Las Vegas Raiders facing tough decisions down the stretch of the 2023 NFL season

Raiders are still technically alive in the AFC Playoff race

With four games remaining, the Las Vegas Raiders are still technically alive in the AFC Playoff hunt, but they have not looked like a playoff team all season long. Despite some good feelings once Josh McDaniels was fired, the team has now lost three straight, and based on the effort coming out of the bye week, this is looking like another lost season.

While Las Vegas looked good against Miami, they blew a 14-0 lead against Kansas City at home right before the bye week, and the 3-0 loss to Minnesota was one of the worst in recent memory. The Raiders defense dominated that game from the outset, forcing the Vikings to bench starter Joshua Dobbs, but in the end, it was a field goal that was the difference.

Looking ahead to the rest of the schedule, it does not get any easier, as they take on the Los Angeles Chargers on a short week in Week 15. Sure, Justin Herbert is out, but the Raiders injury report is loaded with key players, so this game will be a toss-up no matter how you look at it.

Then there are matchups against the Denver Broncos, Chiefs, and Indianapolis Colts, all potential AFC Playoff teams. If the Raiders do win out, it would be a miracle.