders vs. Chargers Predictions

This week should be pretty cut and dry with the outcome of the game.  Terrelle Pryor will start with a limited playbook and because he has bad footwork and mechanics, he'll throw some interceptions and make some decent runs on scrambles.  Darren McFadden will have trouble finding holes to run through and  Goodson will spell him and get large chunks of yardage.  DHB will disappear and Denarius Moore will drop some passes that would have been first downs.  The defense will keep the Chargers mostly at bay but will have costly penalties that will keep drives alive and allow them to score several TDs.  The Raiders will again fail to score a TD for the third straight game but Dennis Allen and Reggie McKenzie will both keep their jobs because they were given a lack of talent and payroll to work with.  Richard Seymour will have played his last game as a Raider 7 games ago as he will be a free agent.

Prediction:  Chargers 24, Raiders 9

Record to Date: 10-5

Raiders vs. Panthers Predictions

The Raiders, coming off their best defensive performance in over 30 years, will head to Carolina to face the 5-9 Panthers.  The Raiders will look to build on their win last week against Kansas City and build momentum for next year.  The Panthers are also mired in a disappointing season after many felt this was a team on the rise.  We'll see which team still has fight in them and which one has mailed it in for the season.  Let's take a look at the matchups and predict a winner.

Raiders Offense vs. Panthers Defense

The Raiders last week were unable to get into the end zone, settling for 5 Janikowski field goals.  The emphasis this week will surely be on focusing more in the red zone.  The difference between the great teams and the mediocre teams is turning drives into touchdowns instead of field goals.  The Raiders this week will face another great pass-rushing duo in Johnson and Hardy.  They account for 21.5 of the team's 35 sacks.  Another player to watch out for is rookie LB Luke Kuechly.  Many believe he has a chance at defensive ROY, with good reason, as he is second in the NFL in tackles.  The Raiders feel like they are a complete team with a healthy McFadden and that's what they'll have again this week.  They are 10-2 when McFadden rushes for 100+ yards in a game.  They found the recipe they like for success last week against the Chiefs as they used the run to set up the pass and held the ball for 40+ minutes, keeping their defense fresh and off the field.

Advantage: Raiders

Raiders Defense vs. Panthers  Offense

The Raiders defense last week held the Chiefs to 119 yards of offense.  This will not be the case this week.  The Panthers offense goes through Cam Newton, as he is the leading rusher at QB.  If you can make him make mistakes or limit his big play ability, you have a chance of containing their offense.  Steve Smith will be a tough assignment as he is small, quick and elusive.  If he gets behind the defense, chances are you won't be able to run him down from behind.  It may serve them well to jam him at the line with a more physical corner like Michael Huff.  The defense's number one concern will be keeping a man on Newton at all times and don't let him scramble for first downs.

Advantage: Panthers

Special Teams

The Raiders are still looking for someone to fulfill Jacoby Ford's role as kickoff and punt returner.  They have yet to find a suitable replacement.  The Panthers have an average return game and average kickers

Advantage: Raiders


Prediction:  Panthers 28, Raiders 24

Record to date: 9-5

Raiders vs. Chiefs Predictions

This week's meeting between the Chiefs and Raiders finds both teams mired in a lost season.  The Raiders are still trying to rebuild after salary cap issues and weeding out players who weren't playing up to their salaries.  The Chiefs find themselves without a long-term answer at QB, which has been put squarely on the shoulders of GM Scott Pioli.  Both teams will be looking at the future and will try to see what they have in their young players the last three weeks of the season.  The Chiefs have probably seen the last of Dwayne Bowe as he was put on the IR late last week, ending his season and going into next year as a free agent.  The Raiders have expressed a desire to get a look at Terrelle Pryor and have some plays drawn up for him if they choose.  It's probably in both team's best interest for draft position to lose this game, but we know that football players have a lot of pride and will do their best to try and get a W.  Let's take a look at the match ups and predict a winner.

Raiders Offense vs. Chiefs Defense

The Raiders are about as healthy on offense as they have been all year.  Darren McFadden should be good to go and everyone on the offensive line is healthy.  Look for Streater and Criner to see some additional playing time as they are looking at developing these players more for the future.  The coaching staff is real high on Streater and it's clear over the last two weeks that he can make some plays downfield.  The Chiefs defense has not been able to get many turnovers this year and have given up 25 passing TDs.  They are also allowing 131.2 yards/game rushing with a 4.6 yard/carry average.  Three of their best defensive players in Brandon Flowers, Eric Berry, and Derrick Johnson are all banged up but should play.

Advantage: Raiders

Raiders Defense vs. Chiefs Offense

The Raiders defense has not been good for a majority of the season and to explain how desperate it is at CB, the starters for this game will be a guy they picked up off waivers before the season and a guy who started at FS his whole career.  They should have Seymour back for the first time in a long time which should help the defense.  Things are not looking good for Rolando McClain.  He was reinstated this week but was relegated to playing RB for the scout team in practice this week.  That position is usually reserved for practice squad players.  The Chiefs will look to get Jamaal Charles more involved than he was last meeting, especially considering Bowe is out for the remainder of the season.  Charles was only able to amass 10 total yards in the loss earlier in the season.  Expect the Raiders to focus heavily on Charles and the running game with not threat in the passing game with Quinn at QB and no receiving threats.

