Football has finally returned. The Las Vegas Raiders will begin their season against their heated AFC West rivals, the Los Angeles Chargers. In terms of the Raiders offense, let’s look at some playmakers that fans should be closely monitoring on Sunday.
Cody Whitehair could be key for the Raiders O-line…
The Raiders will heavily rely on veteran Cody Whitehair, as vaunted second-round pick Jackson Powers-Johnson is unable to take his place (due to health reasons) alongside stalwart Kolton Miller. The former Chicago Bear is coming off a less than promising season in the Windy City. Originally, Las Vegas brought in Whitehair, a seasoned pro with insight into new offensive coordinator Luke Getsy’s scheme. However, injuries have led Whitehair to a path that may include a redemption arc.
If the numbers told the entire tale, you would view the eighth-year guard as someone whose best days are behind them. Well, let me tell you, the numbers are 100% right. But hey, here’s to old man strength…?
Las Vegas’ best-case scenario allows the aforementioned Miller to help mitigate some of the mistakes Whitehair may make while he takes a much-needed sip from the mythical fountain of youth. The worst case may require head coach Antonio Pierce cutting a deal with Ra’s al Ghul to launch Cody into a Lazarus Pit.
Are we finally getting a Tre Tucker statement game?
The camp hype surrounding second-year speedster Tre Tucker rolled into the preseason quite nicely. He may not have caught everything—who could with Gardner Minshew chucking your way?—but the effort to cut back on drops was evident. New offensive coordinator Luke Getsy has no shortage of weapons at his disposal, but few of them have displayed as much chemistry with the starting QB as Tucker has. While Los Angeles has names like Derwin James and Asante Samuel Jr. in the secondary, the rest of the backfield is not very intimidating.
The Cincinnati alum could receive targets early and often, while Davante Adams handles bracket coverage all afternoon.
A “home” game for Raiders RB Alexander Mattison finds him in a perfect role…
Inland Empire native Alexander Mattison will be an hour away from his hometown come kickoff this Sunday.
He will also be in a role he has proven to be most comfortable in—he’s going to be the co-star. During his previous stop, the Boise State product didn’t fit the mold of an every-down workhorse. In Las Vegas, however, he will form a tandem with second-year man Zamir White. The Raiders coaching staff (primarily Getsy and Pierce) are of the same mind when it comes to the team’s philosophy. They’re going to run the ball early and often, all while establishing their dominance.
White will receive the majority of the touches, but Mattison’s plate won’t be empty. By game’s end, the team’s leading rusher could be the San Bernardino High School graduate.
*Top Photo: Las Vegas Sun
Raiders vs. Chargers: Let’s Have Some Wild Predictions For Week 1