The Raiders face a litmus test against the Jets
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — A funny thing happened to the Raiders in the second phase of the major roster rebuild intended to set their future straight.
They played so well they’ve soared into late November as a playoff contender. Not just for a wild card berth, but as a contender for the AFC West division crown.
What was assumed to be out of reach in the second season of the massive renovation job being overseen by Jon Gruden and, this season, Mike Mayock is suddenly very much in their grasp. The formula now is as simple as it is startling: If the Raiders win their last six games — beginning Sunday at the New York Jets — they will unseat the Kansas City Chiefs as division champions.
Who could have foreseen that as they broke camp in Napa Valley under the controversial cloud created by the Antonio Brown saga and with a roster filled with untested youth and an influx of newcomers?
As they keep one eye on the on-going rebuild in preparation for their relocation to Las Vegas — remember, they own five of the first 90 selections in next April’s draft and are projected to have approximately $70 million to spend under the salary cap — they eagerly embrace the opportunities they’ve created for themselves as they close out their last year in Oakland.
“This is what you live for,” Gruden said. “You know, games that are relative in November and December. And who knows how we’ll do, but at least we’ve put ourselves in position to be here.”
Which brings us to the next step in their campaign for a postseason bid — and it’s one as important as the division-defining matchup next week at the Kansas City Chiefs.
The Raiders don’t set up that brawl for division supremacy without taking care of business against the Jets, who are muddling in their own rebuild near the bottom of the AFC standings.
Three months ago this was no one’s idea of a game that needed to be underlined out of significance. But for the Raiders, it’s evolved into a litmus test of sorts.
Have they matured enough to swat away the Jets on their way to the biggest game of the season? Or will a young team still growing get caught in a trap game?
The vibe in Alameda this week suggested the Raiders’ attention was squarely on the Jets, who have helped matters a bit by winning two straight games and showing some life behind second-year quarterback Sam Darnold and an aggressive Gregg Williams-coached defense.
Over the last three weeks the Jets have a league-leading 16 quarterbacks sacks and are tied for third with 24 quarterback hits. The 274 yards they are giving up in that time is the fifth fewest in the NFL.
It’s grabbed the Raiders attention.
“And their whole defense, they fly around — secondary, linebackers, D-line, they all hit, they’re all physical, they play nasty. Very, very good group,” Raiders quarterback Derek Carr said. “Very good football team too.
Darnold missed three games earlier this year with mononucleosis, which obviously set back his development in his second year . But over his last three games he’s thrown for six touchdowns against two interceptions while completing 65.7 percent of his passes for 783 yards. His quarterback rating is 101 during that span and he’s coming off a career-high four touchdown passes against Washington.
When the Raiders broke down Jets game film this week, they didn’t see a 3-7 team as much as they saw a club that seems to be finding an identity.
“ People talk about records and all those kinds of things,” Carr said. “Pump the brakes a little bit. They were without their quarterback for a while. They are just getting healthy and you are seeing what they are able to do when they are all out there together. Very, very tough game ahead of us, but looking forward to it.”
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Contact Vincent Bonsignore at vbonsignore@reviewjournal.com. Follow @VinnyBonsignore on Twitter.