Advantage: Raiders

Special Teams

The Raiders have not shown any flash of brilliance in the return game on kickoffs or punt returns this season.  Lechler and Seabass are both having Pro Bowl-type years once again.  Colquitt and Succop are both above average kickers with Colquitt's specialty being punts inside the 20.  The Chiefs also don't have much of a return game to speak of.

Advantage: Raiders


Prediction:   Raiders 17, Chiefs 10

Record to Date: 8-5

Raiders vs. Broncos Predictions

The Raiders will look to end a five game skid as they take on the AFC West champion Denver Broncos, who are on a 7-game winning streak.  The Raiders will look to avenge a 37-6 loss to the Broncos earlier in the season.  Fortunately for the Raiders, Darren McFadden and Mike Goodson will both be back from injuries which should help the running game.  They will also be playing with heavy hearts after the passing of their coach's father, former NFL player Grady Allen, earlier this week.  Will the added emotion be enough as they take on Peyton Manning and the Broncos?  Let's take a look at the matchups and predict a winner.

Raiders Offense vs. Broncos Defense

The Raiders offense will have to assume a different role this week if they hope to knock off the 9-3 Broncos.  They most rely on the running game to control tempo and clock and to keep Peyton Manning off the field as much as possible.  The offense has been good lately, but they are in need of more scoring. The yardage is there, but they aren't scoring near enough points to win.  In order to beat the Broncos, they have will to find a way to score TD's and not field goals.  The Broncos on defense have been getting better and better led by pass-rushers Von Miller and Elvis Dumervil.  Coach John Fox has always been a defensive-minded coach and now the team is starting to play with that mindset.  Will the addition of McFadden and Goodson be enough to create an upset, or will they return to their form from earlier in the season?

Advantage: Broncos

Raiders Defense vs. Broncos Offense

If the game goes like it did last time around, specifically in the second-half, the Raiders are going to be in for a long night.  Manning and company were able to do anything they pleased, amassing over 500 yards of offense in their last meeting.  In order for the Raiders to pull off the upset, they must get pressure on Manning, including sacks, and find a way to turn the ball over.  They would also probably have to have one of those turnovers go for a TD.  Seymour is still out for this game, but Mike Mitchell and Matt Giordano were both cleared to play this week after suffering concussions in last week's game versus the Browns.  Expect Manning to go after Ron Bartell as he has been burned on coverage many times in the last few weeks.  Thomas should see a lot of throws his direction.

Advantage: Broncos

Special Teams

The Raiders will be without punt returner Phillip Adams and Denarius Moore will take his place.  The Broncos have a very talented returner in Trindon Holliday, as he has returned a punt and a kickoff for TD's this year.  Both teams have great punters and kickers.

Advantage: Broncos


Prediction:  Broncos 30, Raiders 14

Record to Date; 7-5

Raiders vs. Browns Predictions

The Raiders head into this week on a four game losing streak and look to turn their fortunes around with a home game against the 3-8 Cleveland Browns.  The Browns have played better of late, winning 2 of their last four, beating the Chargers and Steelers, while losing in OT versus the Cowboys.  The Raiders will once again be without Darren McFadden and Richard Seymour.  Also, don't be surprised if you see the Raiders incorporate Terrelle Pryor into some packages as he will be active for the first time this year.  Let's take a look at the matchups and predict a winner.

Raiders Offense vs. Browns Defense

The Raiders will once again rely heavily on contributions from Marcel Reece in the running and passing games as they have the last three games.  Carson Palmer and company will look to get things rolling early as I'm sure faster starts have been an emphasis this week in practice.  They have fell behind early in most of their games this year and have found themselves in a hole they just can't climb out of.  The Raiders feel like this is a game that is very winnable for them.  The Browns have not won on the road yet this year but have played good defense at times this year.  The problem with the Browns is much the problem with the Raiders and that is inconsistency.

Advantage: Raiders

Raiders Defense vs. Browns Offense

The Browns don't have many weapons that scare you, but they have a good rookie RB in Trent Richardson and Brandon Weeden is wise beyond his rookie years.  At 29, he's not your typical rookie QB.  The Raiders lately have made every team they've played look like a Super Bowl contender.  Owner Mark Davis's patience is wearing thin and he has expressed his displeasure to Coach Allen saying the way they've been playing is "not good enough."  Many believe that Davis will give Allen and GM McKenzie more than just this year to figure things out, but his displeasure with the state of the team is worth noting.  The defense must find a way to make stops and play more as a unit.  Rolando McClain looks to be out the door, but no move has been made as of yet.  He has not practiced with the team all last week and his playing time has diminished.  Omar Gaither will take his place on the roster if he does not suit up today.

Advantage: Browns

Special Teams

The Browns have one of the most dangerous return-men in the NFL in Joshua Cribbs.  He has nearly a 30 yard/return average on kickoffs and 13 yard/return average on punts.  He's the all-time leader in kickoff returns for TD with 8 and has 11 total returns for TD.  Phil Dawson at age 37 is still a very reliable kicker without a missed FG or PAT all year.  SeaBass is turning in one of his best years as a pro with only one miss, a 64 yarder at the end of regulation.

