5 players the Raiders need to play well to beat Ravens

Yannick Ngakoue must give the Raiders pass rush some bite in his revenge game

Ever since they dealt Khalil Mack to the Chicago Bears, the Raiders pass rush has been largely abysmal. While Maxx Crosby has been strong in the early part of his career out of Eastern Michigan, Clelin Ferrell has been a massive disappointment out of Clemson. One player the Raiders are really banking on to have big games for them this season is Yannick Ngakoue.

Though immensely talented, the Raiders are Ngakoue’s fourth NFL team out of Maryland. The former Jacksonville Jaguars standout split last season between the Minnesota Vikings and the Ravens, his hometown team. While Ngakoue still registered his usual eight sacks during his 2020 campaign, the Raiders are hoping he can play like he did for the 2017 Jaguars for them this year.

This all starts with an impressive first game vs. the Ravens. If Ngakoue flourishes in Raiders uniform, he is going to be a beloved defensive playmaker for them. This will only be his age-26 season out of Maryland, so the Raiders are still getting him very much in his prime. The Raiders have a long history of stud pass-rushers, but Ngakoue needs to set the tone with a big Week 1.

For the Raiders defense to attempt to contain the Baltimore offense, Ngakoue must make a play.