Vegas: Raiders are one-score underdogs for season opener vs Bengals
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Dec 21, 2013; Las Vegas, NV, USA; General view of the Luxor hotel on the Las Vegas strip on Las Vegas Blvd. before the Las Vegas Bowl between the Fresno State Bulldogs and the Southern California Trojans. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
The Jack Del Rio era will begin with his new team in an all-too-familiar role.
According to oddsmakers, the Raiders are three-and-a-half point underdogs against the visiting Cincinnati Bengals to start the 2015 campaign.
That means Vegas believes Cincy would be favored by nearly a touchdown if the game was played on a neutral field. And that sounds about right, given the Bengals' 2014 playoff berth and talented roster.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Oakland can beat the odds by doing something they couldn't do all preseason -- run the ball. A ground-first attack would stifle and offense led by quarterback Andy Dalton and receiver A.J. Green.