7 Keys to Victory in Oakland Raiders' Week 3 Matchup
The Oakland Raiders ran, bulldozed and danced their way to a 45-20 blowout victory over the New York Jets in Week 2. Now, we'll pause the music and head back to the drawing board to identify seven keys to victory for a Week 3 matchup against the Washington Redskins.
The Redskins haven't fielded the same fluid offense from 2016. Thus far, quarterback Kirk Cousins has thrown two touchdowns to one interception. He's building a rapport with Terrelle Pryor and leaning on Jamison Crowder and Ryan Grant as his top three receivers. Pierre Garcon and DeSean Jackson signed with San Francisco 49ers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, respectively.
The Raiders come into this contest with a more productive offense, but that's not an excuse for sloppy play. Offensive coordinator Todd Downing should continue to implement new wrinkles for the offense as witnessed on Sunday, with wideout Cordarrelle Patterson taking three direct handoffs for 57 rushing yards and a touchdown.
How should the Raiders go about earning a victory for a 3-0 start?
Target DeAndre Washington and Jalen Richard in Passing Attack
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Washington's defense has allowed 10 catches for 97 yards and a pair of touchdowns to running backs in two weeks.
Marshawn Lynch can catch passes out of the backfield, but the Raiders have two tailbacks who specifically excel in that area while racking up yards after the catch in a flash.
Jalen Richard and DeAndre Washington should see a heavy workload as receivers on Sunday. The former came off a career high with 109 total yards from scrimmage in Week 2.
Richard's ability to break away in open space or create room to run with shifty moves could cause immense issues for the Redskins linebackers on the second level. Mason Foster and Zach Brown have allowed 138 yards after the catch, per Pro Football Focus.
Washington and Richard could account for a bulk of the receiving yards due to favorable matchups against a pair of linebackers struggling in coverage.
Use More Two-Tight End Sets
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We'll continue to focus on the middle of the field. Along with a receiving duo in the backfield, Downing could emphasize two-tight end sets to target the inside linebackers, who surrendered 10 catches for 184 yards and two touchdowns in total. Brown allowed both scores and Foster gave up 110 yards in coverage.
Tight end Jared Cook lists third on the team in pass targets, while Clive Walford has become an afterthought with one ball thrown his way through two weeks.
On Sunday, both tight ends can flourish against a susceptible defense in the middle of the field. Along with the coverage issues at linebacker, the Redskins field two new starting safeties. D.J. Swearinger gave up five catches for 123 yards and a touchdown in two outings. Deshazor Everett lists as a questionable with an eye injury.
Whether it's two running backs, two tight ends or all four, quarterback Derek Carr should test the Redskins' midfield coverage.
Target Amari Cooper Deep Downfield
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In all honesty, wide receiver Amari Cooper should have more than nine catches for 95 yards with a 50 percent catch rate. The Redskins' top three cornerbacks have only surrendered a combined 15 catches for 147 yards, but a few deep routes to challenge the safeties should bode well for the third-year wideout.
Downing can also consider moving Cooper across the formation to exploit matchups and somehow draw a linebacker in coverage on the dynamic receiver. From the slot position, the 23-year-old pass-catcher has run 11 routes and caught two passes for 28 yards.
Through two weeks, Cooper leads the league with five drops, but there's more than enough time to turn his fortunes around for a promising season. A few deep balls downfield to re-establish the AC-DC connection should fare well against Swearinger in coverage.
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Neutralize Terrelle Pryor's Athleticism with Gareon Conley
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The coaching staff didn't ease rookie cornerback Gareon Conley into action for his NFL debut. He played 44 snaps and surrendered one catch for eight yards. Jets quarterback Josh McCown tested the first-rounder early on the perimeter, which ended in a pass breakup.
Conley passed his first test with flying colors and looks ready to see significant snaps going forward. This week, the competition level will rise for the Ohio State product. Cornerback Sean Smith may miss consecutive games with a neck injury.
Nonetheless, Conley serves as the better matchup for Pryor who flashes elite athleticism. The Raiders would fare better with a more agile defender on the perimeter with the neophyte wide receiver.
Smith, with a stiff neck, against a quick-twitch pass-catcher, doesn't sound like a favorable matchup for the Raiders.
Conley ran a 4.44 40-yard time and registered the third best three-cone drill pace (6.68) among cornerbacks. Naturally, he possesses the speed and ability to change direction in coverage. The Ohio State product should continue to play an expanded role on Sunday.
Drop Karl Joseph in Coverage for Secondary Help
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McCown found success twice with wideout Jermaine Kearse against David Amerson in coverage in the previous outing. Cousins isn't on the exact same page with all his receiving targets going into this contest, but the Raiders should provide help on the perimeter if necessary.
Joseph blitzed six times against the Jets who don't have an explosive offense.
"Karl Joseph continued his strong start to the season, grading well in run defense against the Jets, and racking up four defensive stops over the game," Pro Football Focus' Sam Monson wrote. "He also blitzed six times, collecting a sack and three additional hurries on those rushes."
This week, the second-year safety should drop back on his heels as another layer to the pass coverage alongside Conley, Amerson and Reggie Nelson.
On one side, the rookie cornerback would have safety help. As for the opposite end, Amerson doesn't have to match against a wide receiver one-on-one if he struggles with speed or closing separation gaps.
Pressure Interior with Mario Edwards Jr. and Eddie Vanderdoes
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Defensive lineman Mario Edwards Jr. leads the defense with two sacks. He's been active against the run and aggressive near the pocket in both outings.
With Edwards alongside rookie Eddie Vanderdoes, we could finally see the Raiders' improved defensive front in full force.
Redskins offensive guard Shawn Lauvao allowed a sack in each of the first two games and may struggle to handle a hostile interior push up the middle. The result could influence ill-timed or inaccurate throws from the pocket.
Don't count sacks as the end-all, be-all statistic for Edwards and Vanderdoes. Consistent pressure up the middle could disrupt timing with wideouts or flush Cousins outside the pocket into the arms of Khalil Mack or Bruce Irvin—not necessarily for holiday hugs.
Availability and the draft may have filled a void and added much-needed toughness to the defensive line.
Continue to Increase Nicholas Morrow's Workload
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In Week 1, Tennessee Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota completed nine passes for 117 yards with linebacker Tyrell Adams in coverage. As a result, the coaching staff cut the second-year defender's snap count in the following week, and we saw more of Nicholas Morrow in pass defense.
Morrow took more snaps (25) than Adams (21) against the Jets. Overall, the rookie from Greenville College has surrendered one reception for minus-three yards. His collegiate background as a defensive back has certainly paid off as a coverage linebacker in a short period.
In college, Morrow flashed as a playmaker against Division III competition. He registered 151 solo tackles, 38 resulting in a loss, five sacks, four forced fumbles and three interceptions in 34 games. In the early stages, he's found a role within the Raiders' front seven—an area that needed a versatile defender.
Thus far, Cory James and Morrow look like the ideal pair capable of chasing down ball-carriers and challenging pass-catchers in intermediate pass coverage.
Advanced statistics provided by Pro Football Focus unless otherwise noted.
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