Raiders’ “legacy” games critical to 2009 success

By Os Davis  |   Wednesday, May 06, 2009  |  Comments( 35 )

Oakland Raiders
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At this point in sports history, it’s fairly obvious that no matter how such “classic,” “throwback,” and now “legacy” games are billed, they’re all about selling those retro jerseys. No matter: There’s nothing better than seeing the players don those modified old-school uniforms, unless you’re a Philadelphia Eagles fan.

In 2009, the NFL will be celebrating the 50-year anniversary of the defunct AFL. Figuring heavily in the festivities with three “legacy” games on the schedule are the Oakland Raiders, arguably the former AFL franchise most worthy of the “legacy” title.

Not only are the Raiders playing three games under the “legacy” label, but they may well prove to be the team’s three most important games of the season. Bust out that sweet minimalist-looking Jack Tatum throwback and consider...

• Oakland must win Week 1 to set the pace. Opening week has the Raiders facing off in a Monday night “legacy” game against the San Diego Chargers. All those fresh faces on the team, fresh(-ish) coach, and fresh start for the franchise will go for naught quickly if anything like last year’s 41-14 debacle is repeated. Has the wind ever left a team’s sails faster than in Week 1 for the 2008 Oakland Raiders? I don’t think so.

• The Kansas City Chiefs must be considered easy pickings if the Raiders are to contend in 2009. Forget however great you may be deluded enough to think Matt Cassel is: The truth is that Kansas City may still be the youngest, most inexperienced bunch in the league; this is also a team in front-office flux. Kansas City figures to be a bottom 10 finisher in 2009. How Oakland performs in hosting these division rivals in Week 10 – crunch time – will probably provide a neat summary of the season to that point.

• Most of the Raiders’ more difficult games in 2009 figure to be those against the NFC East, culminating in the Week 12 Thanksgiving Day matchup against the Dallas Cowboys. By Week 12, the Raiders’ll either be fighting for their playoff lives or contemplating Tim Tebow’s future in the NFL. Or maybe both, if JaMarcus Russell has been replaced by Jeff Garcia at this point. Even worse/better, this game will be chased by a trip to play the Pittsburgh Steelers, likely to be embroiled in a bloody fight to the finish with the Baltimore Ravens.

Despite a, let’s say, lackluster draft performance by the Raider brain trust, this writer is still on the optimistic side regarding the 2009 team. From this far ahead in time, it feels improbable that the Raiders could add to their historical legacy in this “legacy” season, but you can’t keep a good franchise down forever.
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About Os Davis

Os Davis has taken a twisted route to get to RealFootball365.com in his nearly 17 years in professional writing, working in any number of capacities in the sportswriting, news reporting and film criticism worlds. In print media, Os has served as editor at a few publications, including Albuquerque's ...
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CommentsComments: 35  |  Sign Up  View all comments
No.1
Spoakland		02:01 AM
05/07/2009
You're right about that, Os! The Raiders are on the rise on 2009. I have rarely seen the Raiders' old uniforms. So, they'll ...
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No.2
neil b		03:34 AM
05/07/2009
You may be right about it being a money making thing Os.The thing is, I do like the look of 'em.Might treat myself to a Dmac ...
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No.3
Raidehz		07:34 AM
05/07/2009
TEEEEEEEEEEEBOOOOOOOWWW! You got that right OS ol' buddie! We'll get smoked, completely hammered on our 1st game against San ...
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