NFL playoffs: 5 reasons the Oakland Raiders will make it

4. Jack Del Rio

Head coach Jack Del Rio is in his first year with the Oakland Raiders and is the sixth head coach since 2010. He inherited a team in shambles, arriving in Oakland after three seasons that saw a combined 11 victories. At this point, a winning record would be quite an accomplishment for the beleaguered Raiders.

While Del Rio isn’t a miracle worker, he has helped the team improve. They have already won more games this season through Week 12 than they have since 2011. Del Rio was a defensive maven as the New Orleans Saints linebackers coach in 1998 and then the Baltimore Ravens linebackers coach from 1999-2001, a stint that included a Super Bowl victory.

As coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars from 2003 to 2011, the team made the playoffs twice before Del Rio left the organization and became defensive coordinator of the Denver Broncos, where his final year as coordinator his team had the top-ranked defense in the league, allowing only 88.7 rushing yards per game and 197.1 passing yards.

In addition to acumen on the defensive side of the ball and experience as a head coach in Jacksonville, Del Rio seems to be an effective leader, well-respected by his players. He also has a pragmatic attitude, saying via Raiders.com, “For us it is about playing well against the Chiefs this weekend. Finding a way to get that victory this weekend. Nothing else matters at this point.”