Advantage: Browns


Prediction:   Raiders 30, Browns 27

Record to Date: 7-4

Raiders vs. Bengals Predictions

The Raiders look to stop a three game losing streak as they head to Cincinnati to face the 5-5 Bengals.  The Raiders are coming off one of the worst three game stretches in franchise history, allowing 135 points.  It would be safe to say, given the way they've played, that they don't stand much of a chance on the road in the Eastern Time Zone.  History has shown us that they just don't seem to be able to adjust to the earlier start time.  The Bengals are on a two-game winning streak after beating the Giants and Chiefs.  The Raiders will be once again without their two top running backs and Richard Seymour, but have fared well enough with Marcel Reece as the focus of the offense.   Let's take a look at the matchups and predict a winner.

Raiders Offense vs. Bengals Defense

The Raiders offense has been good enough to be able to win, if they keep the turnovers to a minimum.  Carson Palmer is currently third in passing yards and Marcel Reece has proven he can be a reliable weapon.  The offense is currently 10th in total yards and 7th in passing yards/game.  The Bengals have a good pass rush and have registered 31 sacks on the year.  The main guys up front are Geno Atkins and Michael Johnson.  Between them they have 15 of the team's 31 sacks.  The Bengals can be run against as they are allowing 117 yards rushing/game.  If the Raiders get behind early once again, expect a heavy dose of the passing game and Reece on screens. 

Advantage: Raiders

Raiders Defense vs. Bengals Offense

The Raiders defense has struggled mightily to make anyone punt in the last three games.  They are leaking like a sieve right now and are allowing 32 points/game on the year.  The Bengals like to use a mix of the run and the pass but don't be surprised if they attack the Raiders through the air like most of the teams recently have done and found success doing.  Andy Dalton has some weapons in receivers A.J. Green and Jermaine Gresham, not to mention speedster Andrew Hawkins. If the Raiders are able to get some pressure on Dalton, that is going to be the best way to control the offense.  They have not had much success with that this year, however, only getting 11 sacks in 10 games.

Advantage: Bengals

Special Teams

The Raiders have been fairly mediocre in the return game this year but their kickers are as solid as ever.  The Bengals have a dangerous returner in Pacman Jones who has already returned a punt for a TD this year.  Both kickers for the Bengals are reliable.

Advantage: Bengals


Prediction:  Bengals 28, Raiders 20

Record to Date: 6-4

Raiders vs. Bengals Predictions

The Raiders look to stop a three game losing streak as they head to Cincinnati to face the 5-5 Bengals.  The Raiders are coming off one of the worst three game stretches in franchise history, allowing 135 points.  It would be safe to say, given the way they've played, that they don't stand much of a chance on the road in the Eastern Time Zone.  History has shown us that they just don't seem to be able to adjust to the earlier start time.  The Bengals are on a two-game winning streak after beating the Giants and Chiefs.  The Raiders will be once again without their two top running backs and Richard Seymour, but have fared well enough with Marcel Reece as the focus of the offense.   Let's take a look at the matchups and predict a winner.

Raiders Offense vs. Bengals Defense

The Raiders offense has been good enough to be able to win, if they keep the turnovers to a minimum.  Carson Palmer is currently third in passing yards and Marcel Reece has proven he can be a reliable weapon.  The offense is currently 10th in total yards and 7th in passing yards/game.  The Bengals have a good pass rush and have registered 31 sacks on the year.  The main guys up front are Geno Atkins and Michael Johnson.  Between them they have 15 of the team's 31 sacks.  The Bengals can be run against as they are allowing 117 yards rushing/game.  If the Raiders get behind early once again, expect a heavy dose of the passing game and Reece on screens. 

Advantage: Raiders

Raiders Defense vs. Bengals Offense

The Raiders defense has struggled mightily to make anyone punt in the last three games.  They are leaking like a sieve right now and are allowing 32 points/game on the year.  The Bengals like to use a mix of the run and the pass but don't be surprised if they attack the Raiders through the air like most of the teams recently have done and found success doing.  Andy Dalton has some weapons in receivers A.J. Green and Jermaine Gresham, not to mention speedster Andrew Hawkins. If the Raiders are able to get some pressure on Dalton, that is going to be the best way to control the offense.  They have not had much success with that this year, however, only getting 11 sacks in 10 games.

Advantage: Bengals

Special Teams

The Raiders have been fairly mediocre in the return game this year but their kickers are as solid as ever.  The Bengals have a dangerous returner in Pacman Jones who has already returned a punt for a TD this year.  Both kickers for the Bengals are reliable.

Advantage: Bengals


Prediction:  Bengals 28, Raiders 20

Record to Date: 6-4

Raiders vs. Saints Predictions

This week the Raiders will play host to the resurging New Orleans Saints.  The Raiders are coming off an embarrassing loss to the Baltimore Ravens while the Saints are coming off an impressive win against the Atlanta Falcons.  The Raiders are still banged up at RB, with both top backs in McFadden and Goodson out with high ankle sprains. Expect this game to have a ton of offense with both teams struggling on defense.  The lowest yardage total the Saints have allowed all year is 421 yards.  The Raiders have given up 97 points in the last two games.  Everything tells you this should be a shootout, but we all know how when things are suppose to be one way, they usually end up being the other.  Let's take a look at the matchups and predict a winner.

