Oakland Raiders: AFC West Title, Playoff Hopes, Now In Their Own Hands

The Oakland Raiders, by virtue of a big win over Denver and a Kansas City Chiefs freefall, now control their own playoff destiny.

As bad as the Oakland Raiders have looked at points this season, it’s amazing that they’re still in the thick of a playoff race. Even more amazing is the fact that an AFC West title is not only within their reach, they don’t need any help to win it.

That’s right, the Raiders control their own playoff destiny. Without sitting around with their fingers crossed, hoping and praying for help from other teams, if the Raiders handle their business, they’ll enter the postseason as the AFC West Champs.

While the Raiders haven’t looked anything like the team that went 12-4 and took the league by storm last season, they’ve managed to do enough to keep their heads above water – more or less. What’s helped the most though, is they’ve gotten a ton of tremendous breaks along the way to keep their hopes for a division title alive.

But hey, as former Yankee pitcher Lefty Gomez said all the way back in 1930’s, “Better lucky than good.”

Right?

With Kansas City’s loss to Buffalo yesterday, the Chiefs have now lost five of their last six. Their 5-0 start is nothing but a distant memory as they’ve plummeted to a 6-5 record and have to hope for help from the Raiders if they are to win the West.

Likewise for the Chargers. After an 0-4 start, led by a resurgent Philip Rivers, Los Angeles has really come on, winning five of their last seven and climbing to 5-6 on the year. With a dominant Thanksgiving Day win over Dallas, the Chargers have kept their own playoff hopes alive.

The one thing in common for these two teams though, is that they both have a game against the Raiders coming up. And neither of them can win the division unless Oakland stumbles down the stretch – which, if we’re being totally honest, given the way this season has gone, isn’t outside the realm of possibility.

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However – the fact remains, because of their unbelievably good fortune this season, the AFC West title and a ticket to the postseason is in Oakland’s hands and nobody else’s.

To punch that ticket and ascend to the AFC West throne though, they’ll need to win out. A tall order, to be sure.

But even in that, they’re getting some breaks. They’ll face the Giants, which have been the biggest dumpster fire outside of Cleveland this season.

Then they get a date with a Chiefs team that seems to be circling the drain earlier than usual. And if they win there, they’ll own the head-to-head tiebreaker for the division title.

Following that, they’ll square off with a Dallas team that hasn’t looked anything like a playoff contender without Ezekiel Elliot. A Dallas team that San Diego just routed on Turkey Day.

After the home date with Dallas comes the game that should scare everybody – on the road against Carson Wentz and an Eagles team that have been steamrolling the league in 2017. Given the way Philly’s high-flying, high-octane offense has been playing, combined with the way Oakland’s undermanned, porous secondary has played this season, it should be one that gives us all a queasy feeling in our collective guts.

Next: Taking A Closer Look at The AFC Playoff Picture

The Raiders then end the season on New Year’s Eve with a game against the Chargers. And that game, very well could be for all the marbles in the AFC West. If they are still in contention for the division title at that point, it’s a must-have game for these Raiders after losing a 17-16 hearbreaker to LA earlier in the year.

If the Raiders can pull off the improbable and go 5-0 through this back stretch of their schedule, they’ll walk away AFC West Champions.

If Oakland is able to win out, they’ll finish 10-6. If they win out, the best the Chiefs can do is 10-6, but the Raiders will own the head-to-head tiebreaker. And if Oakland wins out, the best the Chargers can finish is 9-7.

Which means, that if the Raiders can really put together a string and play their best football of the season, they have the potential to finish 10-6, win the AFC West, and punch a ticket to the postseason dance.

It’s all right there for the taking. Their playoff destiny is in their hands and their hands alone. They don’t need help from anybody at this point to achieve their long-stated goal of an AFC West crown.

It’s a tall order, no question about it. It’s probably even improbable – some might even say impossible. But, it can be done. The Raiders though, will need to step up their game in a tremendous way.

It’s all right there for them. The question they need to answer is – how badly do they want it?

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