The Raiders' past three games showed Las Vegas' stagnant offense wasn't all Josh McDaniels' fault and at the same time almost entirely his doing. Las Vegas' in-game coaching and preparation haven't improved and, in fact, have dramatically regressed during its three-game skid. Most glaring, the Raiders (5-8) don't have a franchise quarterback, and whether rookie Aidan O'Connell even starts Thursday night's home game against the Los Angeles Chargers is in question.
The 2022 AP NFL Offensive Player of the Year is set to return after missing the past seven games because of a hamstring injury. The Vikings managed to win the first five of those. QB Joshua Dobbs will throw to Jefferson for the first time and likely see some immediate benefits with the attention the Raiders are sure to devote to him.