Both teams are looking to bounce back from losses and keep pace in their respective division races as the 1-1 Las Vegas Raiders take on the 1-1 Washington Commanders. That heightens the stakes for this rare cross-conference battle and rematch of Super Bowl 18, making the key matchups below even more important.
Ashton Jeanty vs. Bobby Wagner
To put the age gap between these two players in perspective, Jeanty (21) was eight years old when Wagner (35) was drafted in 2012.
The six-time first-team and five-time second-team All-Pro linebacker
is in his 14th season as a professional and has a gold jacket waiting for him when he hangs ‘em up. While Wagner may not move quite like he used to, he’s still one of the best run defenders at his position.
Per Pro Football Focus, he ranks second with a 91.4 run defense grade, eight defensive stops against the run and a 17.4 run stop percentage this season. While that’s only through two weeks, he also graded out as the second-best run-defending linebacker (90.8) last year while finishing tied for fifth with 36 run stops during the 2024 regular season.
Additionally, Wagner has developed a reputation as one of, if not the most, sure tacklers in the league and has yet to miss so far this season, per PFF. Meanwhile, Jeanty’s ability to break tackles is a big part of why he was such a coveted draft prospect, and he’s managed to force eight missed tackles on 30 carries during his first two NFL games.
In other words, not only is this a matchup between the old and new guard, but it is also a battle where both players’ strengths will be put to the test.
However, the Raiders have struggled to block for the Boise State product so far. He’s averaging just 2.7 yards per carry but has 2.8 yards after contact per carry, meaning he’s getting contacted at the line of scrimmage regularly and having to fight for every yard.
So, Las Vegas’ offensive line has to step up, too. But if they do, Jeanty against Wagner will be a very enticing one-on-one battle.
Kyu Blu Kelly vs. Terry McLaurin
Just looking at the two players’ résumés, this should be a significant mismatch. McLaurin is a two-time Pro Bowler, was a second-team All-Pro last season and has a streak of six consecutive 1,000-yard campaigns. Meanwhile, Kelly has been let go by four teams, including the Commanders, since entering the league two years ago, and Sunday will be just his third career start.
However, McLaurin missed almost all of training camp while seeking a contract extension and has gotten off to a slow start with just seven catches for 75 yards and no touchdowns through two games. Kelly, on the other hand, has emerged as the Raiders’ best cornerback and has recorded two pass breakups (should be three if it weren’t for a bogus pass interference penalty) in as many weeks.
Granted, the wide receiver should still be considered the favorite in this one-on-one battle. But seeing as nearly 90 percent of Kelly’s snaps have come as a right outside cornerback (114/128) and McLaurin lines up as a left outside receiver a little more than 75 percent (90/118) of the time, per PFF, these two should have ample opportunities to prove it on the grass.
Thomas Booker IV vs. Nick Allegretti
Getting interior pressure to collapse the pocket and take away rushing lanes is crucial when playing against a quarterback who can make plays with his legs. So, whether the Raiders are facing Jayden Daniels or Marcus Mariota this weekend, this should be a point of emphasis for the defense. And even if Daniels suits up with the sprained knee, Las Vegas will want to test the injury by forcing him to move.
Through two weeks, an argument could be made that Booker has been the Silver and Black’s best pass rusher. He’s currently tied with Maxx Crosby for the most pressures (eight) on the team despite rushing the passer 34 fewer times than Crosby, and Booker is the only defensive lineman with a pass-rush grade (70.4) of 70 or better, according to PFF.
Granted, the fourth-year pro doesn’t have a sack yet, but that will come as he ranks 18th among the league’s interior defenders with a 14.0 percent pass-rush win rate.
Seeing as Booker has spent 65 of his 80 total snaps on the left side of the defensive line, he should draw plenty of matchups with the Commanders’ right guard, Allegretti. The latter has had two polar opposite performances in pass protection this year, earning an 84.8 pass-blocking grade by allowing zero pressures on 37 opportunities in Week 1 before posting a 14.8 mark and giving up six pressures (one sack) on 51 opportunities last Thursday.
So, this could be a matter of which version of Allegretti shows up. Either way, it’s a notable matchup that could go a long way toward deciding the outcome of the game.
Pete Carroll vs. Dan Quinn
For the second week in a row, Carroll faces a head coach with whom he has a lot of history. However, unlike with Jim Harbaugh, there are more positive memories between Carroll and Quinn. Those two shared the sideline with the Seattle Seahawks in 2010, the former’s first year as head coach, while the latter was a holdover from Jim Mora’s staff and coached the defensive line and was the team’s assistant head coach.
After a two-year stint at the University of Florida as the Gators’ defensive coordinator, Quinn returned to Seattle and served in the same position for Carroll in 2013 and 2014. That resulted in two Super Bowl appearances and one Lombardi trophy before Quinn took the Atlanta Falcons’ head coach job in 2015. It’s also worth noting that Wagner was a key member of the Seahawks’ defense during this time period.
Carroll and Quinn have faced each other five times as head coaches, with the former owning a 3-2 advantage in those contests. So, the Raiders’ head coach will undoubtedly be looking to maintain bragging rights over his long-time friend.
