The Las Vegas Raiders are surprisingly in the thick of the AFC playoff chase a third of the way into the season. What’s annoying is—the Silver and Black could easily be 5-1 if a few plays went differently. The Steelers’ loss was inexcusable, and the heartbreaking defeat at the hands of the Chargers stung just as much.
But you know what they say: “Close” only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades. The team sits 3-3, a mere half-game out of a wildcard spot with plenty of time to go. Can Josh McDaniels’ crew carry over this momentum and win enough games to vault into the postseason? Or is a meltdown that sees Vegas land a top-five selection more likely?
Assessing The Raiders Schedule
It’s impossible to predict the future without any idea of what the remaining schedule looks like. Below is a list of the opponents still on the slate.
@ Chicago Bears — Week 7
@ Detroit Lions — Week 8
vs. New York Giants — Week 9
vs. New York Jets — Week 10
@ Miami Dolphins — Week 11
vs. Kansas City Chiefs — Week 12
BYE — Week 13
vs. Minnesota Vikings — Week 14
vs. Los Angeles Chargers — Week 15
@ Kansas City Chiefs — Week 16
@ Indianapolis Colts — Week 17
vs. Denver Broncos — Week 18
With 12 weeks remaining, let’s break it down into four-game sections to get a better idea of what the future holds for the Raiders.
Section 1: Vegas Remains At .500 Over The Next Month
The Silver and Black will travel north to take on the Bears in Chicago and the Lions in Detroit. Justin Fields is unlikely to play in the Week 7 matchup, giving the Raiders a prime opportunity to get to 4-3. Unfortunately, the Lions are on a tear to open the campaign; predicting a victory against them in Motor City would be awfully optimistic.
After a couple of weeks of travel, the Raiders will host both New York squads in the two weeks following. First up, the Giants, who are a far cry from the postseason team they fielded in 2022. A victory is in the cards for Vegas. The Jets, on the other hand, are better than anyone cares to admit without Aaron Rodgers. Even if Jimmy Garoppolo is back up and running, the Jets hold the advantage in too many spots on the depth chart.
Overall Record: 5-5
Section 2: The Rough Stretch In November
A trip to South Beach will go down as a loss, but the Raiders defense actually has pieces to slow down the high-powered Miami attack — at least moderately. The next week, Vegas welcomes its divisional rival, the Kansas City Chiefs, to Allegiant Stadium. Weirder things have happened, but I cannot pick this version of the Raiders against Patrick Mahomes.
The bye week is a great opportunity to regroup and ready the roster for the final leg of the schedule. And the best news — you cannot lose a bye week! Coming out of the week off, the disappointing Minnesota Vikings should be ripe for the picking, resulting in a nice bounce-back victory to get the Raiders to 6-7.
Overall Record: 6-7
Section 3: Raiders End The 2023 Campaign On A High Note
The Chargers got the better of the Raiders earlier in the season, but the Silver and Black will get its revenge in Week 15. Justin Herbert can’t muster up the same magic, bumping Vegas’ record to a respectable 7-7. Again, the Chiefs are not unbeatable, but predicting a Garoppolo-led squad to win in Arrowhead? No, thanks.
The good news? The final two contests are easily winnable for the Raiders. The Colts and Broncos have their own unique sets of issues, and it would be a strong end to the season if Vegas can take advantage of both opponents.
Final Record: 9-8
Purgatory: Too Good To Tank, Too Bad To Make Playoffs
At 9-8, the team likely falls just short of a wild card slot. In addition, the Raiders will pick in the mid-teens at the 2024 NFL Draft, leaving them out of range for Caleb Williams and Drake Maye. For many, finishing in the middle of both extremes would be the ultimate failure.
What say you, Raider Nation? Is it time to fully embrace the tank and position the roster for a franchise signal-caller next April? Or does the 3-3 record and remaining schedule have you preferring a win-now trade at the deadline for a playoff push?
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