Arizona Cardinals vs. Oakland Raiders: Complete Week 7 Preview for Oakland
The Oakland Raiders are coming off their best performance of the season, and they'll be looking to build on it and earn their first win on Sunday when the 4-1 Arizona Cardinals visit O.co Coliseum in Oakland. Kickoff is scheduled for 4:25 p.m. ET.
After an exceptional performance in Week 6's three-point loss to the San Diego Chargers, Derek Carr's day ended with a tough interception to end Oakland's final drive. Still, it was a game in which Carr exhibited the same potential he had shown in flashes throughout the season. The difference was that he was able to sustain that level of play for four quarters, and the offense showed just how dangerous it can be.
The Raiders will need a similar performance this week when Oakland takes on another red-hot team in the Cardinals.
The game will have an added level of intrigue as it will mark the return of Carson Palmer. Despite being traded from Oakland to Arizona before last season in inglorious fashion, he's been generally complimentary about the Raiders organization. That continued this week when he was asked about his time in Oakland (via CSN Bay Area's Scott Bair):
"I have no hard feelings at all. I loved my time there. I loved living in the Bay Area and playing for the Raiders is unlike anything else. There is just something special to being a Raider and you don’t know it until you get to experience it. The fans have great passion for their team. They create a very difficult environment to play in.
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Despite Palmer's positive words, the home crowd will no doubt greet him with boos in his return to Oakland.
Here's a look ahead at Sunday's game including updates, matchups to watch and predictions for the game.
Oakland Raiders Week 6 Recap
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Although the Raiders left last Sunday's game still looking for their first win, they had by far their best performance of the season. It was encouraging to see that not only did the Raiders play well, they did so against the San Diego Chargers, one of the NFL's hottest teams.
When Tony Sparano was named interim head coach, one of the first things he wanted to address was Oakland's lack of aggressiveness and confidence. This was evident as the offense took shots downfield all game, and the play-calling overall was more aggressive than at any point this season. Not only did the team take these shots, they were also successful at it.
Derek Carr finished 18-of-34 for 282 and four touchdown passes, and he averaged 8.3 yards per attempt, a major improvement. Andre Holmes had the best game of his career, finishing with 121 yards and two touchdowns on four catches.
The offense had turned into a series of safe, short routes, and it had become easy to defend. The effective downfield passing opened up routes in other areas of the field, and it also helped the running game, which had its most effective game of the season. Darren McFadden had 14 carries for 80 yards, an average of 5.7 yards per attempt.
While the offense had a breakout performance, the defense remained ineffective. The Chargers had success in the passing game, and they were able to establish an efficient enough running game to have an impact.
Philip Rivers finished 22-of-34 for 313 yards and three touchdowns, and Branden Oliver had 101 yards and a touchdown on 26 carries. Oakland doesn't have the talent on defense to shut down an opposing offense, but it needs to be effective in at least one area.
The Raiders lost 31-28, and the game ended on a heart-breaking late-game interception. Still, Oakland was in the game and had a chance to win it late. More importantly, there were plenty of positives on which the Raiders could build for the rest of the season.
News and Notes
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Stat of the Week: 57.1 Percent
The Raiders defense entered their Week 6 matchup ranked last in the league on third down. The unit had given up a new set of downs on third down 50 percent of the time. Against San Diego, Oakland managed to do worse. Per ESPN.com's Bill Williamson, the Chargers converted on third down eight out of 14 times, good for 57.1 percent.
The Oakland defense played well on the first two downs, but it could not get off the field consistently. This is going to come down to both play-calling and players making plays. The defense has to figure out a way to finish defensive series.
ESPN's Jaworski Believes in Derek Carr
In his most recent rankings of NFL quarterbacks, ESPN analyst Ron Jaworski has Carr ranked 28th. This seems like a disappointing assessment, especially when you consider that Jaws has fellow rookies Blake Bortles and Teddy Bridgewater ranked 25th and 31st, respectively.
However, Jaws goes on to say this about Carr (via Williamson):
"I love the upside of Derek Carr. Watching his tape against San Diego, I saw him make every throw -- sticking a seam route, deep go routes, back-shoulder throws. He still has a small sample size, but the concerns people had over his ability to deal with pressure haven't materialized on tape. He's a little quirky in his mechanics, but he has a live arm. I think the sky's the limit for this kid.
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It's only a tentative endorsement. But it means something that Jaworski, whose opinion of a quarterback's play is reliable, believes that Carr has the tools to become one of the better quarterbacks in the NFL, and maybe even one of the elite.
