The Las Vegas Raiders are trying to stay undefeated, and this is what they need to do to pull it off.
The Las Vegas Raiders face a serious challenge as they try and stay undefeated, as the New Orleans Saints have been unexpectedly tough. The Saints nearly beat the Detroit Lions in their opener as the Lions nipped them, 31-30, and New Orleans posted an unexpected win over the Baltimore Ravens, 24-17, and it was a road win at that.
The Saints could easily be 2-0, and Bucky Brooks did a breakdown of what it will take for Las Vegas to win this game from Raiders.com.
Control the tempo
The Raiders are well aware of their offensive limitations, although they were able to open things up a little against the Los Angeles Chargers last week. They’re trying to get more from a group of young wide receivers that didn’t play well last year, and while there are signs that the group is coming along, controlling the tempo has been the key to the Raiders’ undefeated record so far.
The Raiders have average 34:53 in time of possession despite averaging just 63.5 offensive plays per game, per Brooks, and that’s perhaps the best way to slow down New Orleans quarterback Tyler Shough. Las Vegas didn’t run all that well against the Chargers, but they used a nasty pass rush to force turnovers and make LA play sloppy football.
Limit big plays
Saints coach Kellen Moore knows what he has in Shough, and he’s turned the Saints into a big play machine. Receiver Chris Olave is leading the NFL with 11 completions of at least 20 yards, and he’ll be a challenge for cornerbacks Eric Stokes and Hezekiah Masses.
Olave is a big receiver who’s an excellent runner with superb timing, so getting a good pass rush will be another key. The Raiders need defensive end Maxx Crosby and linebacker Kwity Paye to disrupt Shough’s timing, and they’ll need to keep him in the pocket as well.
Win the fourth quarter
This has been another key to the Raiders’ season so far. They’ve made plays on offense to continue drives late and control the clock, and they’ve been able to get off the field when necessary. It’s a winning formula given that most NFL contests wind up being one score games, and it will be interesting to see if the Raiders can apply it again against the Saints.
Not getting behind early is a close cousin. The Saints have surprised the Lions and Ravens with their ability to hang around, and Las Vegas doesn’t have the kind of high-powered offense that can come from behind.
