This question of whether or not the 2010 Oakland Raider team is better than any we have seen in the past 7 seasons is simple to answer. Yes.
The question of whether or not this team will win more than five games may be answered tomorrow.
Long have we, of the silver and black, languished for a silver lining to accompany our black cloud. Long have we waited for this once proud organization to rise to the top, it's rightful place. For nothing says hard nosed, in the trenches, swashbuckling football like the name, Oakland Raiders.
Once upon a time, the Oakland Raiders were the winningest franchise in MAJOR sports history. Once upon a time there were players with names that are etched on the walls of football history. Blanda, Stabler, Otto, Hendricks, Tatum and Madden all gave a face to an organization that was as committed to winning as any the World had seen since the Gladiators in Rome.
Today's version of the Oakland Raiders has said some of the same things that the greats of old professed, they just haven't made the plays to back them up.
Tomorrow's game will show us all if they are a good team or if we should be thinking more of 5-11 than 11-5.
The Texans are a good team, and in order for the Raiders to be a good team, they need to beat good teams at home.
Can the Raiders win more than 5 games if they lose tomorrow? Of course. Will they win 8 if they lose tomorrow? Not likely.
So, let's bring it tomorrow Nation. Let's be Loud and Proud, get behind our boys and root them to victory. Who knows, maybe Blanda will enter the body of Sebastian Janikowski and Jano will throw a game winning TD? Anything can happen, and tomorrow, let's have that "Anything" be the Oakland Raiders ending up in the winner's circle against a team that embarrassed them, 29-6, last season.
RRRAAAIIDDEEERRSSS!!!!!