The Raiders team’s silver and black uniform design has remained largely unchanged since 1963. The team uses black jerseys with silver letters and numbers.
In 1967 the Raiders reached the postseason for the first time and won their first AFL championship, but lost the Super Bowl that year to the Green Bay Packers.
Origins
The Raiders joined the American Football League in 1960 as a replacement team for the Minnesota Vikings. Their first three years weren’t great, but they turned around after the hiring of head coach (and owner) Al Davis.
During this time the team would develop a fierce rivalry with the Pittsburgh Steelers. This rivalry would be fueled by events such as the controversial last-second play in their first playoff game.
The Raiders also developed a reputation for tough, dirty play. This was exemplified by safety George Atkinson knocking out Steelers receiver Lynn Swann with a helmet-to-helmet hit in the 1972 season opener. Al Davis drafted several players from HBCUs including the first black quarterback in modern history, Eldridge Dickey from Tennessee State. This helped create the foundation for the Raiders’ championship run in the early 1970s.
Offense
The Raiders have a better roster this season, but until they stop teams, there’s no reason to think they’ll be much more than a middle-of-the-pack team. Getting safety Johnathan Abram into the mix as a ballhawk is important but it’s going to take a lot more for this defense to make major strides.
The offense will rely on quick movement to create mismatches and keep defenses guessing. Adding players like Davante Adams and Hunter Renfrow to a unit that already features first-team All-Pro running back Josh Jacobs should help. But the Raiders still need to score more. Against the Steelers, they were held to one touchdown and 10 first-down passes. That won’t be good enough to win a game in 2021.
Defense
The Raiders defense is a mess at this point. They are giving up almost 30 points per game, which is in the bottom half of the league. They lost some good players in free agency and the draft but didn’t really replace them with upgrades.
The front seven is a question mark and the linebacker corps hasn’t done much to impress in the first four games. It will take time for them to gel and get into Paul Guenther’s system.
The defensive line has potential, with standout tackle Jonathan Hankins and emerging star end Crosby. The team also re-signed former fourth overall pick Clelin Ferrell and added Chander Jones. They should be better than last year’s unit. Hopefully, that means they will be a factor in the pass rush.
Special teams
The Raiders are bringing in multiple players who can help on special teams. They’re continuing to follow Josh McDaniels’ blueprint from New England, adding versatile players who can play multiple positions.
One of those is long snapper Tyler Bobenmoyer, who will be competing with recent signee Cam Sims for a spot at the position. It may seem silly to list a long snapper on this list, but remember the ill-fated snap Jon Condo missed in the team’s season-opener against the Chargers?
The coverage and return units that McMahon’s running are in need of a serious boost. Hopefully, these versatile players can provide that jolt. And it will give the Raiders a chance to make some noise in the AFC West. And not just this year, either.
Coaches
Five Raider coaches have been named either AFL or NFL coach of the year. Al Davis, John Madden, Tom Flores, and Jack Del Rio all held the position at one time.
The Raiders need a coach who can balance the team’s short-term needs and long-range objectives. They might be able to find one in Todd Bowles, a defensive-minded coach with 24 years of coaching experience and close ties to general manager Mike Mayock.
Another candidate is veteran Rob Ryan, who coached the Raiders’ linebackers from 2004-08 and was Baltimore’s inside linebackers coach last season. He is also familiar with Josh McDaniels’s scheme. The Raiders could also use a veteran offensive coordinator like Eric Bieniemy, who formerly served as the Chiefs’ quarterbacks coach. He has 13 seasons of NFL coaching experience and is a former quarterback.
The Raiders Are a Middle-of-The-Pack Team
The Raiders team’s silver and black uniform design has remained largely unchanged since 1963. The team uses black jerseys with silver letters and numbers.
In 1967 the Raiders reached the postseason for the first time and won their first AFL championship, but lost the Super Bowl that year to the Green Bay Packers.
Origins
The Raiders joined the American Football League in 1960 as a replacement team for the Minnesota Vikings. Their first three years weren’t great, but they turned around after the hiring of head coach (and owner) Al Davis.
During this time the team would develop a fierce rivalry with the Pittsburgh Steelers. This rivalry would be fueled by events such as the controversial last-second play in their first playoff game.
The Raiders also developed a reputation for tough, dirty play. This was exemplified by safety George Atkinson knocking out Steelers receiver Lynn Swann with a helmet-to-helmet hit in the 1972 season opener. Al Davis drafted several players from HBCUs including the first black quarterback in modern history, Eldridge Dickey from Tennessee State. This helped create the foundation for the Raiders’ championship run in the early 1970s.
Offense
The Raiders have a better roster this season, but until they stop teams, there’s no reason to think they’ll be much more than a middle-of-the-pack team. Getting safety Johnathan Abram into the mix as a ballhawk is important but it’s going to take a lot more for this defense to make major strides.
The offense will rely on quick movement to create mismatches and keep defenses guessing. Adding players like Davante Adams and Hunter Renfrow to a unit that already features first-team All-Pro running back Josh Jacobs should help. But the Raiders still need to score more. Against the Steelers, they were held to one touchdown and 10 first-down passes. That won’t be good enough to win a game in 2021.
Defense
The Raiders defense is a mess at this point. They are giving up almost 30 points per game, which is in the bottom half of the league. They lost some good players in free agency and the draft but didn’t really replace them with upgrades.
The front seven is a question mark and the linebacker corps hasn’t done much to impress in the first four games. It will take time for them to gel and get into Paul Guenther’s system.
The defensive line has potential, with standout tackle Jonathan Hankins and emerging star end Crosby. The team also re-signed former fourth overall pick Clelin Ferrell and added Chander Jones. They should be better than last year’s unit. Hopefully, that means they will be a factor in the pass rush.
Special teams
The Raiders are bringing in multiple players who can help on special teams. They’re continuing to follow Josh McDaniels’ blueprint from New England, adding versatile players who can play multiple positions.
One of those is long snapper Tyler Bobenmoyer, who will be competing with recent signee Cam Sims for a spot at the position. It may seem silly to list a long snapper on this list, but remember the ill-fated snap Jon Condo missed in the team’s season-opener against the Chargers?
The coverage and return units that McMahon’s running are in need of a serious boost. Hopefully, these versatile players can provide that jolt. And it will give the Raiders a chance to make some noise in the AFC West. And not just this year, either.
Coaches
Five Raider coaches have been named either AFL or NFL coach of the year. Al Davis, John Madden, Tom Flores, and Jack Del Rio all held the position at one time.
The Raiders need a coach who can balance the team’s short-term needs and long-range objectives. They might be able to find one in Todd Bowles, a defensive-minded coach with 24 years of coaching experience and close ties to general manager Mike Mayock.
Another candidate is veteran Rob Ryan, who coached the Raiders’ linebackers from 2004-08 and was Baltimore’s inside linebackers coach last season. He is also familiar with Josh McDaniels’s scheme. The Raiders could also use a veteran offensive coordinator like Eric Bieniemy, who formerly served as the Chiefs’ quarterbacks coach. He has 13 seasons of NFL coaching experience and is a former quarterback.
