The Oakland Raiders did what everyone thought they would do during Week 2 as they dominated the New York Jets 45-20. The Jets’ defense showed little to no resistance as the Raiders were able to march their offense up the field seemingly at will the entire afternoon.
Derek Carr was impressive yet again, throwing for 230 yards and three touchdowns, all to Michael Crabtree. However, even more telling was the support at the Oakland Alameda Coliseum as Oakland’s fanbase was riled up before kickoff and were loud throughout the entire contest.
While the fan support for the silver and black was expected, it is bittersweet as the team is set to relocate to Las Vegas once the new arena is built. According to Peter King of The MMQB, Carr stated he and the Raiders are still upset about the move:
Carr: “Our true fans are hurting like we are. The city of Oakland is hurting because we’re leaving. We’re hurting because we’re leaving."
— Peter King (@peter_king) September 18, 2017
After years of trying to find the financing for a new stadium in Oakland, owner Mark Davis upped his efforts to find a new home for his team. Eventually, he settled on Las Vegas, upsetting the Oakland faithful.
Still, the Raiders are well-represented wherever they play and things will be no different once they have officially moved. The energy in the Coliseum was electric and the team clearly fed off it, playing with force and confidence.
With another convincing win under their belts, the Raiders look poised to challenge for the AFC West title. The Kansas City Chiefs and Denver Broncos are also off to good starts and it will be interesting to see who comes out of what is shaping up to be the NFL’s premier conference.