Raiders facing Lamar Jackson at the absolute worst time possible

On Sunday, the Las Vegas Raiders will head East to take on perennial AFC power, the Baltimore Ravens. Las Vegas kicked off their 2024 NFL season with a road loss to division rival Los Angeles, and now have an even tougher opponent in front of them as they look to win their first game of the season.

While there were some positives in the Week 1 loss, it was still a double-digit defeat at the hands of the Chargers, a team they beat by 40 points at the end of the 2023 campaign. To make matters worse, the Raiders' defense suffered devastating injuries before, and during the game, losing two key edge rushers.

Malcolm Koonce suffered a knee injury on Thursday of last week, and has since been placed on Injured Reserve, meaning he will miss at least the next three games. Tyree Wilson, the team's No. 1 pick from the 2023 NFL Draft, was then injured during the Chargers game, and did not return.

That left Janarius Robinson and Charles Snowden to pick up the slack opposite Maxx Crosby, which is not an ideal scenario at all. Going up against the Ravens this weekend, the Raiders will have to try and stop Lamar Jackson, who rushed for over 120 yards against the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 1, and is considered arguably the best running quarterback in NFL history.

At this point in the season, this is the worst possible time to face him.

Raiders have to find an answer opposite Maxx Crosby and do it quickly

On Tuesday, the Raiders signed former first-round pick K'Lavon Chaisson, a former LSU standout who has not produced much since being the No. 20 overall pick. Chaisson may be thrown into the fire right away, as we do not know the status of Wilson just yet, and even if he does play, he should be limited.

Snowden was plucked off the practice squad to play in Week 1, and he does not look like he can contribute at the NFL level just yet. Crosby is one of the best overall players in the NFL, and a Defensive Player of the Year candidate, but the Raiders have to do something to bolster the other side of the defensive line.

Both teams go into this game at 0-1, and a win against Baltimore would certainly go a long way in flipping the narrative about the Raiders 2024 NFL season. However, Jackson is an elite talent with the football in his hands, and if the defense cannot get to him, it could end up being a long day for the Silver and Black.