Credit the National Football League where credit is due, and especially the schedulers for making the easy layup. The Los Angeles Rams at the Oakland Raiders in the second half of the Monday Night Football opening weekend doubleheader is smart on a lot of levels.
First. It’s the obligatory nod to former ESPN Monday Night Color guy and Raiders coach Jon Gruden.
Second, it offers some great storylines with Gruden versus former assistant Sean McVay, a team rising in California in the Rams, and one finding itself in the Raiders.
It’s also a great measuring stick for LA fresh from the preseason, as Oakland won’t likely be an easy rollover.