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4 reasons the Raiders will beat the Bengals in the Wild Card round

By Nick Bailey

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - JANUARY 09: Center Andre James #68 and running back Josh Jacobs #28 of the Las Vegas Raiders react after Jacobs ran for a first down against the Los Angeles Chargers to set up a game-winning field goal for the Raiders in overtime their game at Allegiant Stadium on January 9, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Raiders defeated the Chargers 35-32 in overtime. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - JANUARY 09: Center Andre James #68 and running back Josh Jacobs #28 of the Las Vegas Raiders react after Jacobs ran for a first down against the Los Angeles Chargers to set up a game-winning field goal for the Raiders in overtime their game at Allegiant Stadium on January 9, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Raiders defeated the Chargers 35-32 in overtime. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) /
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Jan 9, 2022; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Las Vegas Raiders kicker Daniel Carlson (2) and Las Vegas Raiders long snapper Trent Sieg (47) celebrate after the Raiders defeated the Los Angeles Chargers 35-32 in overtime at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports /

4 reasons the Raiders will beat the Bengals in the Wild Card round

Superior Special Teams

Las Vegas fans are really the one fan base who can truly appreciate special teams and just how much they mean to a team. Throughout their careers with the franchise, former kicker Sebastian Janikowski and punter Shane Lechler were consistently the two best players on those teams, and pretty much the Raiders only Pro Bowl-caliber players to grace the roster back in the day.

Then, when they moved on to other teams, Lechler with the Texans and Janikowski with the Seahawks, the Raiders struggled to replace them but found another Pro Bowl punter in Marquette King.

However, Gruden got hired and didn’t mesh with King, and the Raiders special teams were a struggle for the first time in a long time. In 2016, rookie kicker Daniel Carlson got waived by the Minnesota Vikings and quickly picked up by the Raiders, and he has been one of the best kickers in the entire league since then.

Carlson has six game-winning kicks in this season alone and was selected to be the AFC special teams, Player of the Week, multiple times this season. In 2019, the Raiders signed undrafted free agent AJ Cole to hopefully help spell the punting woes, and Cole has delivered.

Cole, just like Carlson, had quickly developed into one of the top punters in the NFL in this season alone Cole has not only kicked his career-long punt with a 74-yard punt, but he also averaged 46 yards per punt. Carlson and Cole were both rewarded with contract extensions earlier this season. With the Bengals sporting a rookie kicker this season in Evan McPherson and a veteran punter in Kevin Huber put the special teams advantage firmly in Las Vegas’s corner.

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