LET'S TALK FOOTBALL - Las Vegas Raiders

Last season did not work out so well for the Las Vegas Raiders, winning only four games and finishing last place in the AFC West. Antonio Pierce could not prove to be the difference maker that the organization needed, and as a result, he and general manager Tom Telesco were let go after the year ended. Throughout the offseason, the Raiders never made any bold moves to signal an “all in” push, nor did they make drastic changes to signal a rebuild. Instead, the front office made decisions to make sure they were competitive the following season, a strategy that can work in the short-term but not for a sustained period of time. Hiring Bucs executive John Spytek to be the new general manager is a start, but for their head coach, Vegas landed on Pete Carroll. Instead of just winning four or five games, they will win between seven and nine, especially since he will be reunited with an old friend at quarterback.

No, I am not talking about Russell Wilson. The Giants will have the pleasure of going through that experience. It is Geno Smith! He might be an older quarterback with a low ceiling, but he is at least a better option than whatever the Raiders had at that position last season. When I look at this offense, I feel like I am just looking at the AFC version of the Seattle Seahawks. They used their first round pick to draft a Heisman finalist in Ashton Jeanty, who was by far the best running back in the entire draft. That was a hole that Vegas desperately needed to address, but now we go to the passing game. Besides having a generational talent in tight end Brock Bowers, the wide receiver depth is mediocre at best. Jakobi Meyers has proven to be the number one option with his first thousand yard season and Tre Tucker is a decent deep threat, but if either of those aforementioned players are covered, who is going to be the next to get open? Maybe it will be rookie Jack Bech, who the Raiders took in the second round. Perhaps Michael Mayer finally unlocks some of the potential he showed in his rookie season and prevents himself from getting traded at the deadline. That question will have to be answered quickly because Vegas does not have a strong offensive line. They allowed fifty sacks last year, which is the eighth most in the NFL. There have been rumors that Kolton Miller would get traded at the deadline, but even if they do, who is going to be the guy to replace him? The team might have signed Alex Cappa, but there is a reason why the Bengals cut him this offseason. They better hope that Jackson Powers-Johnson and DJ Glaze show improvement, along with Dylan Parham, because Geno Smith is not exactly the quarterback that has always had a clean pocket throughout his career. But hey, at least they have a new offensive coordinator… Chip Kelly? Yeah, this season might go down the tubes fast. I don’t care that he just won a National Championship with Ohio State, this is not college football. Just ask the Eagles and 49ers how that experiment went for them.

I expected the offense to be subpar last year, but I at least thought the defense would do their best to stay competitive. Unfortunately, the minute that Christian Wilkins went down with a season ending Lisfranc injury, the game plan was essentially “Maxx Crosby or bust.” As a result, they allowed the seventh most points and totaled the fourth fewest takeaways, while also compiling just thirty-eight sacks. Wilkins recorded two in the five games he played before going down, so if he could return to full form, then that duo of him and Crosby could be absolutely dangerous. They just need Tyree Wilson to finally maximize his potential in his third season, or else he is going to be nothing more than a waste of a first round pick. When Adam Butler and K’Lavon Chaisson are the two players tied for second in sacks with five each, then that is not a bright spot. What puts even more pressure on their front four is that their two top linebackers Robert Spillane and Divine Deablo left in free agency, along with their starting safety Trevon Moehrig. I think Germaine Pratt is a solid tackler, but there is not too much depth at his position. The other three veterans in that group are Elandon Roberts, Devin White, and Jaylon Smith. The one thing that all of them have in common is that they have not been good in three to five years. Hopefully there is a younger player that could surprise us out of nowhere, but I truly do not know who that will be right now. So if you do not have an explosive pass rush or a great run defense, then that just puts more pressure on the secondary. Last season, it allowed the fifth most touchdown passes and only came up with ten interceptions. The safety room does not give me too much concern since I think Isaiah Pola-Mao has developed into a legitimate starter and I have always liked Jeremy Chinn, but their depth at corner is not the best. I have hopes for Jakorian Bennett and Decamerion Richardson, yet they have not proven to be number one corners. I sure as hell do not think it is going to be Eric Stokes, so defensive coordinator Patrick Graham has to figure out how to utilize these players and make this group a formidable foe.

Call me crazy but I think the Raiders are going to have a decent season this year. I do not know if they will be good enough to make the playoffs, especially since they play in a really tough division and even more difficult conference, but it will at least be better than what we saw in 2024. Geno Smith still has something left in the tank and Pete Carroll is still a good coach for any team trying to get out of a rough patch, so do not be surprised if Las Vegas stays in the playoff hunt when we approach the regular season finale.

