MIAMI vs LAS VEGAS
When: 12/26/2020 8:15 PM
Where:

TV: 8:15 PM
LINE: 3
PREDICTION: LAS VEGAS , MIAMI

Oddsmakers currently have the LAS VEGAS listed as 3 point favorites versus the MIAMI, while the game’s total is sitting at 48.

The Miami Dolphins head into the final two weeks of the regular season occupying the seventh and final playoff spot in the AFC. But as far as coach Brian Flores is concerned, his team must approach Saturday night’s game at Las Vegas with a playoff mentality.

“Our playoff is this week against the Raiders,” Flores said. “We’re in a one-game season.”

The Dolphins and eighth-seed Baltimore are both 9-5 heading into this weekend’s action but the Ravens, who host the New York Giants (5-9) before finishing up at Cincinnati (3-10-1), on paper have a big edge in the remaining schedule. After playing Las Vegas (7-7), which mathematically still has a very slim chance at making the playoffs, Miami must travel to Buffalo (11-3), which has already clinched the AFC East crown.

“It’s good to kind of (go) through that and realize we’re still playing meaningful football,” Flores said.

The Dolphins, who will spend their Christmas Day flying across the country to Las Vegas, eliminated the New England Patriots from the playoff race with a 22-12 victory on Sunday. Undrafted free agent Salvon Ahmed led the way, rushing for 122 yards and a touchdown, as Miami, despite starting six rookies on offense, rushed for 250 yards, breaking the 200-yard mark on the ground in a game for the first time since Dec. 24, 2016 at Buffalo, when it ran for 261 yards.

Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa went 20-of-26 passing for 145 yards and an interception and also rushed for two touchdowns to improve to 5-2 as a starter. The fifth overall pick of the 2020 NFL Draft out of Alabama is completing 63.5 percent of his passes in his starts to go with nine touchdown passes and two interceptions.

Depending on how things go in practice this week, Tagovailoa could be matched up against his fellow Honolulu St. Louis High School alum, Raiders backup quarterback Marcus Mariota.

Mariota took over in relief for Derek Carr, who suffered a groin injury late in the first quarter in Thursday night’s 30-27 overtime loss to the Los Angeles Chargers. He went 17-of-28 passing for 226 yards with one touchdown and one interception before leaving. He also rushed for 88 yards and a touchdown on nine carries, with eight of his runs accounting for first downs.

“I think that would be awesome seeing Marcus (play) because me and (linebacker Kamu Grugier-Hill), we’re both from Hawaii,” Tagovailoa said when asked by reporters after Sunday’s win about the possibility of a potential all-Hawaii quarterback battle. “Marcus is from Hawaii. Me and Marcus went to the same high school. I think that (would) be something pretty cool, something special.”

However, Carr alternated snaps with Mariota in practice on Tuesday and said he’s “doing everything in his power” to try and play on Saturday night.

“We’ll see how it goes this week,” Raiders coach Jon Gruden said. “He’s chomping at the bit to play. We’ll do what we think is right for Derek and this team.”

Carr pulled up and grabbed the inside of his left leg while trying to scramble around right end, hopping out of the bounds and heading straight to the locker room.

“I went to sprint for the end zone and it just went,” he said of his groin.

The loss to the Chargers was the fourth in the last five games for Las Vegas, which ends the regular season at Denver. The Raiders are just 5-13 (.278 percent) in December-January games since the start of 2017. Only the Carolina Panthers (4-12) have a worse mark during that span.

Three defensive starters — safety Johnathan Abram, linebacker Nicholas Morrow and cornerback Damon Arnette — who sat out the loss to the Chargers with concussions were limited in practice on Tuesday, while defensive end Clelin Ferrell (shoulder) remained out. Safety Erik Harris joined defensive back Daryl Worley, cornerback Isaiah Johnson and wide receiver Henry Ruggs III on the COVID-19 list while linebacker Tanner Muse was shifted to injured reserve.

