Amari Cooper
Amari Cooper has 519 yards and three touchdowns as a rookie in 2015. Getty

The Oakland Raiders (3-3) are showing signs of life in the AFC West during coach Jack Del Rio’s first season and are looking to go over .500 through seven games for only the second time in 12 years. Standing in their way is the vaunted defense of the New York Jets (4-2).

The offense has clicked in 2015 behind a solid passing attack. Derek Carr and Amari Cooper have hooked up 33 times for 519 yards and three touchdowns, including 133 yards and a score last week in San Diego. Carr completed 24 of 31 passes for 289 yards and three scores in the 37-29 win over the Chargers. Oakland’s passing game has both Cooper and Michael Crabtree on pace to top 1,000 yards for the season.

Throwing the ball could be the best option for the Raiders on Sunday. New York allows the least amount of rushing yards per game (71.5) and yards per attempt (3.4). Last week, the New England Patriots neutralized the Jets run-stuffing game by throwing 54 times and running just nine -- a strategy which resulted in 337 yards and a New England win. On 89 of 95 rushes this season, Oakland running back Latavius Murray has run between the tackle, which is right into the jaws of the Jets defense.

The Raider defense has seven interceptions in their last five games but allows a league-high 303.8 passing yards per game. Jets quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick has connected with the one-two punch of Brandon Marshall and Eric Decker for 65 times for 911 yards and eight scores over the first six games. The Jets are also ranked No. 3 in rush yards per game (136.5), led by Chris Ivory’s 5.0 yards per carry average. Oakland is third against the run, allowing just 84.3 yards on the ground.

Start Time: 4:05 p.m.

TV Channel: CBS

Live Stream: NFL Game Pass

Prediction: Todd Bowles has a complete defense and is likely to assign Darrelle Revis to Cooper with hopes of locking down the star rookie. New York shuts down the run game and normally doesn’t allow one or two guys to beat them. Fitzpatrick could be airing the ball out a lot on Sunday and the Oakland secondary may have some problems with Marshall and Decker, allowing the Jets to put up more points than they give up.

Predicted Score: Jets over Raiders, 27-20

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