While the Oakland Raiders have to wait until Friday, April 27, before using their first draft pick, which falls at the end of the third round at 95th overall, there have been many discussions while the Raider Nation waits patiently to find out who will be the newest members of the Silver and Black.

One of the discussions came about when the Oakland Raiders official Twitter account tweeted out an interesting trivia question, ” #NFLDraft trivia – from which school have the Raiders drafted the most players in the last 18 drafts?”

Did you know the answer to that question? I was a little surprised to find out that it was Arizona State University with six Oakland Raiders hailing from the southwest school. ASU was followed by Florida State and Ohio state with five players, while there were four players each chosen from BYU, San Diego State and Washington.

Always wanting to know more, I decided to take a look at some of the players who came from those schools and if there was a distinct pattern of signing exceptional guys from those top six.

Two instantly came to mind. Running back Napoleon Kaufman was a member of the Washington Huskies who was signed in 1995, an 18th pick in the first round of the draft. In 1992, Kaufman became the fastest Husky to run the 40-yard dash at 4.22. As a member of the Raiders, he holds the number one rushing performance record. On October 19, 1997 against the Denver Broncos he rushed for 227 yards and carried the ball 28 times. Kaufman also scored a touchdown that day, becoming a key player in the team’s 28-25 victory over Denver.

Marques Tuiasosopo was a highly touted quarterback who came out of Washington, making his debut in 2001. While I held out hope for awhile for Tuiasosopo, he was overall a pretty big disappointment.

Kicker Sebastian Janikowski has been one of the most solid forces on the team for the past 12 seasons, setting a number of records in 2011. Janikowski comes from Florida State, making his debut in 2000 and he became the first kicker to be drafted in the first round since 1979. Many questioned Al Davis’ sanity that year, but looking back, it was one of the best decisions in recent years.

Eric Allen, Derek Hagan and Andrew Walter all came from ASU. Travis Goethel is a current member of the Silver and Black who is from Arizona State, making his debut in 2010.

Terrelle Pryor was a third round pick in the 2011 draft from Ohio State. It remains to be seen whether or not if he’ll become a solid backup quarterback to Carson Palmer. Cornerback Chimdi Chekwa also came out of Ohio State in the 2011 draft. Unfortunately his rookie year was marred with injuries and he was only on the field in four games.

An interesting player who came from San Diego State was Carl Weathers. While many know Weathers better as the actor who played Apollo Creed in the “Rocky” films, he had a brief career with the Raiders in the early ’70s.

Players from BYU include Marc Wilson, Eli Herring and Todd Watkins. Of those names, Wilson is the only memorable one, although certainly not one of the better quarterbacks the Raiders have ever had. Wilson was on the Oakland/L.A. Raiders from 1980 to 1987. Over his career he was credited with 86 touchdowns but he threw 102 interceptions.

What does it all mean? While the stats are interesting to contemplate, I don’t think that there is any clear pattern that emerges, but perhaps the new general manager Reggie McKenzie has a little more insight. All we know as fans, is that we’re ready for the Raiders to get back to where they should be, no matter what it takes to get there!

K.C. Dermody grew up in the Bay Area of California, and has been an Oakland Raiders fan for her entire life. 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 on Twitter @kcdermody or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/kcdermodywriter.

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The Oakland Raiders released their 2012 preseason schedule on Wednesdsay afternoon, April 4. For those of us impatiently waiting in Raider Nation for the team to get back on the field, this is an exciting step. The regular season schedule is expected to come out just before the end of this month.

Many of the players have expressed their excitement about the changes that have been taking place behind the scenes in Alameda, with running back Darren McFadden just the latest. Yesterday he talked to Sirius XM NFL Radio and remarked, “It’s a great feeling around the organization,” and added that everyone “is very excited about the new coaching staff.”

