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What We Know About the Oakland Raiders Through Five Weeks

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 2:46 p.m. ET

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Through five weeks, here is what we know about the 2016 Oakland Raiders.

The Raiders entered this season as everybody’s sexy pick to make the playoffs. Through five weeks, the Raiders are 4-1 and tied for first place in the AFC West with the Denver Broncos.

The first year out of the rebuilding process looks good so far, but there are definitely some reasons for concern. Without further adieu, here are some things, good and bad, that we know about the Oakland Raiders through five weeks.

Oct 9, 2016; Oakland, CA, USA; Oakland Raiders quarterback Derek Carr (4) prepares to throw a pass against the San Diego Chargers in the first quarter at Oakland Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports

1. The offense is lethal

Duh. The Raiders rank inside the top 10 in nearly every offensive category. Derek Carr has spearheaded the offensive renaissance, as Raider Nation finally has the franchise quarterback they have been searching for since Rich Gannon left.

Carr continues to get better and better, sitting among the top of many analysts’ early MVP rankings. Carr, protected by his new and improved offensive line, coupled with his elite wide receiving core of “hands team” All-American Michael Crabtree, playmaker Amari Cooper, and end zone serpent Seth Roberts can be directly thanked for the Raiders early season success.

If offensive coordinator Bill Musgrave took the training wheels off of the playbook, this explosive offense could reach new heights.

Next: What We Know About the Raiders: #2

October 9, 2016; Oakland, CA, USA; San Diego Chargers wide receiver Travis Benjamin (12) runs past Oakland Raiders cornerback David Amerson (29) during the second quarter at Oakland Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

2. The defense is bad, but improving

The first two weeks of the season, the Raiders couldn’t stop a nose bleed.

Sean Smith — Oakland’s prized free agent signing in the secondary — looked like another Raider offseason overpay. The Raiders’ pass rush was non-existent. There were even rumblings about Ken Norton Jr.’s job security.

Fast forward to Week 6 — the defense is still bad and ranked last in yards allowed, but improving.

Khalil Mack and the rest of the Oakland pass rush have been getting more pressure on the quarterback. Smith has had back to back decent weeks. D.J. Hayden doesn’t look as terrible guarding slot receivers.

In my opinion, the Raiders defense will be fine. I mean, they can’t get any worse right?

There are a lot of new puzzle pieces on the defensive side that the coaching staff is trying to fit together. Karl Joseph has looked good with extended playing time, including his first interception last week. The front seven has reinforcements coming, with Mario Edwards Jr. and Aldon Smith both eligible to come back in November.

Let’s just hope somebody in the Raiders’ organization took Aldon’s stash away.

Sep 25, 2016; Nashville, TN, USA; Oakland Raiders center Rodney Hudson (61) prepares to snap the ball against the Tennessee Titans during the first half at Nissan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

3. The offensive line is as good as a advertised

The Raiders’ o-line is nasty. The Raiders’ o-line is tough. Just like a Raider offensive line should be.

Lead by versatile free-agent acquisition Kelechi Osemele, the Raiders have allowed the fewest sacks (5) and the fewest QB hits (19) in the NFL. The line opens up holes so wide, you and I could run through them. The holes are so wide even Latavius Murray can hit them with a full head of steam, as opposed to last season when he would often times run into the backs of his linemen.

Not only is Murray’s YPC up from last year, he is already halfway to his 2015 touchdown total. His sidekicks in the running game, Jalen Richard and Deandre Washington, are averaging 7 and 5.3 YPC on 25 and 32 carries, respectively.

The three-headed monster in the run game has been crucial to Carr’s success because it takes pressure off of him late in games, decreasing Carr’s turnovers in crunch time, something that he has struggled with in the past due to the lack of a dependable rushing attack.

4. Amari Cooper needs to work on dragging his feet

See Week 5.

October 9, 2016; Oakland, CA, USA; Oakland Raiders wide receiver Amari Cooper (89) runs the football past San Diego Chargers cornerback Adrian Phillips (31) for a touchdown during the third quarter at Oakland Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

5. The Raiders have a realistic shot at winning the AFC west

The Broncos have lost two games in a row, and their defense doesn’t look like it’s in the same stratosphere as last season’s. Trevor Siemian isn’t very good. The run game isn’t reliable. All of a sudden, Denver doesn’t seem like the monster they did just one year ago.

They will probably be fine, but are they really that much better than the Raiders? It’s important to not sleep on the Chiefs either, as they are well-coached and somehow manage to find ways to win games, despite an average offense lead by an average quarterback.

The Chargers aren’t as bad as their record shows, but their luck is probably too awful for them to make any real noise among the division. Consider this: the combined record of the Raiders remaining opponents is 26-29, including extremely winnable games against Tampa Bay, Jacksonville, and Buffalo.

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