This Week 6 game between the Las Vegas Raiders and the Tennessee Titans has a lot riding on it, when it comes to the No. 1 overall pick in the NFL draft…With both teams entering the weekend at 1-4, the playoffs
are an afterthought for the Raiders and Titans, so it may be time to start looking ahead to the future.
However, each head coach is trying to establish a winning culture, as Pete Carroll is in his first season in Las Vegas while Brian Callahan is at the beginning of year two in Tennessee. In other words, don’t expect a tank job for either club on Sunday, heightening the importance of the key matchups below.
Jackson Powers-Johnson vs. Jeffery Simmons
One silver lining for the Raiders over the last two weeks is that the offense has shown significant improvements in the running game. Rookie running back Ashton Jeanty has 205 rushing yards on 35 carries during that timeframe, which comes out to just under 5.9 yards per carry. A big reason for that is Powers-Johnson’s return to the starting lineup.
After missing Week 2 with a concussion and sitting out while Alex Cappa started against the Washington Commanders, the second-year pro has earned the starting job at right guard by posting run blocking grades of 70.1 and 90.6 from Pro Football Focus in the last two games, respectively. That gives him an 85.3 mark during the last two weeks as a whole, which ranks fifth among guards across the league (minimum 13 run blocking snaps).
However, JPJ faces some stiff competition this weekend against Simmons, who has a decent track record of being a disruptive run defender.
Last season, the Titans’ defensive tackle ranked 12th at his position with a 73.7 PFF run defense grade and was third in defensive stops against the run (34). Through five games in 2025, his grade has dropped to 59.1, but he has good production with nine run stops, tied for fourth among DTs. Granted, the latter is a bit of a volume stat since he’s recorded the most defensive snaps against the run, and his 7.7 percent run stop rate is tied for 49th.
The passing game is where this matchup tilts in Simmons’ favor, though. Among interior defenders, he’s currently tied for the most sacks (3.5) and has the most pressures (24). Additionally, the seven-year veteran has the second-highest pass-rush grade (90.8) and fourth-highest win rate (19.6 percent), per PFF.
Meanwhile, Powers-Johnson had a few quick losses to DeForest Bucker last week, earning a 47.1 grade in pass protection. Albeit JPJ has only given up four pressures (one sack) on 102 opportunities so far this year.
Long story short, this will be a noteworthy battle in the trenches on Sunday.
Darien Porter vs. Calvin Ridley
In full disclosure, there is no guarantee Porter will start or even see the field on defense this Sunday. He didn’t record any defensive snaps in Las Vegas’ first two games of the season and made his first start last week when Eric Stokes was out with an injury. However, Stokes is still nursing a knee injury, and Kyu Blu Kelly, the defense’s other starting cornerback, has been struggling recently. So, the rookie could see some action.
Porter has logged 99 defensive snaps (54 in coverage) over the last three weeks and has looked solid. He’s only been targeted three times and has surrendered just one completion for nine yards, according to PFF. That warrants more playing time moving forward, but he can expect to get tested more frequently moving forward, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see the Titans throw their No. 1 receiver at him.
Tennessee moves Ridley around quite a bit, as he’s recorded 106 snaps as a right outside wide receiver and 82 on the left so far this season. While he and rookie quarterback Cam Ward are still building their chemistry, connecting just 10 times for 141 yards in Weeks 1 through 4, the wideout is coming off his most productive outing of the year by catching five passes for 131 yards last week against the Arizona Cardinals.
So, if Porter is in the lineup, this could be a big test for the rookie.
Jakobi Meyers vs. Roger McCreary
McCreary isn’t a household name but is starting to become a quality nickelback this season. The fourth-year pro has allowed 16 catches for 164 yards and a touchdown when targeted this season, per PFF, and the majority of that production came in one game against the Los Angeles Rams (five catches, 89 yards).
So, he’s been pretty stingy in four out of five contests, surrendering no more than 25 yards in a single game outside of the Rams matchup. Also, McCreary currently ranks tied for 12th among cornerbacks with six defensive stops in coverage.
Meanwhile, the Raiders have primarily been using Meyers as a slot receiver this season, lining him up on the inside for 62.8 percent of his pass snaps, via PFF. While the wideout’s production has dipped over the last two weeks, he still leads the team in targets (38), receptions (25) and receiving yards (290).
In other words, keeping Meyers in check will likely be a big part of the Titans’ defensive game plan, and that puts a lot of responsibility on McCreary’s shoulders. On the other side, especially since Brock Bowers isn’t 100 percent, Las Vegas should look to get its best wide receiver going early and often.