This past weekend quarterback Carson Palmer told the San Francisco Chronicle, “I am fired up to get my playbook. We have a lot of work to do. We have a new offense and a new defense. New terminology. But we’re very excited. Personnel-wise, we have as good an opportunity as anybody to win the whole thing.”

In talking with numerous Raiders’ fans, we are all counting the days until football returns, and with the preseason schedule released we now know that we have four months, one week and two days until Oakland players get back on the field.

It’s also interesting to note that the Raiders and San Francisco 49ers will not face each other in the preseason Battle of the Bay. The California Bay Area franchises have met for 12 of the 13 past preseasons, but as a result of the fan violence and parking-lot shootings that took place in 2011, this year’s event will not take place. It’s sad to see that a few bad apples have ruined a game that many look forward to every summer.

On August 13 the Raiders 53rd season will begin when they host the Dallas Cowboys at 5 pm, pacific time, at O.co Coliseum. The game will be televised on ESPN. The two teams have not met in the preseason since 2009, and Oakland has the series advantage at 18-9. In their last meeting, the Raiders blew out the Cowboys, defeating them by a score of 31-10.

During week two of preseason, Oakland will head to Arizona to face the Cardinals. The Raiders also have the lead in this series at 7-5. In their last match up in 2011 preseason, Oakland lost by a score of 24-18, but kicker Sebastian Janikowski had a great day as usual, kicking four field goals in the game.

Week three will see the Detroit Lions face the Raiders back in their home territory. The teams have met just six times in the preseason with Oakland holding the advantage in the series at 4-1. Finally, in week four, the Raiders travel to the Pacific Northwest to face the Seattle Seahawks for the seventh straight time in preseason. Seattle has the advantage in this series, leading Oakland 7-3.

Even this little bit of information seems to bring football season that much closer. I can hardly wait!

K.C. Dermody grew up in the Bay Area of California, and has been an Oakland Raiders fan for her entire life. 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 on Twitter @kcdermody or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/kcdermodywriter.

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Read More: Carson Palmer (QB – OAK), Antonio Gates (TE – SDC), Philip Rivers (QB – SDC), Sebastian Janikowski (K – OAK), Mike Tolbert (FB – SDC), Darrius Heyward-Bey (WR – OAK), Louis Murphy (WR – OAK), Richard Goodman (WR – SDC), Curtis Brinkley (RB – SDC), San Diego Chargers, Oakland Raiders

The Oakland Raiders had a great shot to get to the playoffs if they could get some help from the Kansas City Chargers. They’re getting that help, but they’re hardly helping themselves. After Oakland punted the football, Philip Rivers went right back to work, connected with Antonio Gates for 37 yards and Malcolm Floyd for 16 yards. Nice rushes by Curtis Brinkley helped set up a Mike Tolbert one yard touchdown rush to put San Diego up 14-7.

Oakland drove right back down the field with Carson Palmer connected with Louis Murphy and Darrius Heyward-Bey to help set up a Sebastian Janikowski 52 yard field goal, but San Diego came right back with a Richard Goodman 105 yard kickoff return to put them up 21-10. The teams traded field goals to end the first half thanks to solid passing by both Palmer and Rivers, and another quick Oakland drive with a huge Palmer pass to start the second half helped put more points on the board thanks to Janikowski.

The Raiders would win the AFC West if they win and the Denver Broncos lose–which they are currently doing to the Kansas City Chiefs.

To discuss the game with Raiders fans, go to Silver and Black Pride. To check out the game with Chargers fans, head to Bolts from the Blue.

With just two days before the Oakland Raiders determine their fate in the playoffs, it’s hard for many fans to think of anything else. New Year’s Eve bash, who cares? We just want New Year’s Day to arrive so that we can (hopefully) watch the Raiders defeat the San Diego Chargers and ultimately take the AFC West title when the Kansas City Chiefs’ quarterback, Kyle Orton, exacts his revenge on the Denver Broncos.

