Bolts From The Blue
This week, we’re joined by Matt Holder of our Las Vegas Raiders sister site, Silver & Black Pride, to help us preview this week’s matchup.
Holder is as good as they come when the Raiders are involved so you’re sure to learn something about this matchup by the end of your read.
Let’s go ahead and jump in. Enjoy!
1.) The Raiders came winners against the Patriots in Week One. How is the fan base feeling after their first win under new head coach Pete Carroll? Did the team show enough to predict a better season than in 2024 or is it too early to tell?
Raider Nation is feeling pretty confident right now. Carroll, despite turning 75 years old on the day of the game, has injected a new energy into the team and that extended to the fanbase after the win in the season opener. Also, finally having a competent starting quarterback in Geno Smith helps, especially since Smith put the offense on his back last week and carried the team to victory.
It’s hard to get much worse than the 4-13 performance from a year ago, so the feeling is definitely that the Raiders will be better this season with a new head coach and quarterback. That being said, I think most fans are realistic about the roster and know the team is probably a year away from being a legitimate contender in the AFC. Most seem to agree that Las Vegas will be frisky and win a few games they shouldn’t, but will probably land in the eight-to-nine-win mark this season.
2.) Ashton Jeanty was the player everyone was waiting to see in Week One. How did his performance compare to expectation heading into the regular season? What did you like or dislike about his first real game in the NFL?
It was an underwhelming debut for Jeanty with 19 carries for just 38 yards (2.0 ypc). The offensive line was the bigger issue, though, as they struggled in the running game, so he didn’t have much room to run. However, I would like to see the rookie be more patient in the backfield to help set up the blocks, and Carroll even mentioned that this week. I am confident that Jeanty will fix the issue because he showed more patience at Boise State. I get the sense that he was just a little over-eager in his first real NFL game.
What I did like about Jeanty’s debut is that he showed some toughness to fight through contact and punch it in his first NFL touchdown. On that play specifically, he got contacted in the backfield but kept his legs moving to regain the lead that the Raiders never gave back. He also had a couple of nice nine-yard runs to provide some more encouragement moving forward.
**3.) If you were Chargers offensive coordinator Greg Roman, how would you go about attacking this Raiders defense? Which players are you circling in the game plan to exploit...
