Getty Oakland Raiders QB Derek Carr.
The Week 7 matchup between the Green Bay Packers and Oakland Raiders has gotten more and more interesting with each passing day. With the Kansas City Chiefs losing quarterback Patrick Mahomes to injury for several weeks, the AFC West could be ripe for the taking. Oakland is fresh off an impressive win over the Chicago Bears and the team suddenly has realistic playoff chances.
The Packers represent the toughest task the Raiders have had yet. Aaron Rodgers’ team has only lost one game and they look poised for a serious run at the Super Bowl. If Oakland can pull off the upset, they’ll be huge favorites to make the playoffs. It seems like both teams are looking to do whatever they can to get some insight into each other.
Ryan Grant & Trevor Davis Should Have Valuable Intel
One move that went under the radar was the Packers’ decision to sign for Raider wide receiver, Ryan Grant. He was cut just a few weeks ago, so he’s very familiar with Jon Gruden’s offense. Green Bay most likely brought him on because he does have experience and they are very thin at wide receiver thanks to injuries. Another benefit is that he’ll have valuable insight into how the Raiders do things on defense and offense. The Packers also signed Damarea Crockett, who was just recently cut by the Raiders.
While these players will definitely be able to divulge some of Oakland’s secrets, the Raiders also have a couple of former Packers. Wide receiver Trevor Davis was traded to the Raiders from the Packers before Week 3’s matchup versus the Minnesota Vikings. Davis spent over three seasons in Green Bay, so he should be very familiar with the team’s roster and offense. The Raiders also signed former Packers linebacker Kendall Donnerson to their practice squad. He never played for them, but he should at least have some familiarity with how they run the defense. It’ll be interesting to see if either team gets any advantages based on these additions.
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The Raiders Haven’t Beaten the Packers in Over 20 Years
One thing is for sure, the Packers have dominated the Raiders for the last couple of decades. The silver and black haven’t gotten a win against Green Bay since 1987 when they were still in Los Angeles. The Raiders have gone 0-7 since. From 1972 to 1987, the Raiders dominated the Packers and won five straight matchups. Both teams have a long history as Green Bay beat the Raiders in the second-ever Super Bowl.
Both Teams Could Be Missing Their Top WRs
The Packers have officially ruled out Davante Adams for Week 7. Adams is one of the best wide receivers in the NFL, so his absence is going to hurt the offense quite a bit. Derek Carr’s former college teammate has already missed two games with turf toe. The Raiders could also be without their top wide receiver as Tyrell Williams has missed practice all week. He didn’t play against the Chicago Bears in Week 5 and it’s starting to look very possible that he’ll miss another game. He hasn’t officially been ruled out yet.
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