WEEK 1 @ NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS

I think that the first game of the season will show just how decent of a team the Raiders could be this year. Nobody thought that Geno Smith was going to beat the Denver Broncos with Russell Wilson on Monday Night Football just a few years ago, so I think something similar could happen against a Patriots team with Mike Vrabel as their new head coach. However, this is not going to be an easy conquest. The Jerod Mayo experiment failed, so a more proven and successful man will do his best to develop Drake Maye into the stud that he is supposed to transform into, and the cast around him is ten times better than whatever the heck he had last year. Rhamondre Stevenson had a rough season with fumble issues, which is why New England drafted Trayveon Henderson in the second round, but he is still a flexible back that can fight for yards after contact and bruise defenders with his physicality. They signed Stefon Diggs to be their new number one option, but I have been skeptical about the wide receiver room for the last five years now. It’s not only about the supporting role players, but the fact that Diggs is coming off a torn ACL and is not getting any younger. Fortunately, Hunter Henry is still around and has always been a reliable security blanket, but my biggest area of focus is the offensive line. New England did everything they could to overhaul that unit and managed to do that within a few months. They drafted left Will Campbell with the fourth overall pick, replaced the recently retired David Andrews with Garrett Bradbury, and signed Morgan Moses in free agency to be their right tackle. The only returning starters will be Cole Strange and Michael Onwenu, so their biggest priority is making sure Drake Maye does not get crushed on a weekly basis, or else this season is going to be a disaster.

Just like Bill Belichick did in 2021, Mike Vrabel retooled this defense into a respected juggernaut. They gave Milton Williams a huge contract to be their spearhead on the defensive line, brought in Harold Landry to fly off the edge, added Robert Spillane to be the new starting middle linebacker, and even signed Carlton Davis to complement a rising superstar in Christian Gonzalez. New England had to let go of a few remaining veterans to make these signings possible, but there is no doubt they will have one of the best defenses in football at the end. These signings are going to take the pressure off of guys like Keion White, Christian Barmore, Anfernee Jennings, Jahlani Tavai, and Kyle Dugger to do their best to keep a faded empire alive the year before.

I think it has been over thirty years since Pete Carroll lost to the Patriots as a head coach in the regular season, so I am not going to be surprised if that streak would continue. The Raiders have had their way with New England in the last two matchups, so even though this game is in Gillette Stadium, this team is not going to be intimidated or rattled whatsoever.

WEEK 2 vs. LOS ANGELES CHARGERS

I am so happy that this game is going to be on Monday Night Football because the rivalry between Pete Carroll and Jim Harbaugh is officially renewed! The all-time record in their head-to-head matchups is 6-6, so this series all but ensures that there is going to be a split. Not just because of the guys in charge, but the type of teams that they have. Last season did not end the way they wanted, but the Chargers proved that they could compete with anybody in the league. Harbaugh implemented the same formula with LA that he did when he won the National Championship at Michigan: run the ball, play great defense, keep their quarterback Justin Herbert out of harm’s way. It helped JK Dobbins bounce back with a near thousand yard season, so just imagine what things could be like with rookie Omarion Hampton and veteran Najee Harris. But even if a defense manages to keep the running game in check, then there is wide receiver Ladd McConkey to worry about, who thrived in his rookie season. My only question is who will be Herbert’s second option. Quentin Johnston is incredibly talented yet has drop issues, Mike Williams had a very up-and-down season in 2024 trying to return from injury, and tight end Tyler Conklin is the only other security blanket on the roster. The Chargers offensive line is an average unit that does well with run blocking, but could have its issues in pass protection, so the latter might be a problem if Herbert does not have anybody that can consistently get open.

What really turned things around for the Chargers was their defense, which went from being one of the worst in the league to allowing the fewest points one year later. When you look at the defensive line, there are not too many household names, but this is still a group that had the sixth most sacks in the league last season. Khalil Mack might not be the player he was in his prime, but he is still one of the most productive edge rushers in the league. Tuli Tuipulotu is emerging as one of the more underappreciated players at his position and veteran Bud Dupree did not do bad himself with six sacks of his own. What LA is hoping, however, is for more of the younger guys to step up and shine for this team. Daiyan Henley received that message early by nearing 150 tackles and guys like Troy Dye and Junior Colson are hoping to get caught up. In the secondary, LA let Asante Samuel Jr. walk away in free agency, mainly because they might have found a new number one corner in Tarheeb Still. Elijah Molden jumped into the radar out of nowhere last season and got himself a deserving contract extension as a result. That is not even mentioning that they still have one of the best safeties in football with Derwin James leading the unit. Defensive coordinator Jesse Minter did a hell of a job leading that defense, and if he keeps this up any longer, he might enter some head coaching discussions.

There is no question that this is going to be an old school grudge match that will come down to the last play. I think that in this particular matchup, the Raiders have the advantage because they are home, but the only way they can ensure victory is if they do not get in their own way and screw up with a backbreaking turnover.

WEEK 3 @ WASHINGTON COMMANDERS

Unfortunately, this is the type of game that I see the Raiders losing by a big margin, and it just so happens that the head coach on the other side is Pete Carroll’s former defensive coordinator Dan Quinn. The biggest reason why Washington is getting all the hype is because their quarterback has emerged as a superstar that lifted them to the conference championship game, so he is hoping that they get further this time around and have a happier ending. The supporting cast around him did not change drastically from last year. Brian Robinson and Austin Ekeler have been a solid running back tandem, Terry McLaurin is easily one of the more underappreciated receivers in football, they just acquired Deebo Samuel as an extra option, and Zach Ertz returned to being the reliable security blanket that everybody wants in their offense. Washington also made sure to address its offensive line by trading for Laremy Tunsil, so let’s hope that he is not one of the more penalized tackles in the league this time around. However, it is a group that allowed the seventh most sacks, so it is not like Washington is going to have an unbelievable offense that cannot be stopped. Fortunately, they drafted Josh Connerly Jr. as a future starter at right tackle, so the Commanders made sure to address the two most important positions on that front.

