The Las Vegas Raiders have a lot to prove during the 2021 NFL season, including whether or not the Jon Gruden hire was the right one in Year 4.
Best-case scenario
The Las Vegas Raiders have seemingly revamped their roster every offseason since Jon Gruden returned to the sidelines, and this offseason was no different. Sure, they stayed the same in terms of the quarterback, and many of their star players, including Josh Jacobs and Darren Waller on the offensive side of the ball, but they also revamped their offensive line.
The best-case scenario would be the changes finally work out for this franchise, they put two good halves of the NFL season together, and make it back to the playoffs for the second time since the 2002 season.
Worst-case scenario
A repeat of what has happened to this team across the last two seasons. During the 2019 and ’20 campaigns, the Raiders got off to fast starts, leading many to believe that they would finally become a perennial playoff contender, only to falter down the stretch in both campaigns.
The Raiders have filled a bunch of their holes, especially across their terrible defense from a year ago, but if they cannot get stops, finishing in the bottom-three in the league, once again, then this is going to be another lost season for the Silver and Black.
X-factor
The X-factor for the 2021 Las Vegas Raiders is going to be a new face that will hopefully fix a problem that has plagued the franchise since Jon Gruden traded away Khalil Mack before the 2018 NFL season.
Yannick Ngakoue was brought in to help the team’s pass rush, a unit that had only 21 sacks as an entire team last season, and he has looked very good this summer in the Silver and Black. He and Maxx Crosby could end up being a dominant duo coming off the edge for the Raiders, but if they are not, this is going to be an area the team struggles in for the fourth straight season.
Biggest game – Week 1 vs. Ravens
The biggest game of the Raiders 2021 season will be the first game of the Raiders 2021 NFL season, as they welcome Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens to Allegiant Stadium. This will be the first regular-season game played inside Allegiant in front of fans, as COVID-19 ravaged their inaugural season in the desert, so it brings that added pressure as well.
With all the changes on this roster, this will be a huge test, especially for this defense, and if they can get after Jackson and this potent Ravens offense, it will be a huge confidence boost as they kick off their second season in Las Vegas.
Bold prediction
The Raiders have a quarterback entering his eighth season as the starter in Derek Carr, and he has still yet to play in a playoff game for the Silver and Black. That has to change this season or else heads are going to roll, especially with how much early draft capital the team has had over the last three drafts, and all the free-agency money the franchise has spent.
With fans finally in the stands and a bolstered defense, the Raiders could end up being a double-digit win team in 2021, finally getting back to the playoffs, with Carr leading them to their first postseason win since January 19, 2003.