Oakland Raiders: What have we learned after seven weeks?

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Oct 25, 2015; San Diego, CA, USA; Oakland Raiders wide receiver Amari Cooper (89) catches a pass while defended by San Diego Chargers defensive back Jimmy Wilson (27) during the second quarter at Qualcomm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports

What’s Next?

Things are looking bright for the Raiders. Am I ready to guarantee a playoff berth? Not quite yet, but I think they will be in the Wild Card hunt at the end of the season.

Looking beyond that, this next off season will be Reggie McKenzie’s biggest test. The successful free agent signings will be wanting extensions, and the draft won’t be handed to him like it has been the past few years. If the Raiders keep playing the way they have been, a mid first round pick is looking more likely than a Top 10. Not to say all the talent will be picked up by then, but the “can’t miss” players are typically gone by then.

In the immediate future, the Raiders have the Jets to contend with. A game I think they are more than capable of winning if they stick to their strengths and pass the ball. The coaches need to put the ball in their playmakers hands and trust they will succeed.

This team tends to set up the run by passing, Murray and Jones should be able to rip off a could good runs against the stingy run defense of the Jets if they are too preoccupied trying to stop the multilevel receiving options of Cooper, Crab, Walford and Roberts.

Beating the Jets will really push the Raiders into the Wild Card picture, setting up a game against the Steelers in which Oakland can entrench themselves right in the hunt and climb up the standings. Playing the two teams ahead of them for the Wild Card in back to back weeks presents a big opportunity for this rising Raiders team. We have learned a lot about the Raiders through six games, but the next two weeks will really tell us about the 2015 Raiders chances of being a success.

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