Oakland Raiders: Week 1 Stat Predictions

August 30, 2015; Oakland, CA, USA; Oakland Raiders wide receiver Kris Durham (83) is congratulated by running back George Atkinson (34) for catching a touchdown pass during the fourth quarter in a preseason NFL football game against the Arizona Cardinals at O.co Coliseum. The Cardinals defeated the Raiders 30-23. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

The Oakland Raiders are scheduled to host the Cincinnati Bengals at O.co Coliseum to open the regular season on Sunday, September 13. Oakland and Cincinnati have in recent history been on the opposite sides of the spectrum when it comes to success in the NFL, as the Bengals have reached the playoffs five of the last six years while the Raiders haven’t seen a playoff game since 2002, but the all-time record between the two AFC teams is a total of 20-8 in favor of the Raiders.

There is a lot of hope surrounding each team’s Week 1 performance, as each team, whether good or bad in the 2014 season, has a strong belief that they can reach the postseason. The Oakland Raiders are among all of those teams.

Head coach Jack Del Rio will likely run his offense through his developing sophomore quarterback Derek Carr and his two stud skill position guys Amari Cooper and Latavius Murray. Expect Murray to receive a lot of touches early in the game, but Cooper could be relied on heavily in the latter half of the contest if the game becomes lopsided in the wrong direction.

On the defensive side of the ball, former Seattle Seahawks linebackers coach and Super Bowl XLVIII champion Ken Norton Jr. should look to bottle Cincinnati’s offense by successfully rushing the passer and stopping the run. Defensive end Khalil Mack will need to be in the face of quarterback Andy Dalton all day if Oakland is to find success, for if Dalton is given consistent time in the pocket star receiver A.J. Green will be nearly unstoppable given the current cornerback situation in Oakland. Defensive tackle Dan Williams has had success penetrating into the backfield both against the run and when pursuing the quarterback during the preseason, and he should continue to be a disruptive force in the middle of the defense in order to contain talented running backs Jeremy Hill and Giovanni Bernard.

With that being said, here is a look at some realistic stat predictions for Oakland’s top players in their 2015 regular season debut against the Cincinnati Bengals.

Next: Week 1 Predictions: Derek Carr