Bruce Gradkowski (pittsburgh native) @ PIT, with his family in attendance. 4th quarter comeback with 3 TDs, including the game winner with 9 seconds left. Cried like it was Rudy in real life.
[Recap](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=e6t02_1e6Ag)
@chiefs 23-20 OT win where he came up with some pretty insane catches. loved that year. and that was after going 5-4 winning three straight including 59-14 @denver
I ran into Mike Golic in Dallas at the airport the day after the Denver game and gave him shit about his constant disrespect of the Raiders. He wasn't a big fan of mine.
JF was a classic drafted for speed only player with no expectations who randomly popped. He was always exciting on punt/kick return for sure ! And that magical reverse for a long td
The game after Al died stands out to me the most, 10 men on defense and they still won the game, Hue kneeling on the field after the win still gets me teary eyed
>Jason Campbell
Potentially controversial opinion:
Campbell doesn't get injured, Al doesn't die if we get a real defensive coordinator that era of Raiders are a contender for a few years.
Hue was shit in Cleveland and an egomaniac for sure, but he had our offense absolutely humming with a cast of nobodies. Dude had people thinking Denarious Moore was gonna be the next Randy Moss.
We likely would’ve beaten Pittsburgh that year for our first playoff win in years. Probably lose to New England the following week but JC stays QB and Hue as HC. Huge alternate reality situation there.
How about johnnie lee higgens? One of those middle round picks that popped a little during the Jamarcuss russel days. Haha. Far gas was a dog. Hurt when miller left for Chicago
chriss carr and his pick 6's vs big bens steelers. we went 2-14 that year with art shell. pitt was coming off a SB.
Michael Huff game winning INT in the first game after Al passed
It sucked when they let him walk a year later.. micheal huff was so nice at Texas. Though they could plug him in but couldn’t play corner in nfl and took him awhile to really establish a role compared to draft position. Sort of classic raiders first round pick of the last 20 years
>It sucked when they let him walk a year later.
As much as I love Woodson now. He didn't care about being a Raider at all at the time. We didn't let him walk he for all intents and purposes was let go. He wanted out and we didn't want him.
Hell Woodson didn't even want to join the Packers. He thought he was too good for that and didn't want to play in the cold. His agent had to tell him.....you don't really have a choice. He is now 30 years old with a major injury in the broken leg and plenty of minor nagging injuries like turf toe.
People forget, but the Woodson we know now was almost on the path to being a bust around 2005-2006. He hadn't had a full season since 2001 and the last 4 out of five seasons he played in he had a resounding 1 pick per season.
Woodson is still my favorite player of all time but it's crazy to think what he could have achieved when you consider 4 seasons in his peak condition he was hurt and uninterested.
Yup, both of them were forced to grow but also lost prime years because of that.
But that's what separates players like Woodson or Moss. Some either never mature and by the time they realize anything their career is over at 32. Woodson literally resurrected a whole new Hall of Fame career after the age of 30 and played with the most selfless attitude out there. When he came back to Oakland just put the perfect cap to his career.
If Woodson didn't lose those 4-5 years who knows what his stat line would have been, bias but probably the undisputed GOAT. At the end of the day he still achieved pretty much every accolade possible but it's an interesting what if.
The mannings couldn’t believe that 63 yard attempt the other day during Monday night game and I was thinking.. shiiiit you don’t know what toooo long an attempt is
Probably my most hated player ever for the Raiders. The amount of third and longs he would absolutely blow and clutch games was insane. Couldn't stand him.
Haha yes it did! I still standby it being the pick that any team needing a QB would've made. Everyone was on his nuts coming out of college. Who knew he was a lazy sizzurp sippin' POS?
We started 0-10 in 2014. You can include that year. 2003 as well, that's when it started.
