The Las Vegas Raiders have developed a bad habit in recent years of winning meaningless games toward the end of the season. Not only has this perhaps given the franchise a false sense of where they are at, but it has prevented them from having one of the very top picks in the NFL Draft.
In Week 17, the Las Vegas Raiders took on the New York Giants, their fellow 2-13 counterpart. This was a game that, in recent years, the fan base could easily chalk up as a win for the Silver and Black because the organization just wasn't serious or strict enough about ethically tanking.
Luckily, that wasn't the case on Sunday. The Raiders sidelined several of their key players in the days leading up to the game, and it paid dividends in the 34-10 loss. This defeat was, in a way, triumphant, however, as it dramatically shook up the 2026 NFL Draft order in Las Vegas' favor.
Updated 2026 NFL Draft order after Raiders drop game vs. Giants
For the last several weeks, the Raiders have been holding firm behind the Giants at No. 2 on the draft board. Following the loss to New York, however, Las Vegas ascended to the top of the order with just one game left in the 2025 NFL season.
1. Las Vegas Raiders (2-14, .542 SOS)
2. New York Giants (3-13, .531 SOS)
3. New York Jets (3-13 .548 SOS)
4. Tennessee Titans (3-13, .576 SOS)
5. Arizona Cardinals (3-13, .580 SOS)
6. Cleveland Browns (4-12, .491 SOS)
7. Washington Commanders (4-12, .507 SOS)
8. New Orleans Saints (5-11, .491 SOS)
9. Kansas City Chiefs (6-10, .509 SOS)
10. Cincinnati Bengals (6-10, .517 SOS)
Yes, that's right, the Raiders are the only two-win team in the league. That means that they control their destiny to land the first overall selection, and all it'll take is a loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 18. If Las Vegas pulls out a win, things could get rather complicated.
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While there is technically a route to the Raiders landing the No. 1 pick even if they win in the season finale, there is just no reason to risk it. Fans have felt the consequences of these ill-advised victories over the years, and enough is enough.
Sunday's game proved that Las Vegas is the worst team in the NFL, perhaps by a solid margin. They deserve the first pick more than any other Raiders team in recent memory, and for the first time in the last few years, it is actually well within their grasp.
The final week of the season will inevitably bring more chaos and reshuffling of the draft board. But it takes one thing, and one thing only, for Las Vegas to dodge all of that. It is counterintuitive, but a loss next week would be the ultimate win for Raider Nation and the fan base.