7 Keys to Victory in Oakland Raiders' Week 2 Matchup
The Oakland Raiders travel home for a Week 2 matchup with the New York Jets. Before you begin to chuckle at the competition, remember head coach Jack Del Rio's mantra for his team, "respect every opponent, fear nobody."
Sure, we can laugh at the Jets' 38-year-old starting quarterback Josh McCown, who's playing for his eighth team—and once upon a time suited up for the Silver and Black for the 2007 season.
Outsiders can point at quarterback Christian Hackenberg, the Jets' 2016 second-round pick, who couldn't beat out a journeyman for the starting spot during the offseason. You can also highlight Gang Green's best receiver, Jermaine Kearse, who became a member of the team via trade nine days before the regular-season opener.
However, the Raiders would become the laughing stock of the league for at least a week if they lost to the Jets on their turf. The Raiders know what it's like to stand in the Jets' position. It's a team with nothing to lose and very little expectations.
Don't sleep on a club that's expected to lose by a huge margin. According to OddsShark.com, Oakland stands at -10 (bet $10 to win $1) on Wednesday, the second-largest spread among Week 2 matchups.
Playoff teams don't win games on paper. Regardless of the outside perception of the opponent, the Raiders have to put in the work on Sunday. Here are seven keys to victory.
Respect the Rebuilding Jets
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Most analysts can't find three wins for the Jets on the schedule, though it doesn't mean head coach Todd Bowles' group can't pull off a few surprises.
Remember, whether a player believes in his team or not, it's never beneficial to put a poor performance on tape. Guys may have family members watching them from afar. Some individuals entered a contract year and want a big payout in the offseason. Others play for more than a paycheck—their pride won't allow them to take a loss the easy way.
Del Rio will say all the right things to the media, and he's probably relaying the same message to the players in the locker room. Forget the Jets' record, past gaffes and the outside noise about their deficiencies—once the whistle blows, every Raider must win his matchup.
Though spectators see the Jets as a team vying for the No. 1 overall pick in the draft, they're still capable opponents.
Test the Rookie Safeties in Deep Coverage
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New York drafted a pair of safeties in the first two rounds of April's draft. First-rounder Jamal Adams played 97 percent of defensive snaps in Week 1, and second-round pick Marcus Maye took the field for every snap on defense.
Jets general manager Mike Maccagnan and Bowles would like to see the secondary develop to balance the defense after cutting ties with veteran defensive backs Darrelle Revis, Calvin Pryor and Marcus Gilchrist. Even though the rookies played well in the regular-season opener, quarterback Derek Carr should test the pair in deep coverage.
In Week 1, the Raiders focused on Tennessee Titans rookie cornerback Adoree' Jackson in coverage against wideout Amari Cooper. On Sunday, we should see the third-year wide receiver run deep routes against an inexperienced centerfielder.
In fact, multiple receiving threats could test the Jets' defensive backfield 15-plus yards downfield. Look for offensive coordinator Todd Downing to make an attempt to break the game open in the first quarter.
Attack Jets' Faulty Run Defense with Speed
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The Jets allowed 190 rushing yards in their 21-12 loss to the Buffalo Bills. According to ESPN.com reporter Rich Cimini, the run defense didn't carry over teachings from practices, which led to running back LeSean McCoy gutting the Jets' front seven:
"In practice, the coaches stressed the importance of setting the edge against LeSean McCoy, with the goal of forcing him to the inside. They failed miserably. Get this: Of McCoy's 110 yards, 92 came before contact, according to ESPN Stats & Information. What does that mean? It means they were caught out of position and were gashed by his cutback runs. You can't blame one or two players; this was a total team breakdown."
McCoy's speed posed a huge problem for the Jets' interior defense. The Raiders have two running backs who can further expose their issues up front.
Running back Marshawn Lynch took the spotlight when he steamrolled 300-pound defensive lineman Jurrell Casey in the previous outing, but he can watch his teammates shred Sunday's opponent. Both Jalen Richard and DeAndre Washington have the ability to break contain with speed and leave ankles on the ground with sharp cuts.