Raiders Offense vs. Saints Defense

The Raiders passing game has started to click the last couple of games and at the right time.  The running game has been hampered by injuries and will once again have to go with Marcel Reece getting the bulk of the carries.  This coaching staff doesn't seem to have a lot of faith in Taiwan Jones holding on to the football or blocking on passing downs, so he hasn't seen much action.  The Saints defense is at the bottom or near the bottom in every defensive category including first downs given up, total yards, yards rushing and second to last in yards passing.  They are allowing 5.1 yards/rush to their opponents, which if continues, would be one of the worst all-time in a season.  Expect Carson Palmer to throw early and often, especially if they get down early.  Expect the team that can stop the other offense to win the game.

Advantage: Raiders

Raiders Defense vs. Saints Offense

The Saints are doing as good on offense as they are doing bad on defense.  While the defense is near the bottom in most categories, the offense is near the top in most categories.  They rank 4th in total yards and 2nd in passing yards.  The Raiders on defense have been as about as Jekyll and Hyde and you can get.  They either hold teams too under 300 yards offense, or they allow more than 419 yards of offense, nothing in between.  It's that way in rushing defense as well.  They have allowed teams to gain less than 78 yards rushing five times but have allowed teams to rush for 165 yards three times, with only one in between those at 102.  We'll see which defense shows up this afternoon to determine the outcome of the game.

Advantage: Saints

Special Teams

The Raiders have struggled on punt coverages and punt returns.  Muffed punts especially have been problematic. Sebastian Janikowski has been excellent this year with his only miss being a 64 yarder.  The Saints have a very dangerous returner in Darren Sproles and both kickers are above average.

Advantage: Saints


Prediction:   Saints 35, Raiders 31

Record to Date :5-4

Raiders vs. Ravens Predictions

The 3-5 Raiders head into this week's game against the Ravens down several key players.  Darren McFadden and Mike Goodson are both out with high ankle sprains suffered in last week's loss to the Bucs.  Richard Seymour is also out and Dez Bryant will have to fill in at tackle.  One player is returning, however, and that is CB Ron Bartell, who has been out since week one. The Raiders are looking to return to the success they found earlier in the season in stopping the run, after they were mauled over by Doug Martin last week to the tune of 251 yards.  The Ravens are coming off a win against the Cleveland Browns and find themselves at 6-2 on the year.  This is not the same Ravens defense from year's past.  They are allowing 386.3 yards/game, 26th in the league.  They are also without Ray Lewis and Lardarius Webb, who are both lost for the season.  Let's take a look at the matchups and declare a winner.

Raiders Offense vs. Ravens Defense

The Raiders will have to rely on the services of Taiwan Jones and Marcel Reece in the running game, who both only have one carry on the season.  Look for the Raiders to rely heavily on their passing game like they did late in last week's loss to the Bucs.  They feel like they can match-up their passing game to anybody's secondary and we'll see if the Ravens will be ready.  I also expect a lot of screens to act as running plays, where Reece excels in. The Ravens on defense are allowing 139.5 yards rushing/game and 246.8 yards passing/game so look for the Raiders to try and find success and exploit their weaknesses.  This game will be played in Baltimore, though, so expect the Raiders to struggle early in the game.

Advantage: Ravens

Raiders Defense vs. Ravens Offense

The Raiders will have the services of Ron Bartell and be without the services of Richard Seymour.  Seymour has been slowed by injury and hasn't really had the impact this year as he has in recent years so don't expect there to be much of a dropoff to Bryant.  Bartell will be a welcome addition as he played well before getting injured and were playing a waiver wire pickup in his place.  The Ravens have been up and down all season on offense and the key to having success against them is to control Ray Rice.  Expect the Raiders game plan to shift the focus in his direction.

Advantage: Ravens

Special Teams

The Ravens have a dangerous returner in Jacoby Jones, who has already returned a kickoff 108 yards for a TD this year.  Sam Koch and Justin Tucker are both good kickers, Tucker having missed one field goal all year and Koch averaging over 46 yards/punt.

Advantage: Raiders


Prediction:    Ravens 27, Raiders 20

Record to date: 4-4

Raiders vs. Buccaneers Predictions

This week the Raiders are back at home facing the 3-4 Buccaneers coming off a bye.  The Raiders are looking to continue momentum they've gained in the last two weeks in defeating the Jaguars and Chiefs.  The Buccaneers recently defeated the Vikings in Week 8 but will be without some key players for this matchup.  They recently traded away their top cornerback in Aqib Talib and will be without their best lineman in Carl Nicks.  The Raiders must win if they hope to keep pace with the two teams at the top of the AFC West.  San Diego improved their record to 4-4 with a win over the Chiefs on Thursday while the Broncos already have a full game lead but will be facing a tough Bengals team on the road. Let's take a look at the matchups for this week's game and predict a winner.

Raiders Offense vs. Buccaneers Defense

The Raiders offense has been up and down for most of the season but has found some success in the running game by mixing in some power blocking schemes with their zone blocking.  Darren McFadden found some rhythm in the 4th quarter of last week's game and will be looking to continue that trend against the Bucs.  Where the Raiders will be able to exploit the Bucs is in the passing game, where the rank 31st in the NFL.  Things will be more difficult without their best corner as well with Talib heading to New England.  The Bucs are stout once again against the run, only giving up 85 yards/game.  Expect the Raiders to use their speed on the outside to create mismatches in the passing game.

