Raiders hope to finish preseason strong against Cardinals

It is time for the Las Vegas Raiders’ dress rehearsal for the regular season.

On Saturday, the Raiders head back on the road for their final preseason game as they take on the Arizona Cardinals in Glendale.

With both teams hoping to get some traction before the season kicks off in a couple of weeks, here are a few things to watch from the Raiders’ perspective.

Lock in defensively

The one thing above anything else the Raiders are hoping to see is a defensive effort that functions against both the run and the pass.

Against the Seattle Seahawks, the Raiders were gashed repeatedly against the run. That issue was largely handled against the San Francisco 49ers, but at the expense of the passing attack being able to fire at will. With the Cardinals being the final game remaining, Pete Carroll and defensive coordinator Patrick Graham will want to see the defense put together a complete effort heading into the season.

Quarterback battle

With all of the questions on the Raiders roster, few possess the importance of who is backing up Geno Smith this season.

Aidan O’Connell has had a rough preseason so far, throwing for three picks and forcing Carroll to provide brutal honesty about his pe rformance. Cam Miller was trending to make things interesting, but a final drive implosion against the 49ers damaged his case as well. Facing potential gridlock, both are in need of a strong game against the Cardinals in order to make a difference in the race.

Last chance saloon

As stated earlier, O’Connell and Miller are not the only Raiders facing tremendous pressure against the Cardinals.

Several key roles on the roster (starting right guard, running back behind Ashton Jeanty, cornerback beside Eric Stokes, etc.) are still up for grabs in Arizona. That is not including players on the roster bubble, who will be looking to make one final statement to secure their spot when the cutoff date arrives on Tuesday. With so much on the line, the Raiders will get a chance to see who rises to the occasion, as well as who cracks under the pressure.