How Much Confidence Do You Have in the Oakland Raiders?
By David Mamola
The arrow is definitely pointing up for the Oakland Raiders. Could their long playoff drought be finally coming to an end this season? Take our fan confidence test to find out!
The last time the Oakland Raiders were in the playoffs, they appeared in the Super Bowl. That doesn’t seem like such a bad statement at first glance, but when you consider that game was a loss and took place in 2002, you realize how much the “Black Hole” fandom has suffered in recent years.
2015, however, offered a glimmer of hope for the future. Led by a Pro Bowl quarterback in Derek Carr, a star wide receiver in Amari Cooper, and a linebacker who is being compared to Hall of Famers in Khalil Mack, the Raiders finished last season with a respectable 7-9 record.
Now, 2015 didn’t end with a playoff berth, but with the performances of the aforementioned players (all 25 years or younger), the arrow for the Raiders is definitely pointing up. With a strong showing in free agency and an underrated draft class, many experts are actually predicting the team to—wait for it—make the playoffs in 2016!
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Do you agree with this? Are the Raiders ready to (finally) end their playoff drought, or are they closer to picking first in the 2017 NFL Draft? Our fan confidence test can help you decide!
Simply choose one answer per question, record the points associated with the answer, and at the end of the test, add up all of your points to see your confidence level in the team!
Good luck, and have fun!
- How many yards will quarterback Derek Carr throw for in the 2016 season?
- More than 5,000 yards; he’s in the running for league MVP (10 points)
- 4,000-5,000 yards (7 points)
- 3,000-4,000 yards (4 points)
- Less than 3,000 yards; let the Connor Cook era begin! (1 point)
- Wide receiver Michael Crabtree will:
- Stay healthy, eclipse 1,000 yards, and make his first Pro Bowl (10 points)
- Be the perfect complement to Cooper and gain 650-900 yards (7 points)
- Miss some time, but should be a big target in the red zone (4 points)
- Come crashing back down to Earth and won’t gain 500 yards (1 point)
- Running back Latavius Murray:
- Will run for over 1,500 yards and average 4.5 yards per carry (10 points)
- Will be a bellcow back, score 8 TDs, and eclipse 1,000 yards (7 points)
- Won’t gain 1,000 yards, but should be a serviceable starter (4 points)
- Is overrated and won’t even lead the team in rushing (1 point)
- The Raiders’ offensive line is:
- The league’s best; 2 or more players will make the Pro Bowl (10 points)
- Above average; it should be a strength this year (7 points)
- Average; it’ll get the job done, but it won’t be dominant (4 points)
- A complete mess; they’ll get Carr killed back there! (1 point)
- Rookie pass rusher Jihad Ward:
- Is a star in the making; he’ll win Defensive Rookie of the Year (10 points)
- Should get 8 sacks and form a nice duo with Mack (7 points)
- Will be inconsistent, but should make some impact plays (4 points)
- Who the heck is Jihad Ward? (1 point)
- Former Seattle linebacker Bruce Irvin:
- Is a perfect fit; he’ll make this a top-ten defense (10 points)
- Should be able to do a little bit of everything; good signing! (7 points)
- Isn’t a great player, but he should serve as an upgrade (4 points)
- He only had 5.5 sacks in 2015; can you spell “OVERRATED” (1 point)
- Defensive back Sean Smith:
- Will develop into a shut down, Pro Bowl corner (10 points)
- Is entering his prime and will be a significant upgrade at corner (7 points)
- Was overpaid (4 years, $40 million), but is a reliable starter (4 points)
- Sean Smith? He should have stayed in Kanas City! (1 point)
- Kicker Sebastian Janikowski will miss how many field goals in the upcoming season?
- 0-3; he’s still one of the best kickers in the league (10 points)
- 4-6 (7 points)
- 7-9 (4 points)
- 10 or more; maybe Khalil Mack can handle kicking duties too? (1 point)
- The Raiders will win games at home next year:
- 7-8 (10 points)
- 5-6 (7 points)
- 3-4 (4 points)
- 2 or less; Viva Las Vegas, here we come! (1 point)
- Head coach Jack Del Rio:
- Is the right man for the job; he’s still an elite NFL coach (10 points)
- Isn’t the best coach in the league, but he’ll get the job done (7 points)
- Is on the “hot seat” and could be fired by year’s end (4 points)
- Is terrible; Bill Musgrave will be coaching this team midseason (1 point)
must read: Do You Remember Daryl Washington?
Key:
- 100 points: Greatest team of all-time!
- 90-99 points: Super Bowl, here we come!
- 70-89 points: Playoff-bound!
- 55-69 points: 8-8 record at best
- Less than 55 points: Is it 2017 yet?