Oakland Raiders vs. Kansas City Chiefs: Game Day Open Thread

The Oakland Raiders are in Kansas City to take on the Chiefs and wrap up a 2015 season that in many ways, has been a success.

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The Oakland Raiders are closing out their 2015 season – their thirteenth consecutive non-playoff season – against an ancient and bitter rival in the Kansas City Chiefs. Despite the fact that the Raiders aren’t going to the postseason dance, while the Chiefs are, it’s still hard to argue that this season hasn’t been something of a success for the organization. No longer the listless, lifeless doormats they have been for more than a decade, the Raiders put the league on notice this year – they are a team that is ascending and one that will be a force to be reckoned with.

With young stars like Derek Carr, Latavius Murray, Amari Cooper, Khalil Mack, and solid veteran additions like Michael Crabtree, Dan Williams, David Amerson, and Malcolm Smith, the Raiders have gone from a three win club last season and put themselves in a position to break even and win eight games this year.

While most wouldn’t think that a .500 record is anything to celebrate, for this Raiders franchise, it is. Consider this fact – since their Super Bowl appearance in 2002, the Raiders have averaged less than five wins a year. Five. Okay, 4.67 wins per season on average, to be precise. They’ve had losses in the double digits in 10 of those 12 seasons.

And even worse, over that lost decade, the club seemed to have zero direction or plan for getting themselves out of the mess they’d created.

But that began to change when Mark Davis, taking over for his legendary father, turned control of the football side of the team over to GM Reggie McKenzie. The growth has been incremental, sure. It’s been painful at times without a doubt.

But as they say, Rome was not built in a day.

After getting the franchise out of the absolute dumpster fire of a mess that Al Davis had left them in, McKenzie laid out his vision for the club and that started with drafting smartly, working the salary cap well, and bringing in free agents who could help the club. Not all of those veterans have worked out of course, but not every pick up is going to turn out to be gold.

Blocking out the critics and staying true to his vision, McKenzie has the Raiders in great shape. They are loaded with young talent, have a mix of savvy veterans who can still perform, and he’s accumulated a warchest of money that will give him incredible flexibility in attracting new free agents as well as being able to re-sign the young stars.

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It hasn’t been easy to watch at times, but it’s been effective, and the Raiders are once again knocking on the door to greatness.

But this game in Kansas City represents a lot more than just one win. Yes, getting to 8-8 would be a nice feather in McKenzie’s cap – not to mention a tribute to how well HC Jack Del Rio and his staff have performed – but it represents a good step toward what the Raiders can and will achieve. Success in the long term.

Win or lose though, this game is going to be bittersweet for Raider fans. For it is the final goodbye for one of the franchise’s all time greats in Charles Woodson. He came back to the club where he started his career after spending some time – and winning a championship – in Green Bay because he wanted to be a part of rebuilding this club. He wanted a hand in restoring the luster and glory to the Raiders franchise.

Woodson has done that and more.

The culture and direction of the Raiders has Woodson’s fingerprints all over it. He’s helped mentor the younger players. He’s taught them how to work. How to prepare. And most importantly, he’s helped teach this team how to win again.

124. 27. 28. Final. 24

It may not be the storybook send off most of us would have hoped to see Woodson have. He’s been nothing but class, grace, and dignity since his return to the Silver and Black. Most of us would have liked to see him hoisting the Lombardi Trophy one time in a Raiders uniform. But he’s satisfied that he has done all he can to get this club on the right path again. And so he has.

Despite his nearly two decades in the league – a remarkable accomplishment on its own – Woodson leaves the game as not just one of the Raiders’, but one of the NFL’s all time greats. Many argue that he’s the best defensive back of all time. And perhaps he is.

But without argument, he is and has been one of the most important pieces to a young Raiders team that is rising from the depths and will reach new heights again because of Woodson’s influence as much as because of its young stars.

Woodson is going to leave the game as a member of the club he broke into the league with, on the same field in Kansas City where his long, celebrated journey began.

Next: Raiders 2015 Finale Far From Irrelevant

It’s going to be hard for many of us to see number 24 walk off the field for the final time today. And all we can do is give him thanks for all he’s done for this club – and for the game of football itself.

What are you fondest memories of Woodson? Is there a particular game or play that stands out in your mind? How do you feel about the direction of the franchise moving forward without him?

Let’s here all of your thoughts, opinions, and memories. Step up and speak out.

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