The AFC West is littered with teams above .500.
All except for one.
The galloping Denver Broncos are atop the division with a 6-2 overall record (0-1 in the AFC West) after an impressive beatdown of the Dallas
Cowboys on Sunday. The energized Los Angeles Chargers are in second at 5-3 overall (3-0 in division play). The resurgent Kansas City Chiefs are 4-3 (1-1) while the repugnant Raiders are at in the cellar at 2-5 (0-2).
This was before the Chiefs went toe-to-toe with the Washington Commanders (3-4) tonight.
The West is the only division in the AFC with three teams above the .500 mark (of course, this changes if the Commanders topple the Chiefs). Flip it to the NFC and there’s two divisions that can say the same: The North and West.
The AFC West — considered to be a highly-competitive division early in the 2025 campaign is living up to the billing. The frontrunner Broncos are trampling opponents, the Bolts are zapping the opposition, and the Chiefs got reinforcements at the opportune time and are looking dangerous once more.
And then, there’s the Raiders.
With 10 games left, can the Silver & Black clime out of the AFC West cellar?
Anything is possible in the NFL and Las Vegas running the table — no matter how unlikely — is in the realm of possibility (as miniscule as it might be). Raider Nation’s confidence in the team is at an all-time low after the Week 7 debacle against the Chiefs (31-0 defeat) with only six percent confident in the team’s direction the latest SB Nation Reacts.
Head coach Pete Carroll and his Raiders had a much-needed by week and we’ll see soon enough if the hiatus led to some self reflection and positive changes for Las Vegas moving forward.
The Climb
This begins this week as the Raiders prep for a Week 9 home game against the Jacksonville Jaguars (4-3). Liam Coen’s group from the AFC South is also coming off a bye week after dropping back-to-back games to the Seattle Seahawks and Los Angeles Rams heading into the hiatus. Jacksonville was limited to 19 total points (12 against Seattle, seven against the Los Angeles) while allowing 55 total points (20 against the Seahawks, 35 against the Rams).
Granted, the latter of those two matchups was a trip to London.
From there, Las Vegas plays in back-to-back primetime billings in Week 10 and 11. The AFC West tilt against Denver is a Thursday night clash in Mile High on Amazon Prime. While the contest against Dallas is a home Monday night showdown with the Cowboys. These two games mark the final time the Raiders are slated to be on prime time television in 2025.
Scaling The Mountain
Reversing course isn’t going to be easy, but things that are worth it never are. The Year 1 Carroll Raiders are a hot mess and the team is the only one that can dig itself out of this considerable hole.
Here’s what Las Vegas needs to do to stack more wins than losses:
- Balanced and sustained offense. The Raiders selected Ashton Jeanty with the sixth overall pick to be the bell cow running back not an afterthought. A commitment to the run game can bring balance and play action to the mix which, in turn, creates the timing needed for offensive coordinator Chip Kelly’s passing game. It’s no secret quarterback Geno Smith is interception-prone and remains tied atop the NFL in that category (even having a bye week) with the Miami Dolphins’ Tua Tagovailoa.
- More press on defense. The opposition is taking what the Raiders give them and the soft underbelly is where Las Vegas is getting eviscerated. The cushion cornerbacks are giving receivers along with linebackers not getting enough depth erodes effectiveness. Defensive coordinator Patrick Graham is deploying more diverse looks but the zone-based group isn’t going back to the press-man style of yesteryear. However, more press zone coverages can help the pass rush that’s in dire need of time to get after the opposing quarterback.
- Get healthy. Tight end Brock Bowers’ absence cannot be understated. He’s a must-account-for in the Raiders’ offense and without him, it’s one big headache the opposition doesn’t have to worry about. Michael Mayer has done his best replacing Bowers — Mayer’s presence as a reliable pass catcher, blocker, and special teamer is proving very valuable — but getting TE1 should elevate Las Vegas’ offense. We’ll see if safety Lonnie Johnson Jr. can get off injured reserve and contribute on defense. Ditto for quarterback Aidan O’Connell who is also on IR but appears close to returning to practice. On the Raiders official website, Johnson is marked under “reserve/injured; designated for return”.
- Complementary football. The one game where all three phases of the Raiders’ game (offense, defense, special teams) came together to support one another was the Week 6 20-10 victory over the visiting Tennessee Titans. Which likely explains why Las Vegas has only won two games. Oh, the team has come close to winning at least one more — the 25-24 loss to the visiting Chicago Bears in Week 4. That blocked field goal stings. In order for the Raiders to get out of the rut they find themselves in, a more concentrated effort and sense of urgency is required, lest they suffer another four-game losing skid like they did from Weeks 2 to 5.
Thus, let’s see what the Raiders have this coming Sunday. There’s plenty of motivation to right the ship and climb out of the division cellar.
Especially with the other teams trending upwards.
Come on Silver & Black, do it for the late Carol Davis, who passed away this past Saturday at age 93. Play inspired for the First Lady of Raider Nation and give owner Mark Davis a glimmer of light.
