NFL: Raiders at Titans
Posted on August 12, 2008 | 7:59 AM ET Filed under:The Tennessee Titans, coming off a wild-card year a season ago, look to build on that with their young QB, while the Oakland Raiders are breaking in an even younger quarterback as the two teams meet for an NFL exhibition game Friday night in Nashville.
FOX will provide the live television coverage, beginning at 8 pm Eastern.
OddsMaker.com is listing Tennessee as 4 1/2-point home favorites for Friday’s game, with a total of 34.
Each team is playing its second exhibition game of this season. The Titans thumped the St. Louis Rams 34-13 Saturday night, racking up nearly 500 yards of offense, 340 on the ground, and covering the spread as three-point home favorites. The game also went over its total of 34.
Meanwhile, the Raiders beat San Francisco 18-6 as pick’ems at home Friday night. That game stayed below its total of 34.
Oakland struggled through a 4-12 campaign last year, its first under coach Lane Kiffin. And this season will be their first with last year’s #1 overall draft pick JaMarcus Russell as the starting QB. Russell, who missed all of last year’s preseason while haggling with the Raiders over his contract, went just 2-for-5 passing Friday night vs. the Niners. Former starter Andrew Walter then stepped in and went 10-for-12 for 82 yards and tossed a two-point conversion pass.
Oakland also outrushed San Fran 248 to 70, with help from a 72-yard run by rookie Louis Rankin and a 31-yarder by QB Marques Tuiasosopo. But the Raiders only threw for 99 yards.
Tennessee held St. Louis to 76 rushing yards Saturday night, and held a 35-25 time-of-possession advantage. QB Vince Young saw limited action, throwing six passes and making a 35-yard run. Veteran Kerry Collins went 7-of-16 for 105 yards.
These two teams met in Week 8 of last year, with the Titans coming out with a 13-9 win as seven-point home chalk. The Raiders led deep into the third quarter, but Tennessee scored the game’s last 10 points. The Titans outrushed Oakland that day 192-92, but Young could only manage to go 6-of-14 passing for 42 yards. The game also stayed well under its total of 39.
Oakland ranked 25th in the league in total offense last year at 295 YPG, but sixth in rushing at 130 YPG. The Raiders also ranked 22nd in total defense at 342 YPG and 31st vs. the run at 146 YPG.
Tennessee ranked 21st in total offense last year at 312 YPG and fifth in rushing at 132 YPG. The Titans also ranked fifth in both total defense at 292 YPG and vs. the run at 92 YPG.
In their first preseason under coach Kiffin last year, the Raiders went 2-2 both straight up and vs. the point spread. And the totals went 2-2, too.
Over their last three preseasons under coach Jeff Fisher, the Titans are 5-7 both straight up and against the spread, while the totals have gone 7-4-1.
OddsMakers.com also lists Oakland at +600 to win the AFC West this season, +4,000 to win the AFC, and +8,000 to win Super Bowl XLIII down in Tampa in February.
Meanwhile, Tennessee is listed at +600 at OddsMaker.com to win the AFC South this year, +2,000 to win the conference title and +4,000 to win the Super Bowl.
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