Sebastian Janikowski
Wikimedia Commons

In light of that fact, I thought it was time we looked at some of the significant moments and facts in the history between the Chargers and the Raiders.

The Raiders lead the series record over the Chargers, 58-44-2. Oakland has won their three most recent battles, but had lost the previous 13. Could they be on their way to a longer winning streak?

In their last match up on November 10, the Raiders defeated the Chargers by a score of 24-17. Several players had stand out performances on that Thursday evening, including the rookie receiver Denarius Moore. Moore somehow held on to a long pass by quarterback Carson Palmer for a 46-yard catch, and it was just one of five catches and two touchdowns by the end of the game. Linebacker Kamerion Wimbley was on fire, and had four of six sacks on the San Diego quarterback Philip Rivers.

Running back Michael Bush ran down the field 55 yards to set up a Raiders touchdown and by the end of the game he’d been credited with a touchdown and had a total of 30 carries for 157 yards. Bush needs just 89 rushing yards this Sunday to surpass 1,000 for the first time in his career.

On October 10, 2010, the Chargers met the Raiders at home, and Oakland went on to defeat the team by a score of 35-27. In that match up, Bush had 26 carries for 104 yards and a touchdown. The second time they met up last season was in December at Qualcomm Stadium. Running back Darren McFadden had 19 carries for 97 yards and a touchdown and Bush had 23 carries for 95 yards and a touchdown. Receiver Jacoby Ford scored a touchdown as well, and by the end of the game, the Raiders defeated the Chargers by a score of 28-13.

Punter Shane Lechler, arguably one of the best in the history of the NFL, remarked about the upcoming game, “I think everybody in the locker room wants to win and wants to win now. My situation is hopefully to get to see this thing go full circle. I had it great when I first got here with the AFC championship game my rookie year and then the snow game up in New England and then the Super Bowl, and then not much after that. To see it come all the way back full circle, last year 8-8, just to see it go full circle would be good.”

I agree. Sebastian Janikowski is in the same situation as Lechler, with both players starting in 2000. Finally getting into the postseason after all this time would be a welcome change, and very well deserved.

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, Twitter @kcdermody, or www.kcdermodywriter.com.

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Note: This article was written by a Yahoo! contributor. Sign up here to start publishing your own sports content.

Finally, the Oakland Raiders’ Sebastian Janikowski, arguably the best placekicker in the NFL, received the recognition he deserves by being selected to the Pro Bowl. It’s hard to believe this is his first time making the trip to Aloha Stadium after spending nearly 12 seasons in the NFL, and now Raider Nation can breathe a sigh of relief.

Shane Lechler
Creative Commons/Commons Wikimedia

Punter Shane Lechler will head with his teammate to Hawaii, making his seventh trip to the Pro Bowl, along with defensive tackle Richard Seymour who was also selected for the seventh time.

Though it’s a bit belated, the selection of Janikowski is some justice for the late owner, Al Davis. Many questioned ol’ Al’s wisdom in taking the kicker in the first round of the draft in 2000, and Mr. Davis is probably smiling down from up above. Janikowski was only the third kicker in the history of the NFL to be taken in the first round, and he may just go down in history as the NFL’s all-time best kicker as well.

On Monday, head coach Hue Jackson commented, “The guy is the best kicker in football, hands down. I’d be very disappointed if his name doesn’t show up. He’s as good as there is in football. Period.”

Fortunately for the Polish Cannon, and for the entire Raider Nation, this time was not a disappointment.

Janikowski was also nominated for the NFL’s Never Say Never Moment of the Week for his efforts in the victory on Christmas Eve over the Kansas City Chiefs, where he kicked three field goals including a 36-yard game-winner in overtime to keep the team’s playoff hopes alive. The great kicker was also recognized as the Special Teams Player of the Week in the Raiders’ victory over the Chicago Bears, and he tied a historic record in Denver in the opening game of the season with a 63-yard field goal.

