Sportsbooks opened future betting on win totals for the 2023 NFL season with the Las Vegas Raiders sitting at 7.5 wins. This is down from last season’s 8.5 wins for the Raiders, and bettors have driven it even lower. The most common number is now 6.5 wins. The under may still be the safe bet.
The Las Vegas Raiders currently sit in a precarious situation. There are questions about their starting quarterback’s health. Jimmy Garoppolo should be ready to go for training camp according to the Raiders; however, they have not been very forthcoming with information regarding this situation.
Josh Jacobs, last season’s NFL rushing yards leader, has yet to sign his franchise tag. Add that to his absence from OTAs and his many cryptic tweets, concerns are growing as to when (or if) he will show up to the team.
Bad business
— Josh Jacobs (@iAM_JoshJacobs) June 20, 2023
Both the quarterback and running back groups lack any depth if something goes wrong with either of these two situations. There are some free-agent options available. No one available would approach the skill level of either Garoppolo or Jacobs.
These are just the most recent problems. Defense is still a liability. No matter what metric is used, the Raiders fielded one of the worst defenses in the NFL last year. The Raiders will rely on the group of free agents they signed to step up. Most of the players they brought in will have to prove that they deserve a starting spot as most of them are career backups.
Even their top pick in the draft in the pick has questions surrounding him. Tyree Wilson was selected with the seventh overall pick after his college career was cut short by a foot injury. Wilson was unable to participate in OTAs. The Raiders are reporting that he, like Garoppolo, will be ready to go for the regular season.
At least the Raiders have a proven head coach who can tie all this together. Oh, that’s right, they have Josh McDaniels who has done little to prove that he can lead an NFL team. McDaniels started 6-0 as a head coach with the Denver Broncos. Since then, he has gone 11-28 combined with the Broncos and Raiders.
As a lifelong fan of the Raiders, I hope they hit the over. If I was a betting man, I think we all know that we should take the under. There are too many questions and too many doubts. Their schedule features 10 games against teams with a winning record last season. I would say it is a safe bet that they beat the Chicago Bears, but even that is a 1pm Eastern start time which historically is devastating for the Raiders.
With any luck, Garoppolo’s foot is fine, Jacobs reports by minicamp, the free agents play out of their minds, and the Raiders make the playoffs. Experience tells me that not all of these things will happen. Hopefully, enough will happen to make for a better year than last year.