NFL Power Rankings, Week 7: 49ers, Texans make statements as contenders
By Dan Parzych
15. Oakland Raiders (19)
Are the Oakland Raiders the real deal? For a team that seemed to be written off back in September following a 1-2 start, the Raiders will be coming off the bye week with two impressive wins over the Indianapolis Colts and Chicago Bears.
All of a sudden, Oakland is beginning to earn some recognition for being part of the conversation of a top contender in the AFC, and they could make a stronger case in Week 7 if they happen to defeat the Green Bay Packers.
Lambeau Field in general is never an easy place for any opponent to play since Packers fans always do an incredible job at making the environment one of the best in the league, but at least this will be another great test for the Raiders.
One can only imagine how difficult it was for Oakland to overcome the drama of Antonio Brown early on in the season since the wideout was supposed to take things to new levels on offense, and Derek Carr certainly deserves a ton of credit for his impressive play.
Competing in the AFC West with the Kansas City Chiefs means the Raiders will need every win they can get moving forward just to have a fighting chance in the division, and it will be interesting to see how things play out come Sunday in Green Bay, especially after extra rest.