The Oakland Raiders Are the Team to Beat in 2016

[spikerman]

Or so say much of the national media and Raiders' fans (aka hoodlums). The dirty little secret in Denver is that even with Sanchez, the Broncos are probably a little better at QB than last year and the defense is still good. Here's hoping that the Oakland players are buying into the hype and, judging by Carr's statement about Mack getting 30 sacks, it looks promising.

[BroncoWave]

Being doubted certainly worked for the Broncos last season, so I am perfectly fine with that trend continuing. Hopefully the media doubts us all the way to another title.

[Devilspawn]

From what I've been reading and seeing, the majority of articles have the Chiefs winning the division.

[spikerman]

It may be bad to say, but the Raiders have been down for so long that I wouldn't mind seeing them finish above the Chiefs, but below the Broncos.

[FanInAZ]

From what I've been reading and seeing, the majority of articles have the Chiefs winning the division.

This sounds more plausible to me. It would have less to do with them rising above us then us sinking below them. It seems more likely to me that the Chiefs would have to slip a bit for the Raiders to catch them if they do improve.

[Joel]

Either way, it's kind of insulting to effectively say, "I don't know who'll win the reigning SB Champs division, but it won't be THEM." And yes, the 2013 Bengals were my preseason pick to win the AFCN, but I MEANT to insult the Ravens, and they'd lost a lot more key pieces than we have. It wouldn't bother me so much if the punditry hadn't spent all of last year mocking us as pretenders, but we're rapidly approaching Rodney Dangerfield territory now.

Here's hoping they're just pumping up the chip all our players had on their shoulder throughout 2015.

[BroncoBuckeye73]

Ha ha I have read lots of articles saying that the Raiders will win the division but I think if they finished with a winning record or even .500 it would be the first time in 13 years, so that seems like a more realistic goal for them to not tie the record for futility with the Bucs.

[Northman]

Ive heard this story before but it always ends in Chief and Raider tears.

[DenBronx]

Put some Respekt on that.

[BORDERLINE]

It's the NFL social media accounts that are hyping up these raidturds fans. I'm personally done with the back and forth with their fans. We literally won the Super Bowl!!! When I swagged on a Raider fan do you want to know what he told me? "Its just one game man" "it was a boring super bowl". I was like mannnnnnnnnn. There is no way to win against them. Something like Trump supporters. They live in a bubble. Our defense is still strong. Our oline and running game upgraded. If we can control the ball and not turn it over we will hammer opponents once again.

[TXBRONC]

I was listening to the NFL on Sirius XM this morning and some guy who was giving his take of the AFC West Denver is still the team to beat. The division will be contested because Raiders and Chiefs improved and both are playoff contenders. Whoever this guy was also thinks Lynch will start this season but it a lot will depend on his showing he can take care of the ball, and that will go hand in hand with an improved running game.

[Davii]

I hope the Raiders continue their futility. They should beat out the Bucs for the worst franchise ever. Shitty team with horrid fans (minus DS). Hopefully they enjoy Vegas.

[weazel]

call me a fool but I think the Raiders are battling for the division title this season.

[tomjonesrocks]

It's a shame they hit on Carr, Mack, and Cooper. There's talent there.

I don't have a lot of faith in JDR though - I think 9-7 or 10-6 is about the ceiling for him regardless of the talent.

[Davii]

call me a fool but I think the Raiders are battling for the division title this season.

You're a fool! FOOL! ;)

[BroncoJoe]

I REALLY want them to break the futility record, although in my mind they already have. This is not an expansion team like the Buc's were - this is an established, founding AFL franchise that has tied the record.

It would be fun to see them actually own that deserved record though...

[TXBRONC]

Maybe they break the record for futility but I wouldn't be surprised if Denver ended splitting the series with them.

[Al Wilson 4 Mayor]

Oakland "should" finish above .500, unless they have a bad start similar to last year. If they pull a similar stunt to last year they'll be hard pressed to finish above .500 with having to play KC and Denver twice.