Miami guard Solomon Kindley, carted off with a knee injury in Sunday’s win, did not suffer any structural damage and could play Saturday. Kindley, a rookie who has started 13 games, was the only Dolphin to sit out Tuesday’s practice.

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LAS VEGAS vs DENVER
When: 1/3/2021 4:25 PM
Where:

TV: 4:25 PM
LINE: -2
PREDICTION: DENVER , LAS VEGAS

Oddsmakers currently have the DENVER listed as -2 point favorites versus the LAS VEGAS, while the game’s total is sitting at 50.5.

Now that 2020 is ending without a postseason for the Las Vegas Raiders and Denver Broncos, the teams are looking toward 2021 already.

First, they have to wrap up this schedule and start making decisions for the next one, and that will happen when Las Vegas plays at Denver on Sunday afternoon.

For the Raiders (7-8), their first year in their new home was marked by missed opportunities that cost them a chance to get in the expanded playoff field. Las Vegas is the only team to beat the Kansas City Chiefs this season, but a flat performance against Atlanta and last-second losses to the Los Angeles Chargers and Miami Dolphins turned what could have been an 11-win season into a mediocre one.

Despite the tough losses, there is a silver lining. Tight end Darren Waller is on the verge of 100 receptions; his 98 catches (for 1,079 yards and eight touchdowns) are just seven shy of Tim Brown’s franchise record and earned him a Pro Bowl selection.

Running back Josh Jacobs is 24 yards from a second straight 1,000-yard rushing season and was also named to the Pro Bowl.

“Oh, they’re great,” Raiders coach Jon Gruden said of the duo. “(Waller’s) a man that’s on the verge of potentially breaking Tim Brown’s record, one I thought never would be broken. And Josh Jacobs, those are two great building blocks.”

Waller, Jacobs and the rest of the Las Vegas offense could have a big day against Denver’s banged-up defense. Linebacker Bradley Chubb, who was also named to the Pro Bowl, has an ankle injury that kept him out of last week’s loss at the Chargers.

Defensive end Shelby Harris (knee) and safety Trey Marshall (quadriceps) are also nursing injuries. Wide receiver KJ Hamler is in the concussion protocol.

The Raiders listed several players on their injury report — tackle Trent Brown (knee), defensive end Clelin Ferrell (shoulder), guard Denzelle Good (ankle), defensive tackle Maurice Hurst (calf) and cornerback Lamarcus Joyner (thigh).

Denver (5-10) failed to reach the postseason for the fifth straight year, matching the drought from 2006-10. The Broncos hoped to see quarterback Drew Lock make a big leap after he had an impressive ending to 2019, but the second-year QB out of Missouri has struggled.

Lock has thrown 15 interceptions and has at least one turnover in 11 straight games, but he hasn’t lost confidence in himself and embraces the pressure of being a franchise quarterback.

“You feel that from Day 1 when you’re playing quarterback for any team,” Lock said Wednesday. “It’s a given pressure that is put on you, but it’s one that I’m excited about. It’s one that I’m going to carry with me into the offseason, so I can have an offseason unlike any other.

“The only thing I need to prove is that we can win a game with me under center. That’s what every quarterback has to prove — take care of the ball, put us in a good position to win the game and finish it out with a win. That’s all I want to do, and that’s all I care to do. However that needs to happen and however it does happen, I’m going to do everything I can to get us that.”

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Not that anyone figures to be mourning what should be the final NFL game ever played on a field with infield dirt, especially the players who have had to deal with the bad footing, ripped jerseys, scraped arms and legs and hard falls onto a surface with no cushion.

The Raiders are set to host the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday at the Oakland Coliseum in their final home game before the end of the World Series. With the Coliseum the last stadium left that hosts an NFL and baseball team and the Raiders set to move to fancy new digs in Las Vegas next year, no more players will have to deal with the travails of infield dirt the way greats like Joe Namath, Joe Montana and Eric Dickerson once had to in their careers.

”It’s like running full speed and then when you get to full speed, belly-flopping on pavement,” Raiders quarterback Derek Carr said. ”That’s about what it feels like when you hit. If you look around it, our guys are all patched up. Stuff on their knees, tapped up today and things like that. That stuff is like road rash, for real. I wish they’d soften it up, but I guess it needs to be a fast track.”

