Today the Raiders hit the practice field to prepare for their game against the Titans on Sunday. Following a 2-game road trip to New York and Kansas City, they return home for a 2-game stint. But this isn’t just any two-game homestand. This is very likely the last homestand ever for the Oakland Raiders. It’s a difficult reality for someone like head coach Jon Gruden who loves the Black Hole and has fond memories of Oakland where his head coaching career began over 20 years ago.
“That’s tough, man. It is tough,” Gruden said of looking at the final two games in Oakland. “You know it’s tough driving in here seeing these fans. It’s tough, the thought of all the change that’s happening on our roster and in our future, but it’s exciting at the same time. So, you try to again just focus on what we can control and play it one snap at a time, one game at a time, and try to be very, very respectful of where we come from. We come from Oakland and we’d like to finish strong.”
Currently the Raiders sit at 6-6 on the season, which means they aren’t out of the playoff hunt. And so long as they are still in that hunt, there’s always at least a slight possibility they could host a playoff game in Oakland. But most likely even if they do make the playoffs, it would be as a wild card, which means they would be on the road the first round and most likely the rest of the way as well.
No one is going to take the next two weeks against the Titans and Jaguars for granted. In part because every game is crucial to the Raiders playoff hopes, but because that stadium and the diehard fans who have filled it for all but 13 years since 1960 deserve the Raiders best effort.
Oddly, the Raiders have kind of been here before. Late last season, Mark Davis was threatening to take the Raiders away from Oakland for the 2019 season over a dispute with the City of Oakland for filing an anti-trust lawsuit. The possibility of that led to a resounding and exhilarating week 16 win over the Broncos. Just their 4th and final win of the season. Obviously, the Raiders didn’t play anywhere else this season as Davis eventually realized there were no other venues.
These games are much more likely to be the final ones. While this may offer added pressure, it should also inspire this team to play outside of themselves. The Titans sit at 7-5 and are on the upswing. They are coming in having won three in a row and five of their last six. No easy win. Some inspiration is just what this Raiders team needs right now.
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