With their 24-17 win over the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday, the Oakland Raiders improved to 7-8 on the season — the most wins they’ve recorded in three years. More importantly, the team kept their playoff hopes alive heading into a pivotal Week 17.
While the AFC postseason picture is much clearer than it was a week ago, the sixth seed is still up for grabs. The Raiders are right in the thick of things, trailing the Tennessee Titans by only one game for the second Wild Card spot.
They aren’t alone, however, as the Pittsburgh Steelers find themselves tied with the Titans at 8-7. Tennessee holds the tie-breaker, leaving Pittsburgh on the outside looking in for the time being.
For the Raiders to surpass both teams on Sunday, many scenarios have to play out in their favor. For starters, the Baltimore Ravens must defeat the Steelers in a home matchup.
The Ravens are 1-0 against their rival this season, previously defeating them, 26-23, in Week 5. It was one of Lamar Jackson‘s worst performances of the year as he threw for only one touchdown in comparison to three interceptions.
At 13-2, Baltimore has already solidified the best record in the NFL and the No. 1 seed in the AFC. That has lead to head coach John Harbaugh deciding to rest some of his key starters, including Jackson. Robert Griffin III is expected to get the start at quarterback for Baltimore.
The Steelers, on the other hand, are in the midst of a downswing, having lost two consecutive games. With their season on the line, they will likely rely heavily on quarterback Mason Rudolph, who recently re-entered the starting lineup amid Devlin Hodges‘ struggles against the New York Jets on Sunday.
In addition to pinning their hopes on Baltimore besting Pittsburgh, the Raiders also need the Houston Texans to defeat the Titans. The two teams last met in Week 15, which saw the Texans narrowly edge out the Titans, 26-23.
Unlike the Ravens, the Texans still have plenty to play for. At 10-5, they have already clinched their division, but can move up to the No. 3 seed with a win and a Kansas City Chiefs loss against the Chargers. Because of that, head coach Bill O’Brein said he plans to play all of his starters.
The Titans, of course, simply need to win to advance to the playoffs. They look to do so on the road after nearly coming away with an upset victory over the New Orleans Saints on Sunday.
If the Raiders hope to play into January, they also need the Indianapolis Colts to defeat the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 17. This is for tie-breaking purposes, as Indy would finish with the same record as Tennessee (8-8), giving them the divisional edge due to defeating them earlier in the season.
While the Colts would also finish in a tie with the Raiders, Oakland holds the advantage as a result of their 31-24 win against them in Week 4.
For the Raiders to finish with the tiebreaker over the Steelers, they also need one of the following outcomes to happen: the Chicago Bears beating the Minnesota Vikings, Detroit Lions beating the Green Bay Packers, Los Angeles Chargers beating the Kansas City Chiefs or New England Patriots beating the Miami Dolphins. The Patriots need a win to earn a bye, so should have no problem taking care of the Dolphins at home.
Finally, the Raiders must take care of their own business by defeating the Denver Broncos at Mile High Stadium on Sunday. The two teams last met at the Coliseum in Week 1, where Oakland came away with a 24-16 victory.