Teams over the years have been moving from the multipurpose stadiums that were all the rage in the 1960s and `70s to football-only palaces with price tags in the billions.

Back in 1981 when the Raiders played the final season of their first stint in Oakland, 16 of the 28 teams in the NFL shared stadiums with baseball teams, including 10 that played on grass fields often featured infield dirt on parts of the field at least until the end of the baseball season.

But over the years, famous baseball venues from Yankee Stadium to Fenway Park to Wrigley Field to Tiger Stadium all hosted professional football teams as well, giving this game Sunday a throwback look.

”You know what, I like the old elements of football, I’ve been accused of being old school,” Raiders coach Jon Gruden said. ”I know a lot of friends like me that like watching a football game on the dirt. I used to like to play in the yard, but it’s going to be pretty neat, Chiefs-Raiders on the dirt one more time.”

But the Coliseum has outlived its usefulness to the Raiders, who decided to move to Las Vegas when they couldn’t reach a deal with local officials on plans for a new stadium in Oakland.

Beyond the dirt infield, there are the cramped locker rooms designed for 25-man baseball teams rather than 53-man football rosters. There are press conferences held in weight rooms and batting cages. There are floods and other mishaps teams have to dodge.

”There’s just something about that place that’s crazy,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said. ”Last year, the sewage system flooded, and it simplifies the game for you. You got to work through a few things to get out there, and then you still have the baseball infield. These guys can tell their grandkids that they used to play baseball there and we’d go out and during the baseball season and play in the dirt, literally. I think there’s something to that.”

The venue has special meaning to Chiefs quarterback Pat Mahomes, since it’s the only stadium he will play in as an NFL player that his father Pat Mahomes Sr. pitched in as a major leaguer.

The younger Mahomes threw for 295 yards and four TDs in his only appearance here last year on an all-grass field in December but now will get to do it on the dirt.

”I know it’ll be different,” he said. ”I’ve seen how other teams have attacked. But until you get out there we’ll just go with the flow … It could be the last time we get to play on something like that.”

It might not be so enjoyable if he asks those who have done it before.

Raiders rookie running back Josh Jacobs had his first dirt experience on Monday night when he gained 113 yards from scrimmage and scored two touchdowns. Those memories will be more enjoyable than playing on an unusual surface.

”It rips jerseys. It literally goes through anything. You leave the game with a lot of scratches and stuff like that,” Jacobs said. ”The ground hurt more than the tackles.”

While Raiders players don’t like it and won’t miss it, there has been perhaps a little advantage to playing on surface opponents aren’t used to. It’s more difficult for kickers, to make cuts and for pass rushers to get off on the snap.

Maybe that’s why the Raiders have fared better at home early in the season when the dirt is still there than they have later on after the A’s season is done. Since 2010, the Raiders are 9-6 at home when playing with the infield dirt compared to 24-30 without it.

”It’s a big advantage. Our guys love it so much,” Gruden said sarcastically. ”It’s like I used to play when we were in Tampa and it was a 120-degree heat index, and everybody said it was an advantage to us.”

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KANSAS CITY vs OAKLAND
When: 4:05 PM ET, Sunday, September 15, 2019
Where: RingCentral Coliseum, Oakland, California

TV: 4:05 p.m. ET, CBS.
LINE: Kansas City -7.
O/U: 53.5
PREDICTION: Chiefs 34, Raiders 24

Oddsmakers currently have the OAKLAND listed as 7 point favorites versus the KANSAS CITY, while the game’s total is sitting at 53.5.

The Kansas City Chiefs saw their season flash before them when star quarterback Patrick Mahomes sprained his ankle in Week 1, but the reigning MVP says he will be ready to play Sunday. Mahomes and the Chiefs hit the road in Week 2 for an AFC West showdown with the Oakland Raiders.

