National Football League

JBB Staff Roundtable: Oakland Raiders 2016 Season

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 3:45 p.m. ET

Fansided, Nick Hjeltness/FanSided via Just Blog Baby

The Just Blog Baby Staff answers five different questions to cap the 2016 Oakland Raiders season, ranging from favorite moments to coaching decisions, stadium predictions and more.

The 2016 Oakland Raiders season has come and gone. There were some great moments and unfortunately, some pretty awful moments to the end year. To cap the season, the Just Blog Baby Staff provides their answers to five different questions.

Let’s get started.

Sep 11, 2016; New Orleans, LA, USA; Oakland Raiders wide receiver Michael Crabtree (15) makes a catch for a two-point conversion while defended by New Orleans Saints cornerback Ken Crawley (46) late in the fourth quarter at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. The Raiders won 35-34. Mandatory Credit: Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports

What was your favorite moment from the season?

Brazy

Finally breaking the “winning season” threshold. After 14 years of not being over .500, it felt good to be a winner again.

Daniel Carrigy

The overtime win in Tampa Bay. That is the single worst day my heart has ever had. Stress after stress after play called back after play called back. Derek finding Seth Roberts across the middle for the game-winner was not only the moment of the season for me, but a Carr career highlight game.

Evan Ball

I’m sure it’s cliché but my favorite moment still has to be the call to go for two and win against the Saints in the beginning of the year. There was probably no single play that was more important than that in shaping the entire course of the season.

Gagan Aujla

My favorite moment from the season had to be the Sunday night win against Denver at home. It was the Raiders first official Sunday Night game in 10 years, and the way the Raiders dominated from start to finish on both sides of the ball put the rest of the league on notice that the Raiders will be relevant for years to come.

Justin Smith

So many to choose from in a year full of highlights, really. But I have to harken back to the two-point conversion to win the New Orleans game in Week 1 yet again.

It was a season of some hope, and I was watching the game at my friend’s house who happens to be a Saints fan. I will fully admit that after years of heartbreak I lost faith after the Cooks 98-yard touchdown, and I left my buddy’s place pissed off and went home to suffer through the rest of what I thought was going to be a “here we go again” season opener.

Then Carr began working his magic, and suddenly we had a chance to tie!! No, Del Rio, what the hell are you doing!?!?!? Why go for two?? But then I thought, well the D isn’t stopping them and JDR said he was going to be aggressive and teach this team to win. Fade. Catch. Elation.

Winning this game led to an entire attitude shift — not just for the players, but if my feelings were any indication, all of Raider Nation — of confidence in this team and playing to win. Feeling that this season can be special.

Best moment for me in the past 14 years — it felt like a very Raider thing to do and announced the return of the Silver and Black to relevancy. And cemented Del Rio as a riverboat gambler with confidence to put faith in his players during crucial moments, which became a theme throughout the season.

Maliik Obee

Personally, Carr’s comeback drive in Baltimore. The atmosphere was amazing, the Ravens played the Ray Lewis rally call and the fans went crazy. It was deafening in there, despite there being so many Raiders fans in attendance.

Next thing you know, Carr is driving and the Raiders score. It was hilarious seeing the faces and moods change instantly, man.

That was the point when I knew this season would be special.

Mario Tovar

Watching both Crabtree and Cooper reach the 1,00 yard plateau. It gave me the feeling of nostalgia from 2002 — shades of Tim Brown and Jerry Rice.

Going forward this receiver corps is impressive, but there’s always room for improvement.. *cough* Alshon Jeffrey, anyone?

Nick Hjeltness

There are so many moments to choose from. The Crabtree two-point conversion in New Orleans, the overtime game-winner in Tampa Bay, the complete and utter domination of the Broncos and so many more deserving answers.

But…win number 9 is my pick, aka The Pinky Game. Derek Carr dislocated and fractured the pinky on his throwing hand yet missed just one series — and what he did after that was incredible. He led the Raiders on a 75-yard game-tying drive late in the 4th quarter, capped by a touchdown to Michael Crabtree and a two-point conversion to Seth Roberts.

After a stop by the defense, Carr led the Raiders on 12 play, 82-yard drive which put Sebastian Janikowski in position to kick the game-winning field goal with a little more than a minute left.

Watching the Raiders clinch their first winning season in 14 years was incredibly fulfilling. And the fashion in which they accomplished this feat was as stressful as it was thrilling, and it was my favorite moment of 2016.

