Which LA Rams opponents will be better than advertised?

Las Vegas Raiders

I’m not one to put a lot of weight into off-season additions, but the Raiders adding star wide receiver Davante Adams in the offseason was one that simply commands you to sit up and take notice. I’m not a huge fan of the Las Vegas Raiders’ new head coach Josh McDaniels, either.  But this is his second stint as head coach (formerly was the Denver Broncos head coach), and he has a legitimate quarterback in Derek Carr.

The Raiders have appeared to be solid-state competitors leading up to the season, but have been underwhelming in their actual performance.  Now, with a new offensive-minded head coach, and what appears to be a supercharged offensive roster, this could be a huge season for the Raiders.

Nothing will come easily for the Raiders this season, as the Denver Broncos, LA Chargers, and Kansas City Chiefs are all in the conversation of AFC teams that could compete in Super Bowl LVII. And simply due to the fact that they are competing in the same division, they may end up beating each other’s brains out in divisional games.

The challenge with the game against the Raiders is that the game occurs in Week 14, it happens on a short week (it’s a Thursday Night Football game), and it falls after their home games against the LA Chargers. Why mention the Chargers? Well, the Chargers could win that game, which would put the Raiders into an even more determined mindset to win against the Rams.

The Raiders have flirted with turning the corner for years. I don’t have a strong feel for how well the Las Vegas Raiders will play for McDaniels over the long haul. But I suspect that they will improve upon their 10-7 record from 2021.  And that makes Week 14 dead center in their playoff push range. Bring your lunch for this one, as it could be a tough win.