It would be a mistake to draw too large of a conclusion for the Raiders based on their 2-0 start to the season. Plenty of teams win two games in a row and it doesn't prove to be a huge predictor of future success. But not many teams have done what this Raiders team has done. And the results in those instances have been pretty good.
Teams who earned No. 1 draft pick to go 2-0
In other words, the worst team in football from the previous season. How rare is this? Only four other teams have done it. And all of them finished the season with a winning record.
Teams to start 2-0 after having No. 1 draft pick in common draft era (excluding trades for No. 1 pick) and how they finished:2026 #Raiders2014 Texans (9-7, missed playoffs)2013 Chiefs (11-5, lost WC)1980 Lions (9-7, missed playoffs)
— Josh Dubow (@joshdubowap.bsky.social) 2026-09-21T16:10:02.637Z
Yeah,
only one of those teams made the playoffs, but just having a winning record would be more than most anyone is expecting of this team. And a winning record puts them in the playoff chase, which is all you can ask for.
New Raiders head coaches to start the season 2-0
How rare is this? Only four others have done it. Three finished with winning records. And that last one...went to the Super Bowl.
#Raiders coaches to start their tenure with back to back wins:Klint Kubiak 2026Antonio Pierce 2023 (interim)Rich Bisaccia 2021 (interim)Bill Callahan 2002Mike White 1995Art Shell 1989 (interim)John Madden 1969Al Davis 1963
— Josh Dubow (@joshdubowap.bsky.social) 2026-09-21T16:37:23.095Z
The only new Raiders head coach to start the season 2-0 and not finish with a winning record was Mike White who went 8-8 in 1995.
Obviously there's a long way to go and a lot of tough games on the Raiders' schedule. The Raiders will still have to beat a team they're supposed to lose to in order to have a shot at finishing with a winning record, let alone be in the playoff picture.
This article originally appeared on Raiders Wire: Raiders 2-0 start puts their season prospects in rare good company
