The Raiders were successful in their first preseason action during the Hall of Fame Game. Sunday the silver and black will continue the 2022 preseason as they host the Minnesota Vikings. Coach Josh McDaniels and his staff will be looking to build off the fast start his team had vs Jacksonville. Behind a strong running game and no penalties the Raiders scored on their first 3 possessions. With a few more starters set to get snaps I take a look at what to watch for in my Raiders preseason preview game 2 vs the Vikings.
Finishing Drives
The Raiders were able to move the ball early and often against the Jaguars. Behind a solid ground attack and timely screen passes, Las Vegas seemed to take what they wanted. The problem became when the drives would stall. Getting 3 instead of 7 can be the difference in a regular season win or loss. McDaniels understands the value of continuing drives and getting 7 so it will be interesting to watch the adjustments from game 1 to 2. Yes it is the preseason and a lot of starters are out but no team is ever 100 percent healthy. Injuries happen frequently in the NFL and the Raiders need to have reliable backups. A drive can not end in the regular season because of penalties or sacks and now is the time to fix those issues.
Pass Defense
The Raiders pass defense wasn’t tested too much in the Hall of Fame Game. That should change Sunday afternoon vs Minnesota. New Head Coach Kevin O’Connell is installing his system with the Vikings. In his first year he will want to see the progress made so far in training camp. For the Raiders it will be an opportunity to see how their back end holds up, in particular the depth. The CB position has been hit hard in camp with injuries. Rock Ya Sin, Anthony Avertt and Trayvon Mullen have all missed significant time. It will be interesting to see who continues to step up in the secondary. Names to watch are Amik Robertson, Darius Phillips and Chris Jones.
Offensive Line
Once again and pretty much all preseason the focus remains on the Offensive Line. The unit was sharp in the run game in the opener but pass protection remains a concern. The injury to Brandon Parker adds more questions and concerns. A large focus remains on the RT position. Thayer Munford Jr should get an extensive look this preseason as he continues to battle for a spot. Jermaine Eluemunor is also in the mix. Alex Leatherwood will once again try to win the position. After some up and down play during the opener the team will be looking for more consistency.
Pass Rush
Malcolm Koonce had a busy night vs the Jaguars. Constant pressure off the end made things hard for the Jacksonville signal callers. The Raiders are trying to develop that 2nd group of pass rushers and Koonce is showing early signs that he is ready. The edge is set with Crosby and Jones but after that is questions. Another solid outing from Koonce would probably solidify him as the 3rd guy in the rotation. The Raiders would also like to see another guy or two step up in the role also.
Thank you for your time reading my article. For more Raiders talk follow me on Twitter http://@BrianRobert85 and read some of my previous articles including one where zi focus on the Raiders O Line All Eyes On Raiders Offensive Line. Also I will have a review article shortly after the game highlighting what stood out for the silver and black.
