The Las Vegas Raiders opened their preseason slate with a sizable victory over the San Francisco 49ers. The vibes are at an all-time high as the team looks to continue its winning ways vs. the Los Angeles Rams on Saturday evening.
The two squads have been preparing for the matchup by logging some heated joint practices together. Maxx Crosby stuck his nose in a fight or two as the pass rusher exchanged in a passionate back and forth with Cam Akers. If Crosby does play in the game, it will only be for a handful of snaps, so don’t expect any brawls this weekend.
Vegas may not be the strongest roster on paper, but one thing is certain: Every guy in the locker room plays at 100 mph on each snap. The Rams are a completely different team from the one that hoisted a Lombardi Trophy in 2021, but it would still be a nice win for this ascending group.
It is unclear which players will take the field for the Silver and Black as of this writing. But these three youngsters could make a statement with standout performances if they all suit up. Let’s examine further as the Raiders hope to build on the momentum created last weekend.
Raiders Hope Aidan O’Connell Continues His Stellar Play
Aidan O’Connell is obviously the biggest name to watch. His performance last week against the 49ers has officially gotten the hype train rolling. Raider Nation is eager to see what is next for the rookie against a team that has Super Bowl pedigree.
The main thing to monitor is whether O’Connell can continue completing a high percentage of passes while avoiding big mistakes. It would also be nice to see him challenged a bit more, both from a play-calling standpoint and in terms of facing pressure.
At times, San Francisco made things a little too easy. Let’s see how ‘AOC’ fares with some tighter coverage.
Michael Mayer Could Seize The TE1 Role If He Remains Healthy
The Raiders rookie has still not made his NFL debut, leaving fans chomping at the bit to see if the Notre Dame product is a worthwhile successor to Darren Waller. Michael Mayer has been in and out of practice due to injury most of the offseason. But the gifted tight end returned to the field for joint practices with the Rams this week, providing hope that his health is trending upwards. It would be awesome to see Mayer in live game action on Saturday; those reps are invaluable for rookies.
However, Mayer practicing this week might not mean much. Even if he is 100 percent healthy, the Raiders coaching staff still might not feel the need to play him. If the Raiders expect him to start, or at least play a lot early on in the season, they will not want to risk him getting hurt. Keep an eye on the starting lineup closer to kickoff.
Is Zamir White Enough To Lead The Vegas Run Game?
Zamir White logged the start against San Francisco, and his play was solid. Even so, he still feels more like a placeholder until Josh Jacobs returns than a suitable replacement. He scored a touchdown but only averaged a shade over three yards per carry. White consistently got the yardage created by his blockers, but there were runs where Jacobs could have easily gotten more.
As we draw closer to the regular season, something must give in the standoff between Jacobs and the franchise. If White continues to underwhelm, the Raiders could feel obligated to return to negotiations with a better offer for Jacobs. On the other hand, a breakout game against the Rams could give general manager Dave Ziegler more leverage.
*Top Photo: AP Photo/John Locher
