The 5 Worst Teams for the Upcoming 2015 NFL Season
Oakland Raiders
Projected Record: 6.2-9.8
Playoff Probability: 7.4%
Division Probability: 4.1%
Super Bowl Probability: 0.3%
nERD: -5.99
The Oakland Raiders haven’t finished .500 since 2011 and have alternated between four different head coaches during that span. The organization's draft selections during that time have been relatively unsuccessful as well. It all adds up to a team with low expectations heading into 2015.
While second-year improvements are certainly possible for Derek Carr, we know that based on his rookie season efficiency metrics, the chances of him becoming a top-level NFL quarterback aren’t very great. Drafting Amari Cooper fourth overall in the 2015 draft is a sign the team wants to help Carr’s progression, but it’s unclear if it will be enough.
Latavius Murray is a physical marvel, but will running behind an offensive line that ranked 28th in Adjusted Line Yards last season according to Football Outsiders. The Raiders do claim two of the better pass-catching running backs in Roy Helu and Marcel Reece, which should come in handy as the team is likely to be trailing late in games (PPR alert!).
On the defensive side of the ball, Oakland should be respectable against the run -- projected as the 14th best run-stopping unit according to our rankings. Of all the draft-day whiffs for Oakland, Khalil Mack is a screaming exception and should continue to be one of the best outsider linebackers in football. The defense’s weakness will likely be in pass coverage as we have them ranked in the bottom fourth of the league in that category.
The Raiders have the lowest probability of securing a playoff spot at just 7.4 percent. While they may flash some promising moments in 2015, the road back to glory is one that stretches far off into the distance.
