NFL Season Preview: Las Vegas Raiders

The Las Vegas Raiders have struggled to find their footing in recent years, but after finding themselves a genuine top receiver in the off-season to pair with their solid offence, Derek Carr may finally have a chance to give this recently relocated franchise their first deep playoff run since moving to the desert. After the Jon Gruden debacle, it looked like this franchise was going to be headed backwards, but with some decent moves, they appear primed for a decent season, as long as they can somehow navigate the dangerous terrain that is the AFC West in 2022.

Positives

This team is solid all around, but when you look at their roster, one thing in particular stands out as a major positive, and that's the skill group on offence, headlined by Josh Jacobs, Davante Adams, Hunter Renfrow and Darren Waller, who'll all be looking to make QB Derek Carr's life a whole lot easier than it has been at points throughout his career. The defence certainly isn't at that level where they'll win the Raiders a lot of games, but if they can keep them in it and all the skill position players are at their best, this team could surprise people and make a lot of noise in the AFC.

Negatives

The focal point of this team is going to me the myriad of weapons around Carr, and while the defensive line, headlined by Maxx Crosby and Chandler Jones will give opponents plenty of headaches, that's where the challenges for opposing teams end on the defence, as the secondary isn't quite as good as where it needs to be if this team wants to be taken seriously. The offensive line is questionable too, but if they stay healthy and give Carr enough time, they'll be fine, but if, come deadline time, the Raiders are still in the hunt, expect them to make a big and necessary move in the secondary.

Team MVP

With so many weapons, it's clear that Derek Carr needs to be at his best, and if that happens, this team could have a great campaign, but the reason why they may be good enough to take the next step is Davante Adams, who many regard as the single best wide receiver in the NFL. He adds a layer to this offence that will make the Raiders at times un-guardable, and as we've seen throughout his career in Green Bay, Adams is relentless and consistently finds his way into the end zone. So while Carr will be the one guiding the team, the presence of Adams will be the reason why most guys on this offence have career years.

Record Prediction

This is such a tough division, and if the Raiders want to come out on top, they'll need to go at least 4-2 against Kansas City, Los Angeles and Denver, which isn't an easy feat at all, and unfortunately, one they won't be able to achieve in 2022. Their hopes at the playoffs will hinge on what other teams in the AFC East and South can do against weaker competition, but right now, the Raiders can only worry about themselves, and in 2022, we see them stacking up 9 wins, which could still potentially cause them to miss the playoffs entirely.

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