Due to all of the recent injuries at WR, 26-year old Chaz Schilens has had a chance to show what he can do the last couple of weeks.  Schilens has caught 10 passes for 147 yards (14.7 avg) in the Raiders’ last two games as he has been stepping up.  Schilens has played in 11 games for the Raiders so far this year and he caught 20 passes for 243 yards (12.2 avg) with 2 TD grabs.  Raiders’ QBs have completed 20 of 28 passes (71.4%) so far this year, so maybe they will start looking his way a bit more.  Schilens has now played in 40 games in his first four years with the Raiders and he has caught 69 passes for 874 yards (12.7 avg) with 7 TD grabs.

The Dolphins were up 34-0 after the first three quarters in this game, before they essentially called off the dogs.  Carson Palmer completed 20 of 41 passes for 273 yards with 2 TD passes and 1 INT (it was returned 34 yards for a TD by LB Kevin Burnett of the Fins).  Michael Bush had a rough time today with only 18 yards rushing on 10 carries (1.8 ypc) and 3 catches for 27 yards (9.0 avg).  FB Marcel Reece pitched in with 10 yards rushing on 1 carry and 38 yards receiving on 1 catch.  WRs Chaz Schilens (6 rec, 89 yards) and T.J. Houshmandzadeh (1 rec, 40 yards, TD) led the way for the Raiders in the passing game today.  The Raiders finished up with 46 yards rushing on 14 carries (3.3 ypc) and they also completed 20 of 41 passes (48.8%) for 258 yards in this game as they had possession of  the ball for only 21:40.

The Raiders’ D got pushed around by the Dolphins today.  LB Rolando McClain (8 tackles, 1 tackle for a loss) and DT John Henderson (7 tackles and 1 QB hit) led the way for the Raiders in this game.  Safety Matt Giordano (5 tackles) and LB Aaron Curry (5 tackles, 1 tackle for a loss and 1 pass defensed) also pitched in for the Raiders today.  The Dolphins finished up with 209 yards rushing on 44 carries (4.8 ypc) and they also completed 13 of 25 passes (52%) for 153 yards.  The Raiders are now tied with the Broncos atop the AFC West with a 7-5 record.

The Raiders have won three games in a row and they are 4-1 on the road so far this year.  The Dolphins lost a tough game on Thanksgiving at Dallas, but they have won three of their last four games as they are playing good football right now.  Here is a look at the matchups in this game:

When the Raiders have the ball:  The Raiders are still a run first team so they are going to be giving the ball a lot to Michael Bush this Sunday.  The Dolphins are only giving up 97.5 yards rushing per game and 3.7 yards per carry, so Bush is going to have to fight hard for every yard he gets.  Carson Palmer has been spreading the football around in the passing game and that’s the smart way to go.  That way no one on the team is worth double covering, which is in the Raiders’ favor.  The Dolphins are giving up 248.1 yards passing per game so far this year, so Palmer should have some success throwing the ball this Sunday.

When the Dolphins have the ball:  The Dolphins are likely going to take aim at the Raiders’ run defense which is allowing 135.3 yards rushing per game and 5.3 yards per carry so far this year.  Reggie Bush and Donald Thomas will likely split the carries pretty even in this game, keeping both of them fresh while giving the defense different looks.  The Raiders have 32 sacks this year, so Matt Moore might not have a lot of time to throw the ball.  It’s lucky for Moore that most of his pass catchers (Brandon Marshall, Brian Hartline and Davone Bess) make plays after the catch.

PREDICTION:  DOLPHINS 21, RAIDERS 20

26-year old fullback Marcel Reece is much more than just a blocker.  He has played in 7 games for the Raiders so far this year and he has carried the ball 11 times for 63 yards (5.7 ypc).  Reece has also caught 16 passes for 202 yards (12.6 avg) with 2 TD grabs so far this year.  Reece has now played in 25 games in his first three years with the Raiders and he has carried the ball 41 times for 185 yards (4.5 ypc) with 1 TD run.  He has also caught 43 passes for 555 yards (12.9 avg) with 5 TD grabs for the Raiders.  Reece is outstanding as a secret weapon for the Raiders.