Robert Pfeifer

The two-point conversation on the jump-ball from Derek Carr to Michael Crabtree with under a minute left on a convert-or-lose play to open the season.

It was the first of countless clutch game-winning throws by Carr, and set the tone for what kind of team the Raiders were going to be in 2016. It also set the tone for what kind of year Carr was going to have — an all-time great year.

RYNE

For the first time in a very long time, there are several potential favorite moments to pick from a Raiders football season, and the decision is personally very tough for me. I was in the Superdome for the first Carr-to-Crabtree fade of the season. Embarrassing the Broncos in primetime is always a good time.

But I think my favorite moment from the 2016 season, and the moment most representative of the season, is the Week 12 game against the Carolina Panthers. In terms of emotion, it had everything — the unbridled thrill of the Raiders coming out hot, and jockeying to put an opponent away early (for once). The Tyson-esque body blow of watching your MVP candidate injure his throwing hand in an on-field freak accident, and reducing your feelings down to “of course this season was too good to be true, these are the Raiders”, while watching a 20-point lead melt away in a tenth of the time it took to mount it.

And then — the jolt of watching #4 trot out of the tunnel to thunderous cheers, seeing him make a beeline right for Del Rio only to simply say “I’m good”. And finally, being completely awestruck as the team as a whole picked right back up on being much better than the Panthers, as though the whole thing never happened at all.

That’s action-movie stuff, right there.

Segun Giwa

My favorite moment of the season was the Week 9 ass-whooping of the Broncos. We dominated them throughout the whole game, and after the win it felt like Raiders could make a deep playoff run.

Seth Murphy

The Denver game was incredible. I was in attendance and the atmosphere was absolutely electric. It was a dominant performance and it looked like the team was just hitting its stride.

Tyler Dickson

The win over Denver. We just ran over them and looked like a team ready to go far in the postseason.

Oct 16, 2016; Oakland, CA, USA; Oakland Raiders running back Jalen Richard (30) carries the ball against the Kansas City Chiefs on kick off return during the first quarter at Oakland Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports

Which player surprised you the most, and who disappointed the most?

Brazy

I’d say the rookie RBs surprised me the most. I didn’t expect much from them, but they proved to be an awesome complement to Latavius this season.

While Khalil Mack still did everything better than most, he’s not great at consistently disrupting games. He disappears for long stretches and has miles to go before he can be in the same dominant conversation as that Denver Donkey. I’m thinking Lawrence Taylor for this cat, not Julius Peppers.

Daniel Carrigy

Stacy McGee surprised me. A guy who had been buried on the depth chart somewhat started playing some seriously good football given the chance. He gave us a stronger presence in the middle than we were used to, and showed he has promise.

Malcolm Smith disappointed me the most. I like the guy, I really do. But for a Super Bowl MVP he’s been so frustrating to watch. Granted he’s made some good plays, but the amount of boneheaded pass interference and defensive holding calls he commits is atrocious. His pass coverage is woeful at best and so many crucial catches are made against him. Incredibly frustrating to watch a guy who is athletically gifted, play with a complete lack of discipline, especially in the passing game.

Evan Ball

Surprised: Jalen Richard. Nobody seemed to have a real handle on the rookie before the season. Scouting reports wildly conflicted and most had nothing of real value to say about him. But Richard was crucial in his role as part of the three-headed running back attack that successfully kept many a defender on their toes. Add in his value as a return man and you’re looking at the type of value you typically only get out of created players in Madden. Super excited to see how he grows within the team over the next few years.

Disappointed: Sean Smith. There’s a lot to say about this defense and a full variety of sounds reasons why it didn’t do so well. However, Sean Smith was brought in specifically to be a plug and play guy to get physical with big receivers and lock down his man, and he did not achieve that goal. It’s still yet to be seen if he’s one of those free agent pickups Bill Barnwell would label as “scheme guy out of scheme”, but at least for this year, he under-delivered.

Gagan Aujla

The player that surprised me the most would be Jalen Richard. Richard was the third-string RB coming into the year, and solidified himself as the #2 before the year was over. He also contributed on special teams and really helped the Raiders win the field position battle with his returns.

The player that disappointed me would be Sean Smith. There are arguments that Smith wasn’t used correctly, but he still gave up way too many big plays and was by far the biggest free agent bust for the Raiders. He looked slow and lost on way too many occasions.

