For too long, opponents have used matchups against the Las Vegas Raiders as a get-right game.
That notorious Silver & Black narrative needs to change this Sunday against the visiting Tennessee Titans.
Because, in the Battle of the Bad — both the Raiders and Titans are 1-4 overall after five games into the 2025 season — the Raiders must rise to the occasion and this is the perfect opportunity to do so. Taking advantage of Tennessee is mission critical due to the fact Las Vegas won’t see another downtrodden opponent for about six weeks (the Cleveland Browns in Week 12).
The Titans walk into Allegiant Stadium with an offense (ranked 31st in scoring at 73 total points) and defense (ranked 26th in points allowed at 141) that’s worse than the Raiders (30th in points scored at 83; 25th in points allowed 139) — hence the Battle of the Bad designation for Sunday’s tilt. And it’s even quite the NFL miracle for Tennessee to have one win instead of being 0-5 heading into this one.
The Titans trailed 21-6 in the fourth quarter against the Arizona Cardinals before a wild rally where Tennessee scored 16 unanswered points and literally had the ball bounce its way.
So, if there was ever a get-right opportunity for Las Vegas, Week 6 is the best opportunity as Tennessee is struggling mightily in all three phases of the game — like the Raiders.
A focused and honed approach from head coach Pete Carroll, offensive coordinator Chip Kelly, defensive coordinator Patrick Graham, and special teams coordinator Tom McMahon, along with player execution must be in sync in this golden home outing for Las Vegas. Takeaways are a prime area the Silver & Black need to flip too, as in, stop turning the ball over and begin taking it way from the opposition.
Las Vegas has the second to worst turnover total at 10 in the NFL and only has four takeaways ranking 23rd in the league. Tennessee, in comparison, has seven turnovers (21st in the NFL) and eight takeaways (good for fifth highest). Graham’s exasperation when asked about not coming up with turnovers is a universal feeling amongst the Raiders and the team’s fanbase, Raider Nation.
“Here’s what I would tell you, I’m so tired, I’m trying to be mindful of my language, of talking about whatever it is we got to do. That’s how they feel. We got to do,” Graham said during his Thursday media session. “So, I could talk about, ‘We’re doing this, that.’ We just got to make it happen. Got to take the ball away. However it happens, that’s what we got to do. So, that’s how I’m talking to them. You can see my whole mood and demeanor change. Done talking. We got to do. We’re unlucky. I mean, the language I would use right now, F that. But no, we got to do. Just win, baby. You just got to do it. That’s what we got to do.”
What can help generate takeaways on defense is having coverage and pass rush in sync — something that hasn’t happened enough for Las Vegas — and Graham knows this noting he’s got to dial up the plays and create opportunities for his defenders. The Raiders sack leader thus far is defensive tackle Jonah Laulu with three while disruptive defensive end Maxx Crosby and his tag team partner at the edge Tyree Wilson have two a piece. Fellow defensive end Malcolm Koonce accounts for the other lone sack.
Flip it to the offense and Kelly — who took a shot across his bow from Carroll when the head coach noted the team needs to run the ball more — and execution in the red zone is critical. Settling for field goals isn’t going to cut it.
“We have to be able to execute better. We have to be able to as coaches put our players in position to make those plays,” Kelly noted. “But those sacks are killers down there because you know once you’re there you have three, but you don’t want three. You need sevens, you know. And you need to be greedy down there. So, just settling for field goals when you get in the red area because we drove the ball well in that game but when we got into the red area, we’re coming away with threes and not sevens. And against a good offense like Indianapolis then trading threes for sevens, you’re not going to win a football game.”
The Raiders are ranked 32nd in red zone offense (five touchdowns on 14 trips, 35.7 percent) and the Titans are relatively good defensively inside the 20-yard line allowed 11 touchdowns on 19 trips (57.9 percent).
Quotes of Note
“Yeah, he’s a very unique player. He’s got a unique style about him, very athletic, very confident. He throws tough throws and he makes tough throws. He’ll surprise you with his ability to find receivers and kind of in almost predicaments, but he finds a way to make things happen. I thought his finish in the game and the big throws that he made to get them back in there, there’s three huge plays there, and they’re all just gorgeous. He’s got a scramble threat to him, of course, but he does really look for his receivers. So, he’s scrambling to throw, it seems, but he poses the same kinds of problems we saw in Chicago.”
—Las Vegas Raiders head coach Pete Carroll on the challenges Tennessee Titans rookie quarterback Cam Ward presents.
“Repetition. And that’s something that you know is always going to be the father of learning. Continue to rep these things. And talking in the meeting room, talking in the classroom. I call him late night some time just to remind him that, ‘Hey, man, you’re the guy, and we’re counting on you.’ So, Dont’e (Thornton Jr.) is doing a great job. He’s learning, as we all are, and he’s getting better from week to week. That’s all you can ask from him. He’s taking the right approach. And it’s going to click here soon. It’s going to click and I really believe that.”
—Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Geno Smith when asked how his rapport with rookie wide receiver Dont’e Thornton Jr. develops.
Sunday’s tilt marks the 53rd time the Raiders and Titans clash. The Silver & Black lead the overall series 30-22 (26-22 in regular season play, 4-0 in postseason action) but it’s the Titans that are riding a two-game win streak. Tennessee dropped the Raiders 24-22 in September of 2022 and 42-21 in December of 2019. The Raiders own the longest streak in the series with a nine-game dominance of the Houston Oilers from 1966 to 1973.
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