Evan Silva, the senior NFL editor for Rotoworld, had this to say about the 2013 Raiders:
That's quite a statement from one of the most respected football minds in the media. Today, we'll take an in-depth look into what happened with Oakland for it to become the least talented team in the NFL.
A Loss in the Super Bowl
Let's rewind to the 2002 season. The Raiders finished the year 11-5, good enough for the AFC West divisional crown. Quarterback Rich Gannon won the MVP by leading the NFL with 4,689 passing yards and 618 passing attempts
They cruised to a 30-10 victory over the New York Jets before squeaking out a victory over the Tennessee Titans in the AFC Championship Game. Unfortunately, Oakland was blown out in Super Bowl XXXVII by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 48-21.
Despite the terrible loss, the Raiders boasted a strong roster led by Gannon, wide receivers Tim Brown and Jerry Rice and cornerback Charles Woodson. It appeared as if Oakland was going to be a team to be reckoned with for the foreseeable future.
However, the exact opposite happened. In the 10 seasons following the Super Bowl appearance, the Raiders have posted a regular season record of 49-111. They've gone through seven different coaches and haven't had a winning season over that time span.
The loss in Super Bowl XXXVII was the starting point to the long downfall of the Raiders.
Wasted Draft Picks
The only way a struggling team will get better is through the draft. After the Raiders lost the Super Bowl following the 2002 season, they went 4-12. Head coach Bill Callahan was fired and Oakland brought in offensive guru Norv Turner to get the team back on track.
