With just one more game remaining for the Las Vegas Raiders‘ season, we have one last set of bold predictions. Last week’s predictions did not pan out at all, as Las Vegas had any playoff hopes dashed in Indianapolis. Let’s get into what to expect this week.
All The Big Names Sit For The Raiders
Don’t expect to see most of the Raiders’ stars. Las Vegas has been banged up for a while, with some players fighting to get back to the field and others playing through pain to stay on it. With the Raiders eliminated from playoff contention, there is no point in continuing to do either.
Guys like Josh Jacobs and Michael Mayer will likely not even bother trying to play. Then you have players like Maxx Crosby and Kolton Miller who played last week but aren’t healthy; they could possibly sit as well. The only things that could make them players are Crosby’s pride and the Raiders’ lack of depth at tackle.
Finally, keep an eye on Davante Adams. He could easily decide that this game is just not worth risking injury. If there is any chance of trading him this offseason, the Raiders’ brass could agree.
The season is over. There is no point in playing a lot of these guys. It also helps that their opponent, the Denver Broncos, will be sitting players as well. If this game does turn out to have a ton of scratches, the product on the field could get ugly.
Both Teams Will Have Season-Highs For Penalties
It is going to be hard to watch. Both of these teams are not very good, even when fully healthy. That is why this game has no meaning. In a matchup full of their backups, expect a lot of mistakes.
Looking at the injury report, Las Vegas could end up sitting as many as four of their top six offensive linemen. If that happens, get ready for holding penalties galore. That could easily help push them over their previous season-high of 10 penalties.
Ironically, that total was reached in Week 1 against the Broncos. Both teams actually reached 10 that day. That is actually Denver’s season high as well. Speaking of the Broncos, they are likely pretty checked out at this point. The benching of Russell Wilson when Denver was still in playoff contention sent a clear message to the locker room that the coaching staff and front office are not placing much importance on these games. At this point, why would the players care either?
We might see a dozen penalties from each team in what should be a sloppy game. That being said, this game could have more excitement than we think.
There Will Be Fireworks
Don’t tell the backups and role players that this game doesn’t matter. For many of them, this will be their last chance to prove themselves heading into an offseason where both teams will be looking to upgrade their rosters. This is the type of game where players can gain leverage in contract negotiations and put themselves in pole position for starting spots next year.
That is certainly the case for both quarterbacks in this game. For Raiders quarterback Aidan O’Connell, this could be his last chance to dissuade the front office from spending a high draft pick to replace him. On the other side of the field, former Raider Jarrett Stidham will be looking to prove to the Broncos or any other NFL team that he could still be a starter in this league.
The quarterbacks aren’t the only ones with something to prove. For the Raiders, players like Amik Robertson, DeAndre Carter, and Adam Butler are all looking for new contracts. The same goes for Broncos players such as Josey Jewell, Adam Trautman, and Lil’Jordan Humphrey.
While there should be plenty of players with contracts at stake, at least one coaching staff could have a lot on the line as well. Antonio Pierce and company will likely be pulling out all the stops to prove they are worthy of another year. We will likely see the fullest extent of offensive coordinator Bo Hardegree’s creativity on Sunday. Who knows what sort of trick plays we might see?
It should all make for a game that, despite being sloppy and lacking in star power, should be a ton of fun to watch. Let’s hope so, as it will be our last taste of Raiders football for quite some time.
*Top Photo: Kyle Terada, USA TODAY Sports