Raiders not done making memories in Oakland
Has the crusty old Coliseum been transformed into a Tunnel of Love?
Looks like it, because it is getting a little mushy, a little misty, around the Raiders.
After defeating the winless Cincinnati Bengals 1710 on Sunday to improve their record to 64, the word of the day was “love.”
The Raiders love football. They love each other. They love the coach. They love the fans.
“We feel loved, to be honest,” quarterback Derek Carr said.
And they certainly love the position they are in right now.
After what head coach Jon Gruden called “the most incredible road trip ever in the history of the NFL . ... We played on the road, we played in foreign countries and across the world,” during which time the Raiders spent six weeks away from Oakland, the Raiders finally came home. And ripped off three straight victories.
Now there are two relevant games remaining before a Dec. 1 matchup that could determine the winner of the AFC West. The Kansas City
Chiefs take on the Chargers in Mexico City on Monday night. And the Raiders will face the Jets in New Jersey on Sunday, where they’ve already been installed as favorites.
If both games go as expected, the Chiefs — who have a bye next weekend — and the Raiders will have identical 74 records heading into their rematch at Arrowhead Stadium the Sunday after Thanksgiving.
That’s not what anyone would have predicted when the teams met back in September, when Patrick Mahomes took apart the Raiders in one 28point second quarter outburst and the Raiders looked undone. They weren’t. Instead, they took their magical mystery tour to regroup, bond, fall in love with each other and figure out how to gut out wins.
Like Sunday’s. It wasn’t pretty. It wasn’t statistically dominating. It came against the league’s only winless team, which went with a rookie quarterback making his second start.
But it was a win. The Raiders didn’t overlook their opponent.
“That’s an easy story to write,” Gruden said. “But you don’t look ahead in this league. You don’t do it. We are going to fight and scratch to win.”
When time had run out and they did, in fact, win, Gruden ran down to the Black Hole to celebrate with the people that he, yes, loves.
“I like to share my joy with the joyous Raiders fans,” he said. “There’s something about those people. They’re nuts. They’re the closest thing to me that I’ve ever seen. We have that in common.”
And those nutty fans are beside themselves with delight. For the first time since 2016, the Raiders have won three games in a row. That was the last season that the team was in the playoffs, and the Raiders are smack in the middle of the AFC postseason picture.
There are only two more Raiders games scheduled at the Coliseum: Tennessee and Jacksonville in backtoback weeks in December. And though a walk through the parking lot before the game, at the scene of one of the best tailgates in the league, is bittersweet, this is becoming a better sendoff than maybe anyone could have predicted.
“We said we wanted to protect this place,” Carr said. “It’s a special place.”
The Raiders are winning with youth, a rookie class that is contributing in ways they couldn’t have predicted. They’re winning with castoffs, players who have been signed and inserted into the starting lineup right away.
How is this whole thing working? Largely because of Gruden. And love.
“The people that were brought in love football,” Carr said. “They love each other.”
One of those newly signed players, safety D.J. Swearinger, said that Gruden made him feel integrated right away, introducing him to the whole team.
“I love everything about this organization,” he said. “I like the togetherness.”
One of those young players, rookie tight end Foster Moreau, said Gruden entertains his team.
“He has a background in entertainment, and every time he talks, we’re entertained,” Moreau said.
Every time Gruden dials up a play like he did for Moreau in the second quarter, everyone is entertained. On a playaction pass at the goal line, Moreau ran uncovered across the end zone for an easy touchdown reception.
The Raiders’ other touchdown was a Carr run, only the second rushing touchdown of his career. That gave the Raiders a 147 lead, which they nursed through the second half, helped by their defense. Each team added a field goal, but the difference in the game was Raiders rookie Maxx Crosby’s four sacks and the late interception by rookie cornerback Trayvon Mullen.
Gruden seems to have his team focused on the right things.
“If you’re a young football player, there are no standings,” Gruden said. “There are no stats. There are no records. The ball is snapped, you play hard and anything can happen.”
Josh Jacobs, unprompted, agreed with his coach. He’s focused on the moment at hand.
“Personally, I don’t look ahead,” the rookie running back said. “Even coming into this week, I didn’t even know Cincinnati’s record. I didn’t know any of the stats. I just looked at film and take it day by day and opponent by opponent.”
Don’t anyone tell the rookie that there is a monster game looming in two weeks.
Tunnel vision is required. In the Raiders’ tunnel of love.