Can the Las Vegas Raiders Break Their Curse and Finally Win It All in 2024?

Other NFL team previews: 32. Titans | 31. Saints | 30. Browns | 29. Panthers | 28. Jets | 27. Giants“Of course, I’m competitive as they come. I put all my time and effort and spirit and soul into this — into being the best version of myself,” Crosby told SirusXM NFL Radio last year, via NFL.com. “I care about winning more than anything on the planet. So, yeah, there were points in the season where I feel like I was losing my mind.”AdvertisementAdvertisement

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Two seasons ago, the Raiders went 5-4 under interim coach Antonio Pierce, leading to Pierce getting hired as the full-time coach. Pierce was exposed last season, but it wasn’t that long ago the Raiders were beating the Chargers 63-21 and winning at Kansas City. The defense was serviceable last season. The offense got huge upgrades at quarterback, running back and coordinator. If the offense comes alive, the defense is at least average and the Antonio Pierce-to-Pete Carroll upgrade is as impactful as it appears on paper, the Raiders can be … a good last-place team in the AFC West? Maybe there’s some way Las Vegas can get out of the basement in the division and compete for a wild card spot, but that’s a big ask in a very tough AFC West. The Raiders would probably be thrilled to just feel like they’re improving.

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Best-case scenario

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Nightmare scenario

The Raiders were last in the NFL in yards per rush, EPA (expected points added) per rush and success rate on run plays last season. They averaged 3.6 yards per carry, which was 0.3 worse than anyone else. That’s a big reason Ashton Jeanty is a Raider.

The crystal ball says

Pete Carroll becomes the Raiders’ 14th coach since their last playoff win, which came on Jan. 19, 2003. Even that hire was a bit of a fumble after the Raiders chased Ben Johnson even though he reportedly was always eyeing the Bears job. It is a little odd for the rebuilding Raiders to hire a coach who will turn 74 years old in September — when the season starts Carroll will break the record as the oldest coach in NFL history — but given owner Mark Davis’ ineptitude at picking the right coach, at least he got someone with a winning history. The hire of Chip Kelly as offensive coordinator is fascinating as well. The Raiders made Kelly the highest-paid coordinator in the NFL at million per season, according to SI. Carroll comes in with new general manager John Spytek, who had been in the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ front office. Minority owner Tom Brady seems to have a say in the rebuild, though his role might be a bit overstated, perhaps wishcasting a good story.