Philadelphia @ Las Vegas preview
Allegiant Stadium
Last Meeting ( Dec 25, 2017 ) Las Vegas 10, Philadelphia 19
The Las Vegas Raiders are off to a good start in the post-Jon Gruden era.
Meanwhile, the only success the Philadelphia Eagles have enjoyed this season has come on the road.
Looking to head into their bye week with a second straight win, the Raiders host the Eagles on Sunday.
Poised to move on from the departure of their embattled former coach, Las Vegas (4-2) built up a 21-point, third-quarter lead, then held on for a 34-24 win at reeling Denver last Sunday. Derek Carr bounced back from a rough outing in a loss the week before by throwing for 341 yards with two touchdowns and snapped a stretch of three consecutive games with an interception.
"To go on the road and play an AFC rival like the Denver Broncos in their place and to come out with a win was exciting for all of us, and just helps us move forward on to Philadelphia," interim Raiders coach Rich Bisaccia said.
"We're looking forward. ... How we respond to anything is how we forge our identity."
With its bye week coming up, Las Vegas looks to win back-to-back games for the first time since opening 3-0. Carr remains one of the NFL's top passers, ranking second with 1,946 yards. He's thrown 10 touchdowns and four interceptions.
However, the Raiders need to wake up a run game that ranks 30th (79.8 yards per game) in the league. Josh Jacobs, a 1,000-yard rusher in each of his first two NFL seasons, has totaled just 175 on 54 carries in four games.
Perhaps that revival happens this weekend against the Eagles (2-4), who are 28th in the league, allowing 135.3 rushing yards per game.
The Eagles rallied from a 28-7 second-half hole to make things interesting versus Tampa Bay at home on Oct. 14. However, they fell 28-22, despite a touchdown pass and two scores on the ground from Jalen Hurts.
Philadelphia has lost all three of its home games, but is 2-1 on the road -- winning at Atlanta and Carolina. Hurts has thrown five of his eight touchdowns this season on the road, where he's completing 66.7 percent of his passes. At home, Hurts is completing just 57.7 percent of his attempts.
Still, the focus for first-year Eagles coach Nick Sirianni isn't about where his team plays well, but that it's able to do so on a consistent basis.
"We all want to win. We all want to win right now," Sirianni said.
"I can't let myself ride the highs and lows. If I ride the highs and lows, then the rest of the team will ride the highs and lows. I have to stay steady. ... If you continue to get better every single day it will put you in position to go 1-0 every week."
Philadelphia goes into this contest for the first time without three-time Pro Bowl tight end Zach Ertz, who was traded to Arizona a day after the loss to the Buccaneers. The Eagles do have three-time Pro Bowl tackle Lane Johnson back with the team following a two-week absence due to mental health issues, however, it's unlikely he'll be available this weekend after missing the past three games.
Raiders starting defensive tackle Johnathan Hankins (hip) returned to practice after sitting out last week. Las Vegas also signed veteran cornerback Desmond Trufant this week.
--Field Level Media