Define Success in 2026
Posted: Tue Jan 20, 2026 4:34 pm
For me success hinges on how closely we track to two previous teams: the 2015 Raiders and the 1958 Green Bay Packers.
Consider.
2015 Raiders A young team on the rise and we were in almost every game. We won some close ones and lost some close ones on the way to a 7-9 record. I note this as it was an improvement from 2014 and 3-13 in 2014. There was a sense of improvement all around; a sense that after a decade of crap our fortunes were improving. While I don't expect history to play out again, the parallels are there.
1958 Packers What the Hell does this have to do with us I hear you ask? A lot. The Packers went 1-10-1 in 1958, it was part of a streak where they had been horrible for something like 10-15 years prior. In 1959 They went 7-5 under a football coach you may have heard of: Vince Lombardi.
Why is this important, is the ghost of Vince going to walk through the door or we get a coach like him? Unless his grandson walks in, no. Its also not the point. There are actually two points to this. 1. The right coach makes all the difference. 2. The 1958 Packers had 12 players who were either All-Pro or would go on to the Hall of Fame. That doesn't mean we have that level of talent on the roster. What I am pointing out we have a LOT more talent than people give us credit for.
This isn't wishful thinking, its rationally pointing out that yes we finished 3-14, but there is a lot more than meets eye to the Raiders roster. Adding the right coach and Mendoza could change things quickly.
Lastly, this is not me buying into the Kool Aide. This is me saying that there is lot to build on here, a lot more than everyone gives us credit for and while I don't expect a one-year turnaround, we could very well see a repeat the season of the two teams I outlined.
How about you, what does success in 2026 look like for you?
Consider.
2015 Raiders A young team on the rise and we were in almost every game. We won some close ones and lost some close ones on the way to a 7-9 record. I note this as it was an improvement from 2014 and 3-13 in 2014. There was a sense of improvement all around; a sense that after a decade of crap our fortunes were improving. While I don't expect history to play out again, the parallels are there.
1958 Packers What the Hell does this have to do with us I hear you ask? A lot. The Packers went 1-10-1 in 1958, it was part of a streak where they had been horrible for something like 10-15 years prior. In 1959 They went 7-5 under a football coach you may have heard of: Vince Lombardi.
Why is this important, is the ghost of Vince going to walk through the door or we get a coach like him? Unless his grandson walks in, no. Its also not the point. There are actually two points to this. 1. The right coach makes all the difference. 2. The 1958 Packers had 12 players who were either All-Pro or would go on to the Hall of Fame. That doesn't mean we have that level of talent on the roster. What I am pointing out we have a LOT more talent than people give us credit for.
This isn't wishful thinking, its rationally pointing out that yes we finished 3-14, but there is a lot more than meets eye to the Raiders roster. Adding the right coach and Mendoza could change things quickly.
Lastly, this is not me buying into the Kool Aide. This is me saying that there is lot to build on here, a lot more than everyone gives us credit for and while I don't expect a one-year turnaround, we could very well see a repeat the season of the two teams I outlined.
How about you, what does success in 2026 look like for you?
