NFL’s final four this season show Raiders different paths to success

NFL’s final four this season show Raiders different paths to success

The path to success for the AFC finalists

When it comes to the AFC, the Chiefs and Bengals both feature quarterbacks taken in the top half of the first round in Patrick Mahomes and Joe Burrow. They are among the best players at their position and have carried their teams to Super Bowl appearances or victories in recent years.

They didn’t do it alone as they had strong supporting casts with a litany of offensive weapons to turn to but their team success revolves around their play, and if they are not having a great game their teams generally do not win.

Even their defenses are generally good but the team identity is based on their right arms and not defense or a powerful run game.

These organizations built around these quarterbacks and have leaned on them for most of their success during their tenure. Their offenses are built around their skillset and while the Raiders tried to do this during the Jon Gruden era, they didn’t have the other pieces necessary for true success.

This is not to say that the Chiefs and Bengals have not had good defenses to complement their QBs but both teams are more comfortable in shootouts than a 13-10 slog in the mud. Their team philosophies revolve around spending heavily on pass protection and giving these guys the weapons they need to succeed.

The Raiders once upon a time had the highest-paid offensive line in the NFL but did not have enough weapons to truly take advantage though it was not for a lack of trying.

Further proof of this identity is shown when you look at the pass-run ratio of these two teams. Both Cinci and KC are in the top six in the NFL with passes on 60% of their offensive plays over the course of the 2022 season. This is in line with much of the NFL but as we’ll see with the teams in the NFC, success can be had with a completely different pass-run ratio as well.