Has any fan base in the NFL been through more than the Black Hole over the past 40 years? Founded in 1960, the Oakland Raiders became the eighth (and final) member of the AFL — a league they called home for 10 years until it merged with the NFL.
From 1970-1981, the NFL’s Oakland Raiders called the Coliseum home, but in 1982 Al Davis moved the team to Los Angeles for a 13-season stretch that saw the team return home in 1995. At last, they were home — and this time for good, right?
Well, not so fast. Sunday will mark the team’s final home game in Oakland before they move to Las Vegas next fall. For the third time in 37 years, the Raiders will play a home game in which they are saying goodbye not only to a stadium but to an entire community (and it’s even more than three if you count all the times they thought they were saying goodbye before coming back the following year).
Regardless of which city you call home, Sunday will be an emotional one simply because of the finality with which it feels this game will be played. The good news? The Raiders are heavy favorites, and you can bet your lunch that guys like Jon Gruden and Derek Carr care deeply about winning one more time for the Raider faithful.
And with that, here are the things to watch…
New defensive mentality?
After Sunday’s debacle against the Titans, Gruden proclaimed that changes were coming to the way the Raiders played defense. The full quote: “Right now, we’ve got to play better, and we’re going to play better, and there will be changes. There will be changes. What happened yesterday will not happen again. I can’t allow it to happen.” So, what changes?
During the week, the Raiders parted ways with safety D.J. Swearinger, linebacker Preston Brown and defensive lineman Terrell McClain. So, are those the changes? Hopefully not, because in reality, only Swearinger saw significant playing time last week (although he was brutal).
I’ll be curious to see if youngsters like Nick Nelson, Isaiah Johnson and Keisean Nixon get more cracks at the field on Sunday just to see what they’ve got. Regardless, the good news is that the Raiders will get a bit of a break after seeing two of the hotter offenses in the league the past two weeks.
Josh Jacobs: to play or not to play?
After Jacobs revealed that he’s played most of the season with a fractured shoulder and was held out of last Sunday’s game, many began to wonder whether he should be preserved for the future and be held out the remainder of the year. These people clearly don’t know Gruden (who wants to win regardless of seasonal context) or Jacobs (who was seen crying on Sunday after finding out he couldn’t play).
I also think that the Raiders need some positive news and momentum, two things Jacobs can bring both on Sunday and in the offseason were he to win the Offensive Rookie of the Year (an award for which he is currently the favorite). All that to say, I’d be surprised if we didn’t see him the rest of the season — and I actually would be shocked if he didn’t give the fans in Oakland one last glimpse at the future.
(It also doesn’t hurt that the Jagsuars are currently giving up the second-most rushing yards per game this season)
Carr: back on track
While Carr’s numbers have looked okay of late, much of that was accomplished in garbage time last week — meaning he desperately needs a good performance in a win in order to silence the growing doubts about his future with the Raiders. The Jaguars’ pass defense is about league-average this season, but it could be the bounce-back Carr needs to get this season back on track.
With Jacobs hampered, look for Oakland to put the game in Carr’s hands more and more — giving him yet another chance to cement himself as the quarterback of both the present and the future.
A streak is broken
Heading into this game, both teams are riding streaks they’d like to end — the Jaguars have lost five straight and the Raiders have lost three in a row. Over that stretch, Oakland has been outscored by 83 points, while Jacksonville is losing by an average of just over 23 points per game. Something has to give.
Prediction: Raiders 35, Jaguars 20
I think there’s something special in the air this Sunday and so I think the Raiders find some magic and put it all together. The Raider season isn’t technically dead yet, and I think Sunday’s performance breathes new life and optimism into this group. I’m not saying it’s justified, but with road games against the Chargers and Broncos looming, it’s not the craziest idea in the world.
Give me four Carr touchdowns, 100 total yards from Jacobs, four sacks of Gardner Minshew and two forced turnovers — all of which adds up to a dominant Raider performance over a team that quit on their season a month-and-a-half ago.
