Raiders O-Line Debate: Why Meredith Over JPJ at Center

PETE CARROLL WON’T SHUFFLE RAIDERS O-LINE

BEARS BREAKDOWN + RAIDERS ROUNDERS

Before the Raiders take the field on Sunday, make sure you’re caught up on our newest episode of the Silver & Black Sports Network Podcast. I break down the biggest edges Vegas has in the matchup with the Bears, and highlight where Chicago’s defense has been most vulnerable. Plus, I’m joined by betting analyst Matt Perrault for another installment of Raiders Rounders, where we serve up the best plays of the week for Raider Nation. Hit play above and get ready for the weekend.

WHY THE RAIDERS LIKE MEREDITH AT CENTER MORE THAN JPJ

The Raiders’ decision to move Jackson Powers-Johnson from center to right guard has easily been the biggest story of the year so far for the Silver and Black. We followed it every day in practice during training camp, and now the debate is spilling over into the season.

Many fans want to see JPJ moved back to center and Jordan Meredith slid over to guard. On Wednesday, our guy Vinnie Bonsignore asked Pete Carroll if he’d consider going back to a lineup we saw last year, one that featured Meredith at left guard, Jackson at center, and Dylan Parham at right guard. Pete shut that one down, saying they would “absolutely not” consider that move because they invested a ton of time into the decision to put these guys in the positions they’re in right now.

Then on Thursday, we got word from Chip why exactly they like Jordan at center over Jackson:

I get that the protection wasn’t great in the game against the Commanders, so you can make an argument that Meredith didn’t put them in the right protections. After all, they allowed 28 pressures, five of which were unblocked, and five sacks on the day. But, aside from the unblocked pressures, it felt like guys were losing a lot of their one-on-one battles; that’s not on him, and overall, Meredith isn’t the problem. According to PFF, he’s actually the Raiders’ second-highest graded offensive lineman (62.6 overall grade), hasn’t allowed a single sack, and has given up just three pressures on the year.

Of those 28 pressures, seven of them, plus five hurries, and two QB hits were allowed by Alex Cappa. Again, he wasn’t the only problem, but he had a poor game, so look for cleaner play at right guard in particular with JPJ slotting back into the lineup this weekend.

We heard why they like Meredith at center. So, as Jackson likely returns to the lineup this weekend, why do they like him better as a guard?

I get it, the offensive line hasn’t looked great with any consistency at all this year, but we’ve only seen this starting unit play one game together, the opener in New England. So, let’s see how they look the second time around with a healthy Jackson inserted back into the lineup. Maybe they clean things up and can run the ball against a bad Bears rush defense that’s allowed the most rushing yards before contact to opposing running backs.

MISS ANYTHING?

Catch up on some of our recent stories:

BEN JOHNSON, A 12 PERSONNEL FIEND

Ben Johnson loves himself some 12 personnel (one running back and two tight ends). This season with the Bears, he’s run it 44% of the time, which is good for the third most in the league. With Cole Kmet, the seventh-highest paid tight end in the league (by average salary), and Coleston Loveland, the tenth overall pick in this year’s draft, that kind of usage should surprise no one. They haven’t been heavily involved in the passing game this year, but it’s clear Ben Johnson wants to do more with them, and the matchup between Johnson and his 12 personnel packages against Patrick Graham and the Raiders’ defense will be fascinating to watch.

For more of an idea of how Ben Johnson wants to use his tight ends both in the running game, and the passing game, check out this breakdown of the way he used 12 personnel in Detroit last year. The guys at All_22_Films did a great job breaking it down and it could give you a better idea of what he’s trying to do against the Raiders this weekend.

RAIDERS ROUNDERS

THE BEST BETS OF THE WEEK FOR THE BEARS 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 4 matchup against the Bears:

• The number came down from -1.5 to a pick, so Matt’s taking the Raiders in this one. He thinks this is a bad spot for the Bears, and he’s not a fan of their defense or their secondary as a whole.

That’s all he’s officially taking this weekend regarding the Raiders, but he said he doesn’t think it will be a high-scoring game, so the under could be in play here, too. At last check, ESPN Bet had the O/U at 47.5

⚠️ 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

“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 great shot Arnie snagged of an angry Pete Carroll on the road in Maryland during the game against the Commanders. It’s a big week for Pete and the Raiders, who need to bounce back at home against Chicago. We’ll see if Carroll got ‘em ready for this one on Sunday. Check out more of 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?

The Raiders will hit the field at HQ for the final time this week as they prepare for the Bears, so that means we’ll be back down in Henderson at the Intermountain Healthcare Performance Center to catch up with the team.

Stay plugged in: Follow along on all our social channels for live updates and takeaways from practice today as we lead up to the game on Sunday.

Next time we catch you guys, we’ll be over at Allegiant Stadium breaking down the Raiders’ game vs. the Bears. So make sure you’re subscribed to us on YouTube so you don’t miss our postgame podcast, which drops as soon as we’re done with interviews following the game.

Catch ya next time,