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The Las Vegas Raiders play in arguably the toughest division in football. On paper, the AFC West is the most stacked division in the NFL. It houses some of the top quarterbacks in the league, including Patrick Mahomes, Justin Herbert, Derek Carr, and the newly installed Russell Wilson. Divisional battles are now a lot harder to call.
As things are presently constructed, Las Vegas find themselves near the bottom of the AFC West barrel in terms of respect. Mahomes and his Kansas City Chiefs are expected to battle for another trip to the Super Bowl. A massive leap in year three is anticipated for Justin Herbert and the Los Angeles Chargers. Many think that with the addition of Wilson, the Denver Broncos' recent run of bad fortune will immediately turn around.
For the Raiders, due to their tumultuous 2021 season and the vagarious play of Carr, few, if any, are giving them a legitimate chance in 2022. But football is not played on paper, and with stability in 2022, Las Vegas could win the West.
Here are three reasons why they may be able to do so:
#1- The addition of Davante Adams
At times, Davante Adams found it incredibly easy with the Green Bay Packers. The 6’1” receiver sauntered onto the field and quickly showed why he's considered the best receiver in the NFL. Adams often provided a reprieve when the pocket collapsed. The all-world receiver muscled smaller cornerbacks out of position when pressed at the line of scrimmage. When given room, Adams ran a perfectly timed route. Aaron Rodgers would deliver the perfect ball, right on time for his favorite target.
At the age of 29 and unwilling to be subject to Rodgers' retirement whims, Adams bolted the only team he’s ever known for the stability of the Las Vegas Raiders. With Adams by his side, Derek Carr has the bonafide number one option he can rely upon. Adams provides elite-level production, registering back-to-back seasons of at least 1,300 receiving yards. He can also bail Carr out in sweat perfusing situations.
#2- The Raiders have stability in 2022
With a succession of swift and unpredictable events, the stability of the franchise was shattered in 2021. After heading into the 2021 campaign with promise, a sequence of storms hit the Raiders.
First up was the sudden departure of former head coach Jon Gruden. Although Gruden opted to step down from his position due to racist emails, the Raiders were forced to play in his overbearing shadow for much of the year.
With Gruden gone, the Raiders suffered another loss. This time, in the form of wide receiver Henry Ruggs. Seven games into his second year in the NFL, Ruggs was cut from the league due to a road traffic collision that took the life of a young woman and her dog.
Despite the ongoing turmoil, Carr carried Las Vegas on his shoulders, leading them to 10 victories and a playoff berth.
As the 2022 season inches closer, the Raiders no longer carry the burden of these events. Without these disturbances and distractions, they should enter the campaign with high morale and confidence.
Las Vegas have best receiving core in the AFC West
At one point, Patrick Mahomes couldn’t stop smiling as he gazed at his NFL roster. On countless occasions, the former league MVP would survey the field and carefully ponder his many options before selecting the most open. However, with Tyreek Hill now with the Miami Dolphins, Kansas City has lost a considerable amount of star power.
Whereas Las Vegas have nurtured their own talent and improved their roster. As mentioned previously, the arrival of Davante Adams will add another vaunted weapon to Derek Carr’s arsenal.
Hunter Renfrow has meticulously worked on all aspects of his game. With the 26-year-old wrapping up his first season north of 1,000 receiving yards, Carr has a long list of offensive options to choose from.
Tight end Darren Waller will be anxious to bounce back from his own innocuous year. After registering back-to-back seasons of at least 1,100 receiving yards, an injury-plagued year saw Waller play in just 11 games, resulting in 665 yards.
Should the all-world tight end get back to his previous form, Las Vegas could well win the AFC West. Though the competition is fierce, they have the tools and will put them to work effectively. With kick-off less than two months away, it will be interesting to see how they get on in the stacked AFC West.