[Ziggy]

The Raiders are definitely the popular pick for the dark horse team this season. They have some nice young talent. Having Del Rio for a coach will limit how far they go though. He had great talent in Jacksonville as a head coach and never got far in the playoffs. He had the best defense in the NFL in Denver as a DC and couldn't figure out how to maximize talent. He has a knack for underachieving as a coach.

[Davii]

So, in case anyone was wondering, the team to beat in 2016-17 is the Denver Broncos. The reigning champs.

[Al Wilson 4 Mayor]

So, in case anyone was wondering, the team to beat in 2016-17 is the Denver Broncos. The reigning champs.

Absolutely

Reigning 'World' Champs.

[Cugel]

Either way, it's kind of insulting to effectively say, "I don't know who'll win the reigning SB Champs division, but it won't be THEM." And yes, the 2013 Bengals were my preseason pick to win the AFCN, but I MEANT to insult the Ravens, and they'd lost a lot more key pieces than we have. It wouldn't bother me so much if the punditry hadn't spent all of last year mocking us as pretenders, but we're rapidly approaching Rodney Dangerfield territory now.

Here's hoping they're just pumping up the chip all our players had on their shoulder throughout 2015.

What it really comes down to is that all the experts were wrong last year. They were all like Ben Maller - "I really think the Raiders have a great chance to overtake the Broncos this year! The Noodle Arm [Peyton Manning] is done! Their defense is good but it's not that good."

Then the Broncos won the division, the Raiders predictably failed again. But, they all rallied and predicted the Patriots would stomp them in the AFC Championship. Then the Broncos won and they all looked like idiots, but they took their revenge by predicting the Panthers would crush the Broncos in the SB. "They don't even deserve to be there. The wrong team won the AFC Championship Game!" - said Maller and he wasn't alone.

Then the Broncos won the SB making them all look like imbeciles once again. Of course they are predicting that the Broncos will go 7-9. They're angry at the Broncos for making them look like the fools they are. They keep predicting that the Broncos will lose, and yet perversely they keep winning. So, they get angry.

[OrangeHoof]

Raiders are the team to beat, eh? That sounds like a good idea.

[LTC Pain]

Screw the Raiders! The Broncos are the team to beat :salute:

[Devilspawn]

So, in case anyone was wondering, the team to beat in 2016-17 is the Denver Broncos. The reigning champs.

Screw the Raiders! The Broncos are the team to beat :salute:
Yeeeeah I think this is common knowledge. The question is WHO can dethrone the Broncos?

I'm still hearing a majority saying the Chiefs then the Raiders. Oh the Jags are a playoff team too apparently.

[Davii]

Yeeeeah I think this is common knowledge. The question is WHO can dethrone the Broncos?

I'm still hearing a majority saying the Chiefs then the Raiders. Oh the Jags are a playoff team too apparently.

I think the Raiders can definitely dethrone the Bucs as most futile ever.

[Devilspawn]

I think the Raiders can definitely dethrone the Bucs as most futile ever.
Which would mean we have a losing record the next two years. I highly doubt we'll dethrone Tampa and Denver but we'll see.

[Devilspawn]

It's a shame they hit on Carr, Mack, and Cooper. There's talent there.

I don't have a lot of faith in JDR though - I think 9-7 or 10-6 is about the ceiling for him regardless of the talent.
I hear this a lot, mostly from Broncos fans. What is it about him? It can't be a Wade Phillips comparison because Wade is on another level as a DC.

I personally am not wowed or dismayed yet. But on the flip side, he took over for a LOT of shitty coaches.

[Simple Jaded]

Ya know how bad the Raiders are? They've been so ******* inept that Broncos fans are actively rooting for them to do something so there's actually something riding on the rivalry.

Not me personally, **** you Oakland, but I've actually heard Broncos fans say that.

PS, I hope they move to Vegas and Chargers stay in SD so Denver can have 10 home games every season.

