The Silver and Black overcame a tumultuous season to reach the playoffs in 2021. But the Las Vegas Raiders have a new head coach. What can we expect?
Sometimes it’s hard to fathom just how far this franchise has fallen. This was a team that always seemed to be in the mix when it came to a Super Bowl title. And with a new head coach (Josh McDaniels) and a new general manager (Dave Ziegler) at the helm, perhaps it is time that the Raiders returned to being a consistent contender.
This past season, the franchise made its first postseason appearance since 2016. But it was only the second playoff berth for the club dating back to 2003. And over the past 18 seasons, the Silver and Black owns a dismal 110-195 regular-season record as well as a 0-2 playoff resume.
Still, the team does have last year to build off of. Ziegler was aggressive this offseason in terms of free agency and trades. So here are three things that are worth wagering on in Sin City as the Raiders prepare to face the Chargers to kick off 2022.
3. QB Derek Carr sets career marks for most TD passes and fewest INT
During his eight-year career in the NFL, quarterback Derek Carr has been somewhat underappreciated. The three-time Pro Bowler has been the face of the Raiders throughout his somewhat short career, be it the good or bad times.
The 2014 second-round pick from Fresno State has completed 65 percent of his passes, thrown for 31,700 yards, and has served up more than twice as many touchdown passes (193) as interceptions (85).
But it might surprise some to know that he’s only ever thrown 30-plus TD passes in a season just once (32 in 2015). Meanwhile, Carr has thrown at least 10 picks five times in eight years but a career-low six interceptions in 2016.
His production could change in a big way this season, especially with the addition of All-Pro wide receiver Davante Adams – his former teammate at Fresno State – as well as head coach Josh McDaniels’ system.
2. DEs Maxx Crosby and Chandler Jones both total 10-plus sacks
Talk about a team that has had a major weakness for far too long? The Raiders have struggled on defense for more than a decade. And one of their biggest issues in recent years has been the inability to consistently pressure opposing quarterbacks.
Things got somewhat better in 2021 thanks to the free-agent addition of Yannick Ngakoue. He packed the club with 10 sacks and he and Maxx Crosby (8) combined for more than half of the club’s 35 quarterback traps – the Raiders’ highest total since 2015 (38).
And now it looks like the franchise has taken an even bigger step forward when it comes to this department thanks to free agency and a trade. Ngakoue was sent to the Indianapolis Colts in exchange for promising cornerback Rock Ya-Sin. And on the same day, the Raiders signed former Patriots and Cardinals edge rusher Chandler Jones. The 10-year pro has racked up 107.5 QB traps in 10 seasons.
New defensive coordinator Patrick Graham should put Crosby and Jones to good use. You would have to go back to 2010 (47) when this club rolled up at least 40 sacks. That figures to happen this season, with both player coming up with double-digit totals when it comes to this statistic.
1. Raiders taste victory in postseason for first time since 2002
They were a playoff participant for three straight years from 2000-02 – the first two years under head coach Jon Gruden and then in that final year with Bill Callahan. The then-Oakland Raiders reached Super Bowl XXXVII in ’02 and ironically faced Gruden and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in San Diego. The Silver and Black were dealt a 48-21 defeat as 2002 NFL MVP Rich Gannon threw five interceptions – three of those returned for touchdowns.
Two weeks earlier, the Raiders held off the Tennessee Titans, 41-24, in the AFC Championship Game at Oakland. Of course, that 17-point victory marks the last time the franchise came away with a postseason win. Then again, the club hasn’t had many opportunities.
The Raiders’ next playoff appearance came 14 years later, a 27-14 loss to the Texans at Houston in which Derek Carr was sidelined with a broken leg while Connor Cook got the start. Carr was at the helm at Cincinnati this past season when the club fell to the Super Bowl-bound Bengals, 26-19, in the AFC Wild Card Playoffs.
It would not be out of the realm of possibility to see all four teams in the loaded AFC West reach the playoffs this upcoming season. That includes these Raiders, who have bolstered their roster. And those moves will wind up being vital as the franchise puts an end to its postseason frustrations.