Rams. Raiders. Loser moves to Los Angeles.
No, not really. But both franchises have been linked with a potential relocation to the City of Angels, much to the chagrin of Raiders legend John Madden.
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"I'm not ready for that [potential relocation]," Madden told KCBS in San Francisco, per Fox Sports. "I still want to fight to keep the Raiders in Oakland."
Politics aside, neither side has done much fighting during the regular season in recent years. The two combined for nine victories in 2014. Revamped rosters, however, have lifted spirits in Oakland and St. Louis, opening the potential for competent football on Friday.
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For those out of network, a free live stream to watch the contest can be found here (requires free trial registration).
The Rams or the Chargers & Raiders look bound for LA. It's not if but when, says John Clayton: https://t.co/VRLxuwvs4l pic.twitter.com/F4FvnN0O1w
— ESPN (@espn) August 12, 2015
Preview
Game Time: 10 p.m. ET
Location: Alameda County Coliseum
Weather: 71°F, Mostly Sunny
Odds: Raiders -1, per Bovada
Radio: St. Louis (101ESPN); Oakland (95.7 The Game)
Position Battles To Watch
Rams: Keeping Nick Foles upright will be the key to St. Louis' success in 2015, making the three-way battle at center an integral part of tonight's game. Tim Barnes, Barrett Jones and Demetrius Rhaney are all vying for the position. Barnes' brief experience—four starts—gives him the slight edge.
Raiders: Derek Carr is Oakland's unquestioned starter entering the season. With limited snaps awaiting him Friday, the NFL viewing audience will be subjected to the backup battle brewing between Christian Ponder and third-year Raider Matt McGloin. Godspeed.
When the #Raiders host the #Rams this evening, they'd like Derek Carr to play around a quarter.
— Adam Caplan (@caplannfl) August 14, 2015
Performance To Examine
Amari Cooper was Oakland's highest drafted receiver in franchise history (No. 4). Friday will be his first opportunity to showcase why. Carr's shiny new toy welcomes the challenge.
"I don't really get nervous before games," Cooper said, per Mercury News. "[I] just excited about what's going to happen."
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