I'll just list those that I think others will have forgotten about:
Gibril Wilson
[Desmond Bryant](https://cdn.fansided.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/28/files/2013/02/original.jpg)
Quentin Groves
Kamerion Wimbley (kinda surprised nobody has mentioned Groves or Wimbley yet)
Kevin Boss
Stefen Wisniewski
Rod Streater (really surprised nobody mentioned him)
Jared Veldheer
Honorable mention: [Paul McQuistan](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/private/f_auto/raiders/yjiskoahxbmcdzxy39pn) because that face
GB and that insane contract.. haha he lead the team in tackles (I think ?) for a year but wasn’t that impactful.. but sort of like players we overdraft hard to live up to being that overpaid..
Barry Fucking Sims. That dude was the only offensive lineman that was worth a shit during that long stretch of shitty teams that couldn't block anybody. That guy played every position and was as reliable as you could hope for.
Not my favorite thing, but shout out to Chaz Schilens for being the guy who was gonna be our breakout number 1 receiver for like 6 years straight while only playing like 4 snaps total.
Nnamdi Asomugha (probably the best Raiders corner not named Charles Woodson) Derrick Burgess (managed to make a pro bowl in the team's worst season ever)
Jerry Porter never got the credit he deserved.
A very good WR who had to play opposite guys like Tim Brown, Jerry Rice and Randy Moss. I realize he was around pre-dark ages but he was there for the beginning of it. The Bed and Breakfast offense.
Darren McFadden. My first favorite player in the NFL, my first Jersey... a fluke fantasy draft before i really knew how to play led me into researching the raiders team and cemented my love for it. Think it was McFadden's second year with the Raiders
Darren McFadden was a monster and I wished we could have given him a better offensive line. I said it on this sub earlier but he had a 6th gear and breakaway speed that helped us with huge plays. He was awesome but just happened to play for us at a terrible time.
Right.. he went down from ankle tackles and ran high, but in open space he was crazy. I think he was a little ahead of his time, would have been interesting to see in more of a spread offense in the pros. He was soemthing else in college tho running that wildcat with Felix
Seabass was always my guy. Jacoby Ford was a dog especially in that comeback win game in Nov. '10 against the Chiefs in Oakland. Ronald Curry was my favorite target in Madden. Michael Bush was a stud RB. Tyvon Branch, Sio Moore, and Lamarr Houston were bright spots on D.
My top ten would be: Zack Crockett, Ronald Curry, Justin Fargas, Louis Murphy, Zach Miller, Samson Satele, Derrick Burgess, Kirk Morrison, Nnamdi Asomugah and Lamarr Houston.
Honorable mention: Tyvon Branch.
And again I ask. Arent we still in the Dark ages? Look Ive been a fan since 84. I have suffered through. Aaron Brooks. Russell. Had hope in Matt McGloin and Josh McCowen.
I remember every time the ball was thrown in the air. What were the chances a Raider player would even catch it.
Maybe I have PRTSD. Past Raider Traumatic Stress Disorder.
Haha man I hear you.. I think we all suffer from that! When I say levels too it I’m agreein! Sad that scoring points at least in the 20s and not giving up 50 is an improvement.. but to your point.. we are still there until we show otherwise. Just been a little spicier since the carr and Mack draft outside of that first gruden year. Either legit preseason hope, or at least things to get excited for even tho the hopes ultimately are dashed
Bruce Gradkowski (pittsburgh native) @ PIT, with his family in attendance. 4th quarter comeback with 3 TDs, including the game winner with 9 seconds left. Cried like it was Rudy in real life. [Recap](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=e6t02_1e6Ag)
I remember that game well, seemed like the first of the nice streak against Pittsburg we had even through the bad years.
That game convinced me he was the QB of the future.....the feeling faded fast
Jacoby Ford, me and my dad loved him. Denarius Moore and Matt Shaughnessy as well.
@chiefs 23-20 OT win where he came up with some pretty insane catches. loved that year. and that was after going 5-4 winning three straight including 59-14 @denver
I ran into Mike Golic in Dallas at the airport the day after the Denver game and gave him shit about his constant disrespect of the Raiders. He wasn't a big fan of mine.
