It’s Raiders week. This is supposed to be the biggest week of the year in Broncos Country. Fans and players should be salivating at the opportunity to stick it to those idiotic Raiders fans wearing Halloween costumes all year long. We’re supposed to live these seven days with more fanaticism than any other moment of our lives
And yet we aren’t. This week, for as much as we try to revive the rivalry, is just another week.
And why wouldn’t it be?
It has been over a decade since the Raiders have had a winning season, let a one a playoff appearance. A decade! Why in the world would Broncos fans be motivated to “get up” for this one? Why would the team feel extra motivation against an organization that has lost 10 or more games in 10 of the last 12 seasons?
Hell, even the evil Sith Lord himself, Al Davis, has passed on, and his son’s bowl cut isn’t exactly … intimidating.
The Raiders rivalry, as we’ve always known it, is dead. But it’s about to be reborn.
For the greater part of the last two decades, the Oakland Raiders have been a joke of a franchise; they’ve stumbled at every corner. No. 1 pick? Get JaMarcus Russell. Fire the best coach you’ve had since Art Shell? He beats you in the Super Bowl the following season.
The Raiders have created their own mess, and finally, they are fixing it.
Thanks to some sound decision making and an overhaul in team culture, these three players will revive the Broncos-Raiders rivalry for the next 10 years.
Derek Carr
It all starts with the quarterback, and it finally looks as if the Raiders have found theirs.
Carr was impressive during his rookie season, but he’s been a completely different beast this year. Whereas the Raiders, understandably, limited his playbook last season, contributing to his less-than-impressive 5.5 yards per attempt, they’ve taken the reins off completely in 2015; his yards per attempt have jumped all the way up to 7.5, and he is currently tied for fourth in the NFL in touchdowns (26).
But it’s the physical attributes that really stand out; Carr can simply do things that not many people have ever been able to do.
https://twitter.com/mjcanaan/status/674688169237983232
With Peyton Manning on his way out, and both Phillip Rivers and Alex Smith entering their second decade in the league, the future of the AFC West will reside in the hands of guys like Derek Carr and Brock Osweiler.
It’ll be fun to watch.
Amari Cooper
Derek Carr deserves a ton of credit for how much he’s grown in his first two years, but there’s no doubt that he wouldn’t be where he is right now without rookie wideout Amari Cooper.
At just 21 years old, he’s the full package. His 62 receptions, 920 yards and four touchdowns are all tops for rookies this season, and if he continues on this pace, he’ll finish No. 6 in both receptions and yards for a rookie receiver all time. Honestly, the only thing holding him back from being called one of the best two or three rookie wideouts of all time is the drops; his 16.22 drop rate is second worst in the league, according to Pro Football Focus.
But it’s plays like this that make up for any drop.
https://twitter.com/AmariCooperFan/status/672141632049954816
Cooper is part of this next wave of wide receivers — Odell Beckham Jr., Sammy Watkins, Mike Evans, etc. — who will come to dominate and grow the passing game for the next decade. And the increasingly deadly combo between him and Carr (A.K.A. ACDC) will become a terror in the AFC West.
Brock Osweiler and Demaryius Thomas will have to keep up.
This piece brought to you in part by …
[adrotate banner=”10″]Khalil Mack
In the same way that Von Miller is the most important player on the Denver Broncos defense, so is Oakland Raiders outside linebacker Khalil Mack. In fact, the two are essentially mirror images of each other.
Both players are extremely quick, athletic pass rushers, who are almost equally as dominant against the run. According to Pro Football Focus’ grading system, Miller is the most effective edge rusher in the NFL, while Mack is the most effective run defender of the edge; both players are ranked fourth in the opposing category.
And like Von helped transform the Broncos’ defense into one of the best unit’s in the NFL over the last five years, Khalil is doing the same, as the Raiders defense has made significant jumps in each of his first two seasons.
Mack is the type of talent that you can build your defense around for a decade to come. Just look at how he dominates the Kansas City Chiefs’ offensive line on these two plays last week.
https://twitter.com/blackhanside/status/674396227736240132
https://twitter.com/BHugh_215/status/673622312776695808
And then he puts his athleticism on full display with this sack.
https://twitter.com/TheFakeAlbert/status/672235217046884356
Between these three guys, the Oakland Raiders will no longer be a just a crack in the sidewalk that the Broncos have to step over on route to the playoffs; they’re going to become a real roadblock, both this weekend and in the coming years.
Before long, it’ll become fun to hate the Raiders again.