Justin Smith

Jalen Richard. He showed some burst in camp, but was hurt early on and rarely able to show what he could do consistently. That he was an undrafted free agent who remained around even when injured said something about his potential, and he paid that faith off with the 75-yard TD against the Saints on his first NFL carry. Man that was amazing, the run itself sure, but also the timing and the nature of how it happened for Richard, on his first carry in his home state.

Jalen spent the rest of the season steadily making big plays in the run and pass and return games, and showed he’s a weapon no matter where you put him or how you use him. Pretty incredible for a guy who was passed over by everyone multiple times. He and DeAndre Washington are good young backs that have revitalized the run game and can carry the load if the Tay-Train leaves in free agency.

Both corners — Smith and Amerson — for most disappointing. Amerson was a revelation when he came over from Washington early in 2015, and he led the NFL in pass breakups. He started the 2016 season well, but tapered off toward the end. He was routinely beaten on big plays and committed numerous untimely holding and PI penalties. He just wasn’t the same player this year, whether that was scheme or parts around him or what. He just, particularly in the last half of the season, became more of a liability than an asset.

Smith was misused from the start. A long, strong corner who excels in press coverage, Smith was instead asked to play off his man much of the time. The aforementioned Cooks touchdown should’ve shown in Week 1 that Smith cannot hang with speedy receivers in a footrace and instead needs to get in their grill and disrupt timing. He was never really given the chance, and his play suffered as a result.

Maliik Obee

Brynden Trawick. Living in Baltimore, they made a big deal over him accidentally hurting his teammate Jacoby Jones. Trawick and Jones collided on a punt return against the Broncos in 2013, and they never let it go. I kind of felt for the guy, things happen. But when he came to Oakland, I wondered how he would fit in the system. I’ve been praising about his special teams play all season, but he really proved his hunger in the last two games while filling in at safety.

Seth Roberts disappointed me the most, because his skill set is incredible. Blocking, speed, route running it’s all there. But he just can’t seem to consistently catch the damn ball.

Mario Tovar

Osemele surprised me, but very much in a good way, I know there was some concern coming into this season due to his position and massive contract but he played up to it. In fact you could he say outplayed it. The offense looked completely different in the Chiefs game and Carr had his worst game, statistically.

Most disappointing? Sean Smith, enough said.

Nick Hjeltness

Jalen Richard is definitely the biggest surprise. The hype started to grow early in training camp, which led to expectations that were quite unreasonable for an undrafted free agent — and all Richard did was go out and exceed those expectations anyway. Richard flashed big-time potential as a back, pass-catcher and return man. He certainly can be a factor for years to come.

Honorable mention to Perry Riley Jr. as the biggest surprise. Coming off the street and playing as well as he did was quite impressive, and hopefully he sticks around next season.

The biggest disappointment is easily Sean Smith, and it’s not even close. While I am in the boat that he was misused much of the season — Smith should only ever be in press coverage — he was awful even outside of that. Allowing the second most receiving yards in the NFL is acceptable, regardless if the scheme you are playing in doesn’t fit your skill set.

Robert Pfeifer

Carr was the most surprising. He ascended from good quarterback to elite quarterback this season, after his performance when pressured was greatly scrutinized coming out of Fresno State as a second-round pick and his brother turned out to be one of the biggest draft-busts of all time. He’s 25 and looks like he could be a Hall of Famer.

Clive Walford was the most disappointing. His college highlights made me think he had an opportunity to be a game-changer and a dangerous third-weapon for Carr. He only recorded 359 receiving yards and 3 TDs this season (4th on the team in both categories behind Seth Roberts). With the year Carr had, I certainly would have thought Walford would have been much more of a factor in his sophomore campaign, but his stats from year one to year two were almost exactly identical in every single category.

RYNE

Jalen Richard was easily the biggest surprise of the season for me. Usually, when a guy breaks out in training camp/preseason, it’s taken with a grain of salt, because the “games don’t count”, and “it’s against subpar competition and basic defenses”. And a lot of times, that’s proven true, as those breakout stars tend to level off in the regular season and only show flashes, if anything, of the ability that excited you in the first place.

Jalen Richard was the opposite of that. He made his presence on the roster felt in the very first game of the season, and never really let his foot off the gas. And it seems like in every game afterward, whether he got two touches or twelve, he did something that made you say “…damn”. Here’s hoping he doubles down on that next season.

