The season of hype is finally over. No more speculation, no more imagination, the 2016 NFL season is finally underway. The Carolina Panthers and Denver Broncos have already seen a preview of what they can expect this year, but the other 30 teams still have to wait a little longer. After a very impressive off-season, the Oakland Raiders are ready to make some waves. Here are some realistic Oakland Raiders expectations for the 2016 season.
Oakland Raiders Expectations for 2016
The easiest way to break down how we expect the Raiders to play this year is to look at the teams they’ll be playing. For the sake of convenience, all sixteen games have been broken down into three categories. Hard games, questionable games, and winnable games.
Hard Games
There are some teams the Oakland Raiders are going to have a tough time with. While they’re on the way up, these teams have a lot going for them, and they might be too much for the Raiders.
Kansas City Chiefs (Twice)
Last season, the Kansas City Chiefs swept the Raiders, and neither game was pretty. Derek Carr turned the ball over four times and the Raiders lost both games by a combined 20 points. The Raiders have improved, and it could be argued that the Chiefs got worse, but they should still be a really tough challenge. Don’t be surprised if the Raiders struggle with the Chiefs again in 2016.
Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers represented the NFC last season, and despite a rough week one loss to the Denver Broncos, they’re still a tough team. They have a very good defense, and Cam Newton could prove to be a very difficult test for the young Raiders defense.
Questionable Games
These are games that the Raiders should win, but could easily lose. These teams should all finish with, if not a winning record, something comparable. These are the games that will determine if the Raiders finally get that elusive ninth win.
Denver Broncos (Twice)
In all honesty, the Raiders should have swept the Broncos last year. They absolutely terrorized Denver on the road in week 14, and if Seth Roberts had bothered to look up, they likely would’ve won in week five as well. But should, would, and could are ugly words in the world of professional sports. There’s no question that the Raiders have improved this off-season, and that the Denver Broncos have not. The Broncos should be a tough team this season, but the Raiders are good enough to potentially sweep their hated rivals.
Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts were not a very good team last year. They struggled to do just about anything on either side of the ball, and as a result of such, the Houston Texans were able to win the division. Unfortunately for the Raiders, quarterback Andrew Luck will return this season and will likely be playing in this game. It’s unclear just how much better Luck will make this team, but if he can play at the level he did two seasons ago, the Raiders might be in trouble.
Houston Texans
The Houston Texans are the only team in the NFL that might have received more hype this off-season than the Raiders. The acquisitions of Lamar Miller and Brock Osweiler are supposed to transform the Texans offense from comatose to explosive. However, Miller has only one season with 1,000 yards in his first five years and Khalil Mack ate Osweiler for lunch last year. The Texans defense figures to be very good again in 2016, and they could give the Raiders some trouble.
Jacksonville Jaguars
Forget what you read earlier, the Jacksonville Jaguars are the only team in the NFL that have received more hype than the Raiders this year. After the Jaguars had a very good offense at points last season, and a very solid draft, their hype is at an all-time high. If the Jaguars are going to be half as good as everyone thinks they’ll be, they could be dangerous.
Atlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons are like the mature version of the Jaguars. There’s a ton of potential, but it never seems to materialize. Last year, the Falcons got off a red hot start, but they completely fell apart down the road. Their offense has all the potential in the world, and as good as Oakland’s defense is supposed to be, they could struggle with the likes of Julio Jones and Devonta Freeman.
Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens are going to surprise some people this year. Despite having a rough 2015, the team should actually be healthy this year, and that means trouble. The biggest challenge for the Raiders won’t be Joe Flacco or Terrell Suggs, but the time difference. The Raiders will have to travel to Baltimore to play the Ravens, and the time difference will do the Raiders no favors.
Winnable Games
These are the games that the Oakland Raiders absolutely can’t afford to lose. These are the games against bad teams that playoff contenders are expected to win. If the Raiders don’t win these games, then maybe the off-season hype has been undeserved after all.
New Orleans Saints
The fine folks at Last Word on Pro Football have actually already broken down why the Raiders should win this game. But, in case you’re lazy or don’t enjoy fine writing, here’s a reminder. The New Orleans Saints have a very good, but very one dimensional offense, and an absolutely porous defense. The Raiders offense should have a field day in the Super Dome.
Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans might be very good in a couple of years, but for now, they remain one of the NFL’s doormats. After finishing with the worst record in football last season, they made some big, but questionable moves in the off-season. The Titans are praying that Marcus Mariota can stay healthy and carry the passing game, but that’s unlikely. The Raiders should be able to trounce the lowly Titans.
San Diego Chargers (Twice)
The San Diego Chargers are the only team in the AFC West that shouldn’t be taken seriously. While Philip Rivers and Keenan Allen are exceptionally talented, their run game is atrocious and their defense is full of holes. Rookie Joey Bosa missed most of the preseason, and safety Eric Weddle is playing defense for the Ravens now. The Raiders swept the Chargers last season, and that shouldn’t change in 2016.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have the look of a team on the way up. They have a franchise quarterback in Jameis Winston, a big, strong target in Mike Evans, and a capable running back in Doug Martin. However, all of these young players are still young, and haven’t proved they can win big games yet. Their defense needs a ton of work as well, and the Raiders have more talent.
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills look to be the NFL’s most entertaining train-wreck in 2016. Head coach Rex Ryan has been informed that if the Bills do not make the playoffs this season, he will be fired. He responded by hiring the NFL’s most interesting coaching staff. He hired his brother, Rob Ryan, and former safety, Ed Reed to transform his defense.
Unfortunately, the Bills lack real superstars on the field. Tyrod Taylor, their starting quarterback, was perfectly adequate last season, but struggled to get the ball to stud wide receiver, Sammy Watkins. If the Raiders are as good as advertised on both sides of the ball, they should run over the Bills.
In summation, the Oakland Raiders are going to be just as good as they want to be. They have all the potential in the world on both sides of the ball, but they have to show up, week in and week out to prove it. Nobody is saying that these Raiders will go undefeated and win the Super Bowl, but ten wins and a playoff berth are certainly expected.
