OAKLAND -- It’s as simple as this: The Oakland Raiders are making more
plays than their opponents.
That’s why Oakland is a legitimate playoff contender.
In a sloppy, physical, intense game that had the feel of a playoff
primer, the Raiders moved within a half game of first place in the AFC
West with a 23-20 overtime win over Kansas City that served notice to
the Chiefs and the rest of the AFC that this team now has the fortitude
to win games on a regular basis.
Kansas City is 5-3 and Oakland sits at 5-4. San Diego is 4-5. This game
conjures the possibility of a delicious Week 17 rematch in Kansas City
that could decide the AFC West and end the Chargers’ four-year
stranglehold on the division crown. This became clear Sunday: The
Raiders, who were led by fourth-round kick returner/receiver Jacoby
Ford, are going to stick around.
“We’re not the old Raiders,” safety Mike Mitchell said. “We’re going to
fight all game long.”
It may have taken a while, but the Raiders have learned how to win games
in any situation. After hammering Denver and Seattle by a combined score
of 92-17 in the past two games, Oakland had to fight until the final
play to defeat the Chiefs. Oakland, which tied the score at 20 at the
end of regulation on a 41-yard field goal by Sebastian Janikowski, won
the game on a 33-yard field goal by Janikowski 2:53 into overtime.
This was a huge swing game in the division. Oakland’s win means the
Raiders probably will stay in the race all season. Had Kansas City won,
it would have had a huge 2.5-game lead in the division. Oakland, which
played without star cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha and standout tight end
Zach Miller, is in fine shape with a 3-0 record against AFC West
opponents. If Oakland wins one more game this season, it will win more
than five games in a season for the first time since 2002, ending the
NFL’s longest streak of futility.
If Oakland continues to make timely plays, it will render that mark a
distant memory. The was the Chiefs’ game to win, but the Raiders lay in
wait, looking to pounce when they needed to most.
At one point in the third quarter, Oakland had more penalty yardage than
offensive yards. Kansas City led 10-0 at halftime and was dictating
play. It was the first time Oakland has won after trailing 10-0 at the
half in 18 years. But the Chiefs helped Oakland’s comeback.
In a game that had 27 penalties for 240 yards (an NFL high this season),
the Chiefs lost 10 points on penalties. The Raiders first showed life in
the final minute of the first half when defensive back Jeremy Ware
picked off a Matt Cassel pass in the end zone with the Chiefs poised to
extend their lead.
Oakland continued the good vibes when Ford started to take over by
returning the second-half kickoff 94 yards for a score. Two possessions
later, the Raiders had their first long drive of the game, going 74
yards for a touchdown and a 14-13 lead. They extended the lead to 17-13
with a field goal in the fourth quarter.
After a questionable fumble by Nick Miller, the Chiefs scored a
touchdown to take a 20-17 lead with 6:13 to go. But the Chiefs couldn’t
shake Oakland. After the Oakland defense made a huge stop, forcing the
Chiefs to punt, quarterback Jason Campbell and Ford led Oakland on a
field-goal drive after starting from its own 24 with 2:06 to go. The
Raiders had their moments of misery on the drive, which they had all
game, but they made the plays that mattered most.
The key play was a 29-yard pass from Campbell to Ford to the Chiefs' 22
to set up the tying field goal. After Kansas City was forced to go three
plays and out on the opening drive of overtime, Campbell went back to
his rookie receiver for a 47-yard pass play to the Chiefs’ 15 on the
Raiders' first play. The game was over two plays later.
Oakland was far from perfect Sunday, but it was clutch. It was very
similar to Oakland’s 35-27 win over San Diego four weeks ago. The
Chargers could have run away from Oakland, but the Raiders wouldn’t let
them.
“It’s been a process, but we know how to win games now,” Oakland
fullback Marcel Reese said. “We knew what was at stake in this game. We
knew that if we’re going to be a playoff contender, we had to hang in.
But that’s what we do.”
Added defensive lineman Richard Seymour: “We’re a different team. It
started way back in training camp. People can see how this team plays
now and knows we have made a lot of progress.”
The Raiders are entering their most joyous bye week in nearly a decade.
It will be interesting to see where Campbell and Ford fit in when
Oakland returns Nov. 21 at Pittsburgh. Campbell was playing for the
fourth straight game because Bruce Gradkowski has a shoulder injury.
Ford was starting because Louis Murphy is out with a lung injury. There
is a good chance both Gradkowski and Murphy can return against Pittsburgh.
Ford has to stay on the field. He was the first rookie since 1979 to
have a kickoff return for a touchdown and more than 100 yards receiving
in the same game. He had six catches for 148 yards. Murphy has been
better than Oakland’s other starter, 2009 No. 1 pick Darrius
Heyward-Bey, so perhaps Ford will eat into Heyward-Bey’s playing time.
Heyward-bey had no catches Sunday after having five catches for 105
yards last week. He has not been consistent at all.
And how do you take out Campbell after he has led the team to three
straight wins? Campbell, the original starter in Oakland after being
acquired in a trade from Washington in April, struggled early, but he
did come through with big plays Sunday. Oakland coach Tom Cable has
maintained that Gradkowski will be the starter when he is healthy.
Sunday, however, he said he’s not going to think about it right now,
perhaps a signal that Campbell could remain the starter.
Campbell should keep the job. Oakland has a good thing going. It
shouldn’t be messed with.
