Derek Carr vs. Von Miller
Last season, Derek Carr publicly talked about how much he missed competing against All-Pro linebacker Von Miller – who missed the entire 2020 season with an ankle tendon injury.
However, Carr might not be missing Miller for too long once they step on the field together in Denver. There's no need to go over Von Miller's NFL resume – but I'm going to anyway.
Miller is a Super Bowl 50 MVP, three-time All-Pro, eight-time Pro Bowler, has over 100 career sacks – and has historically been a pain in Derek Carr's ass for years. Miller has sacked the Raiders quarterback 7.5 times over the past eight seasons they've matched up against each other in the AFC West.
Nevertheless, Carr has been able to get the best from Miller in their more recent clashes. In Carr's last four games against Miller, he's thrown for 1,105 yards and three touchdowns while completing an average 77.8 percent of his throws.
Rich Bisaccia vs. Vic Fangio
What do Rich Bisaccia and Vic Fangio both have in common? They both got their first taste of being a head coach in the NFL at the age of 61.
Bisaccia will step up in first game as interim head coach of the Las Vegas Raiders following Jon Gruden's resignation. While it may be his first game as a head coach, he has all the experience that proves he's ready for the opportunity. He won a Super Bowl with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 2002 season as their special teams coordinator and spent a plethora of years with defensive line coach Rod Marinelli at the Dallas Cowboys before reuniting in Las Vegas.
Bisaccia will not have it easy in his first game in charge against defensive mastermind Vic Fangio. Fangio, like his opponent, has had success on the collegiate and professional level and has lead the Broncos to a 3-2 record this season.
Since Fangio took over as head coach for the Broncos in 2019, they've gone 1-3 against the Raiders.
Henry Ruggs III vs. Patrick Surtain II
Nick Saban has put so many guys in the NFL, it's close to impossible to not be facing a former teammate in the NFL if you went to Alabama.
Henry Ruggs III has already faced off against former Crimson Tide teammates in Marlon Humphrey, Anthony Averett, Minkah Fitzpatrick, Jaylen Waddle and Eddie Jackson. Now he'll have the opportunity to be lined up against talented rookie cornerback Patrick Surtain II, who Ruggs played with for two seasons in Tuscaloosa.
Surtain was the ninth overall pick of the 2021 NFL Draft and hasn't disappointed so far this season. Coming off winning the SEC Defensive Player of the Year his junior season at Alabama, PS2 has three pass deflections and an interception with great man coverage skills. Unfortunately for Surtain, his old Alabama teammate for the Raiders is one of the hardest guys to cover in man coverage.
Ruggs has been dominant for the Raiders offense so far this season, combining his blinding speed and intensive offseason training to prove many critics wrong coming off his less than ideal rookie season. Currently, he is leading the Raiders in receiving yards (348) and ranks third in catches (17). The way the two young players have played this season, it wouldn't be too crazy to predict they could be the future of the AFC West for years to come.
Roll Tide for the West Coast.
