With all the whining from Lions fans still in full force, it’s hard to believe that Week 7 is already here. The Packers have to face another opponent coming off a bye, but at least it’s another home game. Let’s look at three big factors for the Raiders game.
Carr’s Quick Release
The Raiders have built their aerial attack around quick passing. David Carr’s average time to release a pass is 2.52 seconds – that’s the 3rd fastest in the league. The Packers will have a hard time getting home on the pass rush and the defensive backs will need to be reacting very quick if they want a shot at an interception.
Penalties (Again)
The Packers rank 8th in the league in fewest penalty yards per play. The Raiders are 25th. The Raiders have got 4 first downs via penalty this year and given 18 first downs via penalties to their opponents. This isn’t about favoritism or bad calls, it’s about discipline. If these teams keep doing what they’ve been doing, the Packers came expect some help from penalties, which doesn’t mean they’re getting an unfair advantage.
Injuries (Still)
The Packers are banged up, but the Raiders have their own problems to deal with. Starting safety Johnathan Abram is on IR, starting defensive end Arden Key isn’t practicing, and the other starting defensive end – number 4 overall pick Clelin Ferrell – has been limited in practice recovering from a concussion. This is a defense that is banged up even coming off a bye (in addition to starting middle linebacker Vontaze Burfict being out for yet another suspension). In their last game, they gave up 21 points to the Bears (with Chase Daniel at the helm). Even without most of their receivers, the Packers aren’t outmatched.
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For more pregame coverage this week, see Pregame Predictions: Packers vs Raiders – 2019 Week 7.