The Chiefs’ high-powered offense will be without one of its top weapons, as star receiver Tyreek Hill is expected to miss 4-6 weeks with a sternoclavicular joint injury (the spot where the clavicle meets the sternum), but Raiders coach Jon Gruden still is wary of Kansas City’s offense. “(Rookie Mecole Hardman) is gonna be fast and dynamic. Sammy Watkins is healthy. … (Travis) Kelce is still Kelce. They’ve added (LeSean) Shady McCoy. They’re a problem,” Gruden said in a teleconference. “I’m getting a headache talking about it.” The Raiders had their share of headaches on the eve of the season with the saga leading up to Antonio Brown’s release, but they capped a whirlwind Week 1 with a 24-16 home win over Denver on Monday night. The Chiefs have won three straight meetings, but they narrowly escaped with a 40-33 victory in their visit to Oakland last season.

TV: 4:05 p.m. ET, CBS. LINE: Kansas City -7. O/U: 53.5

ABOUT THE CHIEFS (1-0): Even without Hill, Kansas City’s offense has plenty of prowess with Mahomes throwing to Watkins (nine catches, 198 yards, three touchdowns in Week 1) and Kelce. Damien Williams and recent acquisition McCoy split time in the backfield, and the latter is expected to take on a bigger role after averaging 8.1 yards on 10 carries last week. The secondary still is a concern for the Chiefs, who surrendered 347 passing yards in a 40-26 win at Jacksonville and were picked apart by rookie Gardner Minshew in the second half.

ABOUT THE RAIDERS (1-0): Oakland did an excellent job of protecting Derek Carr against Denver, as the team did not surrender a sack. Carr found a new favorite target in Tyrell Williams, who snagged six passes for 105 yards and a touchdown, and rookie Josh Jacobs rushed for 85 yards and two touchdowns. The Raiders were able to wreak havoc in the backfield against the Broncos, collecting three sacks and five tackles for loss, but they’ll have a bigger challenge this week.

EXTRA POINTS

1. The Chiefs have scored 25 or more points in an NFL-record 22 consecutive games.

2. Mahomes has thrown at least two touchdown passes in 12 straight contests.

3. Jacobs was the first player since LaDainian Tomlinson in 2001 to record at least 100 yards from scrimmage and two touchdowns in his NFL debut.

PREDICTION: Chiefs 34, Raiders 24

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DENVER vs OAKLAND
When: 10:20 PM ET, Monday, September 9, 2019
Where: RingCentral Coliseum, Oakland, California

TV: 10:20 p.m. ET, ESPN.
LINE: Broncos -2.
O/U: 42.5
PREDICTION: Broncos 23, Raiders 20

Oddsmakers currently have the OAKLAND listed as -2 point favorites versus the DENVER, while the game’s total is sitting at 42.5.

The Oakland Raiders have finally stopped waffling when it comes to deciding what to do with disgruntled wide receiver Antonio Brown. The Raiders released Brown and his 686 receptions and 9,145 yards since 2013 – the most in NFL history for a six-year period – two days prior to Monday night’s season opener against the visiting Broncos, and Brown immediately signed with the defending Super Bowl champion New England Patriots.

It appears the Raiders were going to suspend Brown before he delivered an emotional apology to teammates Friday, when the club changed course and said he would play Monday. But Brown on Saturday posted “release me” on Instagram and Oakland complied after an tumultuous training camp that saw him suffer frostbite on his feet during a cryotherapy treatment, refuse to wear a new helmet even though the NFL mandated that all players must use a newer, approved model and have a heated exchange with first-year general manager Mike Mayock. The Raiders, who will move to Las Vegas after this season, and the Broncos are projected to battle for last place in the AFC West as the Joe Flacco era begins in Denver. “Listen, I feel like I’ve got a lot left in the tank and I feel like I can do a lot more than what I’ve really shown over the course of my 11-year career,” Flacco told reporters. “So, I’m excited that I’m going to have the opportunity here to do that.”

