Three Biggest Takeaways From the Raiders’ Needed Win Over the Titans

I said it was their defense that came up huge to win this game against the Titans, as their offense couldn't get out of their own way, for the most part. Geno Smith continues to be the league leader in interceptions, as even in a game they win, he can't help but throw the ball in harm's way.

Heading into the game, the Titans were at the bottom of the league when it came to rushing yards allowed, so I thought that meant a perfect opportunity for Jeanty to have another big game. He was given more than 20 carries, and yet, he couldn't get more than 100 yards.

This is Jeanty's third-best performance of his young career, and while it's encouraging to see the Raiders giving him so much opportunity, I can't tell whose problem it is that he isn't taking off as he should. He's still inefficient, and his lone touchdown could've expanded into more if the Raiders were willing to give him more tries in the red zone.

Another player who didn't put his best foot forward was their second-round wide receiver, Jack Bech. This is now another game where he hasn't made any impact, despite being in the starting lineup, and it's concerning that the Raiders' coaches aren't trying to get him the ball.

No Bowers? No Problem

The Raiders' passing attack was always going to take a hit with Brock Bowers missing some time, as he is one of their best weapons. However, against a Titans secondary that has some star players on it, Smith was getting the ball out with tempo and to targets he trusted.

It resulted in him only throwing to a handful of receivers overall, but his conservativeness allowed Tre Tucker, Michael Mayer, and Jakobi Meyers all to have good games through the air. The biggest gripe I've had with Smith all season is that he's overly reliant on his arm strength to make throws as opposed to taking into account the surroundings of the field.

At least, that's what he plays like. He makes puzzling throws into tight windows that could be completed, but oftentimes don't due to his declining athleticism. The Raiders mostly kept the ball out of his hands, which led to a competent performance that didn't actively hurt his team.

Of course, he did throw an interception in the fourth quarter, but I believe Smith played his second-best game in the Silver and Black, and he did so without having one of his top weapons. That's huge for their confidence moving forward, and can help build up momentum for their next matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs.

Defense on Top

The Titans were fresh off a flukey win against the Arizona Cardinals, and the Raiders' defense made sure it did its job to prevent that from happening again. Two forced fumbles on Cam Ward, both recovered by the defense, were huge for the momentum in-game, as well as setting up their offense with easy trips to the red zone.

Maxx Crosby had a standout performance, but was not to be outshone by Devin White, who was all over the place in this game. If he produces at a similar level for the rest of the season, the Raiders have a steal as he's only getting paid a little more than a million.