Raiders aware of Packers weapons on offense, including quarterback Jordan Love

Las Vegas gets first look at young quarterback

As an assistant coach of the Green Bay Packers and elsewhere for the past for the past 14 seasons, Patrick Graham was used to seeing Aaron Rodgers led the team.

Now, as the defensive coordinator of the Las Vegas Raiders, Graham is preparing for another quarterback in Green Bay as the Jordan Love has began. The Raiders, of course, host Love and the Packers Monday night at Allegiant Stadium. Kickoff is 5:15 p.m. PT.

While it will be odd, Graham knows stopping Love is a key to helping snap the 1-3 Raiders’ three-game losing skid. Whether it’s Love or Rodgers, Graham said it all starts with the offensive play-calling of Green Bay head coach Matt LaFleur.

“Let’s start first with the head coach who is calling the plays, he’s been a real successful play caller in this league for a long time,” Graham said. “They do a lot to challenge you schematically, they do a lot to get the ball to the players. Again, just getting the ball to their dynamic players in space, that’s a good thing they do there. But it all starts with the run game, and they do a great job of scheming up the run game, figuring out ways to create angles, and they have the backs to do it and the offensive line is gelling together pretty good. The new tight ends they have in there, they’re willing blockers.

“The receivers – I think every time I’ve gone against Green Bay, and I used to work there a long time ago, but they are always willing blockers. There’s a level of toughness that comes into play, so it presents a lot of challenges. The combination of the run game, the pass game off the run game, and just how they challenge your rules and your eyes throughout the duration of the game.”

Graham indicated that stopping Love (who is completing 56.1 percent of his passes with eight touchdowns and three interceptions) is keeping the Packers’ ground attack in check. It will be a challenge. The Raiders are allowing 4.3 yards per carry this season and gave up a bunch of chunk-yardage runs in a Week 4 loss to the Chargers in which tackling was an issue for the Raiders.

“It all starts with the run game in terms of what they’re trying to do,” Graham said. “Everything’s off the run game, that’s how the offense has been built. So, you got to just start there.”