Their defense is a very unique one run by Dan Quinn. They do not have too many household names, but it is a group that is opportunistic and one you do not want to turn the ball over against. Jonathan Allen is gone, but they still have a franchise cornerstone in Da’Ron Payne along with a quality starter in Dorance Armstrong to lead the pass rush. The Commanders are also expecting Jer’Zhawn Newton to take the next step at defensive tackle and even signed Javon Kinlaw to give him a bigger role. Bobby Wagner is still playing at a high level and Frankie Luvu has been more than an exceptional complement to have in the linebacker room, but the secondary is one that I am hoping shows signs of improvement. Hopefully, Marshon Lattimore can have a full and healthy season to remind us why he is still one of the best corners in football. Mike Sainristil will be in the slot and Jonathan Jones is expected to be another outside defender, which is not the most ideal situation, but you at least have proven starters. However, one player that I have high hopes for is safety Quan Martin. He totaled eighty-seven tackles last year and showed up huge in the playoffs, the type of player that Dan Quinn loves to have on a daily basis.

The reason why I do not see this as a close game is because the Raiders are on the road. Maybe they could make some noise if this were in the Sin City, but this is the type of game that the Commanders should win to make sure their season gets off to a great start

WEEK 4 vs. CHICAGO BEARS

Any time I pick the winner of this particular matchup, I tend to guess wrong, so maybe picking the Raiders to lose might be a good thing after all! However, the Bears have a more talented team, and they should win now that Ben Johnson is the new head coach. It is redundant to say that this is finally the year that this organization turn things around, but this year has to be different. Caleb Williams is hoping to take a huge leap into his sophomore season, perhaps proving that offensive coordinator Shane Waldron really was a hack and should not have been the guy to guide him in his rookie year. Entering 2025, the pieces are more and less the same, but they are hoping to improve as well. D’Andre Swift is still a capable running back, DJ Moore is a number one option for any quarterback in the NFL, Cole Kmet is always a serviceable tight end, and Rome Odunze is hoping to make sure that his second year is a breakout one. However, I think that there are definitely a couple of additions that could make a difference. The fact that wide receiver Luther Burden fell to the second round was absolutely shocking because he is an incredible playmaker that can take off after the catch, so this is definitely somebody that Caleb would absolutely dream to have as a teammate. In the first round, the Bears drafted a stunner in tight end Colston Loveland over Tyler Warren, but Ben Johnson knew that this guy would fit the Sam LaPorta mold perfectly. Loveland is also going to give Kmet something to think about in training camp, because if he develops in the right direction, then the starting job for tight end is definitely going to change hands at some point in the season. The biggest improvements that Chicago made with their offense revolved around their line. They traded for a four-time champion in All-Pro guard Joe Thuney, made another trade for Jonah Jackson, and signed the best free agent center in Drew Dalman. You pair those three with Braxton Jones and Darnell Wright, that is a solid line. Last year, it was a complete abomination as it gave up the most sacks in the entire NFL, so Johnson is hoping that they make a very quick turnaround.

Despite the Bears defense finishing tenth in takeaways, this unit was average at best. They allowed the sixth most yards in football, ranked sixteenth in both passing and sacks, finished the fifth worst in rushing yards allowed, and placed thirteenth in points given up. I really don’t see Dennis Allen as an upgrade over Matt Eberflus, but he is at least a better coordinator than a head coach. The biggest moves that Chicago made with its defense in free agency is with the defensive line, just to make sure that the identity was not “Montez Sweat or bust.” By the way, he only had 5.5 sacks in 2024. Fortunately, he has a lot more help around him this time. Dayo Odeyingbo got himself a big contract of $48 million over three years, and even though I think they overpaid a tad too much for Grady Jarrett, he is at least a proven pass rusher that might have just needed a change of scenery. What I want to see, though, is the younger guys stepping up. This means that Chris Williams, Austin Booker, and Gervon Dexter are going to need to post bigger numbers. Otherwise, it won’t be long before Ryan Poles sends any one of them to another organization. In the linebacker room, they still have Tremaine Edmunds and TJ Edwards as a rock-solid duo, but they also need to prove that whatever happened last year was just a fluke. The secondary is still an opportunistic unit with a lot of key playmakers. Jaylon Johnson is easily a top three cornerback, Jaquan Brisker is one of the most underappreciated safeties in football when he is on the field, Tyrique Stevenson still has plenty of room to grow, and Kyler Gordon will hope to have a bounce-back year as well. I’m not saying that this defense is going to be great, but if Ben Johnson can get the offense back on track, then there won’t be an overwhelming amount of pressure that they have to drag throughout the season.

