Two teams with five wins between them meet in East Rutherford Sunday, and the winner will most likely be the one that handles the dirty work up front. Both injury reports have shaped this game more than any game plan, and the Raiders caught a few breaks on New York's side of the ledger.
Here are the four battles that should decide it.
Kirk Cousins vs. Jets pass rush running on fumes
The Jets have 19 sacks this season, tied for seventh in the NFL, and rookie David Bailey owns 5.5 of them. The No. 2 overall pick out of Texas Tech is Doubtful with a groin injury, and fellow edge rusher Joseph Ossai has been ruled out with a bad ankle.
For a quarterback who lives in the pocket, that is a welcome sight. Kirk Cousins should finally get the clean looks his offensive line struggled to give him early
against the Rams. The one thing to watch is offensive tackle DJ Glaze, who was limited early in the week with an ankle injury before practicing fully Friday.
The Raiders' run game vs. a soft Jets front
New York has allowed 894 rushing yards, 24th in the league, and only three teams have faced more carries. Defensive lineman T'Vondre Sweat, the big body in the middle, is out with a knee injury.
Klint Kubiak wants more runs, and this is the week to prove he means it. Ashton Jeanty and Mike Washington Jr. won't get a softer middle all month.
Maxx Crosby vs. a patched-up Jets line
The Jets are thin up front, too. Offensive lineman Max Mitchell is out with a concussion, and former Raiders guard Dylan Parham is questionable with a knee injury.
Maxx Crosby and the Raiders' front have 16 sacks as a group, middle of the pack for a unit that expected more. Against a reshuffled line, the edge rusher has his best chance in weeks to take over a game.
The Raiders' run defense vs. Breece Hall/Braelon Allen
No matchup worries Raiders fans more than this one. Las Vegas has given up 1,005 rushing yards, 31st in the NFL, at 5.0 yards per carry.
Breece Hall is questionable with a quad injury, though, and Braelon Allen would carry the load if he sits. Whoever lines up in the backfield, the Raiders have forced 15 fumbles this season, the most in the league. Punching the ball loose might be their best shot at slowing down the Jets' ground game.
This article originally appeared on Raiders Wire: Raiders vs. Jets Week 8 key matchups that could shape Sunday's outcome
