Raiders excited for 1st opener in Las Vegas with fans
The 開始 season for the Raiders in Las Vegas 証明するd to be a bit of a dud.
With no fans 許すd at games, the Raiders つまずくd to a 2-6 記録，記録的な／記録する at home in their first season since moving from Oakland and 行方不明になるd the プレーオフs for the 17th time in 18 seasons.
Now they get a second chance at an 開始 when they welcome in fans for the first time in the 正規の／正選手 season when they get to show off their fancy new digs on Monday night against Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens.
"I still いつかs pinch myself," coach Jon Gruden said. "You´re out there looking at the mountains. You see the （土地などの）細長い一片 out there and you´re getting ready to play プロの／賛成の football here. It´s really a credit to 示す Davis and a lot of people in this city to make this happen. Vegas is an exciting and, like I said, I hope we give them a show that is 価値（がある） the price."
The Raiders opened the $1.9 billion stadium just off that Las Vegas （土地などの）細長い一片 last season, but never 許すd fans in to see the games because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Davis 選ぶd against having small （人が）群がるs, 説 he would only let fans in when every season-ticket 支えるもの／所有者 could come. Even Davis stayed home last season, watching home games off-場所／位置.
The 65,000-seat stadium that 似ているs the Death 星／主役にする from "星／主役にする Wars" from the outside features a translucent roof that 許すs in natural light, 事情に応じて変わる lanai doors that look out at the （土地などの）細長い一片, and a field-level club in one end zone that features two DJ booths, 賞与金 瓶／封じ込める service and a 45,000-ワット sound system.
Las Vegas Raiders 長，率いる coach Jon Gruden looks on during the second half of an NFL preseason football game against the San Francisco 49ers in Santa Clara, Calif., Sunday, Aug. 29, 2021. (AP Photo/Jed Jacobsohn)
It's a far cry from the dilapidated Oakland Coliseum with its dirt 内野 and run-負かす／撃墜する locker rooms that flooded.
All that's been 行方不明の so far is a home-field advantage as the Raiders matched a franchise worst 示す with six home losses last season.
The Raiders hope their 熱烈な fans help change that pattern in 2021.
"I´m really excited," quarterback Derek Carr said. "That preseason game, I was hyped even though I knew I wasn´t playing. Just going through pregame was awesome. 審理，公聴会 our fans, when the 弁護 made a big 攻撃する，衝突する, 審理，公聴会 them go nuts and things like that, that was fun."
BACKFIELD
Baltimore lost running 支援する J.K. Dobbins in the preseason to a season-ending 膝 傷害. Of course, quarterback Lamar Jackson ran for 1,005 yards in 2020, a big 推論する／理由 the Ravens topped the league in 急ぐing.
"J.K. is a tremendous 支援する. We would have loved to have him, but we´re 確信して in the guys we have," receiver Marquise Brown said. "We´re 確信して in what we can do in the pass game. So, we´re just going to continue to go 今後 and keep 押し進めるing."
Gus Edwards 負傷させるd his 膝 同様に. Ty´Son Williams, a practice squad player for the Ravens last season, made this y ear´s team and is 推定する／予想するd to 与える／捧げる at running 支援する. Baltimore also 調印するd Le´Veon Bell to the practice squad, and スパイ／執行官 Drew Rosenhaus said Thursday that Devonta Freeman was joining the Ravens´ practice squad 同様に.
IMPROVED D
The Raiders 焦点（を合わせる）d ひどく on 改善するing a 弁護 that 許すd the most points in the NFL in Gruden's first three seasons. Gus Bradley was 雇うd to 取って代わる the 解雇する／砲火／射撃d Paul Guenther as 調整者／コーディネーター and has a few new pieces that should help in 辛勝する／優位 rusher Yannick Ngakoue, 退役軍人 cornerback Casey Hayward and 新人 safety Tre'出身の Moehrig.
LATE ADDS
A foot 傷害 that placed linebacker Nicholas Morrow on 負傷させるd reserve left the Raiders 捜し出すing 増強s at the position just before the season. They 貿易（する）d for Denzel Perryman for depth in the middle and then last week 調印するd K.J. Wright, who was still 捜し出すing a 職業 にもかかわらず 存在 one of the most dependable linebackers in the league the past １０年間.
"(I) had a lot of people 疑問 me this offseason, I´m still keeping it going," Wright said. "I´m thankful to be here, but that 燃やすing 願望（する） you´re talking about, it´s on 100 権利 now."
THE NEXT STEP
Baltimore won a プレーオフ game last season for the first time with Jackson, but the Ravens had room for 改良 - すなわち, their passing game, which 階級d last in the league. Baltimore acquired Sammy Watkins to 上げる the receiving group. The Ravens also 草案d receiver Rashod Bateman in the first 一連の会議、交渉／完成する, although he´s been out with groin 問題／発行するs.
"We have a 可能性 to take it the distance for whoever gets the ball," Brown said. "So, I´m excited about that."
YOUNG GUNS
For the second straight season the Raiders are 事業／計画（する）d to start the inexperienced Henry Ruggs III and Bryan Edwards at receiver. The 二人組 struggled as rookies with Ruggs catching 26 passes and Edwards only 11. With Nelson Agholor having left in 解放する／自由な 機関 and John Brown getting 解放（する）d, the Raiders will need much better 生産／産物 from those two to help quarterback Derek Carr in the passing game.
___
AP Sports Writer Noah Trister in Baltimore 与える／捧げるd to this 報告（する）／憶測
___
More AP NFL ニュース報道: https://apnews.com/中心/nfl and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL
Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson looks downfield before throwing the ball against the Washington Football Team during the first half of a preseason NFL football game, Saturday, Aug. 28, 2021, in Landover, Md. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
