It’s the final week of NFL preseason, which means very few starters will be suiting up, and it could be the last chance to get a look at some of these Day 3 and undrafted rookies before they’re potentially thrown into the fire due to injury during the season.
One of those such rookies is Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Aidan O’Connell, who has been arguably the preseason MVP through two games and is looking to continue his hot play against the Dallas Cowboys backups at AT&T Stadium.
Find out where my best bets lie in our NFL preseason picks and predictions for Raiders vs. Cowboys on Saturday, August 26.
Raiders vs Cowboys odds
Raiders vs Cowboys predictions
By all accounts it sounds like the Las Vegas Raiders are unlikely to play many, if any, starters in their final preseason game against the Dallas Cowboys.
Earlier this week, head coach Josh McDaniels stated that they’re on the fence about it, yet considering it.
“I don’t know that we are going to put some guys out there again,” he said Wednesday. “We’ll sit down tonight and finalize that, but I think there’s going to be some guys that won’t suit up or won’t play. They’ll suit up but they won’t play.”
Given his injury history, it seems unlikely Jimmy Garoppolo will see the field after leading a touchdown drive in his lone series last week against the Los Angeles Rams.
As for Brian Hoyer, the Raiders current QB2, after not playing in the preseason opener, he went 12 of 22 for 144 yard and an interception last week… it’s doubtful he’ll play much, if at all, with his roster spot secure.
That once again paves the way for Aiden O’Connell, a fourth-round pick out of Purdue, to see plenty of action.
With his poise in the pocket, intermediate ball placement, and ability to work through his reads quickly, the 24-year-old has been one of the brightest young passers this preseason.
In two games, he’s gone 26 of 36 for 304 yards and three touchdowns with no turnovers while leading Las Vegas to six scoring drives. In both preseason games the Raiders have hit the game total Over thanks to his play.
A big plus about his performances have been the utilization of multiple pass catchers, like fellow rookie Tre Tucker, tight end Cole Fotheringham, and veteran Keelan Cole Sr.
O’Connell should be able to hang points on the Cowboys backups, regardless of who he’s throwing to out there.
It’s also helped that he doesn’t take sacks (just one this preseason) no matter who is blocking for him because of his internal clock and penchant for getting the ball out quickly.
With Cowboys essentially locked in to playing their second, third, and fourth-string defenders, O’Connell could have a field day… especially with Tucker’s speed (the third-round pick out of Cincinnati runs a 4.4).
Earlier this week, Dallas head coach Mike McCarthy touched on why he won’t be playing starters.
“Well, I’ve lost players,” he said. “I mean, there’s pros and cons of playing them, and there’s pros and cons of not playing them. You know, there’s pros and cons of practicing against another team, and there’s pros and cons of not.”
The vast majority of the Cowboys secondary will be made up of fringe roster players, rookies, and second-year undrafted players.
With a deep defensive line full of contributors, McCarthy and defensive coordinator Dan Quinn may lean on their third unit given the importance of keeping the big boys fresh during the regular season.
Everything is shaping up for points to be scored on the Raiders side, but to hit the Over 38.5 in this one, will the Cowboys be able to keep up?
Quarterbacks Cooper Rush and Will Grier have combined to go 54 of 75 for 445 yards with three touchdowns and three interceptions this preseason.
While those numbers are nothing to write home about, McCarthy and new offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer have been pass-happy in the preseason.
That bodes well for the Over given the shape the Raiders secondary is in… they have one of the thinnest in the league and will be relying on castoffs and former second-year undrafted players to hold it down.
Rush and Grier have a secret weapon too, second-year third-round pick Jalen Tolbert who has reportedly been a riser this offseason after a less than stellar rookie year.
The Cowboys should also be able to run the ball with rookie dynamo Deuce Vaughn repeatedly making defenders look silly with his explosiveness and elusiveness and Rico Dowdle and Malik Davis providing some physicality between the tackles.
While Vegas has invested in coordinator Patrick Graham’s defense, the linebacker room is one of the worst on paper in the league and the Cowboys offensive line depth has the size and athleticism in Asim Richards, Matt Waletzko, Josh Ball, and Earl Bostick Jr. to take advantage.
My best bet: Over 38.5 (-110 at bet365)
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