Is Geno Holding the Raiders Back? + 3 Keys to Beating the Titans

IS GENO SMITH ACTUALLY THE PROBLEM?

Before today’s newsletter even hit your inbox, our latest Silver & Black Sports Network Podcast went live — and we’re digging into the biggest question in Raider Nation right now: what’s really behind Geno’s struggles? I sat down with defensive guru Cody Alexander of MatchQuarters.com to break down how defenses are playing Geno Smith, whether there’s a “Geno Smith Defense” forming around the league, and how the Raiders’ offense can turn things around before facing the Titans. Give it a listen below for the full breakdown.

WHAT TO WATCH OUT FOR

Let’s be real, these are two 1-4 football teams; it’s not the sexiest matchup of all-time, but there are still some intriguing storylines to watch out for in this one. So with that, here are a couple of keys to the game on Sunday:

JEFFERY SIMMONS

The Raiders have to locate Jeffery Simmons, even though the team has struggled; he’s been a steady force. Through five games, Simmons has the second-highest pass-rush grade (90.8) and the fourth-highest pass-rush win rate (19.6%) of any interior defender in the league, per PFF. On top of that, he’s also been solid against the ground game, picking up nine run stops this season, which is good for fourth among defensive tackles.

THE RAIDERS’ PASS RUSH VS. CAM WARD

The Raiders' pass rush needs to show up vs. the Titans. You see the tweet from ESPN’s Ryan McFadden above, they haven’t shown up at the clip they need to so far this year. They’ve also employed a lot of Cover 3 looks this year, and without a consistent pass rush, quarterbacks have been able to pick that soft zone coverage apart. They can’t do that against Cam Ward.

In their comeback win over the Cardinals, Ward compiled a 92.1 passing grade in the fourth quarter, per PFF. That’s the best of any player from Week 5. The Titans also protected him better in that game, too. Ward was only pressured on 19% of his dropbacks, and he made Arizona pay because of that. He notched a 71.3 PFF passing grade from a clean pocket, and averaged 7.2 y ards per attempt, picking up 11 first downs in those situations. So it’s simple, don’t let the rookie get comfortable back there.

CALVIN RIDLEY

Along those same lines with Ward, the Raiders need to take his best weapon away. Through the first four weeks of the season, Ward and Ridley hooked up on ten occasions for 141 yards. Last week vs. the Cardinals, Ridley hauled in five passes for 131 yards. That caught Patrick Graham’s attention, too.

Look for the Titans to test the Raiders’ cornerbacks with Ridley this week. Teams have regularly gone after Kyu Blu Kelly. According to PFF, Kelly has been targeted 27 times (T-10th most), allowed 20 receptions (T-6th most), and allowed 346 receiving yards in coverage, which is the most in the NFL by 34 yards.

Eric Stokes told us on Thursday that he has “high hopes” of returning after missing last week with a knee injury, and he’s been pretty solid this year. There’s also rookie Darien Porter, too. He’s gotten 99 defensive snaps this season, 54 of which were in coverage, and he’s only been targeted three times and allowed just one reception for nine yards, per PFF. We’ll see how the Raiders roll them out there with all three of them healthy, but keep an eye on the usage of Kelly and Porter, given the rookies’ development, if the Titans try to test Kyu early.

PREVIEWING THE MATCHUP WITH TITANS INSIDER JIM WYATT

Looking for a deeper dive into Sunday’s matchup with the Titans? Check out our last episode of the Silver & Black Sports Network Podcast, where longtime Titans insider Jim Wyatt joins me. We break down everything Raider Nation needs to know — from whether Cam Ward is turning the corner, to how Vegas can exploit Tennessee’s weaknesses up front, and what to expect from the Titans’ defense against Geno Smith and company. If you want the full scouting report and insight from inside the opponent’s locker room, hit play on the podcast linked above before kickoff.

MISS ANYTHING?

Catch up on some of our recent stories:

RAIDERS ROUNDERS

THE BEST BETS OF THE WEEK FOR THE TITANS VS. RAIDERS GAME

We’ve rolled out something new for Raider Nation this season: Raiders Rounders. Each week, I team up with betting analyst Matt Perrault (The Bostonian vs The Book, The Daily Juice) to spotlight the best Raiders bets of the week and a few smart plays from around the NFL. Think of it as the perfect mix of insider football talk and betting insight, giving you a sharper look at how Vegas views the Silver & Black — from player props to game lines — and where the edges might be heading into Sunday.

With that in mind, here are our best plays for the Raiders’ Week 6 matchup against the Titans:

• Raiders - 3.5

• Over 41.5 (At last check ESPN Bet had the number at 40.5 so that’s an even better play)

Matt went two-for-four last week, cashing in on the Colts at -6.5 and Geno anytime INT, but he didn’t hit on an anytime TD from Jeanty, or Daniel Jones going over 232.5 passing yards, he finished with 212 on the day.

⚠️ Disclaimer: Raiders Rounders is all about sharing our perspective on the game. These aren’t betting recommendations — any wagers you place are 100% your responsibility. Bet responsibly.

FANSHOTZ FRIDAY

By now, you have seen the phenomenal photos we’ve been using in many of our newsletters. They’re some of the best shots you’ll find of your favorite team, captured through the lens of our friend Arnie Bazemore of Fanshotz.com. Every Friday, we’ll feature Arnie’s favorite Raiders shot of the week that he captures at practice or on game day.

This week, we’re featuring a shot Arnie snagged of Raiders running back Ashton Jeanty during the Bears game a couple of weeks back. Jeanty went off in that game, racking up 155 total yards and three touchdowns on 23 touches. We’re featuring this picture this week because the Raiders need to get him involved early and often, like they did against Chicago, this week against the Titans. You took him sixth overall, feed the kid!

Check out Arnie’s work at his site linked above and reach out if you’re interested in working with him. He’s a great guy and has been so supportive of me over the years when I was at NBC here in Vegas, and he’s come along for the ride with Silver & Black Sports Network, too.

WHAT’S NEXT?

We’ll be back out at Raiders HQ today for their final day of practice

Stay plugged in: Follow along on all our social channels linked in the newsletter for live updates and takeaways from practice today.

Don’t miss our post game show on Sunday: As soon as we wrap up locker room interviews, we’ll be taping our postgame podcast. Make sure you’re subscribed to us on YouTube so you don’t miss our instant reaction and analysis straight from the field at Allegiant Stadium following the game against the Titans.

Catch ya next time,