[Devilspawn]

Oakland "should" finish above .500, unless they have a bad start similar to last year. If they pull a similar stunt to last year they'll be hard pressed to finish above .500 with having to play KC and Denver twice.
This is my opinion in a nutshell

SHOULD finish above .500, but not guaranteed.

To be honest, the only one I thing can cause us to break this futility record is Derek Carr. If he isn't better than last year, we're 8-8.

[Al Wilson 4 Mayor]

This is my opinion in a nutshell

SHOULD finish above .500, but not guaranteed.

To be honest, the only one I thing can cause us to break this futility record is Derek Carr. If he isn't better than last year, we're 8-8.

That's how I see it. I was disappointed with the way he started last year. It was the embodiment of a brain fart.

[Slick]

The West is going to be tough if all of the teams stay healthy.

[Al Wilson 4 Mayor]

I hear this a lot, mostly from Broncos fans. What is it about him? It can't be a Wade Phillips comparison because Wade is on another level as a DC.

I personally am not wowed or dismayed yet. But on the flip side, he took over for a LOT of shitty coaches.

The fanbase as a whole felt as though he was too conservative and often times called games so as not to lose, as if he was afraid to take risks. Even one or two former players called him out on social media during the playoff loss to the Colts for the lack of blitzes. I think he only brought more than 4 rushers 5 times the entire game, or something to that effect.

[Cugel]

Truth: All the teams in the AFC West have a reasonable shot. Including San Diego. People constantly rip Phyllis, and I'd be happy to as well. He's not at all my favorite person. But, he was 2nd in the NFL in passing yards last season (4,792 yards) behind only Drew Brees, had 29 TDs and only 13 picks and a passer rating of 93. That's not a bad season. He's still a lot better QB than Alex Smith.

Denver has the worst QB situation, but the best defense. SD is probably the worst roster, but they still have a decent QB in Phyllis. KC has Alex Smith and not a ton of play-makers on offense, but a pretty good defense. Oakland has Derek Carr, and an improving defense, but also Jack Del Rio who has never ever been a great head coach. Not anywhere. And this ain't his first go-round.

None of these teams are guaranteed success stories. It would not be a shock if ANY one of them finished at 8-8 or worse.

With Denver, they've lost Peyton Manning and a couple of starters on defense. Losing Manning's leadership will be a big blow, don't kid yourself otherwise.

With the other teams they have all underachieved these last 3 years, and there's no reason to think they can't or won't again. Denver is still the way to bet.

Sure, the Raiders have lots of "smart money" people rooting for them. But, that was true last season, as I quoted Ben Maller and other idiots claiming at the beginning of the 2015 season. It didn't happen then and there's no better reason to think it will happen this year.

[Simple Jaded]

The popular notion that Derek Carr is the best QB in the AFCW is utter bullshit.

[HORSEPOWER 56]

The Raider's defense has the potential to turn around this year. Every pundit is all over Khalil Mack. Mack had 15 sacks last year, but before we get too crazy we must remember that 5 came in one game (us) against the worst right tackle in football (Schofield) and Oz's worst performance (he refused to throw the ball away and took sack after sack that game). Mack looks like a great player but they're hanging their hopes on him like he's the next JJ Watt and Von Miller rolled into one. He's not.

They had one of the worst running games in the league and their secondary is suspect. Carr seems to be a decent QB and his receivers are pretty darned good, but unless they fix their running game and secondary, they'll be in the same position they were last year. Plus, Carr has to face Von, Ware and our secondary twice again. I'll believe the Raiders are better when I see it.

[TXBRONC]

I hear this a lot, mostly from Broncos fans. What is it about him? It can't be a Wade Phillips comparison because Wade is on another level as a DC.

I personally am not wowed or dismayed yet. But on the flip side, he took over for a LOT of shitty coaches.


I think most people believe that he didn't do a very good job utilizing his personnel on defense.

