5 reasons Raiders can win the Super Bowl this year

1. Josh Jacobs

En route to being named the AP Offensive Rookie of the Year a season ago, former Alabama running back Josh Jacobs amassed 1150 yards on the ground and seven touchdowns and averaged nearly five yards per carry on the season. He added another 166 yards receiving and provided the majority of the offense for the Raiders.

The team drafted Jacobs in with the 24th overall selection in the 2019 NFL Draft, correctly identifying him as the best rusher in the pool of available draftees, and hoping that he could improve the stock of the team and the offense. They were right.

Now, with the additions of three excellent playmakers at wide receiver via the 2020 draft, Jacobs should find that with more help around him, more open lanes to run in should present themselves.

A season ago, the Tennessee Titans found their offensive identity by punishing teams on the ground with running back Derrick Henry. With him leading the way, the team rode the ground game all the way to the AFC Championship Game and had a legitimate chance to advance to Super Bowl LIV. That team had a really good offensive line, a mediocre quarterback, a shallow stable of offensive weapons and a very strong defense.

That should sound familiar to the Raiders. The team has a good offensive line, a quarterback with above-average potential (two, actually), and a good young stable of pass-catchers. Most importantly, they have a bell-cow running back who can carry the load. Las Vegas needs the defense to step up and play better — but following the Titans’ formula is the path of highest probability for the franchise.

The Las Vegas Raiders can win the Super Bowl at the end of the 2020 season, and if they do so, leaning on running back Josh Jacobs to carry them there will be the biggest reason why.