3 reasonable expectations for the Las Vegas Raiders in 2021 Week 18
By Brad Weiss
The Las Vegas Raiders will battle it out against the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 18, and here are some reasonable expectations.
With their playoff hopes on the line, the Las Vegas Raiders battle it out against the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 18. The Raiders could already be in the playoffs by the time these two teams kick-off, as an Indianapolis and Pittsburgh loss earlier in the day would clinch them at least the seven-seed.
With that in mind, here are some reasonable expectations for the game tonight inside Allegiant Stadium.
3 reasonable expectations for the Raiders in 2021 Week 18
No. 1: This one goes down to the wire
One thing is for sure, this game is going to go down to the wire, as both teams are battling for their playoff lives. The Raiders have been playing in very close games since the blowout loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in a game that seems like months ago, and have had a never-say-die attitude over the past three weeks.
For Los Angeles, they have the talent on both sides of the ball to win this game as well, but they have been up and down over the past month. With so much on the line, you can expect both teams to come out with a ton of passion on Sunday night.
No. 2: Josh Jacobs runs wild
Over his past three games, Josh Jacobs has rushed for 244 yards, and that is some of the best work he has done all season. The offensive line has done a better job blocking for the run game, and Jacobs has taken advantage, so the expectation is that the Chargers will get a steady dose of him in this one.
Los Angeles does not have a great run defense, and while Jacobs is a game-time decision, I believe he not only suits up in this one but has 20 plus carries, going over 100 yards for the second time in his last three games.
No. 3:Darren Waller finds the end zone
Darren Waller is supposed to make his return to the starting lineup in Week 18, a huge boost to this Raiders offense. Hunter Renfrow has stepped up in a big way in his absence, and Zay Jones has played a bigger role, but if Waller is active, you can expect him to go back to being a top target for Derek Carr and this passing game.
In fact, if the Silver and Black get into the red zone, I believe that Waller will be the one Carr keys on, and he will find the end zone in his first game since Thanksgiving Day.
This is the most important game the Raiders have played in 20 years, as the 2016 playoff game was not a likely win due to Carr being out. If the Raiders can complete this season turnaround, especially after everything this team has been through, it will be one of the more unlikely seasons in franchise history.