Raiders vs. Titans: Full Game Preview for Tennessee

The last time the Tennessee Titans and the Oakland Raiders met back in 2013, Kendall Wright caught the game-winning touchdown pass. He was only a rookie, and now the Titans desperately need him to return to the lineup to strengthen an inexperienced receiving corps.

It's hard to believe, but the Titans have lost 10 straight games at home. Wins will be hard to come by for the remainder of the season, but this is one that the Titans have a moderate chance of winning.

The Raiders are a team on the rise, and the Titans will definitely have to play mistake-free to finally get over the hump at home. Getting a win in front of the home fans would be a huge weight lifted for this franchise that hasn't been to the playoffs since 2008.

A win over a similarly young Raiders team will show that progress is being made in Tennessee.

Where: Nissan Stadium, Nashville, TN

When: November 29, 1:00 PM ET (Noon CT)

TV: Channel 5 WTVF (Local)

Week 11 Results and Recap

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The very slim playoff hopes that the Titans had last week were crushed in an uninspired performance against the Jacksonville Jaguars. The offense once again struggled to find any rhythm, and that was mainly due to not having any sort of vertical threat on the outside.

Marcus Mariota did what he could, and he even had a highlight-reel touchdown run that put the Titans ahead. Breakdowns in special teams and a fumble by Phillip Supernaw ultimately sent them to another frustrating loss in a game that was there to be taken.

The offense clearly missed Kendall Wright and Justin Hunter. It was one-dimensional and basically had only Delanie Walker to depend on.

Walker had another solid game with 109 yards receiving. He will have to continue to be the focal point of the passing game.

The defense, once again, kept the game close enough for Tennessee to get a win. A late interception by Zach Brown should have salted the game away. There were a few lapses in the secondary, but it was still impressive against a very talented Blake Bortles. 

With the loss, the Titans sunk even deeper into the AFC South cellar. Everyone else in the division had wins in Week 11, which officially should end any talks about the Titans making the playoffs. 

AFC South Standings

Colts 5-5

Texans 5-5

Jaguars 4-6

Titans 2-8

News and Notes

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JACKSONVILLE, FL - NOVEMBER 19: Marcus Mariota #8 of the Tennessee Titans dives for a touchdown during the third quarter of a game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at EverBank Field on November 19, 2015 in Jacksonville, Florida. (Photo by Stacy Revere/G

David Cobb Could See More Carries

The debut for David Cobb didn't go very smoothly as he finished with negative yardage on four carries against the Jaguars. There was no offensive flow for Cobb to do much in his first game.

Cobb is expected to see more carries this week, per Terry McCormick of TitansInsider.com: "David Cobb expected to get more carries this week for #Titans."

It's time for the Titans to see what they have in all of their young players, and Cobb certainly fits into that. He could end up forming a nice rushing duo with Antonio Andrews. He needs to see close to 10 carries as a secondary option to Andrews.

There is patience that is required with a player who has almost no game experience. His ability to pass protect is the biggest concern when throwing to a young running back.

More Designed Runs May Be Coming For Marcus Mariota

It's no secret that Marcus Mariota has the abilities to be a great running quarterback, but he hasn't relied on that for much of the season. He's shown that he knows how to stand in the pocket and find open receivers.

With the offense struggling the way it has been, it may be time to start utilizing Mariota's running ability more. The key is that Mariota runs on designed plays so that he has time to slide and avoid big hits. Quarterbacks usually get hurt when they're scrambling on plays that weren't designed.

We may see more designed rollouts for Mariota moving forward, according to Paul Kuharsky of ESPN.com.

The Titans have to get creative and figure out ways to keep defenses off balance. Threatening teams with Mariota's ability to both run and throw outside the pocket is something the Titans need to explore more often. 

The Titans still have to be careful not to put Mariota in the line of fire too much. The last thing this team needs is to lose its franchise quarterback in the midst of a season that is already lost. 

Success From Tight End Position Will Be Key

Even with Kendall Wright possibly returning, a collectively strong performance from the tight end position is critical. The Titans took five tight ends out of training camp to the regular season, and they all need to start producing as receivers.

Delanie Walker is having his best season in a Titans uniform, but he still needs help. This means that Anthony Fasano will need to keep chipping in, along with Phillip Supernaw and Craig Stevens.

This unit will keep getting a lot of targets from Mariota and will really have to deliver to pull this offense out of neutral. There's not enough strength at wide receiver to carry the offense, making the tight ends so important. 

Injury Update

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Kendall Wright's pending return is on everyone's mind when looking over this matchup with the Raiders. The Titans stand very little chance of scoring more than 14 points without Wright in the lineup. He opens things up for the other young receivers, including Dorial Green-Beckham. 

It's been a promising week for Wright as he's making progress to return, via Jim Wyatt of TitansOnline.com: "Mike Mularkey said Kendall Wright looked better today than he expected. Said he moved around well @titans."

