We almost did it. The Oakland Raiders went into their final game of the season with the chance to win and move on to the playoffs, for the first time since 2002. The Silver and Black came into the January 1st game against the San Diego Chargers with their own destiny in their hands. At home, no less. But they failed in their mission and lost the game 38-26 and also lost their hopes of post-season play. Their loss, along with the other wins and losses on the last day of the regular season (and the first day of the new year), clarified the NFL playoff picture as to who’s in and who’s out.

An NFL football.
Wikimedia Commons

The Raiders’ loss was a boon to the Denver Broncos, who lost to the Kansas City Chiefs 7-3, but still won the division. The Broncos will now host Pittsburgh in the first round of the playoffs. With their loss, the Broncos created the opportunity for the Raiders to clinch the AFC West with their win, but the Raiders could not capitalize on the opportunity and the slot goes to Denver.

The NFL playoff picture includes returning and expected teams like the Green Bay Packers, the New England Patriots, the Baltimore Ravens, the New Orleans Saints, Pittsburgh Steelers and the Atlanta Falcons. I’m excited because there are also unexpected teams like the San Francisco 49ers, the Cincinnati Bengals, Detroit Lions, Denver Broncos and, for the very first time, the Houston Texans. The New York Giants will be there too, after an amazing game that saw them beat the Dallas Cowboys on the strong performance of QB Eli Manning.

Another amazing performance on that last Sunday of the regular season was turned in by Green Bay’s QB. And it was not starter Aaron Rodgers, who was resting in anticipation of the playoffs, it was backup QB Matt Flynn. Flynn broke Packers’ teams records going for 480 yards passing for six touchdowns.

The first of January gave three losses to the four AFC playoff teams. The Bengals, Texans and Broncos all lost, only the Steelers won their last game. The playoffs will start off with Cincinnati against Houston early on Saturday, January 7, followed by Detroit at New Orleans. Sunday will bring the Giants against Atlanta. And while all that is going on, Raiders fans like me will be looking towards the 2012 season.

Although born and raised with Eagles fans in Philadelphia, Freddy Sherman has always been a citizen of Raider Nation at heart. Since his dad got him a signed George Blanda football as child, to meeting Lyle Alzado in the 1980s, he hasn’t looked back. Follow him on twitter @thefredsherman

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By Steven Wine, Associated Press

MIAMI — Even with his team losing badly, Oakland Raiders linebacker Aaron Curry had to smile.

He broke up a fourth-quarter pass with a jarring hit on Reggie Bush, who responded by rolling over onto his stomach and doing five pushups. Curry laughed and shook his head at the resilience of Bush and the Miami Dolphins.

“They just flat-out beat us,” Curry said.

Once-woeful Miami won for the fourth time in the past five games Sunday by beating Oakland 34-14. The Raiders were outgained on the ground 209 to 46, had the ball for less than 22 minutes and gave up two TDs in a 20-second span.

“We just got outplayed in every phase of the game,” said Carson Palmer, who threw for the Raiders’ scores after they fell behind 34-0. “We got physically beat. It’s very discouraging, very disappointing.”

Bush ran for 100 yards and a touchdown, Matt Moore had a hand in two TDs and Kevin Burnett returned an interception 34 yards for Miami’s final points.

The Raiders (7-5) fell into a tie with Denver atop the AFC West. The drubbing ended their three-game winning streak.

“We couldn’t run. We couldn’t stop the run. We didn’t pass very well,” coach Hue Jackson said. “Just a bad day at the office.”

The loss took a little luster off Oakland’s game next week against unbeaten Green Bay.

The Raiders fell to 6-25 in regular-season games in the Eastern Time Zone since December 2002, and by the third quarter their frustration was evident.

Defensive tackle Richard Seymour was ejected for throwing a punch as the Dolphins drove for the score that put them up 27-0.

