Who has something to prove on Friday?
The Las Vegas Raiders face off against their biggest rival in Week 13, taking on the Kansas City Chiefs in a special Black Friday edition of Thursday Night Football. However, the 2-9 Raiders are building for the future for the rest of the season, so this week’s key matchups will focus on young players with something to prove.
Aidan O’Connell vs. Steve Spagnuolo
O’Connell will return to the field and make his first start since breaking his thumb in Week 7 against the Los Angeles Rams. Similar to last year, this will also be an opportunity for the second-year pro to prove himself as a starting quarterback as the Raiders are currently searching for a long-term answer at the position.
The problem is this isn’t an ideal matchup for a young passer who will be knocking some rust off this week as the Chiefs’ defensive coordinator is a mad scientist.
Spagnuolo is known for disguising coverages and dialing up exotic blitzes (or simulated pressures) that can confuse even the most veteran quarterbacks. That’s a big reason why his unit ranked fourth in passing yards allowed last season and was the No. 2 defense overall last year.
However, the Chiefs’ defense has been struggling lately by allowing 24 points or more in three out of the last four games. The secondary has suffered some key injuries which is part of the reason why Bryce Young was able to carve them up for 263 yards and a touchdown last Sunday, providing some optimism for the Silver and Black.
Also, O’Connell does have a win against Spagnuolo in Kansas City on his résumé, defeating the Chiefs 20-14 on Christmas Day last year. But the quarterback was far from the reason for the victory as he only accounted for 62 yards and didn’t complete a pass after the first quarter while two defensive touchdowns led the way for Las Vegas.
That won’t be good enough for the 2023 fourth-round pick this time around as his performance will be more important than how the scoreboard looks when it comes to the long-term goal.
Decamerion Richardson vs. DeAndre Hopkins
Photo by Brandon Sloter/Getty Images
In full disclosure, how much playing time Richardson gets will depend on Jakorian Bennett’s health as Bennett missed last week’s game with an injury. However, the rookie should at least get some playing time on Friday seeing as the Raiders’ secondary is beaten up and the team has been rotating its cornerbacks more frequently recently.
Richardson had solid outings in Weeks 9 and 11, allowing just two catches on five targets for 40 yards in those contests combined according to Pro Football Focus. However, the Denver Broncos and big-bodied wideout Courtland Sutton got the best of him last week with eight targets for five catches, 70 yards and a touchdown in addition to a pass interference penalty.
This upcoming matchup brings another tall challenge (literally and figuratively) for the fourth-round pick in Hopkins. The 6-foot-1 and 218-pound wideout has become known for his contested catch skills over the years and has hauled in seven of 12 such targets this season, via PFF. He’s been even better in that department since moving to Kansas City, logging five contested catches on eight contested targets.
So, it will be a difficult task but Richardson does have an opportunity to bounce back and show growth from last week.
Tyree Wilson vs. Trey Smith
Wilson still has some work to do but has shown growth this season, especially over the past month. He’s registered three sacks in the Raiders’ last four games and the hot streak started with a strong performance against the Chiefs last month.
The 2023 first-round pick has been lining up on the inside more as opposed to the edge, playing as a 4- or 4i-technique defensive end. That’s allowed him to take on guards more often and he had several quality reps against Smith the last time they faced off.
Granted, Smith is still one of the best interior offensive linemen in the NFL as he currently ranks ninth among guards with a 79.5 grade from Pro Football Focus. So, it will be difficult to get the best of him twice, but accomplishing that should give Wilson a big confidence boost to finish the rest of the campaign and heading into year three.