The Oakland Raiders hit the road for a matchup with the Arizona Cardinals. Here are five realistic expectations heading into Sunday’s game.
The Oakland Raiders are in the driver’s seat and control their own destiny as they finish out the second half of the regular season. Are they in the driver’s seat for a playoff berth? Absolutely not and far from it, on the contrary they find themselves controlling their odds for the first overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft. Sunday’s outcome against the Arizona Cardinals will help shape the outlook for the Raiders offseason.
The Cardinals sit at 2-7 on the season, led by their rookie quarterback Josh Rosen as they themselves are in position for a high draft pick in Spring’s NFL draft as well. Despite their record showcasing just one more win in comparison to the lowly Raiders, Arizona has managed to stay competitive and keep their games within a reasonable score. They’re currently coming off a 26-14 loss to the red-hot Kansas City Chiefs.
As is the case for the Raiders today, on paper this seems like a winnable matchup but given the state of this organization and the shape of the locker room it’s even more likely that the Raiders continue their downward spiral this season. Playing on the road won’t make the matchup any easier.
Here are five realistic expectations for the Raiders in Week 11.