If you haven't been paying attention the difference is the revamped defense. D Coordinator Gus Bradley has the defense playing at a high level. They've signed key all pro's like Soloman Thomas (DT), Yannick Ngokue (DT) Quinton Jefferson, KJ Wright (LB), Nick Kwiatkowski (LB), Cory Littleton (CB) Casey Hawyard for free agents. (They're 2nd in the league at QB pressures. The players are tackling better, secondary seems to always be in the right place and you see more opportunity for interceptions or batted balls. In the past the Raiders defense WAS the achillies heel. Blown coverages, missed tackles, poor tackling, giving up 3rd and 20's almost 40% of the time. Lamar Jackson was sacked 3 times and lost 3 fumbles. Ben Roethlisberger 27/40 ,295 1 TD, 1 sack 1 INT. Those are 2 playoff teams that were corralled.
Call me a homer sure. But the Raiders defense passes the eye test. Seen it since pre-season.