Tis the season to be a Raider
Say what you want to about the Oakland Raiders (The Detroit Lions of the West Coast, Commitment to Excellence … Not!!!, Unteam of the Decade, etc.), but there is no way you can badmouth their performance on a cold and drizzling Sunday in their final home game.
The 27-16 win over a fairly good Houston Texan outfit is not the main reason to be celebrating Christmas a bit early this year. After all, the Black & Silver will drag a 4-11 record into its season-ending game Sunday (Dec. 28) at Tampa Bay (9-6).
These are the reasons to be smiling these days if you’re a resident of Raider Nation:
1 — JaMarcus Russell showed deft touch on short- and medium-range passes enough times to get finish with sterling numbers (18 of 25 for 236 yards, 2 touchdowns and no interceptions).
2 — Rookie running back Darren McFadden wasn’t the top rusher for the Raiders (12 carries for 46 yards vs. Jay Fargas’ 22 carries for 93 yards), but he picked up valuable yards when it counted.
3 — Johnnie Lee Higgins electrified the crowd (43,687) with an 80-yard punt return for a touchdown that gave the Raiders a 27-13 lead with 5:44 remaining in the third quarter. Less than four minutes earlier, Higgins had given the Raiders a 20-13 lead with a 29-yard touchdown reception. He had three catches for 56 yards.
4 — The best reason … the players mentioned above are young. Russell is 23, McFadden 21 and Higgins 25. Their best seasons (hopefully, just like the Raiders) are still ahead of them.
One game does not make the entire season, but one win allows us to see a brighter future.
(En español: Los Raiders mostraron con su victoria de 27-16 contra los Texans de Houston que hay un futuro más brillante para un equipo que tiene un récord de 4-11 esta temporada.
Los héroes del partido del domingo pasado (JaMarcus Russell, 21; Darren McFadden, 21; y, Johnny Lee Higgins, 25) son jóvenes.
Por éso, ellos tienen sus mejores años enfrente de ello … y ojalá los Raiders van a poder decir lo mismo.
