Can you believe it? Despite adding several vital weapons over the offseason, the Las Vegas Raiders are already picked to lose their Week One matchup against the Baltimore Ravens. In fact, Draftkings.com currently has the Ravens as the 4-point favorite to win the game. Why though? Why are the Raiders still pegged to lose after everything they managed to change during the offseason?
Honestly, there are a lot of different reasons that come to mind. First, let’s look at the Raiders’ defense. Remember, the Raiders’ defense allowed 474 points last season, making them one of the worst teams in the league. Next, we have to consider Derek Carr’s inability to create a spark on offense during big games, meaning the Ravens could easily blitz the Raiders and force Derek Carr into mistakes.
The Raiders beefed up their defense recently with the addition of Tre’von Moehring, De’Vante Bausby Kemah Siverand, Alex Leatherwood, and Casey Hayward. If they fail to revitalize the team, the Ravens’ offense should have no problem destroying this new-look defense and handing them a bad start to the season.
So, what kind of defense will show up in week one against the Baltimore Ravens? Believe it or not, that will be the deciding factor in this game and will set the tone for the rest of the season.