Lechler, has also had a major impact for the Raiders throughout his nearly 12 seasons with the team, and may go down as the best punter in NFL history. His career average of 47.6 yards is the highest in NFL history, and in the game against the Bears he hit a career long 80-yard punt. He’s so versatile, that he’s even the team’s emergency quarterback and in the game against the Cleveland Browns, he threw a 35-yard pass to tight end Kevin Boss for a touchdown.

Seymour was also pivotal in the Raiders win over the Chiefs, in which he blocked two field goal attempts, with the second almost becoming a game winner for Kansas City. For much of 2011 he’s played through a painful knee injury and hasn’t been up to his usual standards, but he proved that he’s feeling much better after the game on Christmas Eve.

Congratulations to these exceptional Raiders for exemplifying a true commitment to excellence.

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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After the December 24 match-up, on paper, the Kansas City Chiefs had a slightly better game than the Oakland Raiders. But the only stat that matters is the final score, and the Raiders emerged victorious, winning the game 16-13 and keeping their playoff hopes alive. The Raiders left the game 8-7-0, the Chiefs fell to 6-9-0. The Raiders have one more regular season game against the San Diego Chargers, at home, on January 1, 2012.

Surface of an American football ball.
Wikimedia Commons

I think the Raiders have been playing strong football, but they’ve had some issues when facing really strong teams like the Green Bay Packers. I think they can beat the Chargers (who are already eliminated from the playoffs) and continue to Super Bowl XLVI. The Chiefs game was close, tied at the end of regulation. It was Raiders’ kicker Sebastian Janikowski who again came through in the clutch to kick the game-winning field goal.

Passing

The Chiefs led the Raiders in total yards with 435, compared to 308 for the Raiders. Raiders’ QB Carson Palmer was 16 for 26, a 61.5% completion percentage for a total of 237 yards. Chiefs’ QB Kyle Orton went 21 for 36, a 58% completion percentage for 300 yards. Each had one TD and two interceptions.

Rushing

The Raiders were held to just 71 yards rushing from Marcel Reece and Michael Bush. The Chiefs dominated them with only 135 yards, from Jackie Battle, Thomas Jones, Dexter McCluster, Le’Ron McClain and Kyle Orton too.

Kickers

Raiders kicker Sebastian Janikowski hit three field goals for 28, 31 and 36 yards. Chiefs’ kicker Ryan Succop had a 23 and a 20-yarder. It was Janikowski’s field goal in overtime that clinched the game for the Raiders.

Penalties and time of possession

These were more stats where the teams were almost equal. The Raiders had the ball for 29:34, the Chiefs had it for 32:39. The Raiders had 15 penalties for 92 yards and the Chiefs had 11 penalties for 88 yards.

Conclusion

A win is a win, no matter what the score. The team struggled against the Chiefs and the stats show the problems the Raiders have been having. You can’t expect to win games with two interceptions and only 71 yards in rushing.

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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The Oakland Raiders gave fans the best Christmas gift we could hope for. A victory over the AFC West rival Kansas City Chiefs. Once again, as throughout the 50+ year history battles between the two teams, it came down to a dramatic finish.

Oakland Raiders Sebastian Janikowski
Broken Sphere/Wikimedia Commons

Though it wasn’t the high scoring battle I thought would happen, it was certainly another roller coaster ride in which we thought the Silver and Black had the win, and then, in the final few minutes it seemed we might be destined for another heartbreaking loss, similar to what we experienced last Sunday against the Lions and earlier in the season to the Buffalo Bills.

We won’t talk about how sloppy the game was and how bad penalties were in the second quarter. Both the Chiefs and Raiders looked pretty pitiful in the first half leaving the game tied 3-3 at halftime. At that point, neither looked like they should have an opportunity in the playoffs.

