Raiders had three questions answered after first preseason game
The Las Vegas Raiders walked out of Allegiant Stadium with a win on Sunday – their first preseason win of the year. They demolished the San Francisco 49ers, really. Well, they demolished the 49ers' backups, as the starters for either team didn't play.Going into this game, a few questions were being asked that we didn't […]
The Las Vegas Raiders walked out of Allegiant Stadium with a win on Sunday – their first preseason win of the year. They demolished the San Francisco 49ers, really. Well, they demolished the 49ers' backups, as the starters for either team didn't play.
Going into this game, a few questions were being asked that we didn't know if we would get an answer to. And we didn't know if we would get the answer we wanted.
This Raiders team wasn't well last season, but they made a few moves that could help them improve in 2023. The questions were if they actually improved.
Raiders' three questions that got answered
Is there anything there with Aidan O'Connell?
Yes, to shorten the answer, there is most definitely something there. Now, I'm not saying he will end up being a Pro Bowler or anything like that. However, something is there, whether it is untapped potential or not. There is no longer a question dangling above O'Connell's head on whether he can play in the NFL. The answer is yes.
Now the question is can he do it against starting-level NFL defenses? Either way, O'Connell might have had the best preseason debut of any rookie quarterback to come out of this last draft. He didn'ty make any mistakes and hardly missed any throws. Oh, and he showed he could get out of the pocket and run those play-action boot plays.
Is the secondary better?
When it comes to pure talent, yes, they are most definitely better. It is preseason, but the unit they trotted out on the field played exceptionally. Even rookie cornerback Jakorian Bennett played great. Duke Shelley, who hasn't had the best training camp based on what we have heard, had a good game too.
Sure, Shelly dropped the interception that turned into a touchdown, but he was there. It's the first game of the year; chances are, if that situation happens again, we are talking about this differently. Sam Webb also played great. The one guy who struggled more than anyone was Aziz Hearn, as the 49ers repeatedly targeted him. However, he still ended up making a few plays. So yes, talent-wise, they are better; now it's just up to coaching and execution.
Is the defensive line depth at least serviceable?
I think the answer is yes, as far as we saw against backup-level talent. The defensive line was beyond disruptive on Sunday. Trey Lance was sacked four times alone, and he only played the first half. And it wasn't just the defensive ends getting after it; the tackles were too.
Adam Butler had a sack and could have had another one too. Isaac Rochell's name was being called all night, as he was disrupting everything. The talent is there, and the depth could be good, but it is definitely better, in my opinion.
The team had a great outing, but as far as overreacting, we cannot do that. It's preseason play, and everything could look very different next week.
49ers-Raiders: Key Takeaways from San Francisco’s preseason loss
The Niners will want to burn the tape.
Featured Image Via Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
