Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Derek Carr (4) warms up before the Raiders’ first home game against the New Orleans Saints at Allegiant Stadium Monday, Sept. 21, 2020.
Published Monday, Sept. 21, 2020 | 3:30 p.m.
Updated 2 minutes ago
Raiders announce inactives
Three of the four Raiders who missed the majority of practice this week will not play against the Saints tonight.
The team announced that linebacker Nick Kwiatkoski and tackles Trent Brown and Sam Young would be inactive. Wide receiver Henry Ruggs III will play.
Without Brown and Young, Denzelle Good presumably slides into the right tackle spot as he did when the two went down last week. The Raiders could also use backup left tackle Brandon Parker, who’s active after he wasn’t a week ago.
At linebacker, the Raiders will likely go with Raekwon McMillan and Nicholas Morrow starting alongside Cory Littleton, though UNLV rookie Javin White and Kyle Wilber could rotate in.
Pregame
Nearly 1,300 days since the NFL approved the Raiders’ move to Las Vegas, and more than 1,000 days since they broke ground on their new stadium across from the Strip, the franchise is ready to unveil its new home.
The New Orleans Saints and Las Vegas Raiders will introduce the 65,000-seat Allegiant Stadium off of Interstate 15 on ESPN’s Monday Night Football in less than two hours.
It’s not the way they expected to do it. Heck, the primary driver of the deal to get the $2 billion venue completed, Raiders owner Mark Davis, won’t even be in the building.
Davis has vowed not to watch a game in the stadium until fans are allowed in, and that won’t come this season as social distancing protocols continue to be in place out of coronavirus precaution.
The Raiders’ focus tonight therefore is singular and familiar — in the words of late owner Al Davis, it’s “just win baby.”
The organization is looking for its first 2-0 since 2017, the final season before coach Jon Gruden took over the team. To do it, they’re going to have to pull an upset — albeit not as big as one as was once expected.
The betting market has moved in Las Vegas’ direction tonight as it’s currently as low as a 3.5-point underdog to New Orleans after getting as high as +6.5 earlier in the week. A lot of the line move has to do with Saints’ injuries to top receiver Michael Thomas and feared edge-rusher Marcus Davenport, neither of whom are expected to play.
The Raiders aren’t fully healthy either, though, with several starters considered questionable to doubtful. Clarity should be coming on tackle Trent Brown, linebacker Nick Kwiatkoski and tackle Sam Young but they appeared unlikely to be ready to go earlier this week.
One announcement earlier in the day makes one unexpected player ready to go — former UNLV linebacker/undrafted free agent Javin White. The rookie impressed in training camp and nearly earned a roster spot but came up just short and was added to the practice squad.
He only had to wait one game — missing last week’s 34-30 win over the Carolina Panthers — to get elevated to the active roster. White could play too.
With Kwiatkoski injured, the Raiders may need a player with the specific set of skills White employs — a linebacker with coverage skills. He’s already a fan favorite and surely some of the people lining up in cars outside the stadium to get as close as they can to the action or pickup “gameday to go” packages — full of gear and food from Allegiant Stadium eateries — celebrated his promotion.
Traffic around the stadium was at a standstill three hours before game time, even though only essential workers and media were allowed inside.
For the first time in history, it’s NFL gameday in Las Vegas.
Follow along here for live coverage of Saints at Raiders all night.
Case Keefer can be reached at 702-948-2790 or [email protected]. Follow Case on Twitter at twitter.com/casekeefer.
