Raiders-Falcons preview: Odds, players to watch, plus prediction
The Raiders are set to make their 2024 prime-time debut when they host the Falcons on “Monday Night Football” at Allegiant Stadium.
Neither team is playing like it’s ready for a national television audience.
The Raiders (2-11) will be looking to snap a nine-game losing streak that has them positioned to potentially finish with the worst record in the NFL.
Meanwhile, the Falcons (6-7) have lost four straight games to fall out of first place in the NFC South.
Game information
■ Who: Falcons at Raiders
■ When: 5:30 p.m. Monday
■ Where: Allegiant Stadium
■ TV: ESPN, Fox (Chris Fowler, play-by-play; Dan Orlovsky, Louis Riddick, analysts)
■ Radio: KRLV-AM (920), KOMP-FM (92.3) (Jason Horowitz, play-by-play; Lincoln Kennedy, analyst)
■ Line: Falcons -4, total 44
Series history
The Falcons have won five straight games against the Raiders to take a 8-7 edge in the all-time series.
Atlanta won the first matchup between the two teams in 1971. The Raiders then won the next four and seven of the next nine before the Falcons began their dominance.
The Raiders last beat Atlanta in 2000. The Falcons have outscored them 160-64 in their last five matchups.
Last meeting
Nov. 29, 2020 — The Raiders arrived in Atlanta with a 6-4 record and lofty ambitions, but were humbled in a 43-6 blowout.
They trailed just 16-3 at the start of the third quarter, but things started to get out of hand when linebacker Deion Jones intercepted quarterback Derek Carr and returned the ball 67 yards for a touchdown.
Quarterback Matt Ryan threw touchdown passes to wide receiver Calvin Ridley and Brandon Powell in the win. Running back Ito Smith added a rushing touchdown.
Kicker Younghoe Koo went 5-for-5 on field goals for Atlanta and made all four of his extra-point attempts.
Bold predictions
1. Running back Sincere McCormick will record the first 100-yard game of his career and the first by a Raiders player this season.
2. Linebacker Kana’i Mauga, who has been getting limited snaps at fullback, will record the first carry of his career.
3. Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins will throw at least two touchdown passes after throwing none his previous four games. At least one will go to tight end Kyle Pitts, who last scored Oct. 27.
Storyline
The Falcons still have plenty to play for, as they’re alive in the race for the NFC South.
All the Raiders can do is hope to play spoiler. Their loss to the Buccaneers on Dec. 8 caused Tampa Bay to move ahead of Atlanta in the standings.
This is also the Raiders’ only chance to play in a prime-time game this season. All they have at stake is their pride. They are in the running for the top pick in next year’s draft, but that won’t motivate the coaches and players who are fighting for their jobs.
When the Raiders have the ball
Quarterback Aidan O’Connell suffered a knee injury against the Buccaneers and was carted off, but there’s still a chance he could play Monday.
If he doesn’t, backup Desmond Ridder would start. The offense would likely look different with Ridder under center, as he’s far more mobile than O’Connell.
“They’re different types of players and I think you try to play to your guys’ strengths, so we’ll be ready (either way),” interim offensive coordinator Scott Turner said.
Ridder would have plenty of motivation if he plays. He was picked in the third round of the 2022 draft by the Falcons and started 17 games for the team his first two seasons.
Atlanta moved on this offseason by signing Cousins and drafting Michael Penix Jr. in the first round.
Another player with something to prove is McCormick, who has provided a spark to the Raiders’ dreadful running game. The former practice-squad player has impressed so much that coach Antonio Pierce said this week McCormick will remain the team’s lead back even with Alexander Mattison returning from an ankle injury.
The role is well-deserved. McCormick runs hard and has also proven capable in the passing game.
“I’m very proud of that,” McCormick said. “It’s something I knew I was able to do. I’m like a switchblade in that I’m able to do whatever is thrown my way and whatever is asked of me, whether it’s block, catch, run after the catch. Whatever you need, I’ll make sure I’m going to get it. That’s how I was trained.”
The Raiders also got a breakout game from tight end Michael Mayer last week, giving them the dynamic duo they envisioned when they drafted rookie sensation Brock Bowers in the first round in April.
“When a team goes all out to try to take away Brock, big Mike shows up, right?” Pierce said. “And that’s going to be the same thing throughout the season. Twelve personnel (two tight ends) is our best personnel and they’ve got to find ways to match up, and we’ve got to find ways to keep moving Brock around and being creative with him because we’ve got to feed him the ball. Because when we do that, good things happen for the Raiders.”
When the Falcons have the ball
Cousins is in a funk. He’s thrown zero touchdowns and eight interceptions his last four games, which were all Falcons’ losses.
The Raiders know Cousins is capable of snapping out of it any time, however. The 36-year-old has a solid track record and plenty of weapons round him.
Running back Bijan Robinson is a strong runner and a dangerous receiving threat out of the backfield.
“He’s so tough to tackle,” defensive coordinator Patrick Graham said. “So, we’ve got to do a great job of leveraging the ball carrier, trying to force him to our help. But his ability to cut on a dime and make the first guy miss, that’s pretty impressive for me.”
The Falcons are at their best when Robinson wears opponents down and then running back Tyler Allgeier enters to give Atlanta more of a power running game.
“Both of them are too big,” Graham said. “You’ve got to get big bodies in front of them. And the arm tackle thing is not going to work.”
The Falcons also have a pair of playmakers at wide receiver in Drake London and Darnell Mooney. Pitts is explosive as well and is capable of having huge games.
Friday’s injury report
■ Raiders: DID NOT PRACTICE: DE Maxx Crosby (ankle), QB Aidan O’Connell (back), CB Sam Webb (back). LIMITED: DT Adam Butler (concussion), CB Nate Hobbs (ankle), WR Jakobi Meyers (ankle), TE Justin Shorter (back). FULL: Alexander Mattison (ankle).
■ Falcons: DID NOT PRACTICE: ILB Troy Andersen (knee), WR Casey Washington (concussion). LIMITED: DL Zach Harrison (Achilles), ILB Nate Landman (rest), RG Chris Lindstrom (rest), DL Ruke Orhorhoro (ankle). FULL: S Jessie Bates III (shoulder), WR Darnell Mooney (foot), TE Charlie Woerner (wrist).
The pick
Raiders 27, Falcons 25
Contact Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AdamHillLVRJ on X.
