The Las Vegas Raiders are 2-0, to the surprise of the rest of the NFL. This week, the 1-1 Miami Dolphins come to town, and here’s what the Silver and Black must do to win this one.Â
Limit Turnovers
Of course, this is always the case in any football game. However, against the Dolphins, this is always paramount. In 2020, Miami led the NFL in turnovers forced, and in 2021, they already have five. Much of this is due to ball-hawking cornerback Xavien Howard who had ten interceptions last season. For the Raiders to win, they must keep Howard out of this game. Luckily for them, quarterback Derek Carr has done a tremendous job limiting turnovers thus far.
Pressure Jacoby Brissett
With the injury to starting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, Jacoby Brissett now steps in. Although he is currently a backup, Brissett is no stranger to starting in the NFL as he has 32 starts in his career. The most difficult part of Sunday’s game for Brissett will be navigating the Las Vegas pass rush. Not helping him here is his offensive line. With one of the worst O-lines in the league, the Raiders’ improved pass rush should be able to attack Brissett all game.
Don’t Believe the Hype
Truthfully, this is a game the Raiders should win relatively easily. As such, their biggest weakness in this one could be themselves. As we’ve seen in the past two seasons, the Raiders are wildly susceptible to trap games. If Las Vegas is trying to prove that they are a new team, they need to win this game convincingly.
*Top Photo: Ethan Miller/Getty Images