The NFL is better when the Raiders are good. Unfortunately, the Raiders haven’t been good in a long time.
One point is clear from a new article by Zak Keefer of The Athletic regarding the second Jon Gruden stint: The Raiders haven’t had, and don’t have, enough talent to contend.
They haven’t won a playoff game since the 2002 season, which ended with a Super Bowl blowout loss to the Buccaneers, in the season after the late Al Davis traded Gruden to Tampa. (Thirteen years ago, Hall of Fame receiver Tim Brown made major waves during Super Bowl week by claiming that Gruden’s replacement, Bill Callahan, wanted to lose the game.)
Since 2002, the Raiders’ only two playoff appearances happened in 2016 and 2021. The latter was by far the most impressive. Despite having Gruden forced out via the strategic leak of problematic emails sent a decade earlier (his lawsuit against the league is still pending), the Raiders nearly beat the Bengals in the wild-card round. (Cincinnati nearly won the Super Bowl that year.)
It should have resulted in interim coach Rich Bisaccia getting the job. It didn’t; the Raiders instead hired Josh McDaniels and then Antonio Pierce and then Pete Carroll and now Klint Kubiak.
The revolving door of coaches has been exacerbated by an empty cupboard of talent. Last year, they had two elite players — Maxx Crosby and Brock Bowers. Last month, they spent like drunken Tom Bradys on available free agents.
The next question is whether they’ll turn their pole position in the 2026 draft into a contending team. They have the No. 1 overall pick for the first time since drafting quarterback Jamarcus Russell instead of receiver Calvin Johnson or tackle Joe Thomas, both of whom have bronze busts in the Hall of Fame.
Fernando Mendoza will be the next potential franchise quarterback for the Raiders, unless they shock the football world and don’t take him. They need more than that. They need a better line, a better defense. Better receivers. Better everything, basically, except for Crosby and Bowers.
And they’re in a difficult division, competing with the Chiefs, Broncos, and Chargers. This year, the Raiders also will play the teams of the AFC East (including the Patriots and Bills) and the teams of the NFC West (including the Seahawks, Rams, and 49ers).
Through it all, 2002 keeps getting deeper into the rearview mirror. And the Raiders continue to be one of the lesser teams in the league.
If it ever changes, the NFL will be better for it. The Autumn Wind and whatnot. Commitment to excellence. Just win, baby.
For nearly a quarter century, the air has been dank and stagnant. The excellence has been AWOL. And the wins have been too infrequent.
The structure of the game gives every team a fair shot at competing. The Raiders simply haven’t been able to do it. And it all comes down to not having enough good players.
Read the full article here
