Raiders vs Cardinals 2022 Week 2: Game preview and prediction
By Preston Seyl
The Las Vegas Raiders take on the Arizona Cardinals in Week 2, and here is our game preview and prediction of the matchup.
The Las Vegas Raiders have a great opportunity Sunday Against the Arizona Cardinals, who are coming off an embarrassing loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 1, 44-21. Heading into Week 2 the Cardinals are banged up at the wide receiver position, with Rondale Moore and Andy Isabella questionable, and DeAndre Hopkins suspended.
The Raiders’ offense in Week 1 was sloppy, with three interceptions and five sacks on the day, and there will be growing pains as the players adjust to the new scheme under Josh McDaniels. The first half was rough, with the opening drive of 14 plays 70 yards resulting in a field goal, and then the next two drives stalling.
With an interception late in the second going into halftime, the Raiders struggled to put together any real sustaining long play drives in the first half, other than the opening drive. Las Vegas came out of half and scored a touchdown on the opening drive, as they started to find their groove, but turnovers plagued them the rest of the way.
However, the second-half performance leads to optimism that if Derek Carr can take care of the ball and spread it out to all of his targets, this offense will be very tough to stop. Darren Waller or Hunter Renfrow didn’t see near the number of targets they should have, as Carr was trying to force-feed Adams with 17 targets.
Both Waller and Renfrow had only six targets.
Carr needs to spread the ball out to whoever has the favorable matchup and get the ball into his playmaker’s hands without having the defense single out one of the three in Adams, Renfrow, and Waller.
The Cardinals will run the ball much more in this game against the Raiders with the lack of weapons on the outside, so expect a lot from James Connor and Kyler Murray in the run game. Las Vegas also had a banged-up Denzyl Perryman, who will be a game-time decision, so running the ball is the best chance Arizona has to win this one on Sunday.
Predicting the final score of the Raiders vs Cardinals Week 3 matchup
The Raiders will also run the ball more, as they neglected the run against the Chargers, making the offense one-dimensional. That kind of attack will not put your players in the most advantageous position possible to move the ball consistently and effectively.
The Cardinals will not be able to stop the Raiders if they play a balanced brand of football, spreading the ball to all the playmakers, and establishing the run early and often. Josh Jacobs needs more touches to make the offense balanced, make the defense respect the run and get the favorable numbers in the box to take your shots off the pass
In the end, the injuries on the Cardinals’ offensive side of the ball are too much for Kyler Murray to overcome as the Raiders wear them down and control the ball with their downhill run game setting up the play action. In the end, the Silver and Black pick up win No. 1 on the young season.
Prediction: Raiders 31, Cardinals 17