Oakland Raiders: Game-by-game season prediction post-draft
As the Oakland Raiders aim to continue their winning ways, we break down each game in the 2017 season to predict whether or not this year will be a success
From 2002 through 2015, the Oakland Raiders were unable to garner a winning season. Their best finish during that stretch came in both 2010 and 2011 when they wound up with a record of 8-8 in each of those seasons. Those two years were preceded by seven-straight double-digit losing seasons and they added three more before going 7-9 in 2015.
Despite having a losing record, they were showing steady signs of improvement. They seemed to finally have their franchise quarterback in 2014 second-round pick Derek Carr and several other young stars were on board with defensive end Khalil Mack and receiver Amari Cooper.
In 2016, those players were the biggest reason the Raiders finally became contenders. They went 12-4 and, if not for Carr breaking his leg, they could have made some serious noise in the playoffs as well.
Since closing out their winning season, the Raiders have made some moves to make 2017 even better. They've added some talented veterans in running back Marshawn Lynch, tight end Jared Cook and receiver Cordarrelle Patterson. They did even better in the draft by selecting cornerback Gareon Conley, safety Obi Melifonwu and defensive tackle Eddie Vanderdoes.
Will that lead to another winning season? We take a look at each game on their schedule and try to determine that very question.
Sep 25, 2016; Nashville, TN, USA; Oakland Raiders quarterback Derek Carr (4) celebrates after a NFL football game against the Tennessee Titans at Nissan Stadium. The Raiders defeated the Titans 17-10. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Week 1: Sept. 10 at Tennessee Titans
The Raiders start out the season on the road against the Tennessee Titans. This is a young franchise led by star-in-the-making Marcus Mariota at quarterback. Tennessee has tried to put some talent around him to help with the development as running backs DeMarco Murray and Derrick Henry are a dominant duo.
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In the draft they added a potential stud at wide out in Corey Davis and they got a play maker at cornerback Adoree' Jackson — who is also a spectacular punt returner — with their second pick in the opening round.
Fortunately for Oakland, these two will still be learning the ropes when the season kicks off on the 10th of September. Unfortunately for the Raiders, they didn't do enough to suddenly become a stout defense. They will struggle with Murray and Henry as Tennessee will be able to move the ball. Where Oakland has the edge though is with their pass attack. Receivers Michael Crabtree and Amari Cooper will be too much to handle. Raiders take a close one to start the season off right.
Prediction: Raiders 24, Titans 21Record 1-0
Week 2: September 17 vs. New York Jets
The New York Jets were a bad team in 2016. Nothing they've done in the offseason indicates that will change. They added more help to their defense in the draft, but their real problem is on the other side of the ball.
New York is terrible at quarterback and adding Josh McCown won't help. He's a decent player, but injuries are a common theme with him. Running back Matt Forte is still effective, but not great. He won't be able to carry this team, and the Raiders offense will be able to do more than enough.
Prediction: Raiders 35, Jets 13Record: 2-0
Next: Week 3-4
May 24, 2017; Washington, DC, USA; Washington Redskins quarterback Kirk Cousins (8) throws the ball during drills as part of Redskins OTAs at Redskins Park. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
Week 3: Sept. 24 at Washington Redskins
The Washington Redskins are a mess. This franchise seems to love hiring a guy that knows how to build a winning team, then firing him and watching the ship sink. Then they do it all over again.
This time it was general manager Scot McCloughan, who was hired before the 2015 season. He helped the team to back-to-back winning years and then was fired. The issues around his firing were crazy as it seemed like they tried to use his prior drinking history as a way to fire him with cause.
Don't expect the circus to remain on the sidelines. The Redskins will be a mess again. For Oakland they will play them early enough that they will at least still be competitive.
Prediction: Raiders 23, Redskins 17Record: 3-0
Week 4: Oct. 1 at Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos were Super Bowl champions just a couple seasons ago, and had a let down year while trying to replace future Hall of Fame quarterback Peyton Manning. While their offense struggled, their defense was still one of the best in the league.
Denver has the talent to slow down the Raiders offense. They also have just enough with their running game to keep the Raiders defense off balance. On top of that, second-year quarterback Paxton Lynch could be the starter which also has the potential to make them better.