Advantage: Raiders

Raiders Defense vs. Buccaneers Offense

The Raiders defense is much improved since the bye week.  Much of the success can be attributed to the improved pass rush and the defense getting turnovers.  Six of their 11 sacks on the season have come in the last two weeks.  The Bucs will be without their best lineman in Carl Nicks and will severely hamper their running game, where most of their success has been running behind Nicks.  The Bucs get big chunks of yardage in the passing game where Vincent Jackson is averaging 21.6 yards a catch while Mike Williams is averaging 17.4.  That's a pretty good 1-2 combination.  Expect Michael Huff to be locked on Jackson most of the game, which he has excelled at since being placed in the role of corner.

Advantage: Bucs

Special Teams

The Raiders are getting another big year out of SeaBass, as he has only missed one FG all year (a 64 yarder at the end of regulation for the win against the Jaguars) and was recently named AFC Special Teams player of the month for October.  Lechler is still a little hampered by his injury he suffered in the preseason and Phillip Adams has filled in quite well at punt returner, minus the muffed one against Jacksonville.  Tampa Bay has the ever-dangerous Roscoe Parrish at punt returner and Arrelious Benn on kickoffs.  The have decent punter and kicker.

Advantage: Raiders



Prediction:   Raiders 23, Buccaneers 20

Record to Date:  4-3

Raiders vs. Chiefs Predictions

It's that time of year again (and probably fittingly when many people in the U.S. will be dressed up in costumes) when the Raiders face the Chiefs. The Raiders come into the game at 2-4, fresh off a comeback win versus the Jaguars at home.  The Chiefs, on the other hand, come in at 1-5 and fresh off a bye week when they declared they were going through a quarterback change in Brady Quinn.  Both  teams will try to stay in the tightly packed AFC West race with a win and hopes of gaining momentum for the stretch run.  Let's take a look at the matchups and declare a winner.

Raiders Offense vs. Chiefs Defense

I will probably sound like a broken record here but the key to the Raiders' success on offense will be Darren McFadden having success running the ball.  Running the ball opens up so much more of the passing game.  The Chiefs will have the support of the crowd from a renewed fan base.  They will be excited about the prospect of having anyone other than Cassel at QB and of course it being "Raiders Week."  The Chiefs also have a pretty good pass rush in Justin Houston and Tamba Hali.  Expect the Raiders to try more of the no-huddle offense as it led to success in their only wins this season in Pittsburgh and Jacksonville. (If the crowd noise will allow it)

Advantage: Raiders

Raiders Defense vs. Chiefs Offense

The Raiders have now had 2 impressive showings on defense in back-to-back games.  Let's see if that trend continues against a team who recently gave up on their starting QB.  Look for the Chiefs to be run-heavy and give the Raiders an extra dose of Jamaal Charles.  The Raiders will most likely try to make Brady Quinn beat them and focus all their attention on stopping Charles.  Outside of two games this year, the run defense for the Raiders has looked pretty good.  They have not allowed more than 54 yards rushing in four out of sic games and are currently 12th in rush defense.

Advantage: Raiders

Special Teams

The Raiders struggled in the return game last week with two muffed punts, one leading to Jaguar points.  The Chiefs have decent returners and steady kickers in Succop and Colquitt.  There hasn't been much excitement in kickoff returns this year and expect that trend to continue as both kickers can boom it through the back of the endzone.

Advantage: Raiders


Prediction:   Raiders 27, Chiefs 21

Record to date:  3-3

Raiders vs. Jaguars Predictions

The Raiders are coming off one of their best performances of the season on both sides of the ball last week against the Falcons but it wasn't enough for the victory.  This week they return home hoping to build off that performance on the road and put a victory on the board against a struggling Jaguar team.  The Jaguars also come in at 1-4 and haven't played well really all year.  This game will be the first of two in a row that the Raiders will have to play a team coming off a bye week, giving the opposition two weeks to prepare.  We'll see if the added week will give the Jaguars any kind of advantage in this one.  Let's get to the matchups and predict a winner.

Raiders Offense vs. Jaguars Defense

The Raiders clicked against the Falcons last week both in the passing game and the running game, amassing over 470 yards of offense.  They'll hope that trend continues against a porous Jaguars defense, giving up 424 yards/game, including 163 yards on the ground.  The Raiders are the healthiest they have been all year and are looking to get in a groove.  McFadden is still struggling to break a long run and is still only averaging 3.2 yards/carry on the year.  Look for the emphasis to be on turning that around against a Jaguar team that has really struggled against the run.

Advantage: Raiders

Raiders Defense vs. Jaguars Offense

The Raiders also look to continue the momentum from last week on the defensive side of the ball where they held the high-powered Falcon offense to under 285 yards total offense.  Look for the front seven to put a strong emphasis on stopping the Jaguars running game, as Maurice Jones-Drew is really their only weapon on offense. They are only averaging 98 yards/game rushing but MJD is averaging 4.9 yards/carry.  Much of that is due to their defense being on the field the majority of the time and falling behind early in games.  The Raiders also intercepted their first three passes of the season last week and will hope to get a few more this week against a very week passing game in the Jaguars.  They rank last in the NFL in passing yards/game and Blaine Gabbert has really struggled.

