Two months ago, the Raiders looked like a team in the running for the top pick in the draft.
They had a 3-5 record and had just fired their head coach. Everyone spoke highly of interim head coach Antonio Pierce, but no one was talking about the playoffs.
Now with just two games remaining on the schedule, the Raiders are in a position where if they win their next two games, they have a 68 percent chance of making the playoffs, according to the New York Times playoff calculator.
The schedule plays out perfectly for the Raiders over the last two weeks as they face two other teams in the AFC playoff hunt – a road game against the Indianapolis Colts (8-7) in week 17 and a home game to close out the regular season against the Denver Broncos (7-8).
The biggest games for the Raiders this week (other than their own) are the Titans/Texans, Seahawks/Steelers, and the Chiefs/Bengals. If the Titans, Seahawks, and Chiefs all win, the Raiders’ wild card chances jump from 68 percent to 86 percent.
The other wacky formula where the Raiders can make the playoffs is by winning the AFC West. If the Raiders (7-8) win their final two games and the Chiefs (9-6) lose their final two games, the Raiders would own the AFC West tiebreaker with the Chiefs on account of the better division record.
Just something to keep an eye on if the Chiefs aren’t able to beat the Bengals this week.
twitter: @raidersbeat
What’s up, Raider Nation? I think we are going to win out, and I don’t just say that because I bleed silver and black; I say it because AP finally has us on the right path! DaVante Adams had one catch for four yards and Jacobs didn’t even play and we still beat the Chiefs in Kansas City! We demoralized them! Not even Taylor Swift could lift Kelsey’s spirits! And BTW… Isn’t it freaking epic how Mahomes and Kelsey both were crying!! Gardner Minshew is going to wish that Richardson was back for Sundays game because we are about to give him the business! I love you, Nation!! GO RAIDERS
Pierce almost won me over but after the debacle in Indianapolis I’m back to Jim Harbaugh baby!