“I apologize to the team, to our players and to Raider nation,” Seymour said. “I wasn’t there to finish the game with my teammates.”

Raiders linebacker Rolando McClain played three days after he was arrested on misdemeanor assault, firearms and other charges in his Alabama hometown. He made eight tackles, but that wasn’t nearly enough to slow Miami.

“We didn’t play well. That’s on me,” Jackson said. “It’s not about coming to the East, and it’s not about anything that happened this week. It’s my fault. I didn’t get them ready.”

The Dolphins (4-8) are surging after they lost their first seven games. In the past five weeks, they’ve outscored opponents 139-54, with the lone loss a one-point defeat at Dallas on Thanksgiving.

“We’ve been on a wild ride here,” Moore said.

Miami — a team that totaled four touchdowns during one five-game stretch — secured the victory with a 21-point third quarter.

Miami scored twice before Oakland had a first down. The Raiders’ best starting position all day was their 28-yard line, and they went 2 for 11 on third down.

Clyde Gates returned the second-half kickoff 77 yards, and two plays later Bush scored on a 1-yard run for a 20-0 lead.

Moore capped a 91-yard drive by scoring on a 6-yard keeper. Miami struck again when Burnett intercepted a tipped pass, weaved upfield and dived across the goal line. It was the third interception returned for a score against Oakland this year.

Palmer went only 20 for 41 despite throwing scoring passes of 40 yards to T.J. Houshmandzadeh and 3 yards to Darrius Heyward-Bey.

“They meant nothing,” Palmer said.

Notes: The margin of victory was Miami’s largest against Oakland. … The late Jim Mandich, a Dolphins tight end and broadcaster, joined the team’s honor roll during a halftime ceremony.

Riding a three-game winning streak and sitting atop the AFC West, the
Oakland Raiders are enjoying their success while being sure to stay grounded.

With their first playoff berth in nine seasons in sight, the Raiders will
look to overcome a dismal recent history against the Miami Dolphins when they
visit Sun Life Stadium on Sunday.

Oakland (7-4) hasn’t won four consecutive games since 2002, when it went on
to represent the AFC in the Super Bowl in the team’s most recent postseason
appearance. Last week’s 25-20 victory over Chicago kept the Raiders in the
driver’s seat in the division race, one game ahead of surging Denver.

All they have to do now is keep winning.

“It’s a good feeling for us to be able to be in first place and not have to
look, `Oh, hopefully somebody loses,’ or, `Get this win and hopefully this team
loses,”’ receiver Louis Murphy(notes) said. “It’s good to be in control of our own
destiny.”

The upcoming schedule doesn’t do Oakland any favors. After facing the
Dolphins, the Raiders play at undefeated Green Bay on Dec. 11 before a home date
with Detroit on Dec. 18.

“Everyone realizes the opportunity that we have,” defensive end Richard
Seymour(notes) said. “You don’t want to be the guy that squandered it away. Just trying
to play smarter and still play aggressively.”

Victories over the Dolphins, however, have been few and far between the past
two decades. Oakland has lost 10 of the last 12 regular-season meetings dating
back to 1992, and it has lost five of the last six matchups in Miami.

The Raiders dropped the most recent meeting in Oakland 33-17 on Nov. 28,
2010, rushing 12 times for 16 yards – their lowest total since running for 13
yards in a loss to San Diego in 1997.

Oakland was held to a season-low 73 yards rushing Sunday, far less than an
average of 149.2 that ranks fourth in the league. Darren McFadden’s(notes) return from
a foot injury suffered Oct. 23 against Kansas City is still up in the air,
though he has taken part in light workouts this week.

Michael Bush(notes) ran for 69 yards against Chicago, marking the first time he’s
been held to fewer than 96 in his four starts since replacing McFadden.

Getting the ground game going against Miami may be a challenge, as the
Dolphins are allowing an average of 72.2 rushing yards over their last five
games – second-best in the NFL during that span.

