A couple of former SEC foes face off
The Las Vegas Raiders taking on the Jacksonville Jaguars is far from the biggest game on the schedule in Week 16 as both teams are competing for the No. 1 overall pick in the NFL Draft rather than a playoff spot. However, each club does have a handful of intriguing young players to keep an eye on and headline this week’s key matchups.
Decamerion Richardson vs. Brian Thomas Jr.
After an impressive debut against the Bengals, Richardson hit a rough patch where he gave up 198 yards in four games, per Pro Football Focus. However, he is coming off a solid performance last week, surrendering just one catch for 18 yards on two targets.
So, it will be important for the Mississippi State product to stack good outings on top of each other to build some momentum heading into next season. But, he faces a tough challenge and a familiar foe in fellow SEC product Brian Thomas Jr.
Thomas has been one of the few bright spots in the Jaguars’ offense this season, collecting 64 catches for 956 yards and eight touchdowns. Those figures rank 19th, eighth and tied for fifth, respectively, among wide receivers this season. Per PFF, the LSU product is also a top 20 wideout in efficiency with 2.26 yards per route run. Not bad for a rookie.
The 2024 draftees should be familiar with each other having squared off three times in college. While not all of his production came against Richardson, Thomas racked up 12 catches for 125 yards in the three contests.
K’Lavon Chaisson vs. Walker Little
Photo by Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images
Chaisson is gearing up for a revenge game against the team that drafted him and chose to let him go in the offseason.
The former Jaguar has revived his career in Las Vegas, getting significant playing time since Week 4, and has already logged a career-high in sacks with three. According to PFF, he’s also recorded the most pressures (22) since his rookie season (29) while rushing the passer 125 times fewer than he did that year.
Especially with Maxx Crosby out and the Raiders playing for the future, the defense needs a pass-rusher to step up and show they can be a contributor moving forward. So far, Chaisson looks like the most likely candidate to fill that role, but he needs to continue to play well and faces some stiff competition this weekend.
Part of the reason why Jacksonville traded away Cam Robinson is that the organization believes in Little as the long-term solution at left tackle. That’s why the club gave him a three-year, $40.5 million contract extension shortly after Robinson was dealt.
Since becoming the start in Week 8, Walker has surrendered just 11 pressures (one sack) on 257 opportunities. He’s been especially impressive over the last five weeks, pitching two shutouts and giving up just five pressures during that time frame to reinforce the front office’s confidence in him.
All of this sets up for an interesting one-on-one battle between two 25-year-olds who are trending up.
Michael Mayer vs. Devin Lloyd
While Brock Bowers is clearly the tight end opposing defenses focus on, Bowers has primarily been covered by defensive backs this season. That creates an opportunity for Mayer—Las Vegas’ other young, promising tight end—to fly under the radar and draw matchups against linebackers.
The 2023 second-round pick has had an underwhelming campaign this fall, but he is two weeks removed from one of the most productive outings of his career, catching seven passes for 68 yards against the Buccaneers. Also, he can impact the running game with a solid 65.5 PFF run-blocking grade since Week 12.
Meanwhile, Lloyd has been having an impressive campaign and is becoming a well-rounded linebacker. He has given up 413 yards in coverage this season, but 112 of those yards came against Davante Adams last week. So, Lloyd is averaging about 25 yards allowed per game outside of that contest.
Run defense is where the third-year pro really shines. His 89.5 mark from PFF ranks seventh among linebackers this season, and he’ll likely crack triple-digits in total tackles for the third year in a row, coming into the game with 94.
So, this will be a big matchup for Mayer as he faces good competition and continues to find his role in the offense moving forward.