Raiders News: you could see the breath coming hard out of the players mouths, and the snow was piling up as Tom Brady called for the ball in a shotgun formation. The two-minute drill was in full effect with only 1:50 left on the clock. The ball was hiked, and Charles Woodson bolted in, unseen, from Brady’s blind side and hit Brady as he put the ball in both hand, forcing a fumble; it was January 19th, 2002.
There was 26 seconds on the clock and the Seattle Seahawks were “one yard” from a Super Bowl victory, Marshawn Lynch had been stopped just short of the goal line the play before. A one-yard run from Marshawn Lynch would seal the deal.
Instead, a pick play was called and quarterback Russell Wilson threw a pass to wide receiver Ricardo Lockette. He was running an inside slant that should have been money but it wasn’t meant to be. Malcolm Butler, who didn’t even start the game, was prepared for this very call. In fact, he was specifically substituted in for it and it paid off as Butler stepped in front of Lockette and picked off the pass.
In both situations, the New England Patriots hoisted the Lombardi Trophy when all the dust from the season was clear. In 2002, they moved on to beat the Pittsburgh Steelers and then, the St. Louis Rams. On both occasions, the Patriots have been led by the unstoppable duo of Brady and his head coach Bill Belichick.
November 19th marks a chance for payback for the Raiders
The Oakland Raiders will host the defending Super Bowl Champion Patriots in Mexico City in November and this match up could very well be a prequel to the AFC Championship Game set for Sunday, Jan. 21, 2018. Whichever team wins that match would be the likely favorite to host the championship if both teams live up to their pre-season hype.
@Scott_WinterNFL Beautiful poetic justice if the team that was screwed by the NE dynasty can end it. Championship for Oakland sounds good.
— NihilistZerO (@_NihilistZerO) April 26, 2017
Imagine the Oakland Coliseum on that day, number 24 is lined up in the “I-formation” as Carr hikes the ball then Lynch lunges one yard into the end zone with mere seconds on the clock to beat the Patriots. It would be a sword through the heart, maybe a sign that the end of the Patriots dynasty is nearing, finally.
Charles Woodson, the Raiders, and Raider Nation send their regards!
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