Quest For Six Complete: Patriots Defense Stymies High Flying Rams

Welcome in to the full recap of Super Bowl LIII featuring the New England Patriots and the Los Angeles Rams as the Patriots, behind their defense, wallop Goff and the Rams' offense 13-3 to secure their 6th Vince Lombardi trophy in franchise history.

Well, I just woke up from a power nap after that game. I'm kidding, no I didn't as I commented throughout the whole game. Just by that score alone, you'd think that this was a Week 1 NFL game. But no, this is the final score in a Super Bowl. The lowest Super Bowl score since its inception. Definitely that was an unexpected outcome. I'd thought both teams would come out of the gate swinging and ultimately, the Patriots would come out on top. This football game was like a game of chicken. Both defenses wouldn't budge for three quarters in the game. But in the end, the Rams were the first to break. Let's be real here, they were on the field too long as the Rams' offense was just shut out throughout. But I should save that for my full analysis below.

Los Angeles Rams

(+)

Defense (for three and a half quarters). If there's any defensive unit that gives Tom Brady, Josh McDaniels, and Patriots offense all kinds of fits, it's gotta be a defensive unit coached by Wade Phillips. It's been evident since 2015 as they've held them to really low scores. Wade Phillips' defense never shows their hand that easily. He did a great job tonight mixing it up with man and zone, confusing Brady at times and the D-line was able to get some penetration. The defense did just enough to win. It's too bad they couldn't get any help from their offense who've been staggered all game long.

Brandin Cooks, 8 receptions, 120 yards. Life must suck right now for Brandin Cooks. He was traded to the Pats last year. The Pats lose to the Eagles in SB52. He gets traded to the Rams, his team loses to the Pats. But, that's the unfortunate part in sports. In my post in the first half, I said the Rams have to find this guy more to open up opportunities for Woods and Reynolds in the passing game. They did just that in the 3rd quarter to tack on some points. He had a couple of would-be TDs. The first one he was wide open. Busted coverage by New England's secondary. Goff didn't find him on time. 2nd time, Goff's throw was right on the money and Cooks just couldn't hold on for the game-tying TD. Nonetheless, getting him involved gave the Rams offense a little bit of a spark.

(-)

Offense. Well, you can break this negative down into subsections because the Patriots' defense just made their life a living hell. This side of the ball is the strength of this Rams team. I would assume they were prepared for any kinds exotic looks Bill Belichick would throw at them, just not at this magnitude. They running game was taken away from them. All the bootlegs and playaction, they couldn't execute. And that turned them into a one-dimensional team. We saw shades of 2016 Jared Goff as the Patriots D took away what he did best and force him to beat them in the pocket. Perhaps, the biggest headscratcher is the touch distribution between C.J. Anderson and Todd Gurley. Without question, that has been the strangest headline as Gurley has been intentionally taken out of the game plan for C.J. Anderson to get more touches. Not sure if it's the injury that Gurley, but he was non-existent until he broke a few runs in the 3rd quarter. They got away with it in the NFC Championship, but it didn't work against a team like the Patriots. Hopefully, we get more insight on the behind-the-scenes there about the lack of touches that Gurley has gotten this postseason. It's one of the strangest ways to sabotage your team's key strength.

New England Patriots

(+)

Defense. Might as well make this a rehash of what I said about the Rams' offense being a negative this whole game. This is a classic example of this defense playing as a unit rather than relying on a game-changing individual to get their defense going. And that is the work of Bill Belichick right there. He stresses this unit to stay disciplined and he shadows their inefficiency to get after the quarterback by taking away the opposition's strength and implement all kinds of exotic looks to confuse the quarterback. No question, they confused the hell out of Goff with exotic looks and a lot of disguise blitzes to strengthen the pass rush and add opportunities to get a sack, which they did a couple of times.

Julian Edelman, 10 receptions, 141 yards. I swear, I thought Edelman had more yardage than that considering the Rams' defense had no answer for him and allowed him to gain chunk yards. As I said in my preview, the Patriots missed this guy last year and he could've been a difference maker against Philadelphia if he hadn't gotten injured. It was a tough road for Edelman this season. Suspended the first four games. Wasn't involved in the offense much to start. But along the way, he found that chemistry with Tom Brady again. He was unstoppable in the AFC Championship on 3rd down. This game was no different either. Edelman's performance tonight was the one that proved to be the difference. And unequivocally, he was the Pats' MVP tonight.

Sony Michel, 18 carries, 94 rushing yards, 1 TD. Michel punched it in for the first TD of the game and he broke out a couple of big runs to put the game out of reach in order for the Pats to secure that 6th trophy. The rookie has been outstanding throughout this postseason and the Patriots may have just found their bell cow back going forward.

Ryan Allen, 5 punts, 43 yard avg. Hey, punters are people too! Allen had the Rams offense pinned inside the 20 three times. It's no wonder the Rams couldn't get any good field position to start since Cory Littleton's INT.

(-)

Score more? It's technically not a negative, but Tom Brady and the Pats offense could've tact on more points with the way they controlled the clock for the majority of the game and they were able get into Rams territory a couple of times.

Conclusion

Well Steelers, make some room because the Patriots just moved in with their brand new sixth Lombardi trophy to tie you for the most Super Bowl wins in NFL history. Without a doubt, I hate the Patriots. Many other NFL fans hate the Patriots. But, their recipe for success is something to behold. As mentioned, many have tried to replicate the Patriot way. And many have failed doing that. It is a trade secret only accessible if you're within the organization itself. It starts with a head coach in Bill Belichick and a quarterback in Tom Brady. Their resume is already impressive. They didn't need to win another one to cement their legacies. But to secure a sixth Super Bowl win for one franchise in the span of 20 years, that is greatness personified. In the case of the Rams, there's nothing to be discredited about their impressive season this year. Well, except for one no-call that should've been P.I. and we would've gotten a HOF Super Bowl between Brady and Brees and Belichick and Payton. But still, it was a great season for them. They'll definitely be back. But their window is coming as they have to think about extending Jared Goff's contract and their salary cap. They locked up Todd Gurley, Aaron Donald, etc. A lot of decisions have to made by GM Les Snead and considering the Gurley situation fizzled out, don't be surprised if we see a shocking transaction in the offseason. They'll have to make some tough decisions as this was their window of opportunity to win it all. That said, the Patriot dynasty still reigns. Thank you for following my coverage of Super Bowl LIII. I'll see you guys in March yet again for the incoming offseason and free agency.

Congrats New England Patriots Super Bowl LIII Champions!

(Seriously, this dynasty needs to end eventually!)

SUPER BOWL LIII: NE Patriots vs. LA Rams 2nd Half Open Thread

2nd half of Super Bowl LIII after Maroon 5 and friends' performance! As usual, leave a comment below and share your thoughts on the game.

Q4

NE 13 LAR 3

Welp, there goes the Rams' chances of a miracle. There wasn't even a chance to begin with considering the Pats had a scored a TD. The Pats D was lights out the whole game. There was some life from the Rams, then Goff throws a pick to pretty much seal the game. In a game that was shadowed by great defense. You just knew that the Pats would find ways to win. No matter how much you envy this franchise, their success over the past 2 decades is just unrivaled. Tom Brady, Bill Belichick, they didn't need this Super Bowl since their legacy is already cemented. But, leading the Patriots to their 6th Lombardi just adds more to their credentials. For the Rams, this is going to be a learning experience after a successful 13-3 season. They just ran into arguably the greatest franchise in the NFL right now. 20+ years and counting. More to come in the full recap.

Q3

NE 3 LAR 3

At this rate, this game is gonna go down to whoever has the ball last and can get their team within field goal range. After being shut out for 3.5 quarters, the Rams finally got something going on the last drive. They mixed it up with Gurley and Anderson in the run game. Brandin Cooks finally gets involved. It opened up the Rams' playbook to do what they do best. Momentum was there, until Goff took a costly sack. Lucky, they had Greg Zeurlein's big leg to bail them out to tie this game up. Definitely, Patrick Chung's injury early on made an impact there as the Pats found themselves in all kinds of trouble with some busted coverage down field. But, the Pats are gaining momentum back as they've started ramming down the the teeth of the Rams' defense with big runs from Sony Michel.

SUPER BOWL LIII: NE Patriots vs. LA Rams 1st Half Open Thread

Come on in for Super Bowl Sunday as TrueRaiderLaker is ready to take you through Super Bowl LIII featuring the New England Patriots and the Los Angeles Rams! Leave a comment below and share your thoughts on the Big Game.

