So, how's Raider Nation feeling about that ugly Raiders win over the Browns last night? Yeah, I feel you. I too wanted to see them blowout the covid protocol Browns. I actually expected the Raiders to show up and take advantage of the Browns depleted roster situation. But these are not our "5-2 out-the-gate" Raiders we're talking about. These are our 1-5 Raiders, who have shown very little fight of late and on the verge of early elimination from playoff contention once again.
Last night's Raiders win felt like watching a loss. The Raiders did everything they could to blow the game, while the Browns seemed to have just enough fight in them to claw their way back from a 10-0 halftime deficit, taking a 14-13 lead late in the fourth quarter. We Raiders fans saw all the bad on display that we've endured these past torturous weeks; dropped passes, QB fumble, missed open receiver, questionable play calling, poor offensive and defensive red zone execution, crucial interception. Surprisingly, we also saw last night what seemed to be missing these past losing weeks, an awakened fight in the team.
After an ill-advised Derek Carr deep pass was picked off with 2:59 left in the game, the Raiders defense continued their grit and guts night by limiting Browns running back, Nick Chubb, to seven yards on three downs to force a punt.
The Raiders had the Browns just where they wanted them. With 1:50 left in the game and no timeouts left, Derek Carr and company drove the ball down the field. And despite a gut-wrenching holding call, the Raiders offense displayed surprising resilience in getting the ball to the Browns 30-yard line for kicker Daniel Carlson. Carlson, calm, cool and collected, booted not one, but thanks to a "freezing-the-kicker" timeout by the Browns, two 48-yard field goals as the game clock expired.
As a Raiders fan I was excited and exhausted at the end of the game. I celebrated the win as with any win, but something kept gnawing at my gut, seeking to spoil my celebratory victory. The discomfort lasted well into the night.
I awoke to radio sports talk hosts, and many of their callers, still throwing shade on the Raiders win. Listening to all the criticisms, the gnawing in my gut started up again. Should the Raiders have blown out the Browns? Is the Raiders struggle to beat a depleted team proof of their weakness? Am I kidding myself to think the Raiders even have a shot at making the playoffs? Can the Raiders beat any of their final three opponents (Broncos, Colts, Chargers)?
These questions and more were being thrown around on various morning sports talk shows. It felt as if everyone was damning the Raiders for winning a game that many, myself included, felt they should've won bigger and easier. But then, while tuned into Raider Nation Radio (RNR 920AM), a caller by the name of Saul talked me and other nauseous Raiders fan listeners off the ledge.
Saul basically reminded Raider Nation of just who we are; a fanbase whose teams' former owner, Al Davis, termed the motto "Just Win Baby." Saul effectively stated exactly what "Just Win Baby" means and doesn't mean. He said it doesn't mean Just win by 10, 20 or 30 points; it doesn't mean just win when an opponent is depleted or loaded with their starting players; it doesn't mean just win when our team has all its starting players or season beginning head coach or speedy second year receiver. No!
"Just Win Baby" means you go out and win a game By Any Means Necessary, regardless of circumstances, regardless of the where, when or how. It means You Win on a 2-pt. safety. You Win on a forced fumble for a touchdown. You Win on a field goal or blocked field goal. You Win on a goal-line stand. You Win in rain, sleet or snow, morning, noon or night. In the infamous words of coach Herm Edwards, "You Play To Win The Game," period!
So what if the NFL changed the date and time of the game just as the Raiders were boarding the bus to catch their flight to Cleveland. So what if the NFL game changes seemed to favor the Browns team. "Just Win Baby" concerns itself with one thing and one thing only; Just Win The Freakin' Game!
After hearing Saul breakdown how fortunate and blessed we are to be fans of a team who goes out onto a football field with one goal in mind, that goal being "Just Win Baby," the gnawing in my gut subsided and I was immediately rejuvenated with the sound of "The Autumn Wind" being broadcast in the background.
Raider Nation, we need to stop all our b!@tching and moaning about what's wrong with our team, and the unfortunate and unfair circumstances they tend to face year in and year out. Nobody's forcing us to be Raiders fans; we signed up because either we have that devil-may-care attitude in us and wanted it in our football team, or nobody else would have us. Either way, we are Raider Nation, Win, Lose or Tie. And we dress in Black!
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