Raiders mailbag: Fans ask if Raiders are underrated or overrated

LOS ANGELES — The Raiders held 2 contentious associated practices with the Rams this week successful Southern California. Ahead is simply a preseason matchup betwixt the teams connected Saturday, astatine which constituent they tin yet settee the score.

As expected, Raiders fans person a clump of questions arsenic the regular play draws closer.

Here is simply a sampling of what arrived successful this week’s mailbox:

Jonathan Costa (@jcosta7286): Do you judge the Raiders are underestimated oregon underrated? They are getting nary emotion from astir of the media and oddsmakers.

VINCENT BONSIGNORE: At the extremity of the day, to paraphrase Hall of Fame manager Bill Parcells, you are and ever volition beryllium what your grounds says you are. For a agelong portion now, the Raiders’ grounds has been mediocre astatine best.

As a result, nary 1 is going to spell retired connected a limb and foretell large things for this team. So for now, radical are the Raiders’ past to foretell their future.

The lone mode for the Raiders to alteration that communicative is to play amended shot and triumph much games. That is squarely connected them. To get the love, they request to gain the love.

Ricardo Peña (@Ricardo31768549): Andre James seemed to person occupation with the bull unreserved against Seattle. He wasn’t giving up sacks, but was pushed backmost respective yards connected respective plays. Are the Raiders acrophobic astatine each with his quality to grip the position?

VB: Privately and publicly, the Raiders person expressed assurance successful their caller starting center. No 1 wins each battle, and with a caller starter, determination volition ever beryllium increasing pains. The cardinal is to larn from mistakes, cleanable up immoderate cardinal issues and continually get better. That volition beryllium the situation for James.

Vegas Raiders Blog (@VegasRaidersBlg): I’ve work that Alex Leatherwood did beauteous bully successful the preseason opener, but I besides work that helium wasn’t precise bully and missed aggregate assignments. What was your take?

VB: It was decidedly a spot of a mixed container for the rookie from Alabama, though helium trended overmuch much bully than bad. Just arsenic with James, determination are going to beryllium increasing pains and a learning curve. That is wherefore the preseason reps and the reps against the Los Angeles Rams are truthful important.

JG (@gloverlover_2): What are your realistic expectations for this Raiders team? Win total, playoff odds? I haven’t seen galore analysts adjacent accidental we volition marque the playoffs, fto unsocial instrumentality 2nd successful the division.

VB: Advice: Don’t get caught up successful what analysts accidental oregon predict. Here is the thing: Give it 4 games oregon truthful to measure the Raiders’ defense. If, arsenic is seemingly the case, the defence is improved from past year, the ceiling for the Raiders moves up to 11 to 12 wins and the playoffs go realistic. If not, expect much of the aforesaid from the past fewer years.

Carlos (@CLos6): Is Solomon Thomas going to marque the 53-man roster?

VB: The Raiders’ caller antiaircraft tackle has been getting accordant reps with the second-team antiaircraft line. In talking with Raiders people, the feedback is they are bullish connected Thomas. For those reasons, expect him to beryllium connected the 53-man roster.

Griffin Shields (@GriffinShields3): We each cognize Darren Waller is the fig 1 target. But does Bryan Edwards person a accidental to beryllium the No. 1 wide receiver?

VB: Hard to say. The shot organisation successful signifier has been reasonably evenly divided among the starting wide receivers — Henry Ruggs, Bryan Edwards and Hunter Renfrow — truthful to foretell who precisely volition look from that radical arsenic the apical feline is hard astatine the moment. Could beryllium that each 3 decorativeness successful that 50- to 60-catch range.

Contact Vincent Bonsignore astatine vbonsignore@reviewjournal.com. Follow @VinnyBonsignore connected Twitter.