Joe Flacco

Oakland Raiders: Will Khalil Mack Sack Joe Flacco?

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

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Sep 1, 2016; Oakland, CA, USA; Oakland Raiders defensive end Khalil Mack (52) stretches before the game Seattle Seahawks at Oakland Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports

Where should you turn to ask questions about the Oakland Raiders? How about Twitter? You can control the topics in a weekly Q&A session by tweeting your questions with the hashtag #AskMoe.

Coming off a victory, Oakland Raiders fans still have questions about the defense. Did the Tennessee Titans offense sputter without tight end Delanie Walker or due to defensive coordinator Ken Norton Jr. tweaking his schemes?

The Raiders earned a last-minute victory over the Baltimore Ravens during the previous season. This week, Oakland travels to Baltimore for its first set of consecutive road games this season.

Oakland’s coaching staff doesn’t seem worried about defensive end Khalil Mack’s sack-less start through three games. When viewing the film, Titans offensive lineman Taylor Lewan kept him at bay without too much help in Week 3.

Will Mack finally break through with at least one sack against the Ravens’ offensive line? The Ravens’ first-round pick, offensive tackle Ronnie Stanley, missed two practices with a foot injury.

Above all, Raiders fans want to know who’s most likely to break out for a big game if Mack’s sack drought continues through Week 4. Thus far, no one on the roster has recorded more than one sack.

The Ravens field a underwhelming rushing offense and heavily depend on quarterback Joe Flacco’s timing with his receivers to move the ball. It’s imperative for the Raiders’ pass rush to push the pocket and put the quarterback on constant alert.

We’ll go through 10 questions pertaining to the Raiders and their upcoming matchup.

Bruce Irvin isn’t tearing up the field, but he’s the most consistent pass-rusher and run-stopper at the moment. Despite only one sack on his stat sheet, he’s invaded backfields to record tackles behind the line of scrimmage against the run. With Mack struggling to break through the line, the decision to sign Irvin somewhat compensates for the lack of overall pressure up front.

Darius Latham found his way into the Titans’ backfield in the previous week. He stuffed running back DeMarco Murray with a smooth swim move up the middle. As a rookie, it’ll take time for him to bust through opposing offensive lines consistently. However, he’s someone to keep your eyes on as the season progresses.

Mack has a good chance at recording one or two sacks against the Ravens, who’ve allowed six sacks in the first three weeks. If not, Denico Autry or Stacy McGee could dominate a matchup against rookie fourth-round pick Alex Lewis on the interior. Both players have a sack for the season.

Nonetheless, the matchups in the trenches provide hope for Mack’s first sack, especially with Stanley hobbled with a foot injury on one end. Norton should utilize his best pass-rusher on both sides to keep the pass protection on edge.

Offensive line coach Mike Tice deserves credit for preparing his linemen day in and day out. The Raiders have installed a revolving door at right tackle. For the most part, the next man up has performed well, which includes Vadal Alexander.

The Raiders seventh-round pick certainly held his own after starting right tackle Menelik Watson went down with a lower leg injury. He didn’t need much help from the tight ends to protect his side. If he’s thrust into action against the Ravens, he’ll see a tougher challenge, but he’s a solid option if Watson and Austin Howard miss extended time.

In theory, the defense can repeat its performance, but the Ravens field a much better passing offense than the Titans. Don’t expect Oakland to hold Baltimore to 10 points.

Tight end Clive Walford and wideouts Seth Roberts and Amari Cooper all dropped passes last week. Remember, they’re all second-year players with room for growth. Of course, catching the football seems basic, but it requires concentration. Receivers must learn to secure the reception before looking for yards after the catch or worrying about escaping incoming footsteps.

Head coach Jack Del Rio said he counted three legitimate uncontested drops during Monday’s press conference. He also attributed the drops to mental errors that should be addressed during the week. Due to Cooper’s high-profile struggles with slippery fingers, it’s an issue to monitor going forward.

Many expected second-round pick Jihad Ward to add pressure up the middle, but it’s yet to happen. Latham flashed in the previous week against the Titans. If he’s able to duplicate his previous performance, the Ravens will need to stifle his push in the A- and B-gaps.

The Ravens’ five-time Pro Bowl guard Marshal Yanda can’t handle two interior defensive linemen. As a result, the Raiders should focus on testing Lewis, the Ravens’ fourth-round draft pick.

Nose tackle Dan Williams’ contributions usually go unnoticed as a gap-stuffer in the middle. Justin Ellis put together a better showing during training camp. As a result, he ran away with the starting job. Though, Williams still splits total snaps at the position.

Williams continues to slowly play his way back into the rotation. According to Pro Football Focus, he played one more snap than Ellis against the Titans. In a 3-4 scheme, both nose tackles will alternate for nearly equal snaps.

Rumors circulated about Williams’ weight as an issue during the offseason. Nonetheless, he’s fit to play and should eventually start a few games later in the season. Williams hasn’t been terrible, but Ellis’ effort behind the scenes has chipped into the seventh-year pro’s time on the field.

For whatever reason, the coaching staff has buried cornerback T.J. Carrie on the depth chart. According to Pro Football Focus, he logged five snaps against the Titans in Week 3. Nonetheless, his tight coverage on the final drive sealed the victory.

If the Raiders struggle to maintain Ravens wideout Steve Smith Sr., Norton should increase Carrie’s snaps. However, it’ll require cornerback D.J. Hayden taking a backseat, which isn’t likely barring a few blown assignments. The Raiders have clearly displayed their pecking order at cornerback, which slots Carrie in the No. 4 spot.

After releasing Marcel Reece, the Raiders should hold onto tight end Mychal Rivera for depth behind Clive Walford.

If Walford suffers an injury, Lee Smith doesn’t have the skill set to fill his role as a receiver. Without Reece as a potential mismatch in passing routes against linebackers and safeties, Rivera essential fills that particular void.

Thus far, Rivera doesn’t have a catch, but the coaching staff has rendered him inactive for the first three weeks. An injury to Walford would probably change his status. The Raiders placed the fourth-year tight end on the trade block during the offseason and couldn’t find a partner to execute a deal. He’s stuck in Oakland until his contract expires in 2017.

The Raiders will give up more than 212 passing yards and 10 points to the Ravens on Sunday. After surrendering 500-plus total yards in the first two weeks, Norton’s defense showed improvement. However, the Titans offense ranks No. 20 in yards and No. 31 in points scored.

The Ravens come into this contest with an offense that also ranks in the bottom third, No. 24 in points scored and No. 25 in yards, but the Raiders will struggle to defend their quick wideouts and tight end packages.

Baltimore also boasts a top-five defense in points and yards allowed. The Raiders must utilize their trio at running back to offset the Ravens’ pass rush led by defensive linemen Terrell Suggs and Timmy Jernigan.

Expect quarterback Derek Carr to throw two touchdowns. The ball-carriers need close to 150 yards on the ground to supplement the offense for a victory.

After three weeks, the Raiders still resemble a team headed for a 10-6 record. At this point, their back-to-back games in Florida look winnable. The defense will finish a lot stronger than it started in the first two weeks.

More importantly, as roster attrition sets in, the Raiders have more depth compared to previous years. The backfield features three viable ball-carriers. Defensive backs Nate Allen and Carrie have the experience and talent to compensate for injuries in the secondary. Defensive end Mario Edwards Jr. and linebacker Aldon Smith could add an extra push within the front seven down the stretch.

For once in a long time, the Raiders have a roster built for the long haul. The season-finale at Denver will either drop their record to 9-7 or push them to 10-6.

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