With five games left, the Raiders (4-7) can still make a run at the playoffs despite having dropped three of their last four. It won’t be easy, either, as Oakland has only two home games left and must still face division-leading Denver and Kansas City.
To end their decade-long playoff drought, the Raiders will likely have to run the table over the final month. Even then it might not be enough, as Oakland dropped from sixth to 12th in the AFC standings after giving up a late touchdown to the Titans.
Here are a few other things to keep in mind heading into Week 13:
Talk about missed opportunities. The Broncos and all-world quarterback Peyton Manning were cruising along with a 24-point lead against New England on Sunday night, only to watch the Patriots storm back and pull off a stunning win that prevented Denver from moving into sole possession of first place.
Only a few hours earlier, Kansas City also lost on a late touchdown after leading San Diego most of the afternoon. That left the Chiefs and Broncos deadlocked atop the division heading into their Week 13 showdown at Arrowhead Stadium. The Chargers and Philip Rivers won to stay in the hunt, while the Raiders’ loss to Tennessee might have crippled whatever playoff hopes they had.
Tight end Mychal Rivera and cornerback Mike Jenkins were both knocked out of the game against Tennessee, but the prognosis for both is good. Each player still has to go through the NFL protocol for concussions before getting cleared to play, however. On a short week, that might be tough to do before kickoff.
Kevin Burnett’s injury doesn’t seem too serious, and he should be back on the field in the midd...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Oakland Raiders
