Oakland Raiders: A few keys to week one victory over the LA Rams
By Kevin Saito
Keep Carr Clean, Get Goff Dirty
The first – and biggest – thing that needs to happen is that Derek Carr needs to be given time to operate. Which means that the offensive line has got to live up to its billing as one of the best in all of football.
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It won’t be easy, but Oakland’s line needs to control the line of scrimmage. They have got to neutralize the impact of Aaron Donald, Suh, and Michael Brockers. The interior of Oakland’s line – the power trio of Rodney Hudson, Gabe Jackson, and Kelechi Osemele – should be fine.
But, there is plenty to be concerned with, given that Donald Penn has been flipped over to the right, and they’re starting rookie Kolton Miller on the left. That is more than a little concerning, given the heat the Rams can bring.
The line is going to have to be perfect. There can be no slip-ups, no mental lapses. They need to control the line of scrimmage, open holes for Marshawn Lynch, and more than anything else, give Carr the time he needs to operate.
Conversely, the defense is going to need to put consistent and sustained heat on Jared Goff. If he gets time, he can shred a defense. The Raiders will need guys like Maurice Hurst and P.J. Hall to make a strong push up the gut, while Bruce Irvin, Arden Key, and everybody else fly in off the edge.
Goff took 25 sacks last year, and the Rams as a whole, gave up 28. It’s a low total, overall, but it shows that there are cracks in LA’s wall, and Goff can be gotten to. And they really need to get to him. They need to keep him moving, don’t let him get set, don’t let him get in a rhythm, move him off his spots, and make him uncomfortable.
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And oh yeah, they need to drop him as early and as often as possible.
Given the Khalil Mack trade, nobody thinks Oakland’s defensive line will be able to bring any pressure to bear. It’s up to them to prove the doubters wrong – and they really need to do it if they are to give themselves a chance in this game.