The Las Vegas Raiders take on the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 11, and here are three keys to the victory for the Silver and Black.
On Sunday, the Las Vegas Raiders will take on the Cincinnati Bengals in a Week 11 matchup of two teams looking to right the ship. Early on, both teams looked to be legitimate playoff contenders, but have both looked terrible their last two times out.
If the Raiders are to win on Sunday, certain musts need to happen, and here are three of them.
Las Vegas Raiders: 3 Keys against Cincinnati in Week 11
Start strong
One big issue for the Raiders this season has been starting strong, as they have let lesser teams stay in games, and have had issues landing the first blow against the stronger teams on their schedule. On Sunday, they need to establish early on that they are the better team, and that means getting a stop on the Bengals’ first possession.
Establish the run game
The run game for the Raiders has been a serious issue this season, as Josh Jacobs and Kenyan Drake have not been the one-two punch on the ground that many expected. Jacobs is averaging under four yards per carry, and his 296 yards is good for 42nd in the entire NFL.
Sure, he has been hurt, but he appears healthy the past few weeks, and while we have seen some burst from him, for the most part, he has been wildly ineffective in Year 3.
Stop Ja’Marr Chase
Rookie wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase is one of the brighter young stars at the position in the NFL, and he could end up being the league’s Offensive Rookie of the Year. In Week 11, he has to be a high priority for Gus Bradley and this Raiders defense, because if he and Joe Burrow get it going, this could end up being a long afternoon.
New England Patriots rise an indictment on the Raiders organization
While the Las Vegas Raiders struggle to stay in the AFC Playoff hunt, the New England Patriots look like a team to beat once more.
Avoiding a three-game losing streak is paramount for the Raiders if they hope to actually make the playoffs this season. They looked good early, but have sputtered as of late, and the Bengals are the kind of team they should be able to beat at home this late in the year.