Oakland Raiders vs. Tennessee Titans

The Week 1 matchup between the Tennessee Titans and the Oakland Raiders is intriguing. Both teams have struggled to find success in recent years, but seem to be turning things around recently. Last season, the Raiders reached their first playoff berth since their Super Bowl loss in 2003. The Titans went 9-7 in 2016, their first winning record since 2011 and only their second winning record since 2008.

Both teams also feature franchise quarterbacks that suffered season-ending injuries last season. In fact, the similarities of the quarterbacks’ injuries are startling. In Week 16 of 2016, both Derek Carr and Marcus Mariota suffered broken fibulas that ended their season early. At the time the Raiders were looking to clinch a first-round bye in the playoffs and the Titans were looking to grab a remaining playoff spot. After the injuries, neither team was able to achieve those goals.

That leads us to Week 1 and the keys to victory for the matchup.

Keys to Victory

Getting off to a strong start is important for any NFL team. For the Raiders and Titans, both teams will likely rely on their strong offenses to exit Week 1 1-0. In 2016, the Raiders and Titans ranked eighth and ninth in passing touchdowns, and sixth and 11th in total offensive yards, respectively.

If the Raiders want to win this game they are going to have to prove they can defend the tight end position. In 2016, the Raiders gave up the fifth most receiving yards and the eighth most touchdowns to the tight end position. If this trend continues, Tennessee’s Delanie Walker is going to torch the Raiders secondary. If the Raiders find a way to limit Walker’s impact, such as moving Sean Smith to cover him, they have a good chance of outscoring the Titans through the rest of the game.

For the Titans, the most important thing they can do in this game is controlling the pace. Both teams are set up to have good passing performances, but only the Titans will be able to run the ball with ease. Last season the Titans ranked second in rushing yards allowed and fifth in rushing touchdowns allowed. The Raiders ranked 23rd in rushing yards allowed and 25th in rushing touchdowns allowed.

Being able to run the ball effectively will be a huge advantage to for the Titans, especially if the Raiders struggle doing so. Running ball allows the Titans to control the flow of the game, and also sets up play action to take advantage of Oakland’s notoriously struggling secondary.

Odds

Point Spread: Tennessee -3

Moneyline: Tennessee -140, Oakland +120

Over/Under: 50.5

All odds provided by the BookMaker via Sportsbook Review

Score Prediction

This game should be incredibly close. These are both teams on the rise that have playoff dreams this season. The Raiders, especially, are set up to be strong contenders throughout the season and are considered one of the favorites to reach the Super Bowl. However, the Titans seem to be set up as Oakland’s kryptonite.

The Raiders win games by outscoring their opponents, in order to make up for the holes in their secondary. The Titans should be able to score in pace with the Raiders, especially with the possibility of Delanie Walker’s big game on Sunday. That, combined with the Titans superior rushing attack, makes me believe this game will be too much for Oakland to handle.

Final Score: Oakland Raiders: 24, Tennessee Titans: 28