The Las Vegas Raiders begin a crucial two-week stretch in the friendly confines of Allegiant Stadium as they host the Minnesota Vikings at 4:05 pm ET on Sunday.
The Raiders (5-7) and Vikings (6-6) are both coming off a bye week, and it’s a key game for both teams clinging to playoff hopes hovering around .500. Even more vital for the Raiders is the performance of their roster and their interim head coach, Antonio Pierce, who are all auditioning to stick around in what is expected to be yet another offseason of massive changes.
After winning their first two games under Pierce following the firing of Josh McDaniels and general manager Dave Ziegler, the Raiders have lost two straight and have scored just 30 points over that span. Rookie quarterback Aidan O’Connell continues to improve and avoid turnovers, but the team’s uneven and inconsistent offensive performances reemerged in the two losses to Miami and Kansas City.
Josh Jacobs, last year’s rushing champion, chalked up 125 total scrimmage yards in Week 12 against a stout Chiefs defense (including 110 yards rushing). The Raiders have struggled with offensive rhythm, which seems to start games quickly but then fade, unable to move the ball, adding pressure on their defense consistently.
While the Raiders’ defense has improved over 2022, it still leaves a lot to be desired in critical areas, including against the run. Las Vegas has yielded an average of 127 yards per game to opponents and over 343 total offensive yards. A big bright spot has been the Raider’s ability to create turnovers. In 2022, the Raiders set a franchise record for fewest takeaways in a season with 13 and have already surpassed that through 13 weeks with 14.
With their slim playoff hopes on the line, let’s look at keys to a Raiders victory on Sunday in Las Vegas.
Exploiting offensive weaknesses of Minnesota Vikings
The Vikings have recently struggled on the offensive side of the ball. After the sweeping rescue of its offense by QB Josh Dobbs, Minnesota has stumbled the past few weeks on offense. Dobbs and the Vikings scored just 10 points in their loss to the Chicago Bears where both struggled with turnovers and other miscues. The Raiders should take advantage of these struggles by maintaining a defensive presence, especially in critical areas like the red zone, to disrupt and prevent the Vikings from finding their groove. The return of Justin Jefferson could help Minnesota and will present a new challenge for the Raiders young secondary.
Harnessing Maxx Crosby’s impact
Defensive Player of the Year candidate Maxx Crosby is the motor that powers the Raiders’ defense, and against the Vikings, he has to be his usual disruptive force. Coming off the bye, where he was able to rest his ailing left knee, Crosby will be the key to containing the Vikings’ rushing attack. Crosby ranks second in the NFL in tackles for loss (15) and is tied for sixth in sacks with 11.5. He has to have one of his typical dominant performances to slow down the Minnesota attack.
Attack Vikings inexperienced secondary
While Byron Murphy and Harrison Smith are solid and experienced defensive backs for the Vikings, the rest of the unit is young and has struggled in 2023. The Vikings are yielding 259 passing yards per game. Pro Football Focus ranked the unit 25th and has allowed 15 touchdowns in the air this season. Raiders receiver Davante Adams, who is familiar with the Vikings from his time with the Packers, should factor big in this one if the Vegas offense can target him and his receiver room. Jakobi Meyers, rookie Tre Tucker and tight end Michael Mayer all need to see touches to exploit the weakness of the Minnesota offense. O’Connell must play turnover-free football and should have plenty of opportunity to attack the inexperienced unit.
Las Vegas Raiders need to find consistent offensive rhythm
The Raiders always do better when they can get into a rhythm on offense, including a steady diet of running the ball with Jacobs. Yet, the Vikings’ strength on defense comes against the run as they currently rank seventh in the NFL and limit opponents to under 100 yards per game on the ground. This means interim offensive coordinator Bo Hardegree must balance the playbook to set up his rookie quarterback, O’Connell, for success while also being aggressive enough to convert third downs and keep his defense off the field as much as possible. This has been a struggle for the Raiders even under McDaniels. If Las Vegas is to win some games down this stretch, they have to find consistency on offense.
Contain TJ Hockenson
One of the best young tight ends in the game today, Hockenson presents a problem for the Raiders. They will use him to try and exploit the Raiders’ struggles against tight ends — especially over the middle where Las Vegas lacks speed at linebacker. Robert Spillane and Divine Deablo will have their hands full, as well as the Raiders’ secondary. Hockenson has averaged over 10 yards per catch over the past three games, has two touchdowns and has gained over 150 yards. While Jefferson presents an enormous challenge downfield, Hockenson’s presence might give Raider Nation Travis Kelce-like flashbacks. Las Vegas must do what it can to not let Hockenson beat them, especially on key third downs and in the red zone.