Oakland (current) Raiders vs. Arizona (former) Raiders
It'll be interesting to see just how long of a memory Raiders fans have when the Cardinals step onto the field. Aside from Palmer, former Raiders on the Arizona roster include Jared Veldheer, Tommy Kelly and Matt Shaughnessy.
Palmer was supposed to become the franchise quarterback but left after two failed years, and the feeling remains that Veldheer didn't want to be a Raider and walked out on the franchise. The loudest boos will certainly be reserved for them.
Although it's been years since Kelly and Shaughnessy wore the silver and black, they were both at one time considered building blocks along the defensive line. It won't be as loud, but they both will probably get their share of boos as well.
DJ Hayden Returns... Sort Of
After being out since the offseason, Hayden finally returned to practice for the Raiders. CSN Bay Area's Scott Bair tweeted that Hayden is at full strength, but he added that Sparano is in no rush to get him on the field.
Hayden's return could provide a much-needed boost to the Oakland secondary, a unit that's been picked on all season. However, defensive coordinator Jason Tarver noted (via Bair) that even though Hayden is healthy, "There's a big difference between in shape and football shape."
Hayden will be on the field soon, but it won't be this week.
R.I.P. Oaktown Pirate
The Black Hole is notorious for its ravenous fans. Everyone recognizes Gorilla Rilla, Metal Cindy and Darth Raider. Sadly, the Black Hole will have an empty seat this week as Raider Nation lost one of its most prominent and passionate members.
Azel Wendell Grasty Sr., known to fans as Oaktown Pirate, passed away this week. He was such a well-known fan that even Marquette King took time to recognize the loss and express his condolences.
Many, if not most, of the fans around the league see Raiders fans as a sort of oddity, a seemingly random collection of costumed, misfit fans. But what this ignores is the passion the fans have for their team. The costumes and the makeup are a sign of dedication and support.
And among Raiders fans, Grasty Sr. was among the most passionate, proudly donning his pirate costume on game days in support of the team he loved.
The thoughts and prayers of Raider Nation are with Mr. Grasty Sr.'s family and friends. Rest in peace, Oaktown Pirate.
Injury Report
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| Player | Position | Injury Status |
| D.J. Hayden | CB | Out |
| Marcel Reece | FB | Questionable |
| Vincent Brown | WR | Questionable |
| Justin Tuck | DE | Questionable |
| Khalif Barnes | OL | Questionable |
| Keith McGill | CB | Questionable |
| Benson Mayowa | DE | Probable |
| Usama Young | FS | Probable |
| Sio Moore | LB | Probable |
Injury report and updates per CSN Bay Area's Scott Bair.
Carr has been officially removed from the Oakland injury report. Moore, Young and reserve Mayowa are still listed, but all three have been full participants in practice and will play on Sunday.
Barnes, McGill, Tuck, Brown and Reece appear to be week-to-week until further notice, and they've all missed practice this week.
McGill is questionable once again, but he's made minimal contributions this season. His playing time has been primarily on special teams, so the Raiders won't feel his absence if he's unable to go.
Brown had an opportunity to become a major part of the passing game when he was signed by Oakland a month ago, but an injury has cost him that chance. James Jones has played well all season, and Andre Holmes and Brice Butler have emerged as every-down contributors. Jones, Holmes and Butler have now secured the top three spots on the Raiders' wide receiver depth chart.
Even if Brown is able to play this week, he'll be fighting against Denarius Moore and Kenbrell Thompkins for scraps on offense.
Reece has been listed as questionable in recent weeks with a quad injury. He hasn't missed any time, and it also hasn't seemed to have any ill effects on him during the game. Given the routine of the last few weeks, it's likely he'll play against the Cardinals. If he can't, reserve fullback Jamize Olawale, whom Oakland has a lot of hope for, will step in.
Tuck left last week's game with a knee injury. He missed some time, but he eventually return to the game. He didn't have much of an impact when he returned, but given his disappointing performance this season, that can't be blamed on the injury. He hasn't practiced, but he also hasn't been ruled out.
If Tuck is unable to play, it could prove to be a blessing in disguise for the defense. The Raiders would likely tab reserve C.J. Wilson to replace him. The defensive linemen have recorded three sacks this season. Despite getting limited action, Wilson is responsible for two of them.
Barnes remains questionable with a quad injury. Fortunately, Menelik Watson stepped in for him at right tackle against the Chargers and played well. This means that Oakland doesn't have to rush Barnes back. Whichever one plays this week, the Raiders will be comfortable at the position.
