Raiders Pull Out Road Win Day After Al Davis’s Death
- Posted on October 9, 2011 at 7:49pm by
Christopher Santarelli
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(AP) Coach Hue Jackson sank to his knees, buried his face in his hands and finally released the emotions he’d been holding back. Up in the visitor’s suite at Reliant Stadium, Mark Davis wiped away tears with a paper towel and glanced to the sky.
The Oakland Raiders won the day after their maverick owner Al Davis died, beating the Houston Texans 25-20 on Sunday behind Jason Campbell’s two touchdown passes.
Michael Huff intercepted Matt Schaub’s pass in the end zone on the final play, and the Raiders ran to celebrate a bittersweet victory unlike any other in the storied history of the franchise.
Al, this one’s for you.
“One thing coach (Davis) always taught me was he said: ‘Hue don’t believe in plays, believe in players and eventually the players will make plays for you,’” Jackson said. “And that’s what I did. I could just hear him saying that to me the whole time. Believe in your players and not the plays.”
Stadiums around the league observed a moment of silence before the early games to honor Davis, who died at his Oakland home at age 82. His son, Mark, took his place in the owner’s box, and the Raiders wore black decals on the backs of their helmets with “AL” written in silver letters.
They were statistically dominated by Houston, outgained 473-278 and held to 11 first downs and 94 yards rushing. They still managed to do the only thing that ever mattered to Davis.
They just won, baby.
“We know he’s looking down on us right now,” Huff said. “This win is for him. I appreciate everything he’s done for this organization. He’s never gone in our eyes. We’ll never let him go. He’s with us.”
Sebastian Janikowski kicked four field goals, and Oakland hung on to improve to 3-2. The Raiders drafted Janikowski in 2000, only the third time a kicker had been taken in the first round.
“He was looking over us,” Janikowski said. “I was feeling good and hitting everything in warmups.”
“This is a new beginning for this football team,” Jackson said. “We don‘t care if they’re ugly, we don‘t care if they’re pretty. We just don’t care. Our No. 1 purpose when we play is to win.
“We all had coach tied to our hearts today.”
The Raiders pulled off a fake punt that Davis would’ve loved to keep momentum in the fourth quarter.
After the Texans stopped Darren McFadden on third-and-1, Rock Cartwright took the snap and raced 35 yards to the Houston 25. Janikowski kicked a 42-yard field goal with 10 minutes left for a 25-17 Oakland lead.
Neil Rackers’ 40-yard field goal cut Oakland’s lead to 25-20 with 2:56 left, and Houston’s defense held to give the offense one more chance.
The Raiders flew to Houston on Friday, then learned Saturday morning that Davis had died. Jackson gathered his players for an emotional meeting at their hotel.
Jackson was surprised how emotional he got after Sunday’s game.
“I thought I had it all out the other day,” he said. “Obviously I didn’t. I know he‘s looking down on this team and he’s with us every step of the way.”
ESPN NFL Countdown remembers the legendary owner:
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SpankDaMonkey
Posted on October 10, 2011 at 7:37am.
Report Post »The Texans just Suck. But congrats to the Raider Nation…Just Win Baby……
beerios
Posted on October 10, 2011 at 6:44amI’ve bled Silver & Black for almost 40 years. I always hoped Davis would get one more before he died, however, it was because of him that they didn’t. Still, he was a pioneer. And, as Motonutt pointed out….he was VERY good to his players.
JUST WIN, BABY!!
Report Post »PhilJourdan
Posted on October 10, 2011 at 2:39pmGot you beat by about 5 years. Been rooting for them since the mid 60s, and while this one was not pretty, it was sweet!
Report Post »raydg
Posted on October 10, 2011 at 1:38amI stopped being a LA Traitors fan when they moved to LA. Even when they moved back to Oakland they were still the Traitors. That said, I have a great respect for Al Davis and what he did for the both the ALF and the NFL. He will be missed.
Report Post »Sirfoldallot
Posted on October 9, 2011 at 11:39pmSad day , I will miss him . Iiked him since 1969 , left him & his team 2003 for TB so he will missed. Love u & ur team 4 all those yrs , thank you. RIP
Report Post »mharry860
Posted on October 9, 2011 at 11:28pmExactly driven to obsession, just like Steve Jobs.
Report Post »Dean Toadblatt
Posted on October 9, 2011 at 10:05pmI‘ve been a Raider fan since ’74 and shared their ups and downs. Al was a part of that and I appreciate all he did for the AFL, the NFL and the Raiders. He will definatley be missed.
Report Post »MeteoricLimbo
Posted on October 9, 2011 at 9:49pmHe had quite an air about him. He will be missed…
Report Post »majorsco
Posted on October 9, 2011 at 9:21pmA true testament to a great man.
Report Post »wethepublic
Posted on October 9, 2011 at 9:17pmAnother distracting story to take attention away from why Sarah Palin isn‘t in the presidential race and choose the same day as the death of Steve Jobs to announce that she’s not running? Have you read this yet
Report Post »http://BiggestCoverUp.blogspot.com/
brian8793
Posted on October 9, 2011 at 9:11pmThe Raiders are back baby. Be scared…
Report Post »RaiderNationKissArmy
Posted on October 9, 2011 at 9:10pmOur heads, like our pirate flags, are lowered, but never our resolve or our will to win. The Greatest of the Raiders is in the future! Let us all be Raiders.
Report Post »CreepingDeath
Posted on October 9, 2011 at 9:08pmI thought Hue Jackson’s post game remarks were very nice. What a good story coming out of Oakland about the Raiders for a change.
Report Post »IowaWoman
Posted on October 9, 2011 at 8:41pmI have been a Raider fan since the 60′s, had a love/hate thing with Al. I thought he just did not let the coaches he hired “coach” but never was in doubt on how much he loved his players. He gave many “washed up” players a second chance, he believed in them. They in turn gave him many victories, proving many others we wrong about these players. I have always respected Al for this and his “just win, baby”.
Report Post »motonutt
Posted on October 9, 2011 at 8:10pmEven though I’m NOT a Raider fan. I was glad to see they pulled one out today for Al. I understand he was great to his players, took care of them and treated them with respect.
Report Post »coryf076
Posted on October 9, 2011 at 7:55pmRaider nation!!!!!
Report Post »Gonzo
Posted on October 10, 2011 at 9:48amLosernation
Report Post »azjeff1963
Posted on October 10, 2011 at 10:27amnotice coryf076 how dumzo doesnt have a comment about HIS team or can show Respect for a Pioneer of the sport of football but desides to be a Hater instead….and to think i kind of had a little respect for his prior comments….what a *****.
Report Post »PhilJourdan
Posted on October 10, 2011 at 2:41pmOnly a select few can be part of the Raidernation. Everyone else is just jealous. ;)
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