It may not have been mathematically official until a couple of weeks ago, but the Las Vegas Raiders had essentially been eliminated from the playoffs since before Halloween. Being a fan of the Silver and Black over the past two decades has meant clinging to hope for a better future that never comes.
In recent years, the Raiders have been bad enough to land a top-five pick in the draft. But with some ill-timed late-season wins, they've lacked the requisite number of losses to get there, which has set the franchise back even further.
With a 2-11 record right now, and only one game left that could realistically be a win (Week 17 against the New York Giants), Las Vegas might finally be in line to get a draft pick that fully befits their ineptitude.