The Oakland Raiders are going to be one of the most popular teams in the NFL this season because they have a very deep team capable of dethroning the New England Patriots if they stay healthy and things go according to plan. If you want to bet on Oakland this year, check out the 2017 NFL season betting lines.

Last season, the Raiders were surprisingly good and were considered a legitimate threat to the New England Patriots. However, quarterback Derek Carr was injured in the second to last game of the season, which effectively ended Oakland’s championship aspirations.

Without Carr, the Raiders were eliminated by the Houston Texans in the Wildcard round of the playoffs.

This year, the Raiders have a healthy Carr returning and brought in a new weapon, Marshawn Lynch.

Lynch, who is an Oakland native, was one of the best running backs in the NFL before retiring after the 2015 season. With a year off to heal his body and recover from nagging injuries, a healthy Lynch is expected to be back to his old self and terrorize defenses once again.

The fact that the team will relocate to Las Vegas after the 2018, is extra motivation for Lynch and his teammates to bring another Super Bowl trophy to Oakland before the team leaves for good.

Even with Carr healthy and Lynch in the lineup, there are no guarantees the Raiders will win the Super Bowl because New England still has Bill Belichick and Tom Brady, and the Steelers will still have one of the best offenses in the league if Le’Veon Bell ends his

However, the Raiders are very talented on both sides of the ball, which makes them a very dangerous team that can upset either the Patriots or Steelers if they meet in the playoffs.

With everyone so high on the Raiders, here are some bold predictions for the 2017 season.

Marshawn Lynch Will Run For Over 1,300 yards

Beast mode signing with Oakland was one of the biggest acquisitions of the offseason. With Lynch in the backfield, the Raiders should be able to establish their running game, which will take a lot of pressure away from Carr. It also helps that Lynch is a great blocker and receiver, which will make him very valuable to their offense.

Since he isn’t expected to share carries with anyone, there is no reason he won’t go past the 1,300 mark unless he gets injured.

Khalil Mack Will Get 20 Sacks

A few years ago, this might have been an outlandish prediction, but with players like J.J. Watt, Aldon Smith, and Von Miller making it look easy, there is no reason to believe Mack can’t hit 20 sacks this season.

Sean Smith Will Have 6 Picks

After signing a big contract extension with the Raiders, Smith had a disappointing season last year. I expect him to bounce back with a big season for the Raiders.

Raiders Will Defeat Patriots To Win AFC

The Patriots are overwhelming favorites to win the Super Bowl again this season, but the Raiders will throw a wrench in New England’s plan if they meet in the playoffs, as long as all key players are healthy.

Do you think the Raiders have what it takes to knock off the Patriots? Let us know in the comments section.