It’s not easy being a Las Vegas Raiders fan, especially now after a “meaningless” win. Should they be happy considering the drop in draft position?
Raider Nation finds itself in a peculiar situation. No fan (or player) wants to lose, so spare us the “tank” talk. Nevertheless, it quickly became obvious that this team was going nowhere months ago. In fact, a historically embarrassing 10-game losing streak enforces that notion. Fast forward to Week 16, and most fans were looking forward to their Raiders team having the No. 1 overall pick in the draft.
The Raiders fall out of the top five for next year’s NFL Draft…
Well, following a hard-fought victory over the lowly Jacksonville Jaguars, that’s probably not going to happen.
Again, it’s crucial to stress that an NFL locker room will not adapt to the idea of embracing the future and using a loss as a catalyst. That’s hard to believe when you see how bad both the Raiders and Jaguars have been this season, but no player on that field is hoping for another “L.” Instead, Aidan O’Connell returned for the Silver and Black and put on a solid display; he tossed 257 passing yards while rookie phenom Brock Bowers hauled in 11 receptions.
In case you missed how ugly the game was, the Raiders offense didn’t convert a third down until late in the third quarter. All in all, it took just 19 points (a five-point lead) to overcome a squad that’s arguably in worse shape than Las Vegas. As you can imagine, the reaction to this win is bewildering. While some are fully committed to tanking, others simply refuse to support a loss on Sundays. The reactions are a sight to behold—as always, Raider Nation never disappoints. Let’s give you a taste of the social media chaos.
even funnier when you read about how “badly” mark davis wanted this win. few franchises remain more lost than the davis-led raiders. https://t.co/6munPsrKcA
— ryan (@StillRyanFive) December 23, 2024
Raiders fans seeing @ShedeurSanders slip away with a meaningless W pic.twitter.com/a5ap2GpXhj
— Mario Tovar (@TheTovarMario_) December 23, 2024
Never gonna tell you how to be a fan, but I feel nothing but disgust right now I know what this win means.
— RICH (@RRICH1990) December 23, 2024
We’ve seen this song and dance with Carr. Finally moved on from him, only to be right back in QB purgatory. Mark Davis needs to f*cking go. Sell the team to an owner with balls. An owner who understands what’s at stake when it comes to meaningless wins
— MidgetTamer (@MidgetTamer) December 23, 2024
Stop. Raiders fans don’t have a loser mentality. We are tired of running bum *ss QBs out there every game.
— Tired sports fan (@JUhlTrucker) December 23, 2024
What are your thoughts after Sunday’s win?
*Top Photo: Getty Images
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