Miami (3-8) held Dallas to 85 yards on the ground on Thanksgiving Day, but
lost 20-19 on a field goal as time expired – ending the Dolphins’ three-game
winning streak following a 0-7 start.

Matt Moore(notes) went 19 for 32 with 288 yards and a touchdown pass to Brandon
Marshall(notes), who had five receptions for 103 yards.

Coach Tony Sparano is still hearing questions about his job status, as he
fell to 28-31 in his fourth season with Miami. Still, he remains confident the
Dolphins can get back on track.

“We don’t get any style points for a loss,” Sparano said. “We’ll string
some more together here, we’ll get back at it. I told them I was proud of
them.”

Miami could definitely use a better effort from a running game that’s
averaged just 3.1 yards per carry its last five games and hasn’t scored a
touchdown in six, and that should be easier if the Raiders are missing the
centerpiece of their defense.

Linebacker Rolando McClain(notes), Oakland’s second-leading tackler, was arrested
Thursday on misdemeanor assault, firearms and other charges after police said he
fired a gun during a fight in his Alabama hometown.

McClain, who was in Decatur for his grandfather’s funeral, allegedly held a
gun beside a man’s head during an altercation and the man begged him not to
shoot. He was released on a $2,000 bond, but neither the Raiders nor the NFL
have determined yet what sort of disciplinary action they plan to take.

Miami ranks 24th against the pass, allowing an average of 248.1 yards. It’s
only allowed two TDs while picking off six passes in its last four games,
though, success it hopes to continue against Carson Palmer(notes).

Palmer threw for 301 yards against Chicago, marking the third time in the
last four games he’s thrown for at least 299. Though his eight interceptions are
cause for concern, coach Hue Jackson said he’s confident in Palmer’s abilities.

“We’re growing in the passing game,” Jackson said. “This guy’s a proven
passer. He knows how to throw the ball and he’d be the first to tell you there’s
throws that are normally layups for him that he needs to get better at too.

“But at the end of the day, I think we’re growing all across this football
team.”

It’s unclear if Palmer will have the injured Jacoby Ford(notes) as a target Sunday.
Ford has missed the last two games with a sprained left foot suffered Nov. 10
against San Diego. He hopes to practice this week.

Ford had four catches for 108 yards and a touchdown in the loss to Miami
last season. Davone Bess(notes) had six grabs for 111 yards for the Dolphins.

Not surprisingly, the Oakland Raiders’ awesome kicker, Sebastian Janikowski(notes) was named AFC Special Teams Player of the Week for his outstanding efforts in the game against the Chicago Bears on Sunday, November 27. He was the key player in the defeat over Chicago in which the Raiders won, 25-20.

Oakland Raiders Sebastian Janikowski
Broken Sphere/Wikimedia Commons

This is the 12th season Janikowski has been with the Silver and Black, and he’s been one of the most stable forces on the team, along with punter Shane Lechler(notes) who also started for the Raiders back in 2000. In 2008, the “Polish Cannon,” became the teams all-time leading scorer, and just last year he surpassed the 132 point record for most points in a season held by Jeff Jaeger with 142.

In 2009, Janikowski kicked a 61-yard field goal, the fourth longest in the history of the NFL, and during the opening game in Denver at the start of this season he kicked the historic 63-yard field goal tying the NFL record for the longest successful field goal in history. The Raiders ultimately won that game 23-20. Had Janikowski not been able to make the incredible kick, the game could have easily gone the other way.

In game 12 against the Bears, Sea Bass kicked a team record six field goals as well as an extra point, making him responsible for 19 of the 25 points that Oakland scored. Janiksowski was named AFC Special Teams Player of the Week in both weeks 1 and 5, and was the AFC Special Teams Player of the Month in September.

There is no doubt in my mind, that Oakland’s late iconic owner, Al Davis, is smiling down from up above. Davis loved Janikowski, who was only the third kicker ever in the history of the NFL to be taken in the first round of the draft. Many people questioned his wisdom, but in retrospect, Davis was right, as he was most of the time.

