The Las Vegas Raiders played this game last season, winning four straight to earn a playoff spot. But can they repeat the process in 2022?
In Week 15, the Las Vegas Raiders will welcome the New England Patriots to Allegiant Stadium in their first of four must-win games. During the 2021 NFL season, Las Vegas needed a miracle run through the last four games of the year, but they pulled it off and made their first playoff appearance since the 2016 campaign.
That appearance was only their second since the 2002 season, so to say there had been a playoff drought would be an understatement.
Now, they look to repeat that process in 2022, as they will need to win their last four games and get some help to secure a Wild Card spot after a 5-8 start. To watch this team play all season, it is clear they are better than a five-win team, but they have squandered leads, and lost in the most unimaginable ways, so here they are, fighting for their lives in Week 15.
A loss this weekend would all but end the Raiders’ playoff chances, but they have had extra rest after playing on Thursday, and New England is on short rest playing Monday night.
Raiders will need a miracle once again in 2022
The schedule is not too tough for the Silver and Black down the stretch, as they play New England on short rest, then a Kenny Pickett-led Pittsburgh Steelers team on Christmas Eve. From there, they play the San Francisco 49ers, who may have locked up a playoff spot by then, and a Kansas City Chiefs team that likely will sit Patrick Mahomes.
However, they also need Los Angeles to lose two of their last four games and based on how Justin Herbert looked Sunday night against Miami, that may be too high a hurdle to overcome.
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After the way they played this season, to have some playoff life left is a miracle in itself for the Silver and Black going into Sunday’s matchup with New England. If somehow they can pull off a win, that Christmas Eve battle against the Steelers is going to be must-see television.