10 NFL sleepers who could make a surprise Super Bowl run
By Brad Weiss
10 NFL sleepers who could make a surprise Super Bowl run
Las Vegas Raiders
Jon Gruden returned to the then-Oakland Raiders for the 2018 NFL season, and since then, he has done a nice job getting the franchise back on track. Last season, the Raiders finished their era in the Bay Area with a seven-win season, a three-win improvement from the year before, but now they look to become a perennial playoff contender in Las Vegas.
Moving to a new city and into their brand new $2 billion building, the expectations are high for the Raiders, and it will all come down to two things. The first being whether or not Derek Carr can return to his 2016 form, where he was more than just solid statistically, but he was a monster late in games, willing the Raiders to exciting wins.
The second big factor is the defense, which was revamped in a big way this offseason, including at linebacker, where Cory Littleton and Nick Kwiatkoski will lead a position group that has been a major issue. New cornerbacks have arrived via the NFL Draft and free agency, and Maliek Collins will solidify the interior of the Raiders defensive line. They have the talent, now they just have to put it together for four quarters.