The Los Angeles Rams will travel to face the Oakland Raiders on Saturday night in the preseason opener for both teams. These teams come into the 2019 season on different ends of the teeter-totter. Oakland finds itself at the bottom, in a very competitive division, while the Rams come in off a Super Bowl appearance with the league’s youngest head coach. LA has improved its roster since last season, and the return of Cooper Kupp to the offense is going to be vital, as his presence was missed in the postseason, especially the Super Bowl.
The Raiders, on the other hand, hope to finish their time in Oakland on a high note. But all of this Antonio Brown drama has made it tough for them to be happy about much. We should be very excited for their immensely talented rookie class, featuring four guys who come into the season as starters. Now that Jon Gruden has been through an offseason getting more familiar with his guys, we’ll see what can be possible.
The Oakland Raiders are listed as 4.5-point favorites, with the over/under set at 35.
LA Trying To Find Right Pieces
The preseason for the Rams will be all about solidifying their depth chart and making sure they have the proper backups in the lineup. Behind Todd Gurley, CJ Anderson is no longer lurking, as he’s now in Detroit with the Lions, so that is a huge hole. Blake Bortles is currently slated to be the backup QB, so he should be expecting to split the preseason reps over these first few weeks with Brandon Allen and No. 4 QB John Wolford. In case of a Goff injury this year, it is good to have a guy like Bortles, who has two playoff wins under his belt.
Defensively, it is important to watch the third- and fourth-stringers. The likes of Morgan Fox and Marquise Copeland on the D Line. Landis Durham, Ketner Kupp, and Troy Reeder at linebacker. Look for David Long Jr., Jake Gervase, and Nick Scott in the secondary.
Raiders Rookies Eager For First Opportunity
Josh Jacobs will be taking over the starting RB spot, which was held last season by Marshawn Lynch, while Hunter Renfrow will be one of three very talented (if AB decides to play) starting receivers for the Raiders. Jonathan Abram will be competing with veteran LaMarcus Joyner for the starting free safety position, while No. 4 pick Clelin Ferrell is looking to make an immediate impact on a pass rush that was horrid without Khalil Mack, who was traded by Jon Gruden right before the start of the season last year.
Behind Derek Carr, the battle for QB2 between the embattled Nathan Peterman and Mike Glennon will be something to keep an eye on. Wide receiver Tyrell Williams was a great get from the Chargers and should get one or two drives out there with the first team.
Oakland Wins Preseason Opener
Led by a strong start from their talented rookie group, the Raiders will be victorious tonight! A good way to kick the preseason off.
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