Of course, we’re not referring to the unflattering descriptions from years past. It’s a more serious conversation surrounding the team as it stands at 4-3.
Competitive. Spirited. Physical. Playoff team?
A club coming from an 0-10 start in the previous year would be told to pump the brakes on postseason talk, but it’s time to put the Raiders in contention. The AFC West division doesn’t have the stiffest competition.
Oakland beat down the San Diego Chargers in Week 7. The Kansas City Chiefs will grind out the season without their top offensive weapon in running back Jamaal Charles. The Raiders played the Denver Broncos closely in a loss, but skepticism surrounds Peyton Manning's arm durability in December.
On Sunday, Oakland trounced a playoff-contending New York Jets team. Now, they’re headed into another contest with Wild Card implications against the Pittsburgh Steelers, who won’t have running back Le’Veon Bell carrying and catching the ball out of the backfield, per ESPN's Adam Schefter:
Turn On The Jets writer Joe Caporoso provided the current standings for the AFC Wildcard spots via Twitter:
AFC Wild Card 1. Raiders: 4-3 2. Jets: 4-3 3. Steelers 4-4. 4. Bills 3-4 5. Dolphins: 3-4 6. Chiefs: 3-5
— Joe Caporoso (@TurnOnTheJets) November 2, 2015 Now, let’s talk more about why the Raiders should be in playoff conversations.
Commitment to Excellence
Every week, quarterback Derek Carr’s improvement has become the consistent narrative for the offense, but in what areas does he excel?
According to ESPN’s Bill Williamson, Carr can take the heat in the pocket. He can withstand an aggressive front and still deliver accurate strikes to hi...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Oakland Raiders