Late in the fourth quarter, the Raiders were up 13-6, and things were looking good for a Raider victory, but of course, they couldn’t make it easy for us, and allowed the Chiefs to catch up and tie at 13-13. If it wasn’t for Raiders’ defensive end Trevor Scott’s block of a Kansas City 49-yard field goal, the game likely would have gone to the Chiefs.

Fortunately, for the Raider Nation the game went into overtime at 13-13, and it became receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey’s time to shine. He caught an amazing 53-yard pass from quarterback Carson Palmer to set up a winning field goal kick for Sebastian Janikowski. My heart was still pounding at this point, with the way Raider games have gone as of late, anything could happen.

But the Polish Cannon, as he usually does, came through, and kicked the winning 36-yard field goal to give the Raiders the 16-13 victory.

Despite 15 penalties, the Raiders got the win, and it doesn’t matter how they got there, they did it. Their playoff hopes are still alive and they have a chance at coming out on top in the AFC West. The Denver Broncos lost to the Buffalo Bills by a score of 40-14, with Tim Tebow throwing four interceptions, and the San Diego Chargers are currently losing to the Detroit Lions by a score of 24-0 in the third quarter.

The Raider Nation will certainly have a Merry Christmas, and then it will be back home to Oakland for a battle against the Chargers and, hopefully, a New Year’s Day win, and an AFC West division title. We’re on our way! Just believe. Happy holidays to Raider fans everywhere.

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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Here we go. Just a day before the Oakland Raiders face the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium. I have a feeling this game should have a warning that reads, “People with heart problems should not ride.” This will more than likely be a high scoring game and come down to a battle between the quarterbacks, and the Raiders’ defense will need to force the Chiefs into turnovers in addition to holding their penalties to a minimum.

Carson Palmer on the field before Broncos Raiders game Nov 6 2011
K.C. Dermody

As always, we don’t have a crystal ball to look into and see just exactly what will happen, and anything can happen. But what we can do is compare the two quarterbacks, Carson Palmer and Kyle Orton to get an idea of the possibilities in the Christmas Eve game.

Their previous match up in Oakland should be thrown out the window. Palmer had just arrived into town, and probably shouldn’t have even entered the equation. Orton was playing for the Denver Broncos when Tebow Mania hit and he was booted out.

The Raiders have faced Orton with Denver many times, and in this match up the Chiefs new quarterback is just 1-3 against Oakland. He’s barely over 50% in pass completions. One concerning fact is that Orton has thrown seven interceptions to Palmer’s 13 in 2011; however, three of those came in the infamous game against the Chiefs when he clearly wasn’t ready. Palmer is credited with ten touchdowns this year, compared to Orton’s eight.

Orton clearly went into Green Bay last week and had one of the best performances of his career, completing slightly over 74% of his passes, and threw no interceptions. But there’s a reason Bronco fans were crying for Tebow. Orton contributed to Denver’s four out of five game losses at the start of the season, leaving them with a record of 1-4 at the end of week five.

The last time Palmer faced the Chiefs with the Bengals, he led his team to victory, scoring two touchdowns and completing 17-for-25 passes back on December 27, 2009.

For both quarterbacks, consistency is an issue. There is no question that Orton did a great job against the Packers, but will he have two good performances in a row? I don’t think so.

This is a must win for both teams, but it’s time for the Raiders to show up and play up to the potential we know they’ve got and give the Raider Nation a Christmas present we would most like to have.

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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Outwardly, Darrius Heyward-Bey seems no different from when he arrived as the controversial No. 7 overall pick of the 2009 draft.

He has the same easy smile and a lack of concern over statistics that at times seems to border on disinterest.

Heyward-Bey would shrug when his numbers suggested he was on his way to becoming a big-time draft bust, the same way he does now after emerging as the Raiders’ top receiver.

“I don’t care what critics say,” Heyward-Bey said. “All I care about is me, my teammates and my coaches.”

For two years, critics said a lot, and not without reason.

In two seasons, Heyward-Bey caught only 35 passes with nine drops. The fastest receiver in the draft was left in the dust by every other wide receiver selected in the first round.

