In the AFC West, “reset” is not a slogan. It’s a math problem, one that the Las Vegas Raiders haven’t solved since 2002.
The Raiders can sell culture and discipline under John Spytek and Tom Brady, but the league’s toughest division doesn’t grade press conferences. Kansas City is still the standard, and it’s not just Patrick Mahomes. It’s how the Chiefs operate every week: fewer mistakes, better third downs, and an offense that can look bad for a half and still close the game. The Raiders haven’t had that kind of baseline in years, no matter who was calling plays.
Will the Raiders finally figure it out?
That reality has to drive every decision, starting with quarterback. If the Raiders take Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza at No. 1, they’re not drafting a savior. They’re starting a clock. He can be talented and composed, but rookies don’t show up ready for the AFC West. They get there when the roster around them can survive December at Arrowhead and January in Denver.
This is why the supporting cast matters more in this division than in a softer neighborhood. The Chiefs punish coverage mistakes. The Los Angeles Chargers punish passive fronts. The Denver Broncos, at minimum, make you earn space. If the Raiders put Mendoza into an offense where Brock Bowers is the only consistent stress point, defenses will play the same game every week: crowd the middle, challenge the outside receivers to win, and force a rookie to be perfect on third down. That is not development—it’s damage.
The plan goes beyond a quarterback…
The quickest path to credibility isn’t just “draft a QB.” It’s giving him a real setup. Protect the pocket, sure, but also widen the field. A true outside receiver changes the way defenses can play you. It creates easy throws instead of miracle throws. It gives a rookie a safe answer when the first read isn’t there. In this division, one bad decision can turn into seven points. Those small edges are the difference between “he’s coming along” and “he’s getting crushed.”
The coaching hire has to fit that plan, too. The Raiders don’t need a vibe. They need an operator—someone who installs standards, runs the week cleanly, and brings an offensive plan that holds up on the road. The division doesn’t reward constant reinvention. It rewards doing the basics right every week and making the other team beat you instead of beating yourself.
The Raiders have leverage: the No. 1 pick and real cap space. The division won’t care. The only question is whether Las Vegas finally builds a team that can take a hit and keep functioning. In this gauntlet out West, that’s what “culture” means.
*Top Photo: Ramble Illustration/Getty Images