LAS VEGAS RAIDERS
2020 Record - 8-8-0
Head Coach - Jon Gruden
Key Additions - John Brown (WR), Kenyan Drake (RB), Willie Snead (WR), Solomon Thomas (DL), Rasul Douglas (DB), Quinton Jefferson (DL), Karl Joseph (DB), Yannick Ngakoue (DL), Nick Martin (OL)
OFFENSE - Derek Carr will be the starting quarterback again this season after passing for 4,103 yards along with 27 touchdowns and nine interceptions. He also scored three rushing touchdowns. Marcus Mariota is the backup. The primary running backs include Josh Jacobs (1,065 rushing yards, 3.9 ypc average and twelve TD) and Kenyan Drake (940, 3.6, seven TD with Arizona in 2020).
The wide receivers are Henry Rugss III (26 receptions for 452 yards with two TD), Hunter Renfrow (56, 656, two TD), Willie Snead (33, 432, three TD with Baltimore) and John Brown, who hauled in 33 receptions for 458 yards and three scores with the Buffalo Bills last season. The tight end is Darren Waller, who led the Raiders with 107 catches for 1,196 yards and nine touchdowns.
The Raiders offense finished eighth in the NFL in 2020, averaging 383 yards per game while scoring 27.1 PPG and also averaged 120 yards rushing per game (14th overall) and 263 yards passing per game, which was seventh in the NFL.
DEFENSE - Clelin Ferrell and Yannick Ngakoue will look to be the defensive end starters along with tackles Johnathan Hankins and Quinton Jefferson. Maxx Crosby (seven QB sacks) is another front line stalwart for the Raiders. Linebackers include Nicholas Morrow (three sacks), Nick Kwiatkoski and Cory Littleton. Javin White, Tanner Muse and James Onwualu provide depth.
In the secondary are cornerbacks Trayvon Mullen and Damon Arnette. Nate Hobbs, a rookie from Illinois and Rasul Douglas are also in the mix. the safeties include Johnathan Abram, Dallin Leavitt and rookies Trevon Moehrig (TCU) and Tyree Gillespie (Missouri). Veteran Karl Jospeh is also available along with Casey Hayward, Jr. to help spell the starters.
2021 SEASON OUTLOOK - The Raiders fell out of contention a year ago by dropping three of their final four games and Head Coach Jon Gruden needs the team to avoid another late-season collapse if they want to end a five year playoff drought.
Derek Carr had an up and down year at quarterback and returns for his seventh season in the silver and black. The running game has more depth this year with Kenyan Drake coming over from Arizona to join Josh Jacobs in the backfield. The receiving corps showed some promise, but TE Darren Waller is the main target for the passing game.
Defensively, the Raiders struggled in 2020, allowing 29.9 PPG (30th in the league) while also finishing in the bottom third of the NFL by allowing 389 yards per game, which included 126 yards per game against the run and 263 YPG against the pass. They only had ten interceptions and just 21 quarterback sacks and those areas must improve in the 2021 season if the Raiders want to contend in the AFC West against the likes of Kansas City and the Los Angeles Chargers. Most likely, the Raiders will go 7-10 and fall short of making the playoffs once again while failing to hit double digits in the win column for the fifth straight year.
2021 SCHEDULE
Week 1 - vs. Baltimore
Week 2 - at Pittsburgh
Week 3 - vs. Miami
Week 4 - at L.A. Chargers
Week 5 - vs. Chicago
Week 6 - at Denver
Week 7 - vs. Philadelphia
Week 8 - BYE
Week 9 - at N.Y. Giants
Week 10 - vs. Kansas City
Week 11 - vs. Cincinnati
Week 12 - at Dallas
Week 13 - vs. Washington
Week 14 - at Kansas City
Week 15 - at Cleveland
Week 16 - vs. Denver
Week 17 - at Indianapolis
Week 18 - vs. L.A. Chargers
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