We all know the Raiders just broke out of a rough patch for the better part of the last 15 years. But what of the previous 15 years? While they didn’t experience anything like the futility from 2003-15, there were some pretty damn good seasons in there. Though according to Football Outsiders none of them placed them among the 30 best offensive or defensive teams.
They did, however, manage to place the Raiders’ 2006 team among the worst ever offenses:
5. 2006 Oakland Raiders (minus-37.0 percent): Andrew Walter, Aaron Brooks and Marques Tuiasosopo combined to throw seven touchdowns with 23 interceptions, and the Raiders were shut out three times despite playing the second-easiest offensive schedule that season. Even the Rams, who ranked 30th in defensive DVOA in 2006, shut out the Raiders, forcing five turnovers.
The study FO utilized their signature DVOA stats and they extended it back to the 1987 season, which is after the Raiders’ heyday of Super Bowls. Even still, the Raiders had some pretty good seasons in there, including a trip to the Super Bowl in 2002. Do any of those seasons deserve to be among the best ever?
That 2002 Super Bowl season the Raiders had the league’s top ranked offense (389 ypg), led by the top ranked passing game (279.7 ypg) and second ranked scoring offense (28.1 ppg). Rich Gannon won league MVP that season and the Raiders went to the Super Bowl.
The best defense the Raiders fielded was probably the 1990 team that went 12-4 under Art Shell. They had the league’s 7th ranked overall defense and 4th ranked scoring defense. But that’s not going to earn any spots on all time defensive teams.
Still remaining in FO’s lists is best overall teams. One of those teams from 2000 and 2002 deserves consideration with point differentials of +180 and +146 respectively. That 180 point differential in 2000 was a league best.
Though I have my doubts either of those teams will make an appearance in the top 30 in 30.
Loading comments...