The Las Vegas Raiders are on a nine-game losing streak and looking to snap it as they host the Atlanta Falcons as the season wraps up.
The Raiders could catch the Falcons at the right time. Atlanta has lost four consecutive games and is now behind the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the NFC South standings.
Las Vegas are desperate for a win. The Falcons lack confidence after losing games by getting in their own way. Raheem Morris’ first year back in Atlanta as the head coach started strong but has faltered late with penalties and turnovers.
The Raiders have had a solid defensive season. Although they regressed from the second half of the 2023 season, the defense has put the team in a position to succeed that the offense is not taking advantage of.
Atlanta’s offense has looked explosive and unstoppable at times but has looked rather pedestrian in the last few games. Since November, the Falcons are averaging just 14.3 points per game. They averaged 29.2 points per game in the month of October.
A major reason for their offensive struggles has been quarterback Kirk Cousins. The Falcons signed the veteran to a four-year, $180 million contract this offseason, hoping he could elevate the talented offense and take them back to the playoffs.
It started off strong, but Cousins has been one of the worst quarterbacks in the NFL in the last month. He has thrown eight interceptions and has not thrown a touchdown in the last four games.
Cousins is 36 and coming off a torn Achilles, and his immobility has been evident in the pocket. If the Raiders can apply pressure to this Falcons’ offensive line, they can either sack Cousins or force him into errant throws.
The strength of Atlanta’s offense has been running back Bijan Robinson. The second-year man out of Texas has been excellent, rushing for 977 yards and eight touchdowns. He has also caught 53 passes for 401 yards and a touchdown.
Robinson does it all, so he will be a handful for this defense. Slowing down No. 7 will be the top priority.
On the outside, Darnell Mooney has been an impressive free-agent find for Atlanta. He has a career-high 873 receiving yards with five touchdowns. He and Drake London have formed one of the top receiver duos in the league. Can the Raiders’ secondary shut down the two star receivers?
The Raiders do not want to keep losing, and neither do the Falcons. Atlanta’s strength is its offense, and the Raiders like to play tough.
Coach Antonio Pierce’s defense must play its best football to avoid falling to 2-12.
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