The Raiders are one of the worst teams in the NFL this season. What do fans think of the state of the franchise?
There was a point this season when the Las Vegas Raiders were riding extremely high.
After a Week 2 upset of the Baltimore Ravens, it’s hard not to feel that rush. The feeling was short-lived, of course, since the Raiders would lose to the Carolina Panthers the following week. After a Week 4 win over the Cleveland Browns, Las Vegas has yet to win a game.
The Raiders (2-8) have lost six straight games heading into the second matchup this season with the Denver Broncos (6-5). The Broncos won the Week 5 game against Las Vegas 34-18.
We go “behind enemy lines” to get a feel for the Raiders heading into Sunday’s game with Ray Aspuria from Silver and Black Pride to preview Sunday’s game.
MHR: How is Raider Nation feeling about the season at this point? What about the state of the franchise?
Ray: With the team at 2-8 overall and floundering under Antonio Pierce, Raider Nation is at an odd crossroads. Meaning fans know their beloved Raiders need a quarterback, and the best opportunity to obtain one is in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft.
Looking across the social media landscape and even the comments in our pieces on Silver and Black Pride, there’s growing chatter of tanking to obtain the highest pick possible. This is occurring even with the most die-hard of Raider Nation who note they don’t want to see the team lose, but it may be in Las Vegas’ best interest to stack Ls to get a Top 5, if not Top 3, pick this coming April.
In terms of the state of the franchise, it’s definitely in limbo.
It’s unclear if Pierce’s status as Raiders head coach beyond the 2024 season is a for sure thing. Tom Brady joined the Raiders as a minority owner but is reportedly going to have major sway with owner Mark Davis.
In a quarterback-driven league, Las Vegas is without a rudder with Gardner Minshew as QB1.
As Maxx Crosby noted after the team’s 34-19 loss to the Miami Dolphins this past Sunday, the team is “playing for pride at this point.” It definitely appears the team is going through the motions and will make key decisions this offseason.
MHR: What are the bright spots for the Raiders at this point? Where are the biggest issues and room for improvement?
Ray: Brock Bowers is the blindingly bright spot for Las Vegas. The rookie tight end arrived as a pro-ready prospect, and the No. 13 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft hasn’t disappointed. At 6-foot-4 and 230 pounds, Bowers has the size and speed that makes him a matchup nightmare and he’s shown he can make plays on any defender placed on him (defensive backs and linebackers). His route running is smooth as he gets in and out of breaks with little wasted motion, so much so, I’ve dubbed him Swole Renfrow as he has similar mannerisms running routes like former Raiders wide receiver Hunter Renfrow.
Second-year cornerback Jakorian Bennett is also having a strong sophomore season after struggling as a rookie last year. His speed was never in question, but now he’s using said fleet feet, along with determined focus, to be a headache for opposing wide receivers in coverage. He’s sticky and more confident in coverage, and it’s showing.
The biggest issue and area of opportunity for Las Vegas is the ground game. The team has the worst rushing attack in the league, and it’s a conundrum considering the offensive line improved as a pass-blocking group but is impotent in run-blocking. That’s not all on the offensive line, though, as running back Zamir White is best suited for a power/gap scheme instead of the zone-blocking scheme Las Vegas installed.
MHR: How do the Raiders get the win on Sunday? What is the plan of attack offensively and defensively for Las Vegas?
Ray: By not turning the ball over and taking it away all at the same time. That’s a difficult task, however, as the Raiders have 20 giveaways to just five takeaways. In the first matchup of the season between the Raiders and Broncos in Week 5, a pick-six drastically altered the complexion of the game. Instead of Minshew hitting Bowers for an easy pass and potential touchdown on a drag route, the ball was overthrown, and stupendous Broncos cornerback Pat Surtain II intercepted and housed it.
I expect the Raiders to use a similar game plan to their one against the Dolphins, where running the ball, play action, and featuring Bowers are all showcased. Las Vegas did move the ball through the air against Miami but couldn’t finish drives. Of course, this is going to be a tall task against a disciplined Vance Joseph defense.
Defensively, Crosby will need to be his usual terrorizing self and get to Bo Nix. On the backend, I expect Patrick Graham to mix man and zone coverages for his Raiders defense, with blitzes dialed up to help disrupt timing and Nix.
If the Raiders defense continues to miss tackles, however, it’s going to be a long day.
MHR: What is your best bet for Sunday’s game?
Ray: Best bet: Bowers and Nix showcasing why they are legit offensive rookie of the year candidates. Both are coming into their own as Raiders and Broncos, respectively and are coming off signature rookie season games. Nix completed nearly 85% of his passes and threw four touchdowns with zero picks in Denver’s Week 11 38-6 dismantling of the Atlanta Falcons. Bowers, meanwhile, set an NFL record for rookie tight ends with 13 catches that produced 126 yards and a touchdown in the Las Vegas 34-19 shellacking at the hands of Miami.
Both Graham and Joseph will do their best to quell the two talented rookies, but I think both will shine regardless.
MHR: What are your expectations and predictions for Sunday’s game?
Ray: I expect the Raiders to funnel the offense through Bowers and am intrigued by how Joseph and his defense accounts for the tight end. Because that’ll be valuable film for Las Vegas on how a defensive coordinator who coaches the No. 3 overall-ranked defense gameplans for the Raiders’ lone productive weapon.
With Denver in the thick of things and at 6-5 overall, I expect the Broncos to be determined to stay in the postseason race by getting a much-needed win against a division foe. While Las Vegas wants to end its six-game skid — the longest consecutive loss streak in the NFL, by the way — another defeat is likely on the horizon. While the Raiders could put it together at home and topple the Broncos, what the team showed coming out of the bye wasn’t encouraging.