Week 3 of preseason is almost upon us and this game tends to be the dress rehearsal for the regular season. The Oakland Raiders visit the goliath that is Dallas Cowboys stadium this Saturday.
The starters tend to play longer in the third game and, with both teams set to meet again deep in the regular season, this is the perfect feeling-out period.
Tree Of Woe: Trio of Raiders who’ll disappoint Saturday
“We’ll see how it goes,” said Raiders head coach Jack Del Rio when broached with starters playing into the third quarter. “The plan is to get a good, solid amount of work in. How long we have to go to get that done, we’ll determine that.”
Expect this tilt to be a bit more serious and, with sincerity, will come scrutiny. Let’s jump that route for a Pick Six, actually a Pick 3.
Here’s a trio of Raiders who are going to disappoint Saturday:
- Marquel Lee: I’m hesitant to put the fifth-round rookie linebacker on the list. After all, he’s been playing like a late-round rookie. But with the position being a big question mark, Lee makes the list, to no fault of his own. Championed as the plug to the gaping hole at Mike, Lee only played 11 snaps against the Los Angeles Rams. The speed of the NFL game is getting the best of the former Wake Forest Demon Deacon. Fortunately, he’s got nowhere to go but up.
- Eddie Vanderdoes: This one was tough, as well. Properly dubbed “The Vandernado” by Ted “Raider Analysis” Nguyen, the third-round pick out of UCLA didn’t cause a stir against the Rams (zero tackles). A week prior, Vanderdoes was pushing the pocket and impressing with his violent nature. Against L.A., there was no such charge. What kind of havoc can the rookie wreak against Dallas’ elite offensive line? Conventional wisdom says little to none. Although, I’d love to be wrong.
- TJ Carrie: He’ll find himself matched up with Dez Bryant at some point. And after watching slippery rookie Cooper Kupp abuse the fourth-year man, imagine what the bigger, faster and more experience Bryant can do against Carrie. Yeah, admit it, you shivered a little bit. That’s OK, I did writing it. Carrie is looking to rebound after an awful performance (he stated eye violation as reason he left Kupp all alone in the end zone on that 23-yard strike from QB Jared Goff. Yep, eye violation. You know, just like how Carrie’s play violated our eyes.