Prediction: Broncos 23, Raiders 16Record: 3-1
Next: Week 5-6
Oct 2, 2016; Baltimore, MD, USA; Oakland Raiders wide receiver Michael Crabtree (15) catches a touchdown pass in the fourth quarter against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Evan Habeeb-USA TODAY Sports
Week 5: Oct. 8 vs. Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens are a good franchise, but they're not what they once were. They did have a great draft though by picking up cornerback Marlon Humphrey and edge rusher Tim Williams (a potential third-round steal) from Alabama. In between those picks they grabbed outside linebacker Tyus Bowser and defensive lineman Chris Wormley. They were needed moves as the Ravens defense was starting to become rather aged.
Offensively they didn't replace receiver Steve Smith, who retired and they will be weak at running back again with Terrance West most likely the starter. Then there's Joe Flacco. There's a constant debate about whether or not he's elite. Spoiler alert — he's not. Instead he's one of the worst quarterbacks to win a Super Bowl and will again have the Ravens hovering around .500 unless their defense becomes great.
Prediction: Raiders 27, Ravens 17Record: 4-1
Week 6: Oct. 15 vs. Los Angeles Chargers
Could the Los Angeles Chargers take their move to L.A. and use that as motivation for a great 2017? Probably not. The Rams moved from St. Louis to Los Angeles last year and they still were awful. The Chargers though are much better than the Rams, so maybe they will be better.
They did improve by picking up wide receiver Mike WIlliams in the draft from Clemson and second-year players like defensive end Joey Bosa and tight end Hunter Henry will only get better. The Raiders fall to 0-2 early in the tough AFC West.
Prediction: Chargers 33, Raiders 24Record: 4-2
Next: Week 7-8
Dec 8, 2016; Kansas City, MO, USA; Oakland Raiders wide receiver Amari Cooper (89) is tackled by Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Terrance Mitchell (39) during the game at Arrowhead Stadium. The Chiefs won 21-13. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports
Week 7: Oct. 19 vs. Kansas City Chiefs
Another tough AFC West opponent comes up here as the Kansas City Chiefs go on the road to face the Oakland Raiders. Kansas City could have a dilemma on their hands as they traded up to number 10 overall in the 2017 NFL Draft for quarterback Patrick Mahomes.
They want to be committed to Alex Smith, but the fans are about to turn on him. Smith should be able to handle the pressure, but the question will be for how long? He will never be the guy who makes the offense explosive, and his inability to make the big plays costs them in their first meeting against Oakland, who gets their first divisional win.
Prediction: Raiders 34, Chiefs 31Record: 5-2
Week 8: Oct. 29 at Buffalo Bills
It won't be snowing yet in Buffalo, which is a good thing for the Raiders as they travel to Western New York. The Bills will be better with Rex Ryan no longer the head coach, but they still need a lot of work to play with the big boys. Oakland keeps the wins coming here as they upset rookie head coach Sean McDermott in his new home.
Prediction: Raiders 26, Bill 20Record: 6-2
Next: Week 9-11
May 25, 2017; Davie, FL, USA; Miami Dolphins running back Jay Ajayi (23) looks on during OTAs practice drills at Baptist Health Training Facility at Nova Southeastern University. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports
Week 9: Nov. 5 at Miami Dolphins
What the Miami Dolphins did very well last season was run the ball. At home against a Raiders team that's still iffy on defense, that could be the case again. Running back Jay Ajayi exploded onto the scene in his second year and will be the focal point of the offense yet again in 2017.
The Dolphins suffered a similar fate to Oakland last year as quarterback Ryan Tannehill missed the postseason due to injury. They weren't able to win without him, but with him back they can do just enough to send the Raiders out of South Beach with a loss.
Prediction: Dolphins 24, Raiders 23Record: 6-3
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Week 11: Nov. 19 vs. New England Patriots
Following a Week 10 bye, the Raiders are able to prepare long and hard for the defending Super Bowl champs. They will be looking for a statement win here as anyone wishing to be a contender needs to first knock off one of the best.
Beating New England is no easy task, but the Raiders have as good a shot as anyone. They have the time off to prepare, there's a long trip for New England to make and Marshawn Lynch is still upset that he was unable to run in the winning touchdown against the Patriots when he was still with the Seahawks. Look for Beast Mode to have a multi-touchdown game as Oakland shocks the Pats here.
