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Oakland Raiders: Five reasons to be pessimistic in 2017

By Sayre Bedinger

Jun 13, 2017; Alameda, CA, USA; Oakland Raiders quarterback Derek Carr (4) addresses the media at minicamp press conference at the Raiders practice facility. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 13, 2017; Alameda, CA, USA; Oakland Raiders quarterback Derek Carr (4) addresses the media at minicamp press conference at the Raiders practice facility. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports /
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May 23, 2017; Alameda, CA, USA; Oakland Raiders tackle Donald Penn addresses the media at press conference during organized team activities at the Raiders practice facility. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
May 23, 2017; Alameda, CA, USA; Oakland Raiders tackle Donald Penn addresses the media at press conference during organized team activities at the Raiders practice facility. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports /

2. Too many close calls…

The Raiders won 12 games last season, but it could have easily swung the wrong way quickly. This team was a handful of individual plays away from being a seven- or eight-win team in 2016.

Now, I’m of course not going to take away the fact that the Raiders played phenomenally well in the second half of games last year. That is a fact that can’t be disputed. However, they were in trouble going into the second half and late in the fourth quarter far too many times last season.

Their talented offense bailed a bending defense out more times than they probably cared to, and as a result, the Raiders were in some close games that probably shouldn’t have been close at all.

Is Derek Carr going to be able to carry the team again this year after his gruesome injury last year?

The Raiders struggled to a pair of wins against the San Diego Chargers, including a game late in the season where the Chargers held them to just 19 points. It took them overtime to beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and they were three points or less away from losses against the Saints, Ravens, and Panthers.

Of course, the Raiders found ways to win those games, and I’m not discrediting that, but it was a little too close for comfort and sometimes, you can’t rely on that kind of good fortune on a year-to-year basis.

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