What is the Las Vegas Raiders path to the playoffs?

After a shockingly bad loss in Week 12, can the Las Vegas Raiders get back on track and make the playoffs?

If the playoffs started this week, and of course they don’t, the 6-5 Las Vegas Raiders would be out. They have given the Kansas City Chiefs their only loss this season, with a competitive effort in a 35-31 loss to the defending champs in Week 11. Three of their other losses, to the New England Patriots, Buffalo Bills and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, don’t look bad.

It’s one thing to lose to the now 4-7 Atlanta Falcons, who have played better under interim head coach Raheem Morris. But the Raiders lost in blowout fashion on the road in Week 12, 43-6, as quarterback Derek Carr laid an egg (215 passing yards, four turnovers) against the league’s second-worst pass defense. Carr was so bad that Nathan Peterman posted a slightly better passer rating in mop-up duty (72.9).

The Raiders’ defense actually wasn’t that bad last Sunday, holding the Falcons to 304 total yards (125 rushing on 32 attempts) and five Younghoe Koo field goals. But 36 offensive points is 36 offensive points, and the unit is bottom-5 in scoring defense.

The Raiders still have a path to the playoffs

In Week 13, the Raiders will travel back east for another road game. But they will be taking on the 0-11 New York Jets, who are almost equally bad offensively and defensively. So even if running back Josh Jacobs (ankle) is unable to play after being injured against the Falcons, and weather is a factor (cold, if nothing else), the Raiders should go home with a win on Sunday.

In Week 14, the Raiders will welcome the 7-4 Indianapolis Colts to Allegiant Stadium to start a three-game homestand. They might be favored narrowly, as a nod to home-field advantage that means nothing in this season with few (if any) fans in stadiums across the league.

In Week 15 the Raiders will get the 3-8 Los Angeles Chargers, who are better than their record indicates as they find a way to lose games due to ill-timed mistakes or mismanagement from the sideline. Back in Week 9, the Raiders narrowly beat the Chargers (31-26). If not for a great defensive play to break up a touchdown, they would have lost. Division games can be dangerous.

In a development that can be marked down as #2020, Week 16 against the  Miami Dolphins (7-4 right now) is in line to have AFC playoff implications. In acknowledgment of that, the game is getting a primetime showcase on Dec. 26.

The Raiders will hit the road to finish the regular season in Week 17, against the currently 4-7 Denver Broncos The Broncos are headed toward being 4-11 or 5-10 at that point, which means there’s a chance they’ll be checked out in what could be Vic Fangio’s last game as head coach.

The Raiders will be favored in at least three of their last five games. The games against the Colts and Dolphins will only narrowly be the other way, if they aren’t favored.

If the Raiders just “win the ones they’re supposed to”, a 9-7 finish is the baseline. And 10-6 or 11-5 is possible since the Colts and Dolphins are not great teams. An extra playoff spot will be helpful, but the Raiders’ fate is in their hands with a soft remaining schedule.