AFC Power Rankings Week 13: Chiefs skyrocket, Pats fall to No. 2
Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports
28. . AFC West. 5-6. Oakland Raiders. 9. player
A win over the hap less Titans on Sunday catapulted the Raiders back into the AFC playoff picture. Derek Carr instrumented the win, finding rookie Seth Roberts six times for 113 yards and a pair of scores. Another rookie, Amari Cooper, led the Raiders in receiving yards with 115. See a trend developing here? The Raiders have quite possibly the most promising mix of young offensive talent right now. It should also be noted that youth in Oakland is not limited to the offense, as indicated by Khalil Mack’s two sacks of Marcus Mariota.
If the Raiders can win two of their next three games (Kansas City, at Denver, Green Bay), then they will enter Week 16 with a 7-7 record, putting Jack Del Rio’s group in prime position for a Wild Card spot. Even if the Raiders miss out on the playoffs, 2015 should be viewed as a year of great advancement for this once-proud but much-maligned franchise.
Next: 8. New York Jets