[Al Wilson 4 Mayor]

The popular notion that Derek Carr is the best QB in the AFCW is utter bullshit.

I don't think that's a popular sentiment. Carr has the most upside atm, howe've Phyllis is the best in the division.

[Northman]

I don't think that's a popular sentiment. Carr has the most upside atm, howe've Phyllis is the best in the division.

Yea, currently Rivers is the best but i think Carr has a huge upside and like him as a player.

[Joel]

What it really comes down to is that all the experts were wrong last year. They were all like Ben Maller - "I really think the Raiders have a great chance to overtake the Broncos this year! The Noodle Arm [Peyton Manning] is done! Their defense is good but it's not that good."

Then the Broncos won the division, the Raiders predictably failed again. But, they all rallied and predicted the Patriots would stomp them in the AFC Championship. Then the Broncos won and they all looked like idiots, but they took their revenge by predicting the Panthers would crush the Broncos in the SB. "They don't even deserve to be there. The wrong team won the AFC Championship Game!" - said Maller and he wasn't alone.

Then the Broncos won the SB making them all look like imbeciles once again. Of course they are predicting that the Broncos will go 7-9. They're angry at the Broncos for making them look like the fools they are. They keep predicting that the Broncos will lose, and yet perversely they keep winning. So, they get angry.
The problem was most people (including me) didn't think our D was SO great it could overcome an offensive line SO bad it crippled both our running AND passing. Certainly plenty of people asked plenty of pointed questions about how much was left in Mannings tank and when DT would stop dropping passes, but we had other WRs plus several solid (if unspectacular TEs,) and Manning had more than enough left to manage a game if he'd had decent protection or run support.

His departure changes none of that, and it's unclear that Vasquez and Cladys departure changes any of it for the BETTER, so the questions remain. They shouldn't, because our D just proved it actually IS so great it can singlehandedly win homefield and a SB as long as the QB isn't habitually catastrophic. But somehow people have gotten the idea our D couldn't be THAT good unless EVERYONE on it was elite, so Jackson, Trevathan, Bruton and Bolden are insurmountable losses.

They're not, but the proof is in the pudding. It just seems like the pundits would be once bitten, twice shy with the reigning champs.

[Joel]

I hear this a lot, mostly from Broncos fans. What is it about him? It can't be a Wade Phillips comparison because Wade is on another level as a DC.

I personally am not wowed or dismayed yet. But on the flip side, he took over for a LOT of shitty coaches.
Yes, but that also set the bar pretty low, and he still only barely and briefly got over it. I think Del Rio's much like Fox: He can make a garbage team respectable again, because he'll build a roster and teach it not to do anything obviously disastrous, but isn't the active difference maker who'll put anyone over the top.

It's weird how some coaches are great at building good teams but clueless about winning playoff games with them, while others could coach any SB team to victory against any OTHER SB team but couldn't build a decent roster if given the first 50 picks of a draft. Maybe it's as simple as a competitive team needing reliability but a championship team needing to take calculate risks. When 4-12, you don't want a guy reaching with the #3 overall pick, but predictability doesn't win playoff games.

[Poet]

The popular notion that Derek Carr is the best QB in the AFCW is utter bullshit.

Rivers for now.

[Canmore]

The problem was most people (including me) didn't think our D was SO great it could overcome an offensive line SO bad it crippled both our running AND passing. Certainly plenty of people asked plenty of pointed questions about how much was left in Mannings tank and when DT would stop dropping passes, but we had other WRs plus several solid (if unspectacular TEs,) and Manning had more than enough left to manage a game if he'd had decent protection or run support.

His departure changes none of that, and it's unclear that Vasquez and Cladys departure changes any of it for the BETTER, so the questions remain. They shouldn't, because our D just proved it actually IS so great it can singlehandedly win homefield and a SB as long as the QB isn't habitually catastrophic. But somehow people have gotten the idea our D couldn't be THAT good unless EVERYONE on it was elite, so Jackson, Trevathan, Bruton and Bolden are insurmountable losses.

