How to watch Raiders-Giants game, with picks and betting odds
It has been a wild week for the Raiders (3-5), who will be thankful to get back on the field and away from all the talk about owner Mark Davis firing coach Josh McDaniels and general manager Dave Ziegler this week. Interim coach Antonio Pierce will make his debut in a home game against the Giants (2-6) looking to erase the memories of two dismal offensive performances the past two weeks.
Game information
■ Who: Raiders vs. Giants
■ When: 1:25 p.m. Sunday
■ Where: Allegiant Stadium
■ TV: KVVU-5 (Kevin Kugler, play-by-play; Mark Sanchez, Laura Okmin, analysts)
■ Radio: KRLV-AM (920), KOMP-FM (92.3) (Jason Horowitz, play-by-play; Lincoln Kennedy, analyst)
■ Line: Raiders -2; total 37½
Series history
The Raiders have dropped four of the past five meetings in the series, yet still hold an 8-6 edge.
Last meeting
The Raiders struggled to find much energy and turned the ball over three times, including a Derek Carr fumble in the red zone that squandered a chance to tie the game in the final minutes of a 23-16 loss on Nov. 7, 2021. It was the first loss suffered under interim coach Rich Bisaccia.
Bold predictions
1. Rookie quarterback Aidan O’Connell will be sacked at least five times in his second start, including twice by Kayvon Thibodeaux.
2. Raiders wide receiver Hunter Renfrow, who has not caught more than two passes in a game this season, will have at least five receptions.
3. Giants running back Saquon Barkley will set his season high with at least seven receptions, as Daniel Jones returns at quarterback without the services of injured tight end and former Raider Darren Waller.
Matchups to watch
1. Raiders interim coach Antonio Pierce vs. the moment. Pierce doesn’t seem like the type of person who is going to be overwhelmed by nerves or emotions, but the first NFL game for any head coach is a difficult situation. He has assistants in place to handle the details, so Pierce has to just make sure to not make a big mistake in game management.
2. Raiders quarterback Aidan O’Connell vs. Giants defensive coordinator Wink Martindale. The veteran coach has to be licking his chops watching the film of O’Connell’s first start against the Chargers, when he held onto the ball far too long and showed a propensity to turn it over. The rookie will have to clean those areas up against Martindale, whose system is as good as it gets in terms of blitzing and disguising where those extra rushers are coming from.
3. Raiders wide receiver Davante Adams vs. Giants cornerbacks. Deonte Banks would be taking a lot more criticism for his poor play if fellow corner Adoree’ Jackson wasn’t playing even worse. While the Giants defense has been trending significantly upward, the corners are the weak spot. They will have their hands full against Adams, who has appeared rejuvenated all week by the coaching change.
When the Giants have the ball
The good news for the Giants is that starting quarterback Daniel Jones has been cleared to return to the field. Well, maybe it’s good news. Veteran backup Tyrod Taylor looked more comfortable running the offense than Jones had before he was injured, but Taylor suffered a rib injury last week and is unavailable. So the Giants hope Jones is not only healthy but also used his time watching from the sidelines to discover what was going wrong with the offense early in the season. He will have to do it without injured tight end Darren Waller, far and away the team’s receiving leader. Look for Saquon Barkley to get the ball early and often behind an offensive line that finally showed signs of life last week.
When the Raiders have the ball
Quarterbacks coach Bo Hardegree will take on an expanded role as the new offensive coordinator now that McDaniels and former OC Mick Lombardi have been fired. There hasn’t been enough time to overhaul the playbook, but Hardegree could look to spark a slumping unit by changing up the tendencies and adding a few wrinkles. His first shot at calling plays will be for O’Connell, who had a promising preseason and has shown signs of promise in his two regular-season appearances. One of the specific things Pierce said he wants Hardegree to do is find more ways to get the ball in the hands of the team’s best playmakers.
Injury report
Giants: OUT: K Graham Gano (knee), QB Tyrod Taylor (ribs), TE Darren Waller (hamstring). QUESTIONABLE: RB Jashaun Corbin (hamstring), OL Evan Neal (ankle), OL Andrew Thomas (hamstring). FULL: RB Saquon Barkley (ankle), QB Daniel Jones (neck), DL Dexter Lawrence (NIR-resting player), WR Wan’Dale Robinson (knee).
Raiders: OUT: LB Divine Deablo (ankle), FB Jakob Johnson (concussion), LB Luke Masterson (concussion), OT Thayer Munford Jr. (neck). QUESTIONABLE: LB Robert Spillane (hand). LIMITED: K Daniel Carlson (groin), DE Maxx Crosby (knee/ankle), CB Nate Hobbs (ankle). FULL: RB Brandon Bolden (knee).
Storyline
There is often an immediate response by teams in their first few games after a coach is fired. That could certainly happen here. The locker room immediately changed, and the mood has been much lighter around the Raiders’ building with Pierce in charge, but that can only be maintained if success on the field follows. A loss to a struggling Giants team could be devastating.
The pick
Giants 20, Raiders 19
Contact Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AdamHillLVRJ on X.
Adam Hill Las Vegas Review-Journal