The 5 O'Clock Club: D-O-M-I-N-A-N-C-E!!

The 5 o’clock club aims to provide a forum for reader-driven discussion at a time of day when there isn’t much NFL news being published. Feel free to introduce topics that interest you in the comments below.

Good Morning!!!

It’s Victory Monday!

"Speak softly and carry a big stick; you will go far."

The widespread use of 'speak softly and carry a big stick' began with American president Theodore Roosevelt, who wrote those words in a letter to Henry L. Sprague on January 26th 1900.

Well, 117 years later, the Redskins brought a very big stick to Fed Ex Field on Sunday night. The Redskins quietly went about their business all week, and then came with a workmanlike attitude, and efficiently destroyed the team that was ranked in the top 5 in most Power Rankings.

Speaking loudly

You know who wasn’t speaking softly ahead of the game? Raider’s fans, that’s who:

Dread is setting in on the rest of the league. We’re starting to look too much like the old Raiders. The refs can’t flag Beast Mode for his vicious runs so they flag Irvin for his vicious legal tackles.

Posted by Raidersforever on Sep 24, 2017 | 10:31 PM

This:

Good luck trying to stop our OLine, Beast Mode and company with a 7 man box

We ain’t the Eagles or Rams…

Posted by RaiderPride20 on Sep 24, 2017 | 7:08 AM

this:

By the way has anyone seen the 'Skins blog?

Man I swear every single team we’ve faced since last season always has their fans saying ‘’I think the Raiders are not as good as they seem statistically’’ just before we kick their ass lol. I also don’t understand why people don’t want to see a 14-3 team (with Carr) over the past 2 seasons as a really, really tough opponent.

Posted by RaiderPride20 on Sep 24, 2017 | 7:14 AM

this:

Truth be told, the Raiders would have overlooked a team like these Redskins in years past. Not this team though, I look forward to a very work like attitude going into this game.

Posted by lakers007raiders on Sep 24, 2017 | 9:42 AM

this:

I just find it funny how opponent fans usually just come up with ’’they’re not that good’’ when ever since 2016 our team has flat out had a dominant record.

Posted by RaiderPride20 on Sep 24, 2017 | 9:54 AM

this:

You’re rushing four and hoping that’s going to get consistent pressure? Not convinced of that at all. A good NFL QB will have success against even a 7 man Defensive backfield if he’s got time to throw. And if we get the ground game going that light box D will change in a hurry. Which is how I see the game going. I think they’ll be forcing the issue on the LOS with numbers Defensively trying to make things happen, as they’re Offense falls behind.

Posted by DevonRaiderUK on Sep 24, 2017 | 5:14 PM

this:

What opposing fans don’t see is the level of control the Raiders have in the majority of our wins, that is what makes us a good team, and one on the rise.

Posted by angloraider on Sep 24, 2017 | 4:38 PM

this:

Opposing fans can kick rocks. Close games or not, we won so many road games last year that we should have more respect coming back our way than that.

And we’re in by far the toughest division.

Posted by TecmoBo on Sep 25, 2017 | 12:10 AM

this:

Road kill

we have shit to do at home.

Posted by Itgotrealnoisy on Sep 24, 2017 | 5:40 PM

Even the fans who were trying to be decent couldn’t help themselves:

Raiders are a legit super bowl contender

With Carr at the helm, they’ve lost to only 2 teams since the beginning of last season — KC (twice) and Atlanta.

You never know in the NFL, but the Raiders should win this game comfortably. I get the sense people around these parts underestimate Derek Carr. I have seen many of you suggest Kirk Cousins is the better Quarterback. That’s preposterous.

I kind of reminds of the way people were still talking about Chris Paul being better than Steph Curry long after us Warriors fans new better.

If the Raiders lose, I won’t be mad. Skins are good and any given Sunday, etc. But, I think this game could be instructive for Skins fans — you should find out what you have in a way that playing the Eagles and Rams could not demonstrate.

Posted by Jeremy Belvins on Sep 25, 2017 | 5:51 AM

Mr. Belvins double-dipped on that thread:

Ya.. I think I'm suggesting something about this team's ability to win pretty much all the time.

Compared to the Skins, the Raiders are pretty much the same unit/coaches/ everything from last year. The only difference is improvement on defense and TE.

The Skins have a revamped defense that looks very good. Their performance tonight will be instructive. If the Skins somehow win, you can feel very good about this season.

Posted by Jeremy Belvins on Sep 25, 2017 | 6:12 AM

I want to say that Jeremy Belvins was on Hogs Haven all week, carrying on polite conversations about football, and was a class act throughout. Still, you can see the condescension bleeding through in these comments.

I’m not as equanimous about “Raider’s Nation” as a whole, though.

Wearing out the game tape

My favorite regular season game to (re)watch used to be the first regular season game that RG3 and Pierre Garcon played as Redskins when they decimated the New Orleans Saints on opening day 2012 in New Orleans.

I have a new favorite game. I plan to wear out the screen on my computer replaying this one.

I hope the Raiders enjoyed the flight home.

I know I’m still flying high from the dominating show the Redskins put on in prime time at FedEx Field.

HTTMFR!!!

How are you feeling following the Week 3 contest against the Raiders?

Are the Redskins ready to face the AFC West Chiefs next Monday night in Arrowhead Stadium?