After another offseason of change for the Las Vegas Raiders franchise, nobody really knew what to expect from the team in 2023. The biggest change came at the quarterback position, as Jimmy Garoppolo replaces nine-year veteran Derek Carr under center for the Silver and Black.
In his Raiders debut on Sunday, Jimmy G showed why he has won so many games as a starting quarterback in the NFL, leading the Raiders to a late touchdown drive to take a 17-16 lead. Then, with the game on the line, and staring at 3rd-and-7, Garoppolo stood in the pocket before taking off for the first down, ending any chance the Broncos had at coming back and winning the game.
Over at CBS Sports, John Breech was handing out grades for all teams that played on Sunday, and the Silver and Black received a solid mark for their 17-16 win over Denver.
Raiders earn a "B" from CBS Sports in Week 1
Breech had strong words to say about Garoppolo, including that he is making fans forget about Derek Carr already. He also spoke to how dangerous this Raiders offense could be in 2023, this after Jakobi Meyers had a monster game alongside Davante Adams, and Josh Jacobs looked a bit rusty after sitting out most of the summer.
On defense, the secondary looked better, and as always, Maxx Crosby was a problem for the opposing offensive line. The interior of the defensive line and linebacker group need to step up their play, but overall, it was a strong effort from the team on that side of the ball.
The truth is, this Raiders team has a chance to be sneaky good this season, and Garoppolo will be a big reason for that. He plays the game with a certain swagger, and his teammates believe in him, so if he can continue to get the job done with his arm, and his legs at times, the Raiders could end up being a very hard team to beat in 2023.