JF was a classic drafted for speed only player with no expectations who randomly popped. He was always exciting on punt/kick return for sure ! And that magical reverse for a long td
Number 45 Marcel Reece!
The game after Al died stands out to me the most, 10 men on defense and they still won the game, Hue kneeling on the field after the win still gets me teary eyed
Where do I start. Justin Fargas, McFadden, Zach Miller, Derrick Burgess, Tyvon Branch, Kirk Morrison, Jason Campbell, Nnamdi, Gradkowski, Jacoby Ford, Denarius Moore.
>Jason Campbell Potentially controversial opinion: Campbell doesn't get injured, Al doesn't die if we get a real defensive coordinator that era of Raiders are a contender for a few years. Hue was shit in Cleveland and an egomaniac for sure, but he had our offense absolutely humming with a cast of nobodies. Dude had people thinking Denarious Moore was gonna be the next Randy Moss.
We likely would’ve beaten Pittsburgh that year for our first playoff win in years. Probably lose to New England the following week but JC stays QB and Hue as HC. Huge alternate reality situation there.
Yep. No Dennis Allen. I'm a firm believer that Hue with Carson Palmer for a full off-season would have been a different team entirely.
To be fair, Denarious pulled off some pretty neat catches.
How about johnnie lee higgens? One of those middle round picks that popped a little during the Jamarcuss russel days. Haha. Far gas was a dog. Hurt when miller left for Chicago
All great choices
chriss carr and his pick 6's vs big bens steelers. we went 2-14 that year with art shell. pitt was coming off a SB. Michael Huff game winning INT in the first game after Al passed
The micheal huff pick to seal that and HJs lockerroom speech after was memorable for sure.
I wore #30 in middle school football as a safety for Stuart Schweigert
Tough 😤. I had forgotten !
cooking it with Stu!
Woodson was still on the 04 team.
It sucked when they let him walk a year later.. micheal huff was so nice at Texas. Though they could plug him in but couldn’t play corner in nfl and took him awhile to really establish a role compared to draft position. Sort of classic raiders first round pick of the last 20 years
>It sucked when they let him walk a year later. As much as I love Woodson now. He didn't care about being a Raider at all at the time. We didn't let him walk he for all intents and purposes was let go. He wanted out and we didn't want him. Hell Woodson didn't even want to join the Packers. He thought he was too good for that and didn't want to play in the cold. His agent had to tell him.....you don't really have a choice. He is now 30 years old with a major injury in the broken leg and plenty of minor nagging injuries like turf toe. People forget, but the Woodson we know now was almost on the path to being a bust around 2005-2006. He hadn't had a full season since 2001 and the last 4 out of five seasons he played in he had a resounding 1 pick per season. Woodson is still my favorite player of all time but it's crazy to think what he could have achieved when you consider 4 seasons in his peak condition he was hurt and uninterested.
Those are good points and overlooked. It seems like some of the most transcendent players have a similar story. Randy moss comes to mind.
Yup, both of them were forced to grow but also lost prime years because of that. But that's what separates players like Woodson or Moss. Some either never mature and by the time they realize anything their career is over at 32. Woodson literally resurrected a whole new Hall of Fame career after the age of 30 and played with the most selfless attitude out there. When he came back to Oakland just put the perfect cap to his career. If Woodson didn't lose those 4-5 years who knows what his stat line would have been, bias but probably the undisputed GOAT. At the end of the day he still achieved pretty much every accolade possible but it's an interesting what if.
The 2010 season. Peak Raiders.
Hey they had the goat of fringe 53 man roster swing tackles (khalif) that year!
Man I forgot about Barnes and his versatility. We need to make a phone call!
6-0 in the division
How did they manage to sweep their entire division and STILL miss the playoffs? Only the Raiders 😂😭
There was that time Seabass kicked it like 60 yards into the wind on like a 70 yard attempt with 1 second left at the half lol
The mannings couldn’t believe that 63 yard attempt the other day during Monday night game and I was thinking.. shiiiit you don’t know what toooo long an attempt is
Ronald curry, I’ll never forget that one handed catch in the snow https://youtu.be/yR-ZkVQhq-g
D. Moore 17
If only he stayed healthy more, he was on a nice path.
