Who will the Raiders defense have to account for this week against the Philadelphia Eagles?
Las Vegas will be facing the Philadelphia Eagles tomorrow. The Raiders are coming off a bounce-back game last week and will look to start a winning streak. The Eagles may be 2-4, but these three players shouldn’t be taken lightly on offense by the Silver and Black.
RB Miles Sanders
Some of Miles Sanders’ numbers are misleading. Even though he has only averaged 45 rushing yards per game, Sanders is gaining 4.7 yards per carry. The problem has been that he was not getting enough touches, despite his skills. Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni has said that Sanders needs the ball more. That would be wise on their part because the Raiders’ run defense has been a weakness. Opposing offenses have averaged 4.6 yards per carry against the Raiders, which is seventh-worst in the league. If they allow Sanders to find success on Sunday, it can easily become a long day for the defense.
QB Jalen Hurts
The Eagles’ second-year quarterback should not be taken lightly. While the 88.6 passer rating belonging to Hurts is not remarkable, his scrambling is something to watch out for. Hurts averages 50 rushing yards per game and has scored five rushing touchdowns. In the passing game, Hurts has only passed for more than 200 yards in three games. However, he went over 300 yards in two of those games. Hurts will likely be put in a position where he will have to run the ball; the Raiders defense hasn’t allowed many big plays against the pass. The defensive line will look to limit him after racking up five sacks last week.
WR DeVonta Smith
Being the 10th overall pick is already enough to be taken seriously. Despite some up and down games, DeVonta Smith should be a priority to guard on defense. He is also second amongst rookie wide receivers with 345 receiving yards. Casey Hayward will likely guard Smith; the veteran cornerback has only allowed a 42.9 completion percentage and a 51.3 passer rating when targeted. If the Raiders can limit Smith, that will make things much easier for the defense as they’ll be able to focus on Hurts and Sanders.
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*Top Photo: Courtesy of Getty Images