Of course, none of the above means Beast Mode isn't good for a couple of broken tackles on hard-nosed carries up the middle.
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Feed the Cook
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The Raiders saw an immediate elevation at tight end in the passing attack. Carr targeted Jared Cook on the opening drive. The 30-year-old offseason acquisition secured all five targets for 56 yards in his Raider debut.
The Carr-Cook connection should continue to grow throughout the season with another feast on Sunday. Darron Lee, the Jets second-year inside linebacker struggled in coverage against the Bills.
"He [Lee] was the lowest-graded player on the team, according to Pro Football Focus," Cimini wrote. "The former first-round pick struggled in coverage, as he allowed a 134.7 passer rating—four receptions on six targets for 54 yards and a touchdown."
Bills tight end Charles Clay finished with four catches for 53 yards and a touchdown against the Jets. Downing could place a bullseye on Lee's chest until he settles in intermediate pass coverage. The Raiders can also experiment with two-tight end sets with Cook and Clive Walford or Lee Smith for emphasis.
Activate Darius Latham
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The Raiders should consider a small change to the active lineup. Defensive tackle Darius Latham didn't suit up for the Titans as a healthy scratch.
The Jets' best offensive playmakers stand behind McCown in the backfield. If Gang Green has any chance at winning, running backs Bilal Powell and Matt Forte must contribute to the offensive production on a bigger scale than the previous week.
The Jets' new offensive coordinator John Morton leaned heavily on the passing attack against the Bills. McCown threw 39 passes, and the running back duo ran the ball 13 times.
As a former wide receivers coach, Morton fell into the comfort trap—focusing on what he knows as opposed to play-calling to the offense's strength. Expect the three-to-one ratio to favor the ground attack on Sunday.
The Raiders have enough talented bodies up front to thwart the Jets' efforts to balance their offensive attack. Rookie third-rounder Eddie Vanderdoes put forth a sparkling performance in the trenches that won't appear in the box score.
In preparation for a heavy dose of Powell and Forte, Latham could take the field alongside Vanderdoes for added support. The second-year defensive lineman flashed throughout the preseason as a quality run-defender.
Target Amari Cooper in the Red Zone
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This particular key to victory will have a lasting effect. On Sunday, Carr went to Cooper on three consecutive plays for a touchdown, but the Raiders settled for a field goal.
Before we groan about Cooper's drop issues from his rookie year, allow him to correct his mechanics and move forward with what should become his best season to date.
The third-year receiver saw 13 targets and hauled in five receptions for 62 yards and a touchdown against the Titans. It's not a great catch rate to start the season, but Carr also took the blame for the missed opportunity in his postgame press conference.
In reality, it doesn't matter who's at fault—the dynamic AC-DC connection eases coverage on other pass-catchers. The two will likely work on scenarios similar to the situation against the Titans deep in the opponent's territory during practices. You'll notice better results on Sunday. It's way too early to worry about Cooper's hands.
Send Karl Joseph Downhill
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We saw safety Karl Joseph leap high and swat a pass away from Titans wideout Eric Decker in the end zone. In Week 2, defensive coordinator Ken Norton Jr. should send the second-year player on a beeline toward the pocket.
Joseph can hit running backs and pin the quarterback to the ground just as good as he's able to drop back in coverage. He earned his nickname, the Hitman, at West Virginia.
As a stationary quarterback behind a shaky offensive line, McCown doesn't have a chance at evading the Raiders' hard-hitting safety when he goes downhill toward the pocket.
Norton and John Pagano can utilize Joseph in so many ways in different areas on the field. His ability to disrupt opposing offenses in the backfield can't go unnoticed and underutilized.
It seems odd to say this, but the Raiders can trust their cornerbacks against wideouts Kearse and Robby Anderson, especially with McCown hesitant to throw downfield. With free safety Reggie Nelson in centerfield, Joseph can wreak havoc on early downs to put the Jets in 3rd-and-long situations.
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