Which playoff team should the Las Vegas Raiders use as a model?
By Matt Holder
With 12 teams making the playoffs, there are plenty of formulas for the Las Vegas Raiders to follow in order to make the tournament next season. But which formula supplements what the Raiders have already done?
For what felt like the majority of the year, the Oakland Raiders were in the playoff discussion. After a 7-9 finish that was good enough to keep the conversation about January open, the question arises about how the organization can get over the hump as they become the Las Vegas Raiders?
The easiest method is to try to replicate what one of the current Super Bowl contenders has done. Reinventing the wheel by trying to remain unique or “doing things your way” isn’t a terrible way to build a team, but following a proven model is certainly the safer route. Luckily, the Silver and Black have laid a decent foundation and what the organization is building is similar to one of the best teams in the NFL.
Naturally, most people will point to one of the top seeds and want to use one of those teams as a model. Replicating the Ravens would be nearly impossible because generational talent Lamar Jackson is hard to replicate, and the same goes for the Chiefs with Patrick Mahomes.
Then there are the 49ers who offensively are similar to Oakland, but San Francisco’s pass rush took years to make in the form of four first-round picks.