Packers vs. Raiders: Tale of the tape for Week 7 matchup
Offense
Packers
The Packers’ offense is banged up. Adams has already been ruled out by head coach Matt LaFleur on Friday. MVS and Allison didn’t practice on Friday either, making their possible return look bleak. So they will likely have four healthy receivers which include three undrafted free agents and a player just signed a couple of days ago.
The good news is the running game looks like it is back on track. Aaron Jones had a huge game against Dallas when Jamaal Williams was out with his concussion. Then he had a rough game last week fumbling the ball away and dropping a touchdown pass from Rodgers.
Luckily, Williams was back from his concussion and picked up the slack. He ran for 104 yards and also caught four passes for 32 yards and a touchdown. Williams was huge in this game, especially after MVS and Allison left with injuries. The success of the running game between Jones and Williams should provide a safety blanket for this offense with such a beat-up receiving corps.
I think it's totally understandable for #Packers fans to be so worried about the WRs. They're used to a roster that is completely reliant on a QB and his WR talent.
— Peter Bukowski (@Peter_Bukowski) October 18, 2019
That's not this team. They have a very good defense, an elite OL, one of the best 1-2 RB punches in the league.
The offensive line continues to play well. The pass protection has been solid for Rodgers and they have been run blocking extremely well, something the Packers haven’t seen in a while.
Raiders
This Oakland offense is run first. What more can we expect from a team led by Jon Gruden? It’s an old-school offense that tries to pound the ball down the field and throw short passes.
Their running game is spearheaded by the rookie first-round pick Josh Jacobs. Jacobs is having a great start to his rookie campaign, running for 430 yards so far this season with four touchdowns. He tallied 123 yards and two touchdowns against the Bears in London two weeks ago. He is the real deal and could cause some problems for the Packers, especially with the way running backs have played against them so far this season.
Their receivers are far less formidable than Jacobs. The leading receiver is tight end Darren Waller, who was featured on HBO’s “Hard Knocks” as a feel-good story. Behind him is receiver Tyrell Williams, but he has been ruled out in Week 7 due to a foot injury. Without Williams available, that leaves undrafted rookie Hunter Renfrow, who has just 12 catches for 101 yards. Without Williams, there really isn’t anyone on this Raiders team who can or will beat you deep.
But let’s not forget the former Packer, Trevor Davis, who is becoming a big part of this Raiders offense. In his first game as a Raider, he didn’t catch the ball but ran it twice for 74 yards. The next week against the Bears, he caught four passes for 42 yards. With Williams out, Davis could be a big part of their offense on Sunday.
If the Packers can stop the Raiders’ running attack (easier said than done), then I think they shouldn’t have a problem shutting this offense down. The Packers’ offense, even without their top receivers, is a lot more balanced because of Rodgers.