As we always do, when the Raiders are set to face an opponent, we reach out to someone who knows them best to get the inside scoop on the team they're about to lilne up against. Sunday the Raiders head to East Rutherford New Jersey to face the New York Jets. So, we caught up with Nick Wojton from USA Today's Jets Wire.
1. Geno Smith's numbers look decent this season. But numbers can lie. How has he actually performed?
Geno's game has had two big aspects to it. The first is how clean he has been... prior to the last two games. Instead of being the gunslinger of years past, he has taken high-percentage throws and not turned the ball over... until these past two weeks. Secondly, the biggest talking point in New York is how hit-or-miss he is with getting WR Garrett Wilson the ball. You'd like him to do that, but if he's forcing it, will that lead
to more turnovers? Overall, he has been as bridge as bridge quarterbacks can be... which is probably an improvement from his stint with the Raiders.
2. What happened with the Dolphins last week? Is that just one of those rival fluke things and they should bounce back? Or a sign of things to come for the Jets?
Mental mistakes from missed two-point tries and terrible management (again) in two-minute scenarios were part of the problem. In a phrase, it looked to me like the Jets completely "played down" to their opposition and their late push wasn't enough in the end. Good teams win games they're supposed to and the Jets simply did not do that.
3. What is the biggest strength and biggest weakness of this Jets team?
The lack of turnovers and improved turnover differential (+3) from last season is a huge improvement and strength. Head coach Aaron Glenn calling the plays for the defense is 2026 has made the unit a lot better, too. Having said that, Glenn's game management as a head coach has to be the biggest weakness. Here's to hoping he turns it around, but Glenn looks like the poster child for a guy that's called "great coordinator, bad head coach." Just so many of those in-game mistakes.
4. Give me one under-the-radar player on each side of the ball.
Early on this season, WR AD Mitchell looked like a true under-the-radar guy on offense. A finger injury has set him back in a big way. Defensively, it might sound weird, but I'll go with S Minkah Fitzpatrick. Yes, he's a former All-Pro, but he's viewed as a player that's "over the hill" or past his prime. Fitzpatrick has showed this season he is anything but that.
5. Who wins? Why? Score prediction.
I'll go with Jets 24, Raiders 21, for one simple reason. This feels like it's lining up as one of those games that makes the NFL so popular. The Jets lay a stinker against the Dolphins... only to go and win their next game. Plus, it's a home game for them, so give me the Green and White. It could easily go the other way, though.
This article originally appeared on Raiders Wire: Behind Enemy Lines: Previewing Raiders Week 8 matchup with Jets Wire
