The Oakland Raiders have just one winning season since 2003, but in order to surpass their projected win total in 2018, they will have to add another. The oddsmakers have pegged them to be a .500 team this season and it could be hard for Oakland to get above that unless things go very well.
The Raiders won 12 games two years ago and qualified for the playoffs but dropped to 6-10 in 2017. Many of the same key players are back from both of those teams so it will be interesting to see what Oakland looks like this season. Coach Jon Gruden is taking over the reins after several years in the television booth and it will be interesting to see if his old-school methods still work in a changing game.
The Raiders need quarterback Derek Carr to return to elite status for this team to have a shot at making the playoffs in NFL gambling.
Oakland Raiders Opening Futures Odds at BookMaker.eu
Raiders Over 8 Wins +128
Raiders Under 8 Wins -156
2018 Raiders Offense Preview
Oakland hasn’t switched up much on offense this season. Carr was fantastic two years ago and below average in 2017, and the Raiders have to hope he returns to form or they will be sunk. Amari Cooper is back as the go-to player but he had a down season in 2017 as well. If Cooper doesn’t surpass 1,000 yards receiving it will be bad news for the offense. Michael Crabtree is gone and Oakland needs someone to step up as the second receiving option. Jordy Nelson was expected to be that guy but is on the backside of his career after an impressive prime. Martavis Bryant has talent but he has always been an enigma.
Marshawn Lynch is nearing the end of his career but the Raiders would really benefit from a powerful running game. The team had one of the best offensive lines in the NFL two years ago and if the group can get back to that point it makes everybody else’s job easier.
2018 Raiders Defense Preview
Oakland has a pair of star edge rushers in Khalil Mack and Bruce Irvin, but Mack is currently in the middle of a nasty contract dispute. The two sides seem to be at an impasse and it is unknown if and when he will report to the team. Mack is one of the two best defensive players in the NFL and any games he misses will hurt the Raiders tremendously. The possibility of trading him has come up, and if that happens Oakland’s defense will take a step back.
The secondary has some young and talented pieces in Gareon Conley and Karl Joseph, but they will be forced to grow up quickly. That’s not always the easiest thing to do against the expert quarterbacks NFL teams see on a weekly basis. If Mack does not suit up for the Oakland defense this year it figures to be a below average group.
2018 Oakland Raiders Schedule Analysis
The Raiders begin the season with a home game against the Los Angeles Rams which could give an immediate idea of how good this team will be in 2018. The middle of the schedule is not particularly tough, and Oakland needs to take advantage of it because there are some hard games at the end.
Oakland needs to pile up victories through the first two-thirds of the schedule or else it could end up finishing below .500. The Raiders play at the Baltimore Ravens in Week 12, host the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 13 and host the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 14. After games against the Cincinnati Bengals and Denver Broncos, they wrap up with a road game against the Chiefs.
It’s possible the Raiders are eliminated from playoff contention by that point and the game could mean more to Kansas City, which wouldn’t help the team’s chances of surpassing eight wins on the year.
The Final Verdict
Much of this comes down to the Mack situation and the play of Carr. It’s possible Mack gets traded, which would really hurt the team’s shot at surpassing the projected win total. Carr has looked like a Pro Bowl quarterback at times but that was with the benefit of a dominant offensive line.
If he’s not getting great protection Carr is just an average quarterback. The Raiders may be better than last year but they are going to finish with a losing season once again in NFL betting.
NFL Betting Odds: Oakland Raiders Under 8 Wins ( -156 )
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