Making a case for and against each team to win the AFC West in 2022

The Case For The Raiders To Win The AFC West In 2022

As previously mentioned, the Las Vegas Raiders dealt with several off-the-field issues in 2021. Considering they made the playoffs in such a terrible situation, it doesn’t take much of an argument to see why they have a great chance at returning to the postseason under vastly-improved conditions. A few things are working in their favor heading into the 2022 NFL season. These include:

New head coach Josh McDaniels is in a great position to prove that he learned from his disastrous stint with the Denver Broncos a decade ago. McDaniels assumed the role of head coach in Denver back in 2009 but failed to make it through his second season under contract. He flirted with the idea of taking the head coaching gig in Indianapolis a handful of years ago, but ultimately decided against it in the final hour. He brings a brilliant offensive mind to Vegas, as he’s been the primary play caller in New England for many years. Derek Carr should reach new heights with McDaniels entrenched as head coach.

Speaking of Derek Carr, the franchise made a blockbuster move this offseason by acquiring his former collegiate teammate — Davante Adams. The superstar wide receiver comes over to the Silver & Black after serving as the top option for Hall of Fame quarterback, Aaron Rodgers. The two Fresno State Bulldogs will be looking to re-forge their connection with the Raiders. Considering that both players signed monster contract extensions this offseason, they’re going to have at least three years to do damage on the rest of the league. In a city full of things to do, the Raiders might finally be appointment viewing.

The final major move of the offseason came when the team signed veteran pass rusher, Chandler Jones, to a lucrative short-term deal. Jones brings over 100 career sacks with him and will look to help take pressure off of the Raiders’ top edge rusher, Maxx Crosby. Crosby earned a huge extension himself this offseason. Jones has recorded double-digit sacks in six of his last seven seasons, only failing to reach this number in 2020 when he appeared in five games for the Cardinals. Crosby has never posted less than seven sacks in any of his three seasons in the league. The duo will be looking to terrorize opposing quarterbacks together in 2022.

The Case Against The Raiders Winning The AFC West In 2022

The case against the Raiders is a bit trickier to make, but there are still a handful of red flags on the roster. Those include:

The offensive line is very much a work-in-progress, and that’s putting it as nicely as possible. Kolton Miller is locked into the left tackle position, and he provides more than serviceable play for the team from the blindside. Outside of Miller, the rest of the line is full of question marks. Their 2021 first-round pick, Alex Leatherwood, is hoping to prove that he was worth the investment, but after a shaky rookie season, it remains to be seen how effective the former Alabama lineman will be as a professional. He has regularly been beaten in the preseason while spending time at the right tackle position. Derek Carr is going to be running for his life if the unit can’t progress as the season goes.

The health of star tight end, Darren Waller, is something to continue monitoring as the regular season gets closer. Waller struggled with injuries and ineffective play in 2021 and is hoping to have a bounce-back campaign this coming season. Waller eclipsed the 1100-yard mark in both 2019 and 2020, so there’s every reason to believe he can replicate those numbers if he remains healthy. He’s been forced out of offseason workouts with an undisclosed injury, and if he’s unable to log practice time and get preseason reps, there’s a chance he misses time early on in the season. Let’s hope that is not the case because Waller is a focal point for the pass-happy Raiders’ offense.

The final argument against the Raiders is their defense as a whole. Yes, they have two of the better pass rushers in the entire NFL, but what is there to work with behind them? The secondary features some promising young players in Tre’von Moehrig, Rock Ya-Sin, Trayvon Mullen, Nate Hobbs, and Johnathan Abram. While there’s obvious talent on that side of the ball, the guys must turn the potential into action on the field. The linebacker position has serviceable players, but none that really move the needle. To get the most out of their roster, some of the lesser-known guys must make a leap into becoming above-average contributors in the NFL.