This article was written by Drew Hoffar, host of The Audible on KNBR 1050
A letter to The Nation:
Being a part of the silver and black avalanche that absorbed The Coliseum last Sunday was the most fun I’ve had with you in a while.
Don’t get me wrong, I’ve always enjoyed being around you and last week’s atmosphere whipped up a nostalgic brew.
The Raiders beat the Panthers 35-32 in a Week 12 thriller that locked up their first winning season since 2002. The last time I heard the Coliseum that thunderous was when Rich Gannon capped off an eight-play, 66-yard drive with a rushing touchdown in the fourth quarter of an AFC Championship Game against the Titans. That was 13 years ago on January 19th, 2003 and I was a teenager.
Last Sunday wasn’t a typical Raider game.
This fan base has a unique way of taking shape during a game, from the massive black wave that rises after a touchdown to the steady lean we’ve all mastered when Too $hort’s “Blow the Whistle” starts to slap on the PA speakers. We all mesh together to become this “Nation.” Yet it wasn’t until last Sunday when you reminded me with your voice, how famished you have been for all these years.
With one minute left in the first half and the Raiders holding a 17-7 lead over the Panthers, Kahlil Mack picked off a screen pass from reigning MVP Cam Newton and glided into the end zone for the first touchdown of his career.
The Coliseum erupted.
Raider Nation was a maniacal mob and I watched an ocean of black jerseys swell up and become the heartbeat of this football team once again. Just when I thought we peaked our levels Sunday, Mack, once again ripped the volume knob off The Coliseum.
It was fourth-and-10 with a minute to go in the game the Panthers found themselves down by a field goal. As Cam Newton dropped back, his line went with him. The matchup was perfect. The Panthers offensive line has been banged up this year and because of the skeleton crew up front, a mismatch emerged between Panthers guard Trai Turner and Kahlil Mack.
Turner moved to right tackle for the first time since his high school days and was no match for Mack, especially when all the chips were on the table. The Raiders launched into the flimsy protection of the Panthers and Mack bulldozed Turner, threw down a hammer of a right hand and jarred the ball loose from Newton. Not only did it seal a victory for the silver and black, but it locked in a winning season for the first time in 14 seasons.
That final play from Mack sent an emotional charge throughout The Coliseum. In my life I’ve never connected on so many high fives. I hadn’t had seen “The Nation” that jovial in years. I hadn’t heard The Coliseum shake like that in over a decade.
This fan base is legendary because of their loyalty to the product, but it’s also legendary because of the presence it creates during the games. That presence becomes a brilliant scene when the product is thriving. The 2016 Raiders have reenergized all of the Bay Area. The NFL is much better when the Raiders win. This year they have done their part. As the rest of the season unfolds, remember one thing Raider Nation … enjoy the ride.
