The Oakland Raiders dipped into their past to guide them into the future. The most successful coach the team has had since they returned to the Bay Area in 1995, Jon Gruden is back on the sideline after a nine-year stint in the broadcast booth. During his four seasons from 1998 to 2001, the Raiders never had a losing record and twice won the AFC West. In the 16 years in between stints, the Raiders have two winning seasons and one division title. Some fear Gruden’s old-school coaching tactics won’t work in today’s NFL. He’ll get his first opportunity to prove otherwise in Week 1 of the preseason when the Detroit Lions visit.
This duel in Week 1 of the preseason will go down Friday, August 10, 2018, at 10:30 p.m. ET at Oakland Coliseum. The game will be shown live on NFL Network.
NFL Odds at BookMaker.eu
Detroit Lions +3
Oakland Raiders -3
Over/Under 36
Odds Analysis
The line and total for this preseason opener is about as typical as you can get. The Raiders are giving the standard field goal for home field advantage, opening as a 3-point favorite with an average total of 36. Early money has been split fairly evenly on the line with a majority of the bettors liking the over.
Coaching Matchup
It’s a battle between two new head coaches, but the term new is used only in terms of this season for Gruden. Matt Patricia is a rookie with the big headset, but he’s more than ready after working for a number of years under Bill Belichick in New England. And his situation is a little different than what a typical first-year coach would face.
The Lions weren’t bad the last two seasons, winning nine games in each and reaching the postseason in 2016. But they haven’t been good enough to be a serious contender. And for an organization that hasn’t won a division title since 1993 and hasn’t won a playoff game since before that, patience is non-existent.
All eyes will be on Gruden come Friday, and that’s just fine with him. A lover of the spotlight, Gruden will have plenty of opportunities this season. He didn’t take a typical route to get back into coaching, but Gruden had been mentioned for a number of pro and college jobs ever since he was let go by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers following the 2008 season.
While he’s been around the game since his last gig, Gruden hasn’t coached and there’s always a question of his methods working with a new generation of players. He experienced just three losing season in his 11 years and enters 2018 having won 54 percent of his games, but there will be a learning curve. Known as a quarterback whisperer, Gruden will have to get Derek Carr straightened out, after the QB saw his rating and touchdown passes dip while the interceptions increased.
Quarterback Rotation
Both coaches have been tight-lipped about rotations for the preseason opener, but all signs point to the starters playing at least one series. Getting game reps in a new system and acclimating to the offense is something both Matthew Stafford and Carr have to prepare for.
We will see plenty of the reserves, though. The Lions brought in veteran Matt Cassell to be Stafford’s backup. Cassell is with his fifth team since 2010 and has been primarily the No. 2 guy throughout his career. Jake Rudock will get some reps as well. There is a competition between Connor Cook and E.J. Manuel for the Raiders backup job and Gruden will take a close look at both players.
Free ATS Pick
Following two days of joint practices between the clubs, we probably won’t see a lot of new stuff, making the game a typical boring preseason affair. Gruden is a fierce competitor and he likes to win, if it’s a football game or tiddlywinks, it doesn’t matter. He’s been successful in the preseason and during the regular season, and now that he’s back in the saddle, you can expect the Raiders to go for it.
We don’t know Patricia’s philosophy on preseason games, but there is pressure on him to change the culture around the Lions and get them over the mediocre hump. That starts with the exhibition games, but there are more pressing issues than wins and losses. I expect a close game with the Lions covering the 3-point spread.
NFL Odds: Raiders 21, Lions 20
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