The Las Vegas Raiders have a roster capable of competing for a playoff spot this season, but what is the team’s best-case scenario for the upcoming 2024 campaign?
Sports Illustrated’s Gilberto Manzano believes it’s could dethroning the defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC West. Kansas City has won the division eight straight years, dating back to 2016, and is the heavy favorite to win it for a ninth consecutive season.
Though the Chiefs have reigned over the AFC West for almost a decade, the Raiders could give Kansas City a run for their money. The Silver & Black overwhelmed Patrick Mahomes on Christmas day last year with their ferocious pass rush and formidable run game.
Here is what Manzano had to say about Las Vegas’ best-case scenario for the 2024 season:
The Raiders might have the blueprint for ending the Chiefs’ streak of eight consecutive AFC West titles. They punished the Chiefs on Christmas Day last season with a strong rushing attack and a ferocious defense led by Crosby. It wouldn’t be surprising to see the Raiders excel again in both areas, which is why they decided to retain Pierce and Graham. But for this season to truly be special, they’re going to need either O’Connell or Minshew to deliver a season resembling what Baker Mayfield did for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last season or what Brock Purdy has done the past two seasons for the San Francisco 49ers. All signs point to O’Connell, the 2023 fourth-round pick, getting the first opportunity to win the starting gig.
The odds of the Raiders winning the AFC West are slim, but if there were a team in the division that could spoil the Chiefs’ reign, it would be Las Vegas.
The defense, led by Maxx Crosby and Christian Wilkins, features a potent pass rush and a secondary with a high ceiling that could recreate what we saw near the end of last season in the final matchup between the division rivals.
The defense will win the Raiders games, but quarterback play will be the determining factor of the season for Las Vegas when it comes to their playoff hopes. Whether it’s Aidan O’Connell or Gardner Minshew, the Raiders quarterback must play clean and mistake-free football if the team wants to truly compete with Kansas City.
Though it’s extremely unlikely that the Raiders will win the AFC West for the first time since 2002, it is in the realm of possibilities. If the defense can elevate into one of the best in the league, and O’Connell or Minshew provide above-average play, Las Vegas could be a sneaky contender in the AFC.
