Previewing Philadelphia’s Week 15 enemy.
Each week, I dive into the film of the Eagles’ upcoming opponent to get a feel for who they really are. Think of it less as a stats preview and more as an overview of what shows up repeatedly on film, and what the Eagles will be facing.
With the Eagles on a three-game slide, this matchup is the perfect chance to get some momentum going. The Raiders aren’t in the same league talent-wise. A win doesn’t erase the questions facing this team, but failing to take care of business against this Raiders offense would be pretty shocking. This is a tough preview to write because offensive coordinator Chip Kelly has recently been fired, and Kenny Pickett is likely to replace Geno Smith, but I don’t expect much to change.
Raiders Offense
Pass Game
Everything about the Raiders’ passing attack is bad and predictable. They repeat basic concepts weekly, and defenses have begun jumping these calls before the ball is even snapped. Chicago and Los Angeles intercepted Geno Smith in back-to-back weeks because the Raiders ran the same play in the same situation.
I think Geno Smith has been heavily overrated by a number of film watchers the past few years, but the scheme has done him absolutely no favours this year. The receivers can’t separate, and the protection is awful.
The one player to keep an eye on is Brock Bowers. When healthy, he’s a legitimate superstar who can line up outside and beat good corners at the catch point. He is very good after the catch, too.
Tre Tucker is the only capable wide receiver they have, too. The Raiders will take down the field shots to him, because that’s all they have at receiver!
Even when the concept looks OK, the timing looks off. The receivers are often late into their breaks or simply not looking for the ball when the quarterback reaches the top of his drop. They can’t avoid press coverage, either. That disconnect forces Geno Smith to hold the ball and take hits behind an offensive line that cannot withstand any delay.
Protection is the fatal flaw with this team. Kelly’s system freed the RBs and TEs into routes for the majority of dropbacks, offering almost no help to tackles who already struggle against any functional edge rusher. Individually, the offensive linemen are not good.
As a collective, they are not good either. There are a lot of free rushers when the linemen don’t seem to understand the protection scheme. Kolton Miller potentially returning at LT is the one stabilizing factor. But even if the left side improves, the remaining four positions will be massively overmatched by Philadelphia’s defensive front. This is the type of OL the Eagles should bury with four-man rushes and simulated pressure. I said the same about the Chargers!
Pickett at least brings mobility and second-reaction ability that Geno did not. He’s willing to scramble, extend, and try to create something outside structure, which may actually help this offense generate something. But when surrounded by this level of dysfunction, he is more likely to produce chaos than sustainable offense.
Run Game
Despite Kelly’s long-standing reputation as a good run-game designer, the Raiders have fielded one of the worst rushing offenses in football. They have been towards the top of the league in negative runs, which isn’t a shock when you watch the film. Too many calls depend on athletic reach blocks that this line cannot execute, and there are too many plays where pullers have no angle. Ashton Jeanty has been criticised a fair bit this year, but he hasn’t really had a chance.
The one bright spot for the Raiders is that Jeanty’s biggest runs this season have come behind LT Kolton Miller, who gives them at least a functional edge to run behind. If Miller returns, LV will try to get the run game going early and take pressure off Pickett. Jeanty is still a very special talent with exceptional contact balance. He is not explosive, but he can turn a small gain into a good one pretty quickly.
Philadelphia’s run defense has been up and down, but this is not the Bears or the Lions. This is the type of run game the Eagles should shut down. With Jalen Carter out, Jordan Davis’ ability to clog the interior and force LV into long downs will be the determining factor.
Final Thoughts
The Raiders’ offense is slow, predictable, underdeveloped, and not very good! Their OL is a liability, their concepts are bad, and their talent level is near the bottom of the league. The Eagles’ defense simply must dominate this matchup. I expect them to do so…
Thank you for reading! I’d love to hear your thoughts, so feel free to comment below and ask any questions. If you enjoyed this piece, you can find more of my work and podcast here. If you would like to support me further, please check out my Patreon here!
Category: General Sports
