The year was 1990 and the then Los Angeles Raider had become the team to beat in a competitive National Football League. Mind you, there were a few stars that occupied the roster, but none more noticeable than the incredible Bo Jackson.
The presence of Bo promised a turning point in the Raider franchise that was sure to yield a world championship or two. Jackson averaged 5.7 yards per carry and weighed heavily on every opposing defensive coordinator�s mind.
The Raider offense, manned by a capable Jay Schroeder, was discovering the long ball through playaction. Los Angeles controlled the clock on the ground, allowing a talented defense to rest between harassing opposing quarterbacks. Bo simply made his team unstoppable and rolling to a 12-4 season, it looked as if the Raiders were the front-runner to Superbowl XXV glory.
Then, of course, the unthinkable happened: Bo Jackson�s football career came to an abrupt and tragic end in the playoffs. The very next game would forever endure in Raider infamy and shame: A 51-3 massacre at Rich Stadium. The promise of a championship and new Raider dynasty was over as quickly as it began.
The 1990 campaign was the last time a Raider team could be called a juggernaut. It was also the last time the Raiders began a season 4-0. Supreme confidence gave way to a cruel twist of misfortune�.and it was hardly a surprise that the Raiders would never quite recover in the Nineties.
Those of us that remember this bittersweet season would learn a harsh lesson. An NFL team aspiring to succeed cannot rely on a single player.
In the autumn of 2002, the now Oakland Raiders seem to have again put together a championship-caliber team. This breed of football team is something entirely new to the Raider Nation�..or at least new to the youngest of members. If anything, the current Oakland Raider football team is light years ahead of that one-dimensional team of yesterday. There is not a single player on the squad whose injury would completely cripple the team.
The experts would probably disagree with one player in particular. Rich Gannon has been the backbone of this team since 1999 and is rolling with 56 consecutive starts. He is currently the highest-rated quarterback in the league and shows no sign of slowing down with age. Marques Tuiasosopo did a fine rendition of Gannon�s style in the pre-season this year, but he still remains somewhat of a question mark. Optimistically speaking, the Raiders offense is a rapid-striking assault that leaves little opportunity for Gannon to be hit. Personally, I feel that the chance of our starting quarterback being sidelined is slim.
Charlie Garner is obviously the class of a talented stable of young running backs. Like Bo Jackson, Garner is a dynamic and dominating back, but in a different way. Garner is a terror in the defensive backfield, often slicing the secondary apart with his big-play ability. On the ground, his elusiveness leaves linebackers grasping air and he averages a stunning 8.4 yards per carry. Garner is a crucial part of the Oakland offense, but the next running back in the depth chart, Tyrone Wheatley, has also proved to be capable of great things. The �Plan B� that the Raiders might utilize if Garner falls, was what carried them to the 2000 AFC Championship game.
Rice, Brown, and Porter are, in my opinion, the best trio of wide receivers in the game. They bring an experience level and class that the Raiders couldn�t extract from Mervyn Fernandez and Willie Gault. As was evident in Sunday�s game, you cannot shut down all three receivers�.and our third-stringer, Jerry Porter, made his presence known.
The Oakland defense is an interesting concoction. Up front, we have massive run-stuffers. The linebacking core is talented and aggressive. The secondary is showing an aptitude for the big play. Bill Calahan and company decided to confront their one glaring weakness on defense last year: stopping the run. Oakland gives up 59.5 yards per game on the ground (#1 in the NFL) in games involving Jerome Bettis, Shawn Alexander, and Eddie George. So far, I�d say �mission accomplished�.
The special teams squad is once again coming alive. Janikowski is booting more and more kicks into the endzone. Buchanon and Kirby own three return touchdowns between them. Lechler continues to back opposing offenses into oblivion. Offense, defense, and special teams: The 2002 Oakland Raiders are complete and versatile.
Overall, this Raider team is talented enough to tickle any fan of the Silver and Black. In their first four games, they beat their opponents by an average of 18 points. They lead the league not only in scoring, but also in total offense. For once, we have superior numbers to back up our lifelong belief of Oakland�s superiority. It�s been awhile since I�ve been this excited about an NFL season. It�s been so long since I�ve been this confident about a Raider team. It been�since�(hey), 1990.
What a thought.
Of course, the story of the 2002 NFL season has yet to be written in stone. There are yet many surprises, both good and bad, in store for our beloved team. Right now, the Oakland Raiders are a juggernaut of professional football. There is no NFL team out there that Oakland cannot beat. It�s still early in the season, but Bill Calahan and Al Davis have once again shown a starving Raider Nation just how far �Commitment to Excellence� can be taken.
We now have a head coach that isn�t privately weighing contract options with other teams. We now have an approach that values �going for the throat� over �playing not to lose�. The components necessary for success have been assembled. Should our team continue to perform this way, the Superbowl is once again within our reach.
Thank GOD!
- Eastbay