ABOUT THE BRONCOS (2018: 6-10, THIRD IN AFC WEST): Flacco, who lost his job in Baltimore last season to Lamar Jackson, needs 1,755 passing yards to reach 40,000 in his career. Running back Phillip Lindsay, who rushed for 1,037 yards as an undrafted rookie last season, is completely healed from a broken wrist that forced him to miss the final game of 2018. Denver’s defense boasts a pair of powerful pass rushers in Von Miller (14.5 sacks last season, 98 career) and Bradley Chubb (12 as a rookie in 2018), and top cornerback Chris Harris – the only player in the league with multiple interceptions over the last seven seasons.

ABOUT THE RAIDERS (2018: 4-12, LAST IN AFC WEST): Without Brown and his NFL-most 74 touchdowns since entering the league in 2010, Tyrell Williams will likely emerge as the marquee wideout as he makes his club debut after catching 153 passes and scoring 16 touchdowns over the last three seasons with the San Diego/Los Angeles Chargers. Oakland selected running back Josh Jacobs with the 24th overall pick and hope the former Alabama star can improve a ground game that was 25th in the league in each of the last two seasons while taking pressure off quarterback Derek Carr. Tahir Whitehead is one of seven linebackers in the league with five or more interceptions (five) and 30 or more tackles for loss (32) since 2014.

EXTRA POINTS

1. The Broncos have won 499 games – playoffs included – and seven straight season openers, which is the NFL’s longest active streak. Denver also owns the league’s highest Week 1 winning percentage at .672 (39-19-1).

2. The Raiders yielded an NFL-most 29.2 points per game last season.

3. Oakland leads the series 64-53-2. The home team has won the last six meetings.

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PITTSBURGH STEELERS vs OAKLAND RAIDERS
When: 4:25 PM ET, Sunday, December 9, 2018
Where: Oakland Coliseum, Oakland, California

TV: 4:25 PM
LINE: 10
PREDICTION: OAKLAND , PITTSBURGH

Oddsmakers currently have the OAKLAND listed as 10 point favorites versus the PITTSBURGH, while the game’s total is sitting at 51.5.

The Pittsburgh Steelers’ biggest fear has become reality, and they hope to overcome the obstacle and avoid a third straight loss when they visit the Oakland Raiders on Sunday. James Conner, who has filled in admirably as Pittsburgh’s top running back this season, will miss the contest due to a sprained ankle – forcing the team to use a two-man approach.

Conner, who is fifth in the league with 909 rushing yards and is tied for fourth with 13 overall touchdowns, became the Steelers’ feature back after Le’Veon Bell sat out the first half of the season before electing to remain home for the entire year. With the 23-year-old Conner sidelined, Pittsburgh figures to make both Stevan Ridley and rookie Jaylen Samuels part of the rushing attack this week. While the Steelers look to maintain their slim lead in the AFC North, the Raiders enter the contest even with San Francisco in the race for the first overall pick in next year’s draft. Oakland came up empty at home last week as it came out on the wrong side of a 40-33 decision against conference-leading Kansas City.

TV: 4:25 p.m. ET, FOX. LINE: Steelers -10. O/U: 51.5

ABOUT THE STEELERS (7-4-1): Antonio Brown can make NFL history on Sunday with a repeat performance from last week’s loss to the Los Angeles Chargers. The 30-year-old receiver made 10 catches in the setback and can pass Wes Welker (672 receptions from 2007-12) for the most by a player over a six-year span with another double-digit total. Ben Roethlisberger hopes to pad his numbers against Oakland as he leads the NFL with 3,945 passing yards and ranks second with 341 completions.

ABOUT THE RAIDERS (2-10): Oakland has continued to make multiple changes to its roster this week in order to find the right fit, signing running back C.J. Anderson, cornerback Bene Benwikere and defensive ends Damontre’ Moore and Kony Ealy. Fellow end Fadol Brown was waived while receiver Martavis Bryant (knee), linebacker Shilique Calhoun (neck) and safety Reggie Nelson (shoulder) were placed on injured reserve. Jared Cook is one of three tight ends in the league with at least three games with 100 receiving yards while Derek Carr has gone seven straight contests without an interception.

