NFL Power Rankings, Week 13: 49ers thrash Packers, Patriots handle Cowboys
By Dan Parzych
14. Oakland Raiders (12)
Prior to Sunday’s game, the Oakland Raiders had been building a case for being a team on the rise in the AFC when it comes to being a surprise threat for a playoff spot after winning three games in a row.
This could still very well happen, but the Raiders coming up short the way they did against the New York Jets on Sunday was an absolute embarrassment.
It would be one thing if Oakland came up just short against New York, but watching the Jets fight for a 34-3 win shows how rough this really was for the Raiders.
What makes this loss even more frustrating is with the Kansas City Chiefs being on a bye week, the Raiders missed out on the perfect opportunity to earn the same record as their division rivals entering Week 13.
Finishing ahead of the Chiefs in the division standings will obviously be easier said than done for the Raiders, but hopefully Oakland can figure out a way to get out of this recent funk from the previous two weeks.
Otherwise, the Raiders will be heading towards another year of watching the playoffs from home, which Oakland fans would be devastated to see after the team’s surprise turnaround earlier in the month.