Oakland Raiders Host Arizona Cardinals In Week 7 Clash

The Arizona Cardinals will play the Oakland Raiders this Sunday is a battle of haves and have-nots. The NFC West leading Arizona Cardinals will face a win-less and hopeless team that has already faced their share of adversity this season.

Something To Play For

Despite the losing, the Oakland Raiders are still a scrappy team with players that are motivated by the future rather than the present.

One of those players is Derek Carr, who has been good by rookie standards especially after last week when he threw four touchdowns and only one pick. But the Raiders Rookie signal caller doesn’t have much support as the rest of the Raiders offense is kind of average to be honest. With an offensive line that isn’t strong, a receiver corp that works as a boom or bust group and a two running back system that isn’t working the Raiders have a long way to go on offense. 

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Boom or Bust Passing Attack

The Raiders running game is ranked 31st in the league. With no real blue chip players on the offense line the Raiders struggle to run block.  Oddly enough they have done a decent job of protecting Derek Carr.  The Raiders QB has been sacked only 3 times. That said the Raiders O-line should represent much of a challenge for the Arizona Cardinals who currently have the 3rd best rushing defense in the league. 

The strength of the Raiders offense is definitely their passing game. The receivers aren’t that bad but they are more dependent on the play of their quarterback than other receivers on other teams. They can be great if Carr is hot, if Carr isn’t feeling it, the passing attack is not existent because these receivers aren’t that talented.

Granted all receivers need their quarterbacks to be hot but the reason the Raiders need Derek Carr to be hot is because these receivers have the polish of an elite receiving corp. Simple as that.

Inconsistent Defense

The Oakland Raiders defense may be 21th in total defense on paper but they could be worse than that in reality. The Raiders have a weak secondary, a solid linebacker corps and a defensive line is a little long in the tooth. On any given Sunday the Raider’s can get a couple good games out of these veterans, but they can’t be consistent at all. They rise to the occasion and hold the New England Patriots to 16 points on the road but then turn around and give up 38 to the Dolphins. that kind of inconsistent play won’t win you many football games. 

Prediction

The Cardinals should have their way with the Raiders on Sunday but they will still fight throughout the game. I expect the score to be 31-17 Cardinals.