EXTRA POINTS

1. The Steelers promoted RB Trey Edmunds from the practice squad, placed WR Justin Hunter (shoulder) on injured reserve and released LB Farrington Huguenin.

2. Oakland clamed Denzelle Good off waivers from Indianapolis and waived fellow OL Ian Silberman.

3. Pittsburgh has been better on the road than at home this season, going 4-1-1 in enemy territory.

PREDICTION: Steelers 41, Raiders 17

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KANSAS CITY CHIEFS vs OAKLAND RAIDERS
When: 4:05 PM ET, Sunday, December 2, 2018
Where: Oakland Coliseum, Oakland, California

TV: 4:05 PM
LINE: 15
PREDICTION: OAKLAND , KANSAS CITY

Oddsmakers currently have the OAKLAND listed as 15 point favorites versus the KANSAS CITY, while the game’s total is sitting at 56.

Kansas City Chiefs coach Andy Reid is notoriously tough to beat following a bye week, and the Chiefs hope that trend holds true when they travel to face the Oakland Raiders on Sunday. The Chiefs have won six of the past seven meetings with their longtime AFC West rivals, but they lost at Oakland last season.

Kansas City is coming off a bye following a wild 54-51 loss to the Los Angeles Rams in Week 11, which snapped the Chiefs’ four-game winning streak. Reid’s teams are 16-3 in games following a bye, and the Chiefs are a heavy favorite against an Oakland team that has struggled in the first season of coach Jon Gruden’s comeback. After snapping a five-game skid with a 23-21 win at Arizona in Week 11, the Raiders’ offense sputtered in a 34-17 loss at Baltimore last week. It’s the first of two meetings in a five-week span, as the teams will face off again in the regular-season finale Dec. 30 in Kansas City.

TV: 4:05 p.m. ET, CBS. LINE: Kansas City -14.5. O/U: 55.5.

ABOUT THE CHIEFS (9-2): Kansas City boasts one of the NFL’s most exciting offenses thanks to second-year quarterback Patrick Mahomes, who has passed for 3,628 yards, leads the NFL in touchdown passes (37) and ranks second with a 117.9 quarterback rating. Mahomes is surrounded with weapons, including versatile running back Kareem Hunt and speedster Tyreek Hill, who had a career-high 215 receiving yards and two touchdowns against the Rams. Kansas City’s defense ranks 30th in the league, and the secondary is suspect, but the Chiefs have forced 17 turnovers, including at least one in eight straight games.

ABOUT THE RAIDERS (2-9): Oakland’s offense has been abysmal of late, averaging only 279.1 total yards in the past seven games. The ground game that had started to come to life was limited to 67 rushing yards last week against the Ravens, and Derek Carr has not topped 300 yards passing since Week 4 against Cleveland — and hasn’t surpassed 250 yards since Week 5. The defense has been awful against the run, ranking last in the league and allowing 140 rushing yards or more eight times in 11 games and 200 or more three times.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Mahomes has averaged 348.5 passing yards with 24 touchdowns and six interceptions in six road games this season.

2. Raiders DT Maurice Hurst, who has a team-high four sacks, is questionable with an ankle injury.

3. Chiefs DT Chris Jones has recorded a sack in seven straight games and has at least two sacks in the past two contests.

PREDICTION: Chiefs 34, Raiders 20

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OAKLAND RAIDERS vs SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS
When: 8:20 PM ET, Thursday, November 1, 2018
Where: Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara, California

TV: 8:20 PM
LINE: -3
PREDICTION: SAN FRANCISCO , OAKLAND

Oddsmakers currently have the SAN FRANCISCO listed as -3 point favorites versus the OAKLAND, while the game’s total is sitting at 46.5.

The Oakland Raiders and San Francisco 49ers each harbored lofty aspirations of franchise-changing seasons entering 2018, but the Bay Area rivals are mired in downward spirals in what has become a battle of attrition for both teams. When the Raiders visit the 49ers on Thursday night, the most noteworthy similarity is the number of wins by each club: one.