Prediction: Raiders 31, Patriots 28Record: 7-3
Next: Week 12-13
Jan 1, 2017; Denver, CO, USA; Oakland Raiders free safety Reggie Nelson (27) and cornerback Sean Smith (21) and strong safety Keith McGill (39) defend on Denver Broncos wide receiver Demaryius Thomas (88) in the first half at Sports Authority Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports
Week 12: Nov. 26 vs. Denver Broncos
After losing a close one on the road to the Denver Broncos, the Oakland Raiders right the ship at home against their divisional foe and are now 2-2 in the AFC West. It's a big win for them as they once again should find themselves in a tight race for first place, a spot they lost by way of tie breaker to the Chiefs in 2016.
Prediction: Raiders 21, Broncos 13
Record: 8-3
Week 13: Dec. 3 vs. New York Giants
After beating the Broncos, the Raiders now have the New York Giants come to town. Again, it's a long trip for an opponent, but it's one that has a fantastic defense. No team in the league has dedicated the kind of resources to that side of the ball that the G-Men have. They went all-in with their signing of defensive end Olivier Vernon, cornerback Janoris Jenkins and defensive tackle Damon Harrison. Then they gave defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul a huge deal as well.
Offensively they have weapons at receiver with Odell Beckham, Jr., Brandon Marshall and Sterling Shepard. The problem is Eli Manning is arguably the most overrated quarterback in the league. He will hold them back all season, but the defense will carry them to a win against Oakland in a low scoring affair.
Prediction: Giants 17, Raiders 16Record: 8-4
Next: Week 14-15 at Chiefs
Dec 8, 2016; Kansas City, MO, USA; Oakland Raiders fullback Jamize Olawale (49) rushes against Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Steven Nelson (20) during a NFL football game at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Week 14: Dec. 10 at Kansas City Chiefs
This year the Oakland Raiders won't have to worry about a tie-breaker with the Chiefs. They move to 3-2 in their division and sweep the defending AFC West champs with a December victory. At this point when the weather changes, teams that can run the ball have the edge. Kansas City is good at that, but won't be as good as the Raiders will be with Lynch. Beast Mode is the reason for another win here.
Prediction: Raiders 20, Chiefs 18Record: 9-4
Week 15: Dec. 17 vs. Dallas Cowboys
Going into Week 15, the Raiders will be in a good position to try and win their division. The Dallas Cowboys will be fighting for their divisional crown as well. After rookies Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliott carried them to 13 wins last season, they will surely take a small step back, but will still be a great team. They also aren't the same team that folds late in the year, so look for them to find a way to get a much needed win with all eyes on them as the calendar gets close to turning the page.
Prediction: Cowboys 38, Raiders 28Record: 9-5
Next: Week 16-17
May 30, 2017; Alameda, CA, USA; Oakland Raiders running back Marshawn Lynch (24) stretches at organized team activities at the Raiders practice facility. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Week 16: Dec. 25 at Philadelphia Eagles
They beat the Redskins, but lost to the Giants and Cowboys. Now with their fourth game against an NFC East team, the Raiders start to look like they are ready to make a final push for their division. The Eagles made some good move like signing running back LeGarrette Blount and receiver Alshon Jeffery. They also drafted well with defensive end Derek Barnett and cornerback Sidney Jones (although he may miss his whole rookie season).
Their quarterback is still a mystery though. Carson Wentz was up and down as a rookie, and won't have his interception issues under control just yet. Jeffery is also injury prone, so don't expect him to suddenly change this team. Oakland wins this one running away.
Prediction: Raiders 35, Eagles 20Record: 10-5
Week 17: Dec. 31 at Los Angeles Chargers
They finish the year up at StubHub Stadium, the smallest venue in the NFL. It will look like a practice because of the limited number of people in the stands. It will look even more like a practice because the Chargers will be out of it and Oakland will be focused on winning the West.
By going 4-2 with a win over L.A., the Raiders do just that despite finishing 11-5 — one win less than they had in 2016. Also with Carr healthy, they can finally become players late in the post season once again.
Prediction: Raiders 31, Chargers 14Record: 11-5