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JBB Staff Roundtable: Oakland Raiders at the Halfway Point

By Nick Hjeltness

Sep 11, 2016; New Orleans, LA, USA; Oakland Raiders wide receiver Michael Crabtree (15) makes a catch for a two-point conversion while defended by New Orleans Saints cornerback Ken Crawley (46) late in the fourth quarter at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. The Raiders won 35-34. Mandatory Credit: Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 11, 2016; New Orleans, LA, USA; Oakland Raiders wide receiver Michael Crabtree (15) makes a catch for a two-point conversion while defended by New Orleans Saints cornerback Ken Crawley (46) late in the fourth quarter at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. The Raiders won 35-34. Mandatory Credit: Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports /
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Oct 9, 2016; Oakland, CA, USA; Oakland Raiders quarterback Derek Carr (4) reacts after throwing a touchdown pass against the San Diego Chargers in the third quarter at Oakland Coliseum. The Raiders defeated the Chargers 34-31. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 9, 2016; Oakland, CA, USA; Oakland Raiders quarterback Derek Carr (4) reacts after throwing a touchdown pass against the San Diego Chargers in the third quarter at Oakland Coliseum. The Raiders defeated the Chargers 34-31. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports /

4. What is your final prediction for the Raiders this year? Playoff bound? And if so, how far do they go?

Austin Gayle: With a 10-6 record, the Raiders should earn a playoff birth, and until they square off against the Kansas City Chiefs or New England Patriots, the Silver and Black will continue to earn wins in the postseason. If that means an AFC Championship in Foxborough or Arrowhead Stadium, the Raiders’ storybook season would likely come to an abrupt ending.

Blackhanside: The Oakland Raiders are going to the playoffs. I’m going to leave it at that, because so many things change so fast in this league, I’m afraid to say anything beyond that.

Brazy: It would take a major meltdown for the Raiders to miss the playoffs this year. They can play with anybody in the league and should make it to the AFC title game. I would love to see us get revenge for the tuck rule game and begin our Silver & Black dynasty. No reason they can’t make it to the Super Bowl and win it.

Evan Ball: Oh, yeah. Playoffs are happening. It’s going to be interesting to see where they end up in the scramble of it all. I’m guessing they lose their first playoff game. This team is clearly talented enough to go deeper in the playoffs, but in the playoffs the defense needs to come correct, and that has been a major problem for the team so far. I also have some concerns about the offense’s ability to produce given the increase in defensive adjustments made due to playoff scouting.

Justin Smith: I think they will win the division and a home playoff game and lose to the Patriots in the AFC Championship.

Maliik Obee: I see the Raiders going 11-5. I think we can beat New England in the AFC Championship for the sole fact that we can put up numbers with the best. By that time, our defense will continue to gel, and if we can even marginally contain their two TE’s we will be okay. Raiders vs. Cowboys Super Bowl to restore order in the NFL as the two most important franchises in football duke it out.

Nick Hjeltness: This is a tough question, because you never want to predict your favorite team to fall short of a championship, but I think that is what happens. I think the Raiders win their first playoff game, make it to the AFC Championship and fall short there. Which is a hell of a season for this young team, and we’ll definitely be back. And even better.

Robert Pfeifer: I predict they lose the AFC Championship game in Snowy Foxboro to “The Hoodie” and the Patriots in a rematch of “The Tuck Rule Game.”

Ryan Prime: Football is fickle and unforgiving. If the season ended today, we’d be the two-seed and AFC West champs, but the Chiefs are going to have something to say about that in one way or another. If you thought the stakes of last Sunday’s home stand against Denver were high, Thursday Night Football IN Kansas City in December is going to be something else entirely.

I can’t fully wrap my head around a Raiders postseason appearance just yet, and I’m almost immediately prompted to say “IF THEY GET IN THE PLAYOFFS THEY’RE GOING ALL THE WAY IDC”. But realistically, my gut tells me we’ll see a division foe for a third time this year. For now, I’ll leave it at that.

Seth Murphy: I’m predicting a playoff game and a win in the wildcard round. I think they’ll stumble after that. That’s okay though. Playoff experience is a great first step.

Segun Giwa: I think the Chiefs will win the division with the Raiders and Broncos in the playoffs as wild car teams. The Raiders are undefeated on the road this year, but in the playoffs, it helps for a young team to have the crowd behind them, so hopefully they get in as division winners. I’ll give Andy Reid and the Chiefs the nod for division winners because everybody knows the Chiefs are a regular season team.

Tyler Dickson: I think we get the division home wildcard game. After that I see us going to the AFC Championship, and if our defense can continue to improve, we could go even further.

Tyler Randolph: Playoffs definitely, with the possibility of a first round bye and home game. 11-5 won’t cut for a first round bye, but 12-4 should, if they get there. I see an AFC championship rematch in Foxboro.

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