“This is going to fun for the fans and fun for both teams,” said Oakland coach Jon Gruden, who was lured back to the Raiders’ sideline with the hope of bringing back the team’s glory days. Instead, the Raiders traded away both their best player (Khalil Mack) and arguably their top offensive talent (Amari Cooper), and have been increasingly non-competitive during a three-game slide, losing by an average of 18 points. Injuries have victimized the 49ers, who lost their starting quarterback (Jimmy Garoppolo) and top running back (Jerick McKinnon) to season-ending torn ACLs and have dropped an NFL-worst six games in a row — with the last three on the road coming by a combined eight points. “We’re fighting,” San Francisco cornerback Richard Sherman said. “Unfortunately we’re not getting the results. These have been some of the toughest losses I’ve seen.”

TV: 8:20 p.m. ET, FOX, NFL Network. LINE: 49ers -3. O/U: 46

ABOUT THE RAIDERS (1-6): Despite rumors of more moves at Tuesday’s trade deadline, Oakland opted to stand pat, although cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie announced his retirement on Instagram. Derek Carr registered a season-high 136.6 passer rating in last week’s 42-28 loss to Indianapolis, throwing for three touchdown passes before the Raiders were torched for 21 unanswered points in the fourth quarter. Doug Martin rushed for 72 yards in place of an injured Marshawn Lynch and tight end Jared Cook continued his stellar season with four catches for 74 yards and a score. Mack’s loss has killed the pass rush, which has an NFL-low 7.0 sacks.

ABOUT THE 49ERS (1-7): Its losing streak aside, San Francisco has a major injury concern as quarterback C.J. Beathard was unable to practice Tuesday due to a sore right wrist. “We feel C.J. would be good if we were playing on Sunday but it’s going to be a test for Thursday and we probably won’t know until then,” said 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan, who would go with undrafted free agent Nick Mullens if Beathard can’t go. The one reliable offensive option for San Francisco is tight end George Kittle, who has a team-high 37 receptions and at least five in six of eight games. The 49ers are surrendering 262.5 yards passing and have posted only two interceptions.

EXTRA POINTS

1. The 49ers rank 28th and Raiders 31st in points allowed with 29.5 and 31.1, respectively.

2. Kittle and Cook are third and fourth, respectively, among tight ends in yardage with 584 and 474.

3. Carr has thrown for 901 yards in his last three road games.

PREDICTION: 49ers 23, Raiders 20

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INDIANAPOLIS COLTS vs OAKLAND RAIDERS
When: 4:05 PM ET, Sunday, October 28, 2018
Where: Oakland Coliseum, Oakland, California

TV: 4:05 PM
LINE: 3
PREDICTION: OAKLAND , INDIANAPOLIS

Oddsmakers currently have the OAKLAND listed as 3 point favorites versus the INDIANAPOLIS, while the game’s total is sitting at 50.5.

One team hopes to claw its way back into contention in its division and the other just hopes to scratch out a much-needed victory when the Indianapolis Colts visit the Oakland Raiders on Sunday. The Colts ended a four-game slide with a dominant win over Buffalo last week while the Raiders spent their bye week licking their wounds after being trounced by Seattle in London.

Offense has not been a problem of late for Indianapolis, which has scored at least 34 points in three of its last four contests. Despite residing in the basement of the AFC South, the Colts entered Week 8 just two games behind Houston for first place and have showdowns with division rivals Jacksonville and Tennessee coming in the next few weeks. Oakland has been a major disappointment in coach Jon Gruden’s return to the sideline as four of its five losses have been by eight points or more while its lone victory came in overtime. The Raiders will try to get in the win column without two key pieces on offense, as running back Marshawn Lynch (groin/core muscle) landed on injured reserve and receiver Amari Cooper was traded to Dallas.

TV: 4:05 p.m. ET, CBS. LINE: Colts -3. O/U: 50.5

ABOUT THE COLTS (2-5): Andrew Luck, who recorded four touchdown passes without an interception last week, is salivating at the prospect of facing the Raiders. The 29-year-old has thrown for at least two scores and run for another in each of his last two meetings with Oakland. Adam Vinatieri, who aggravated a groin injury in the win over the Bills, hopes to be available Sunday as he is five points away from passing Hall-of-Famer Morten Andersen (2,544 points) to become the NFL’s all-time leading scorer.

