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It's been a while since the Oakland Raiders in Oakland, right?
With trips to Southern California and then London, followed by the week, the Silver and Black have not actually played a true home game since September 30th – coincidentally their only win of 2018.
Head Coach Jon Gruden and Co., are returning home to a good time as well; sitting at 1-5, the team is desperate to notch another "W," but they will have their collective hands full of Andrew Luck and the Indianapolis Colts.
Kickoff is at 1:05 pm PST; here are six things to watch.
1. Next men up
Make the world go 'round, so let's give a quick recap of what's happened at 1220 Harbor Bay Parkway.
Amari Cooper is now a Dallas Cowboy, Marshawn Lynch is on the reserve / injured list, Daniel Carlson is the team's kicker, and Marcell Ateman and Denver Kirkland are on the 53-man roster.
The two big takeaways are not Going on to follow up on Sunday, Cooper and Lynch, and I will be keeping an eye on the players who step up in their stead.
Clearly, Doug Martin is the first man to come to mind, as he will be the Raiders featured back against the Colts, but I'm also excited to see you in the face of Jalen Richard as well.
As far as the wide receivers go, I'm still looking forward to seeing a heavy dose of Jordy Nelson, but I'm really looking forward to seeing if Martavis Bryant gets in the mix a little bit more without No. 89 on the field for the Raiders .
Perhaps we'll see a little Brandon LaFell action as well?
2. Take care of business on third
Getting Off the Field is Always a Premium, But Taking Care of Business on the Third World.
Through seven games, the Colts have converted 50 percent of their third chance, making life difficult for Andrew Luck and Co., on the third day of the year.
We've seen in 2018 that third conversions can be a punch for a Raiders defense, so the group would be better off against the Colts.
Defensive coordinator Paul Guenther said he 'd been happy with what he was able to do – excluding a few plays – but it' s going to be tough sledding for the Sunday group.
Let's see what they can do.
3. Welcome to The Town, Daniel Carlson
Who does not love a redemption story?
Whether it's Rocky, Luke Skywalker, Daniel Carlson, everyone loves a strong second act.
Minnesota Vikings, who said he did not really like it, the rookie kicker will get a second chance at right here in Oakland.
Carlson certainly has the pedigree to get things out; he was a three-time All-American while at Auburn and is actually the SEC recorder holder for points scored, field goals made, and more consecutive PATs made as well.
It's crazy to think that the Silver and Black are technically on their fifth kicker of 2018, hopefully Carlson can provide the position some much-needed stability starting Sunday.
4. All eyes on the offensive line
Look, we can be honest here; The last time the Raiders took the field, the play of the offensive line was, shall we say … rough.
By game's end, the Silver and Black had six sacks, and Derek Carr had been hit at staggering 10 times.
Now, there's a lot of reasons for that type of performance, but the reality is, you can not have your starting date for that type of fire for 60 minutes.
That said, Tom Cable's group has a chance to return to the OACC Sunday afternoon, and against a Colts defense that ranks fourth in the NFL with 21 sacks, it'll be a formidable test for the Raiders line.
When Carr has time to operate, he's pretty effective; let's see if gets lucky to play maestro.
5. Flex on 'em, D.C.
Speaking of the Raiders starting a quarterback, Sunday is going to be a big one for Derek Carr.
Cleveland Browns, no. 4, no.
The Colts rank just 21st in total defense, so I'm going to have a chance to make plays Sunday afternoon, and I'm really excited about it.
Are we due for another, classic Derek Carr performance? I sure hope so.
6. Is there any tired bye week?
It's logical to think about it, it's logical to think it might be a little while for the team to get their footing Sunday afternoon.
Add in the fact that the Colts are coming off their most-complete performance of the season last weekend, and it's going to be important for the Silver and Black to start fast.
Some good news though? In his career, Coach Gruden is 5-1 in home games coming out of the bye.
I do not know about you, but I like those numbers.
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