By John Sarianides

The Oakland Raiders view themselves as Super Bowl contenders and now is the time for them to prove it.

Offensively, Derek Carr returns to lead a talented offense that features one of the best offensive lines In football. The addition of Marshawn Lynch gives this team a bell cow running back that can carry the ball 20 times a game. 

Defensively, Oakland needs to be better than they were last season. The defense really struggled, especially the secondary. If Oakland is going to make a run at the Patriots, Khalil Mack need to step up and complement the offense.

Here are three keys for the 2017 Raiders.

1. Defensive Improvement: As I said, the defense was this team’s Achilles heel last season. The Raiders need to play up to their talent level. There will be pressure on defensive coordinator Ken Norton Jr to fix things.

2. Carr’s Return: Derek Carr is back after breaking his leg late last season. Thus far he has looked good in the pre-season and as long as he hasn’t healthy, the Raiders should be in pretty good shape.

3. Lynch’s Role: Marshawn Lynch should be fresh after his brief retirement  last season. It will be interesting to see how the Raiders handle Lynch’s workload early on. He is in great shape and looks like he can handle 20-25 touches a game.

In the End: On paper, the Raiders are the biggest threat to the Patriots in the AFC. If they play better defense than last season and Lynch gives the running game a spark, the Raiders could find themselves the AFC Championship game.