Golden Gate Sports
Fansided

Oakland Raiders: Fourth Quarter schedule breakdown and predictions

By Kevin Saito

OAKLAND, CA - OCTOBER 19: Alex Smith #11 of the Kansas City Chiefs is rushed by Khalil Mack #52 of the Oakland Raiders at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on October 19, 2017 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
OAKLAND, CA - OCTOBER 19: Alex Smith #11 of the Kansas City Chiefs is rushed by Khalil Mack #52 of the Oakland Raiders at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on October 19, 2017 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
3 of 5
Next
Oakland Raiders
BALTIMORE, MD – DECEMBER 31: Quarterback Andy Dalton #14 of the Cincinnati Bengals walks off the field with guard Christian Westerman #63 and center Russell Bodine #61 against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium on December 31, 2017 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images) /

@Cincinnati Bengals

The Raiders will travel to Cincinnati as they come down the home stretch of the season. Fresh off a loss to Pittsburgh, the Raiders will be looking to put it on a Bengals team that finished last season 7-9, and sported the league’s worst offense in 2017.

Not much has changed – perhaps the biggest surprise is that Marvin Lewis still has a job. But, the Raiders poached their DC, Paul Guenther, who has an intimate knowledge of Cincinnati’s offense – or lack there of.

The Bengals finished at or near the bottom of most major statistical offensive categories last season. And though they still have A.J. Green, Andy Dalton is shaky and inconsistent as a starting quarterback. At best.

Defensively, the Bengals were respectable, finishing the season ranked eighteenth overall, and sixteenth in scoring defense. It will be interesting to see if new DC Teryl Austin can have them playing above the level Guenther did. If he can, the Bengals may be able to keep the game close.

With no real changes to the offensive personnel or system, it doesn’t seem like the Bengals are on the verge of some major breakthrough. Not unless Dalton can go through some sort of a renaissance.

Defensively, the Raiders should be able to have their way with the Bengals. If the pass rush really is as improved with the additions of Maurice Hurst and P.J. Hall teaming with Justin Ellis and Treyvon Hester up the middle, and Bruce Irvin, Khalil Mack, and Arden Key coming off the edges, they’ll give Dalton fits all day. After all, this is an offensive line that surrendered 40 sacks of its quarterbacks last season.

Offensively, they’ll need to be sharp. There should be plenty of room to run against a unit that was thirty-first in the league last year, and gave up 18 scores on the ground. Success running the ball should open things up for Carr and his receivers.

The Raiders should be able to move to 9-5 on the year with a convincing win in Cincinnai.

Raiders: 34 Bengals: 17

Home/Las Vegas Raiders News