5 reasons Oakland Raiders will beat Tennessee Titans

ARLINGTON, TX - AUGUST 26: Derek Carr No. 4 of the Oakland Raiders celebrates a second quarter touchdown against the Dallas Cowboys in a preseason game at AT&T Stadium on August 26, 2017 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
ARLINGTON, TX - AUGUST 26: Derek Carr No. 4 of the Oakland Raiders celebrates a second quarter touchdown against the Dallas Cowboys in a preseason game at AT&T Stadium on August 26, 2017 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
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OAKLAND, CA – AUGUST 19: Derek Carr No. 4 of the Oakland Raiders looks to throw a pass against the Los Angeles Rams during the first quarter of their preseason NFL football game at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on August 19, 2017 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
OAKLAND, CA – AUGUST 19: Derek Carr No. 4 of the Oakland Raiders looks to throw a pass against the Los Angeles Rams during the first quarter of their preseason NFL football game at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on August 19, 2017 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)

Passing game continuity

This game will likely come down to which team can execute better in the passing game. Both offensive lines are stout, both pass rushes are strong and both teams have issues in pass defense in their respective secondaries.

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Unlike Tennessee, Oakland’s offense is more predicated on the pass than the run. Though the running game looks to be improved with the addition of Marshawn Lynch, Oakland will have to out execute Tennessee through the air to win this game.

Oakland may have a new offensive coordinator in Downing, but that was an in-house promotion. Outside of tight end Jared Cook and No. 3 receiver Cordarrelle Patterson, much of the Raiders’ passing game from a year ago remains.

On the other side of the coin, two of Mariota’s most important receiving options in Corey Davis and Eric Decker are new to the team. Who knows how good their rapports are at this stage of season?

Next: Raiders: 5 keys to victory vs. Titans

We do know that Carr trusts Amari Cooper, Michael Crabtree and his tight ends. Oakland will win a tight ball game in Nashville because it trusts what it can do more in the passing game than Tennessee at this time.

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