The Raiders WILL Win A Super Bowl Before Leaving Oakland

By: Shawn Baker

 

  It is mid August and the heat is on. First week of the NFL Preseason is behind us. Teams are making evaluations of players who are virtually unknown to the common man. Trades have been dealt. Cuts are being made. Anyone who is a fan of professional football is ecstatic to see what their team will do this year. For me, that team is the Oakland Raiders.

Ever since the NFL team owners voted and approved the Raiders relocation to Vegas, there has been tension among Raiders fans worldwide. Especially those in the great city of Oakland, CA. Even after the disappointment and heartbreak those fans suffered through, they remained committed to their team even if it felt one-sided. Season tickets sold out and jerseys kept flying off the shelves.

With that said, there is an obligation to reward the fans who have stuck by a team who was historically bad for over a decade. There is a void in the hearts of Raiders fans that can only be filled by the arrival of the Lombardi Trophy. And this must happen before the team’s departure to Las Vegas. This is the only way to even come close to making it right in the eyes of the fans.

The first step of the healing process was bringing in Marshawn Lynch. Beast Mode IS Oakland. Having him around has done wonders for the city morale. His Raiders jersey has been the highest selling NFL jersey for over 10 weeks and counting. GM Reggie McKenzie is a genius. I pity the fool who says otherwise. He has surgically repaired this team’s roster. As soon as he arrived in the Bay Area, he began dumping cap casualties and releasing bad contracts. This paved the way for building through the draft, a process in which he has proven to be a master of.

The Raiders arguably won the 2017 NFL Draft. Starting with first round pick Gareon Conley. The cornerback from Ohio State was considered a Top 10 pick heading into the draft. Unfortunately, a sexual assault accusation arose just days before the draft, causing his stock to plummet dramatically. Lucky for him, McKenzie and the Raiders were comfortable taking the risk on a player who they view as a potential cornerstone of their defense. The case has since been dismissed and it’s back to football for Conley and the Raiders.

2017 second round pick Obi Melifonwu, a safety from Connecticut was believed by many to be a first round talent. Due to an overload of secondary talent in this past draft, he slipped into the second round where the Raiders were able to swoop him up with the #56 overall pick. His combination of size, speed, and coverage versatility make him an absolute weapon in the backfield. Eddie Vanderdoes and Treyvon Hester are starting to look like steals as well. This could be one of the most exciting years in Oakland Raiders history, if not the most.

For those of you who are familiar with the “Tuck Rule game,” you can probably understand why we as Raiders fans HATE the New England Patriots. That game has haunted us for years. It has left us fans with tons of “what if” questions and scenarios. To hell with the Patriots. Yeah, I said it. Legacy schmegacy. Any QB could be a HOF’er when he’s throwing footballs so flat, they might as well be tossing Jell-O puddings out there. The hatred is real as you can see. That brings me to my next point though.

The Brady-Patriots era started with the Raiders and it will END with the Raiders. The Tuck Rule game kickstarted it and the Carr-Mack led Silver & Black is going to shut it down. I would like to believe that “the best team wins,” but come on guys. How many of you really believe that? It is hard for me to not believe that sports are rigged to a certain extent. At the end of the day, it is a business. And what are businesses all about? Making money. Sports are a form of entertainment and in order to keep people entertained, you need a good storyline. Look at the past 3 NBA Finals for an example.

Now don’t get it twisted here. I am not by any means saying that my beloved Raiders aren’t good enough to win it all based on talent alone. All I am saying is that I believe there is a greater power at work here. Raiders vs. Patriots equal high television ratings. The media has already thrown gasoline on the fire, by claiming the Raiders are the only team who can stop the Patsies from reaching the Super Bowl for a consecutive time in 2018. While I agree to some extent, I feel like the word ONLY is a bit of a reach.

First off, the Raiders need to develop a recipe that will solve our Kansas City problem. Don’t worry though Raider Nation, I believe that concoction is being created as we speak. New OC Todd Downing is a smart man. Plus, with the strong relationship that he and Derek Carr have, I am confident we will conquer the AFC West this year. Yes, even the Butt Chiefs.

As far as New England goes, the road to the Super Bowl for the Raiders is not going to be a walk in the park. The defense must improve, the secondary and pass rush in particular. If those two things are a polished, offense-eating machine by the time we face the Patriots, it should be fairly smooth sailing.

Here’s the thing that has me perplexed though. I have a sneaking suspicion that the powers that be are purposefully eliminating any obstacles the Pats may have in their division. My good friend and fellow writer Kevin Nivek seems to feel the same way. For more insight on his interesting perspective, be sure to check out his article on the Bad Dinner Guests blog.
The Tom Brady Farewell Tour

 Just think about it for a moment. Doesn’t it seem a little odd that ALL the teams that reside in the AFC East, except for the Patriots, somehow got significantly worse this offseason? Like, worse than usual.

The Buffalo Bills up and decide to trade Sammy Watkins to the LA Rams for three Jolly Ranchers and a Pepsi-Cola. The Jets have been terrible and continue their tradition naturally. They call it rebuilding or whatever, but hey. Who am I to judge? The Miami Dolphins were the only team in that division that could have gave good ol’ Tommy and the Cheats a run for their money. Then the unthinkable happens. Ryan Tannehill suffers from a non-football related injury. Non-football huh? Hmm, well let me take a guess. Maybe Billy Belichick and the crew decided to pay RT a little visit one night. Far fetched? Maybe, but this is America after all. Anything can happen.

So enough with the theories and what not. Moral of the story is this: Raiders will win a Super Bowl before they leave for Sin City, BUT it won’t be easy. The Patriots must wallow in defeat before this can happen. Hopes are high and fingers are crossed, as the football Gods deliver us another season of Silver & Black.