Sunday, December 05, 2010

Oakland Raiders Sweep San Diego Chargers

Oakland Raiders linebacker Rolando McClain, right, puts a hit on San Diego Chargers running back Darren Sproles in the first half during their NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 5, 2010, in San Diego. Sproles stayed down on the field after the hit, before being attended to by team trainers. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy) ( Denis Poroy )



If you'd listened to Jim Nantz and Dan Fouts call the game on television you'd have thought the Raiders didn't deserve to be on the same field as the San Diego Chargers. Such was the privilege of the opposing team having a former Chargers quarterback fill-in for Phil Simms in the broadcast booth. So what else is knew when it comes to things going against the Oakland Raiders?

Thanks to the dominating play of the Oakland Raiders in all phases of the game, we fans of the Silver & Black got to witness a rarity in broadcasting while watching our team bounce back from a two game losing streak. The broadcasting team of Nantz and Fouts seemed so unprepared for a Raiders day of domination that their programming sounded flat and detached from the reality taking place on the field. It was a good example of what you see on the field and what you hear from the booth not being in sync. Maybe the Raiders haven't given broadcasters much to talk about the past few years, but aren't announcers supposed to bring an unbiased professionalism and honest reportage of action taking place on the field?

Right up to the end of the fourth quarter the broadcasters sounded their hopes for a San Diego victory with discussions of Chargers past western division dominance and QB Phillip River's comeback wins this season. They talked about Rivers and TE Antonio Gates like they were the Tom Brady and Wes Welker duo of the west. It didn't matter that the Raiders limited the Chargers #2 ranked offense to two field-goals in the first half and one touchdown in the second half. It was as if they'd bet on a sure thing and now had to be gracious in losing the wager. How shocking could a Raiders win be when the the first match-up between the two teams this season was won by the Raiders? Come-On-Man!

Meanwhile, the Raiders played Raider Football executing and making plays. QB Jason Campbell gets a game ball for his leadership and Houdini act on that flawless bootleg fake and run for a touchdown. Running Backs Darren McFadden & Michael Bush carried the offense and punished the Chargers with an in-your-face ground game. The offensive and defensive lines won their battles up front sparking the domination their backfields would enjoy. Defense was back to their run stuffing ways limiting the Chargers to 21 total rushing yards. 21 TOTAL RUSHING YARDS folks and the broadcasters barely whispered a peep about it during the game.

The concussing legal hit that Raiders linebacker Mike Mitchell laid on Chargers running back Darren Sproles was the type of hit linebackers live for and fans want to see. The broadcasters played it down and the network limited their replay of it to three at the most. What the heck is going on in the No Fun League these days?



Great Job by Raiders coaches! Head Coach Tom Cable, Offensive Coordinator Hue Jackson and Defensive Coordinator John Marshall all had their stamp on this game. The Raiders came prepared for for this game with the coaches trusting the players and the players trusting the coaches. The coaches called the plays that put the team in position to win a game many assumed they couldn't. The players simply executed to perfection the coached game plan. Football 101.

Its so rewarding to prove those who say you can't do something wrong. The Oakland Raiders not only won the two game intra-division series against the Chargers for the first time since 2001, they also ended the San Dogs December streak of 18 wins dating back to 2005. I know this because the freakin broadcasters kept reminding us viewers of the dominating Decembers that the Chargers are known for. Oh well, merry frickin xmas from the Raiders, Jim Nantz and Dan Fouts.


Final Score
Raiders 28
Chargers 13

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