Mostly because of their uncertain quarterback situation with Gardner Minshew and Aidan O'Connell, the national media isn't expecting much from the Las Vegas Raiders in 2024.
And the same can be said for sportsbooks, which have set the Raiders' win total for 2024 at 6.5 wins. However, there is at least one analyst who believes that's too low and is projecting Las Vegas to surpass it.
According to The Athletic's Vic Tafur, the Raiders will go over 6.5 wins this coming season. Here's what he had to say about that:
Minshew and Aidan O’Connell are really that bad? The Raiders won eight games last season despite some terrible coaching from Josh McDaniels and awful quarterback play from Jimmy Garoppolo over the first eight weeks. The players love new coach Antonio Pierce — owner Mark Davis didn’t even consider Jim Harbaugh — and then gave defensive tackle Christian Wilkins a Brink’s truck so teams can’t double- and triple-team Maxx Crosby. And receiver Davante Adams, still one of the best two or three receivers in the game, will open things up for rookie turbo-booster Brock Bowers. And vice versa. But they’re only going win six games because of one of the least exciting quarterback competitions ever? Nah.
It's certainly worth noting that both O'Connell and Minshew nearly helped their teams to the playoffs in 2023. Now, Minshew will have a better supporting cast if he wins the job, and there's reason for optimism with O'Connell, who should be better with more experience under his belt.
Even if the Raiders only get average quarterback play out of both, the defense is good enough to keep them competitive, and having head coach Antonio Pierce at the helm instead of the disaster that was Josh McDaniels will no doubt help.
Not only should that combination lead to Las Vegas hitting the over on the 6.5 wins, it should put them in playoff contention.