Q2

NE 3 LAR 0

Well, if you expected some fireworks to start in this Super Bowl, you might as well just change the channel. But if you love defense, this is a rarity to behold. It's a tale of two stories for the Rams and the Patriots defense. The biggest difference? The Pats defense aren't just giving any room for Goff, Gurley and the Rams' high flying offense to get set. At first, it looked like it was jitters from the inexperience Rams team. But as time goes on, it's clear as day that the Pats are holding the fort. They're not letting the Rams do what they do best, which is catch defenses off guard with some bootlegs and misdirection, hence why Goff is having a tough time. Chess match between McVay's offense and Belichick's defense? So BB is winning that match. For the Rams' defense, it's a case of bend-but-don't break for them. They gotta be gassed for being on that field for too long in the first half. They gave up a couple of chunk yardage. Julian Edelman has been unstoppable. Rams D had no answer. Yet, they just held Brady and the Pats to just 3 points, which is a big win for Wade Phillips' defense. He's done a great job mixing it up with man and zone to confuse the Pats' offense. Rare enough, the Pats burned a couple of timeouts early on in the first quarter despite a great start. For sure, the Pats will come out as a different team in the 2nd half. How about the Rams? They have to get Todd Gurley involved more and mix it up in the backfield with C.J. Anderson. It's strange that he was able to muster 100+ yards in the divisional round, but only mustered a mere double digit yards. They also gotta take a couple of shots downfield. I don't think Brandin' Cooks has been targeted yet. He's gotta get involved to make Robert Woods and Josh Reynolds' jobs easier. The 2nd half will open up shortly after Maroon 5's performance.

Q1

NE 0 LAR 0

And just like that, the streak of the Patriots going scoreless in the 1st quarter of the Super Bowl extends. The Pats had plenty of chances. They came right out of the gate with a decent kickoff return by Cordarrelle Patterson. They ran the ball well. Edelman and Gronk are getting to work early in the passing game. The Patriots controlled the clock this quarter for most of the game. Unfortunately, it didn't result into points. First drive ended with an INT from Littleton for the Rams. The 2nd drive they had a legit chance to score and Gostkowski missed it wide left. The Rams are fortunate so far that their deference is paying off. Give credit to the Rams' defense. Wade Phillips knows a thing or two about mixing it up to confuse Tom Brady and the Pats offense. Let's see if Goff, Gurley, and the Rams offense can capitalize.

Super Bowl LIII Preview and Prediction: New England Patriots vs. Los Angeles Rams

*Some NSFW language*

Super Bowl Sunday is upon us! Welcome in to your Super Bowl LIII preview provided by yours truly. This year's matchup features the ever-dominant AFC champion New England Patriots vs. the new kids from Hollywood, NFC champion Los Angeles Rams. Like last year's Eagles-Patriots matchup, this is a rematch 17 years in the making. This matchup was what started the Patriots' reign of terror (technically, it was the "Tuck Rule" game that started it) as a young Tom Brady and an unproven Bill Belichick pulled off the upset against the then St. Louis Rams and the "Greatest Show on Turf" lead by Kurt Warner, Marshall Faulk, Isaac Bruce, and Torry Holt in Super Bowl XXXVI. Now an old, yet wily Brady and proven Belichick square off against new blood in Sean McVay, Jared Goff, and a new Rams team all decked out under the bright lights of Hollywood. There's only one problem: nobody wanted this matchup. Obviously, their roads to get here were marred by a blatant no call on one side and a phantom roughing call on the other down the stretch. Both games made legitimate cases that the NFL is rigged and that the rules of what constitutes a penalty are wildly inconsistent. But enough of controversy, who doesn't want a Boston-LA championship rivalry to extend beyond the Celtics-Lakers rivalry of the NBA? This year's World Series featured the Boston Red Sox and the LA Dodgers. Now it's the NFL's turn, with the Patriots and the Rams. Can this Rams team avenge the pains of yesteryear? Will it all finally come full circle with the Rams being the Alpha and the Omega of the Patriots dynasty? Or will the Pats prevail again and continue their reign of terror across the NFL? I summarize both teams' road to the Super Bowl, keys to victory, and my final prediction of the outcome on Sunday! Let's roll!

New England Patriots

"FOR F*CKS SAKE, AGAIN!?!?!? CAN'T THIS TEAM JUST F*CKING DIE ALREADY!?!?!?" I'm sure all of us NFL fans are thinking the same way as the Pats make their way to their third straight Super Bowl. Make that their fourth appearance in five years and their fifth appearance in this decade. Let's be honest here, the Patriots are a guaranteed lock for the Super Bowl unless Brady retires, Belichick steps down, or both events happened. The latter happens to be the best case scenario. It also doesn't help that the rest of the AFC is full of incompetent trash and teams who are good, but not New England Patriots good. While the rest of the league is playing checkers, the Patriots are playing chess. Most teams try to implement the Patriots' system of long-term sustainable success and fail miserably. Truly, the Patriots' success is a trade secret that is only accessible by the organization as a whole and that gives them the edge over 31 other teams in the league. Nearly 20 years of dominance in one conference speaks for itself.

There have been many times that this team tried to tease their downfall to the media. Do not fall for it. But let's be clear here, the Patriots had a roller-coaster season this year as they had to stave off an overachieving Houston Texans team for the #2 seed. Most of the teams the Pats lost against were against teams that had the unlikeliest of chances to beat them. New England went 11-5 with five of those losses coming from Jacksonville (hungover after that game), Detroit (LOL), Tennessee (eliminated by Luck),  Miami (trying to get Gronk to defend a lateral, major LOL), and Pittsburgh (inconsistent and condescending AF). Tom Brady showed signs that Father Time was catching up to him. Gronk looked out of sorts in games and contemplated about retirement. This is the end of the New England Patriots dynasty as we know it. That's what they want you to think! Clearly, there are three things that only matter to the Patriots: postseason, Super Bowl, and championship. As long as they do enough to make the postseason and gain some home field advantage, they're in good hands to do some major damage and remind the league why they're still the gold standard. In their playoff games, they were expected to lose. The Chargers are a more complete team than the Patriots? The Pats completely shut down Philip Rivers and Melvin Gordon in a game that was essentially over in the first half. That and the Chargers have a chronic history of postseason chokes. The Chiefs have homefield advantage and an MVP in Mahomes? Meh, let's beat their suspect run defense to death with Sony Michel. The Chiefs defense couldn't even cover Julian Edelman on third down if their life dependent on it. Patrick Mahomes did enough to rally the Chiefs though. But, the defense let him down, which lead to the firing of Chiefs DC, Bob Sutton. And thus, the evil empire continues their long reign of terror over the National Football League.

Los Angeles Rams

Y'all just had to rob us from a Brady vs. Brees Super Bowl didn't you Rams? But, we won't let that game define the Rams. When the Rams moved to Los Angeles, they needed a fresh, young face to lead the team. Not some old hag like Jeff Fisher, whose best coaching days are behind him. The Rams found their guy, hiring 30-year old Sean McVay from the Redskins to be the youngest head coach in NFL history. Under McVay's 1st season en route to a Coach of the Year award, the Rams escaped from 7-9 purgatory to an improved 11-5 season last year. Todd Gurley posted MVP-esque numbers. Jared Goff caught major strides in his 2nd year and 1st under McVay's system. Aaron Donald was one of the top defensive players in the league, playing under a Wade Phillips defense. Unfortunately, they didn't get too far as their inexperience showed in the Wild Card round, losing to an Atlanta Falcons team fresh off of a Super Bowl appearance. This year, the Rams made some major moves to bolster their roster into a Super Bowl contender, such as trading for Brandin Cooks, Marcus Peters, and Aqib Talib, and signing Ndamukong Suh in free agency.

Right out of the gate, the LA Rams showed that they were the team to beat, starting out 8-0. Many teams have tried their crack at slowing down their high-powered offense and failed with a few exceptional teams. The Rams took the next step by finishing at 13-3 with those three losses coming against the Saints, Bears, and Eagles, all playoff worthy teams in their own right. Unfortunately, they were a tiebreaker shy from the #1 seed and home field advantage throughout the playoffs due to the Saints loss. But it still was an impressive season nonetheless. The Rams took care of business, running all over the Cowboys in the divisional round. They then avenged their early loss to the Saints in the NFC Championship in controversial fashion. We can talk about the blatant no-call from Nickell Robey-Coleman on Tommylee Lewis. No question, Robey-Coleman triggered the contact before Lewis could get his hands on the Drew Brees' pass. That contact was also a little helmet-to-helmet. By all accounts, that should be Pass Interference. But, let's look at the game in a bigger picture, the refs didn't stop the Saints offense from scoring at-will and letting the Rams come back. The Saints could've kept calm from the no-call and and carry on to an OT victory. But, Brees threw a lame duck INT and the Saints threw their own chance at another Super Bowl away. Unfortunate, but a win is a win for the Rams and a loss is a loss for the Saints no matter how much the entire state of Louisiana wants a recall or wants to reverse the decision in a court battle (good luck with that).

