You know its a sign when the Raiders win back-to-back games. This is something they have not done since 2008. With no professional team in Los Angeles, the Raiders have been my team growing up.
Let’s just say it has not been easy to be a Raiders fan. Still amazes me that the second largest city in the United States is still without a professional football team, yet a town with 100,000 people (ahem Green Bay) sports a football franchise.
In any case, there was some promise with Bill Callahan when the Raiders made it to the 2003 Super Bowl, only to get embarrassed. Rich Gannon threw four interceptions, and the Raiders were blown out. You know it’s bad when the Super Bowl MVP is a defensive player (that year it was Dexter Jackson).
The Raiders were at the top of the mountain, but the Buccaneers pushed them down the mountain, injured and unable to climb back up.
Are the Raiders back? Of course not. But it is extremely gratifying to hear that not only have the Raiders won back-to-back games over Denver and Seattle, but that they have outscored their opponents 92-17 during their winning streak, committed no turnovers, and had over a 1,000 total yards.
I can finally hold my head up high and say that this Sunday’s game in the Black Hole against the Chiefs actually means something. The Chiefs are off to a surprising 5-2 start and atop the AFC West, and the Raiders have an opportunity to get that much closer to the concept of a postseason.
It’s been seven miserable years. Lane Kiffin was a disastrous hire, and JaMarcus Russell was the biggest bust at QB since Ryan Leaf.
The Raiders brought in Jason Campbell, who has not been what Raider fans expected, but Gradkowski has shown signs of life, but how about Darren McFadden?
276 rushing yards and three touchdowns the last two games? McFadden is finally proving his worth since being drafted by the Raiders in 2008 from Arkansas. It almost appeared that the Raiders would be given a hard lesson on “Bust 101,” with two first-round draft picks that failed to live up to the hype.
But McFadden’s matriculation is long overdue. He has the quickness, speed and size to be a prominent back in a league stocked with talent.
And so the major success for both the Chiefs and Raiders has been just that: the running game. The Chiefs have Jamaal Charles and Thomas Jones, and the Raiders have seen the much-needed production from McFadden.
The ground game plays such a vital role in football, especially in the NFL because it takes pressure off the quarterback and allows teams to incorporate the play-action pass, creating a balance in the offense that makes it efficient and effective.
I am looking for McFadden to have a break out game, and the Raiders to use their dominant defense, productive offense as far as rushing and ball control and the offense to score points!
Russell was bid his farewell, and it has paid off for the Raiders. They say patience is a virtue, and it really is possible to witness a Raiders team that is above .500 after Sunday, and in the thick of the AFC West race.
To put it in perspective, if the Raiders win, this will be the first time since 1994 that both the Chiefs and Raiders simultaneously had winning records.
Told you this game means something. To all the Raiders fans out there, we have something to talk about and be proud about.
Better yet, the Cowboys are 1-6. What now?!