Raiders Try to Make It Three in a Row

       “Back-to-back AFC West games. That’s huge.”-- Nnamdi Asomugha

By Barbara Mason
Raiderdrive.com/Bay Area Sports Drive

The Oakland Raiders are on a roll.  The team is playing what might be considered to be the best football that they have played in a very long time, a time that reaches far back into the 2003 season.  It has been a long time coming, but no one is complaining right now.  The mere fact that the Raider Nation has been able to cheer itself into a frenzy is reward enough.  Heaven knows, they have been faithful through thick and thin, or should I say thin.  The players deserve it too.  They have played their hearts out, and it just wasn’t happening until now.  The Silver and Black made a more than impressive showing in the game against the Denver Broncos last Sunday, looking even stronger than they did against the Chiefs two weeks ago.  Needless to say, the players are really feeling it nowadays.  “It’s big.  It’s not just another game for us,” said Nnamdi Asomugha after the game against Denver.  “Back-to-back AFC West games.  That’s huge.  That’s never been done since I’ve been here.  We’re taking strides,” he said.

This coming Sunday, the Oakland Raiders will have to take those strides and a few more with them as they head out to the frozen tundra known as Lambeau Field to take on Brett Favre and the Green Bay Packers. Favre will be coming off what had to be one of the worst performances in his professional career, completing 5 of 14 passes for 56 yards with 2 interceptions before leaving the field injured. 

As of Wednesday, both Favre's and Charles Woodson’s time on the practice field was limited; however, the good news for the Packers is that they were able to practice.  On the Raiders' side, Jeremy Newberry, Jerry Porter, Warren Sapp, and Barry Simms did not participate in practice, a team decision.  Quarterback Josh McCown was able to put in a full day of practice on Wednesday.

If Green Bay wins this game Sunday, the team will clinch a post-season berth.  The coaching staff and the players are indeed taking this game very seriously.  Their defense, especially Aaron Kampman and Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila, will be out headhunting quarterbacks, having distinguished themselves as the NFL’s top sack twosome.  The Packers' defense has had 32 sacks through 12 games.  The Raiders' front line will have a tough assignment with this one and you can believe that Oakland quarterback Josh McCown will be counting heavily on all of them.

Another contest within this contest will be the performances of Green Bay running back Ryan Grant and Oakland’s Justin Fargas.  Keep your eyes on both of these guys.  Only one running back has totaled more yards since Week 8 than Grant, who has had 561 yards.  Surprise, surprise! It just happens to be Oakland’s Justin Fargas with 591 yards.

The last meeting between these two teams was back in Oakland in December of 2003, when the Packers crushed the Raiders 41-7.  Favre had one of his best career games despite the passing of his father the day before.  Few have forgotten the emotional roller coaster that Favre endured that day.

Despite the severity of the remaining schedule for the Oakland Raiders, the players seem to believe that they have a chance in each and every one of these games, provided that they are able to continue to play at the level that they have been.  There is a renewed confidence and joy. if you will, in the locker room. “The sky’s the limit with this team,” said Warren Sapp, and the way this team has improved with each week,  Sapp may very well be right on the money.