Hating with H8: Oakland Raiders Edition

I’ve been thinking a lot about how the Redskins beat the Rams last week. Last week I predicted “Jay Gruden sticks to the run for one of his four allotted games per year he allows himself to.” It turns out I was correct, building on my pristine career of making correct Redskins predictions (97.4% correct FWIW).

Admittedly I love giving Jay Gruden shit about not running the ball, and abandoning it too quickly. But I have to wonder if a light bulb flickered on for him. The Redskins do not look as dynamic passing the ball as they have the past two seasons. Maybe I misjudged how badly Garcon and Jackson would be missed. Maybe more importantly, Jay Gruden misjudged how badly they would be missed.

Ultimately Gruden will have continued employment based upon not how many passing yards his team has, but how many wins his team has. Right now the clearest path to those wins is through running the football. The offensive line is very, very talented...although to hear some Redskins fans talk about them you’d think Stephon Heyer and Chad Rinehart were still suiting up. It’s in Gruden’s best interest to use the two top-five picks we have on offense, by allowing them to maul whichever defensive player steps in front of them.

And with a high-powered offense coming to town this Sunday, running it would appear to be the best course of action again.

Now, about that team coming to town on Sunday...

I personally know a couple of Raiders fans. A current and former co-worker of mine. Nice guys, intelligent about football, realistic in their outlook and expectations of the team. This does not represent the collective of Raiders fans.

The Raiders have a nice season for the first time in 15 years and all of the sudden every GED-holder west of the Mississippi thinks the team is an unstoppable juggernaut. It’s as if they weren’t the Cleveland Browns of No-Cal for the past 15 years. These people are Cowboys fans with an ounce more of loyalty and half the football knowledge. Their message boards are filled with neckbeards wondering what would happen if Khalil Mack tried to tackle Marshawn Lynch, as if the two are comic book characters. For an apparently badass fanbase, there seem to be a whole lot of virgins rooting for these guys.

But at least these virgins will be able to pony up the money they were going to use at Game Stop and purchase a piece of ass in...LAS VEGAS! Oh man, how does it feel to make the playoffs for the first time since Operation Iraqi Freedom, only to have a Lloyd Christmas haircut enthusiast move you to another state? He probably finalized the deal at a PF Changs. Enjoy jerking it to Marshawn Lynch dancing against the Jets wile you still can.

As for the game on Sunday, Raiders fans are quite convinced that the Redskins will be a mere fly buzzing around their greatness..

Doubtful.

Jay Gruden doesn’t forget to run the ball. Marshawn Lynch runs over somebody...most likely with an SUV and a .12 BAC...which will match his YAC.

Redskins win 34-30.