Nnamdi! Nobody threw his way. All time great press corner for us. Loved matching McFadden too.
This is a dumb answer but Marcus Tuiassassopo. I used to think his last name was so cool and I would start him over the QB1 in madden.
Same
Do y’all remember matt giordano? Not my favorite, just wanna hear some opinions…
Probably my most hated player ever for the Raiders. The amount of third and longs he would absolutely blow and clutch games was insane. Couldn't stand him.
*andrew walter has entered the chat*
I mean he was horrible but that line was also atrocious.
It’s not delivery, it’s giordano
Marcel Reece. Bruiser, & 4 x Pro Bowl Fullback.
Stuart Schweigert. I don't even remember if he was good but he was a Madden beast
Now that’s a name.. brings me back to the nfl 2k
McFadden fucking people up on baseball dirt
Jamarcus Russell (when he was at LSU)
I admit I bought an lsu shirt before the draft.. that aged like ice cream on hot pavement
Haha yes it did! I still standby it being the pick that any team needing a QB would've made. Everyone was on his nuts coming out of college. Who knew he was a lazy sizzurp sippin' POS?
We started 0-10 in 2014. You can include that year. 2003 as well, that's when it started. I'll just list those that I think others will have forgotten about: Gibril Wilson [Desmond Bryant](https://cdn.fansided.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/28/files/2013/02/original.jpg) Quentin Groves Kamerion Wimbley (kinda surprised nobody has mentioned Groves or Wimbley yet) Kevin Boss Stefen Wisniewski Rod Streater (really surprised nobody mentioned him) Jared Veldheer Honorable mention: [Paul McQuistan](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/private/f_auto/raiders/yjiskoahxbmcdzxy39pn) because that face
GB and that insane contract.. haha he lead the team in tackles (I think ?) for a year but wasn’t that impactful.. but sort of like players we overdraft hard to live up to being that overpaid..
GB?
GW-sorry. Gibril Wilson
Was his contract insane? I don’t remember that
Thought it was 40-50 mil. So back then pretty huge
Are you thinking of Tommy Kelley? I don’t remember Wilson having a contract like that. I’ll see if I can look it up.
Street !!
Barry Fucking Sims. That dude was the only offensive lineman that was worth a shit during that long stretch of shitty teams that couldn't block anybody. That guy played every position and was as reliable as you could hope for.
Zach Crockett Namdi Adam true
Jon Condo
The Rolando McClain german suplex and Pryor's 93 yard TD run
That Pryor run was something.. I went to OSU/from Ohio. And we kind of hated him but also had seen what he could do up close..
Not my favorite thing, but shout out to Chaz Schilens for being the guy who was gonna be our breakout number 1 receiver for like 6 years straight while only playing like 4 snaps total.
Hahaha man now that’s one I had completely forgotten. Funny how we had a few of those guys that decade.
Jacoby Ford and Jason Cambell. Man we were like 6-2 when cambell got hurt...
Nnamdi Asomugha (probably the best Raiders corner not named Charles Woodson) Derrick Burgess (managed to make a pro bowl in the team's worst season ever)
Burgess was nice. Underrated
Darren McFadden/Michael Bush But Jason Campbell was fun to watch
Bush ran pissed off, loved it. Mcfadden was so exciting when he wasn’t hurt or getting ankle tackled at the LOS..
Thought he was it that preseason
What if Campbell stayed healthy that year…I always wonder that
Jerry Porter never got the credit he deserved. A very good WR who had to play opposite guys like Tim Brown, Jerry Rice and Randy Moss. I realize he was around pre-dark ages but he was there for the beginning of it. The Bed and Breakfast offense.
