Raiders Team Headlines: Oakland Out To End Long Playoff Drought
By Dave Thomas
When the Oakland Raiders and Kansas City Chiefs tangle Thursday evening at Arrowhead Stadium, much more is on the line than just first place in the AFC West.
Both teams will also be fighting for the top seed in the AFC playoffs. With both Oakland and New England sitting at 10-2 in their respective divisions, Kansas City is right on the doorstep at 9-3. With a victory Thursday evening over the Raiders, the Chiefs would move into the top spot in the AFC West because the Chiefs have a better division record.
The thought of Oakland even making the playoffs this year may have seemed far fetched to some, but to the Raiders and their die-hard fans, this has been a long time coming.
Building Foundation Year-By-Year
One year ago, Oakland finished the regular season at 7-9. Although it was an improvement over a number of previous years, it was still a disappointment to the players and fans.
As the 2016 campaign began to unfold, it was clear that the AFC West could literally be a three-team race, with San Diego likely on the outside looking in. While Oakland is in first in the division with a one game lead over the Chiefs and two games ahead of the Broncos, this is very much Oakland's division to win or lose.
What will make winning the division more challenging for the Raiders is having to play all three of their division rivals on the road, beginning Thursday evening with the Chiefs. From there, a Dec. 18 date awaits with the Chargers in San Diego. Oakland will close out regular-season action Jan. 1 in the Mile High City against Denver.
The Raiders have seen sizable improvement in recent years, and it's all led to this season, where they are guaranteed to finish above .500. When you look at last year's record, Oakland finished a game under .500, which looks great compared to the team's 2014 record of 3-13. In 2013 and 2012, Oakland was only a game better at 4-12. In fact, you have to go back to the 2011 campaign, a year in which Oakland finished at 8-8, to see even a hint of the playoffs.
That said, this year's Oakland team seems poised to not only win its division for the first time in more than a decade, but also have a respectable showing in the playoffs.
Winning On The Road
While there are a number of things that stand out about this season's edition of the Raiders, one notable item is that Oakland is a perfect 5-0 on the road. If you throw in the victory the Raiders got when beating Houston a few weeks back in Mexico City (Oakland was technically the home team), they are 6-0.
Winning on the road will be crucial for three out of the next four weeks, especially in two environments that many around the league would deem two of the more difficult places in which to win: Kansas City and Denver.
Leaving Kansas City this Thursday night with a 'W' will certainly be a challenge (the Chiefs are 4-1 at Arrowhead Stadium this season), while competing in Denver on New Year's Day will not be easy, either (the Broncos are 4-2 at home). Even winning in San Diego on Dec. 18 will not be easy, as the Chargers sport a 3-3 mark at home.
So, can the Raiders continue their winning ways on the road, ultimately securing a division title that has been in the hands of Denver in recent years?
Only time will tell, but as of now the Raiders control their own destiny.