Cardinals vs. Raiders Preview
The Oakland Raiders travel to Arizona on Sunday to meet the Cardinals in a game that will be like a car crash. It'll be ugly, but it could be so ugly that it becomes fascinating.
That these teams both have a win has more to do with the fact that they both played the Rams than anything else.
The Raiders come into the game coming off their win against the Rams, a 16-14 slug-fest that saw starter Jason Campbell, signed in the off-season, replaced by backup Bruce Gradkowski.
The Raiders are sticking with Gradkowski, who definitely gave the team and the fans a spark when he came into the game. He led the Raiders to a come-from-behind win, going 11/22 for 161 yards with one touchdown and one interception.
One bright spot for the Raiders so far has been the emergence of Darren Mcfadden at running back. The former first round pick had been criticized in Oakland for under-performing in recent years, but has started the season very well. McFadden followed up a
95 yard performance in week one with 145 yards on a career high 30 carries in week two.
The Raiders can run it, but you can run it on the Raiders too. The Raiders defence is ranked fifth in the NFL against the pass, but 29th against the run, allowing a woeful 140 yards per game. Luckily for them, the Cardinals don't run the ball that well.
What the Cardinals do well is a very short conversation. Losing future Hall of Famer Kurt Warner, along with wide receiver Anquan Boldin, has hamstrung an offence that used to be among the most dangerous in the league.
The Cardinals started the season by cutting long-term disappointment Matt Leinart in favour of long-time mediocre performer Derek Anderson. Anderson was pulled from the Cardinals week two match-up with the Falcons after throwing two interceptions and passing
for 161 yards, going 17/31.
The Cardinals lost a lot on defence over the off-season too. They let safety Antrel Rolle go to the Giants, and lost a big presence when Karlos Dansby was left to play in Miami.
The Cards surrendered 41 points to the Falcons in week two, allowing third-string running back Jason Snelling to run for 129 yards and two touchdowns, as well as 57 more yards and another touchdown through the air.
These teams are both lacking, but I think the Raiders have more positive momentum coming into this one. They got pasted in week one before beating the Rams, whereas the Cardinals beat the Rams in week one before getting pasted.
The Cardinals best offensive player, Larry Fitzgerald has the bad luck to be in a position to match up with the Raiders' best defensive player, Nnamdi Asamugha. If Fitzgerald had a real quarterback on his side he could still make plays and get the best of it,
but he doesn't, so I don't think he will.
Darren McFadden should have a field day against the Cardinals, but their wounded pride could see the Cards step up. Nonetheless, the Cardinals just feel like a lost team right now.
Prediction: Raiders 16 Cardinals 10
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