At long last the Oakland Raiders are long shots no more. There hasn't been this much promise in Oakland since 2002. In fact, they haven't even won two games in a row since 2008, and they haven't won three games in a row since 2002. Furthermore, they haven't won three games in a row in their own conference since 1990. The Raiders are now 5-4, only 0.5 games behind the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC West standings. Kansas City has already had their bye week while the Raiders have not. How did the Raiders make their way from being one of the worst teams in the NFL to one of the best?
From my perspective, here are five ways the Raiders have elevated their game:
1. Playing as a Team
The 2010 Raiders are beating opponents instead of beating up on each other. With a lack of true superstar power, the Raiders have no choice but to play together as a team. There are no "I" guys on the roster and these guys are challenging each other every day in practice, and playing a full deck of cards on game day. As a result, this young group has many players who are about to come on hot, such as Darren McFadden, Darrius Heyward Bey, Rolando McClain, Jacoby Ford, Chris Johnson, Matt Shaughnessy, Marcel Reece, as well as veterans Richard Seymour and Tommy Kelly.
2. Stepping Up
Raider Michael Bush may have been picked as the starting running back at training camp, but after suffering a broken thumb in preseason it's been Darren McFadden ever since. While McFadden struggled in the previous two years with injuries, his 2010 season has been lights out as he's running the ball with a sense of urgency and punishing opponents when they try to tackle him. McFadden stepped up to be the most consistent player on the team, easily filling Bush's shoes and setting an essential precedent of hard-earned success on the team. In Sunday's game, rookie Jacoby Ford returned the opening kick off of the second half for a touch down, completed six receptions for 148 yards, which included a 47-yard catch in overtime, positioning the Raiders for the game-winning field goal against the Kansas City Chiefs.
3. Winning in the Trenches
Football games are won and lost in the trenches, and that is truly how the Raiders are winning games. They are dominating the line of scrimmage in offense and defense. When you beat opponents at the line, it puts pressure on the rest of the team. The Raiders' defense has been dominant in the last three games by making big plays, creating turnovers and sacking the quarterback. Rookie sensation Jared Veldheer's move to left tackle has helped elevate the offensive line, which started the season out so poorly not even Peyton Manning could get a good throw behind that line, but they have been playing better every week.
4. Overcoming Extreme Adversity
The Raiders have always been a highly penalized football team, but yesterday's game took it to a whole new level as the most penalized game of the year thus far. Somehow, someway, they won despite the penalties- these guys just won't quit. Now they are dealing with an injury list that's about to hit the double digits. After their bye week, the Raiders are facing one of the best teams in the NFL with the Pittsburgh Steelers. I'm excited to see who will step up and how they stack up against the Steelers after some recovery.
5. The "It" Factor
After overcoming adversity and a slew of penalties to win Sunday's game in overtime 23-20, the Raiders really believe they can win any game and for good reason. They've got that so called "it" factor that sports writers and commentators talk about, but no one knows how to put into words. Raiders head coach Tom Cable has got his players buying into working hard together, playing hard and fighting to win.
While playing for the Raiders in 2002, the turning point of our season was beating the long-time AFC rivals the Denver Broncos on Monday night football. We went on to be the AFC champions that year. For the 2010 Raiders, I think their 59-14 win against the Denver Broncos in week 7 may have been the turning point for them as well. They've got "it" and now they need to keep it to win the AFC West and maybe even the AFC Championship.
source: Yahoo Sports
author: Bill Romanowski, Y! Sports User
Four-time Super Bowl champion and two-time Pro Bowl selection Bill Romanowski played in the NFL from 1988-2003. He is a regular contributor to Associated Content, and current CEO of Nutrition53, Inc.
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