Advantage: Raiders

Special Teams

The Jaguars have a good punter in Bryan Anger and decent kicker in Josh Scobee. Their return game is average.  The Raiders have the best punter and kicker in Shane Lechler and Sebastian Janikowski.

Advantage: Raiders


Prediction:    Raiders 27, Jaguars 14


Record to Date: 2-3

Raiders vs. Falcons Predictions

The Raiders come off their bye week to have the privilege of heading down to Georgia and playing one of the best teams in the league in the Atlanta Falcons.  The Raiders come in at 1-3 and have not played well on the road this year.  They have lost by a combined score of 72-19 in two games against the Dolphins and Broncos.  This week doesn't look to be the week to change those fortunes.  The Falcons are very good on offense with numerous weapons in Michael Turner, Roddy White, Julio Jones, and Tony Gonzalez.  They are also very good on defense in taking the ball away with already 14 takeaways in 5 games.  We'll see if Oakland can get it done as the Raiders go down to Georgia.

Raiders Offense vs. Falcons Defense 

The Raiders look to get the running game on track as they made a few adjustments during the bye week to try and get back to the success they had in recent years. The running game will be key in this game.  The Raiders need to control time of possession in order to have a chance at winning this game on the road.  They will have to help the defense out by keeping the offense on the field.  The Falcons biggest weakness on defense is their rush defense.  They currently rank 28th in rush defense, allowing over 142 yards/game on the ground.  The Falcons are aggressive on defense and like to create turnovers while the Raiders have been good so far at not turning the ball over.

Advantage: Falcons

Raiders Defense vs. Falcons Offense

This is a huge mismatch as the Falcons have the most talent on their team on the offensive side of the ball and the Raiders have proven that the are incapable of stopping anyone with their current personnel on defense.  In order to have success, the Raiders will need a better pass rush than they've shown all year to help out in the passing game.  Pressure must be taken off the corners and safeties trying to cover bigger and faster receivers.  Andre Carter will see some action in this game as DE but it's unclear as to what type of impact he will have coming off an injury from last year.  The Falcons and Matt Ryan are always very good at home and have found a rhythm in their running game with Michael Turner.  Expect them to be pass-heavy though as they try to exploit the Raiders' weakness in the secondary.

Advantage: Falcons

Special Teams

The Falcons have a steady kicker in Matt Bryant and nothing spectacular in the return game.  They're about middle of the road in punt returns and in the top ten on kickoff returns.  The Raiders should have a good day kicking and punting in the dome and have been pleasantly surprised in punt returner Phillip Adams, averaging 11.1 on punt returns.


Prediction:  Falcons 30, Raiders 14

Record to Date:  1-3

Raiders vs. Broncos Predictions

This week the Raiders and Broncos both look to even up their records at 2-2 at Invesco Field in Denver. The Raiders offense looks to continue their momentum they gained in last week's win over Pittsburgh without a few key pieces in Heyward-Bey and Rod Streater.  Meanwhile, the Broncos are looking to piece together their defense without suspended MLB Joe Mays and OLB D.J. Williams.  They will also be without reserve safety Quinton Carter, who was just put on IR.  The Raiders have won the last four meetings in Denver and 4 of the last 5 overall.  Both teams will look to start fast as they have both struggled with scoring early and getting behind their opponents, often with too big of a hole to climb out of.  This should be a high scoring game with plenty of fireworks on offense.  Let's take a look at the matchups and decide a winner.

Raiders Offense vs. Broncos Defense

The Raiders are banged up at WR and will look to Derek Hagan to take Heyward-Bey's spot in the lineup and use Darren McFadden in the slot in some formations.  They will also try to utilize the emerging Brandon Myers, especially with the Broncos missing two of their starting LB's.  The running game finally took off last week against a good Steelers defense and will look to do the same against the Broncos, who struggled against the same type of zone-blocking team in the Texans last week.  McFadden has had some of his best games against the Broncos in his career and will look to continue that trend.  The Broncos still have elite pass-rushers in Von Miller and Elvis Dumervil.

Advantage: Raiders

Raiders Defense vs. Broncos Offense

The Raiders are once again banged up in the secondary and will start a waiver wire pickup in Pat Lee and a safety in Michael Huff at the cornerback positions.  Matt Giordano will take Huff's place at safety and played pretty well last week against the Steelers.  The Raiders brought in veteran Andre Carter to help with the pass-rush as they have only registered 3 sacks in 3 games.  Look for the Raiders to blitz Manning often as he has struggled last week against 5 or more rushers, completing just 37.5% of his passes.  The biggest mismatch on the field will be the Broncos WR's versus the Raiders secondary.  Expect Manning and the Broncos to try and exploit that for big plays.

Advantage: Broncos

Special Teams

The Raiders seem to have found a pretty good punt returner in Phillip Adams as he is averaging 11.1 yards/return including a 47 yarder last week against the Steelers. Janikowski is still nursing a groin injury but expect him to be good from 50 and kick some touchbacks on kickoffs.  The Broncos have a good returner in Eric Decker and solid kicker in Matt Prater.

