Tag: Raiders vs Vikings preseason

Raiders winners and losers in 24-23 preseason defeat vs. Vikings

The Raiders preseason kicked off on Saturday with a loss to the Vikings. Who stood out the most for Las Vegas?

After a successful training camp, the Raiders finally got to hit someone besides their teammates on Saturday during their preseason debut against the Vikings. Surprisingly, the Raiders offense started faster than a Las Vegas defense expected to carry the club in 2024.

Quarterbacks Aidan O’Connell and Gardner Minshew both saw first-half action, and the offense didn’t punt until after halftime. The defense played well for the most part but allowed the Vikings to convert too many big plays.

Here are the winners and losers for the week after our first look at the 2024 Las Vegas Raiders.

Winner: CB Jakorian Bennett

Cornerback Jakorian Bennett took the field as a starter after earning that right in training camp. The Raiders are looking for someone to take charge opposite entrenched cornerback Jack Jones, and Bennett made a big play to save the Raiders’ starting defense on the Vikings’ initial drive.

Minnesota drove to the Las Vegas 4-yard line, even as starters, including defensive end Maxx Crosby, were in the game. On 4th-and-2, Bennett showed impressive ball skills on a pass breakup in the end zone. There’s a lot of preseason left, but Bennett made further strides toward remaining a Raiders starter at cornerback.

Winner: CB Jack Jones

As the Raiders defense dominated in training camp, Jones was perhaps the most impressive player for defensive coordinator Patrick Graham. Jones showed he’s ready to make plays against quarterbacks besides his own with a skillful interception early in the third quarter.

 

Jones played exceptionally well for Las Vegas last season. But his sample size as a professional is relatively small, and the Raiders defense needs him to perform at a high level this year. So far, so good.

Winner: WR DJ Turner

Though coach Antonio Pierce chose to play his starters in Minnesota, wide receiver Davante Adams was with his family to welcome his baby boy to the world. That left extra opportunity for the Raiders’ wide receiver room.

Wide receiver DJ Turner took advantage, hauling in a 20-yard touchdown from QB Gardner Minshew in the second quarter.

Turner had a strong camp and he backed it up at his first opportunity. The depth chart is far from set at wideout after Adams, WR Jakobi Meyers, and WR Tre Tucker; Turner continued his path toward earning a role for offensive coordinator Luke Getsy this season.

Winner: WR Tre Tucker

Though Tucker is slated to be one of Las Vegas’ top weapons this season, the speedster has had issues dropping the football. He needs to prove he can handle a large role, especially with Turner performing well.

His 44-yard grab on a toss from Minshew put his skills on full display and helped quiet any doubts he’s up to the task. It would be nice to see Tucker catch the ball with his hands more than with his body, but he got the job done in preseason Week 1.

Winner: OC Luke Getsy

Getsy was fired last season as the offensive coordinator for the Bears, and his offense struggled during Raiders training camp. For a Las Vegas team trying to turn a corner and make the playoffs, Getsy must show he’s capable of directing this Raiders offense.

With O’Connell at quarterback to start the game, the offense went on a long, impressive field-goal drive after Bennett’s pass breakup in the end zone. For Getsy and everyone involved with the offense, it was likely a breath of fresh air and proof that they’ve made progress with Getsy’s new scheme. The Raiders offense enjoyed success the entire first half and didn’t have to punt until backup Anthony Brown Jr. entered the game.

Winner: Offensive line

The Raiders were without two starters on the offensive line, but their group still blocked well enough for the offense to find much-needed success. Both Thayer Munford Jr. and rookie DJ Glaze played well at offensive tackle. That’s a big boost for a Raiders team that needs at least one of those young players to hold down the right tackle spot in 2024.

Winner: QB Gardner Minshew

Minshew didn’t start, but he entered the game in the second quarter as Pierce planned. He led four drives compared to just one drive for O’Connell, however, and finished with 117 yards on 6-for-12 passing and a touchdown throw. He also scrambled for a first down.

The Raiders quarterback competition is far from over, but Minshew made the most of his opportunity and lopsided drive count compared to O’Connell.

Loser: QB Aidan O’Connell

In a kinder, gentler world, O’Connell would join Minshew on the winner list. He looked great to start the game despite starting his first drive of 2024 on the Raiders’ 4-yard line.

But Minshew had a touchdown throw and multiple splash plays. O’Connell had a chance to throw a touchdown of his own in his only drive of the game, but he was sacked on a 3rd-and-goal play as backup lineman Andrus Peat was beaten on the edge.

The Raiders QB competition is just heating up though. O’Connell appears on my loser list today, but he could very well win the job as Raiders starting QB by preseason’s end.

