Are the Las Vegas Raiders This Good Or An Early Fluke?

When it comes to this year’s NFL season, it truly feels like anything can happen. A lifetime of football has happened all in the first six weeks of football. Teams that should be good are kind of meh. Teams that are bad on paper are looking okay. Then teams that should be running away with the division can’t get out of their way. One team to look at this season is the Las Vegas Raiders.

When the team decided to move on from Oakland, they made a big splash to hire Jon Gruden as their head coach. Not only did they need a big name to gain national media attention, but they also needed someone who could turn the team around and bring a winner to their new stadium. Gruden has always been looked at as one of the more successful coaches in the league and his knowledge of the sport made him a coveted prize.

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Fast forward a couple of years and it’s been a mixed bag. He’s traded away some key pieces, made some head-scratching decisions, and the team hasn’t looked much better. That is, until 2020. Are the Los Vegas Raiders as good as they’ve looked against good teams? So far this season they’re barely hanging onto a winning record at 3-2. However, looking at their schedule they’ve already played some tough teams.

They’ve only lost to the New England Patriots and the Buffalo Bills. The Pats might be struggling but still, have a future Hall of Fame coach that will keep them winning. Buffalo might be on a slide currently but is winning the division and lost to two good teams as well.

Flip over their wins and while most games are close, they’re figuring out how to win these close games. Other than the Buffalo Bills, the Raiders haven’t scored less than 30 points all season. Should they make the playoffs, being able to keep up with the high powered postseason offenses will be a must. You don’t have to look any further than their game against last year’s Super Bowl champions, the Kansas City Chiefs to see they can keep the pace. Facing the Chiefs, the Raiders got their first big win against a championship-caliber team.

By beating tough opponents you have to wonder if the Las Vegas Raiders can make a push this year. The season is approaching the half way point and the team looks like it’s picking up the tempo. Are the Raiders a team that can surprise this season or will they continue their inconsistent play?