Raiders' Win-Loss Predictions for 2024 NFL Season
As the Las Vegas Raiders move closer to their preseason finale and August 27 roster cuts, they're busy putting the finishing touches on their 2024 roster. Ideally, Las Vegas will enter the regular season with a squad that is capable of competing in the AFC West and possibly pushing for a playoff spot.
The Raiders showed late last season that they can, in fact, pick up divisional wins. After Antonio Pierce took over as head coach, Las Vegas went 5-4 and beat the Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs and Los Angeles Chargers along the way.
However, the Raiders haven't won their division since the 2002 season.
Will this year mark the start of something special in Las Vegas, or will it be yet another rebuilding year for a franchise that has them almost annually? Let's take a look at what's in store and make a few predictions.
Raiders 2024 Schedule
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Week 1: At Los Angeles Chargers
Week 2: at Baltimore Ravens
Week 3: Carolina Panthers
Week 4: Cleveland Browns
Week 5: at Denver Broncos
Week 6: Pittsburgh Steelers
Week 7: at Los Angeles Rams
Week 8: Kansas City Chiefs
Week 9: at Cincinnati Bengals
Week 10: BYE
Week 11: at Miami Dolphins
Week 12: Denver Broncos
Week 13: at Kansas City Chiefs
Week 14: at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Week 15: Atlanta Falcons
Week 16: Jacksonville Jaguars
Week 17: at New Orleans Saints
Week 18: Los Angeles Chargers
Analysis and Expectations
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The Raiders have spent much of the offseason holding a quarterback competition between incumbent Aidan O'Connell and Gardner Minshew. A decision was finally announced on Sunday.
"We feel like Gardner gives us the best opportunity to get off to a fast start, and that's what we're going with," Pierce said, per NFL.com's Grant Gordon. We support him, our team's behind it, our staff's behind it, our organization's behind it."
The QB competition might not have a significant impact on the team's expectations, however. Minshew brings more mobility and playmaking juice to the proverbial table, but he did not appear to be a clear-cut better option than O'Connell through the first two games of the preseason,
And if Minshew doesn't pan out, the Raiders will go back to O'Connell anyway.
The Raiders' success or failure in 2024 will largely depend on their improving defense, their collection of potent pass-catchers and the potential emergence of new starting running back Zamir White.
The Vegas oddsmakers don't seem to believe that these factors will be enough. The Raiders over/under for wins currently sits at 6.5, according to DraftKings Sportsbook, and Las Vegas isn't expected to be a major factor in their own division.
The Raiders are +900 (bet $100 to win $900) to win the AFC West in 2024. Only the rebuilding Broncos have longer odds.
Predictions
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While the Raiders may not carry high expectations, it would be foolish to write them off. No, the quarterback situation isn't great, but we can't simply discount the competitive spirit and toughness Las Vegas showed late last season.
Beating the Chiefs was big, and with both Denver and Los Angeles reloading, the Raiders have a chance to pick up multiple wins in divisional play. Kansas City aside, Las Vegas' biggest challenges may actually come from outside the AFC West.
The Raiders are tied for the league's eight-toughest schedule based on 2023 winning percentage (.512).
If the defense can show further growth under Pierce, though, it has the potential to be elite. Playmakers like Maxx Crosby, Malcolm Koonce and newcomer Christian Wilkins can legitimately take over games and steal wins.
And as long as the Raiders can get even average quarterback play, the offense could be pretty good too. Simply getting the ball to explosive threats like Davante Adams, Tre Tucker, Jakobi Meyers and Brock Bowers will make things difficult for opposing defenses. Minshew can push the ball downfield, so the big-play threat will at least be there.
If White emerges as a capable weekly starter—he tallied 397 rushing yards in his four starts last season—the Raiders can have a fairly complete roster. If they get surprisingly strong quarterback play, they'll be legitimate playoff contenders.
The expectation here is that Las Vegas wins the divisional games it should, steals a few home games it probably shouldn't—cross-country trips remain challenging—and remains relevant until late in the season.
Win-Loss Prediction: 8-9
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Win-Loss Prediction: 8-9
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