Making it worse was the fact he was targeted 105 times with a reception rate of just 33.3 percent. It was that stat that prompted statistical analysis website Football Outsiders to pronounce Heyward-Bey one of the least valuable players in the entire NFL.

Through it all, former coach Tom Cable and Hue Jackson, first as offensive coordinator and then head coach, insisted Heyward-Bey was working hard at his craft. Results would follow, they promised.

In Year 3, while there is a ways to go for Heyward-Bey to be considered among the NFL’s elite receivers, he is at least competitive with the rest of his draft class and has put up respectable numbers.

With 51 receptions

for 775 yards and three touchdowns, Heyward-Bey will become the first wide receiver to lead the Raiders in receptions and yardage since Ronald Curry (55 receptions, 717 yards) in 2007.

His rate of receptions per target is up to 56.9 percent, and while still plagued by the occasional dropped pass, they are becoming more infrequent, with five in 14 games.

If Heyward-Bey was ever bothered by the pressure of being the first receiver taken in his draft class — and then struggling for two years — he never let on.

“You have your up and down days as a human being in general,” Heyward-Bey said. “I’ve been keeping steady for the most part. The only time I’ve ever not had confidence was in my sophomore year in high school when I didn’t make the varsity. Other than that, I really don’t care. I just go out and play ball.”

Heyward-Bey put it all on display — the good and the not-so-good — in Sunday’s 28-27 loss to the Detroit Lions. Carson Palmer threw to Heyward-Bey 11 times and completed eight for 155 yards, including a 43-yard touchdown.

On the touchdown, Heyward-Bey reached out and snagged the catch with two hands away from his body, something he didn’t always do in his first two seasons, then broke a tackle and used the 4.3-second 40-yard dash speed that made him a natural Al Davis selection to get into the end zone.

Later, Heyward-Bey broke two more tackles on a 29-yard gain, was stripped from behind and lost a fumble. Then on the final drive, he dropped a Palmer pass that may or may not have resulted in a Sebastian Janikowski field goal attempt in the 50-yard range — there were no timeouts and no guarantee Oakland would have gotten off another snap.

“I told you guys it was going to go his way because he works extremely hard,” Jackson said. “He’s a talented player and was very close to being the player of the game. He’s got things he needs to continue to work on, but he’s getting closer and his numbers speak for themselves.”

Chiefs cornerback Brandon Flowers sees a different receiver this year.

“He looks more confident in himself and in his hands,” Flowers said by conference call. “Before, it was like he was trying to do too much, he was trying to concentrate too hard instead of just relaxing. It’s like the game slowed down for him and he’s growing into his own as an NFL receiver.”

A big part in getting the most out of Heyward-Bey has been getting him in catch-and-run situations where he can use his 6-foot-3, 210-pound frame to his advantage. Flowers said opposing corners are sometimes reluctant to close on Heyward-Bey for fear he’ll run past them.

Heyward-Bey has yet to show he can make adjustments consistently under long passes, but Jackson thinks that part will develop.

“When he starts making those uncommon plays that you look for at that position, that’s when he’s arrived,” Jackson said.

With the Oakland Raiders facing the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium on Christmas Eve morning, a win by the Silver and Black would make it a much merrier Christmas for the Raider Nation. With the way things have gone this season, I wouldn’t place any bets, but I truly believe we’re going to see a victory for out team on Saturday. Please, Santa? We might have been naughty on occasion, but in general fans of the Raiders have been a good bunch this year, and it’s time we’re treated to a win for Christmas. I don’t think it’s too much to ask.

Darrius Heyward-Bey
Wikimedia Commons

The Raiders are slightly favored over the Chiefs by 2.5 points, not that it really makes a difference one way or another, but I believe Oakland is going to come out on fire Saturday and ready to win. They played well during three and a half quarters last Sunday against the Lions and if they can hang on for four this time, we’ll get our much deserved Christmas present.