Keys for the Patriots

If we can infer from the postseason, the Patriots run defense has shut down two of the top-tier rushing attacks in the league. In the divisional round, the defense held Melvin Gordon III and the Chargers' rushing attack to just 19 yards of total rushing yards. In the AFC Championship, the Patriots' run defense held the Chiefs to just 41 total rushing yards. They eliminated both of those teams' best strengths and made them one dimensional. Philip Rivers struggled getting in rhythm due to the pressure from the Pats' D-line. So did Mahomes as he was unable to scramble and do what he did best. The defense has turned it on in the postseason, rendering a scary sign. They'll need to neutralize Todd Gurley, C.J. Anderson and the Rams' top rushing attack and dare Jared Goff to beat them with the passing game. On offense, the Patriots are glad to have Julian Edelman back as Brady's go-to-guy. You look back at last year's Super Bowl against the Eagles and wonder what if they had Edelman who went down with an early season ending injury? Edelman's presence as a third-down threat helps take pressure off the receiving corps and it opens up some opportunities for Gronk to do some major damage down the middle. Gronk, of course will also be a major factor this game as well as his conditioning. Rookie, Sony Michel has been an outstanding bell cow back this postseason. But, he's gonna have a challenge against a tougher Rams' run D with Ndamukong Suh and Aaron Donald anchoring the middle. Look for the Pats to mix it up with him, White, and Burkhead for a change-of-pace in the back field.

Keys for the Rams

Obviously, leading the Rams to a victory will be contingent on how their homegrown star talent will dictate the game: Jared Goff  and Todd Gurley on offense and Aaron Donald on defense. Aaron Donald, without question, is the best pass-rushing DT in the NFL right now. He can wreck an opposing team's gameplan all by himself. Aaron Donald has to win his matchups inside to generate pressure up the middle against Tom Brady. Ndamukong Suh and Dante Fowler Jr. could be X-Factors to free Donald up and turn loose. This game against the Patriots could very well go down to one final stop and if the Rams' D is on that field for the final minute, look for #99 to be a game-changer and win the game. On offense, it's been a strange postseason for Todd Gurley. 115 rush yards in the divisional round against the Cowboys, but only 10 yards against the Saints. This game will be completely contingent on Todd Gurley's health (he battled some injuries down the stretch) as he's pretty much the engine that drives the Rams offense (with all due respect to Jared Goff). If Gurley's back to top form, it bodes well for the Rams and takes a lot of pressure off of Jared Goff. It also helps that the Rams signed C.J. Anderson late in the season to give themselves a 2-Back committee to relieve some pressure off of Gurley to do it all. As for Goff? He's played smart all season long, but he won't be afraid to take deep shots to Brandin Cooks and Robert Woods. He has to play turnover-free, manage the game, and mix it up in the passing game throwing to different receivers. If I'm Coach Sean McVay, I look at last year's Super Bowl where Doug Pederson threw all he can handle against the Patriots, even the kitchen sink. McVay's is as much of a risk-taker too. Look for him to throw every play, every sequence in the playbook against the Pats.

Prediction

As I mentioned countless times, if the Super Bowl didn't feature the New England Patriots, my pick would be a little more indecisive. As long as they represent the AFC in the big game, how in the hell can you pick against them? Whether they win or lose, the Patriots will always be the pick to win it all unless they start the post Brady-Belichick era a little too early than expected. Not to discredit the Rams, they have the talent to keep up with the Patriots and this game has the makings of an offensive shootout. The Rams have emerged as a future perennial contender. It's just not their time yet as Brady and the Pats will pull off some miracle in the final drive en route to a sixth Lombardi trophy. In conclusion: shootout, but the Pats D will make at least one key stop and set Tom Brady and the Pats up for a game-winning TD. They do have all of their clutch weapons back.

NE 28 LAR 24

A Season in Review: 2018 Oakland Raiders

This week on the Silver and Black Shitshow...Nope, I'm going to give this that treatment. This is your annual "Season in Review"post presented by yours truly. As I type this post, this has a different vibe of sorts compared to past "Season in Review" posts over the years. I'll try to hold it together and hopefully, I don't make this as an actual Silver and Black Shitshow post.

By all accounts, this season was pretty depressing to watch. I saw last week's season finale against the Chiefs and it was a microcosm of how this season went down. This year was marred by some really shocking trades and a power struggle between Jon Gruden and Reggie McKenzie. It was all about Jon Gruden taking over the Raiders from top to bottom. The Khalil Mack trade prior to the start of the regular season was really a dagger to the heart of all of us and pretty much indicated that this season was over before it even started. Here's this guy who was a franchise-altering 1st round pick and arguably, the Raiders' best pick in a long while. And, they traded him for a bag of peanuts. Specifically, they traded Khalil Mack and a 2nd round pick for the Bears' 1st round draft picks this year and in 2020.

Looking back at it at hindsight, the Raiders could've done a better job in packaging this deal. The fact that they added a draft pick to go with Khalil Mack was plain stupid. A 2nd round pick too! So the Raiders just lessened Chicago's blow of mortgaging their future for a once-in-a-generational talent. And we get more insight about the trade that there was a civil war between Reggie McKenzie and Jon Gruden and Mark Davis. In fact, there were two wars occurring at the same time: the war between the Raiders and Khalil Mack and his agent and the war between Reggie McKenzie and Jon Gruden and Mark Davis. The Raiders and Khalil Mack couldn't agree on a contract. Reggie McKenzie presented heavy resistance against trading Khalil. A Raiders beat writer reported this story that teams approached Reggie about acquiring Mack and Reggie was like "over my dead body." But, Gruden and Davis had other plans. Two against one and the odds were clearly against McKenzie by a huge margin. The found a suitor in the Bears and you know the rest. A month later, they pulled another trade sending Amari Cooper to the Cowboys for a first round pick. We thought that was a better deal than the Mack deal. At least the Bears can afford Mack because Mitch Trubisky is on a rookie deal. The Cowboys gave up a first round pick for someone who is inconsistent. The Raiders were hoping that both deals fell in their favor.

It didn't work that way as the Bears and Cowboys won their respective divisions and are in the playoffs. Thus, lowering those 1st round draft picks. Although the Bears did lose on Wild Card weekend as the infamous legends of Nick Foles and Cody Parkey continued to grow. Talk about a plan that went backwards for the Raiders. We don't know too much of the long-term implications, but there's no question the Raiders took two big "L's" in trades that were supposed to favor them. Khalil Mack transformed the Bears defense into one of the best in the NFL. Amari Cooper gave the Cowboys' anemic passing game some life and they went on a hot streak after a sluggish start. Let's a play a game of what really constituted Amari Cooper's poor play? Raider fans would like to erase Coop's memory, but true fans never forget that the kid was a stud in terms of route running and secondaries respected his deep threat ability. Drops were his only ailment. He had 1,000 yards receiving  his first two years before dipping in production. Even Gruden admitted they had Cooper open in a couple of plays, but Derek Carr opted to the checkdown or he ran out of time because he was playing behind a bad O-line. Well, Dak Prescott was playing behind an injured O-line too and he was as bad as Derek was this season. But, he still found ways to get the ball to Coop. Then again, the Cowboys have Ezekiel Elliott and a competent running game. But, it's something to think about in retrospect. Not to mention, there were times Carr threw to Coop over the middle and he could've gotten him killed in those situations.

The irony behind these trades is that Raider Nation, we're a proud, loyal fanbase. We don't want anything to do with players who are not part of their team anymore. I look at forums, I see stuff like "Mack and Cooper are gone. Get over it." And then when they put up big games, the same fans who say "get over it" are saying stuff like "F*ck Khalil Mack" or "F*ck Amari Cooper." If they want us to get over it, why can't they stop talking trash about them when they have good games or especially when they have terrible games? They still bring up notions that Mack disappears or Coop drops a lot of balls. The Bears lost. The Cowboys lost. Yet, they all want us to get over them at the same time. I love Raider Nation, but seriously, is anybody pointing out the damn irony behind fans who still like to bash Mack and Coop's failures or get salty behind their successes in other teams, yet at the same time, they're telling us to get over them? Am I the only one? I probably am.

The Raiders' loss in Khalil Mack and Amari Cooper is the Bears and the Cowboys' gains. Enough said. This season was the repercussions of those trades as the Raiders were one of the worse teams in the league this year. The Raiders did have a lot close games to start this season, but they wound up losing. And then as the season progresses, it was clear as day that they were in a full-on tank job if you can say that. Tank jobs, front office overhaul with the firing of Reggie McKenzie, Derek Carr's uncertainty as the Raiders' franchise quarterback going forward, major roster turnover sums up this season in a nutshell. You can go back to all my Silver and Black Shitshow posts and these were common themes for the season. I won't address all of that. It is what it is. The only exciting wins was against Pittsburgh to derail their playoff hopes and against the Broncos in what is effectively the last game in the Oakland Coliseum.

In terms of positives around this roster, Jordy Nelson and Jared Cook have held up their end of the bargain as the vets. Doug Martin played well as the bell cow back in lieu of Beast Mode. Gareon Conley and Karl Joseph, holdovers of Reggie McKenzie's 2016 and 2017 draft classes, balled out when given the chance. I do like Maurice Hurst out of the 2018 draft class. I do think Arden Key has plenty of potential. Like I said in the past, you can't judge a draft class until year 3. There were some struggles for this rookie class. They can only get better.

