Raiders vs Jets 2023 Week 10: Key matchups to watch

On Sunday night, the Las Vegas Raiders will play host to the New York Jets with an opportunity to run their 2023 record back to the .500 mark. In his head coaching debut in Week 9, Antonio Pierce certainly had the Silver and Black playing an inspired brand of football, and will look to continue that strong play against a Jets team that is trending in the wrong direction going into this matchup.

To beat the Jets, and move to 5-5 on the season, the Raiders will need to win these key matchups inside Allegiant Stadium in primetime.

Raiders vs Jets 2023 Week 10: Key matchups to watch

Davante Adams vs Sauce Gardner

When you think of the Las Vegas Raiders, the No. 1 option they have on offense is Davante Adams, one of the best wide receivers in the NFL. Adams has been outstanding since putting on the Silver and Black, and in Week 10, he draws a tough matchup against young Jets cornerback, Sauce Gardner.

Gardner has taken the NFL by storm since joining the league in 2022, winning the NFL's Defensive Rookie of the Year honor last season, and getting off to a good start in Year 2. Adams will present problems for Gardner, but the Jets have one of the best defenses in the NFL, making this one of the premier matchups on the NFL slate in Week 10.

Raiders edge rushers vs Jets offensive tackles

The Raiders have an elite edge rusher in Maxx Crosby, and he is coming off a three-sack effort against the New York Giants in Week 9. As a team, the Raiders sacked Giants quarterbacks eight times last Sunday, and the Jets offensive line fared about as well as the Giants offensive line did against the Raiders last weekend, giving up six sacks to the Los Angeles Chargers.

Las Vegas has to get after Zach Wilson in this game, getting him off his mark and forcing the young quarterback into making back decisions. Wilson is one of the worst quarterbacks in the NFL this season, and this will be a great opportunity for the Raiders defense, specifically the edge rushers, to have another breakout game.

Aidan O'Connell vs Zach Wilson

This will be a battle of young quarterbacks, as Wilson was a first round pick a few years back, and Aidan O'Connell is making only his third NFL start. The eye test will tell you that O'Connell is the better quarterback of the two, but in order for the Raiders to win, he must take care of the football the way he did against the Giants this past Sunday.

Wilson is going to struggle in this game, and O'Connell could make some mistakes as well, so it will be the young quarterback who protects the football better that will likely come away with the victory. We saw some great things from O'Connell against the Giants, and there are some who feel he could be the long-term answer at the quarterback, but this Jets defense will be a tall task for the former Purdue signal-caller.