EAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY – DECEMBER 06: (NEW YORK DAILIES OUT) Henry Ruggs III #11 of the Las Vegas Raiders celebrates his fourth quarter touchdown against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium on December 06, 2020 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The Raiders defeated the Jets 31-28. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)
The Raiders finished last season with a mediocre 8-8 record. Here are three bold predictions on how Las Vegas’ 2021 campaign is set to go.
Jon Gruden’s tenure as the Raiders head coach hasn’t gone according to plan. Instead of bringing a Super Bowl contender to Las Vegas, he’s ushered in an era of mediocrity in the City of Sin. Everyone associated with the Raiders is hoping that the 2021 campaign serves as the season where Las Vegas finally takes a step forward.
The odds are stacked against Gruden leading this team to those sort of heights anytime soon. The team’s roster construction on Gruden’s watch has been unorthodox at best. The defense, in particular, is in need of a massive overhaul. Giving up 29.9 points per game last season was a big reason why Las Vegas only managed to secure eight victories.
Raiders fans can expect the unexpected every year Gruden roams the sidelines. These three bold predictions could go a long way towards determining whether or not this is a pleasant dream to a nightmare season for fans in Vegas.
3. Henry Ruggs III will double his catch total from last year
Ruggs was a major disappointment as a rookie only hauling in 26 passes in 13 games. He needs to step up in a big way this season to take the Raiders offense to a new level.
The good news is that Ruggs has the natural ability to become a much bigger factor in Gruden’s passing attack in his sophomore season. His main objective will be to stretch opposing defenses vertically at every opportunity. He’ll catch his share of deep balls this year on his way to doubling his previous reception total.