There's so many stories heading into next season. The Raiders announced Reggie's replacement by hiring Mike Mayock as the new GM. I loved listening to Mayock's analysis on draft prospects on NFL Network. He's highly respected among scouts. I think the reasoning behind his hiring is so Jon Gruden doesn't become a complete control freak like he has been this season. Someone needs to be the voice of reason to keep Gruden from going full Chucky. Mayock is a great analyst and very elaborate on his scouting and mock drafts. But, it's a lot more different when it comes to handling pro personnel, contracts management, and drafting the right players come draft day, which Mayock lacks any experience in. Who knows? He could be a John Lynch who's doing a nice job with the 49ers despite zero GM experience in the past. Maybe even better. Raider Nation is always optimistic about any moves within the organization, whether it's a head coaching hire or a GM hire. For me, this team has tested loyalty time after time. We get optimistic about front office moves, offseason moves, draft picks, then the regular season hits and everything just falls apart. This has happened in the last 15 out of 16 years with this team. There's just zero tolerance for me at this point with what moves this team makes. I have to see it with my own eyes that this team is getting better. I don't care what the offseason plan is. What the draft strategy is. I need to be convinced that this team is going upward, especially since they have $98 million to spend in free agency and a trio of 1st round draft picks. You can have all that capital in the world and still find ways to blow it.

Now, onto the biggest question that the world is asking: where the hell are the Raiders going to play at? Mark Davis pretty much burned bridges with the City of Oakland. Oakland proceeded to do the same with a lawsuit. They're technically still the Oakland Raiders, but they can't play in Oakland because of the lawsuit. They tried to find a temporary home in San Francisco and they said no. Now, they're exploring outside the border, possibly playing home games in London. They do have an international game set. Can you imagine how much the travel expenses will be for the Raiders having to practice in their Alameda Facility, training camp in Napa, and then flying over to London for their pre-season and regular season home games? Not to mention, they have to play on the road games too. I'm wondering if Mark Davis has enough to account for that, plus relocation fees, plus that Bank of America loan he'll need to pay off to finance that stadium in Vegas?  And of course, the lawsuit will play a big factor in that too since Oakland is suing for damages, which of course involves money.

Since the move approval in 2017, this team has changed day-by-day, minute-by-minute from top to bottom. And quite frankly, time after time, I find myself distancing from this team and organization that I stood by and rooted for since I was a little boy, dating back to the Rich Gannon-Tim Brown days. By the time this team moves to Vegas, there will be little soul left of the mystique of what was the Oakland Raiders. Will they get better with the change of scenery? Maybe. But, they've transformed into just another soulless corporate entity for the National Football League with this move to Las Vegas. There'll be no Black Hole. There'll be no home field advantage. What there'll be are a bunch corporate executives who won't give a crap about any aspect about the game other than money, tourists who either don't understand football or the Raider tradition, and fans of opposing NFL teams with stronger followings than the Raiders, such as the Steelers and Cowboys. And what next as this team continues to look for a temporary home this year?

These last couple seasons since the move was announced has been really weird. It's saddening. It's depressing. Maybe even more depressing than the previous losing seasons the Raiders had in the past decade since the Super Bowl loss to Tampa Bay. This team has played with so many of our emotions. I'll still be a fan, but I'm not as invested as I was in the past. I know, I'll be called a fake fan or some sorts. But, I stood by this team when the quarterbacks went from Gannon to Kerry Collins to Aaron Brooks to Andrew Walter, JaMarcus Russell, Daunte Culpepper, Josh McCown, Bruce Gradkowski, Charlie Frye, Jason Campbell, Carson Palmer, Terrelle Pryor, now Derek Carr. The one thing that separates me from any other fan is not the collection of jerseys or merchandise, or memorabilia, but attaining the knowledge and appreciation of the Raiders' history past and present. I appreciate the teams of the 70's with John Madden, Ken Stabler, Fred Biletnikoff, Cliff Branch, the "Soul Patrol" with Willie Brown, Jack Tatum, and George Atkinson. I appreciate the 80's with Tom Flores, Jim Plunkett, Marcus Allen, Howie Long, Mike Haynes, Lester Hayes, Matt Millen, and Lyle Alzado. Heck, even the lost decades. Anybody remember how explosive Napoleon Kaufman was in the mid to late 90's? Then, you also had the short-lived Bo Jackson era. Tim Brown and how underrated he was as a wide receiver, putting up numbers playing with average QBs until Rich Gannon came along in 1999. Change is always difficult. It's either we embrace it or we don't. It's simple as that. Like I said, maybe the Raiders will be a perennial contender in Las Vegas. But, it won't be the same as they're not going to be a Cali product. And I speak on that on behalf of both fanbases in Oakland and Los Angeles, not just Oakland even though they're better off as the Oakland Raiders with all due respect.

But you know how Raider Nation rolls. It's not a city. It's not a state. It's a Nation and it's worldwide. We'll see this upcoming offseason if the Raiders are ridiculously going to consider this "World Tour" this year before going to Vegas in 2020. If change is indeed coming, I have to see it myself. There's just too much uncertainty with this team. May the football gods be with the Raiders as a team and as an organization as they wander into the great unknown.

The Silver and Black Shitshow: Chapter 9 - "Ode to Oakland" (FINAL CHAPTER)

*Readers' Discretion is advised*

In this final chapter of the Silver and Black Shitshow,
A farewell to Oakland against a familiar foe.
As the City that once housed them files a lawsuit,
The Raiders' stay in Oakland becomes more moot.

By all accounts, this means Oakland and the Raiders are done,
Now, the Raiders start temporary home-searching from San Francisco to London.
As the Vegas stadium isn't opened until 2020,
The team's search for a temporary home remains steady.

True, the City of Oakland had ample time to get the ball rolling,
But the fact that Mark Davis didn't even speak to the City one bit, had us all groaning.
When you have two incompetent parties working together,
Raider Nation, on both sides of the spectrum, voice their displeasure.

However, to talk about relocation isn't the time,
The fact that the Raiders played their last game at the Oakland Coliseum is a crime.
The Coliseum may be a dump,
But it is a place where you, as a Raider fan, can get pumped.

Lighting the Al Davis torch in the Coliseum for the last time was Oakland's own Marshawn Lynch.
Everybody in that Coliseum was in a pinch.
The final opponent for the Raiders in the Coliseum: the Denver Broncos.
For the Oakland fans, put one last curbstomp on them Donkos.

The most frequent matchup on Monday Night Football, on the Eve of Christmas Day,
Started off with a Dwayne Harris 99-yard punt return big play.
A quick 0-7 lead against the Ponies.
C'mon Raiders, keep your foot on the gas against those Denver Phonies!

Throughout most of the game, Derek Carr and the Raiders kept their foot on the gas.
They stomped a mudhole on the Broncos' ass.
It got worse for Denver as Doug Martin scored a 24-yard rushing touchdown.
It was just like the Sunday Night game in 2016, wear out Denver's defense with the "ground and pound."

The Broncos tried to rally in the 2nd half,
But it's clear as day, that they want Vance Joseph to get the ax.
You can see the look on disgust from John Elway, as he salivates on getting Vance Joseph fired.
Let's hope he causes more pain on Broncos fans by getting another idiot head coach hired.

Case Keenum made one last effort to make things click,
But instead, all he threw was a series of picks.
One last time for Oakland, the Raiders just won baby.
The entire Black Hole in the Coliseum went crazy.

The first year in Tank Commander Jon Gruden's return was a disaster.
This season couldn't end any faster.
When the Shitshow traded Khalil Mack and Amari Cooper,
You can say that this year was a pooper.

But this one game was all that mattered,
An Ode to Oakland, leaving the Broncos battered.
As the Raiders prepare to wander out of "The Town" by season's end,
The Raiders in any location other than Oakland, will never blend.

Signing off, I proudly shout "fuck Mark Davis,"
For the move to Las Vegas.
Leaving Oakland and all of Cali after 2019 is a huge blow,
Courtesy of the Silver and Black Shitshow.

The Silver and Black Shitshow: Chapter 8 - "Fumble in the Jungle"

*Readers' discretion advised*

Last time on the "Silver and Black Shitshow," the Raiders scored yet another upset victory in Oakland against the Black and Gold Brigade (UrinatingTree, 2018). The loss was so embarrassing, that the Raiders earned a special appearance on the #1 sports soap opera webseries "Days of Our Steelers." For one day, the Silver and Black weren't a shitshow as Derek Carr and the Tank Commander lead the team to their biggest win this season.

But the jubilation wasn't meant to last. The following day, the Raiders have fired the Fat Freckle Face after 7 years as the GM of the Raiders. Let's make one thing clear, we need to take out the first two years of the Reggie McKenzie era. Prior to his arrival, the Raiders were financially strapped and they didn't even draft until Round 3 in 2012. They were stuck with the salaries of a washed up Richard Seymour and a disgruntled Carson Palmer that the Hue-Man (Hue Jackson) foolishly mortgaged the future for just to acquire him. The 2013 draft class, outside of Le'Veon Bell, is considered as one of the worst draft classes of all time.  It wasn't until the 2014 Draft where Reggie finally righted the ship. Reggie had a 5-year plan enacted to restore the Raiders back to contention. He did so in 2016. 2017 was significant down year marred by injuries and division in the locker room due to the anthem protests. And now 2018, the team that Reggie worked to achieve in a 4-5 year span was destroyed in an instant, courtesy of Madman Gruden. (Honestly, how many nicknames have I given him already?) This season, Reggie was not the GM. He was nothing more of a puppet, a "yes man", a punching bag, and a scapegoat to the epic fail moves the Chuckster executed behind-the-scenes. His firing was imminent. The Chuckster had assumed direct control of the team since the day he returned from the booth.

