The Raiders finally have a real shot at beating the Patriots this season. The two AFC juggernauts face off in Mexico this year.
Considering the Patriots still have the G.O.A.Ts at quarterback and coach (sarcastic), New England should be the favorite. However, the Raiders have a real shot at beating everyone’s most hated dynasty during this regular season.
Last week, a Fox Sports show went viral by saying that and much more. The video said that the Raiders could be the team to end the Patriots’ dynasty since their dynasty began after the controversial 2001 “Tuck Rule” game.
We all remember the fallout from that game. Jon Gruden went to Tampa Bay and took our playbooks with him. With the exception of that horrible Super Bowl loss that included our center going M.I.A., we struggled to find a franchise quarterback. Our team served 14 years as the laughing stock of the league. Meanwhile, the Patriots ascended to football greatness.
Now, the Raiders have finally built a real foundation for a Super Bowl contender. They actually have a real chance to break the curse and switch the projections of the two organizations.
The Patriots aren’t a slouch this season. Besides Tom Brady and Bill Belichick, the Patriots will field a wealth of bargain assets that they obtained this offseason. Somehow, the rich got richer. New England added Brandin Cooks, Dwayne Allen, Stephon Gilmore and Kony Ealy via free agency and trades.
So how can the Raiders end the Patriots dynasty?
Start the Carr
The Raiders will only go as far as Derek Carr takes them. We saw that last season when he went down with a leg injury. We witnessed close games that we lost cause Carr couldn’t bring us back.
Last season, Carr gained some hype in the MVP conversation. Now, he must ascend that by dethroning Tom Brady in the regular season. He’s going to have to go to a neutral site and show his teammates that he is not afraid of the greatness of the Raiders.
Win or lose, Carr must play well and he must not quit. If he wants to be mentioned as one of the greats, it starts by beating one of the greatest teams ever.
Defense Wins Champions
You hear that damn cliche every year but it is true. The Raiders will need their defense to beat the Patriots, let alone win a Championship.
It won’t be easy. The Raiders struggle covering tight ends and the Patriots have two of them. Oakland’s big corners also struggle covering small and agile receivers. New England has a slew of those at receiver and running back.
Luckily, the Raiders have defensive coaches with real experience. Starting from the top, guys like Reggie McKenzie, Jack Del Rio, Ken Norton Jr., and many more have experience playing in the league. They understand what it takes to build a real NFL defense. It is time for them to do that considering they’ve made heavy investments during free agency and the NFL Draft over the past two offseasons.
Do it in the postseason
There will be a lot of hype surrounding the Raiders’ prime time showdown with the Patriots during the regular season. Regardless, the Raiders must do it in the postseason to pose a real threat to the evil empire.
No matter what happens during the regular season, the Raiders will probably face New England in the postseason. To be the best, the Raiders got to beat the best. This is the only way the Raiders can fulfill their Super Bowl dreams.
Hopefully, they can go into New England and reverse the curse. Ideally, Oakland will go in there and reclaim the title as America’s most hated team. This will help Oakland gain the confidence they need to win a title and begin a dynasty. Meanwhile, our friends in Navy and Silver can go back to wherever they were before 1998.
