4 reasons why the Oakland Raiders will contend in the AFC West

DENVER, CO - OCTOBER 1: Quarterback Derek Carr #4 of the Oakland Raiders looks to pass under pressure by inside linebacker Brandon Marshall #54 of the Denver Broncos in the first half of a game at Sports Authority Field at Mile High on October 1, 2017 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
DENVER, CO - OCTOBER 1: Quarterback Derek Carr #4 of the Oakland Raiders looks to pass under pressure by inside linebacker Brandon Marshall #54 of the Denver Broncos in the first half of a game at Sports Authority Field at Mile High on October 1, 2017 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
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PITTSBURGH, PA – NOVEMBER 08: Antonio Brown #84 of the Pittsburgh Steelers runs the ball in the 4th quarter of the game against the Oakland Raiders at Heinz Field on November 8, 2015 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images)
PITTSBURGH, PA – NOVEMBER 08: Antonio Brown #84 of the Pittsburgh Steelers runs the ball in the 4th quarter of the game against the Oakland Raiders at Heinz Field on November 8, 2015 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images)

Raiders will have a high-powered offense

The Kansas City Chiefs had the most explosive offense in the NFL last season, with Patrick Mahomes, Tyreek Hill, Travis Kelce, and Kareem Hunt on the field. Teams did not struggle to score on the Chiefs, but they could rarely match the Chief’s offensive production.

Say what you want about Jon Gruden, but he may have built one of the few offenses that can keep up with the Chiefs offense. Derek Carr has thrown for over 30 touchdowns before, and although his numbers have fallen off, this is the system and surrounding talent that could get him back there.

The Raiders also added Antonio Brown, who scored 15 touchdowns just a season ago. There are corners on the Chiefs roster that will slow Antonio Brown down, and if they put too much effort into trying to do it, Carr will find Tyrell Williams and Hunter Renfrow.

There is no question that Mahomes and the rest of the Chiefs offense will score a ton of points on the Raiders, but it is hard to imagine that he has another 50 touchdown season. Even if the Raiders cannot keep up with the Chiefs on offense, they should be able to win shootouts with a good majority of the rest of the league.

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