There is a new dawn rising in Oakland and this Week 1 matchup will be the first glimpse of it. This fixture has always had a hard-hitting history and Monday should only continue that trend.
San Diego has already had injury problems, so it will be likely be without running back Ryan Mathews as well as wide receiver Vincent Brown.
This will only add to the woes of the Chargers as Oakland gets its season off with a bang. There will be three men integral to the Raiders’ victory, and they are outlined below.
Carson Palmer
With a full offseason and training camp under his belt, Palmer needs to come out and prove to the world that he is a threat this year.
Palmer didn’t get a lot of credit for the way he performed last year and he should use that as motivation for this season.
Offensive coordinator Greg Knapp will have had a chance to work closely with Palmer over the offseason and get him properly acquainted to the new playbook.
Expect to see Palmer’s control of the offense improve, along with awareness of receiving routes as the play develops.
Bootlegs and roll-outs will be featured much more this year, so Palmer’s arm will cause problems for the Chargers as he throws on the move.
San Diego’s pass rush has been upgraded, but it is still less than stellar. Palmer will have a chance to spread the ball around, so look for the Raiders to take an early lead and never look back.
It’s not yet known if receivers Denarius Moore and Jacoby Ford will return for the Chargers game. However, Darrius Heyward-Bey has developed a connection with Palmer and will build on his good numbers from last season.
Darren McFadden
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Article Source: Bleacher Report - Oakland Raiders
