MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — We’re about to find out whether the Las Vegas Raiders‘ two-game winning streak is sustainable or a sugar high. Because interim coach Antonio Pierce — and his rookie quarterback, Aidan O’Connell — are moving up in weight class big-time with Sunday’s game against the Miami Dolphins.
Yes, the Raiders’ mini-turnaround has coincided with Josh McDaniels’ termination and Jimmy Garoppolo’s benching. But playing the Giants and Jets at home in consecutive weeks has been even more significant.
Let’s see how that holds up on the road against the Dolphins, who have won 16 of their last 18 games at Hard Rock Stadium.
Aidan O’Connell vs. Miami Dolphins’ Defense
O’Connell, a fourth-round pick out of Purdue in April’s draft, hasn’t exactly lit the NFL world ablaze in his short time in the league. He’s completed 63.5% of his passes and has thrown more interceptions (3) than touchdowns (2), with a 6.5 yards-per-attempt average, a 22.2 QBR, and a 76.4 passer rating.
No surprise, then, that the ascendant Dolphins defense sees an opportunity to exploit. Expect Vic Fangio to throw some challenging looks at the young QB here on Sunday.
“You still want to play within the defense,” said linebacker Bradley Chubb, who leads the Dolphins with six sacks in 2023. “You know he’s going to have a great plan for it, so I’m just doing my piece in this defense. Yeah, you want to get after him, and yeah, you want to make him uncomfortable, but it’s going to come.
“It’s going to be one of those things that you just got to let the game to you and not try to go out there and force it,” Chubb added. It’s a rookie quarterback, so you’re going to be licking the chops a little bit, but he’s still a great player. He’s still got great guys around him, so you can’t really do too much. You just got to do whatever the defense allows you.”
On paper, it’s a big-time mismatch.
The Dolphins in 2023 are ninth league-wide in sacks (29) and sixth in sack rate (9.7%). The Raiders, meanwhile, are 22nd in sacks allowed (25) and 21st in sack rate (8%).
Nineteen of those 29 Dolphins sacks have come in the last five games, during which Fangio’s group has really rounded into form.
MORE: How Miami Dolphins’ Jaelan Phillips Lost, Then Found, His Confidence
Since Week 5, the Dolphins have allowed 106 points and are 11th in defensive EPA per play (-.056) and eighth in dropback EPA (-.059). Opposing quarterbacks in that stretch — a group that includes Jalen Hurts and Patrick Mahomes — have averaged 6.5 yards per attempt with a passer rating of 94.9.
“Everybody is going to give us their best shot,” Chubb said Wednesday. “There is no, ‘Ah, man, we started off slow.’ When you got people coming and gunning for you, you got to start fast and finish fast and maintain throughout the game.
“That’s going to be our main thing is trying to sustain and defuse their momentum and keep ours going. It’s going to be a great matchup. I’m looking forward to it.”
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