Raiders Lose Kolton Miller to IR; Must-Win

The Las Vegas Raiders' season has been hampered by injuries, most significantly tackle Kolton Miller being placed on injured reserve, with Stone Forsythe stepping in and coaches still learning players' strengths, which OC Chip Kelly says has hampered play-calling and lineup continuity. Brock Bowers and Jakobi are expected to play in Week 9, but Kelly warned backups face limits in preparation because of limited practice reps. Las Vegas urgently needs a win Sunday at Jacksonville — a loss would all but eliminate hopes for a winning season given a difficult remaining slate that includes Denver, Dallas and Kansas City. Head coach Pete Carroll said the team used the bye to practice, wants cleaner play, better special teams and improved ball security to counter a Jaguars defense that ranks highly in takeaways. National coverage frames the team as early in a lengthy rebuild with clear defensive holes at defensive tackle, linebacker and safety, while Maxx Crosby remains a bright spot and the staff has tweaked the scheme to emphasize the run; analysts still favor the Jaguars in a close game given Las Vegas's offensive and turnover struggles.