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Oakland Raiders quarterback Derek Carr calls to his team in the first half of an NFL football game against the Seattle Seahawks, Sunday, Nov. 2, 2014, in Seattle.
Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2014 | 5 p.m.
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The 2008 Detroit Lions shouldn’t expect company in the cellar of the NFL record book quite yet.
Las Vegas odds warn that speculation on the Oakland Raiders becoming the second 0-16 team in NFL history this year might be premature.
The South Point sports book opened a proposition wager Tuesday asking whether the 0-8 Raiders would remain winless. The “yes” is offered at plus-1000 (risking $1 to win $10) with the “no” coming back at minus-1800 (risking $18 to win $1).
Raiders rookie Derek Carr can rest easy knowing he’s not imminently bound to join Dan Orlovsky in the undesirable club of quarterbacks on the least successful teams ever. Adjusting for hold percentage, the line implies less than a 7 percent chance that Raiders go 0-16.
Oakland is a respectable 4-4 against the spread this season, and its minus-82 point differential is actually better than three other NFL teams — Jacksonville, the New York Jets and Tampa Bay.
By comparison, Detroit finished the 2008 season at a much-worse minus-249 margin.
The issue comes with the Raiders’ remaining schedule. It’s the toughest in the NFL, according to the advanced metrics at Football Outsiders.
The Raiders don’t project as the favorite in any game and seven of eight come against teams with .500 records or better. The lone exception is a week 13 road game against the Saint Louis Rams (3-5 straight-up and against the spread).
Oakland is currently an 11.5-point home underdog against AFC West rival Denver ahead of this Sunday’s game at the South Point.
Case Keefer can be reached at 948-2790 or [email protected]. Follow Case on Twitter at twitter.com/casekeefer.
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