The Raiders are at home and they have a more experienced head coach, so they should have the advantage in this game, but the Bears have a slightly more complete team on both sides of the ball. Like I said, I might be reverse jinxing Las Vegas since I usually guess the wrong team, so let’s see if they can keep the trend going!

WEEK 5 @ INDIANAPOLIS COLTS

I don’t know why, but I can see this as a trap game for the Raiders. On paper, this looks like an easy win for the simple fact that the Colts do not have a legitimate starting quarterback. We thought it could be Anthony Richardson, but his inaccuracy issues completely plagued this team, and it did not help that he was in and out of the lineup throughout the season. I seriously doubt Daniel Jones is going to get this team over the hump, so what I see is an average offense led by two subpar quarterbacks. I feel bad for Jonathan Taylor because his prime is just being wasted. The same goes with Michael Pittman Jr., Josh Downs, and Alec Pierce, because while Joe Flacco was not exactly the transcendent backup that he was in Cleveland, he at least proved that all those two needed was a better player throwing them the ball to help the two of them grow. However, one player that I think a lot of teams will have a hard time planning against will be rookie Tyler Warren. Regardless of who starts at quarterback for Indianapolis, he is going to be the ultimate security blanket because there are so many things he could do with the football. The offensive line was not so bad last season, but the departures of both Ryan Kelly and Will Fries are going to hurt them in 2025. Outside of Quenton Nelson and Braden Smith, I don’t really know which players on that front are going to excel at the highest level, meaning that Indianapolis is more than likely bound for another mediocre season.

Newly hired defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo is hoping to get his career back on track in a new change of place and prove that Gus Bradley was truly not the right man for the job. When I look at the Colts defense, I see a lot of names, but I know that the production was not there the year before. Their front four was supposed to be led by DeForest Buckner, Kwity Paye, and Laitu Latu. Yet, they totaled the seventh fewest sacks with thirty-six. Zaire Franklin is one of the consistent leading tacklers in the NFL, but their run defense allowed close to 132 yards per game. However, I think a lot of that had to do with the fact that their secondary was still a travesty. This offseason, Chris Ballard did his job to make sure that it would not be an issue again. They brought in Charvarius Ward to be their new number one corner and signed safety Camryn Bynum to elevate it even higher. These were the two latest additions to a secondary that already had starpower in Nick Cross, Kenny Moore, and Jaylon Jones. Now it is up to Anarumo to see if he can finally turn this group around for the first time in close to five years.

I know I should be picking the Raiders, but the Colts always makes things interesting for a few teams. Remember when Jeff Saturday won his first game as the interim head coach against Josh McDaniels? Those are the types of vibes I am getting from this game. I hope I am wrong, but I can see Indianapolis pulling off a couple of surprises.

WEEK 6 vs. TENNESSEE TITANS

If the Raiders are a team below 500 by the time this game arrives, then I think this will be a perfect week for them to bounce back. The Titans had the worst record in the league last season and clinched the first overall pick, which they used to select quarterback Cam Ward. I loved watching him when he was at Miami, but head coach Brian Callahan is going to throw this kid into the fire early, and I honestly cannot determine how he will perform. The pieces around him are not terrible, but then again, they only won three games with essentially the same supporting cast around him. You have Tony Pollard and Tyjae Spears manning the backfield, Calvin Ridley and Tyler Lockett as your expected top receiving targets, and an offensive line that honestly did not improve over the offseason. I have hopes for rookies Elic Ayomanor and Chimere Deke, but I still cannot understand why new general manager Mike Borgonzi gave Dan Moore Jr. $50 million guaranteed to be their starting left tackle.

As for the defense, it really gave us a bunch of mixed signs every week. They were the second best group in yards allowed, yet were the third worst in points surrendered. All of the veterans that they acquired that offseason were let go before the 2024 season could even conclude, and a couple more might join them if they implode once again. Harold Landry was released, Jamal Adams and Quandre Diggs were cut in the middle of the year, and Ernest Jones was traded. Hopefully, things do not head in the opposite direction once again because they have solid guys in their group. Jeffery Simmons, Arden Key, and T’Vondre Sweat held their own on the front four. Cody Barton and Dre’Mont Jones were brought in from Denver to help pick up the slack. L’Jarius Sneed is trying to return to form and will have guys like Amani Hooker and Jarvis Brownlee Jr. to step up on their end.

I do not know if this is going to be a blowout or a game that will turn out to be closer than expected because we have yet to evaluate Cam Ward as an NFL quarterback. However, this is the type of game I expect the Raiders to win and I do not think there should be any excuse if they do not because that would be humiliating.

