Raiders at Dolphins 2023 Week 11: 3 early storylines to keep an eye on

The Las Vegas Raiders will head East in Week 11 to take on the Miami Dolphins, who currently sit in first place in the AFC East. It has been an exciting time for the Raiders since the team fired Josh McDaniels, but in Antonio Pierce's third game at the helm, he will be facing his toughest task yet.

With eyes on the playoffs, the Raiders will head to South Beach in Week 11, and here, we look at three early storylines to keep an eye on.

Raiders at Dolphins 2023 Week 11: 3 things to watch

1. The health of the Raiders offensive line

The Las Vegas Raiders go into Week 11 banged up along the offensive line, as the early injury report lists Kolton Miller and Dylan Parham with a designation of 'did not participate' on Wednesday. In addition, Greg Van Roten was limited, so against a strong Miami Dolphins team, that could end up being a real concern.

Las Vegas was able to take care of business without Miller in Week 10, as Thayer Munford Jr. filled in along the offensive line. However, the Dolphins present a host of problems for the Silver and Black is all three of these starters cannot go.

2. Raiders going against a top-tier AFC team

It has been a solid run for the Raiders across the last few weeks, but on Sunday, they face one of the best teams in the AFC in the Miami Dolphins. The Fins currently sit in first place in the AFC East, and with such a high-powered offense, it may be hard for the Raiders offense to keep pace with them on Sunday.

Of course, this has been a different Raiders team since Pierce took over, and they seem ready for any task ahead of them. Miami will present problems, and hopefully, the Raiders are the real deal as they enter this crucial two-game stretch.

3. Is the Raiders defense for real?

The Raiders defense has been outstanding the last few weeks, and linebacker Robert Spillane was named AFC's Defensive Player of the Week for his strong performance against the New York Jets in Week 10. Spillane has been much better than advertised, but against this Dolphins offense, the Silver and Black will need all hands on deck.

Guys like Tyreek Hill, Tua Tagovailoa, and Jaylen Waddle give the Dolphins an elite passing game, while running back De'Von Achane could be back for this one. If the Raiders can stop this elite offensive unit, it should put the Kansas City Chiefs on notice in Week 12.