Yes, it’s early and there’s lots of work for Jon Gruden and Mike Mayock to do during the offseason but there is a strong case for the Raiders to make it into the playoffs next season.
It’s Super Bowl week and while the attention is mostly fixated on the happenings and the end of the 2019 season in Miami, it’s time to look ahead at the Las Vegas Raiders 2020 season and why they’ll make the playoffs.
After a disappointing end to the 2019 season, that saw the Raiders go 1-6 after a surprising 6-4 start, you might think the momentum was lost and that isn’t a good thing for a team wanting to take the next step.
Not so when you consider the 2019 version of the Silver and Black never had depth and was derailed early on due to their WR1 going berzerk and being cut, and a slew of other key injuries on both sides of the ball. It was smoke and mirrors yet real progress was made. With five draft picks in the Top 100 of the 2020 NFL Draft, the Raiders will get another influx of young talent. If Mayock and Gruden hit on 75% of their guys, the Raiders should fill some holes quickly. Supplementing the draft with key free-agent acquisitions, and utilizing their $55 million in cap space (before any moves) should make a jump possible.
But why will the Raiders make the playoffs in 2020?
Here are our three reasons why the Las Vegas Raiders make the playoffs in the first season in Nevada:
Schedule
After playing an absolutely brutal schedule in 2019, the Raiders get a huge break in their first year in Las Vegas. Last season, the team went 49 days without a home game which included games on the East Coast and in London. They did surprisingly well finishing the first 10 games (the most difficult part of their schedule) at 6-4 before falling apart when it got easier.
In 2020, the Raiders opponents weaken meaning Las Vegas’ schedule will be the league’s 21-ist toughest – stocked with teams under .500 overall. Las Vegas’ 2020 opponents finished 2019 with a 127-129 record (.496).
| 2020 Raiders Opponents |
| at Atlanta Falcons |
| at Carolina Panthers |
| at Denver Broncos |
| at Kansas City Chiefs |
| at Los Angeles Chargers |
| at New England Patriots |
| at New York Jets |
| Denver Broncos |
| Kansas City Chiefs |
| Los Angeles Chargers |
| Buffalo Bills |
| Miami Dolphins |
| New Orleans Saints |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers |
| at Cleveland Browns |
| Indianapolis Colts |
Although many in the Bay Area have worried about the Raiders home-field advantage in the new Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas (and fans from LA and Oakland) will show out and the team will have benefit from the buzz of year one in Sin City.
While there are tough games on the schedule, improved Raiders defense, the addition of tools on offense, and an increasingly confident Derek Carr at quarterback will mean a 9-7 or 10-6 season putting the Raiders right there for a Wild Card berth in the AFC.
Big Jump on Defense
While we don’t know for sure what the Raiders will do in the draft or free agency, we have every reason to believe significant investment and time will be spent on improving a defense that has lots of needs.
The Raiders were encouraged by the improved play on the defensive front with rookies Maxx Crosby and Clelin Ferrell, as well as second-year players Maurice Hurst and PJ Hall. Add the impressive play of rookie defensive back Trayvon Mullen, and the Raiders have pieces to build around.
That said, they still need help on the EDGE and also have no linebacking corps to speak of. They won’t be able to go from NFL’s worst to best in one season but they won’t need to. If they can improve enough to be a middle-of-the-pack defense, coupled with more scoring and success on offense, it’ll do to get them into the postseason in 2020.
Offense Finally Clicks
The Derek Carr debate will rage on until the Raiders and the seventh-year quarterback quiets critics by winning and getting to the postseason. He should be able to do that in 2020.
With a healthy offensive line, a healthy Rookie of the Year in Josh Jacobs, and tight end Darren Waller with a year under his belt in Gruden’s system, there’s no reason to fear a regression. Adding a true WR1 via draft or free agency, coupled with second-year pro Hunter Renfrow and a healthy Tyrell Williams, the Raiders offense can and should be potent.
As bad as the defense was at points during the 2019 season, the offense didn’t help as they might have been efficient but often were on the “drive to nowhere.”
Scoring was a problem for the Raiders offense and look for that to reverse itself in 2020. Also, the Raiders will be a better second-half team as they settle in Las Vegas meaning putting away teams they should earlier in games reducing the risk of upsets.
This might be the biggest challenge to this team making the playoffs but the stars aligning and excuses will be gone so expect the Raiders offense to finally live up to the potential it has shown at times.
Yes, it’s early to think about the Raiders making the playoffs when we don’t know what their roster will finally look like, but if these three things can come to pass, there would be no reason why Las Vegas wouldn’t see a playoff team in their first season in the desert.
What do you think?