3 Reasons the Las Vegas Raiders could miss the playoffs again
By Brad Weiss
3 Reasons the Las Vegas Raiders could miss the playoffs again
Raiders falter down the stretch once again
As we stated earlier, the Raiders have gotten out to fast starts the last two seasons, even when that part of the schedule was considered the hardest stretch. In 2021, they have another tough go early on, as they welcome the Baltimore Ravens to Allegiant Stadium for Monday Night Football in Week 1, before going East to play the Pittsburgh Steelers on a short week.
Looking at their 2021 slate, there are definitely some winnable games late in the season, but it seems like we say that every year. Last year, they struggled to even beat the New York Jets in the second half of the year, and the year before, they lost to the Jacksonville Jaguars in the last home game in Oakland.
Gruden and company have to do something to avoid the late-season woes, whether that means keeping Josh Jacobs fresh or making sure the defense is playing at a high level down the stretch. Both of those things are easier said than done, but something has to change if the Raiders are to play meaningful games in January.
Overall, I believe Las Vegas has enough talent on both sides of the ball to make the playoffs, but it has been very frustrating seeing the team collapse the last two seasons. The Raiders are so close to being a playoff team, and with a 17-game slate in 2021, there is one more opportunity to finally punch their ticket to the postseason.