The Oakland Raiders are an up and coming team that got much better. With the best quarterback in the AFC West, Oakland has playoffs in their 2016 future.

We’re tackling each team in the league, traveling alphabetically to debate their biggest offseason issues. Dan Salem and Todd Salem debate in today’s NFL Sports Debate. Two brothers from New York yell, scream, and debate sports.

TODD:

Let me throw this question out there and see how it is received. Are the Oakland Raiders the best team in the AFC West?

I know, I know; they finished a far and distant third to the Denver Broncos and Kansas City Chiefs last year, but it is easy to think that both of those teams got worse. Meanwhile, Oakland, who was up and coming and on the rise to begin with, clearly has gotten better heading into the NFL Draft.

The Raiders added the best offensive lineman on the market in Kelechi Osemele. They added one of the better second-tier linebacker/pass rusher options in Bruce Irvin to pair with the incomparable Khalil Mack. Then they signed who could be the best cornerback on the market in Sean Smith while also bringing back Donald Penn and some other pieces, including the upside of Aldon Smith.

After all that, Oakland still has cap room to work with and fewer holes than some of its competitors. In fact, I see very few holes in general on this roster. Maybe the team needs another offensive lineman, but who doesn’t? You want to say it could use a play-maker at tight end? Well, there are only about four of those in the NFL and New England has two of them. Perhaps the defense could use an upgrade at nose tackle or safety, but there are inklings that it is pursuing Reggie Nelson to fill the latter. And the NFL Draft is still upcoming.

In actuality, Oakland’s defense is still not as good as Denver’s or Kansas City’s, but Mack makes up a lot of the difference, and the Raiders should have a superior offense to both of those teams if Derek Carr, Amari Cooper and company take that next step. It’s weird and fun and exciting that Oakland is on the rise. What are the Raiders’ odds for a division title?!

DAN:

I am so ready to jump on the Oakland Raiders bandwagon, but their odds of winning the AFC West division are no better than 50/50 right now. As for the playoffs, that is a very different story. Two things stand between Oakland and a winning record good enough for a wildcard berth, the running game and the defense.

The Raiders have done a lot to address defense thus far, but you have grossly understated how great Denver and Kansas City were on that side of the football last season. The Broncos were first in the NFL, the Chiefs were seventh in the NFL, and the Raiders were way down at 22nd overall last year. That is a rather large gap to close, but its by no means insurmountable. Both Denver and Kansas City ranked in the top ten for takeaways in 2015, as well. I love the improvements that have happened already in Oakland, but I don’t see their defense being better than both the Chiefs and Broncos. I see the Raiders defense being good enough and better, which is perfect considering the potential looming across the ball.

Offense is what will push Oakland to a winning record in 2016, but the running game must improve. If the Raiders can steal Ezekiel Elliott in the draft, that will make this unit a beast to stop. The Raiders were a woeful 28th in rushing yards and 24th in rushing touchdowns last season. I’m not saying they need to be top ten in the league, but better than average is necessary to win more than ten football games.

The real question is whether Oakland has the best quarterback in the AFC West. After Philip Rivers put up a clunker of a season last year, I’d say they do. Derek Carr is the difference between the Raiders continuing to muddle around a .500 record, or elevating into the playoffs with ten plus victories. I believe they do it. Their schedule is completely a question mark at the moment. If Indianapolis, Atlanta, Buffalo, New Orleans, Baltimore and Tampa Bay remain average or regress, then the Raiders’ have a nice and easy slate of games. Their hardest opponents all travel to the Black Hole, so fans of the silver and black have good reason to believe the playoffs are in their team’s future.