Well, here it is, Oakland at Kansas City. This is the game that we've had circled all season that could have determined the winner of the AFC West. Unfortunately for the Oakland Raiders, they did just enough to lose against some bad football teams to squash any hope that today's game would mean anything other than some better year end numbers for certain coaches and players to get more money in 2011, or even keep themselves employed.
What are the pretty numbers?
8-8: That is the record that Oakland Achieved for two seasons in a row under Jon Gruden before they began a three year run as a dominant team in 2000. So, 8-8, would give the fanbase and all of the players hope that what is happening behind the scenes and on the football field can build into something great. 7-9 is only a two win upgrade from last year, even though JaMarcus Russell NOT being a Raider was good enough for two more wins and we had an A-Mazing draft and fielded nearly 7 Pro-Bowlers every week. (Jano, Legs, Nnamdi, Ford, Kelly, Seymour, McFadden)
6-0: No team has ever gone 6-0 in their Division and lost it. That is 29 teams who have accomplished this feat, and they all made the Playoffs. I am not sure if this is a sign that the Coaching staff set the bar too low, by just focusing the team on Divisional Games, or if it is a building block. Time will tell, but 6-0 would be bitter sweet, where as 5-1 would just be bitter.
7-1: That would be Kansas City's home record if the Raiders can manage a victory today. Every time that a Chiefs fan wants to brag about their home record they will be reminded that it was the Oakland Raiders who drew first blood there. This one is just sweet.
I personally think that this should be a battle for first place and that it is the Head Coaches lack of ability and understanding that is making it a contest for numbers, so no matter what, I believe that Coach Cable should be replaced by Hue Jackson and i have a sneaky suspicion that the man upstairs, no not God, believes so as well.
Go Raiders!!!