The most disappointing player was quite easily Sean Smith. Whether the blame falls on him or how he was used, $12 million-dollar liabilities do not inspire confidence, and are not afforded very much benefit of the doubt. The defense has to be much better for the Raiders to come anywhere close to replicating and improving on their success this season — and that only happens if our CB1 plays like a CB1.

Segun Giwa

The player who surprised me the most was Jalen Richard. He did an excellent job of changing the pace and spelling Latavius Murray. He also made a nice contribution on ST and I think he has a nice future in this league.

I’m most disappointed in Crabtree. He had a nice season topping 1,000 yards, but he led the league in drops and it seemed like every drop he had would take the wind out of a series.

Seth Murphy

I was most impressed by Donald Penn. I thought he’d start to take a step back as he aged, but he was as good as ever and he was a big reason for the offensive success.

I was disappointed by Sean Smith. I thought he and David Amerson would become a dynamic CB duo locking down offenses. That wasn’t the case. I hope Smith makes a big jump next season.

Tyler Dickson

Derek Carr. I thought he was good but I don’t expect him to take it to another level like he did.

Jihad Ward is the person whom let me down the most, I didn’t like the luck in the first place and his performances on the field made it even worse for me.

August 30, 2015; Oakland, CA, USA; Oakland Raiders defensive coordinator Ken Norton Jr. during the third quarter in a preseason NFL football game against the Arizona Cardinals at O.co Coliseum. The Cardinals defeated the Raiders 30-23. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

Keeping Ken Norton Jr. and letting Bill Musgrave walk. Which decisions do you agree/disagree with, and why?

Brazy

I thought the offense seemed timid, predictable and not very creative. Same with the defense. No doubt, there is room for improvements, especially on the defensive side of the ball. I trust Jack to know if Bill was able to take them to where they wanted to be.

I also, like the homie Blackhanside, am now putting this success of the defense squarely on the shoulders of Del Rio. By keeping Norton Jr., he acknowledges the D’s output is his doing. So, I’m okay keeping Ken.

Daniel Carrigy

I only agree with letting Bill Musgrave walk because of the in-house promotion of Todd Downing. Musgrave’s departure is more of a reflection of the organization’s faith in Downing, than it is an indictment of Musgrave. The offense under Downing will be tailor made for Derek Carr and that’s incredibly exciting.

The defense annoys the heck out of me. But one moment earlier this year makes me want to give Norton a chance with a unit that has Aldon Smith back, a healthy MEJ and hopefully a few young early round picks. Week 1 against the Saints, he benched Sean Smith for letting Cooks burn him for a 90-yard touchdown. Smith was a prize of free agency on defense for us. To me, that showed Norton can make tough decisions, that his defense is a meritocracy and that he is aware of its shortcomings. One more chance for the first six games of 2017, I say.

Evan Ball

I do think that Norton got too much flack this season for two reasons. The first is that the Oakland defense had a high personnel turnover rate from a year ago, especially in key roles. Specifically, I think people are underestimating the importance of Charles Woodson’s presence on the field.

Woodson was a coach on the field and the backbone of not just the secondary, but the entire defense. He consistently led or ranked at the top of the defense in tackles, was responsible for a huge chunk of their interceptions, and was a field general who made sure everyone else was in the right place.

With Woodson gone, the highest ranking member in the Oakland starting secondary for most of the season was David Amerson — a player signed halfway through the season. Much of the leadership role shifted to Khalil Mack with help from Bruce Irvin, but it’s hard for them to make sure everyone is in place behind them at edge rushers.

Secondly, let’s not forget that Del Rio is a defensive guy and had his fingerprints all over the defense. Given those facts, I’m cool with Norton staying at least another year as they try to get the defense working better together as a unit with some experience playing together.

On Musgrave: This truly came out of nowhere. I haven’t always been Musgrave’s biggest fan, but he largely delivered this year. Gone were the days of dink, dink, screen, punt. Musgrave’s offense was MUCH more aggressive. Attacking all areas of the field, mixing up the run game when necessary, and forcing opposing secondaries to respect the deep ball in the middle of the field as much as the sidelines.

