The projected win total for this year’s Las Vegas Raiders team is all over the place. I have seen three wins all the way to nine wins. One constant is they don’t make the playoffs. I tend to be more of an optimist on this team than most. I think this team can be special if everyone buys in.

Josh McDaniels and Dave Ziegler are building this their way, but having a few New England Patriots style management ways. For one, they only talk about the players in the building. I get most teams do that but the Patriots set the way. They also are not overpaying for guys, and just bringing in the fastest or biggest name the way Al Davis always did. They have brought in guys that know McDaniels system, and have gotten rid of guys if they didn’t buy in (i.e Darren Waller). This all leads to the question if this is a playoff team this year or will they be there next year?

Lets take a look at the roster.

Starting quarterback in Jimmy Garoppolo. Jimmy G has a history of injuries but also a history of winning football games. His record with San Francisco was 38-17 when he started. However, only during one season did he play all 16 games, and that was in 2019 and they went 13-3. The Niners made the Super Bowl losing to the Kansas City Chiefs.

Now I am not saying that he is going to take this team to the Super Bowl. It would be nice to see that though. I am thinking he gets Las Vegas more wins than people are giving him credit for. I think Jimmy excels this year at QB by throwing for 4000+ yards.

He will use his legs when needed and he understands the playbook. I think Jimmy can lead this team to a playoff berth when he is healthy. That is the key here, can the offensive line keep him healthy?

That brings me to the O-Line. This team used a lot of different players rotating them in and out of the lineup. The one constant was Kolton Miller. He is going to be protecting the blind side of Jimmy G. With most of the offensive line group coming back this year. I think they will be able to protect him and give him the time needed to get through his progressions.

The O-line did help Josh Jacobs get over 1600 yards, the most by a Raider running back since Napoleon Kaufman, who rushed for 1294 yards in 1997. Jacobs also had second most all time behind Marcus Allen’s 1759 yards in 1985. Now can they pass protect.

I think that will improve with Jimmy’s experience in the offense and able to know where he needs to go.

Josh Jacobs is signed and in the building. Now can he duplicate last year? I think he can. I think he is enough of a downhill runner with some great quickness for a bigger back that he will top 1500 yards this year. I think he can also provide more receiving out of the backfield as well. Jacobs will get himself a bigger contract in this contract year. He is one tough player and always tries to play through his injuries.

On the outside you have the best wide receiver in the league in the last five years for sure, if not longer in Davonte Adams. Opposite of him you have Jakobi Meyers.

Meyers is going to be the speed guy that can cut across the middle and get a slant and go on to take it to the house. In the slot the Raiders have arguably the best slot receiver in the league in Hunter Renfrow. The guy just gets open. He is the Danny Amendola and Wes Welker of this offense and will be the safety valve. This wide receiver group reminds of the Patriots group from 2009 with Moss, Welker and Amendola. I think the tight end, Mayer, can be a factor as well, come late in the season.

The defense did improve from 2021. As they did bring down their PPG allowed from 25.8 points in 24.6ppg. Stops on 3rd down was 39.9% of the time, up a tick from the year before. Teams 4th down conversion rate was 54.2% down from 63.2% in 2021. The defense has some continuity going into this year with Patrick Graham coming back for a second year. Chandler Jones and Maxx Crosby up front. The linebackers have a year of experience and the secondary I think is improved personnel wise with the addition of Marcus Peters.

Raiders fans for the past few years have blamed the defense for the failures of the team, but I think the offense has been the issue. You can’t win games without scoring more than your opponent. Even if the defense is giving up 24 to 26 points a game, the offense has averaged more than 23 points a game only one time since 2017. I think this offense can do that.

With all this said I think the Raiders can win 10 or 11 games this year. I think their wins come in Week 1 vs Den, Week 3 vs Pitt, Week 4 vs LAC, Week 5 vs GB, Week 6 vs NE, Week 7 vs Chicago, Week 10 vs Jets, Week 12 vs KC, Week 14 vs MIN, Week 17 vs Indy, and Week 18 vs Denver. Other possible wins would be NYG and Miami. With the win over the Jets , the Raiders make the playoffs and lose to the Cincinnati Bengals again.

-Article by Chad Cain

-All stats provided by StatMuse.com.

*Photo courtesy of Silver and Black Pride