Week 10 was an incredible boost for the Raiders with teams in front of them in playoff position having massive upsets. The losses of the Indianapolis Colts and the Kansas City Chiefs set up the Raiders correctly with an easy schedule coming up down the stretch.
The easy part starts this week with a matchup against the winless Cincinnati Bengals, who are coming of an embarrassing loss to the Baltimore Ravens. The Bengals are the worst team in football and are torpedoing for the first pick overall in the 2020 draft. At this point, they are abysmal on both sides of the football.
The scenario creates a trap game for the Raiders, especially with the Pittsburgh Steelers losing to the Cleveland Browns on Thursday night. The Raiders need to handle business and solidify themselves as a playoff contender and not fall back into old habits. It is a crucial game for the Raiders, no matter the opponent.
What are the keys to securing a win against the Bengals Sunday afternoon in Oakland? Let’s look at the three keys to victory for the Raiders in Week 11:
1. Heavy dose of RB Josh Jacobs
Josh Jacobs has proven he is worth as a first-round pick with his stellar play so far this season. Jacobs leads all rookies in rushing yards and touchdowns and is number one graded running back according to Pro Football Focus. On Sunday, expect Jacobs to dominate against one the worst run defenses in the NFL.
The Bengals are last in the NFL in rushing yards per game allowed with a whopping 173 yards allowed per game. They have been dominated up front all year with a front seven full of injuries giving up huge plays in the run game. Last week the Ravens only passed the ball 17 times and won 49-13 using the run game to dominate and overwhelmed the Bengals defense.
The Raiders gameplan should be no different using Jacobs to keep drives alive and force the Bengals to become one dimensional on offense. Expect Jon Gruden to call plenty of run plays early to set the tone for the offense and to roll over the Bengals with the Raiders mismatch in the trenches.
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