What Kind of Team Will Raiders Be in the Red Zone?

NFL offenses need to be efficient in the red zone for teams to be successful. Once you get within the 20-yard line, you have to punch it in.

In 2023, the Las Vegas Raiders were not a very efficient red zone scoring team. They scored touchdowns on 48.9 percent of their drives, ranking 24th in the NFL.

The Raiders made changes to the offensive side of the ball ahead of the 2024 season, including hiring Offensive Coordinator Luke Getsy to handle play-calling duties.

Getsy’s Chicago Bears were 15th in the league in red zone efficiency in 2023, scoring touchdowns 57 percent of the time, and 13th in 2022, converting 56 percent of the time. If Getsy can elevate the Raiders’ offense to around these numbers, it would be a marked improvement.

One of the biggest reasons Getsy’s Bears were so efficient in the red zone was because Chicago was one of the best rushing offenses in the NFL. The Raiders, to put it plainly, were one of the worst.

If the Raiders can find some middle ground between first or second in the league in rushing offense and 30th, they will score many more points. They have the personnel to be an effective team in the red zone, both on the ground and through the air.

The Raiders’ improvement in red zone efficiency will likely come down to the quarterback. If Aidan O’Connell or Gardner Minshew II is hitting their passes between the 20-yard line and the end zone, the Raiders’ pass catchers can do the rest.

Elaborating on that point, the Raiders have an intriguing tight end duo in Michael Mayer and rookie Brock Bowers. Mayer has shown he can go up and get the ball in the end zone, as evidenced by his incredible touchdown against the New York Jets last season. At Georgia, 18 of Bowers’ 31 touchdowns came in the red zone.

Not to mention, the Raiders have two talented receivers in Davante Adams and Jakobi Meyers, who are capable of catching touchdowns in the red zone. While Adams is only 6-foot-1, he has "go-up-and-get-it" ability too. Meyers is a savvy route runner and is as sure-handed as they come.

The Raiders have the tools to be an efficient red zone offense. Now, they have a play-caller who has success drawing up touchdowns from in close, so it’s up to O’Connell or Minshew to utilize their countless weapons consistently and efficiently.

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