Most betting sites have the Raiders projected to win 7.5 games this season. And that actually was a slight improvement from last year as they went 6-11 and finished with the seventh-worst record in the NFL.
But is there any chance that they could exceed that total in 2023? Or are they most likely to hover around 6-7 wins again this season?
In a recent article by Cynthia Frelund of NFL.com, she predicted each team’s win total during the 2023 season. For the Raiders, her analytics predicted that the Raiders would win 6.8 games this year, falling short of their 7.5 projected win total.
Here is what Frelund had to say about the Raiders and why their schedule could ultimately doom them:
The Raiders’ schedule could pose some real challenges for Josh McDaniels’ crew in Year 2. Three of their first four games are on the road (including the Bills’ home opener in Week 2), and they face the Jets, Dolphins (in Miami ) and Chiefs in consecutive weeks to close out November.
They also have the latest bye of any team in the AFC West (Week 13), which could be a positive if they’re in a position to make a postseason run. However, it could also work against them if they get off to a shaky start and wind up missing the chance to reset.
It’s going to be very important that the Raiders find a way to stay near .500 after the first two months of the season. If they can do that, they’ll have a chance to make a late post-season run. But if they get off to a slow start, they may not be able to recover in the ever-deep AFC.
Most sites predict that the Raiders will miss the playoffs again this season and finish with fewer than eight wins. But none of that really matters once the games start being played.
Is this the year the Raiders shock the world? Because it certainly feels like no one else believes in them. Time will tell if the Raiders can prove the doubters wrong during the 2023 season.
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Story originally appeared on Raiders Wire