Well, let me backtrack for a second. The offense was like that at times, most often in the opening and closing of the game. The middle of games was largely uncreative, though time-proven, standard scheme work. Getting rid of him was likely a call for more creativity in the offense, but the offense was mostly not the problem this season. This one left me scratching my head for sure.

Gagan Aujla

Keeping Ken Norton Jr. I disagreed with. His tenure as DC has been anemic and he really had no excuse this year considering the Raiders invested HEAVILY on that side of the ball.

This defense took a step back as opposed to moving forward.

Justin Smith

The rationale behind letting Musgrave walk, now that Todd Downing has been promoted, is sound. I agree with that decision. JDR has been with the man twice — he knows when things aren’t working. Musgrave did Connor Cook no favors in the Wild Card game and too often tried to get cute and go counter to what was working to try and confuse the defense.

Carr and Downing have a symbiotic relationship and Carr credits Downing heavily for his rapid development as a QB. He was a hot commodity this offseason and JDR rightfully kept him in house by making him happy. Though the Raiders had an explosive offense, Musgrave never endeared himself to Raider Nation and was routinely criticized for a conservative game plan. Some of the deep passes Carr hit this season were his own checks at the line, overriding more conservative calls. This wasn’t really a surprise.

Honestly, neither was the return of KNJ to me despite the defensive struggles. The reason is that the players absolutely love the man and will run through a wall for him. They are stand-up guys on D, Mack, Irvin and the boys. They never criticize the scheme or coaching. They always take accountability for their own play.

This defense does have some good things to it — leading the NFL in turnover margin is a pretty important stat. However, the defense needs to be less boom or bust, either giving up chunk plays or taking the ball away. Consistency is key, but here’s something to consider: prior to Carr being injured, the Raiders defense had been absolutely stifling in the second half during the previous four games.

Carr’s injury clearly rattled the entire team and the defense greatly regressed, but there was some serious progress being made before that toward a shut-down D. I think that had to be in JDR’s mind when making this decision, as well as the players love for KNJ.

Maliik Obee

I understand continuity, and I’m not in the locker room to get an assessment of player’s sentiments towards KNJ. But, after the best season since 2002, expectations are high. There is no room to regress, especially with everything going on off the field. I just don’t see how keeping KNJ at defensive coordinator works.

Musgrave was bound to leave eventually, even if we won a Super Bowl. It’s a business, and Musgrave has built his name up through improving this offense. If Oakland was starting from scratch, I’d be a lot more concerned, but I think Todd Downing will do a great job.

Mario Tovar

Letting Musgrave go was a mistake just because he tailored the offense for Carr, giving him freedom right from the start, and yes, his play calling was conservative but never did I feel did Musgrave “cost” us a game. Connor Cook hadn’t practiced with the first team all season — what did people expect?

As far as Norton, that’s a double-edge sword. His schemes and play-calling were not the best but I think many people overstated the talent on the defense, and I agree with that. Inside linebacker, defensive line, and defensive backs were glaring weaknesses, and teams exploited those groups all season long.

Wade Phillips? Man, that would’ve been nice.

Nick Hjeltness

Musgrave wasn’t nearly as bad as some people want you to think. The Raiders had a top 6 offense that was dynamic, effective and efficient. People just freak out over three and outs and screen plays, where the Raiders are actually middle of the pack in terms of how often both those occur.

And if the Raiders don’t throw a bomb down field every other play like people do when they are playing Madden on rookie difficulty, they get upset and complain about conservativeness. But if you really think the Raiders offense dink and dunked their way to 373 yards of total offense and 26 points per game, we weren’t watching the same games.

As for Norton — he continuously misused players and does next to nothing from an adjustments standpoint. The problems with the defense go far beyond the secondary — where Marcus Robertson took the fall. What about the team being dead last in sacks?

In my mind, deciding to keep Norton further puts accountability on the shoulders of Del Rio.

Robert Pfeifer

Oakland had a top 7 offense in yards and points scored and saw their third-year QB come this close to winning an MVP. But their offense too frequently relied on Carr’s ability to make difficult throws (behind an elite offensive line) to one of only four pass-catching duos to each go over the 1,000-yard receiving mark.

The rushing offense was elite thanks to a great push up front, but 49.8% of their production was gained by rookies (credit to Reggie McKenzie) and Latavius Murray only averaged 4.0 YPC, which ranked in the bottom-third of the league (23rd). Oakland averaged 10 PPG in the two games after Carr broke his leg. Letting Musgrave walk was the correct decision.