The Titans will be able to do so much more on offense with Wright back in the lineup. 

The news isn't as bright for Dexter McCluster, who wasn't able to practice, per John Glennon of the Tennessean: "Morgan (shoulder), Wright (knee) were officially limited today for #Titans. No practice for Hill, McCluster, Woods."

McCluster plays so many different roles on this offense. With him not in the mix, it will force the Titans to lean more heavily on Antonio Andrews and David Cobb. It will also take away another option in the passing game.

The secondary has also been banged up, but it looks likely that Blidi Wreh-Wilson will be able to return to add some much-needed depth to the unit. 

Derrick Morgan was a limited participant in practice, per Paul Kuharsky of ESPN.com (h/t ESPN.com).

Key Matchups

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NASHVILLE, TN - NOVEMBER 15: Brian Orakpo #98 of the Tennessee Titans runs onto the field before a game against the Carolina Panthers at Nissan Stadium on November 15, 2015 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)

Titans Pass Rush vs. Raiders Offensive Line

This matchup will be the biggest factor in how this game plays out. The Raiders do an excellent job at protecting Derek Carr, but the Titans' main calling card on defense has been the ability to apply pressure in the pocket. 

Brian Orakpo has led this charge with a team-leading seven sacks and at least one sack in his last four games. His play, along with a few others, has been a major reason why the Titans have been so successful on defense. 

With a shaky secondary, the Titans have to rely on their aggressive pass rush. Orakpo and company need to rush Carr into difficult throws on the run. He has too many weapons on the outside to be able to sit in the pocket and throw darts. 

Marcus Mariota vs. Raiders Secondary

You can easily forget how impressive of a rookie campaign Mariota is having when you look at his 2-6 record as a starter. Many of the losses cannot be blamed on the play of Mariota, and the things he's been able to accomplish with limited talent around him can't be overlooked.

Mariota is due for another big game. He may be a rookie, but he needs to put this team on his shoulders. He has to strike for first blood early in the game and then open things up for the running game to take over.

The Titans clearly don't have much to work with on the outside, and that's why Mariota is having a hard time finding open receivers in the pocket. Allowing him to move around more outside the pocket should be explored.

Maritoa will be going up against a Raiders defense that gives up the third-most passing yards per game in the NFL. 

Matchup X-Factors

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Matchup X-Factor: Dorial Green-Beckham

One way the Titans could instantly break out of their scoring funk would be if Dorial Green-Beckham could put together a complete game. He's been wildly inconsistent, which should have been expected.

Green-Beckham has all the physical tools to be an unstoppable force on the outside. His inconsistency has been frustrating, but the Titans have to keep finding ways to throw the ball his way. A big game from him this week will allow the offense to finally give the defense some points to work with.

It's very disheartening for defenses when they know that their margin for error is so small. 

Green-Beckham will once again be the No.1 threat at wide receiver with Kendall Wright being limited, if he does indeed play. This is a great opportunity for Green-Beckham to take command and make this offense more vertical. 

Underrated X-Factor: Coty Sensabaugh

The Raiders bring a two-headed monster at wide receiver with Amari Cooper and Michael Crabtree. They'll have to account for both, and that means Coty Sensabaugh will need to have a strong performance.

Sensabaugh has had some tough outings this season, and that especially seems true when he's lined up on the outside. He's been forced into a lot of different situations with so many injuries at cornerback. He's been the one consistently healthy player at the position.

The Raiders have the capability of putting up a lot of points through the air with a passing attack that's widely overlooked, so a big game from Sensabaugh will be needed. 

Final Prediction: Raiders 24, Titans 17

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Things will not get any easier for the Titans after this week. They're facing a Raiders team that is quickly on the rise with a promising young quarterback, a reliable running game and the ability go vertical with their two-pronged attack at wide receiver.

It will be a difficult task for the defense to completely shut down Oakland's offense. The Titans will have to bring regular pressure on Derek Carr in the pocket so that he doesn't have time to find Amari Cooper and Michael Crabtree on long passing routes. That will give the Titans a chance to keep the score low.

No matter what defense the Titans face, it seems that they still can't manage to find a lot of points. They'll enjoy a little more success in this game, but they're not going to completely solve all of their problems. Kendall Wright probably won't be 100 percent if he's able to play, and that will force younger players to make plays.

Another week of very little running room will plague Antonio Andrews. Opposing teams don't currently respect the Titans' ability to throw the ball down the field, so they zero in on stopping the run. 

What little success that the Titans will enjoy will come from the tight end position. If they can have a big game from that unit, then maybe the offense can grind out a couple of touchdowns. 

There is just too much youth on this offense for them to be able to score enough points to win in today's NFL. The Raiders will find a way to score 20-plus points, and there's no reason to have confidence in the Titans being able to match that. A couple of stalled drives in the red zone will lead to field goals, but lead them to another loss at home.

Prediction: Raiders 24, Titans 17