The Oakland Raiders are finally in a postseason game after 14 years. On Saturday, I will breathe a sigh of relief when I see the Silver and Black take the field at NRG stadium in Houston. It’s been an absolute madhouse of a season and this team instilled a brilliant energy into all of us. They’ve transformed Raider Nation back into rare form, and have provided hope of a Cinderella story for the ages.
I have genuinely enjoyed watching the team this year. Late comebacks, wild finishes and the emergence of both DE Kahlil Mack and QB Derek Carr as true leaders inside the locker room and on the field. Whatever happens Saturday, just remember that the Raiders did in fact get to Houston this postseason, and that’s something I personally wasn’t counting on this year.
Now, to drop the bomb: I don’t think the Raiders are going to the Super Bowl.
Even if they beat the second-ranked-Texans defense this weekend, I believe the king of the mountain in the AFC is the Patriots. Even the white-hot Steelers would be too much to handle for this young team.
There is no doubt that something brilliant has been brewing in Oakland for a couple of years now. This season created so much joy that a newly-rejuvenated Raider Nation engine was running full steam heading into the postseason.
Until week 16.
Colts’ linebacker Trent Cole pulled the emergency brake on that ride when he broke through the line and dropped Carr, snapping his leg as they tumbled to the grass.
Carr mouthed “It’s broke” and I panicked. But, then I asked myself, “What did I want from the team this year”?
The Raiders played above any expectations on every level. I thought we would be sitting here talking about an 8-8 team heading into April’s draft. A postseason berth was the furthest thing from my mind going back to August. I just wanted to see improvement, and that’s what they’ve given us.
As the NFL heads into Wild Card weekend, don’t harp on Carr’s snapped fibula. Or the fact that
Matt McGloin looked like an accordion when he got up after getting smoked by Broncos’ defensive end Jared Crick in the regular season finale. Instead, enjoy this incredible season and ride with it until the wheels fall off.
