What to Expect from Raiders-Falcons MNF Game

The Las Vegas Raiders will take on the Atlanta Falcons in prime time towards the end of the 2024 season, so we take a look at what to expect from their opponent.

September 18, 2016; Oakland, CA, USA; Atlanta Falcons wide receivers coach Raheem Morris before the game against the Oakland Raiders at Oakland Coliseum. The Falcons defeated the Raiders 35-28. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports / Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

The Las Vegas Raiders have two prime-time games in 2024. 

One is against their bitter rivals, the Kansas City Chiefs, on Black Friday. A few weeks later, they will take on the Atlanta Falcons at Allegiant Stadium for a Monday Night Football showdown. 

This will be the first time the Raiders and Falcons have crossed paths since the 2020 season. The Falcons defeated the Raiders, 43-6, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. The two teams have only matched up 15 times in their history, with the Falcons holding a slight 8-7 edge.

Raheem Morris coached the Falcons in an interim capacity in that game. This time around, he is Atlanta’s head man after being one of three Black head coaches hired in this year’s cycle (Antonio Pierce was one of the other two, along with Jerod Mayo of the New England Patriots). 

The Falcons are starting over, in a sense, with Morris at the helm and Kirk Cousins taking over at quarterback. Cousins spent the last six seasons with the Minnesota Vikings before signing a massive contract in Atlanta. 

The team has young, talented skill position players the Raiders must watch for, including running back Bijan Robinson, wide receiver Drake London, and tight end Kyle Pitts. Despite questionable play-calling and quarterback play last season, all three produced at a respectable level. 

The Raiders could match up well with the Falcons offense. It could be tough for Atlanta to run the football against Las Vegas’ stout defensive line, while linebacker Divine Deablo could neutralize Pitts with his speed and coverage ability. The Falcons may have to lean heavily on London in the passing game.

Defensively, the Falcons could take a step back. They lost defensive linemen in Calais Campbell and Bud Dupree, two of their top pass rushers last season. They are also relying on lots of youth to play big roles in 2024. Davante Adams and the Raiders’ offense could take advantage of those aspects.

The Raiders are excellent on Monday Night Football, posting a 45-32-1 record in the franchise’s history during that prime-time game. On the other hand, the Falcons have struggled in Monday games, posting just a 15-28 record. History indicates the Raiders could have the advantage here. 

This is the type of game defensive end Maxx Crosby could shine. If the game is close in the fourth quarter, and the Falcons have the ball, the defensive strategy could be to have Crosby pin his ears back and get after Cousins. 

An explosive Falcons offense and a relentless Raiders defense should make for an exciting prime-time game.

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