JAN MICHEAL VINCENT, SHANNON SHARPE, JOHN DENVER, JOHN ELWAY, KARL ROVE, DOUGLAS FAIRBANKS, TOM JACKSON, MIKE SHANAHAN....CAN YOU HEAR ME, YOUR BOYS TOOK A HELL OF A BEATING!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I had a good weekend, a really good weekend.And I have disliked DONKEY'S since struggling to stay on one whist full of sangria in Ibiza some years ago.
OK so Bjorge Lillelien probably had more to to crow about as Norway beat England in Oslo in 1981, but his famous (in England) rant was the first thing that sprang to mind last night as the DONKEY'S were humiliated in their own stadium.So what if they did it to us in week one, that is irrelevant at this point in time.We have had to endure a lot as RAIDERS fans so far this season, so a victory like the one we saw this weekend, should be savoured, considering how much of an underdog we were.
Theres nothing quite like seeing the DONKEY faithfull with their bottom lips out having to take a beating from the hated RAIDERS, and nothing like seeing Jay Cutler begging the ref's after every play for another penalty.Come on Cutler they were doing their best with a couple of terrible roughing the passer calls and throwing a flag on Johnnie Lee Higgins for enjoying himself after another TD return.But we managed to play for four quarters and didn't really look like blowing it this time, although early in the second quarter after the RAIDERS had gone to what is now THE ZACH MILLER PLAY, where Russell fakes a hand-off and rolls out to his right to hit Miller deep, the offense managed to go from 1st and goal at the three yard line to settling for a FG, as has happened so many times this season.Tom Cable at least changed things in the second half this week and gave the ball to Darren McFadden down at the goal-line and 14 points came from those touches.
The thing that I really felt during the game though was confidence.The players looked confident in each other, even when the Donkey's drew level at 10-10, they stayed calm and got right back on the horse, pun fully intended.Wherever the confidence was drawn from it was evident in all phases of the game for the RAIDERS.The much maligned offensive line were able to give JaMarcus Russell more time to pass, and that combined with receivers making some plays made for Russell looking as composed as he has done all year.He only attempted eleven passes I know, but ten of them were completions with some really nice throws, including a dart to Ashley Lelie for his TD.Justin Fargas ran really hard for a 100+ yard day and Darren McFadden looked dangerous.Chris Johnson continues to impress as the new sidekick to Nnamdi, and looks far more comfortable in the RAIDERS system than his predecessor did.Add to that a little bit of razzmatazz from Johnnie Lee Higgins and a solid defensive display and suddenely there seems to be a team in there somewhere.Tom Cable has been getting a lot of criticism recently but should get a pat on the back for some improved play calling that had the RAIDERS looking poised and actually fun to watch for a change.
There will be those that will say that we beat a DONKEY team that were suffering from injuries, but this is the NFL and they come with the territory.We still had to beat a divisional rival in their own back yard and any way that happens for the RAIDERS at the moment is just fine.
The question now is can that confidence be carried into next week with another old enemy stopping by the Coliseum?Following the RAIDERS last win over the Jets, when it seemed that we may have some new momentum, we faced a tough trip to Baltimore.This time we are at home against a 1-10 team.If there was ever a time that the RAIDERS had a chance to put together back to back wins, surely this is it.
Sunday November 23rd 2008 could be a day to look back on when an OAKLAND RAIDERS team said enough is enough, when the worm turned.It could also just be a fluke result in a bad division.I hope that it is the former, but I intend to enjoy the warm glow of a successful DONKEY WEEK, and if it is followed by a successful CHIEFS WEEK, we could find ourselves with the same record as Norv's powder puffs.Whod'a thunk it?
3 comments:
A very enjoyable post to read, Sir Martin.
Don't be too hard on horse face Elway though ... at least he had the good sense to marry a Raiderette! LOL!
Chris Johnson was repeatedely picked on by Cutler but held up VERY well.
McFadden clearly has a nose for the end zone ... 41 TDs in 38 games at Arkansas. Run DMc is a game changer with his ability to run, take direct snaps, be flaired out wide, and reach pay dirt.
Russell had his most complete game. It is clear that the game is slowing down for him ... 0 INTS, 91% completions.
Kudos to Barney Rubble (Cable) for dialing up a more creative set of play calls.
Offense, defense, special teams all executed. A total team effort drubbing over the hated Donkeys.
The key, as you point out, is whether or not this is an aberration or something to build on. A certain level of consistency needs to be demonstrated on offense over the next 5 games to truly build towards 2009.
Russell & McFadden are our future 1,2 punch. I raise a pint of Guineess and say "Let's smash the condiments and put Nove out of his misery".
Nice post, SIR!
Funny how when we 'show-up' on both sides of the ball and play the entire game, we come up winners!
If we show the same intensity and play-calling this week, we can hang 40 points on the Squaws........
Oh yes gentlemen it was SOOOO sweet to see the Shannarat looking lost and confused at the end of the Enver game sunday.Yes i did mean to type Enver...as there was no D to be seen in Denver ;-)
(ok i stole this off a writer on realfootball365 but,what the hell)
If we can beat the Chefs sunday and then put one over on Norvs Powderpuff Girls on Thursday night we will have turned a potential disaster of a season into a springboard to the future.
The future begins now gentlemen,may it bring all our hopes to fruition,GO RAIDERS !!
Happy Thanksgiving nation....
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