In the game against the Houston Texans, one day after Al’s death, Janikowski tied yet another NFL record by hitting three field goals of over 50 yards. A feat that’s only been accomplished five times over the many decades of the NFL.

This afternoon I read an article comparing the Dallas Cowboys’ rookie kicker, Dan Bailey to the great Janikowski. The author said he’d rather have Bailey on his team. It was rather humorous, in that there is really no comparison between a kicker with less than a season in the NFL to one with nearly 12 seasons. Bailey has only had one 50+ yard field goal kick to Janikowksi’s six in 2011. In any case, the Cowboys’ fan doesn’t have much of a choice anyway, he’s stuck with Bailey.

Janikowski is already a legendary Raider, destined to become an NFL Hall of Famer, and he’ll be winning games for Oakland for many years to come.

K.C. Dermody grew up in the Bay Area of California, and has been an Oakland Raiders fan from the time she could walk. She has continued her loyalty to the team through its many ups and downs over the decades, and has been privileged to meet several of her favorite players, including famed quarterback, Jim Plunkett . Follow her at www.facebook.com/KCDermodyWriter or on Twitter @kcdermody.

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In Week 12 of the NFL season, the Oakland Raiders beat the Chicago Bears, 25-20. Most of the reason for the Raiders success in the game went to kicker Sebastian Janikowski(notes), who kicked a team-record six field goals, and Shane Lechler(notes), who booted an 80-yard punt and finished the game with a 54.6 average and three punts inside the 20.

After the game, everyone raved about the Raiders’ special teams and quarterback Carson Palmer said, “There’s not many punter-kicker combinations in the league … there can’t be a better one.”

I don’t know if there is a better one but I would put the Dallas Cowboys’ kickers up against the Raiders any day.

Rookie kicker Dan Bailey(notes) has connected on 27-of-28 (96-percent) field goal attempts this season, has not missed a kick since Week 2, and has hit 26 in a row heading into Week 13 and Arizona. He is also a perfect 27-of-27 on PATs. He is as clutch as anyone in the league as well. He hit the game winning field goal in Washington after the Redskins kicker missed his and then hit a game winning field goal as time expired against Miami the next week.

Janikowski, on the other hand, has hit 22-of-24 (91-percent) field goals on the season while remaining perfect on PAT attempts with 26-of-26. Over his career, Janikowski has hit 79-percent of his field goal tries. While he has one of the strongest legs in the NFL, he has never been the most consistent of kickers in his career.

While Bailey is just getting started, he has a long way to go to get to Janikowski’s level of respect, but he is off to a good start. Besides, as for that Raiders’ record six field goals from Sunday, Bailey accomplished that in his third game in the NFL.

Lechler, on the other hand, is considered one of the best punters in the NFL. He ranks first in the league in average yards with 51.5 while pinning 17 kicks inside the 20. On the other hand, Mat McBriar(notes) averages only 46.2 yards a punt with 12 inside the 20. Yes, Lechler is the best in the NFL but is he that much better than McBriar?

Lechler has a 12 year career where he averaged 47.5 yards a punt with 291 pinned inside the 20. McBriar has only been going for eight years, with an average of 45.5 yards a punt and 166 pinned inside the 20.

I consider a kicker to be more important than the punter but I feel that McBriar is one of the best in the NFL, so at this time, I’d put Dallas up against Oakland when it comes to a solid special teams duo any day of the week. I’m very happy with Bailey and McBriar right now and wouldn’t trade either of them.

Author Shawn S. Lealos has followed the Dallas Cowboys since he was a child, his favorite players range from Roger Staubach and Tony Dorsett to the Triplets of the 90s. Through the great years of the ’90s and the hard times of the ’80s, Shawn never turned his back on America’s Team.

Source: CBSSports

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