The Chiefs have taken the reign of AFC West team-to-beat since week 1 this season. The Raiders, with a stout defense and a resurgent running game, are competing at a level few thought them capable of this year. The two teams mirror each other in many ways, however, its the Chiefs that seem to be the media's cinderella darlings coming into Sunday's game in Oaktown.
The Raiders were coming off two commanding wins and finally sold out their first game in eons. Leading in division wins (2) coming into the game, the Raiders could make a strong case for team-to-beat to beat in the division should they pull out a win.
The Raider Nation packed the Coliseum and the Oakland Raiders delivered. It wasn't always pretty and the Chiefs didn't just role over, but the Raiders exhibited a winning determination that teams of years past hardly ever showed.
Missing key starters on offense (Z.Miller) and defense (N.Asoumogha), the Raiders pulled together and inspired each other to greatness on a day that smelled of doom early. They overcame a 10-0 half-time deficit, a day of bad officiating that awakened conspiracy theory talk, injuries and penalties (15-140 yards). Upon all this they came back to tie the game in the last seconds of regulation, then win it in overtime after forcing the Chiefs to go three and out after getting the ball first.
Yes, it was a day that will go down as a Classic Raiders Win, and to have it locally televised means the SF Bay Area witnessed the Raider Nation's transformation from scrap beggar to banquet table host. It defnitely was an electric win that us fans are still savoring this monday morning. I hadn't seen the fans so hyped after a game since..........playoff days.
The Oakland Raiders head into their bye-week with a 5-4 record and leave the Chiefs (5-3) hovering at the corner of the banquet table trying to keep their guest pass valid. The Raiders currently own the only inner-division winning record at 3-0 while the Chiefs awake this morning with a 1-1 record and the Broncos (0-1) and Chargers (0-2) are groveling under the banquet table fighting for scraps.
Final Score - OT
Chiefs 20
Raiders 23
Game Ball To Raiders Rookie Jacoby Ford:
148 receiving yards
158 return yards(see espn)
note: I've already purchased SF Giants World Series gear, but leaving the Raiders game I couldn't pass up buying a classy Giants t-shirt with a sea of hands lifting the World Series trophy along with a caption below that read: "AFTER 56 YEARS THE TORTURE IS OVER"
Maybe just maybe, lightening will strike twice in bay area sports this year. From the look of all the Giants fans at the Coliseum wearing hints of orange and black with SF caps, anything is possible . Wow!
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