The Las Vegas Raiders take on the Indianapolis Colts in Week 17, and here are three keys to victory for the Silver and Black.
The Las Vegas Raiders will travel to Indianapolis for a Sunday showdown with the red-hot Indianapolis Colts. The Raiders face an unenviable situation, as a road loss in Indy would likely spell the end of Las Vegas’ playoff dreams.
The Silver and Black currently sit at tenth place in the AFC, trailing the Dolphins, Ravens, and Chargers due to tiebreakers. Despite currently being positioned behind three different teams, the road to the postseason is pretty simple for the Raiders: if they win their last two games, they’re in.
Winning out, however, is a feat that is much easier said than done. The final two contests for Las Vegas include this Sunday’s matchup with the Colts and what could become an early playoff game the following week against the Chargers.
Sunday’s contest against the Colts will be the biggest game of the season for the Raiders and, perhaps, one of the biggest games in Derek Carr’s career. The Raiders control their own density and Carr must put together a couple of outstanding performances to conclude the season for Las Vegas to have a true chance at the tournament.
Indianapolis has won six of their last seven games and have lost just one game in regulation since beginning the season 0-3. Largely thanks to star running back Jonathan Taylor, the Colts have been nearly unbeatable since the beginning of November.
Now, with Taylor a leading MVP candidate, Indianapolis sits at 9-6, fighting to secure a playoff spot of their own. A December matchup featuring two teams with something to play for, fans should be in for a treat on Sunday.
Derek Carr has said over the last two weeks that while everyone seems to be planning his future, he doesn’t think that these Raiders are done quite yet. There is no better opportunity to prove that than this Sunday against the Colts.
Before we get any closer to this weekend’s must-win game, let’s take a look at three keys to a Raiders’ victory.