Raiders Gear Up with New QB and Tough NFL Division
The Las Vegas Raiders , featuring a new quarterback, Fernando Mendoza, and a rookie coach, tackle the AFC West - regarded as the NFL's most challenging division.
Video Transcript
So we, we did also learn, that, you know, the, the Raiders are gonna have a new quarterback, right?
Their number one pick is locked up, and he's good to go here.
And I, I talked to a friend of mine that's in, one of the risk rooms in Vegas, and I don't know if it's just a local thing, but the expectations of this Raiders team this year in that division, Tom, is apparently they're starting to get a lot of money coming in here looking at this Raiders team.
They love this Mendoza kid.
I'm not sold- he's even gonna be the starter to begin- the year with Kirk Cousins.
I think they got Kirk Cousins for a reason, and I'm okay with that.
But you got a rookie head coach taking on a team that I'm sorry, is Maxx Crosby still available?
Is he even playing on this team anymore?
Like, what?
I, I There's just a lot of unknown with the Raiders.
I think they'll be better than they were a year ago, but there's still a lot of questions I have, and they still play in the AFC West, which has gotta be a nightmare for them this year.
It, it certainly shapes up to be one of the hardest, if not the toughest division in the NFL with, you know, Mahomes apparently on track, ready to play week one.
And, you know, a lot of people still have their concerns about the Chargers.
Are they actually good?
Is Herbert actually good?
Regardless of that, you have three teams that can make the playoffs in that division.
So even if the Raiders are better than they were last year, which I certainly believe they will be, you know, we are expecting Kirk Cousins to start at least week one, it still puts the Raiders in a very, very tough spot.
Whether or not the Cousins thing is the right decision, I you know, yet to be seen.
But I think he's gonna start week one.
I'm not in love with that idea.
But they are still playing in the toughest division, and it is a big mountain to climb just to get into the wildcard race.
And I know a lot of people like to draw comparisons to say, "Oh, when Dan Daniels went to Washington, you know, rookie, you know, rookie quarterback, new head coach, oh, they make the playoffs.
They go all the way to the championship games."
Like, we can't expecting that to be the model for every rookie quarterback going to a franchise with a new head coach.
Be like, "Oh, we're gonna have this bolt of lightning, and we're gonna make the playoffs in the first year."
That's, that's not gonna happen every time.
