The Las Vegas Raiders and the Tenessee Titans had heartbreaking losses in NFL Week 2, but in very different ways. The Raiders gave up a 20-0 lead over the Cardinals, ultimately losing in overtime off a fumble returned for a touchdown.
On the other hand, the Titans were obliterated by the Buffalo Bills 41-7 on Monday night. Both teams are 0-2 and in seemingly must-win situations.
Don’t know where to place your Titans vs. Raiders bet? Keep reading for stat comparisons and a game breakdown so you can feel good about where you put your money on the Raiders game today.
Las Vegas Raiders vs. Tennessee Titans
Las Vegas Raiders (-2.5)
The Raiders have had anything but an easy start to the season, opening against division rivals LA Chargers before having to play a fiery Arizona Cardinals.
Raiders at the NFL Stats
Pull up the NFL stats, and you’ll find Derek Carr in the Top 10 for passing yards. The Raiders play in a stacked AFC West where a game’s difference could be the difference between making playoffs and watching from home.
Expect Josh McDaniels to get the team fired up and ready to go and have a stellar performance in Nashville.
Tennessee Titans (+2.5)
If you were making a Titans vs. Raiders bet last year, you probably would’ve hammered the Titans with good reason.
Titans’ Standings
The Titans finished the year 12-5 and were the #1 seed for the AFC for the first time since 2008. Take a look at the Titans’ standings now, and you’ll see a completely different story.
Sitting firmly in last place, Coach Vrabel will be looking to rejuvenate his team with a win in front of the home crowd.
Raiders Strengths and Weaknesses
Well, the fanfare for new coach Josh McDaniels has not lasted long in Sin City. The offensive wiz kid from New England Patriots shows that perhaps his stint in Denver was no fluke.
Going into NFL Week 3, the Raiders offense is ranked 22nd, going off NFL stats. Don’t worry. The suboptimal play doesn’t end with the offense. The defense also comes in 22nd in total yards.
It hasn’t been an easy NFL schedule either both the Chargers and Cardinals have a supercharged offense, but the Raiders have had issues containing when needed.
Raiders’ Necessity to Improve
The Raiders need to find a way to get their weapons going, the first being Josh Jacobs. Jacobs is 15th in the league in rushing yards despite being 11th in attempts.
Davante Adams, though, having a respectable season so far, isn’t taking over the game as much as the Raiders would like.
Expectations for McDaniels
Expect McDaniels to try and get his weapons involved in the game early. With all that being said, the Raiders need more consistency and higher caliber play out of Derek Carr, for who they paid $121.5M in the offseason.
And despite being tied for 9th in total passing yards and had 4 TDs also has 3 INTs and a measly 40.6 QBR. The Las Vegas Raiders have the pieces to have a good team and hope to deliver a better product Sunday in Nashville.
Titans Strengths and Weaknesses
Disappointment is the name of the game for Titans fans this year. A heartbreaking loss due to a missed field goal at the end of the game in NFL Week 1 against the New York Giants, and then the absolute thumping they took the next week, has left the Titans asking if the success of the past couple of years is all but a memory.
Tennessee is tied for 26th in Defensive total yards. This is not helped that NFL injuries have shown holes in Tennessee’s secondary.
This team wasn’t necessarily strong in-depth, being forced on both sides of the ball to go deep into the bench, which shows itself in small ways.
Titans at the NFL Stats
The Tennessee Titans are averaging 68 yards in penalties a game and have a -3 turnover ratio when you look at the NFL stats.
Treylon Burks is having an excellent start to his season, and though he is starting slow, I believe that Derrick Henry has shown that he is still a good running back.
Expectations for Tannehill
Maybe not the same back that rushed for 2,000 yards, so the Titans will be looking to Ryan Tannehill to pick up the slack.
However, Tannehill hasn’t been playing well, and fans aren’t sure if he can find the yards that the offense needs.
Tannehill ranks 25th in passing yards, has only 2 TDs matching his 2 INTs and has a 48.3 QBR. I expect the Titans to continue to sputter along this upcoming week as they try to find a way to keep their offense afloat.
Team Season Forecast
- Las Vegas Raiders: 7-10
- Tennessee Titans: 8-9
What to Expect from this Matchup?
This should be a good defensive low, scoring game. I expect it to remain competitive for the majority of the game, never being more than a one-possession game.
Titans vs. Raiders Prediction and Best Bets
Making a Titans vs. Raiders bet? These are my picks.
NFL Pick: Titans +2.5 (-110)
NFL Pick: Raiders (+110)
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