If the season were to end today, the Raiders would own the No. 2 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. The only team with a worse record going into this weekend is the Houston Texans at 1-6-1.
So while the playoffs seem like they are out of the equation, is there a chance the Raiders could go on a bit of a run over the next few weeks? It’s not as wild as you may think.
In a recent piece by ESPN, they offered some midseason predictions going into Week 10. Seth Walder had an interesting take on the Raiders, believing that they are poised to make a run. He predicted that they would win “at least eight games” and maybe more:
“Maybe even nine, if things go really well. Either way, the Las Vegas Raiders are poised for a second-half resurgence. There’s no reason their record should be as bad as it is right now (2-6). Their long-standing offensive line issue has been remedied, as they rank 16th in pass block win rate and sixth in run block win rate. And the offense overall is still producing, ranking 12th in offensive expected points added per play.”
While the schedule does appear favorable for the Raiders, their current list of injuries might be too much to overcome. On Thursday, the Raiders placed Hunter Renfrow and Darren Waller on the injured reserve list, meaning they will miss at least the next four games.
But despite their 2-6 record, the Raiders have held big leads this season and have managed to blow them. If they just hold onto those leads, they could easily be 5-3 going into a very winnable game against the Colts.
The Raiders need a win in the worst way. Expect them to get that win on Sunday as they face the Colts, who might be in even more disarray. It should be a fun one in Week 10.
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