The Oakland Raiders enter the regular season ranked No. 26 in Joel Thorman of SB Nation's NFL Power Rankings, two spots down from their No. 24 ranking following the NFL Draft.
Thorman just couldn't let the last five weeks not alter his feelings about the Raiders heading into the season.
It's just preseason, yes, but Oakland struggled. A healthy Darren McFadden keeps them relevant but staying healthy is not a strength of his.
The Raiders are in a division with a lot of question marks, as the San Diego Chargers (ranked No. 22) and the Kansas City Chiefs (No. 23) chase the Peyton Manning-led Denver Broncos (ranked No. 11). But even as Manning showed signs of being his former self, the real games will determine just how good the Broncos are. If he falters, the division is up for the taking.
But with the way the Raiders looked in the preseason, they may not be in a position to grab it.
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