Oakland added several prized free agents to multiple levels of the defense this offseason and spent their first three draft picks on that side of the ball. Several pre-season prognosticators had them projected as a top 10 defense for the 2016 season. They were historically bad to begin the year and still finished with a defense ranked in the bottom-half of the league. KNJ needs to be fired.

RYNE

The full extent of my opinions on this matter are on record here, so I’ll be brief. On offense, we want better situational playcalling — being conservative reduces mistakes, but it also leaves opportunities on the board. I trust in Del Rio’s trust in Derek Carr and Todd Downing to be smarter and more aggressive while still managing to take care of the football. So Musgrave can kick rocks.

On defense, we need better talent at key positions (*cough* inside linebacker *cough*) — whether it’s KNJ’s defense or JDR’s defense, it starts and ends with the linebacker position. I expect Reggie McKenzie, one way or another, to finally invest some legitimate stock in the position (either via free agency or a high draft pick. So I’m fine giving Norton (who’s still learning on his own merit) another shot to get it right.

Segun Giwa

I don’t mind Musgrave being out because 1) I felt his offense was too conservative and 2) I trust the decision making of Reggie McKenzie and the front office. If they believe Downing can take Carr and this offense to the next level, so do I.

Seth Murphy

I think the opposite of what happened is what should have happened. Norton’s defense was awful. It wasn’t just about talent. There was some serious scheme issues and more than anything, discipline issues. Maybe with better talent it’ll improve.

As far as Musgrave goes, he designed some great plays, playing off past success and tendency, making use of the talent, etc. It was a dynamic, versatile offense and I wish he stayed, but the team apparently valued Downing more than Musgrave. I’m not in the facility everyday and I’ve never met Musgrave or Downing so I’m trusting in the staff.

Tyler Dickson

Since the Raiders are keeping Downing, I’m okay with Musgrave being let go.

Norton Jr. being kept was a let down, though. The scheme was to blame for a lot of the big plays allowed by the defense.

May 11, 2016; Las Vegas, NV, USA; General view of Oakland Raiders helmet at the “Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas” sign on the Las Vegas strip on Las Vegas Blvd. Raiders owner Mark Davis (not pictured) has pledged $500 million toward building a 65,000-seat domed stadium in Las Vegas at a total cost of $1.4 billion. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell (not pictured) said Davis can explore his options in Las Vegas but would require 24 of 32 owners to approve the move. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Oakland or Las Vegas? Are the Raiders staying or going?

Brazy

The only way the Raiders stay is if the city sells the land outright. They should sell it outright for below market value cause everything below it is garbage — literally.

It’s going to take tons of money just to get the infrastructure sound for any new development. Then the city walks away and stays out of the way. If that happens, Ronnie’s group, the Raiders, and the NFL will gladly pay for a fresh new facility and all that entails. But that’s not happening, so I’ll be buying Las Vegas Raiders gear this summer.

Daniel Carrigy

It kills me to say it…but I’d say odds are 65-70% that the Raiders move to Vegas. Rumor has it that Lott’s group proposal left much to be desired in regards to financing and who was to pay for what.

Evan Ball

The Raiders aren’t going anywhere. The only reason Mark Davis wants to go is because he wants to get a fancy new stadium like the big boy franchises in the league while maintaining his percentage of ownership of the team. The NFL, and large percentage of owners it represents, doesn’t really want Davis to remain controlling owner of the franchise because he doesn’t have enough money to take it to that luxury premiere level.

While some casino bosses in Vegas might be able to help with that problem, Vegas as a whole lacks a few other key ingredients. The mean income of Vegas is much lower than that of the East Bay, and it doesn’t have a large metropolitan area to help support it. While tourists might help a little with this problem, getting a solid consumer base in a city whose consumers are mostly made of of out-of-towners is a tough process.

Meanwhile, the East Bay is growing in population and wealth. The Golden State Warriors became good and now have the highest priced tickets in the NBA. Has anyone tried to go to one of those games? It’s standing room only. The NFL knows this and wants in on the action, especially with the Warriors breaking ground on their new stadium in San Francisco.

For Vegas to happen, the NFL owners would have to agree that Las Vegas is a better financial situation than the home of blossoming tech money and gentrifying young professionals. Good luck.

