Oakland Raiders: Predicting The Regular Season Win-Loss Record

Week 5 Baltimore Ravens

Oakland will be at home for just the second time in 2017, taking on a Ravens squad that has some really nice pieces. But their success is going to be riding on quarterback Joe Flacco‘s balky back.

Flacco’s back was a topic of concern as it kept him out of the offseason work and the status of it moving forward. He says he’s good to go and he’s been medically cleared to play. But back injuries can linger and given that he didn’t participate in offseason work or exhibition games, we still don’t know yet, if his back is going to hold up once it gets real and he starts taking hits.

Simply put, as Flacco’s back goes, so go the Ravens.

Assuming he’s fine and is still rolling in week five, he’s got some solid receivers who could pose problems for this Raiders secondary in Breshad Perriman, Mike Wallace, and Jeremy Maclin.

A year ago, this Ravens squad gave the Raiders all they could handle and if not for some late game heroics by Derek Carr and the offense, Baltimore would have prevailed. As it was, they lost a squeaker to Oakland 28-27, though they did hang 400 plus yards on the defense.

And that’s the sticky wicket – Oakland’s defense, as of now, doesn’t appear to be a whole lot better than last year’s version. Especially that secondary – the one Flacco lit up for 282 passing yards.

Baltimore’s defense, while not the dominant past versions of it, is still pretty good. And with a couple of key additions like Tony Jefferson, they can be very good.

It’s going to be another hard-fought, tight game. Baltimore’s offense, while good, isn’t dynamic, back injuries like Flacco’s are unpredictable, and the Raider defense will do enough to keep the game close. Oakland is going to need some more late game heroics to pull one out. Edge goes to the home team.

Raiders: 24 Ravens: 21 (Record 5-0)

Week 6 Los Angeles Chargers

A year ago, the Chargers were one of the most snakebitten teams in the NFL. They’ve got a ton of playmakers on both sides of the ball. Unfortunately for them, everybody was hurt. And still, the then-San Diego Chargers gave Oakland all they could handle. And then some.

This year is starting off on an ominous note for the Chargers again. Rookie second round pick Forrest Lamp is already done for the year after tearing an ACL. And rookie first round pick Mike Williams has had a lingering back issue – and though he’s been cleared to play, that back is something still worth keeping an eye one.

Philip Rivers has some major weapons around him. Melvin Gordon is developing into a nice back who can keep defenses on their heels. In the passing game, Rivers can kill you a hundred different ways. Tight ends Antonio Gates and Hunter Henry are a brutal one-two punch. And wideouts Travis Benjamin, Keenan Allen, Tyrell Williams, and the rookie Williams can all put up some numbers.

Defensively, the Chargers were middle of the pack last year. But they have a defensive line that could be the class of the AFC West and an overall defense that – if they can stay health – can be surprisingly good.

The Chargers always play the Raiders tight and this game will be no different. And this is where the Raiders will hit their first stumbling block as the defense falters late and hands this game to Rivers and the Chargers.

Chargers: 28 Raiders: 24 (Record 5-1)

Week 7 Kansas City Chiefs

The Raiders have their third consecutive home game when their big, bad bogeyman comes to town in the form of the Kansas City Chiefs.

The fact that Kansas City has had Oakland’s number for a while now has been detailed ad-naseam. We’re all aware that Carr is 1-5 against the Chiefs and hasn’t looked particularly good in any one game. We get it.

Unfortunately, those stories will all continue to linger until Carr steps up and delivers a big performance and beats this Kansas City squad.

Kansas City dealt a blow to their offense when they cut receiver Jeremy Maclin. That leaves Tyreek Hill and tight end Travis Kelce as Alex Smith‘s only real viable and reliable targets. And it also takes away the long, downfield threat that Maclin provided – not that Smith ever really goes long downfield.

The Chiefs were dealt a second blow with the season-ending injury to running back Spencer Ware.

While Kansas City’s offense certainly isn’t crippled, it’s developing a noticeable limp.

Defensively, the Chiefs will be good again. Especially that secondary. But their offense is going to struggle to put points on the board. Last year’s incarnation scored 24 points a game – good for thirteenth in the league. They very well might be hard pressed to duplicate that effort this year.

It’s going to be a close game, but Kansas City’s lack of offensive punch is going to be the difference maker. Oakland wins the game and gets that monkey off their backs – at least, for a little while.

Chiefs: 20 Raiders: 24 (Record 6-1)

Week 8 @ Buffalo Bills

After three consecutive home games, the Raiders get back on the road again and travel to Buffalo for a date with the Bills – a team they wound up defeating soundly last season by a 38-24 margin.

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Although, it did take some second half magic from Carr and the offense after Buffalo went up 24-9 in the third quarter.

Buffalo steamrolled Oakland’s defense on the ground, racking up 212 rushing yards and three touchdowns on 30 carries.

They did a better job against the pass, limiting Tyrod Taylor to 170 yards through the air.

Carr and his receivers went off for 260 yards against Buffalo’s defense – a defense now missing Stephon Gilmore and Ronald Darby, their top two corners in 2016.

Oakland is going to have to limit this running game – LeSean McCoy, in particular. And the offense will have to attack a suspect Buffalo secondary.

Assuming they don’t get caught looking ahead or let themselves be sloppy and unfocused, this Raiders team should be able to handle Buffalo.

Raiders: 34 Bills: 24 (Record 7-1)