As the NFL regular season draws to a close, it’s abundantly clear that Raiders fans are becoming more concerned about what will happen in the 2025 offseason rather than what will happen at the conclusion of this one. It’s not that the season has been a total bust—there were indeed moments—but the reality is that as 2024 comes to a halt, the Raiders are vying with the Giants and Patriots as the NFL’s worst.
It’s harsh but true.
A rebuild is in the cards, and fans know that will consist of changes in all aspects of the team as the new ownership structure takes shape. For on-field changes, there will be plenty of focus on the NFL Draft, with the Raiders likely to have one of the top picks; we will have to see how they finish the season to see what number.
Overall, it feels like we are looking at several years of rebuilding. And yet, it can sometimes be the case that teams can rebuild quicker than many thought.
Most certainly, we have seen examples of teams surprising us this season, going better than most expected. And we might argue that a team like the Raiders can take inspiration from that, knowing that predictions count for nothing when the season gets going.
To illustrate our point, we are taking three teams whose Super Bowl odds were equal to or lower than the Raiders’ before the season began. Yet, these teams defied the odds, and they have left themselves with a shot at the playoffs as the season concludes:
Washington Commanders
Yes, the Commanders eventually slowed down after starting the season on a hot streak, yet they still have a shot at the playoffs. The Commanders started the season placing 28th in NFL Power Rankings (the Raiders were 23rd if you were wondering), but they have kept plugging away and are in sight of the playoffs. They will not win the Super Bowl, but they turned things around quickly, which should be a lesson for everyone.
Denver Broncos
While they were never going to win the AFC West when the Chiefs are still doing the business, the Broncos have claims on being the most-improved team in the NFL and this season’s top surprise package. They were priced at +25000 to win Super Bowl LIX at the start of the season – only the Panthers had higher odds. Again, that looks unlikely to happen, but the fact they are in the playoff mix at all is a minor miracle.
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings’ Super Bowl odds were closely matched to the Raiders’ preseason, with both teams available at around +8000. Since then, the two teams have gone on completely different trajectories, with the Vikings constantly defying the critics by racking up wins. Again, we don’t think they have enough to make it count in the playoffs, but they deserve to be there.
Seattle Seahawks
Like the Vikings, the Seahawks were lumped beside the Raiders with massive Super Bowl odds. They have mainly flown under the radar all season, yet they have a good chance of going to the playoffs. Things really started to turn around for them in early November, and if things stay on the same trajectory, they should have plenty of momentum going into the playoffs in January.
AP hasn’t shown much during his tenure as HC. He doesn’t bring much to the table and just doesn’t have any answers. Hopefully, they make a change and bring in a more qualified HC. We can’t have a repeat of this season!
The difference is those teams have football minded guys in positions that mean something. The Raiders on the other hand have an owner who doesn’t have a clue about the game. So US as Raider fans are the ones that are imbarressed week after week. Mark Davis doesn’t care about winning or losing , he only cares about money. Merry Christmas Raider Nation ❤
The diference is that all these teams have a good coaching staff, starting from their Head Coach