The Bengals look to secure their first victory at Paycor Stadium this season when the Las Vegas Raiders come to town on Sunday. The 2-6 Raiders are coming off four straight losses, the most recent a 27-20 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.
Raiders Offense
Las Vegas enters Sunday averaging 18.0 points and 288.1 yards per game on offense, the seventh-lowest and fifth-lowest in the NFL, respectively.
The Raiders began the season with journeyman quarterback Gardner Minshew as the starter, but second-year pro Aidan O'Connell appeared in four games before suffering an injury in Week 7 against the Rams. Las Vegas signed former Cincinnati Bearcat Desmond Ridder as insurance behind Minshew with O'Connell out.
Minshew has posted a 59.4 PFF pass grade, ranking 35th among quarterbacks with at least 25 dropbacks. He has thrown six touchdowns to eight interceptions this season and has been sacked 22 times, the second-most in the NFL. The Raiders also recently traded star wideout Devante Adams to the New York Jets.
As a result of the Adams trade, Jakobi Meyers slides into the Raiders' WR1 role. Meyers has yet to drop a pass this season, and the Raiders have the third-most receptions in the NFL as a team.
Rookie tight end Brock Bowers has been the favorite target of whoever is under center: The Georgia product leads the NFL with 52 receptions this season and is top-10 in receiving yards. He is the second-highest graded tight end and fifth-highest pass catcher with at least 10 targets, per PFF, boasting an 88.1 receiving grade. The first-round pick is a threat in open space as well — his 287 yards after the catch lead all tight ends and rank within the top-10 in the league.
The Raiders average 3.6 yards per carry on the ground and have totaled 632 rushing yards, both the second fewest in the league. Their 54.2 PFF run grade ranks lowest in the league. Starting running back Alexander Mattison has rushed for three touchdowns and caught another and has forced 11 missed tackles, per PFF.
Raiders Defense
Edge rusher Maxx Crosby leads the Raiders defense. He has 6.5 sacks this season, seventh in the NFL and a half-sack behind Cincinnati's Trey Hendrickson. PFF charts Crosby with 26 total pressures across his seven games played (he missed Week 4 with an injury). The Raiders defensive line has been rock solid against the run this year, posting a 75.0 PFF run defense grade, sixth-best in the league.
Behind Crosby in the second level, linebacker Robert Spillane is tied for fourth in the NFL with 79 total tackles. In the secondary, Las Vegas is the only team in the NFL that has yet to allow a pass completion of at least 40 yards this season, but PFF has them with a 36.4 coverage grade (last in NFL)
In total, Vegas has allowed 210 points, the fourth-most in the NFL. Per PFF, the Raiders are second in the NFL with 105 missed tackles.
Check out the Bengals 2024 Schedule.
