Raiders given less than 25 percent odds of making the playoffs
By Justin Fried
The Las Vegas Raiders were recently given less than 25 percent odds of making the playoffs based on ESPN’s latest projections.
The Las Vegas Raiders haven’t had the most impressive track record of recent success. Save for a 12-4 finish in 2016, the Raiders haven’t finished above .500 in nearly two decades dating all the way back to the 2002 season.
The 2000s haven’t been kind to Raider Nation.
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But the team showed some promise last season finishing with a 7-9 record making improvements on both sides of the ball. And after an offseason of pretty substantial changes across the board, fans are hopeful that the Raiders could reach the postseason once again.
Unfortunately, it doesn’t appear as though many media outlets are as hopeful.
ESPN recently released their complete season projections including playoff odds, division predictions, and much more. The Raiders didn’t exactly receive much love.
Las Vegas was given just a 24 percent chance of making the most season with a preseason win projection of 6.9. Those playoff odds are notably tied with the New York Jets and place them 23rd in ESPN’s FPI (Football Power Index) rankings.
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Moreover, the team was projected by these rankings to finish last place in the AFC West and receive a top-10 pick in the 2021 NFL Draft.
The Raiders made some important offseason additions.
Hopes are high for the organization following the move to Las Vegas and subsequent offseason additions. Players like Cory Littleton, Damon Arnette, and Maliek Collins will hopefully solidify a quickly improving defense.
And on offense, first-round pick Henry Ruggs will join a skill-position group led by the likes of Josh Jacobs and Darren Waller. Of course, the play of quarterback Derek Carr will remain one of the primary determining factors of the team’s success in 2020.
Nonetheless, a six or seven-win season would ultimately be disappointing and it’s safe to say that Raiders fans feel that their team has a better chance of making the postseason than ESPN and other outlets have projected.
The Raiders took an important step forward in 2019 and finishing with a worse record would undoubtedly be a massive disappointment for the organization. And that’s something that Jon Gruden, Mike Mayock, and company simply cannot have happen.
dark. Next. Raiders: All eyes will be on a revamped defense in 2020
Here’s to hoping that the Raiders come out in 2020 and prove their doubters wrong.