Welcome to the Raiders Week 15 edition of the Raider Ramble Roundtable, where some of the Ramble’s finest contributors and guests will bring you their thoughts on all the rumblings, rumors, stats, and even fake news.
Raider Ramble Roundtable: Raiders Week 15
This week we have CJ, Ben Cogan, Josh Alvarez, and RaiderRamble.com founder, Mario Tovar.
What is your favorite home Raider moment of the last 25 seasons?
CJ
Christmas Eve in 2015, the Coliseum said goodbye to a Raider legend and future Hall of Famer in Charles Woodson. Woodson stated after the game “You guys welcomed me back in open arms as if I never left.” An overtime victory over the Chargers to send off a Raider legend from where he began in the Coliseum is a perfect circle. Woodson wanted to come back and finish what he started. To me, it speaks volumes of the human and player he is for giving back to the organization that gave him his start.
Ben Cogan
12/4/2007, Raiders beat Broncos 34-20 and me and one of my best friends made the trip. At that time we were pumped about JaMarcus Russell, it became his first game too when McCown went down. That stadium came unglued thinking Raiders had their new savior.
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Josh Alvarez
Favorite home Raider moment had to be watching Jon Gruden get his first home victory versus the Giants. It was the first time we caught of glimpse of this boy wonder coach who can finally make that offense go.
Mario Tovar
The very first game I went to was a game against the Rams and I’ll never forget experiencing the Coliseum for the first time. The vibe and culture is something that you had to experience in life as a Raider Fan. Also, meeting fans like Violator and Gorilla Rilla were memories I’ll always hold dear.
What was the biggest home Raider heartbreak?
Ben Cogan
11/21/04, my first trip there. Raiders lost to Chargers. We still had a blast but that was a tight game the Raiders could have won.
Josh Alvarez
Biggest heartbreak at home is easy. Watching Derek Carr scream in pain after breaking his fibula on Christmas Eve. 2016 ended painfully for all of Raider Nation.
CJ
Observing Derek Carr’s injury in 2016 was the worst thing I witnessed at a Raider home game in my lifetime. Such a great season, left with too many questions of what could have been. Just watching the game you could feel the life sucked out of the stadium and the Raiders season. Ironically, since that injury, I don’t believe Carr is mentally the same player that he was in that season.
Are you looking forward to the move? Why or why not?
Josh Alvarez
I am definitely looking forward to the move. Been a Raiders fan since 1982 when they moved to LA. Was still a Raiders fan when they went back to Oakland. Now going to Vegas, how can you not be excited?
CJ
When you say Las Vegas Raiders, it just doesn’t sound right. Oakland is the home and always will be for the silver and black. Personally, as someone that is moving to Las Vegas within the next year, I’m excited. I will more than likely become a Raiders season ticket holder and not have to travel to games all over the East Coast. It’s not easy being an East Coast Raider fan, so in that aspect, I am excited. At the same time the Raiders leaving Oakland is a gut punch to so many great people in the Bay Area.
Ben Cogan
Absolutely, Vegas is only a 7 hour drive and gives me another reason to go to Vegas, not that I needed one. The Raiders and Vegas just fit to me. I think the Raider future is bright in Sin City. Look at Golden Knights, that city rallied behind them, and they hit Stanley Cup final with that momentum.
Mario Tovar
It’s certainly bittersweet in my opinion. I feel bad for the people in Oakland who are losing their team but I also look forward to my team being three hours away from me. I read somewhere though that the Raiders will always be the Raiders no matter what city they are in which is very true. A comedian once said, “you can put the Raiders in Vegas, San Antonio, or the moon and Raider Nation will show up.”
What can the Raiders do to salvage this season in your eyes?
CJ
The playoffs are out of the question at this point. In terms of salvaging this season, I’d like to see our team play a full game of dominant football. This Sunday would be a great time to do it. I would also like to see what certain players that haven’t seen much/any playing time are made of. Specifically: Keisean Nixon, Isaiah Johnson, Keelan Doss, Brandon Parker, Rico Gafford, and even DeShone Kizer. Can’t hurt anything to see just how much depth you do or do not have at this point in the season.
Ben Cogan
Dominate, old school mentality, just dominate. Don’t worry about the scoreboard or time, just play ball and make the other team regret being there. Don’t worry about Playoffs, just build the momentum and morale going forward.
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I want them to at least hit .500 but either way, they are better than last year, that kind of progress you can build on. It’s mid December and although a long shot, Raiders are still in the hunt, they need to act like it.
I want them to at least hit .500 but either way, they are better than last year, that kind of progress you can build on. It’s mid December and although a long shot, Raiders are still in the hunt, they need to act like it.
Josh Alvarez
The only way the Raiders can salvage this season is by having the defense step up. Sacks, turnovers, stops on 3rd and 17’s. Paul Guenther has three weeks to get this right.