Gagan Aujla

I still don’t see the Raiders moving to Vegas, which has the 42nd largest media market in the United States. As opposed to the Bay Area, which has the 6th ranked media market. Along with that, there’s no way the NFL lets three teams move within a year.

Vegas is way too close to the L.A. market. You can’t expect people making 40-50k a year in Vegas to buy PSL’s for a stadium.

You have to also take into account that Adelson is not just going to give $650 million in free money to Mark Davis. The guys clearly wants ownership or a large stake in the team. The NFL will not allow someone with casino ties to own an NFL team. Davis does not want to give up any ownership…something is not adding up here.

Oakland/Bay Area is the fastest growing real estate market in the country, there’s real money that can be made here. The NFL will NOT turn their backs on this market.

Justin Smith

Unfortunately I feel their days in Oakland are done within the next few years. The city doesn’t seem to want them, and haven’t fought very hard for them. Its former players like Ronnie Lott, business folks and the Raider Nation who is pushing to keep the Raiders in Oakland. Oakland itself seems indifferent.

Vegas wants the Raiders, for whatever reason. They’re about to get an NHL team as well, so Vegas is suddenly going to be a major player in the actual playing of the games, not just setting lines and raking in cash. The world is all about flash and less about tradition, which kind of dooms any situation where sentiment is up against pragmatism.

That’s how I see it here – the Raiders in Oakland is a sentimental idea that many of us want to see continue. But the money, politics, and major players lie in Vegas and Mark Davis is ready to roll out and get his team up to the value it can be worth. At the moment, though, there’s still a matter of about $650M in missing funding for the Vegas move to happen, and Sheldon Adelson is no guarantee. But the instant that money becomes available or new investors step up — if Adelson’s involvement doesn’t spook them off — they’re ghosts.

Maliik Obee

I believe ultimately the Raiders will stay. I don’t think the owners will vote to allow the Las Vegas move — it’s just not smart. It’s really amazing that Oakland fans have stuck around this long, especially losing for so long. Just goes to show how dedicated fans are.

Now that team is winning, the least they can do is stay. Figure out a solution to build in Oakland, one of the fastest-changing cities in the country.

Mario Tovar

Going outside the box here — San Diego Raiders?

Nick Hjeltness

I was on record saying the Raiders wouldn’t get approved to move to Carson, and I’m on record saying they won’t relocate to Las Vegas. Until a shovel is in the dirt, I’m sticking with that.

Look, I completely understand that Oakland has yet to present anything close to a viable solution. But I just can’t see how NFL Owners would vote to remove a team from one of its largest media markets in favor of moving them into what would be one of its smallest media markets.

Not to mention the involvement of Sheldon Adelson, who in my opinion, I don’t see NFL Owners wanting anything to do with him.

Here is what I think happens: The NFL keeps its word and throws in the first $300M. The Raiders are asked to pony up $500M. Then the city of Oakland and the Ronnie Lott group both add in $250M — boom, $1.3B stadium.

Robert Pfeifer

Las Vegas.

RYNE

As interesting as it can get sometimes, I try to stay an arm-and-a-half’s length away from stadium/relocation talk. There are a lot of moving parts and issues that only the people directly involved know and are aware of. The rest is just incessant speculation, which has taken its toll on the fan base over the course of the past three years.

With that said, there are two significant things that stick out to me. First, the city of Oakland does not seem the slightest bit interested in allocating public funds toward a billion-dollar football stadium, to which I say, good on them. There are much bigger and more important issues and societal needs in that town (which I’ve only been to a couple of times, but I absolutely love, and probably would even if the Raiders had never been there) that those resources could go toward solving. For all his magnaminity, Marshawn Lynch can’t (and shouldn’t have to) do it by himself.

The other thing — and again, this is more speculation — part of me thinks this relocation project is more personal for Mark Davis than anything else. Since Al passed, all he’s heard from fans, pundits and fellow owners alike is how broke and dumb he is; that he needs to cash out and sell the team and let somebody that “knows what they’re doing” take over. And I think that lit a fire under his ass. And now, he’s about to hit the biggest lick of ‘em all — building an entertainment mecca in the tourist capital of the nation with other people’s money. Who would’ve loved that more than Al Davis?

So as much as it pains me to admit, I think they wind up in Vegas. I really hope I’m wrong, but that’s how I see it.

Segun Giwa

Maybe I’m in denial but I’m holding on to the slim hope of Raiders staying.

