Raiders: Why Las Vegas is closer to winning playoff games than people may think

Raiders likely to get no love heading into 2024

Ahead of next season, the national media will tell you that the Chiefs dynasty, along with the Broncos and Chargers with their superstar head coaches, places the Raiders at the bottom of the division. Their proof is what’s on paper – big names on rosters. The Raiders proof is what happens on the field.

The most obvious sign that the Raiders are close to winning playoff games is the defense. Defensive coordinator Patrick Graham and head coach Antonio Pierce have the potential to be the best HC/DC tandem in the NFL next season.

Since Antonio Pierce took over on November 1, the Raiders recorded the most defensive touchdowns (4) in the entire NFL and tied for third in sacks (30).

More impressively, the Raiders led the NFL in fewest points per game allowed (16) in the 9 games under Antonio Pierce. The significance of this cannot be understated. Sixteen of the last 23 Super Bowl champions had a top ten defense in points allowed.

If you want to compete for Super Bowls, a defense that doesn’t allow points is a great place to start. Antonio Pierce and Patrick Graham have proven they can accomplish this.

They also had the least amount of penalties in the NFL last season – unbelievable given the Raiders rich history in league-high penalties.

Today’s Raiders play physical, emotional, and smart – it’s rare to see any team do all three successfully.