Loser: WR Kristian Wilkerson

Raiders wide receivers behind Tucker and Turner on the depth chart had a golden opportunity on Saturday with Adams’ absence. None of them took advantage. But WR Kristian Wilkerson got the start, and he likely wants a do-over on his one catch of the day, a WR screen that lost one yard.

Watching live, it appeared that Wilkerson made one move too many rather than cutting upfield and getting available yardage. Making matters worse, the Raiders only needed a few yards to gain a first down.

Loser: S Jaydon Grant

Safety Jaydon Grant missed a tackle on open space on a 48-yard touchdown run by the Vikings in the second quarter. Linebacker Luke Masterson missed his assignment on the play, but Grant was the last line of defense and he missed badly on his tackle attempt.

Loser: CB MJ Devonshire

Rookie cornerback MJ Devonshire had a rough first go as an NFL defensive back. He let a Vikings receiver go right past him for a 45-yard score in the third quarter. In his defense, he didn’t get any help over the top from safety Chris Smith II.

Loser: S Trey Taylor/big play defense

The Raiders allowed another big play later in the third quarter on a blown coverage in the secondary. It appears that S Trey Taylor was the No. 1 culprit on this one, but I’ve handed the entire Raiders defense part of this entry on the loser list for allowing too many big plays and 452 yards overall.

It’s just one game, but this week told us a lot about this season’s Raiders squad. The defense looks strong but has some issues to clean up, and the offense looks much better when Maxx Crosby isn’t terrorizing them. But as we know, the NFL is a week-to-week business. They’ll have to prove themselves again against the Cowboys next weekend in Las Vegas.

Raiders vs Vikings preseason Week 1 recap: Raiders give up 20-7 halftime lead to fall 24-23

Raiders give up 20-7 halftime lead to fall 24-23 to Vikings in preseason opener

If you consider the most important football in a preseason game happens in the early going, the Raiders won this one. Even though technically, in the end, the final score didn’t reflect that.

The Raiders didn’t sit any of their starters who were available to play in the game. All expected starters were in for the first quarter before giving way to the second teamers in the second quarter.

The Vikings got the ball first and drove inside the ten. Then on 4th and two, they went for it and the Raiders made the stop to take over at their own four-yard-line.

Aidan O’Connell came in at quarterback to start the game for the Raiders, and he led them right down the first for the score. The offense went 83 yards on 15 plays with O’Connell completing seven of nine passes; three to Jakobi Meyers and two to rookie TE Brock Bowers.

On third and goal, left tackle Andrus Peat was beaten to give up the sack on O’Connell and the Raiders settled for a field goal.

An interception on the ensuing Vikings drive early in the second, brought in Gardner Minshew. The veteran led the Raiders 76 yards for the touchdown, finishing it off with a nice looking connection with DJ Turner for the score and a 10-0 Raiders lead.

A 48-yard run by Vikings RB K Nwangu would make the score 10-7.

Minshew came back out and connected with Tre Tucker on a deep ball, with Tucker laying out for a brilliant 44-yard grab. Zamir White finished off the drive with a walk-in touchdown run up the middle to take a 17-7 lead.

The Vikings would drive into field goal range, but the attempt was blocked by TJ Franklin and caught in the air by Phalen Sanford who returned it 42 yards to the Minnesota 40. The Raiders used the field position to add another field goal before the half to make it a 20-7 lead.

Things completely fell apart for the Raiders in the second half. On both sides of the ball. Anthony Brown came in at quarterback and didn’t get his first completion until the third possession.

Meanwhile the Raiders defense was getting torched. First with rookie MJ Devonshire biting on a double move to give up a deep TD pass up the left side, then with fellow rookie safety Trey Taylor peeking into the backfield to give up a wide open 33-yard touchdown.

And just like that, the Raiders 20-7 lead was a 21-20 deficit.

Late in the third, the Raiders got a huge punt by AJ Cole and a stop by the defense to give them solid field position. First down runs by Anthony Brown and Sincere McCormick put them in scoring range. But on third and goal from the one, McCormick was stuffed for a three-yard loss and the Raiders settled for a field goal and a 23-21 lead.

Carter Bradley entered at QB midway through the fourth quarter. Antonio Pierce was just trying to run clock, having Bradley hand it off on his first six plays with no first downs.

Eventually the Vikings were able to mount enough offense in the final seconds to get into field goal range and hit a 38-yard field goal to get the 24-23 win.

Gardner Minshew 6/12, 117 yards, 1 TD, 112.2 rating

Aidan O’Connell 7/9, 76 yards, 101.9 rating

Zamir White 6 rushes, 23 yards (3.8 ypc), 1 TD

Sincer McCrormick, 8 rushes, 30 yards (3.8 ypc)

Tre Tucker 2 catches, 73 yards

Jakobi Meyers 3 catches, 45 yards

Brock Bowers 2 catches, 25 yards

Tre’von Moehrig 6 tackles (6 solo)