Overreaction Monday: 4 teams that won in NFL Week 1 but will miss the playoffs
By Kristen Wong
NFL Week 1 Winner, Season Loser No. 2: Las Vegas Raiders
All we'll do is insert Mina Kimes' bio here: Quarterback wins are not a stat.
In Week 1, Jimmy Garoppolo and the Raiders won, 17-16, over the Broncos. While Jimmy G may have been the curious X-factor in Sunday's win with his game-winning 75-yard drive at the end of the fourth quarter, the ex-49ers quarterback is hardly known for his elite passing. Back in San Francisco, offensive stars like Deebo Samuel and George Kittle did most of the heavy lifting, and the 49ers became an NFC powerhouse that won games in spite of Garoppolo's deficiencies, rather than because of him.
On Sunday, Garoppolo generated impressive chemistry with Jakobi Meyers and got praised for his "mental toughness" by head coach Josh McDaniels, a dream-like start to his Raiders stint. That's all it is, Raiders fans. A dream.
Las Vegas is the only AFC West team with a tally in the win column, but rest assured that will change in the coming weeks.
The team will benefit from Garoppolo's grizzled leadership and aplomb -- admittedly, he has recorded 11 total game-winning drives in his NFL career. Still, the Raiders, universally recognized as one of the worst teams in their division, will need more than a quarterback with a head on his shoulders to make the playoffs in 2023.