Yes, the fan base subjected themselves to another brutal Las Vegas Raiders loss in Week 15 of the 2025 NFL season. This time, at least, it came at the hands of the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles. Did Raider Nation enjoy watching this 31-0 beatdown? Certainly not.
But it was another necessary step in two major processes: getting the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, and making sure head coach Pete Carroll is fired. The former will come down to numbers and how things shake out for the remainder of the year. The latter should have been decided long ago.
Ultimately, the Raiders' chances of landing the top pick next April likely come down to Week 17's matchup with the New York Giants, the current holders of the first overall selection. But every little bit will help in what is a tight race atop the draft board with the Raiders, Giants and Tennessee Titans.
Updated 2026 NFL Draft order after Week 15 sees Raiders stay at No. 2
Of course, there are still three games left in the campaign and 10 teams sitting between two and five wins after Week 15. But the silver lining of Las Vegas' collapse against Philadelphia on Sunday is that they didn't jeopardize their chances of the coveted No. 1 pick. Here's the current order:
1. New York Giants (2-12) -- SOS: .536
2. Las Vegas Raiders (2-12) -- SOS: .548
3. Tennessee Titans (2-12) -- SOS: .576
4. Cleveland Browns (3-11) -- SOS: .485
5. New York Jets (3-11) -- SOS: .538
6. Arizona Cardinals (3-11) -- SOS: .571
7. New Orleans Saints (3-11) -- SOS: .494
8. Washington Commanders (4-10) -- SOS: .508
9. Cincinnati Bengals (4-10) -- SOS: .521
10. Atlanta Falcons (5-9) -- SOS: .502 (Pick traded to LA Rams)
Not only did the Raiders remain in the No. 2 slot, but they gained ground on the Giants in the strength of schedule battle while distancing themselves from the Titans a bit. As a reminder, teams with a lower strength of schedule get the higher pick. Head-to-head record is not the first tiebreaker.
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If Las Vegas is lucky enough to land the No. 1 pick, then Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza should be the prize. After all, he just won the Heisman Trophy and the AP Player of the Year award, cementing himself as college football's best player in an NFL-ready body.
Should the Raiders remain at No. 2 or drop lower, that opens a can of worms. The big decision then becomes whether they stand pat and take the next-best quarterback, a difference-maker at another position, or trade back for a haul of picks and look to further build out the roster.
According to The Athletic, Las Vegas currently has the highest odds to earn the top pick, sitting at 41%. The Giants and Titans are distantly tied for the second-highest odds, as they both have an 18% chance. The Jets and Browns are next in line with 11% and 10% chances, respectively.
Even though the Raiders have been eliminated from playoff contention for weeks, and the writing has been on the wall for months, there is a ton to play for in the final stretch of the year for the Silver and Black. Competing and losing would be right in the sweet spot, but fans will take what they can get.