The Shitshow raged on. In a season full of lies, deception, and false hope, a city bounded its community together and rose up to the occasion that it is tired of being the epicenter of the Shitshow. That would be the City of Oakland. After a long period of staying silent, the City of Oakland finally filed the lawsuit against Mark Davis, the Raiders, and the NFL for damages in the relocation to Vegas. Let's not forget that Oakland is still paying off the bonds for the construction of Mt. Davis in the Coliseum in 1995. They need every penny to squeeze out of the Raiders to pay that off if the team is going to leave them in dust. An added bonus, the City could retain the Raider name and colors in and keep it in Oakland. Let's get facts here, Oakland came up with the "Raiders" name during the franchise's inception.

In another sense, the lawsuit indicates that the Raiders have played their last season in Oakland. Effective, Christmas Eve against the Denver Broncos on Monday Night Football could be the last time the Raiders play in the Oakland Coliseum. Mark Davis and the Raiders have rescinded their lease extension proposal until 2020 when the Las Vegas stadium is complete in response to Oakland's lawsuit. Yes, after this season, they're essentially homeless. So homeless, yet so wretched that I won't even sing "Paradise" by Phil Collins to them. The Raiders do have options to remain in the Golden State for at least one more year before they move to the Silver State: Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, Levi's Stadium in my home town of Santa Clara, AT&T Park in San Francisco, and even Bulldog Stadium in Fresno. Oh if they ever choose Levi's Stadium or AT&T Park, it would be the biggest definition of hypocrisy from the Raiders and Mark Davis.

The rest of Raider Nation still has to open their eyes and recognize the real problem: Mark Davis is writing checks that his ass can't cash. If we look at his net worth compared to other NFL owners, he is a little fish in the big ocean swimming with the sharks. He blew $100 million for Jon Gruden. He's borrowing a big loan from BofA that is bigger than his net worth of $500 million to finance the Las Vegas stadium. We get more insight from Amari Cooper (yes, I know you guys are tired of him), insisting that Mark Davis was the one who wanted him traded. We all know Mark is a sensitive piece of shit, so when someone or something gets in his feelings, he acts irrationally. Does firing the timeless Raiders radio play-by-play announcer Greg Papa because of his criticism of Mark wanting to bring Mike Shanahan back at the expense of a deceased Al Davis ring any bells? Now that we hear a little bit more from Coop, that adds more firewood to the flame. If we can just get some more testimonials from Khalil Mack, Reggie McKenzie, and Jack Del Rio, Mark Davis is on the verge of being exposed as the snake that he is. The lawsuit from Oakland is a must-buy for Pay Per View as Mark Davis is about to get cornered like the scowl, broke owner he is. Oh and even if he successfully goes to Vegas, he still has to deal with a pissed off Las Vegas casino mogul in Sheldon Adelson. All I can say to Marky Mark is "keep your friends close and your enemies closer."

So much drama has unfolded over the last few days since the Raiders pulled out the victory against the Steelers. The one thing that could remedy this is another win. And the Raiders have no better opportunity against the Cincinnati Bungles. The Bengals have to play the rest of the season without the Andy Dalton-A.J. Green connection. Marvin Lewis somehow still has the head-coaching job with Cincinnati. Oh, and look who it is? Hue-Man, Hue Jackson. This should be easy picking. Hue has brought nothing but bad juju since returned to Cincinnati after being let go by the Browns. Long overdue, now the Browns can win games.

They couldn't seize the opportunity that presented itself. The Shitshow found themselves in a 0-17 hole early. Derek Carr, to no surprise, kept getting sacked behind a patchwork O-line and rookie tackles that couldn't hold up penetration if their life depended on it. Let's make some things clear, Kolton Miller sucked major ass being a blindside protector. Brandon Parker is the 2nd coming of Khalif Barnes with all these false start penalties he committed this game. It also doesn't help that Kelechi Osemele and Gabe Jackson are injured, so they had to be replaced by two nobodies whose names that even die hard Raider fans don't give an absolute shit about. Oh yeah and turnovers. Jalen Richard reminded all of us of his fumblerooskie ways dating back to his sophomore campaign last year. There was a reason why he was on the roster bubble this season. The strip-sack on Carr was all she wrote as the Bengals scored early and never looked back.

However, the Raiders did keep themselves within striking distance behind the big leg of Daniel Carlson, trailing by 10 points or a touchdown. Derek Carr kept the offense churning as much as he could. Long without Amari Cooper or Michael Crabtree, long without the Great Wall of Oakland that was destroyed courtesy of the Cable Guy, Carr kept the wheels of the patchwork offense moving like it was 2014 all over again. What a difference four years make. Unfortunately, the Bengals went for the knockout punch late in the 4th quarter, behind a haymaker from Smokin' Joe Mixon. While Jeff Driskel did make plays as he had competent receivers like John Ross and Tyler Boyd, it was Joe Mixon who carried the Bungles' dead carcass to victory.

Back to the Shitshow indeed after this loss. They say football is a funny game sometimes. The Raiders had a big win last week. The following week, they lose to the Bungles. I've lost count how many times Derek Carr has been sacked this season. Truly, he is dying for the Tank Commander's sins. Derek is literally his brother David Carr his first two seasons with the Texans. Promising quarterback, but had a shitty O-line around him that ended up scarring him for his first two seasons. Derek is lucky that he is still relevant than his brother was in their first five seasons. Speaking of O-line, it could get worse as Gabe Jackson is lost for the season. Barring a return from Kelechi Osemele, that leaves Rodney Hudson as the only competent O-linemen remaining. The Great Wall of Oakland has been torn asunder. The same can be said about the Coliseum as the Raiders could play their final game there against the Donkeys on Monday Night Football. Cleveland '95 part two could be brewing regardless of the outcome.

The final results of the Khalil Mack trade are in! The Bears clinch the NFC North and Mack has made the Pro Bowl yet again. As for the Raiders? No Pro Bowlers were selected, only alternates as Jared Cook, Hudson, and K.O. were selected and they're tanking. Perhaps, this should serve as a valuable lesson in life: YOU DO NOT TRADE YOUR ONCE IN A GENERATIONAL PLAYER FOR 50/50 DRAFT PICKS! Thus far, the Tank Commander had no significant moves to respond to one of the dumbest trades ever executed in Pro Football. Not even one addition. Let's see the latest move he made:

Nathan Peterman? The Nathan Peterman? The man, the myth, the living meme? HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA..........

The Silver and Black Shitshow: Chapter 7 - "This Week on 'Days of Our Steelers'"

*Readers' Discretion is Advised*

Before I write this chapter, I will let you know that I am in no way, shape, or form, associated with UrinatingTree nor responsible for the creation of "Days of Our Steelers." I am just a fan of his content and shitposting of all things sports. The shitposting of UrinatingTree of his own Pittsburgh Steelers has inspired me to create this segment on the blog to substitute live coverage of Raider games. Cause let's be honest, they aren't doing that well since they made a string of dumb ass decisions in the thought of thinking they can easily replace a talent of Mack or Cooper's talent in the next NFL Draft. They're tanking right now. That is a fact. And the lack of cohesion among the organization, front office, coaching staff, and players has manifested itself week after week. Since the Raiders did play the Steelers and won in a way that'll awaken the rage of the Yinzer, it would eventually set up for a "Days of Our Steelers" episode of epic proportions. 

This chapter will be a lot different. What will be written here is not a rehash of the new "Days of Our Steelers" episode. What this chapter will be is a scholarly critique of the episode from the perspective of a Raiders fan who's lost all sanity at the start of the season. Well, scholarly may be pushing it because that don't mix with insanity. But you guys get what I mean. If you're a sports fan who hasn't heard of him, then I suggest you go check out his YouTube channel and subscribe. Praise the almighty Yinzer and his rage! And fuck you Spanos!

If you love sports and drama, whether you're a Steelers fan, a Steelers hater, or an NFL newbie, you will love "Days of Our Steelers." "Days of Our Steelers" is an episodic mini series on YouTube created by UrinatingTree. The premise behind the segment chronicles the drama within the Pittsburgh Steelers organization. Such examples include Le'Veon Bell's holdout, Antonio Brown being a diva and throwing a temper tantrum when the ball is not thrown to him, and Captain Fatfuck himself, Big Ben Roethlisberger throwing teammates under the bus because he can do whatever the fuck he wants to do. The segment itself is even funnier when the Steelers lose against weaker competition that they should've beaten soundly. After all, the Steelers have a chronic history of playing down to their level of competition over the years. They are an example of potent talent that's being handicapped because of their pride and arrogance, blindly assuming that the league will bow down to them.

