The 1-3 Las Vegas Raiders will host the 2-2 Green Bay Packers in Week 5 for an intriguing Monday Night Football matchup. For the visitors, the Packers are in a new era under center with promising young talent Jordan Love. While still learning the ropes as a starting NFL quarterback, Love has flashed his potential more than just a few times so far this season with his arm.
While many quickly focus on the opposing quarterbacks and applying pressure, the Maxx Crosby and the Raiders pass rush will have a tough hill to climb.
The Green Bay Packers excel in pass protection.
The lifeblood of the Green Bay Packers team is by far their superiority in pass protection. As it stands per Pro Football Focus, their offense is third best in the league in both pressures (37) allowed and sacks (26) allowed. However, they recently lost their perennial All-Pro left tackle, David, Bakhtiari, for the season.
The #Packers are placing All-Pro LT David Bakhtiari on Injured Reserve, knocking him out at least the next four games, per me and @TomPelissero. But given his knee situation, it’s unclear when or if Bakhtiari will return this season. pic.twitter.com/l6A2iDAE3N
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) September 28, 2023
You would believe there would be a significant drop in production in his absence, but that would be far from the case. Their 2022 NFL Draft seventh-rounder, Rasheed Walker, has filled in admirably in four games played thus far. He has only allowed two sacks and six total quarterback pressures. The Raiders will have their work cut out against an organization with a long-standing tradition of developing and drafting offensive linemen. If no other Raider pass rushers other than Maxx Crosby show up, the Silver and Black could be in for a long night. On the other side of the football, they excel in another critical position group just as much.
The Packers secondary is excellent, and Davante Adams will be tested.
The big draw to this game is that Raiders wide receiver Davante Adams faces his former team and plenty of familiar faces in the Packers' secondary led by Rasul Douglas and Jaire Alexander. The former Raiders have been known to overcommit on plays like the one below.
#Lions QB Jared Goff told #Packers CB Rasul Douglas after the game that Detroit put their first TD play in the game-plan knowing that Douglas would jump the route.
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) September 29, 2023
And Douglas very much did, as you can see from the play. That is why Amon-Ra St. Brown was WIDE open.
(🎥 NFL) https://t.co/QdSsVpO4ZE pic.twitter.com/MD3buZ5kaI
Regardless, expect Adams to be ready to face his former team on the big stage. Overall, this game has the potential to come down to the wire.
Final Prediction for Raiders vs Packers
The Raiders can set the tone against the Packers on their home turf on Monday Night. However, the defense has played well enough lately and will face a different offense against the Packers. Matt Lafleur incorporates plenty of different players and quick-hitting play calls for his young quarterback.
In addition, with running backs Aaron Jones and A.J. Dillon standing behind an already impressive offensive line - that may very well be the deciding factor in the game. Not to mention, former Raiders interim coach Rich Bisaccia will likely have a special teams play dialed up for this matchup. With a dangerous returner in Keisean Nixon, the two former Raiders could also be in line to ruin the party in Las Vegas on Monday night.
With that being said...
Prediction: Packers 28 Raiders 20
The Silver and Black do better than they have in recent weeks, but Green Bay wins the battle in the trenches in the fourth quarter to solidify a road victory to send the Raiders to 1-4 - putting immense pressure on Josh McDaniels' job moving forward.