How the Las Vegas Raiders Can Win the AFC West in 2024

How the Las Vegas Raiders Can Win the AFC West in 2024

There is still a lot of football to be played, but the Las Vegas Raiders are sitting atop the AFC West after week one. The Raiders even defeated the Denver Broncos 17-16 in the season opener. This victory is giving rise to conversations about their playoff chances and winning the AFC West.

Despite some finding these conversations delusional, there are strong arguments in the Raiders' favor. In fact, there are signs that the Chiefs, the Chargers, and the Broncos might not be able to keep up with the Raiders. The Los Angeles Chargers might be a problem  [caption id="attachment_38081" align="alignnone" > Source. Facebook[/caption]

Another problem is the Los Angeles Chargers, who lost a close game against the Miami Dolphins in week one. The Chargers still managed 34 points against the Dolphins, showing they have a high-powered offense. Compare that to the 17 points the Raiders scored in week one,  and you see a difference.

There is a chance that the Broncos have a better defense than the Chargers, but we don't know. That’s why Las Vegas’ game against the Chargers in week four will be critical. The Raiders will have to outgun them and contain their white-hot offense. They need to stop the run to beat the Chargers and force Justin Herbert into passing the ball. Hopefully, this will create mistakes on the Chargers' part and allow the Raiders to take advantage.

Related: 5 Las Vegas athletes that ruined their careers The Las Vegas Raiders can’t sleep on the Denver Broncos [caption id="attachment_38083" align="alignnone" > Source. Facebook[/caption]

A victory is a victory, but it is also only one game in a 17-game schedule. A win isn’t going to make or break a season. The game, at best, is just a preview of how the Raiders and the Broncos are going to do as the season plays on. There’s a chance to learn something new every week, so no one should be counted out.

Russel Wilson did manage some critical consistency by completing 27 of 34 passes for 177 yards and two touchdowns. He also didn’t turn the ball over in the air, which helped keep the game close. That’s why the key in their next game will be for the Raiders' defense to create turnovers. The Las Vegas Raiders have the potential to run the table in the AFC West [caption id="attachment_38084" align="alignnone" > Source. Facebook[/caption]

The Las Vegas Raiders probably aren’t going to go undefeated in 2023, but the potential is there for an AFC West title. The Raiders' defense seems to be getting their opponents off the field better, and Garoppolo is pretty consistent. The team also has Joshua Jacobs and others to help establish the run when needed.

And with opponents like the Bills, the Steelers, and the Patriots, the Raiders might be able to pull out a few wins. They have a lot going for them right now, and it’s just a matter of how long it lasts. They must pick up every win they can, with the Steelers, the Packers, and the Bears being their best chance. However, Joshua Jacobs will have to establish a better ground game and stop putting pressure on Jimmy Garoppollo. The great unknown of the second half of the season [caption id="attachment_36576" align="alignnone" > Source. YouTube[/caption]

The second half of the season is more cumbersome to predict. That’s due to the possibility of injuries and other outside factors. A season can become significantly easier if an opponent has their best players on the bench. 

The Raiders also face a slew of tough teams in the second half of the season, including the Chiefs, the Lions, and the Giants. Winning these games will come down to how good Josh McDaniels' coaching is. If he does things right, the Raiders might be able to run the AFC West.

Next: Good bad and ugly from Las Vegas Raiders versus Denver Broncos in week one