The Raiders held to Nashville Sunday to play the winless Titans . Both teams are desperate for a win after a rough start to the season. After each team was in the playoffs last season this game feels extremely large for a September game. A 0-3 hole seems almost impossible to climb out of so the time is now. For the Raiders the time is now. After two close losses it is time for Coach McDaniels to grab his first win as Raiders coach. Here are the keys to a silver and black win in my Raiders preview week 3 vs Titans.
Contain Derrick Henry
While the superstar running back is off to a slow start he is still the Titans best weapon. Runs from Henry dictate what and how the Titans can attack you on offense. When they are clicking Henry is punishing the defense while Tannehill uses play action. If Henry gets going the Titans will be tough to beat. The key for the Raiders will be tackling. Not letting up big plays and make the Titans sustain long drives to get points. Make Ryan Tannehill beat you by containing Henry all four quarters.
Run the Ball
Hopefully the third week is the charm for Coach McDaniels and his offense. The first two weeks he went away from a rushing attack that was having success. The team has the backs to pound a defense and it is time to show that. After a promising preseason that featured a great ground attack the team is getting away from a strength. Also, the screen game has been missing although it has been successful the few times it was used. The Raiders need a win in the worst way and emptying the backfield every down isn’t getting it done. Run the ball, control the clock and get out with a win.
Penalties
After a quiet week one with the yellow laundry the Raiders were back to themselves last week. 10 penalties is a recipe to get beat in the NFL. McDaniels has preached not beating themselves so maybe Sunday was a fluke. The preseason was relatively clean as was week one. The self inflicted mistakes have haunted this organization for decades and must be cleaned up before any progress can be made. Starting 0-2 leaves absolutely no room to give away a game because of penalties. Sunday on the road in a tough environment is a great start.
Bounce Back
The 2022 season has not started well for the silver and black. Now is the time to see how they respond. Sunday was a devastating loss but it cannot linger if the team wants to get the season back on track. The team doesn’t need players only meetings, it is the NFL not high school. The best way to lead is to play good and winning football. The Raiders have all the talent and tools but they are running out of time to show it. Winning is the only thing that matters right now and Sunday we will see how the team bounces back.
Thanks for your time reading my Raiders preview week 3 vs Titans. For more Raiders talk follow me on Twitter http://@BrianRobert85 and check out my previous article here Raiders Game Review Week 2 Vs Cardinals. I will have my game review up on