WEEK 7 @ KANSAS CITY CHIEFS

As much as I would be intrigued to see this happen, I do not see the Raiders beating the Chiefs in Arrowhead Stadium this year. They surprised all of us by pulling it off on Christmas a couple years ago and nearly did it last season on Black Friday, but it is going to require perfection for an upset to take place. As much as we want to laugh at the national media for saying that Patrick Mahomes is the GOAT if he wins a third straight Super Bowl, I can understand what started this discussion. The Kansas City Chiefs have been one of the most dominant dynasties in the league and their quarterback has been the biggest reason why. As long as they have him healthy, they are the class of the AFC. Fortunately for them, the core is still intact. Isaiah Pacheco is one of the angriest running backs in the league and does a better job of getting yards after contact than most other players at his position. They are even bringing Kareem Hunt back, who did a tremendous job in emergency duty when Pacheco got hurt. The passing game will still focus on Travis Kelce and Xavier Worthy, but Kansas City made sure to keep around Hollywood Brown and JuJu Smith-Schuster as reliable supporting options. There is also tight end Noah Gray, who is arguably the best backup player at his position, with the exception of Isaiah Likely. Yet, that was not the biggest issue with this offense. Surprisingly, it was the offensive line. To fix their drastic need at left tackle, not only did they sign Jaylon Moore in free agency, but drafted Josh Simmons with their first round pick. Joe Thuney unfortunately got traded to Chicago, but the good news was that Kansas City kept Trey Smith and Creed Humphrey. It appears that Mike Caliendo will be the starting left guard and he proved to be a serviceable placeholder, so let’s hope that it will not be a liability once again.

Over the past few seasons, Steve Spagnuolo has slowly but surely turned this defense into one of the best units in all of football. The biggest reason why is because of their front seven, which opens up the blitz and features several key playmakers. Chris Jones is still playing at an elite level, George Karlaftis deserves a huge payday for how tremendous he has been since he arrived, Mike Danna has developed into a bluechip edge rusher, and I cannot wait to see how Felix Anudike-Uzomah does in what should be a breakout year. Their linebacker room is stacked with Drue Tranquill and Nick Bolton plugging up the middle, with Leo Chenal and Jack Cochrane on time when you need the call. The secondary is stacked with younger talent like Trent McDuffie, Jaylen Watson, Jaden Hicks, Bryan Cook, and Chamarri Conner. With Kristian Fulton the newest addition, this is a group that can most definitely keep this team in Super Bowl contention.

This is not going to be anywhere near a blowout because the Raiders were a botched snap and a few missed field goals away from winning last year, but the Chiefs just have a better team. Any time that I think an upset will happen, Kansas City usually says “not so fast” and they find a way to get the job done.

WEEK 8: BYE WEEK

WEEK 9 vs. JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS

Geno Smith’s three years as a Seattle Seahawk had a lot of up and down moments. There were plenty of games where you thought he could take them on a deep playoff run, and then others where you were scared if he would be the reason why the team would make the playoffs. For this matchup, I would expect the former. It will be interesting to see how the Jaguars look with Liam Coen as the new head coach, because if Trevor Lawrence continues to look mediocre at best and pathetic at worst, then that contract extension is only going to appear worse as the days roll by. Coen has a lot of work to do with not just getting Lawrence back on track, but with the rest of the offense as well. They have two capable starting running backs in Travis Etienne and Tank Bigsby, while Brian Thomas Jr. has emerged as the focal point of the passing game, but the offense suffered a lot of turnover at the same time. Christian Kirk, Gabe Davis, and Evan Engram were all released. Jacksonville replaced them by promoting Brenton Strange as the starting tight end, signing Dyami Brown in free agency, and then trading up with the Browns to draft Travis Hunter with the second overall pick! Not only is Hunter supposed to help out a ton in the passing game, but that secondary has desperately needed a standout cornerback for years, and the Jaguars got a guy that can do both! One of the biggest surprises of 2024 was that their offensive line actually did pretty well, despite only winning four games. It only let up thirty-two sacks, the ninth fewest in the league, and I think it got stronger with the signing of Patrick Mekari in free agency. Anton Harrison showed improvement, Ezra Cleveland thrived at left guard, and the unit did pretty well for itself without Cam Robinson at left tackle. Lawrence is going to be the biggest X factor for this team’s success, or else Jacksonville’s new regime will not be afraid of moving on from him in the upcoming offseason.

As for the Jaguars defense, I have been consistent in saying that it has been the team’s Achilles heel for the last five years. The only two guys that kept it somewhat afloat were Josh Hines-Allen and Travon Walker, so even with the addition of Travis Hunter, this group has a lot of making up to do this year. Arik Armstead has been a disappointment, Devin Lloyd showed a lot of consistency issues, and I did not like that Jourdan Lewis was the only addition they made to the secondary in free agency. Maybe Hunter and Tyson Campbell can form into a solid duo, but for this team to truly turn things around, everything has to be absolutely perfect in all aspects of play.

The Raiders better win this game or else there are going to be a lot of negative grumblings and Mark Davis is not going to want that… again. They are at home, the Jaguars have little to no expectations, and Vegas made moves to make sure that they would be in contention for the long haul. Anything other than a victory would be inexcusable.

