Raiders Not Gaining Momentum in Latest Power Rankings

The Las Vegas Raiders started their season in brutal fashion, with a tough 22-10 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers . The Raiders didn't have a lot of support from the media coming into the season, and their rough start to the year won't help them gain any more respect.

The lack of respect was evident in Bleacher Report's most recent power rankings, published Tuesday after Week 1 wrapped up completely. The Raiders came in 26th in the league.

"If Sunday's loss to the rival Chargers was any indication, the only direction the Raiders are headed is nowhere," B/R writes.

This quote is a pretty dark way to envision the rest of the 2024 season for Las Vegas, but it's hard to argue with it. The Raiders' offense was painful to watch, and while the defense started strong, they began to wear down over the course of the game, allowing two long runs in the second half.

Yes, it is only Week 1, and things could get better over the course of the season. Still, the Raiders play the Baltimore Ravens in Week 2, and the possibility of beginning the season 0-2 is very real, which would limit their chances at the postseason significantly.

"Not much went right for Vegas in Week 1. Gardner Minshew II's Raiders debut included a pair of costly turnovers," B/R says. "The team gained just 3.2 yards per carry on the ground and lost at the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball."

The Raiders' defense remains a very talented unit, and they were the sole reason the Raiders still had a chance to win in the fourth quarter.

However, Las Vegas is going to need to take care of the ball to win this season. As B/R points out, they failed to do so. That was a large part of the reason behind their loss on Sunday.

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