Oakland Raiders: A few keys to week one victory over the LA Rams

Control The Clock

This a big one. The way for the Raiders to win is to not give the Rams a chance.

Los Angeles had the most explosive offense last season, and this season it’s only going to be more so. With a year in Sean McVay’s system, and a plethora of weapons to choose from, the Rams can score from anywhere, at any time – as they’ve proven time and time again.

The best way to prevent themselves from getting steamrolled, is for the Raiders to not give that Rams offense much of a chance on the field. Which means, they’re going to need to extend drives and control the clock. They need to utilize every second possible to keep Goff and company on the sidelines.

Which means, they’re going to need to feed them a steady diet of Marshawn Lynch and the running attack. Which also means, the offensive line is going to have to be on point. It’s critical.

The Raiders best strategy is to fill the game with long, time consuming drives that result in points. It will not only keep the Los Angeles offense on the sidelines, it will also wear down the Rams defense – both big pluses – and necessities to combat the Rams’ high-octane offense.

The Raiders will need to grind it out to keep the Rams at bay. They’ll need to convert third downs, extend drives, and take as much time off the clock as the possibly can. It would go a long way toward securing a win.