This week's episode of "Days of Our Steelers" featured the Silver and Black Shitshow themselves or the "Autumn Fart" as UrinatingTree coined them. This was the Steelers' last chance to beat an AFC West opponent as they were 0-3 in their attempts. The Steelers were flat out embarrassed in Pittsburgh by the Cult of Mahomes and Kareem Hunt before he became known as "The KHunt." Second try, the Steelers got a little Mile High as they lose to the Broncos when Captain Fatfuck threw a very sloppy interception at the 3-yard line to Shelby Harris, the ex-Raider, in the End Zone. Why not give it to James Conner to punch it in? Two Sunday Nights ago, they faced off against a surging Chargers team. I mean, that game should've been the game where the real Steelers should've stood up. They're facing off against a contending team. San Dieg-err Los Angeles doesn't even have their best running back on the field in Melvin Gordon. This should be an easy win for Pittsburgh at home. They couldn't capitalize after building a big lead because to the Steelers, "halftime adjustments" did not exist in the English language. And who can forget the infamous final seconds of that game when the Steelers were offsides for three consecutive fucking plays? At this point, it's like they're begging the Ravens to overtake them for the division lead in the AFC North.

Since the Raiders pulled off the upset, I've been waiting for this episode all week and I was not disappointed one bit. Something about the Oakland Coliseum just brings the worst out of the Steelers and they lose in the most stunning fashion possible to the Raiders. Since Ben Roethlisberger entered the league, the Steelers lost in their visits to Oakland in 2006, 2012, 2013, and 2018. Out of those four teams, the 2006 Raiders roster at least had talent. They had a great defense and Randy Moss *shudders* was still a deep threat whenever he's on the field. The only problem was Art Shell, his coaching staff, the outdated schemes they ran, and Andrew Walter and Aaron Brooks tagging in and out as starting quarterbacks. 2012, 2013, and 2018, the Raiders were in the midst of roster deconstruction and the Steelers overwhelmed them in talent on both sides of the ball. But as usual, they play down to their level and it bites them in the ass.

The rib injury on Ben Roethlisberger, outside of the issues of cleats and footing from Ryan Switzer and Chris Boswell was probably the most mysterious thing that happened in this game and this was covered in half of the episode. At first glance, I thought Big Ben was in concussion protocol, it turned out it was a rib injury. He did take a good shot. I couldn't remember who tackled him. Would the Steelers had finally break the curse had Big Ben played the whole game? That is arguable. Because honestly, they did not look good with their backup QB. That was the perfect opportunity for the Silver and Black to stop being the Shitshow. They couldn't do anything the majority of the third quarter as the Steelers D easily penetrated the most penetrable O-line courtesy of the Cable guy. Checkdown Derek was getting harassed as he took sack after sack. But luckily, the Steelers couldn't do anything without Big Ben. That set up the Shitshow to conduct the ritual to resurrect 2016 MVP Derek Carr. "The shattered dreams of what was once a quarterback (4:18)" was indeed resurrected as he outclutched Big Ben in the last two TD drives. The last drive though that set up the TD to Derek Carrier, Carr threw a deep ball to Seth Roberts. That play looked awfully familiar when Carr hit Crabtree in stride 3 years ago against the same Steelers team for the game-tying TD in Pittsburgh. It's safe to say, on that play, that Derek Carr and Seth Roberts are finally reminded that money is the root of all evil and started balling like they did before they hit lucrative pay dirt with contract extensions.

It's not just fact that the Steelers lost, it's how they lost. From Big Ben's mysterious rib injury to Chris Boswell slipping and sliding for the game-tying field goal. I gotta admit, that lateral to JuJu Smith-Schuster almost got me a heart attack. It was almost like Antonio Brown outrunning a near 40-year old Charles Woodson back in 2015 to set up a Boswell game-winning field goal. Speaking of AB, I guess it's a big win that he didn't put up 200+ receiving yards yet again considering how shit this defense is without a consistent pass rush. He was lost on "(Gareon) Conley Island" this game. This time, it didn't bite the Raiders in the ass because the Steelers do what they do when they come to Oakland and that's lose in embarrassing fashion. To no surprise, the Yinzer raged on the Steelers' shortcomings, which is always the best part of this segment. Good luck against New England and New Orleans the next two weeks. This episode definitely sets up another two more great episodes to come.

While the Raiders celebrated the win and the Tank Commander celebrated with Raider Nation, the jubilation was short-lived and they immediately turned back to the Shitshow we know and love. The day after the win against the Steelers, the Shitshow proceeded to relieve Big, Fat, Freckle-Faced Reggie McKenzie of his general manager duties. Let's be honest, we saw this coming a mile away since Chucky was hired. True, McKenzie didn't exactly have a good track record, but the guy was financially strapped his first two years. He finally builds a team only for the Tank Commander to tear it back down and place all the blame on McKenzie for his shortcomings. "I was in the meeting room when the announcement was made." Chucky said. That is signs of deflecting blame that you have a hand when you literally berate McKenzie to the press week after week. You'll be well on your way to a political career after this shitfest Chuckster!

With the trades and the behind-the-scenes politics within, the Raiders have hit an all-time low in terms of being an incompetent organization. It's just like Fight Club. "The first rule of Fight Club' is that you don't talk about 'Fight Club.'"And the Raiders clearly don't want to talk about the internal turmoil surrounding this team. What's the worse that could happen? Oh look, the City of Oakland is finally filing that lawsuit for you to finally get the fuck out after cockteasing them since the Vegas move was approved. There goes all hope of playing in Oakland until the Vegas stadium is complete in 2020. After Christmas Eve this year, you'll no longer be known as the Oakland Raiders. You'll be the To Be Determined (TBD)...Raiders...of Las Vegas.  Time to start home searching. You got a head start by going overseas yet again next year for an International Series game that the NFL likes to shove down everyone's throats. But hey, no matter where they go it's Raider Nation all day right? Astonishing to see that a team with the same name and colors changes entirely new locations five times in their franchise history. Five times! Absolute lunacy at its finest! Sums up the dysfunction of this organization's ownership under the Davis family.

The Silver and Black Shitshow: Chapter 6 - "Orale (Ma)Homes!/Kicking City Chicks"

*Readers' Discretion Advised*

Strap yourselves in people! This is going to be a long ass chapter!

Judgement Day was approaching for the Silver and Black Shitshow. The well-oiled machine known as the Kansas City Chiefs and the Cult of Mahomes were coming to town. As the Shitshow prepared for its inevitable beatdown, one former player opened up about the lackadaisical time during his tenure with the team.

That man would be Amari Cooper.

Since contributing to the Dallas Cowboys to a 3-1 stretch run, Mr. Cooper opened up in an interview since the Tank Commander traded him to Jerryworld. He felt that the trade "changed him as a person." It was well documented during that Thanksgiving game against the Redskins where he started showing more personality than he did in four combined seasons in Oakland. He did pull a string in this interview with a couple of key quotes:

"I wasn't really happy in Oakland."

"I just always felt like I wasn't really being used how I felt like I would have used me if I was the coach."

After reading the entire interview, I only had one question: WHY!? Why did you have to phrase it that way? Because of that interview, you just made yourself Public Enemy #1 to the entire Raider Nation as they turned your back on you immediately. In fact, Raider legend, Phil Villapiano called you a "sissy" and a "punk." Phil really wanted to rewind it back to 1976 along with George Atkinson and "The Assassin" Jack Tatum to pop you in the mouth across the middle. Don't get me wrong, as a fan who endorsed you to be a Raider since I saw your breakout year in Alabama, nobody outside of Bill Musgrave knew how to utilize you and I agreed with the 2nd quote. Your first two 1,000 yard seasons were nothing more than an afterthought as Drowning Downing and Vanilla Olson ruined you following Billy's departure. In fact, you're doing much better now that you have a QB who lets plays develop instead of a Checkdown Derek that gets rid of the ball too quick. You get to showcase your precise route running a little more in Dallas. But the number one rule if you want that "Once a Raider, Always a Raider" title, you don't make your unhappy time in Oakland publicly known! You could've taken the high road like Khalil Mack did. But to say that you weren't happy in your time in Oakland puts you in company with the likes of Warren Sapp, Randy Moss, and JaMarcus Russell, former Raiders who don't deserve the "Once a Raider, Always a Raider" title. You've brought shame to me Amari. Continue on with your great performance with the Cowboys though as you helped the team to an upset victory against the Saints.

Despite the tank job the Silver and Black Shitshow showed all season, they were by all accounts not eliminated from playoff contention. How that was a possibility was beyond comprehension. SB Nation drew up a five week scenario where the Raiders won every game from here on out and a couple of games fell their way over the past week.

- Jaguars beat Colts
- Falcons beat Ravens
- Jets beat Titans
- Dolphins beat Bills
- Broncos beat Bengals
- Texans beat Browns.

