Art in Blue Black

 Sebastiano Tuccitto

Raiders Rookie Kicker Walk-Off Win

#8 Daniel Carlson

The banged up, one win Raiders played their butts off to pull off a courageous 23-21 comeback win over the Arizona Cardinals. They did it by utilizing some 13 or more rookies, including young kicker Daniel Carlson out of Auburn. Carlson went 3-for-3 on the night, nailing a 35-yarder as the game clock expired.

Not only is Carlson a rookie, but so are special teams place-holder #5 Johnny Townsend (Florida) and long snapper #47 Trent Sieg (Colorado State), not pictured in above photo.

The silver & black looked like a team that would not quit and was not gonna be denied their second win of the season. They outdid the Cardinals in first-downs, time-of-possession, total yards and would you believe it, less penalties (4-20)? 

It was a gutsy showing by a team riddled with injuries and scoring droughts. Hats off to Jon Gruden and his coaching staff for giving the squad a chance to show they haven't quit on him or us fans.  

In the post-game press conference coach Gruden said they'd talked about winning one for the California fire victims. Tight end Lee Smith said it best when he talked about trying to perhaps put a smile on the faces of fire victim families who lost precious pictures of their kids in the fires. Prayers to those families.

Congratulations and thank you Oakland Raiders for giving us air-quality challenged Californians something to smile about this sports Sunday. And now, back to Smoke Mask Monday!

Win, Lose or Tie!

Team Quits Competing After Opening Drive. Why?

Come'on Oakland Raiders. You coulda at least shown up for a game that meant bragging rights here in the Bay Area.  Last night's Battle of the Bay football game against the 49ers was an embarrassment to Raiders fans young and old, alive and dead. The 49ers came into the game reppin' a lowly 1-7 record to the Raiders 1-6. They started a third string rookie quarterback who was seeing pro action for the first time. 

It was a game that the Raiders coulda and shoulda dominated. But then again, these are your Jon Gruden led Raiders, the ones who are suspected of quitting on their newly installed head coach. The ones who seem to continually run out of gas in the fourth quarter. The ones who show flashing promise one week then look as inept as a teenage trombone player in a high school band the next week. Yes, those Raiders players and assistant coaches. 

The 49ers held up their end of the bargain, giving home fans plenty to cheer and high-five about. Their rookie QB looked like Brett Favre, throwing three touchdowns thanks to the keystone cop defense of the Raiders. Meanwhile, other than the opening drive, Carr & company were left resembling a bad "Wheel of Fortune" contestant in need of a vowel. They couldn't buy a first down much less score a touchdown. The patched up Offensive Line allowed 7 sacks on Carr. Not surprisingly, the Raiders defense produced 0 sacks of their own. Even the punter had a bad night.

And through it all coach Jon Gruden simply looked lost. I almost felt bad for him. Almost! But as the saying goes, "you reap what you sow." And that crap he's feeding the media about other NFL players calling him all the time wanting to come play for the Raiders, sounds like one of those laughable childish Trump lies that the nation has grown so accustomed to. Maybe we Raiders fans should start wearing black caps with the silver words "Make The Raiders Great Again" printed on the front. Because the one thing I've learned from watching so-called leaders move their lips in front of a microphone is that P.T. Barnum was 100% absolutely right; "There's a sucker born every minute."

We're all just a bunch of suckers if we think Jon Gruden is going to lead this team to the promised land anytime in the near or foreseeable future. It's just sad, so sad!!!!!

Final Score
Raiders 3
49ers 34

Check out Jimmy Durkin postgame podcast

Highlights of the Game:
Terrell Owens half-time Hall of Fame ring celebration
49ers Cheerleader takes a knee during National Anthem