In 2023-24, the Las Vegas Raiders went 8-9 and finished second in the AFC West. This record has proved to be all too familiar for the Raiders as they seem to be the epitome of a perennial .500 team. The team was led by a strong defense, as it ranked 9th in the NFL and allowed just 19.5 points per game. On the other hand, the offense ranked 23rd and equally scored 19.5 points per game. The Raiders have had a revolving door of quarterbacks and head coaches and still find themselves in this situation. The team notching eight wins last season while still filled with uncertainty was certainly an impressive feat.
The Raiders began the season with Josh McDanields as head coach. His early season record was 3-5. Those five tough losses generated anger among the players. After this losing stretch the team called for a new head coach. Antonio Pierce was promoted from his position as linebackers coach. Pierce gained the trust and admiration of players during this time, making him the first choice for the position. Pierce would finish the season 5-4 and was re-hired for the next season.
The Raiders had three different starting quarterbacks throughout the 2023-24 season: Aidan O’Connell, Jimmy Garoppolo, and Brian Hoyer. This came about due to injuries and poor play, but ultimately the team turned the job over to rookie quarterback Aidan O’Connell. O’Connell started 10 games and passed for 2218 yards and 12 touchdowns to 7 interceptions. His top target, Davante Adams posted an impressive season of 103 receptions, 1144 yards and 8 touchdowns, even through the quarterback issues. Star running back Josh Jacobs ran for 805 yards and added 296 yards to that through the air. On the defensive side of the ball many players contributed as there were key role players, but not many stars. The one bright spot was superstar pass rusher Maxx Crosby. Crosby recorded 14.5 sacks and 23 tackles for loss. Crosby has established himself as one of the top pass rushers in the NFL. The Raiders continue to struggle as they will be losing key players like Josh Jacobs and Davante Adams to free agency.
With a final record of 6-11, the Raiders took a step back from their winning ways in 2021. The team struggled on the road, going 2-7. At home, the team played .500 football, going 4-4. The Raiders lost their first three games of 2022 and followed that up with a win over the Denver Broncos. The team lost to the Chiefs by a final score of 30-29 but bounced back to defeat the Texans 38-20. The team lost the next three games before beating the Broncos a second time in the season. Their four-game losing streak at the end of the season assured the team that they would not be playing in the playoffs.
The Raiders had a winning season in 2021. Taking second place in the AFC West with a record of 10-7 meant that the team would get a Wild Card playoff spot. They faced the Bengals on January 15 and kept it close until the third quarter when Cincinnati pulled away. What got the Raiders to the playoffs was a four-game win streak at the end of the regular season. The overtime win against the Chargers in their final game of the regular season was just good enough to get them the spot in the playoffs. The team's record for home games in 2021 was 5-4.
During the offseason, the Raiders picked up Bilal Nichols from the Bears. Nichols had 51 tackles last season. Darius Phillips has joined the Raiders squad, in hopes of making the team. He showed great speed as a punt returner but struggled in 2020 and 2021. Maxx Crosby signed a massive four-year contract with the Raiders, with 53 million of that guaranteed. The biggest pickup for the team was a wide receiver, Davante Adams, from the Green Bay Packers. Adams is having a great season in Las Vegas. In the upcoming draft, the Raiders will have the 22nd pick in the first round. From there, they will pick 53rd, 86th, 126th, 164 and 165th, and finally 227th. The 126 pick comes from the trade with the Patriots as part of the Trent Brown deal. Josh McDaniels will coach the team in 2022.