Aug 23, 2025; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Las Vegas Raiders head coach Pete Carroll looks on before the game against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images

Why Raiders Have Shocking Spot in Latest Power Rankings

Originally posted on Las Vegas Raiders on SI
By Michael Canelo | Last updated Sep 3, 2025 11:00 AM ET

The Las Vegas Raiders are looking to have a good season in 2025. The Silver and Black have gotten better this offseason, and they are ready to show it when it matters the most.

They want to win a lot more games than they did a season ago, and this offseason have proven that they have put their franchise in the best position to do that. The Raiders have a lot of talent on this team, and it is going to be good to see what the team does on the field in 2025.

The Raiders go into the season with a veteran leader in head coach Pete Carroll. Carroll is going to know how to deal with everything that gets put in the Raiders' way this season. Carroll knows how to take struggling teams and make them better. He is on a mission here in Las Vegas to get the Raiders back to winning games consistently, and the way he has gone about it has been excellent. The Raiders are looking to give their fans something to cheer for as well.

The Raiders have made a lot of changes this offseason with their coaching staff and players. The Raiders, on paper, are a completely better team than they have been over the last few seasons, but they all know that is not going to matter without winning games this season. They want to prove that this Raiders team is different from the ones in the past. Carroll and the coaching staff have done a great job this offseason getting their roster ready for the season.

Raiders Ranking

Conor Orr of Sports Illustrated ranked the Raiders at No. 20 entering the 2025 NFL season.

The Raiders enter the 2025 season hoping to erase those moments of bumbling incompetence from a year ago. While Pete Carroll’s Seahawks teams were always weird, they were not the specific kind of weird that was the 2024 Raiders.

No identity. Frazzled decision making. The one bright spot is that most teams didn’t double their rookie tight end. While my personal jury is out on Ashton Jeanty over-taking one of the anchor tackles in the first round and one of the big-time backs in the second, I have faith that Chip Kelly can make it look right.

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This article first appeared on Las Vegas Raiders on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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