Predict the 2026 record - your realistic expectations

[Viper]

With Mendoza needing time to adjust, an unproven O line and what I consider average receivers, I’m not really expecting to light it up on offense.

Defensively, we should be at least middle of the pack. That should go a long ways in helping stack wins.

Having said that, we are improved across the board yet still more work to do. I would predict we have 6 wins this year, double what we had last year. If Pete can manage 3 last year, I have faith with a better coaching staff we can do better. If we can beat the teams we’re supposed to plus staying close in the 4th quarter against better talent, we have a punchers chance in some of those.

Personally, at least another year or two to make some real noise if we nail FA and the draft.

[Viper]

Idk but I smell a Jack Bech breakout this year.

We need someone in that group to step up and he has the abilities. He could definitely benefit from Kubiak’s system.

[chucker]

agree
I think the Raiders should have 2 hours a week, optional, movies and vids night of who the Raiders once were.

Vids on solo players and thier commitment to f[raiders_icon]ck shit up.
They can start with, "Highway 63 and 78". Otherwise know as The Mummy and the Gentle Giant.

And then flip to defense and show them about Man Mountain. Aka John Matuszak, aka "The Tooz".

Add in the Assaian, The Stork aka
"Kick 'Em In The Head Ted", Dr Death, The Snake, The Ghost. Who's missing?

The Soul Patrol: The legendary 1970s defensive secondary consisting of Jack Tatum, George Atkinson, Skip Thomas, and Willie Brown should be a good one.

To say Linderbaum could learn a thing or two from Otto would be an understatement.

Start with this

Dwelling on the past is for fans. The team can be aware of it, but they need to focus on the now.

[raider_kin]

Idk but I smell a Jack Bech breakout this year.

'I don't care what you smell.'


Long clip. Funny though.
Bech was a stupid pick.

[BoKnows81]

'I don't care what you smell.'


Long clip. Funny though.
Bech was a stupid pick.

Why was it a stupid pick? Sure, I would of liked a OL there but he's a good player and will show as much this year.

[Grumpy13]

I feel Bech was drafted by Spytek to be used as a move the chains type receiver. Pete chose to bring in a used up Lockett instead of giving the rookie a shot. I believe Kubiak see’s the same type of skill set that Bech possesses as Spytek saw when he drafted him. I expect a marked improvement from him this year.

[Rabidraider]

Nailor is our diamond in the rough.

He was buried under Jefferson and Addison. When he did play he played like a WR1.

[FLORIDARAYDAH]

Nailor is our diamond in the rough.

He was buried under Jefferson and Addison. When he did play he played like a WR1.

He got a lot of playing time when others were out. He had a few good games. Solid pickup but he isnt all that.

[Rabidraider]

https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/488 ... nty-year-2

[SkullCrusher]

Agreed. I cant understand for the life of me anyone that has patience when it comes to this team and even worse, tells others they need to have patience.

Don't let me get to far in your head, especially since you misunderstood how it was originally framed.

Why you have to have patience? Because you'd be a meddling lunatic otherwise. Even a worse Mark.

Some are trying to meld fan impatience into running a team right now because of a poor 25 years.

You can't put the past on the current staff, it just can't work that way, no one would come here in a whack enviro like that. That's late stage AL.

So yeah we have to have patience with pretty much everyone but vets. They each deserve their time to shine, the new coaches, the young players.

I think what we are all hoping for is reasonable, a team when this season is over you know we're moving forward and you are happy with the staff getting this progressively right. If we can hit lighting in the bottle, stupendous! But I don't think you count on that, patience or not.

Watching the past on YouTube, you can dislike Gruden, but when you watch before and then as he coached here, there was a major turnaround and the team became quite good, way ahead from what we've seen for the past 25 years. Someone said Thunder and Lighting was gay yesterday. Wheatley and Garner were legit TnL with a side of Crockett. We we're smashing teams then, we were as good as anyone. I'd take a legit TnL every day.

When was the last time we were as good as anyone? A few weeks near the end of 2016 and then the Carr injury? So a flash moment in time.

[TrueFan420]

I think the only way Mendoza doesn’t play is if Cousins is on pace to lead us to a playoff berth. Highly doubtful.

I don’t necessarily agree that some of our picks that you mentioned need to be starters, quite the opposite actually. Depth and rotational players.

I understand your position on Stukes but in my mind wasn’t a reach at all. The kid can ball. He looks like a player I would put the label of “first, fast and furious “ on. He will see the field early is my guess, and like you, hope they pan out for us.

No doubt, I think Mendoza sees the field because we won’t be that good but you never know.

I don’t think they need to be starters either. We need to improve the floor desperately. Having said that, we also needed a lot of starters and the analyst making the betting odds don’t see improvements there that could drive our odds down.

Time will tell and I hope he balls out but it def feels like a lot of our GMs I know what I’m doing type moves.

[LayneStaley]

I predict other NFL teams will finally take us seriously and not treat us like an extra bye week.

[TrueFan420]

I’m tired of the wasted years. I’m tired of the “well this will be the foundational year for future success.”

It feels so different from VGK, who operate ruthlessly and will do absolutely anything to win, and win now. I hope that the Raiders can find a similar standard, and sooner rather than later. I’m tired of the losing.

Hope everyone’s having a great Memorial Day.

Aren’t we all. Just hoping that this time it’s different. We’re fans, not owners with power.

[Reno Hightower]

I have a feeling that the mystique of Raiders past is what keeps us loyal to the Raiders present hoping for a return to the glory days.

To put things in perspective we are further removed from the days of the Raiders mystique as we were from the end of WWII when the Raiders won their last Super Bowl.

The younger fans that stay loyal without having had experienced the good times have my upmost respect. Their idea of the gold ole days was the JDR era.

[mstrbass2000]

To put things in perspective we are further removed from the days of the Raiders mystique as we were from the end of WWII when the Raiders won their last Super Bowl.

The younger fans that stay loyal without having had experienced the good times have my upmost respect. Their idea of the gold ole days was the JDR era.

im fortunate to have seen it all from great to shit

[Viper]

To put things in perspective we are further removed from the days of the Raiders mystique as we were from the end of WWII when the Raiders won their last Super Bowl.

The younger fans that stay loyal without having had experienced the good times have my upmost respect. Their idea of the gold ole days was the JDR era.

People become fans for different reasons. I happened to be born and raised there and it was an aura of invincibility. I’d say the Raiders franchise rivaled Santa and his elves as a kid.

I wondered how I would feel when I moved to the PNW, how I would feel when the Raiders moved to LA and then Vegas. For me, it’s in my blood. Maybe if they weren’t so successful as a kid growing up there it might be different.