Sep 27, 2015; Cleveland, OH, USA; Oakland Raiders safety Charles Woodson (24) celebrates with teammates Seth Roberts (10), David Amerson (29) and Neiron Ball (58) after intercepting a pass in the final minute against the Cleveland Browns in a NFL game at FirstEnergy Stadium.The Raiders defeated the Browns 27-20. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Coming off a historical road win against the Cleveland Browns in Week 3, the Oakland Raiders are in a position to earn their third consecutive win of the season in Soldier Field against the 0-3 Chicago Bears.
Given the amount of success Oakland has had in recent years, the team’s 2-1 record to start the season has warranted some positive recognition from around the league, as the Raiders are favored to beat Chicago by two points, snapping a 27-game streak in which Oakland has been listed as the underdog, via Bill Williamson of ESPN.com.
The Raiders have also received high praise from featured columnist for ESPN.com Stephen A. Smith, an analyst that previously scolded the the Silver and Black early in the offseason.
I'm very impressed w/what I've seen from the @RAIDERS thus far. pic.twitter.com/BfmIqJ4NPZ
— Stephen A Smith (@stephenasmith) September 28, 2015
The Chicago Bears have also recently been scrutinized for making moves that suggest the idea that they are blowing up the roster, as the team has traded away both Jared Allen and Jon Bostic earlier this week.
With that being said, there is reason to believe that Oakland could be underestimating their Week 4 opponent, but head coach Jack Del Rio assured the media in his post-game conference after the team’s win over Cleveland that they won’t take any matchup lightly this season.
“We’ve got way too much work to do,” Del Rio said. “We respect everybody. We fear nobody. Certainly we understand (Chicago has) a lot of talented players and coaches that work hard. We’re going to do our best each and every week to prepare and put together the best active 46 we can and go compete.”
It remain highly important that the Raiders don’t allow the accomplishments they’ve had thus far to affect their work ethic when practicing during the week, for a lack of preparation heading into Chicago could have a significantly negative impact on the outcome of this game.
While most might say they are playing like the worst team in the league right now, the Bears have been struggling with significant injuries and have been pitted against some of the top teams like Seattle, Green Bay, and Arizona in the first three weeks.
Though the underlying key for Oakland to get a win in Chicago is for them to stay disciplined in their preparation throughout the week, there are also multiple elements of the Raiders’ game that must be properly executed if they plan to earn their second-consecutive road win of the season. Here are the five keys to victory for the Oakland Raiders’ matchup against the Chicago Bears.
Next: Keys to the Game: Pressure the Quarterback