STAFF PREDICTIONS

Dave Hyde, Sports Columnist (Season record: 1-1): Raiders 24, Dolphins 17 Until the Dolphins solve some of their offensive problems, it’s hard to pick them to win on the road. Bad offensive lines typically don’t travel well. Raiders quarterback Derek Carr won’t look like he has the first two weeks with 400-plus yards passing. And the Raiders aren’t some great team despite their 2-0 record. But on the road with advancing problems, it’s hard to pick the struggling Dolphins.

Omar Kelly, Dolphins Columnist (Season record: 1-1): Raiders 24, Dolphins 17 Forget the fact that Jacoby Brissett is replacing an injured Tua Tagovailoa. Brissett is a veteran starter who can hold it down for a month, giving his team a chance to win games. My bigger issue with the Dolphins is that horrendous offensive line. It would be irresponsible to pick Miami to win a game until that unit’s issues get fixed somehow, someway. The Dolphins have allowed eight sacks this season, including six last week.

David Furones, Dolphins Writer (Season record: 20): Raiders 24, Dolphins 19 I believe in backup quarterback and former Dwyer High standout Jacoby Brissett’s ability as a respected veteran with 32 NFL starts under his belt, but the combination of the Dolphins’ lack of pass protection with the way the Raiders can apply pressure feels like a bad mix. The Raiders are playing some good football to start the season 2-0, and behind their rowdy new fan base at Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas gets another one.

Kathy Laughlin, Sports Editor (Season record: 1-1): Raiders 20, Dolphins 13 The bad news for the Dolphins isn’t so much that Tua Tagovailoa isn’t playing, it’s that their offensive line is playing. The unit had a very rough showing in the blowout loss to the Bills, and one week is not enough time to fix all of the problems there. The good news for the Dolphins is that their not-too-shabby defense faces a Las Vegas offense with a lousy running game — which is ranked 30th in the NFL.

Keven Lerner, Assistant Sports Editor (Season record: 1-1): Raiders 24, Dolphins 17 It doesn’t matter who plays quarterback for the Dolphins as long as the offensive line continues to struggle. If Tua Tagovailoa were healthy, most people would still pick the Raiders. While Jacoby Brissett is more than capable, the Dolphins and their 31st-ranked offense will be hard-pressed to mount sustainable drives on the road against a talented team like the Raiders, who have one of the best pass-rushing teams in the NFL. The Raiders have the league’s No. 1 offense, led by Derek Carr, who has thrown for 821 yards in two games. The Raiders last started 3-0 in 2002, when they went to the Super Bowl.

Steve Svekis, Assistant Sports Editor (Season record: 1-1): Raiders 21, Dolphins 19 Jacoby Brissett, while not of Ryan Fitzpatrick’s caliber, is a solid NFL backup QB. If the defense shines — they will need to double all-world tight end Darren Waller — against a limping QB Derek Carr and/ or RB Josh Jacobs, Miami can escape with their second huge win in Las Vegas in nine months. The Dolphins have won 10 of the last 12 meetings, including last year’s last-minute comeback led by Fitzpatrick.