Los Angeles Rams at Oakland Raiders: Game preview and prediction

OAKLAND, CA - SEPTEMBER 10: Head coach Sean McVay of the Los Angeles Rams and head coach Jon Gruden of the Oakland Raiders speak following the Rams win over the Raiders at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on September 10, 2018 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
OAKLAND, CA - SEPTEMBER 10: Head coach Sean McVay of the Los Angeles Rams and head coach Jon Gruden of the Oakland Raiders speak following the Rams win over the Raiders at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on September 10, 2018 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
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OAKLAND, CA – NOVEMBER 11: Johnny Townsend #5 of the Oakland Raiders runs a fake punt against the Los Angeles Chargers during their NFL game at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on November 11, 2018 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
OAKLAND, CA – NOVEMBER 11: Johnny Townsend #5 of the Oakland Raiders runs a fake punt against the Los Angeles Chargers during their NFL game at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on November 11, 2018 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

Preview

There is no doubt that this will not bring as much excitement as Week 1 of the regular season will, but for those players looking to survive first cuts, this game is everything. In addition, there are plenty of position battles going into tonight, as well as a wide open competition in terms of who the starting offensive guards will be.

The Rams come in with one of the better rosters in football, but like the Raiders, they are not expected to deploy many of their weapons in this one. Todd Gurley is coming off a season that saw his knee wear down, and high-priced guys like Aaron Donald, Jared Goff, and Clay Matthews are not expected to see any action.

On the Raiders sideline, A.J. Cole and Johnny Townsend are battling it out for punting duties, and that is something to keep an eye on. On offense, Derek Carr is entrenched as the starting quarterback, but Mike Glennon and Nathan Peterman are looking to latch on as QB2. That is another battle to watch tonight.

Overall, this will be a spirited game, but the lack of elite talent on the field is going to make it look choppy at times. Still, its NFL football, and we could not be more excited for the matchup.

Schedule