The Oakland Raiders went 3-13 during the 2014-15 NFL season, which put them in dead last in the AFC West Division. Although exceeding a three-win year won’t be difficult — and should ultimately come to fruition — coming anywhere near competing for a divisional title is beyond a pipe dream at this point in the process.
Offseason Additions Not Enough To Pull Raiders Out Of AFC West Basement
The Oakland Raiders navigated through the last two cap-strapped seasons averaging four wins with the hope that they could lay the foundation for future success.
2014 AFC West Division Outlook – Denver’s Division to Lose
The NFL season is right around the corner – the draft and rookie camps are a thing of the past. Although position battles have yet to be determined there are some definite favorites in each division based on projected roster alone – the AFC West is absolutely no exception.
Broncos Look to Wrap Up Home Field Sunday Versus Lowly Oakland
The Oakland Raiders will attempt to close out a miserable 2013 campaign in style Sunday when they host a banged up Denver Broncos team that will be without Vonn Miller on defense and perhaps Wes Welker again on offense. Oakland has been terrible the last half of the season and they did lose 37-21 to Denver in September.
Needing to win out, the Chargers will play host to their bitter division rival Oakland who arrive in San Diego on Sunday in the midst of a four-game losing skid, but no less determined to sweep this year’s series.
When: Sunday, Dec. 22, 2013 at 4:25 p.m. EST
Where: Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego, California
TV: CBS
LINE: -10 (Chargers), O/U 50.5
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Oakland (4-10) handed the Chargers a 27-17 defeat at Oakland on Oct. 6, a game in which the Raiders capitalized on five San Diego turnovers.
But since then, the Raiders have lost seven of nine, including last week’s 56-31 pummeling by Kansas City in which they set a franchise record for most points allowed in a game.
The Raiders defense is mired in a major tailspin, allowing around 41 points in the last three games. And the offense isn’t any better. Quarterback Matt McGloin turned in his worst performance of the season last week, throwing four interceptions against the Chiefs
Nevertheless, there is some optimism for the Raiders, who could return Darren McFadden back in time for their trip to San Diego.
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With McFadden out, backup running back Rashad Jennings has done a solid job, rushing for 91 yards last week, while notching his second straight two-touchdown game.
Defensively, the Raiders are ranked 24th against the pass and are tied for the second-fewest interceptions in the league. Not good news as they face San Diego’s Philip Rivers, who has compiled a 28-6 career mark in the month of December.
Needing to win out and have Miami and Baltimore each drop their final two games to secure the AFC’s final playoff slot, the Chargers (7-7) postseason hopes appear distant.
Still, they will enter Sunday’s contest with lots of hope and momentum after a surprising 27-20 upset in Denver last week.
Rivers threw a pair of touchdown passes, while running back Ryan Mathews tied his season high with 127 yards and went over 100 yards for the fifth time in the past nine games against the Broncos.
Meanwhile the defense held the Broncos to only 18 rushing yards on 11 attempts and came up with a key fourth-quarter interception to hand Denver its first home loss of the season.
The Raiders are a mess, and San Diego seems to be surging towards a desperate attempt at a playoff spot.
If the same Chargers’ defense that held Denver in check shows up to this one, the party’s over for Oakland an may be just getting started in San Diego.
Chargers 28, Raiders 21
Looking to clinch their first playoff berth in three seasons, the Kansas City Chiefs can inch a little closer to winning the AFC West with a huge road win over the Oakland Raiders on Sunday afternoon.
Cowboys Continue Playoff Push – Host Raiders in Thanksgiving Showdown
The Dallas Cowboys return home this week after a crucial, character-building win against the Giants to take on the Oakland Raiders – a team that saw their playoff hopes all-but-dashed last week with their home loss to the Titans.
Two teams that are sitting under .500 but are still in the playoff race will face off on Sunday when the Titans arrive in Oakland to take on the Raiders in the Black Hole.
The Houston Texans will attempt to welcome back head coach Gary Kubiak with a win on Sunday, when they host the struggling Oakland Raiders.
With back to back wins the New York Giants are trying to make the long trek back to respectability. They have an excellent chance to get another one on Sunday when the hapless Oakland Raiders come to town.
The Philadelphia Eagles have lost their last two games, both critical divisional tilts, yet somehow are still in the middle of things in an awful NFC East. This week they are on the road where they have been playing their best ball this year (3-1 record).
Things are starting to turn around for the Pittsburgh Steelers who after starting the 2013 campaign with four straight losses, have won two consecutive games.
The Kansas City Chiefs have to be the most surprising 5-0 team in the league, as they are keeping pace with the Denver Broncos in the AFC West. Sure Andy Reid is a good coach and QB Alex Smith is an upgrade but nobody could have seen these kinds of results coming.
The Indianapolis Colts surprised the NFL by compiling an 11-5 record a year ago, feasting on a soft schedule to do so. They’ll face one of the NFL’s easiest schedules again this year, getting things started in Week 1 with a matchup against an Oakland Raiders team that has had a dreadful preseason.
With NFL training camps opening later this month, it is the perfect time to take a closer look at Bovada’s futures odds to win all eight divisions starting with the four teams that make up the AFC West.
The Falcons (5-0) are one of only 2 remaining undefeated teams and while the Raiders (1-3) are coming off a bye they were crushed in their previous game.
