LAS VEGAS RAIDERS
2022 Record - 6-11
Head Coach - Josh McDaniels
Offensive Rank - 12th (353 YPG); Scoring - 12th (23.2 PPG)
Defensive Rank - 28th (366 YPG); Scoring - 26th (24.6 PPG)
Jimmy Garoppolo comes over to play quarterback this season and before being injured last season in San Francisco, he passed for 2,437 yards with 16 touchdowns and just four interceptions. Brian Hoyer is the likely backup, but rookie Aidan O'Connell (Purdue) is also vying for the job. Josh Jacobs rushed for 1,653 yards last year (4.9 YPC average) and scored twelve touchdowns and also had 53 receptions for 400 yards, but he has been looking to get a new contract, so stay tuned on him. Other running backs include Zamir White and Brandon Bolden. Davante Adams is the top wide receiver and he hauled in 100 receptions last year, good for 14 touchdowns and 1,516 yards. Others include Hunter Renfrow (36, 330, two TD), Jakobi Meyers, Phillip Dorsett II, Keelan Cole and rookie Tre Tucker (Cincinnati). The tight end is Austin Hooper (41, 444, two TD with Tennessee) and rookie Michael Meyer (Notre Dame) will also be on hand.
Maxx Crosby leads the front line at the end spot and he had 12 1/2 sacks last year and led the team with 89 tackles. Edge rusher Tyree Wilson is a rookie draft pick from Texas Tech and he will likely start up front along with Bilal Nichols at the tackle spot. The linebackers include Robert Spillane and Chandler Jones, who registered 4 1/2 sacks last year. The secondary features safeties Marcus Epps and Tre'von Moehrig along with corners Nate Hobbs and Brandon Facyson.
OUTLOOK FOR 2023 - The Raiders will be undergoing changes on both sides of the football as Garoppolo takes over as the quarterback while the defense will have no less than seven rookies in camp vying for starting positions. Head Coach Josh McDaniels saw the team go backward last season after making the playoffs in 2021, so there are questions after longtime QB Derek Carr went to New Orleans.
Will Jimmy G. stay healthy for the team this season? Can the young and new wide receivers complement Adams, who will be getting a lot of double coverage with so many new faces on the team? Can the defense get back to the basics and stop opponents from pushing the ball down the field? The Raiders only had 27 sacks last season and Crosby had nearly half of those, so help is needed in that area. In addition, the silver and black only had six interceptions in 2022 and that must improve in the pass happy AFC West where Mahomes, Herbert and Wilson are the quarterbacks facing the Raiders.
With so many questions facing the team in 2023, it's unlikely they will make the playoffs, but one never knows in the modern day NFL. One thing for sure, the Raiders will play hard and not back down and they hope that can transition their record from a year ago when they lost nine one-score games. The hope this season is to finish with a winning record.
TEAM SCHEDULE
Week One - at Denver
Week Two - at Buffalo
Week Three - vs. Pittsburgh
Week Four - at L.A. Chargers
Week Five - vs. Green Bay
Week Six - vs. New England
Week Seven - at Chicago
Week Eight - at Detroit
Week Nine - vs. N.Y. Giants
Week Ten - vs. N.Y. Jets
Week Eleven - at Miami
Week Twelve - vs. Kansas City
Week Thirteen - BYE
Week Fourteen - vs. Minnesota
Week Fifteen - vs. L.A. Chargers
Week Sixteen - at Kansas City
Week Seventeen - at Indianapolis
Week Eighteen - vs. Denver
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