Hayden has returned to full participation. He's been playing well in practice and hasn't suffered any setbacks, but he won't be rushed back to action. Williamson projects that Hayden's likely return date will be October 26 (Week 8) when the Raiders visit the Cleveland Browns.
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X-Factors and Matchups to Watch
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Oakland Defensive Line vs. Carson Palmer
Palmer has the arm to make any pass. He's also so confident in his arm that he's willing to force passes. Since 2011, he's thrown 63 touchdowns, but he's also thrown 52 interceptions.
With time, Palmer can be lethal. Under pressure, he can become prone to mistakes.
On Sunday, it'll be up to the Oakland defensive line to create that pressure. This is a big ask for a unit that has failed to create consistent pressure in any game. In fact, the starting four have combined for only one sack this season. That has to change against Arizona.
If the defensive line can get into the backfield, Palmer will be forced to scramble, and he will make some ill-advised throws. This will create opportunities for the secondary to attack the ball and make some game-changing plays.
But if it doesn't, it'll be another game in which the opposing quarterback has too much time to throw and picks apart the Oakland secondary.
Darren McFadden vs. Arizona Linebackers
In Week 6, McFadden had by far his most effective performance. He ran hard and violently, and he picked up yards in bunches. But what he wasn't able to do was get beyond the linebackers and get into the open field.
The running game was efficient against San Diego, but it didn't have any big plays. This put even more pressure on Carr to create points. While McFadden was effective, he wasn't the game-changer that he has the ability to be.
Last week, McFadden provided balance to the offense. This week, he'll also need to contribute points. To do so, he's going to have to beat the linebackers and get to the second level of the defense.
Derek Carr vs. Patrick Peterson
One of Carr's early defining characteristics has been his willingness to challenge the opposition's top defenders. He's gone after cornerbacks like Richard Sherman and Brandon Flowers. He'll have another chance to do that this week against Patrick Peterson.
Oakland's success on deep balls was a huge factor in the offense's success last week. Not only did the team get big plays downfield, it also opened up intermediate routes and the running game. Carr needs to be able to maintain this level of success to keep the offense dangerous. And to accomplish this, he'll have to challenge Peterson and win.
LaMarr Woodley vs. Jared Veldheer
The Raiders have used a variety of alignments along the defensive line, but Bair notes that Woodley is likely to be the one most often lined up across from Veldheer.
The left tackle was one of the prized free agents this past offseason, but his performance hasn't exactly lived up to the big price tag (five years, $35 million to be exact, according to Spotrac).
Pro Football Focus gave Veldheer a minus-3.1 rating in Week 6 (via JustBlogBaby's Chase Ruttig) when he spent a lot of the game on his heels against Brian Orakpo. Ruttig goes on to note that since returning from a triceps injury last season, Veldheer has averaged a rating of minus-1.4.
Woodley has arguably been Oakland's most disappointing defender this season. He'll have an opportunity to turn his season around when he takes on the under-performing Veldheer this week.
X-Factor of the Week: Andre Holmes
Holmes is currently enjoying the best stretch of his young career. Over the last two games, he's totaled nine receptions, 195 yards and three touchdowns. This has been great for the offense, and the rest of the league is starting to take notice.
This week, Holmes will have to maintain this pace against one of the NFL's top cornerbacks in Peterson, who's likely going to be his primary defender. Holmes hasn't yet established himself as an every-game No. 1 receiver, but he's shown that he has the ability. The offense will need him to continue to take the top off of the defense. If he does, it can lead to another explosive day for Carr and the Oakland attack.
Prediction
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Despite losing last week, Oakland will enter its Week 7 matchup still riding the high of that performance. This, combined with the confidence infused by Sparano, will lead to another good performance from the Raiders.
Carr has found a rhythm with his receivers. Holmes has been getting the headlines, but James Jones and Brice Butler have also proven to be dangerous. Carr has multiple options, and he's willing to throw to whoever's open. This will lead to another successful day through the air for Oakland.
McFadden will build off of last week's success, and he'll find the end zone for the first time since Week 2. This will provide the balance the offense needs to maintain successful drives over four quarters.
The defense is still untalented, but defensive coordinator Tarver's new, aggressive approach will lead to more opportunities to make plays. The defensive line and linebackers will have different looks and use different blitz packages. They'll force Palmer into some bad throws on which the secondary will be able to make plays.
The Raiders have figured something out on offense that works, and the unit will score enough points. The defense will do just enough, and Oakland will walk off the field on Sunday with its first win of the season.
Prediction: Raiders 23, Arizona 20
Unless otherwise noted, all stats taken from ESPN.com.
Share your thoughts and opinions on Twitter @BrianJ_Flores.
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