Raiders Playoff Projections: Postseason Dreams are Nearly Dead

The Raiders ripped off three straight wins to start the season and created a genuine chance at making the playoffs. Now, those hopes are almost completely gone. 

Las Vegas has lost four games in a row. Although they have lost to four good teams, not picking up a single win is sinking the season. 

What the models are saying: 

FTN Fantasy has dipped the Raiders all the way down to 7.1 percent to make the playoffs. Las Vegas reached a high after Week 3 at 42.8 percent to make the postseason. But that has fallen steadily after each loss. The Athletic is still a bit more optimistic about the Raiders, giving them a 13 percent chance at the playoffs. 

The Week 8 meeting with the Jets is a big game for the Raiders. After playing the Chiefs, Patriots, Bills and Rams, the Jets offer an easier opponent. But an early start time for a Pacific Time Zone team traveling to the east coast could make it tricky. 

The Athletic will boost the Raiders’ playoff odds to 19 percent with a win in New York, while a loss will drop them down to seven percent. 

Both FTN Fantasy and The Athletic project the Raiders as the 11th-most likely AFC team to make the playoffs. Only seven qualify for the postseason, meaning the Raiders will need to jump teams like the Browns and Ravens to have a shot at playing beyond the regular season.

An eye towards the draft

That 3-0 start could end up being detrimental to the Raiders. Thanks to the losing streak, Las Vegas still has a shot at a top five pick in the NFL Draft. FTN Fantasy puts those chances at 16.5 percent. 

That makes the Raiders the 10th most likely team to end up picking in the top five. Las Vegas is just behind Indianapolis and just ahead of Tampa Bay. 

The Raiders need talent across the roster and the higher they pick in the draft, the more likely general manager John Spytek is to finally hit on a draft pick. 

Las Vegas isn’t likely to fully embrace a tank like last season when Maxx Crosby and Brock Bowers were shut down at the end of the season. But a loss to the Jets could create a complete shift in mindset for this season.