WEEK 10 @ DENVER BRONCOS

I do not see the Raiders in the best situation for this particular matchup because after a home game against an inferior opponent, they have to quickly travel to Denver to play the Broncos on Thursday Night Football. Thanks to Sean Payton, their signal caller Bo Nix managed to improve week after week and blossomed as a face of the franchise. However, I did not see their offense get drastically better in the offseason. They did not solve a ton of their issues with the running game, their only notable signing on that front was tight end Evan Engram, and they did not sign another veteran wide receiver to aid Courtland Sutton. My guess is that Payton wants some of the younger players like Devaughn Vele, Marvin Mims, and especially Troy Franklin to form themselves into a legitimate receiving corps. Thankfully, they have one of the more improved offensive lines in the league, so it is not like they will not be given the chance to succeed.

What makes this a drastic challenge is the Broncos defense, which surged in several categories. They led the league in sacks, finished third in rush yards allowed and points allowed, and ranked eighth in takeaways. Their pass rush has an abundance of key playmakers starting with Nik Bonitto and working down to the likes of John Franklin-Myers, Zach Allen, and Jonathon Cooper. Denver boosted their run defense by signing Dre Greenlaw to boost the younger guys like Dondrea Tillman and Jonah Elliss. Did I forget to mention that Alex Singleton is coming back from a torn ACL? The secondary, however, is the most lethal group in my opinion. They have the reigning Defensive Player of the Year in Patrick Surtain II. They drafted Jahdae Barron in the first round as an elite second option. Talanoa Hufanga and Brandon Jones are the two spearheads at safety, while JaQuan McMillian will secure his spot as the nickel back. I never thought Vance Joseph of all coordinators would be the one to put that defense in this position, but he has done a tremendous job over the last season and a half, meaning that he could get another chance to be a head coach.

I am not positive that this series is going to be a sweep for the Broncos the way it was last year, but I do think that Denver should take care of business at home. But remember, before the Raiders won their last eight matchups against this team up until 2024, so anything is possible on Thursday night.

WEEK 11 vs. DALLAS COWBOYS

This is a game that I can honestly see going either way because even though the Cowboys should be the better team, the Raiders are not afraid or intimidated, and neither should anybody else to be quite honest. So many Dallas fans think that they will be a lot better than advertised, but I seriously cannot see how. Dak Prescott is coming back, that is always a great sign. CeeDee Lamb is one of the best receivers in the league, that definitely helps. Micah Parsons, given that he gets his contract extension, is absolutely one of the more unstoppable defensive players in the league. But what do these three have around them? Rico Dowdle left in free agency, which means the only running backs are Javonte Williams and Miles Sanders. One of them has not been the same since a season ending injury he suffered a few years ago and another was proved to be nothing more than a system back for the Eagles. The passing game was already reliable with Jake Ferguson and Jalen Tolbert, but acquiring George Pickens was definitely a high-risk and high-reward move. He is extremely talented, but the biggest red flag is that he had character and maturity issues in Pittsburgh, so I really do not know if this was the best change of scenery. The potential is there and I think he and CeeDee form a strong duo on paper, but I need to see how they gel together before I can come to a final conclusion. Fortunately, the offensive line is never an aspect I have to worry about. They drafted Tyler Booker in the first round to replace the recently retired Zach Martin and complement Tyler Smith, their tackles Tyler Guyton and Terence Steele are hoping to improve in 2025, and Cooper Beebe had a strong rookie season at center. With Dak under center, I doubt they will be a top ten offense, but they should be a productive unit against certain opponents. But when it comes to top tier teams, they do not always show up, so that needs to change if they truly want this year to be different.

With Matt Eberflus as the new defensive coordinator, I already know what I am going to get. There will be some games where they make tremendous strides, but then others where they are on their heels way too often. Yes they have Micah and Osa Odighizuwa on the defensive line, they brought back Dante Fowler, Marshawn Kneeland is on the rise, and Sam Williams is returning from injury to step in for DeMarvion Overshown. Yet, I am not exactly confident that Kenneth Murray or Jack Sanborn are going to fix a run defense that was below average last year. Trevon Diggs struggled to return from injury and DaRon Bland is essentially the same type of player, so I don’t have the highest faith in those two as the starting corners despite the fact that they have exceptional hands. I don’t need to worry about the safety room because it already has a ton of depth, but when Dallas cannot generate any pressure, then they better make a ton of plays.

I believe that the Cowboys will win this game for now because their roster is slightly better with more chemistry and experience, but I would not be surprised if Vegas pulls off the upset on Monday Night Football.

WEEK 12 vs. CLEVELAND BROWNS

Fortunately for the Raiders, they have a strong chance of bouncing back against the Cleveland Browns, a team that does not have a quarterback right now. They might have drafted Dillon Gabriel AND Shadeur Sanders, but if the only veteran backups are Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett, then that is not the best considering that Deshaun Watson suffered two torn Achilles injuries. It doesn’t help that Nick Chubb is no longer on the roster, despite the fact that he was a shell of himself trying to come back from that knee injury, and then later suffered a broken foot late in the 2024 season. The good news is that Cleveland made sure to draft not one but TWO future running backs to their core! I’m curious to see which one will be the lead between Qunshon Judkins and Dylan Sampson, because if I’m being quite honest, I don’t know what role Jerome Ford is going to carve out in this offense. In the passing game, the two main focal points will most likely be Jerry Jeudy and David Njoku, but there need to be more than a few guys that will have to step up. Cedric Tillman, David Bell, and Diontae Johnson are the more notable examples. However, that offensive line really took a huge slide as it allowed the second most sacks in the league. Even with the addition of Teven Jenkins, I do not know if we are going to see any improvement, unless one of these four quarterbacks completely stun us and somehow lift this team to the playoffs.

