Believe it or not, the Las Vegas Raiders are not as far behind in the pecking order of the AFC conference as many think.
They have added the right blend of youth and experience to make an effort to challenge in the AFC West and beyond.
Below are three reasons why the Silver and Black can speed up the process and earn a spot in the postseason in year one under new head coach Pete Carroll.
3 reasons why the Raiders can make NFL playoffs in 2025
1. Pete Carroll and Geno Smith have never had a losing record together
In two seasons in Seattle, the pairing won 18 games and reached the playoffs in 2022, only to get bounced to the NFC runner-up. In 2023, they finished with the identical record as the seventh-seeded Packers, but missed the cut because of tiebreakers.
On the contrary, Smith was 1-4 as a starter in 2021, but made the Pro Bowl a year later. He and Carroll have more time together than the partnerships in Los Angeles and Denver.
In 2025, the AFC West is not going to be as forgiving, but a 9-8 record in the conference might be good enough to slide in the back door of the playoff picture. Pete Carroll has made his Hall of Fame career by being a mainstay in the playoffs.
RELATED: Pete Carroll is already making bold predictions (and Raiders fans love it)
2. Chip Kelly can be the Kliff Kingsbury of 2025
Making the jump from college to the NFL worked out tremendously for Kingsbury and the Washington Commanders a year ago. The same should be said for Kelly, who won't have Jayden Daniels in the backfield, but does get to begin a relationship with Ashton Jeanty.
The two can have a similar impact that Daniels did in 2024, as winning Offensive Rookie of the Year under Kelly is almost a guarantee.
Geno Smith is capable enough, but Kelly will let Brock Bowers and Jeanty thrive in his system. The Raiders haven't had a tandem like that since their last Super Bowl run. Outside, the Raiders don't have a number one receiver, but Jakobi Meyers still surpassed the 1,000-yard mark last season and now has a better quarterback to get him the ball.
3. The AFC is not as daunting outside the West division
Besides the powerhouse AFC West, Baltimore and Buffalo are the only Super Bowl contenders. After that, there are some question marks surrounding the AFC. The East contains a rising Patriots franchise that could make the leap to the postseason if Drake Maye proceeds properly. The Jets haven't made the playoffs in years, and Tua Tagovailoa is too injury-prone to carry the Dolphins.
In the South, Houston runs the division, but Jacksonville may be ready to overtake them. Indianapolis is figuring out who is going to be the quarterback, while Tennessee has to prove that Brian Callahan is not a bust. Those two divisions can realistically be one-bid teams.
The North is the closest to the West in terms of strength. The Bengals are planning on Al Golden to revive their defense to supplement their explosive offense. The Steelers are chasing their dreams with a 41-year-old quarterback who didn't want to get hit in New York. In Cleveland, there are four quarterbacks, but none are as qualified as Joe Burrow to dethrone Baltimore. An injury can and will throw a wrench into the equation, too, so a playoff berth may be a formality.