5 NFL teams who could shock us and play for a conference championship

This franchise is building something pretty special in Southern Nevada.

Even though it’s the Kansas City Chiefs’ division, the AFC West should be one of the most captivating in the NFL this fall. How many other divisions can all four teams claim they have a realistic shot of reaching the playoffs? One team to keep an eye on this year to make the playoffs and maybe go on a surprise run of their own is the Las Vegas Raiders.

Despite being the NFL’s rebel franchise, the Silver and Black seem to have done more good than bad in terms of team-building in the last two years. This will be the third year Jon Gruden is back as head coach and the second he’s been paired with Mike Mayock as his general manager. Mayock has crushed it thus far in his role, as he’s giving Gruden the pieces needed to play winning football.

At their core, the Raiders are establishing an identity on both sides of the ball. They will use a power running game behind Josh Jacobs to open up the pass. Defensively, it is about getting after the quarterback and making timely plays in the secondary in Paul Guenther’s scheme. Of course, starting quarterback Derek Carr has to play better, but he has the talent around him to succeed.

Playing in brand-new Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas will finally give the Raiders a stadium to be proud of. No longer will they be at a competitive disadvantage for home games. Winning road games at Arrowhead still seem a bit out of reach, but the Raiders can win 10 games this fall if all goes well. They can definitely go on a deep postseason run like the Tennessee Titans did last year.