The Oakland Raiders may be pleased with the progress they've shown on their way to a 4-5 record this season, but there are no moral victories in the NFL. Just because the team has been at the bottom of the barrel for more than a decade doesn't mean they're happy to be also-rans. They want a shot at the post-season just as much as any other challenger.
Can they do it? It's possible. Second-year quarterback Derek Carr has spearheaded a top ten offense this season thanks to the help of rookie wide receiver Amari Cooper, veteran Michael Crabtree and a rock solid offensive line. Though their defense has been less than stellar (30th in yards allowed per game, 27th in points), the Raiders still have a chance at the playoffs.
ESPN NFL Staff Writer Bill Barnwell put together a list of ten NFL teams that could crash the post-season where he ranked Oakland at No. 8.
"While none of these squads are playing great football, the Raiders have been the best team of the 10 featured on this list; they're 14th in DVOA, highlighted by their ranking on offense, where they're sixth," Barnwell wrote. "They may very well have the best quarterback on this list in 2015, given how Derek Carr has rapidly matured this season. They're also a remarkably healthy team, which helps. After getting Nate Allen back from the short-term IR list, the only starters they have out with long-term injuries are offensive lineman Menelik Watson and veteran end Justin Tuck.
"There's no guarantee that injury luck will continue, though, and they lost another starter when Aldon Smith was suspended for the remainder of the season this week. Their defense, a middling 24th in DVOA, has been dependent on interceptions from 39-year-old safety Charles Woodson. And while they're tied in terms of record with the 4-5 Chiefs, both FPI and DVOA see the Chiefs as one of the 10 best teams in the league, which isn't the case for Oakland. The good news is that the Raiders will get a chance to argue their case, with two games against Kansas City to come. They also have winnable road games against the Lions and Titans over the next two weeks, but the schedule gets ugly after that, with the Broncos and Packers joining those two Chiefs games on the slate. If the Raiders beat a fading Brock Osweiler-led Broncos team and sweep the Chiefs, they could be favorites in the AFC West."
Over his last four games, Carr is averaging 306 passing yards and has thrown for 13 touchdowns against just three interceptions. The Raiders have averaged an impressive 30 points per game in that stretch, a mark that would rank third in the league if held up over the course of a full season.
Yes, the defense is a major problem. All of Oakland's remaining opponents will be able to take advantage of the team's weaknesses on that side of the ball. But if Carr can keep this offense humming than the Raiders are going to be hard to beat no matter what.