Seth Murphy

I think that they will leave. Being in Denver showed me that the people of Oakland deserve the Raiders. Great fans, great environment and true passion, but ultimately money talks and Mark Davis doesn’t have the cash to keep them there and the city of Oakland isn’t trying either. That’s tough to get past.

Tyler Dickson

I’m hoping Oakland gets it sorted out but things are pulling towards Vegas.

Nov 21, 2016; Mexico City, MEX; Oakland Raiders quarterback Derek Carr (4) celebrates after a touchdown in the fourth quarter against the Houston Texans during a NFL International Series game at Estadio Azteca. The Raiders defeated the Texans 27-20. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

What is your way too early prediction for the 2017 season?

Brazy

AFC West crown, no. 1 seed in the playoffs, avenge the Tuck Rule and start our dynasty to not 6, not 7, not 8…

Daniel Carrigy

Way too early prediction is 13-3. The offense should flourish with Downing at the helm, and Carr should put up even better numbers as a result.

Defensively is where I think McKenzie will focus in free agency and (obviously) in the draft. Very likely picks one and two are both on defense. Even making the defense a middle of the pack unit as opposed to last, that’s one heck of a boost.

Evan Ball

Amari Cooper goes over 1,200 yards. Khalil Mack, DPOY. Also, comeback of the year goes to Derek Carr’s pinky.

Gagan Aujla

My way too early prediction is that Todd Downing opens up the playbook and Derek Carr throws for 4,500 yards, 35 TD’s and wins MVP. And the Raiders will win the AFC West and get a first-round bye.

Justin Smith

The defense will be a top 10 unit and change games. Khalil Mack is pissed and embarrassed. KNJ has heard the noise calling for his firing and how terrible he is at his job. Karl Joseph is a huge difference maker who will be fully healthy and actually have an offseason of football behind him. MEJ will hopefully be healthy. Aldon may be back.

The Raiders have few needs on the offensive side of the ball, so expect the draft to focus heavily on defensive talent at DT, MLB and the secondary. There are some top-tier FA on the market and the Raiders are now a top destination for NFL FA’s with money to spend (for now) and a young, talented roster and excellent coaching staff to offer.

We will add a top-tier DB like Bouye, Trumaine Johnson or maybe even Eric Berry (not likely), and they will make a huge difference in regards to coverage sacks, of which we had basically none this year. This defense will rock the house in 2017.

Maliik Obee

10-6.

The schedule gets a lot tougher, and winning on the road will be vital. Reggie McKenzie is faced with a offseason where he has to fire on all cylinders. The AFC West is getting better, and Raiders have many holes.

Mario Tovar

Schedule will be tougher, no doubt, but its hard to say. What about the draft? Free agency? And let’s not forget…Aldon Smith.

I’ll say 11-5.

Nick Hjeltness

Derek Carr will win the 2017 MVP. The Raiders, even with a tougher schedule, again finish 12-4 — but this time it’s enough to win the division.

As the no. 2 seed in the AFC, the Raiders win their first playoff game and head to the AFC Championship to play…you guessed it — the no. 1 seed New England Patriots.

Revenge will never taste so sweet.

Robert Pfeifer

My prediction hinges upon the performance of soon-to-be 40-year-old Tom Brady and the Raiders health next season.

Oakland will add a solid piece (or three) in free agency and the draft, as they are now arguably the most attractive free agent destination in the league. They also have cap space to work with, even after you consider they must soon re-sign Carr, Khalil Mack, Cooper & Gabe Jackson.

At full strength Oakland was arguably the second best team in football this season. Things are trending up. I predict they make the AFC Championship game at least as a top 2 seed and advance to the Super Bowl, if the game is in Oakland.

If they make the Super Bowl they will win over any NFC team.

RYNE

The Raiders blow the Patriots out in Mexico. #VaultMe

Segun Giwa

My way too early prediction is an MVP award for Derek Carr in 2017. I believe he will come back from his injury with a vengeance, putting up huge numbers with new and improved play calling.

Seth Murphy

I think repeating at 12-4 is realistic, but hopefully with more post season success.

Tyler Dickson

I think the Raiders do worse and go 10-6 only because we usually have to travel a lot and will face a tougher schedule next year.

That’ll do it for our staff roundtable to cap the Raiders 2016 season. Interested in contributing to the conversation? Drop your answers to the five questions in the comments.