You will find no end to the articles and analysis covering projections for the upcoming season in August and early September. Some platforms take a painstaking approach to compiling the predictions, using massive datasets, algorithms, and increasingly, AI to make the case for each team’s season. Most fans take these pieces with a grain of salt.
However, NFL.com recently took a different approach, allowing two reporters, Ali Bhanpuri and Adam Rank, to predict every game of the 272-season, and then come up with an argument to defend their analysis on each team. The article clearly stated that this was a “human” endeavor, and that it should be viewed as a counterpoint to the world of algorithmic analysis to which we are accustomed. In short, it was meant to be presented as football conversations you would have with your buddies in a bar.
The reporters’ take on the Raiders was interesting, even if it was not entirely scientific. Here’s a breakdown of what they had to say:
Bhanpuri predicted an 8-9 season for the Raiders, which would match up with the Raiders’ NFL Playoff odds of +370 for the 2025 season. He stated that the season would get off to a good start with a win over the Patriots in Foxborough, but that would be followed by only one win in six (over the Bears) to head into the Bye Week with a 2-5 record. Mid-fall to early winter was a little better, with wins predicted against the Jaguars, Browns, Chargers, Broncos, and Texans; however, he also picked losses against the Broncos (in Denver), Giants, Eagles, and Cowboys. The season would end as it started – with a win, finishing with a victory over the Chiefs at Allegiant Stadium.
The above predictions seem a little haphazard to us. For instance, Bhanpuri predicts that the Raiders will lose at home to the Giants in the penultimate game of the season before winning the season’s final game against the Chiefs. Those two teams are poles apart in quality, with all due respect to the Giants. We only imagine his assertion is based on the assumption that the Chiefs will have already qualified for the Playoffs and, thus, will rest players on the final game of the regular season – like they did last season.
ALI Rank was Favorable on the Raiders’ Playoff hopes
The good news is that Ali Rank is much more optimistic about the Raiders’ chances. He sees a 10-7 record, with significant victories coming to the Commanders and in both games against the Chiefs. He agrees with Bhanpuri that the Raiders have a nice stretch across Week 11 to Week 14, where he predicts four consecutive victories (Cowboys, Browns, Chargers, Broncos). Interestingly, despite his high hopes, he predicts a 0-2 start for the Raiders, who lose to the Patriots and Chargers.
Bhupani takes up the editorial part of the article, discussing how he has been swept up in the enthusiasm of Pete Carroll. Despite predicting a losing record, there is a lot of positivity. The final tallies show the Raiders finishing 4th (Bhupani) and 3rd (Rank) in the AFC West, which they both cite as the NFL’s toughest division. As for the Raiders reaching the Playoffs, they give it a “maybe.” As we stated earlier, this should not be viewed as a serious exercise and is intended to be the antithesis of real projections. But it is interesting to see what these human reporters think: an improvement last season, and even a chance of postseason football in January. Would most Raiders fans be happy with that?
