21 reasons No. 20 is so important for Oakland

By Anthony Carroll  |   Friday, May 23, 2008  |  Comments( 46 )

Oakland Raiders
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Earlier this month, Oakland Raiders first-round draft choice Darren McFadden elected to wear No. 20.

Without a doubt, much of the Raiders’ success in 2008 will bank on how far that No. 20 jersey travels this season. A 1,000-plus-yard campaign could mean a major rebound for a franchise that hasn’t seen six wins in a season since 2002.

With so much banking on how the rookie running back performs this year, here’s a countdown of 21 reasons why No. 20 is such a vital part of the Raiders’ season.

0: The number of season openers the Raiders have won since losing the Super Bowl six years ago. Their record since then: 19-61.

1: The number of times the Raiders have won the Week 1 rushing battle since losing the Super Bowl six years ago.

2: The number of 1,000-yard rushers Oakland has fielded since that 27-point Super Bowl loss.

3: The number of points you settle for when you can’t punch the ball past the goal line.

4: The average number of rushing yards Oakland gained each attempt last season. (4.1, to be exact).

5: The average number of rushing yards Oakland’s opponents gained each attempt last season. (4.8, to be exact).

6: The per-carry rushing average of McFadden in this three-year career with the Arkansas Razorbacks. (5.9, to be exact).

7: The number of fumbles McFadden had on actual rushing plays last season. Of his 13 recorded fumbles, four were when he was lined up at quarterback and two were on kick returns.

8: The number of rushing touchdowns Raider running backs had last year. Division rival running back LaDainian Tomlinson posted nearly double that amount last season.

9: The most number of rushing TDs an Oakland running back has had in a single season since 2003.

10: The number of 100-plus-yard outings McFadden posted last season at Arkansas.

11: The number of rushing touchdowns the Raiders had as a team all last year -- tied for a not-so-impressive 18th in the NFL.

12: McFadden’s national rank for touches in a single season in 2007 with 362. The 210-pounder carried the ball 325 times, made 21 catches and returned 16 kickoffs.

13: The number of 225-pound bench reps McFadden posted at Arkansas' pro day.

14: The number of games the team’s ‘07 leading rusher, Justin Fargas, has missed since 2003.

15: The age McFadden was when the Raiders last appeared in the playoffs.

16: The number of touchdowns the 6-foot-2 rookie rushed for as a junior in 2007.

17: In May, the date of McFadden’s first NFL photo shoot. With the 22-year-old JaMarcus Russell passing the ball and the 20-year-old McFadden running it, the Raiders are now one of the most appealing teams in the NFL.

18: The number of points McFadden scored in a two-point victory over the national championship-winning LSU Tigers on Nov. 23 of last year.

19: The number of wins the Raiders have since their five-year slump began back in 2003.

20: The number of Darren McFadden.

Anthony Carroll can be contacted at
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About Anthony Carroll

Anthony Carroll began writing for RealFootball365.com on Sept. 26, 2005, making him one of the longest tenured contributors to the “365” team. As a senior writer, Anthony has taken on the task of delivering original content to the silver and black faithful year round, despite having to deal...
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