I couldn't believe that the best case scenario almost happened. But, the possibility was thrown out the window when the Ravens beat the Falcons and the Titans beat the Jets. But, the Raiders still had a glimmer of hope. They just have to win against the Kansas City-welp that's it they're fucking dead. Mahomes and that well-oiled Andy Reid offense is gonna burn them! However through divine intervention, the Shitshow got a little unsung help to spring a possible upset against their bitter AFC West rivals.

*The other place where Sports Athletes' Careers go to die...from outta nowhere.*

Whenever a sports figure shows up on TMZ, chances are that things are looking bleak going forward in his career. I mean come on! They were integral in getting Donald Sterling kicked out of NBA ownership. The latest athlete to receive the "kiss of death" from the most annoying site of tabloid media in the world, none other than Kansas City Chiefs star Running Back, Kareem Hunt.

Security footage leaked to TMZ last Friday of an incident at a hotel in Cleveland where Kareem Hunt and his entourage were caught in a shouting match with a drunk, underage woman. The woman shouted the "n word" at Hunt repeatedly that Hunt started pushing and shoving the her. Hunt's entourage intervened to calm Hunt down. But, the woman and her girl friend continued to provoke the Kansas City star. Then, all hell broke loose as the woman was pushed to the ground. Hunt got a little too extracurricular by kicking the woman while he was down to the ground. The video was then under investigation by the NFL that the NFL placed Hunt on the exempt list. In return, the Chiefs released Hunt not because of the incident, but they believed he was too dishonest when it came to telling the truth.

A moment of silence for Kareem Hunt Fantasy owners.

In all seriousness, the issue of domestic violence reared its ugly head yet again in the NFL. I understand that Kareem Hunt was getting provoked by these two women as they yelled out racial slurs to him. Who can blame him for standing up? It's a matter of how he did it by being a big, dumb "KHunt." Yes, when your first initial is "K" and your last name is "Hunt," that's what you'll be remembered by. There was no question that Kareem Hunt fucked up his NFL career royally after that incident. Kicking the lady while she was already knocked to the ground? C'mon man, no need to go that far! Unless you were planning on taking over for Harrison Butker as the new kicker for the Chiefs, go kick a football! Going back to the domestic violence issue, it shows the double standard and inconsistency by the NFL when it comes to this issue. The NFL has dragged their feet time and time again with their lackadaisical stance on this issue. They don't even have a set discipline for it either! Some players get a slap in the wrist with one or a few games suspended. Some are banned from professional football. Some get released by their team and no other teams picks them up, but they're still out there (ie: Ray Rice). And others are still playing in the league and the NFL are nonchalant about their cases. The Redskins signed Reuben Foster despite another domestic violence incident that he got cut from the 49ers, the NFL doesn't bat an eye yet. The Kareem Hunt video goes viral and they take immediate action. It's no wonder that this league is dying because the NFL can't make up their goddamn minds when it comes to handling this sensitive issue and not all domestic violence cases among NFL athletes are created equal through the eyes of the league. Nor can they come up with an established, consistent disciplinary system when it comes to this league-wide chronic issue.

Raider Nation thanks TMZ for the assist. But at a cost, the Cult of Mahomes grew bigger and badder. KHunt or no KHunt, the Chiefs were going to put a mud stomping on the Shitshow. Mahomes started with a strike to Kelce and Kelce is off to the races, *Kelce fumbles the football.* Well, well, this makes things a lot interesting. But, the Raiders couldn't capitalize as they stalled with a 3 and out.

*Mahomes hits Kelce for the TD* Yup, it's over. Nothing to see here. Now the Kansas City Chiefs are going to kick our a-*down 10-0 at the end of Q1.* Well, that wasn't so bad. The Raiders held the Kansas City juggernaut to just 10 points. The Raiders are competing, that's a good sign. They just put together a solid drive capping off with a Doug Martin one-yard TD. But, unfortunately they let the Chiefs drive down the field. The biggest gut wrencher was that 38-yard Mahomes pass to Demarcus Robinson. Honestly, how the hell do you allow this guy to go sideline to sideline and not tackle him inbounds? Despite a good showing by Gareon Conley, this doesn't change the fact that this secondary is still fucking trash. Then again every secondary is trash without a decent pass rush. 

*Mahomes hits Kelce with another TD* It's 19-7. Nothing to see here. Blocked PAT. Woohoo. But Kansas City is going to come out of the locker room to whoop some Silver and Black ass. I can see it now.

*Raiders down 26-10* Raider Nation, I can't say that I told you so, but I told you so. This team is just not that good to combat the Cult of Mahomes. Checkdown Derek is suffocating behind Tom Cable's most penetrable O-line. *Carr hits Cook for a TD to cut it to 26-16.* It's no longer AC/DC = TD, it's now JC/DC = TD. Unfortunately, Carr could not hit Jalen Richard in stride for the two-point conversion.

*Fumble by Richard, Chiefs extend lead 33-16.* It's impossible for the Shitshow to win in a shootout. Just drop your flags and tank. The Tank Commander commands it. *Derek Carr hits Lee Smith for a TD to cut lead to 33-23.* Okay, it's back to 10 points, but we all know the Cult of Mahomes and the Cheetah speed of Tyreek Hill and Mini "Gronk" Kelce will respond back.

*Raiders cut the lead 33-30* Holy shit, this is actually a game now! The Raiders can do it! They can pull the biggest upset of the year! Derek Carr has risen! He'll beat the Chiefs from behind like he did in 2014 and 2017. Jordy Nelson has rekindled his Green Bay form! Jared is cooking! Pocket Rocket Jalen Richard has returned to form! The defense just needs one stop for once in its Khalil Mack-less life. They continue to bend, but we just need one stop. Give the ball back to Derek and this inspired Raiders offense. Just hold them in the end zone boys! Hold them to a field-

*Mahomes hits Chris Conley to extend the lead KC 40-30 late in the 4th.* "GODDAMN IT! Y'ALL HAD ONE FUCKING JOB! CAN'T THIS DEFENSE DO ITS FUCKING JOB FOR ONCE?! THIS IS WHY TRADING KHALIL FUCKING MACK AND RELEASING BRUCE FUCKING IRVIN WERE TERRIBLE IDEAS! WE NEEDED THAT QB PRESSURE! FUCK!"

As a Raider fan, I could not be mad at this effort. They could've just let Kansas City "beat the Devil" out of them as they don't have a lot to play for. But there was one thing that they were playing for and that was pride. The Raiders-Chiefs rivalry had lost its luster as it has been lopsided in favor of the Chiefs since the 1990s. And as football fans, we hope that this rivalry returns to its former glory once again as we were cockteased from 2015-2017. There were signs of heart from the Raiders and a Derek Carr that's slowly re-surging back to 2016 form and good to know that some veterans on this roster still give a flying fuck about playing for the Silver and Black. 

Chiefs Kingdom though, my goodness, talk about a weekend for you guys. Your former stud running back did the dumbest shit in the world and now the whole nation sees it. Your defense is ass. You should be mad that you didn't win in convincing fashion against a Raiders team that is completely voided of young, promising talent and veterans on their last legs. This tells me one thing: the Chiefs will keep going depending how far Patrick Mahomes and this offense can take them. Hmmm...that sounds familiar. That reminds me of the 2016 Raiders. The defense was asinine, but Derek Carr and the offense kept putting points on the board until he got hurt. Better hope the same fate doesn't await the almighty Mahomes. Without Hunt, Mahomes is going to have to carry that big load. Oh and Andy Reid is still the head coach. We know how his teams turn out in the postseason. And to top it all off, you guys still won't sniff a Super Bowl as long as Darth Brady, Emperor Belichick, and the Death Star Patriots from Foxborough, MA are still around and exerting their AFC dominance. 

*Oh, the Raiders are expected to make an appearance on the next episode of Days of Our Steelers? I can't wait to do a Silver and Black Shitshow chapter on that... Wait, so you guys think it's best for me to leave this to (Urinating)'Tree? Well, what the hell is my Week 14 content gonna be about then?*

The Silver and Black Shitshow: Chapter 5 - "Ravenclaw'd"

*Readers' discretion advised* 

September 1, 2018 was the day the Silver and Black Shitshow was reborn. In arguably the worst trade in recent memory, the Shitshow gives up a walking HOF talent in Khalil Mack to the Chicago Bears for two first round picks that may or may not pan out considering the fringe track record this organization brings to the table. The trade signified that the tank job was in motion. Thus began the great Oakland purge. The following month, the Shitshow tried to make up for that trade by pillaging the Dallas Cowboys' 2019 1st round draft pick in exchange for an underperforming Amari Cooper.