ABOUT THE RAIDERS (1-5): Doug Martin is expected to shoulder the load in the backfield with Lynch sidelined after making only 27 rushes for 99 yards over the first six games of the season. Rookie linebacker Jason Cabinda figures to make his NFL debut on Sunday after spending the first six weeks of the campaign on the practice squad. Oakland moves on to its third kicker this week as Daniel Carlson was signed to replace Matt McCrane, who was released on Tuesday after going 5-for-9 on field-goal attempts over three games.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Colts S Mike Mitchell was named the AFC’s Defensive Player of the Week after registering seven tackles, an interception and a forced fumble against Buffalo.

2. Oakland promoted WR Marcell Ateman and OL Denver Kirkland from the practice squad.

3. Indianapolis’ Eric Ebron leads all NFL tight ends with six touchdown catches.

PREDICTION: Colts 37, Raiders 17

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SEATTLE SEAHAWKS vs OAKLAND RAIDERS
When: 1:00 PM ET, Sunday, October 14, 2018
Where: Wembley Stadium, London

TV: 1:00 PM
LINE: 2.5
PREDICTION: OAKLAND , SEATTLE

Oddsmakers currently have the OAKLAND listed as 2.5 point favorites versus the SEATTLE, while the game’s total is sitting at 48.

The Oakland Raiders make their second visit to Wembley Stadium in London on Sunday and hope for a better result when they take the field as the home team against an old rival in the Seattle Seahawks. Oakland, which is off to a disappointing start in coach Jon Gruden’s return to the sideline, dropped a 38-14 decision to Miami at Wembley in 2014.

The Raiders hoped to follow their first victory of the season – an overtime triumph over Cleveland – with another but were defeated 26-10 by the Chargers in Los Angeles last week. Seattle, which was one of Oakland’s AFC West rivals from 1977-2001, came close to handing the Los Angeles Rams their first loss of the year last Sunday as it carried a seven-point lead into the fourth quarter before falling 33-31. The Seahawks, who were seeking a third consecutive victory, trail the Rams by three games in the NFL West. Seattle will be lining up against a former teammate in Marshawn Lynch, who retired from the team after the 2015 campaign but sat out just one year before returning to the NFL with the Raiders last season.

TV: 1 p.m. ET, FOX. LINE: Seahawks -2.5. O/U: 48

ABOUT THE SEAHAWKS (2-3): Seattle’s ground game had plenty of success against the Rams, gaining 190 yards – including a career-high 116 by Chris Carson. That created opportunities for Russell Wilson, who threw three touchdown passes after being blanked in the Seahawks’ 20-17 triumph at Arizona a week earlier. Wilson, who has gone three games without an interception, is tied with Tom Brady for the most TD tosses since the start of last season with 44 – including 10 this year.

ABOUT THE RAIDERS (1-4): Derek Carr’s disappointing season continued last week as he threw his league-high eighth interception – three of which have occurred in the end zone. The 27-year-old has made only seven touchdown passes but ranks fifth in the NFL with 1,641 yards and first in the AFC with a 71.3 completion percentage. Defensive end Bruce Irvin, who spent the first four seasons of his career with the Seahawks, leads Oakland with three sacks – including one in each of his last two games – while wide receiver Jordy Nelson tops the club with three TD catches.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Seahawks veteran WR Brandon Marshall did not catch a pass last week and has just 10 receptions for 125 yards this season but has made 20 catches for 242 yards and a touchdown in his last three games against the Raiders.

2. Lynch has been limited in practice this week due to a hip injury after gaining a season-low 31 yards on nine carries versus the Chargers.

3. The teams have split four meetings since Seattle moved to the NFC West, with the Seahawks posting a 30-24 home victory in the most recent matchup on Nov. 2, 2014.

PREDICTION: Seahawks 34, Raiders 24

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