Advantage: Raiders


Prediction:  Broncos 24, Raiders 23

Record to date: 0-3

Raiders vs. Steelers Predictions

Let's just be honest, it's hard to imagine the Raiders coming away this week with a victory against the Steelers, but it is the NFL and anything can happen on any given week.  The Raiders are coming off a lackluster performance against an underwhelming Dolphins team in Miami as they were just ran over by Reggie Bush and the running game.  The Steelers beat the Jets last weekend to improve to 1-1 on the season.  The last time these two teams met in Oakland was in 2006 with the Raiders picking off Roethlisberger 4 times in a 20-13 win.  Let's take a look at this week's matchups and predict a winner.

Raiders Offense vs. Steelers Defense

The Raiders are still trying to find their running game as this come into this week averaging an NFL-worst 2.0 yards/carry.  McFadden is struggling so far in the zone-blocking scheme, much like he did the first time Knapp was coordinator in Oakland.  There should be some help to get the running game going this week as both  safety Troy Polamalu and linebacker James Harrison will be out for this game.  Still, the Steelers will be tough in the interior to run on.  The Raiders will be without RT Khalif Barnes and RB's Mike Goodson and Taiwan Jones are questionable. Expect the Raiders to pass a lot, much like they have the first two games.

Advantage: Steelers

Raiders Defense vs. Steelers Offense

The Raiders are extremely thin at CB and will most likely use Michael Huff as a starting CB alongside backup Pat Lee.  Starting CB's Shawntae Spencer and Ron Bartell are both out and Matt Giordano will probably fill in at safety for Huff.  The Steelers will still be without Rashard Mendenhall at running back and will probably use a lot of three wide receiver sets to utilize their speed and matchup problems with the Raiders depleted secondary.  The best way for the Raiders to attack on defense is to get after the quarterback with their front four to get sacks and force turnovers.  They will not be able to slow the Steelers down offensive so their best bet is to do something they haven't done yet this year: turn the other team over.  It looks to be a long day on both sides of the football for the Silver and Black.

Advantage: Steelers

Special Teams

The Raiders might be without Janikowski as he is listed as questionable and of course are without Jacoby Ford who is out for the season.  The Steelers have a pretty good return man in Antonio Brown and are solid in the kicking game.  The Raiders have struggled so far on punt coverages.

Advantage: Steelers


Prediction:  Steelers 21, Raiders 10

Record to Date: 0-2

Raiders vs. Dolphins Predictions

Week Two finds the Raiders visiting Miami to take on the 0-1 Dolphins in a matchup of winless teams.  The two teams met late last year with the Dolphins winning easily 34-14, jumping out to a 34-0 lead.  The Raiders play their first of five games on the East Coast and have not fared very well in the past playing at 10:00 Pacific Time.  They will have to wake up early if they want to avoid an 0-2 start before games with Pittsburgh and Denver.  Let's take a look at the matchups and predict  a winner.

Raiders Offense vs. Dolphins Defense

The Raiders offense last week at home versus the Chargers failed to execute any explosive plays, resulting in only one offensive TD near the end of the game.  They took a hit in the passing game with news this week that Jacoby Ford could be out the remainder of the season as he had surgery on his injured foot that has been giving him troubles all offseason.  They will be getting Denarius Moore back and should help with the vertical passing game.  The Raiders will look to rely on Darren McFadden in the running game and passing game.  McFadden leads the NFL in  receptions with 13 and the Dolphins will look to minimize his impact on the game with their strength on defense, their front four.  The Dolphins held the Texans, who have the same zone-blocking scheme, to just 83 yards rushing last week.  The Raiders look to get back on track this week as they were held to 45 yards rushing last week against the Chargers.

Advantage: Raiders

Raiders Defense vs. Dolphins Offense

The Raiders defense last week was a huge bright spot as they were put in tough situations time and time again and held their ground.  They only allowed 31 yards rushing to the Chargers and limited big plays in the passing game.  They currently stand in 5th place in overall defense after giving up 258 yards to the Chargers. The front four will be the unit that sees the most action against the Dolphins as they look to avoid another 3 Int performance from their rookie QB Ryan Tannehill.  They will rely heavily on the running game with Reggie Bush and Daniel Thomas, who was successful running the ball in their meeting last year.  They will be facing a different defense this year however as HC Dennis Allen brings in a more diverse scheme and looks than they've ever had in the past.  The Raiders will be without their starting CB Bartell as he was also put on the IR this week.

Advantage: Raiders

Special Teams

The Raiders last week found out the hard way what it means to lose their Pro Bowl long-snapper Jon Condo as they botched three punt attempts inside their ow territory which led directly to 9 Charger points.  They brought in Nick Guess, formerly in Chargers camp, to fill in if Condo cannot go this week.  They are also without Jacoby Ford for possibly the entire season, which will hurt their kickoff returns.  The Dolphins have a good returner in Marcus Thigpen, who ran back a punt last week for a TD and averaged 27 yards per return on kickoffs.

