Raiders must get the ball to their playmakers
It is no big secret that Antonio Pierce has been trying to get the football into the hands of his playmakers since taking over as head coach. The former New York Giants linebacker recently told the press that he is 'not stupid,' and knows who to get the ball to, a seemingly subtle dig at former head coach Josh McDaniels.
Whatever the case may be, Pierce and offensive coordinator Bo Hardegree have done a nice job reestablishing Josh Jacobs and Davante Adams as the focal points of this Raiders offense. Jacobs has rushed for over 200 yards combined in his last two games, and it is clear that Adams is O'Connell's No. 1 option in the passing game.
If the Raiders are to pull off the major upset on Sunday, these two men have to have breakout games for the Silver and Black. Establishing the run with Jacobs and getting tough first downs will keep the Dolphins offense off the field, while establishing Adams in the passing game will cause the Dolphins defense to back up a bit.
That combination could be the difference for the Raiders as they look to win their biggest regular season game since the final game of the 2021 regular season. If Jacobs and Adams go off in this game, I would expect this one to go down to the wire.