In a recent article by ESPN’s 32 beat writers, they ranked all 32 teams after Week 8. Not surprisingly, the Raiders dropped from No. 23 to No. 27 after being shut out by the Saints.
But is there any reason for optimism going forward with this team? According to senior writer Paul Gutierrez, they still have plenty of star power on offense to get back to .500 and make a push for the playoffs.
Here is what Gutierrez had to say about their stars on offense going into Week 9:
“Sure, there’s been numerous fits and starts as the Raiders continue to get acclimated to first-year coach Josh McDaniels’ scheme, even after seven games. But there is far too much star power for Las Vegas to flounder about at 2-5.
Pro Bowlers abound, from QB Derek Carr to WRs Davante Adams and Hunter Renfrow to TE Darren Waller to RB Josh Jacobs, so surely they’ll right their ship soon, no? Plus, Las Vegas is about to enter the soft underbelly of their schedule.”
Adding Darren Waller back to the lineup will certainly help, but it’s the offensive line that needs to step up. If they continue to struggle, it won’t matter how much talent the Raiders have at wide receiver and tight end.
The Raiders certainly aren’t out of the playoff picture yet in the AFC, but they’ve got to start stacking wins together. Another loss in Week 9 will likely end their playoff hopes altogether.
