The Las Vegas Raiders are looking to bounce back from a two-game skid, but that will prove difficult with the Buffalo Bills in town this afternoon.
The Bills have looked like one of the best teams in the NFL, so Klint Kubiak's squad facing them now does not line up well. The Raiders won't shy away from the challenge, though, and will look to pull off a major upset.
One thing that slants in the Raiders' favor is how poorly the Bills' defense has played this season. They have a new defensive coordinator, and that group is learning a new scheme and trying to build chemistry.
How can the Raiders take advantage of the Bills' bad defense?
Putting Up Points on the Bills
The Raiders only put up 17 points on the New England Patriots last week, which will not get it done against the Bills, who are capable of scoring at a high clip. They will need to cash in on every opportunity to score if they want to have a chance.
Jim Leonhard is the Bills' DC, a coach the Raiders are familiar with from his time as the assistant head coach for the Denver Broncos. He also played defensive back for the Broncos in 2012, recording 18 tackles and two interceptions.
He has been looking to implement a 3-4 base defense, which has caused some issues with rotations and has allowed opposing teams to run the ball fairly efficiently against it. However, teams are throwing the ball well against the Bills, as they give up the second-most passing yards per game in the NFL.
That should allow Kirk Cousins to find his receivers if the Bills' secondary continues to struggle. They have shown both man and zone coverage in the secondary this season, and if receivers are winning their matchups and Buffalo's defensive backs aren't reading and reacting, Cousins will find them.
Raiders Who Will Shine
Tight end Brock Bowers is always capable of an explosive game, but that should especially be true this afternoon. The Bills' linebackers have struggled in coverage this season, so Kubiak should consider lining him up in the slot or in-line to expose those matchups.
The Raiders also need a wide receiver to step up, and that could be Tre Tucker. He will likely draw a matchup with Christian Benford, the Bills' top cornerback, which will be a fun matchup to watch.
The Bills have struggled on defense this season, and the Raiders don't want to be their 'get-right' game. Kubiak should be aggressive in attacking this Buffalo defense if they want to have a chance to win their fourth game of the season.
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