Their defense is not void of blame because after a dominant 2023 season, they saw signs of regression as well. A lot of it happened to do with the setbacks of the offense, but Myles Garrett was quite possibly the only player showing any form of consistency. One of the boldest moves they made in regards to that defense was to trade down three spots from the second overall pick and select Mason Graham out of Michigan, while receiving a significant package that includes a future first. Jacksonville might have been the lucky ones to select Travis Hunter, but if Graham turns into a successful player, then Cleveland will have little regrets. The rest of their defensive line has a bunch of rotational pieces that can make solid contributions, but the linebacking corps took a hit with Jeremiah Owusu-Koromoah ruled out for the season due to a neck injury. Even though they signed Jerome Baker and kept guys like Devin Bush and Jordan Hicks around, the Browns are going to have an average run defense at best. I cannot say anything different for the secondary, because although Denzel Ward and Grant Delpit are absolute studs, the rest of the group could not follow the way. Martin Emerson and Greg Newsome have been massive disappointments, Rayshawn Jenkins is just an okay safety, and it didn’t help that Juan Thornhill left in free agency. Jim Schwartz is one of the smartest defensive minds in the game, but after that dip of a performance last year, who knows which direction they will take this season?

Right now, the Browns do not know who their quarterback is going to be at the start of the season, nor do they have a clue if they are going to be good or bad as the season progresses. That uncertainty and doubt alone should give the Raiders all of the momentum because at least they know what they can get from Geno Smith.

WEEK 13 @ LOS ANGELES CHARGERS

As I said before, I do not see this series ending in a sweep since you have a historic rivalry between both head coaches. If Carroll is going to throw the first punch at home, then Harbaugh will deliver the knockout at So-Fi Stadium. Justin Herbert has not lost to the Raiders at home since his rookie season, so unless they can finally shut him down, then I have faith that LA will take care of business.

WEEK 14 vs. DENVER BRONCOS

Even though the Raiders might be a fringe Wild Card contender at this point in the season, it is never too late to try to play spoiler against their division rivals. I think that both teams are going to be decent enough to beat each other in their home buildings, so if Denver gets the win at Mile High, then I have faith that Vegas can get some revenge at Allegiant Stadium.

WEEK 15 @ PHILADELPHIA EAGLES

Call me crazy but I have a feeling that the Raiders are going to win this game and it is for one historical reason: Pete Carroll has not lost to the Eagles since coming back to the NFL in 2010. Remember when the Seahawks beat the defending NFC Champions with Drew Lock as the starting quarterback? Who is to say that Geno Smith cannot pull off the same upset? However, that task is way easier said than done. Now I won’t be like a bunch of national media pundits and say that Philadelphia is starting a dynasty, but they are the most feared team in the NFC. Jalen Hurts finally got the respect he deserved by winning a championship and the game’s MVP, because when Philadelphia’s best player Saquon Barkley was held in check, it was the quarterback that rose up to the moment and redeemed himself from two years ago. Thankfully, the offense from that season will be back. Saquon is still at the peak prime of his career, the Eagles have one of the best receiving duos featuring AJ Brown and Devonta Smith, but one of the best news of the offseason was that they found a way to keep tight end Dallas Goedert for the foreseeable future. The offensive line has four of its five starters returning, so this offense should still be dominant on paper. The last thing Philadelphia wants, however, is a repeat of what happened two years ago. They might have finished with a winning season and a playoff appearance, but they collapsed after a 10-1 start and got demolished in the Wild Card with two different coordinators than the ones they had in their first Super Bowl matchup against the Chiefs.

Thankfully, Vic Fangio will still be in charge of the defense, which means you should not experience a setback any time soon. Even though they lost a ton of pieces in the offseason, Philly is deciding to focus on its youth to keep their repeat chances alive. Jalen Carter and Jordan Davis will be the two key pieces to their defensive line, with assistance from Nolan Smith and perhaps Jalyx Hunt coming around the edge. In the second level, Zack Baun will be the quarterback of the unit as he is coming off of a breakout season, with the confidence that he will come out stronger this year. With help from Nakobe Dean and rookie Jihaad Campbell, I don’t expect that run defense to get worse. The secondary is where it gets really interesting because even though they are still young, both Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean formed into a lethal cornerback tandem. Reed Blankenship has evolved into a legitimate starting safety and Sydney Brown is hoping to reach that level, so there is depth in that group as well. I don’t think that defense will be as dominant as it was the year before, especially since there will be a lot more inexperienced guys being thrusted into starting positions, but then I remember what happened in 2023. When they lost to Kansas City, the Eagles had the best defense in football. One year later, they were one of the worst. It was the biggest reason why Philadelphia fell apart after such a strong start, so my fear is that it could happen again, especially since it will be a younger unit.

