Oakland Raiders: Keep an eye on wide receiver Zay Jones in Week 8
Despite his struggles in catching the football, the Oakland Raiders can’t allow Buffalo Bills wide receiver Zay Jones expose the secondary on deep routes.
Go ahead. Laugh. It’s probably what Oakland Raiders fans will do when they check Buffalo Bills wide receiver Zay Jones’ catch rate. The rookie wideout has only hauled in seven catches out of 32 targets.
You’d think the Bills coaching staff would consider benching the rookie pass-catcher. On Wednesday, during a media presser, via the team’s official website, quarterback Tyrod Taylor expressed confidence in the wideout’s ability to eventually break out with a monster game:
"It’ll come. Just have to continue to keep giving him opportunities. He is a young guy. We are learning each other, he is learning a feel for the game, so it’ll come. It is not any confidence lost from me to him, he hasn’t lost any confidence. He knows the type of player he can be. We are going to continue to keep giving him [opportunities]."
According to Team Rankings, the Raiders allow 11.4 yards per pass completion, which lists 27th in the league. In a contest against a stingy defense, a first down or one explosive play can decide the outcome. Jones ran a 4.45 at the NFL Scouting Combine. Oakland’s secondary can’t allow him to take the top off the defense as so many have done this season.
Furthermore, a few Raiders defensive backs will take the field with injuries or not suit up at all. David Amerson (foot) and Gareon Conley (shin) will miss the upcoming contest; safety Karl Joseph lists as doubtful on the team’s final injury report.
When you combine a leaky secondary with key injuries, deep-pass attempts could bring disaster. The Bills can also utilize play action with running back LeSean McCoy commanding extra attention in the backfield.
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Oakland recently saw wideout Amari Cooper break out of a receiving slump with 11 catches for 210 yards and two touchdowns against the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 7.
Cooper has an established track record for high production, but he does have nine drops; Jones has dropped four passes through seven games, per Pro Football Focus Elite.
Jones isn’t in the same stratosphere when compared to Cooper. However, the underlying idea that a wide receiver can produce a breakout performance at any time stands.
Keep in mind the East Carolina product lists No. 1 in career catches among FBS schools on the collegiate level. He’s a second-round pick from April’s draft. There’s high upside in his game.
Even in victory, the Raiders surrendered two scores on 60-plus yard pass completions—one throw bounced off safety Keith McGill fingertips and into the receiver’s hands. Taylor’s ability to scramble and find receivers downfield should put Oakland’s defensive backs on high alert.
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Jones, who’s been criticized for his subpar play, could put his rookie season on track with a big game against the Raiders. Despite fellow starting wide receiver Jordan Matthews’ return to action in Week 7, the rookie saw nine targets.
This sounds like a message on repeat, but the Raiders can’t allow Jones to beat them 20 yards downfield.