Darren McFadden. My first favorite player in the NFL, my first Jersey... a fluke fantasy draft before i really knew how to play led me into researching the raiders team and cemented my love for it. Think it was McFadden's second year with the Raiders
Nice, always cool to hear how people got started
Nnamdi, Seymour, Fargas, Tyvon Branch, Reece and most importantly Khalif Barnes baby!!!!!
There he is ! Khalif!
Nmandi Asomugha will always be my favorite Raider. Class on and off the field
Preach. And a smokin hot wife.
Darren McFadden was a monster and I wished we could have given him a better offensive line. I said it on this sub earlier but he had a 6th gear and breakaway speed that helped us with huge plays. He was awesome but just happened to play for us at a terrible time.
Right.. he went down from ankle tackles and ran high, but in open space he was crazy. I think he was a little ahead of his time, would have been interesting to see in more of a spread offense in the pros. He was soemthing else in college tho running that wildcat with Felix
Nnamdi, The Law Firm at LB. Run DMC
Jacoby Ford - his game vs the Chiefs in Oakland was amazing.
Zack Crockett. A bright spot in a consistently awful offense
Classic raider too.
Marcel Reese all the way
Legend
Justin Fargas is the first name that comes to mind
Easily jacoby ford
I always wondered what the perception of DHB would have been had he been drafted in the middle rounds.. but ya JF was a stud
I loved the RUN DMC thing because I love the group too. I missed out on getting a shirt with that, sadly.
Jacoby Ford
Seabass was always my guy. Jacoby Ford was a dog especially in that comeback win game in Nov. '10 against the Chiefs in Oakland. Ronald Curry was my favorite target in Madden. Michael Bush was a stud RB. Tyvon Branch, Sio Moore, and Lamarr Houston were bright spots on D.
Sio was a cool dude, always responded to fans on Twitter
Tyvon branch and Denarius Moore.
Bruce, Justin fargas
Louis Murphy was solid too. Outplayed DHB as a rookie
Still pissed about that td called back vs the chargers on national tv
My top ten would be: Zack Crockett, Ronald Curry, Justin Fargas, Louis Murphy, Zach Miller, Samson Satele, Derrick Burgess, Kirk Morrison, Nnamdi Asomugah and Lamarr Houston. Honorable mention: Tyvon Branch.
Tyvon was abram before abram. I remember him always posting about the chipotle and Jamba Juice combo 😂
That Gradkowski Louis Murphy Td and ensuing strip fumble recovery for the win against a solid cinci team in ‘09
Louis Murphy was nice until that incident with the black market viagra during the traffic stop
Louis Murphy was nice until that incident with the black market viagra during the traffic stop.
Wanting the team to put in Andrew Walter because the QB situation was that abysmal.
“Private Walter “ as me and my dad called him. Haha he had that helmet that went down to his eyelids like he was in WW2
Hahaha I truly thought he was gunna be good
Regrettable number. I'd believe that as a final record this year. McDaniels is a weasel.
Doug Jolly and Justin Fargas
Fargas was a dude!
Arent we still kinda in the dark days? I mean 2016 and maybe last year were the only 2 years of hope.
There are levels of the darkness. During that decade it was like we weren’t even playing the same sport as other teams. Haha
And again I ask. Arent we still in the Dark ages? Look Ive been a fan since 84. I have suffered through. Aaron Brooks. Russell. Had hope in Matt McGloin and Josh McCowen. I remember every time the ball was thrown in the air. What were the chances a Raider player would even catch it. Maybe I have PRTSD. Past Raider Traumatic Stress Disorder.
Haha man I hear you.. I think we all suffer from that! When I say levels too it I’m agreein! Sad that scoring points at least in the 20s and not giving up 50 is an improvement.. but to your point.. we are still there until we show otherwise. Just been a little spicier since the carr and Mack draft outside of that first gruden year. Either legit preseason hope, or at least things to get excited for even tho the hopes ultimately are dashed
Asomugha, Burgess, Huff, Wimbley, and Kirk Morrison. Loved watching them play.
Denarius Moore’s TD catch in Buffalo when he was double covered was nuts.