Subscribe
Follow Us
With a Las Vegas Raiders Week 9 game scheduled against the Jacksonville Jaguars, many eyes will be on the struggling Raiders. Ahead of the Raiders-Jaguars game, we'll be making our Raiders Week 9 predictions.
Las Vegas is 2-5 and lost to the New Orleans Saints 24-0. It was an utter disappointment for the Raiders, as they struggled heavily. The offense executed poorly, with Derek Carr completing 15 of his 26 passes for 101 yards, zero touchdowns, and an interception. Star wide receiver Davante Adams only had one catch in the game for three yards, which won't get it done. The run game wasn't much better, as Josh Jacobs only rushed for 43 yards on 10 carries.
It is shocking to have an atrocious offensive performance like this with all the weapons they have. Las Vegas still has a chance to turn the season around, but it will be an uphill climb.
With that said, let's move on to our Raiders Week 9 predictions.
*Watch NFL games LIVE with fuboTV (click for free trial)*
3. Raiders' pass rush gets multiple sacks
While Las Vegas needs to get their offense back on track, they also need to get their pass rush going. Against the Saints last week, the Raiders were unable to get a sack and couldn't get pressure on the QB. They aren't lacking the talent, as Las Vegas has a star pass-rushing duo of Chandler Jones and Maxx Crosby. Crosby is having another productive season for the Raiders after his Pro Bowl season last year.
Crosby has six sacks on the season and gets to the quarterback at a high rate. Jones, on the other hand, has not been the same player he was with the Arizona Cardinals since signing with the Raiders in the offseason. He only has a half sack on the season and has struggled to produce at the level he has in years prior. While Jones is off to a slow start, he is still a great player.
If Las Vegas can get Crosby and Jones going at the same time, their pass rush will become potent.
2. Davante Adams bounces back, goes for over 100 yards
It's rare for a star wideout like Adams to have a terrible game. It's even rarer for a player of his caliber to have back-to-back bad games, which is why he should bounce back against Jacksonville. Adams is one of the top receivers in the game and is in his first season as a Raider. They acquired him in the offseason in a trade with the Green Bay Packers.
Adams is having a solid season, with 38 receptions for 512 yards and five touchdowns. He may not be playing as well as he did in Green Bay, but he is still elite.
The entire offense needs to play better, and part of that will be involving Adams more in the offense. Carr has a solid connection with Adams, and finding him early and often could get the Raiders' passing attack going.
1. Raiders get back on track, beat the Jaguars
Las Vegas may be 2-5, but they have the talent to make it to the postseason. They are in a tough division, as the AFC West has all playoff-caliber teams, with the Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Chargers, and Denver Broncos. Denver and Las Vegas have struggled, but they could turn it around and make a playoff push.
The Jaguars sit at 2-6 on the season and have lost five straight games. This a perfect opportunity for the Raiders to get back on track and improve to 3-5.