I think that we are going to get a sloppy and intense defensive grudge match, but Philadelphia should hope that Geno Smith does not get the ball in the final two minutes, because he is not afraid of those moments. The Eagles absolutely have the better football team on paper, but Pete Carroll has never been afraid to face that type of music and he usually comes out the last one standing.

WEEK 16 @ HOUSTON TEXANS

This might be one of the biggest victories of the season for the Raiders, but I do not know if such luck is going to work against the Texans. I know that they are not a better team than the Eagles, but this is a franchise that is trying to look respectable again. Last season was rough for a Texans franchise that was finally starting to get things back on track. Despite winning the AFC South and making it back to the playoffs, it felt like they were worse than last year, and now it is time for everybody to prove that it was just a fluke. That means CJ Stroud is going to have to break through that rough sophomore wall and return to the promising stud he was in his rookie season. This season will be a bigger challenge because not only is Stefon Diggs gone, but Tank Dell is expected to miss all of 2025 with that gruesome knee injury he suffered in December. However, I think both Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel are going to surprise a lot of people in their rookie seasons, which will take a lot of pressure off of Nico Collins and even newly signed Christian Kirk. Along with Joe Mixon and Dalton Schultz, it is still a talented offense that just let go of offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik, so it is time for Nick Caley to right the ship. Yet, their offensive line still gives me pause for concern. They traded away Laremy Tunsil, released Shaq Mason, and traded away Kenyon Green. The new guys that the Texans signed include Cam Robinson, Trent Brown, and Ed Ingram. The only returning pieces are Juice Scruggs and Tytus Howard. I don’t know how, but it felt like their offensive line got worse. That says a lot, considering that CJ Stroud was the second most sacked quarterback in the league!

As for the Texans defense, the one thing that held them back from their potential was the lack of discipline. That falls on DeMeco Ryans because this was supposed to be the unit for him to turn around. They have the talent, but they need the chemistry and mental toughness to really go far in the playoffs. Will Anderson and Danielle Hunter did a tremendous job on the front four, they have a legitimate linebacker duo of Azeez Al-Shaair and Henry To’oTo’o, but it is their secondary that I think makes this group even more dangerous. They have a transcendent number one corner in Derek Stingley Jr., a couple of rising studs in Calen Bullock and Kamari Lassiter, and Jalen Pitre is one of the more underrated safeties in all of football. They also just acquired CJ Gardner Johnson in a trade with Philadelphia, which means Jimmie Ward will not have to take a huge load of the work as one of the only veterans on the team.

I do not see this as a blowout by any means necessary, but I think that this is going to come down to which defense can play with more physicality, and I know that the Texans show it more than the Raiders right now. I doubt that both offenses are going to play extremely well, but because Houston is home, they should make just a couple more plays to hang on for the win.

WEEK 17 vs. NEW YORK GIANTS

Knowing that a Pete Caroll-Geno Smith led team is not going to their season finish with a bad record, this is a game where I think they will win by twenty or thirty points, especially since the Giants are in just a bad state right now as a franchise. They signed Russell Wilson, then traded up for Jaxson Dart in the first round. They have a promising running back in Tyrone Tracy, but drafted Cam Skattebo. Malik Nabers is a stud at wide receiver, but the next best options are Darius Slayton and Wan’Dale Robinson, both inconsistent in their respective positions. At least Andrew Thomas is coming back to stabilize the offensive line, but with the uncertainty at the quarterback position, who knows how many times that group will be set up to fail? One more horrid start and John Mara is cleaning house.

Hopefully, the defense emerges out of the shadows and gives us promising flashes throughout the season. Their pass rush is stacked with the likes of Abdul Carter, Brian Burns, Kayvon Thibodeaux, and Dexter Lawrence. They added Chauncey Golston and Roy Robertson-Harris to solidify that front, but the run defense has been underwhelming with Bobby Okereke and Micah McFadden leading the way. What I am really going to pay attention to is their secondary because the Giants made sure to overhaul it in the offseason. They brought in Paulson Adebo to be their number one corner, signed the best safety in free agency in Jevon Holland to man the deep end, and are hoping for breakout seasons from Andru Phillips and Tyler Nubin. Yet, the biggest disappointment in that group has been Deonte Banks, who has not lived up to the first round pedigree he had as he allowed six touchdowns just last season.

The Raiders are at home and they are going up against a Giants team that has no set vision. Even if Vegas gets eliminated via tiebreaker, they should at least make sure that their season ends on a high note.

WEEK 18 vs. KANSAS CITY CHIEFS

This is the unfortunate part where I let the Raiders know that I think they will get swept against the Chiefs. My prediction is that the winner of the AFC West is going to be decided in the final week of the season, so as much as I would like to see Vegas pull out a win, I know that there is no way that Kansas City is going down without a fight.

FINAL RECORD PREDICTION: 8-9