They're not, but the proof is in the pudding. It just seems like the pundits would be once bitten, twice shy with the reigning champs.

They were bitten at the least four times. The regular season, Pitt, NE and Camolina as you are so fond of saying. They're pissed. Nothing will shut them up except a repeat. Why not?

[Canmore]

Yes, but that also set the bar pretty low, and he still only barely and briefly got over it. I think Del Rio's much like Fox: He can make a garbage team respectable again, because he'll build a roster and teach it not to do anything obviously disastrous, but isn't the active difference maker who'll put anyone over the top.

It's weird how some coaches are great at building good teams but clueless about winning playoff games with them, while others could coach any SB team to victory against any OTHER SB team but couldn't build a decent roster if given the first 50 picks of a draft. Maybe it's as simple as a competitive team needing reliability but a championship team needing to take calculate risks. When 4-12, you don't want a guy reaching with the #3 overall pick, but predictability doesn't win playoff games.

Sounds a lot like Phil Jackson.

[TXBRONC]

That's how I see it. I was disappointed with the way he started last year. It was the embodiment of a brain fart.

He did finish very strong, 32 touchdowns against 13 interception.

[Al Wilson 4 Mayor]

He did finish very strong, 32 touchdowns against 13 interception.

Yes he did, but the first few games of the season cost them a shot at the playoffs.

[Cugel]

The problem was most people (including me) didn't think our D was SO great it could overcome an offensive line SO bad it crippled both our running AND passing. Certainly plenty of people asked plenty of pointed questions about how much was left in Mannings tank and when DT would stop dropping passes, but we had other WRs plus several solid (if unspectacular TEs,) and Manning had more than enough left to manage a game if he'd had decent protection or run support.

His departure changes none of that, and it's unclear that Vasquez and Cladys departure changes any of it for the BETTER, so the questions remain. They shouldn't, because our D just proved it actually IS so great it can singlehandedly win homefield and a SB as long as the QB isn't habitually catastrophic. But somehow people have gotten the idea our D couldn't be THAT good unless EVERYONE on it was elite, so Jackson, Trevathan, Bruton and Bolden are insurmountable losses.

They're not, but the proof is in the pudding. It just seems like the pundits would be once bitten, twice shy with the reigning champs.

Nobody with any grain of sense actually though the Broncos "are totally going to get smoked" in the Super Bowl. You could reasonably predict the Panthers would win, OK. But, that they "didn't deserve to be there" and "it's too bad the wrong team won [the AFC Championship]" like Maller said. That's just imbecilic.

I don't think anybody really believes that Malik Jackson is a great player. Good, yes. But, worth $15M a year?

David Bruton? Omar Bolden? They were backups and special teams aces. How is that key losses? You don't see the same pundits ripping the Panthers because they lost one of their 2 best defenders in Josh Norman.


Norman, who's since signed a $75 million contract with the Washington Redskins, has spoken about the Panthers rescinding his franchise tag. Carolina, however, hasn't been overly expressive about the abrupt about-face from their former star cornerback.

Ron Rivera is setting that straight. Kind of.

In an interview with the MMQB's Jenny Vrentas, Rivera spoke about why things came to an end the way they did with Norman. His explanation: the team wanted to set all of its affairs in order before training camp, and couldn't come to terms with Norman before that deadline.

"We were at an impasse," Rivera said. "Things weren't happening, and the one thing we didn't want to do is go into training camp not knowing. I think that was part of the decision."

If that's truly why the Panthers cut bait as fast as they did with Norman, well, Panthers fans should probably be pissed. Because the logic doesn't hold up. At all.

We preemptively cut ties with one of our defensive staples--who happens to be one of the most sought after commodities in the modern NFL: a competent, if not dominant, pass protector--because we didn't want a short-term distraction. Or something.

The Broncos haven't lost anybody close to as important as Norman. That would be as bad as if the team lost Aquib Talib or Chris Harris.