The Raiders will be making their highly anticipated return to the playoffs this weekend in a showdown with the Bengals, and here are three key matchups.
What the Las Vegas Raiders are up against on Saturday is not an unfamiliar foe. The Cincinnati Bengals came into Las Vegas in Week 11 and utterly annihilated the Raiders by a score of 32-13.
That loss gave the Raiders a third straight in as many games, and the team was reeling in team and personnel turmoil.
The Silver and Black seem to be a much more motivated and determined bunch as of late. On a four-game winning streak at the moment, and riding the wave of its latest victory — which culminated in a thrilling playoff-clinching win over a hated division rival in the Los Angeles Chargers, this franchise as a whole seems to be in a far different place than when the Bengals decimated them in Week 11.
It will be a tall task to knock off a team that not only beat the Raiders earlier this season but prove victorious at their home field. But after facing so much adversity this season, possibly this task will seem like a small one, or at least that is the hope.
Let’s take a look at three key matchups that will either doom or continue this magical Raider run.
Raiders Wild Card vs Bengals: 3 key matchups to watch
Joe Mixon vs Raiders Defense
Joe Mixon is surely no stranger to not only the Raiders defense but Raider Nation as a whole. We all witnessed how the running back carved up the Las Vegas defense to the tune of 123 yards and two touchdowns.
Although Mixon has only managed to put up only one 100-yard performance since his brilliant outing in Vegas, he will indeed be a heavy focus of this defense.
The back is a bruising blend of speed and size, and his running between the tackles is well noted, especially by this Raider defense who had no answer for the former Oklahoma product.
An improvement as a whole by this defense over the last few weeks has been well documented, and this has been exceptionally the case for the run defense. Since the 100-yard showing by Mixon, the Raiders have only allowed one such performance.
Look for this much improved and aligned run defense to try and halt the ability of Mixon in this one, as it will be one of the biggest matchups to keep an eye on.
Raiders Wild Card vs Bengals: 3 key matchups to watch
Josh Jacobs vs Bengals Defense
Now onto the Raiders running back against the Bengals defense. This is now a key matchup in itself as the once lethargic and non-existent running game for the Raiders has finally gained some legs in recent weeks.
For the better part of this season, the running game spearheaded by third-year back Josh Jacobs was one of the worst in all of football — at least that was until recently. Jacobs after not rushing for 100 yards or more once this season, has now gone over the century mark in two of his last three games.
The numbers suggest the passing game has been the biggest key in this Raider season, but this is merely following such a dominating first half of the season. Since the Raiders came off of their Week eight bye, quarterback Derek Carr has only managed to throw for 300 yards once.
With a now dangerous running game to rely on, it seems the onus will once again be on Jacobs to lead this offense to victory. Although he was only able to muster 37 yards rushing in the last matchup against Cincinnati, this was due to the fact he only received nine carries, as the Raiders trailed the majority of the contest.
Look for the improvement of not only Jacobs, but this offensive line to determine if the Raiders will make it past this Wild Card round.
Raiders Wild Card vs Bengals: 3 key matchups to watch
Ja’Marr Chase vs Casey Hayward
The one positive, if any came out of the Raiders’ loss to the Bengals in Week 11 — was that the Raiders pass defense stood its ground against the dangerous passing attack of Cincinnati.
Although the Bengals leaned heavily on the running game, the ability to hold Bengal quarterback to only 148 yards passing (his lowest tally of the season), is surely one positive sign to point out.
Cincinnati has a slew of talented receivers at the disposal of Burrow, but the best of the bunch is indeed its rookie in Ja’Marr Chase. All the rookie has done is finish fourth in receiving yards in all of football, while also finishing third in the NFL with 13 receiving touchdowns.
In Las Vegas in Week 11, Chase did add the only touchdown reception, but he also only managed to make three catches for a meager 32 yards.
With COVID-19 and injuries ravaging this secondary for the Raiders, it has mostly stood its ground as of late. The latest meeting against the Chargers was an outlier, as quarterback Justin Herbert threw for nearly 400 yards, but this came on 64 passing attempts and a defense that spent way too much time on the field in that contest.
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Hayward for the better part of that game was exceptional. He will look to continue this run against one of the best in the game in Chase, and the veteran leader of this secondary will look to negate the deep play ability of one of the best in football.
Keep an eye on the Hayward-Chase matchup, this pairing could signify a win for the Raiders or the Bengals.