Advantage: Dolphins


Prediction        Raiders 24, Dolphins 13

Record to Date: 0-1

Raiders vs. Chargers Predictions

Football is back, baby! It's a new year with a new regime for the Oakland Raiders as they look to kick off the 2012 season with a win at home against the rival San Diego Chargers.  The Raiders are looking to avenge the week 17 loss at the hands of the Chargers that kicked the Raiders out of a division title.  Win and they would have been the AFC West champions and would have gone to the playoffs for the first time since 2002.  The Raiders will have a healthy Darren McFadden in this matchup and a Carson Palmer with a full training camp and preseason under his belt.  The Chargers will have some key players missing that will most likely affect the outcome of this game.  Let's get to it and see how the matchups will play out and pick a winner.

Raiders Offense vs. Chargers Defense

The Raiders will be playing its first game with Carson Palmer and Darren McFadden on the field at the same time and Palmer has been looking forward to this moment since last year.  McFadden is one of the elite backs in the league when healthy and is the key component to this offense running on all cylinders.  They will be without the services of Jacoby Ford and Denarius Moore will not be 100%, so look for rookie Rod Streater to make an impact.  Streater was one of the most talked about players from OTA's and Training Camp and continued that success into the preseason as he led all receivers in the NFL with 18 receptions.  The Chargers like the look of their pass-rush as they added LB Melvin Ingram from the draft and still have Shaun Phillips and Corey Liuget.  The Chargers will have their hands full with the speed of the Oakland offense.

Advantage: Raiders

Raiders Defense vs. Chargers Offense

The Raiders Defense went through the most change of any unit on the team as GM Reggie McKenzie cleaned up many of the overpriced contracts on players who were underperforming or not worth the investment.  Gone are sack-leader Kameron Wimbley and the top three cornerbacks in Stanford Routt, Chris Johnson and Lito Sheppard.  This unit could be better statistically, however, as they enter this year with an actual NFL-style defense under new defensive-minded head coach Dennis Allen.  They will play more matchup style of defense each week to find weaknesses in the offenses they go up against.  Gone are the days when they only play man-to-man coverage and rush with only the front four.  They will now come with different looking blitzes, stunts, zone coverages, and at times a 3-4 front.  Offenses will not know what to expect from the Raiders defense, since it will be unlike anything they've seen from this team since they've been in existence.  The Chargers will be without Ryan Matthews at RB, Vincent Brown at WR, Vincent Jackson left in free-agency and two new receivers in Eddie Royal and Robert Meachem.  They will also be playing a rookie Left Tackle guarding Philip Rivers' blind-side.  Look for the Raiders to blitz often as Rivers was one of the least successful QB's in the league last year with 8 INT's on blitzes.

Advantage: Raiders

Special Teams

The Raiders still have the services of Shane Lechler and Sebastian Janikowski, so this unit will be one of the strongest in the NFL.  They will be without Jacoby Ford which will hurt them in the return game.  The Chargers have a good kicking tandem as well in Nate Kaeding and Mike Scifres.  They also brought over Eddie Royal from Denver to return punts and he is an explosive returner.

Advantage: Chargers


Prediction   Raiders 27, Chargers 21

Record from last year: 7-7

Raiders vs. Chargers Predictions

The last game of the regular season is upon us as the playoff-hopeful Raiders take on the Chargers at home with dreams of playoff aspirations dancing about their heads. With a Bronco loss to the Chiefs and a Raiders win versus the Chargers, the Raiders will win the AFC West. There is also a scenario in which both the Broncos and the Raiders make the playoffs. If the Broncos win and the Raiders win, the Broncos will win the AFC West. The Raiders can earn a wild card spot with a Bengal loss and either a Jets win or a Titan loss. The bottom line is that the Raiders have to win in order to even be in the running for a playoff spot. Let's take a look at the matchups and predict a winner.

Raiders Offense vs. Chargers Defense

The Raiders offense will be as healthy as it has been in a month. Jacoby Ford practiced full last week and should play, which only leaves McFadden as the player not able to play. The Raiders are more physical and it showed in the last meeting in which Michael Bush racked up the most yards from scrimmage for a Raiders RB since the merger. A healthy dose of the power running game, mixed in with deep passes to DHB and Moore will be a recipe for success. The Chargers don't have a lot to play for as many figure Norv Turner will be fired at the end of the season and possibly GM A.J Smith. Will the Chargers have any fight left this season?

Advantage: Raiders

Raiders Defense vs. Chargers Offense

The Raiders defense has not been good at the worst times all season. Will they be able to make enough plays to make a difference for the good and secure a win? The Raiders have been good in the red zone on defense. They have the most pass plays defensed against in the league with 17 plays either ending in INTs or passes defensed in the end zone. The Chargers will have to establish the run if they want to have a balanced attack and keep the Raiders front four on their heels. The Raiders run defense has allowed a whopping 5.12 yards per rush on the season, second worst in the NFL. The key to the game will be the turnover battle. The Raiders will give up yards on defense. If they can turn the Chargers over and turn it into points, it will go a long ways in deciding the outcome of the game.

Advantage: Chargers

Special Teams

The Raiders have the game's best punter and kicker in Lechler and Janikowski as both will be headed to the Pro Bowl. They will get a big boost in the kicking return game as Jocoby Ford will be back from injury.

Advantage: Raiders


Prediction: Raiders 28, Chargers 24

Record to date: 7-6