The Las Vegas Raiders enter Week 6 with a heightened sense of urgency.
Coming off a 40-6 debacle against the Indianapolis Colts, they turn their attention to a young Tennessee Titans team. Both the Raiders and Titans currently stand at 1-4, however Tennessee is coming into the game with momentum after winning their first game of the season. Meanwhile, the Silver and Black will be desperate to remove the stench from their four-game losing streak.
Here are three matchups that could make the difference within this contest.
Ashton Jeanty vs. Cam Ward
While not a head-to-head matchup, these two young men have a lot in common.
For starters, they were both under-recruited high school prospects out of Texas that would become household names in college football. Ashton Jeanty didn't need to attend a Power-5 conference program to become the Heisman Trophy runner-up and Doak Walker Award winner at Boise State. Cam Ward began his college football journey at FCS Incarnate Word, then found success at Washington State and Miami, where he won the Davey O'Brien Award and ACC Player of the Year as a senior.
These two players then became first-round picks in this year's draft, as Ward went No. 1 overall and Jeanty was selected five picks later.
And now, they both find themselves in a place, as rookies, where their respective team's success is dependent upon their play.
While still dealing with hardships, the game seems to come easier to them each passing week. Ward, while being sacked a league-leading 19 times, is coming off his first win as an NFL quarterback. Throwing for a career-high 265 yards, he propelled the Titans to a game-winning drive against the Arizona Cardinals after being down 21-6 at the start of the fourth quarter.
"He's a very unique player. He's got a unique style about him," Carroll said of the Titans quarterback. "Very athletic, very confident. He throws tough throws and he makes tough throws. He'll surprise you with his ability to find receivers in all those predicaments, but he finds ways to makes things happen."
As for Jeanty, he's looked like one of the best running backs in the league after a slow start to the season. In his first three games, he averaged 3.2 yards a carry with 93 of his 144 rushing yards coming after contact. In his last two games, he's accounted for 264 scrimmage yards and three total touchdowns. His yards per carry average in those two games increased by over two yards in comparison to his first three. He also leads the league in broken tackles on rushes (15).
"Whenever I get the ball, I just want to make the most of my opportunities," Jeanty said. "Whether it's red zone, whether we're backed up, it doesn't matter. My opportunities will come when they come."
"When you get the ball, it's always about just reading the defense, reading what they're giving you," he added. "But once you see it, no hesitation. Make your decision and get north and south."
In theory, both rookies are entering advantageous situations this Sunday. The Titans defense has allowed the second-most rushing yards this season and the Raiders defense currently has the ninth-lowest quarterback pressure percentage in the league.
Jordan Meredith vs. Jeffrey Simmons
Combining the preseason and the regular season,Jordan Meredith is heading into his ninth game ever starting at center.
He notably made the switch from guard to center this offseason, with the coaching staff entrusting him at the position. The 2024 season was a great opportunity to put himself on his team's radar, as he accumulated an 80.8 offensive grade from Pro Football Focus – a team-high among all offensive linemen.
"I think Jordan is what you're looking for in a center in this league," Kelly said previously. "He reminds me a little bit, I'm not going to say he is, but he reminds me a lot of Jason Kelce that I had when I was in Philly. He's got a long way to go. Jason's a Hall of Famer, but he's that type of player. We were really excited about what Jordan's doing at center."
While there's been a learning curve with snapping the football, Meredith's blocking ability hasn't taken a dip with his position change. Per Next Gen Stats, he's allowed quarterback pressure on 4.9 percent of dropbacks this season, which is the 13th-lowest rate among centers with 50+ pass blocks. Additionally, his 7.1 percent pressure rate allowed against single pass rushers 1-on-1 is the lowest among any lineman on the Raiders this season.
"Honestly right now, I'm just trying to focus on the day-to-day and get better," Meredith said. "There's so much to learn from, you go out there and you've never seen it all. There's something a coach does or a defensive lineman does that you learn from. My whole thing is just making sure that we focus, go out there and give it 100 percent and try to get better."
A week removed from a great matchup against DeForest Buckner and Grover Stewart, he'll face one of the best interior pass rushers in the league in Jeffrey Simmons.
Even while the Titans are in a rebuilding phase, Simmons remains a constant fixture for their defense. The three-time Pro Bowler is leading the team in sacks (3.5), tackles for loss (six) and quarterback hits (nine). According to Next Gen Stats, he leads all defensive tackles in the league with 20 total pressures..
"It seems like he's a very smart player," Meredith said of Simmons. "He's a tall guy, big guy, looks like he has strength. He kind of has the whole package. I have to go out there and play our game and go play ball."
So far this season, Geno Smith has been sacked 16 times, the third-most of any quarterback in the NFL. Therefore, this game could get out of hands for the Raiders if they don't win this matchup.
Raiders run defense vs. Tony Pollard
While Simmons has been the bright spot for the Titans defensively, speedster Tony Pollard fills that role offensively.
The veteran running back has racked up three consecutive seasons over 1,000 rushing yards, and is on pace for a fourth. He ranks top 15 in the league in carries (82), rushing yards (328) and broken tackles (six).
The Raiders are coming off an unusual and unfortunate week from their run defense. While they allowed less than 100 rushing yards for a fourth time this season, special teams and turnovers consistently gave the Colts offense good field position. They gave up four touchdowns on the ground last Sunday, matching the total of rushing touchdowns allowed in their first four games combined.
Despite leading the team in sacks the past three seasons, edge rusher Maxx Crosby has taken on more responsibility in stopping the run this season. He leads the team in tackles for loss (eight), run stops (13) and run stuffs (seven), according to Next Gen Stats. Linebackers Elandon Roberts and Devin White have also been formidable against the run, combining for 20 run stops and 38 solo tackles.
Considering the recent struggles in the Raiders' passing defense, the run defense must remain stout considering the threat Pollard poises.
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