The current aftermath of the trades clearly don't favor the Raiders. The Bears sit atop of the NFC North with an 8-3 record since they went all in on "The Mack." To add to that top 10 defense last year, it helped signify the return of the "Monsters of the Midway." Meanwhile, the Dallas Cowboys are currently 3-1 since trading for Amari Cooper and sit atop of the pathetic NFC LEast. The two teams were featured on Thanksgiving Thursday. Although Mack was limited to just one tackle, the Bears still managed to pull out a win against Detroit's Thanksgiving Punching Bag (Lions). Meanwhile, Amari Cooper, exploded onto the scene with a 180 receiving yard, 2 TD game against the Deadskins, who in reality have an above-average secondary with Josh Norman and newly acquired HaHa Clinton-Dix, but can't tackle worth for shit. We watch in utter disgust as Coop put the Redskins secondary on roller skates throughout the game. Truly, it was a disappointing Thanksgiving for the Raider Nation having to watch two promising players that the team gave away lead their new teams to victory and in the playoff hunt. While we sit there and stuff away on our Thanksgiving meals in depressing fashion having to watch them do well on other teams. Not to mention, as long as the Bears and Cowboys keep winning, those 2019 first round picks will continue to move to the back end of the draft. But it's all part of the Tank Commander's master plan right?

By the end of the Thanksgiving weekend, the Silver and Black Shitshow, losers of the Seventh Tank Bowl (UrinatingTree, 2018) travel to the nest in Baltimore, MD to take on House Ravenclaw. Flocking on the opposite side of the Shitshow was Michael Crabtree. We all know he was waiting for this game to prove to the Tank Commander that releasing him to the Ravens flock would be his fatal mistake. In truth, the Ravens do have their share of ups and downs this season. Inconsistent play by their defense. Joe Flacco continuing to prove he's truly "elite." You name it. But, there's a sparkplug brought back to the Ravens that hasn't been seen since the 2012 Super Bowl season. Enter Heisman winner, Lamar Jackson. As Flacco battles injuries, Lamar Jackson stepped in to give Ravens fans something to cheer about and possibly make Flacco a backup QB at this point of his career.

However, the Shitshow, inspired by last week's win, wanted to send a statement that there's still fight in this team amid of all the turmoil. They put together a solid opening drive out of the gate, capping off with a rushing TD from the Muscle Hamster. The secondary stepped up and picked off Lamar Jackson twice. Let's not kid ourselves, the secondary is still not that good. They benefited from a couple of lucky tips. Old ass Reggie Nelson got a pick. That's not saying much. Unfortunately, like always, the Shitshow couldn't sustain control of the game as the Ravens stormed right back with their running game, special teams, and defense. Baltimore's running game behind Lamar Jackson and Gus Edwards made mince meat out of this Raiders' D-line. They couldn't find a way to bring an age old Terrell Suggs down as he rumbles a fumble recovery into the end zone to seal the game. Michael Crabtree didn't break out for this game, but he still managed to score 1 TD and record 21 receiving yards. While his replacement? Only managed just 1 target and no catch. Maybe you should've actually retired Jordy Nelson. I actually feel sorry for you that you bought into the Tank Commander's bull crap.

Onto the biggest turkey of this game. I remembered in the draft recap that the Raiders could've selected better players in the 2nd and 3rd rounds and waited in the later rounds to draft guys like P.J. Hall and Brandon Parker. And they're proving me right. Biggest turkey goes to Brandon Parker ladies and gentleman! I couldn't comprehend how much of a garbage job he did on that O-line. Three consecutive sacks given up as he allowed Checkdown Derek eat a fistful of turf courtesy from the hands of Matt Judon this game. This is what happens when you reach massively in the first three rounds for a project pick. It's even worse when you have Tom Cable as an O-line Coach who has a legacy of failure coaching up raw O-linemen. No offense Cable dude. I loved you as a head coach in 2010, but you are horrible when it comes to player development on the O-line. Brandon Parker should at least be in the practice squad at best after this game. Fucking Grade A 3rd round pick Gruden and McKenzie!

This Thanksgiving weekend was a triad of horrors for the Silver and Black Shitshow. As mentioned with Mack and the Bears continuing to dominate the NFC North standings. Cooper and the Cowboys winning and in the division lead of the weak NFC East. And now Crabtree earning sweet sweet revenge over his former team. Just imagine if they played for the Raiders. Oh wait they did! And you let all three of them go for the unknown and veterans who have no place in a team that's clearly tanking for picks. Way to prove how clueless this moronic front office and coaching staff is when it comes to managing talent that are viable assets to the team. With this loss to the Ravens, it couldn't possibly get any worse-*looks at the schedule and sees they're facing Kansas City next.* And by that, it will get worse with the Cult of Mahomes coming to town. Start all your Chiefs players in Fantasy this week folks! Can't believe I'm actually encouraging that.

The Silver and Black Shitshow: Chapter 4 - "Cardinal Sin"

On this latest chapter of the Silver and Black Shitshow, the tanking process has taken a toll on some of the veterans on this roster. After the shellacking last week at the hands of San Dieg-err Los Angeles Chargers, one unnamed veteran has had enough of the Shitshow, expressing: "I gotta get the fuck outta here." Still to this day, we will never know who said that in the locker room. One may suspect that it was Jordy Nelson, who subsequently pulled his best Vontae Davis and retired in the middle of the season. That report turned out to be false information as Nelson is just day-to-day with a hip injury and is still on the active roster.

With this team's worse start since the 2014 NFL Season, it was time to start pointing fingers at the top. Who's more to blame other than the Tank Commander's ego running wild in this deconstruction process? None other than Tommy Boy Mark Davis! Time to face the music Marky D. What you're saying in the interview with Paul Gutierrez is clearly stating the obvious: "everything here is your fault." This was the same guy who gave up 1/5 of his overall net worth to bring the Chuckster out of the Monday Night Football booth, when he hasn't coached in 10 years. Cause clearly the muscles and hot shot looks of Jack Del Rio weren't enough to erase your hard on on the Chuckster. You've brought a lot of damaged goods on this once proud franchise since you stepped in the day your dad died.

On top of that, Davis confirmed that the organization has proposed a lease up until 2020 with the City of Oakland and the Coliseum authority. Because let's be honest, Oakland City leaders are clearly masochists in disguise when it comes to the Raiders because they clearly enjoy the Raiders kicking them while they're down. Mark Davis and his honchos have clearly blasted you guys in public with every opportunity they had and y'all just let it slide. I wouldn't be surprised if Oakland agrees to the lease extension. It would absolutely would show the lack of backbone they have. You all had your chance to file the lawsuit while your cards are faced down. Now that Oakland overplayed their cards, they are now an open book with the Raiders threatening to leave early if they ever think about a lawsuit. But Davis clearly would love to win one last time for Oakland. More like spend a couple more tanking seasons in Oakland and have Vegas inherit a contender. We can see through this ploy Marky D. Angry Oakland fans see through it. The city itself though doesn't.

Unfortunately for Davis, even Las Vegas knows the team they're inheriting in two years, is a shitshow now. They initially refused to air this week's Tank Bowl (UrinatingTree, 2018) against the Arizona Cardinals in their local TV markets. It was hilarious to read while it lasted as they local TVs confirmed they would air the game in Vegas two days prior to this game. The game against the Cardinals was as advertised as a battle of two teams to see which team will step aside to protect their position for the number 1 spot. But there was a different vibe this time around. It wasn't the Shitshow tanking. It was the Raiders doing any thing they can to win this game. Perhaps that was the topic surrounding Derek Carr and Chucky's heated sideline exchange. The Tank Commander wanted to tank, but Checkdown Derek has had enough of the Chuckster's shenanigans and said to him: "Fuck you! I want to win this game!"

The Cardinals gave the Shitshow all they can handle. The defense sacked Checkdown Derek four times. David Johnson looked like the David Johnson of 2015. The legend of Larry Fitzgerald continued to shine in Glendale. Andy Lee pinned the Raiders deep to give the defense  a stop. The Raiders had no timeouts. Just feed David Johnson to run out the clock. However, the Cardinals realized the stakes here and shot themselves in the foot. Josh Rosen was a shitshow himself, completing under 50% of his passes this game and throwing two picks. Speaking of the recipient of those picks, it was about fucking time Gareon Conley and Karl Joseph had some action. Cause clearly Gruden was running out old ass vets to run the show. Marcell Ateman finally showed us what he was made of racking up 50 receiving yards. He was big in the final drive to have Daniel Carlson erase the memories of Sebastian Janikowski missing a game-winning chip shot field goal 8 years ago in the same stadium. Jalen Richard picked up the slack in the running game because nobody clearly wants to see a has-been Doug Martin being the bell cow back. I feel like I was living in the Twilight Zone with the Tank Commander making all the right roster calls and getting these young guys to play instead of washed up veterans. Finally welcome to the NFL in 2018 Jon Gruden! But, I wouldn't be surprised if you trade all those guys too that showed out for screwing up the tank process. The Niners didn't have a game this week. But because of the Raiders winning, they move up to the #1 overall pick for the 2019 draft. Not to mention, the Cowboys and Bears won their games. So those extra 1st round picks they traded for move back more. The Tank Commander may be happy on the outside, but deep inside lies a whole lot of anger that his plans have been foiled at least for this one game. Or the Cardinals just wanted to tank more. That's another perspective to look at.