Sunday the Raiders head back to Allegiant for their second-ever home game. It’s week four and the 3-0 Buffalo Bills are coming to Las Vegas. Whether the Bills stay undefeated or both teams leave with the same record is highly dependent upon these matchups.
DC Paul Guenther vs. QB Josh Allen
This one might make Raiders fans cringe a little. With the Raiders giving up 30 points per game over the first three weeks and the way Cam Newton and the Patriots took what they wanted from the Raiders defense, there isn’t high hopes for containing the reigning AFC Offensive Player of the Month.
Allen has averaged 346 yards over the three weeks of the season with ten touchdowns to one interception. He has also run for two touchdowns. Guenther will try to gameplan against that. He may get a little bit of help if Nick Kwiatkoski returns for the game, but he will be without starting cornerback Damon Arnette and a banged-up Johnathan Abram.
CB Trayvon Mullen vs. WR Stefon Diggs
Diggs has been lights out for the Bills since they acquired him in a trade from the Vikings this offseason. He has 288 yards this season with two touchdowns.
Mullen is coming off his best game as a pro, defending four passes and allowing no catches against the Patriots last Sunday. And with Arnette out, the Raiders would like to get Mullen guarding Diggs as often as possible as it offers them their best chance of stopping him.
WR Nelson Agholor vs. CB Tre’Davious White
White is considered arguably the best cornerback in the NFL. Coming off an All-Pro season in just his second season in the league, he is their lockdown corner.
Both of the Raiders starting wide receivers coming into the season were rookies Henry Ruggs III and Bryan Edwards. Neither are expected to play, which means Agholor and Zay Jones will be starting. Agholor is the speedster. The Patriots put their best cornerback Stephon Gilmore on him much of the game last week so you can expect the same this week.
QB Derek Carr vs. DC Leslie Frazier
Last week the Patriots completely confused Carr with their scheme. They focused on taking away Darren Waller and even when they weren’t doubling him, they lined up as if they were, only to change up at the snap. Carr was lost for what to do.
Frazier is not only one of the top defensive minds in football, he now has the blueprint the Patriots used to take away Carr’s top target away. This means either Carr has to find ways to get the ball to Waller anyway or make the Bills pay for focusing too much on Waller. Easier said than done considering it was an obvious strategy last week and it worked like a charm.
RG Gabe Jackson vs. DT Ed Oliver
Oliver leads the Bills with 4 QB hits this season and has a sack a well. He had 5.0 sacks as a rookie in 2019, which is a good total for an interior defensive lineman. And considering he already has half the QB hits this season than he did all of last season, he has shown up better his second season.
Jackson will have to keep Oliver from crashing the pocket from the interior. For that matter, the entire interior will have to contend with Oliver. Luckily they will have Denzelle Good back at left guard as an upgrade over rookie John Simpson.
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