The Silver and Black have to be frustrated after losing their last three, and coming so close last time. They’re ticked off, and they should be. They had to play Kansas City just after Jason Campbell was taken down and quarterback Carson Palmer had just arrived. He was in no way ready, throwing three interceptions in the second half, and was partially responsible for the team’s 28-0 loss.

Palmer has developed a rhythm now, and though he wasn’t at his best against the Dolphins or the Packers, he was much improved against Detroit, completing 32 of 40 pass attempts for 367 yards, and scoring a touchdown. And this time, no interceptions.

That’s what we need this Saturday. Palmer at his best, another great day by receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey, and a stellar job on defense especially, forcing the Chiefs’ to as many turnovers as possible. And, keep the penalties to a minimum guys.

Yes, the Chiefs beat the Green Bay Packers, but as we all know, anything can happen in football, it does, and it did last Sunday. I don’t believe they have it in them to fight another tough battle which is what the Raiders will bring in week 15.

Whether running back Darren McFadden or receiver Jacoby Ford will make a return in the second to last game of the season remains to be seen. Both players were running at practice on Tuesday, which is a good sign, but they still weren’t actually involved in practice. I’d give Ford a slightly better chance than McFadden for making an appearance in Kansas City.

The Silver and Black will have to work with whatever they’ve got, and just win baby!

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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It didn’t take long to recall my favorite sports memory of 2011, in fact it will probably go down as one of my all-time favorite moments in the history of football. The Oakland Raiders’ iconic owner, Al Davis, passed away on Saturday, October 8, 2011.

Oakland Raiders Sebastian Janikowski
Broken Sphere/Wikimedia Commons

On October 9, the Raiders faced the Houston Texans , a team that was favored to soundly stomp them. The Silver and Black were highly emotional going into Reliant Stadium that day, and at first it looked like they would lose as predicted, but something changed, and they suddenly came alive.

Sebastian Janikowski kicked four field goals, three for over 50-yards, with special teams winning much of that battle. Receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey was also responsible for a touchdown. By the end of the day, he’d caught seven passes for 99 yards.

The final moments of that game became one of the most wild roller coaster rides of the season. It seemed like the Silver and Black were destined to another disappointing end, with the Texans headed for a touchdown. Instead, safety Michael Huff jumped up and caught the interception in the end zone, just as the clock expired.

It was one of the most emotional games I’ve experienced as a Raider fan, with Oakland sealing their win against the Texans in the final seven seconds. The final score was 25-20, and head coach Hue Jackson was overwhelmed by emotion as he fell to his knees, weeping. I doubt there were many dry eyes among fellow Raider fans that day. Even the sports announcer was quite choked up, and it became yet another great moment in the history of my favorite team.

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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With less than 24 hours ago, are you ready for the Oakland Raiders to battle it out with the Detroit Lions on Sunday, December 18? We all (fans in the Raider Nation, that is) hope the team is ready to put up a tough fight and capture the victory in this must win game with just three left to go in the regular season.

Stanford Routt
Wikimedia Commons

After losing control of the AFC West to the rival Denver Broncos, we really need the win, and it would also be nice if the Broncos were to get soundly stomped by the New England Patriots, who I rarely root for either except in situations like the one we’re currently in. Tebow, who? The Raiders also need to win their final two games against the Kansas City Chiefs and the San Diego Chargers.

There was some unfortunate news in regard to cornerback Chris Johnson in that he will not return this season. He was placed on the reserve/non-football illness list, after facing a horrific personal tragedy in his family with the shooting of his mother and murder of his sister back home in Texas. I’m sure his heart was not in the game, and understandably so, he needs this time with his family. Fortunately, his mother Della is expected to survive.

Despite that sad event, things have been looking for up the Raiders this week and their chances for victory look much better than they did after the game against the Green Bay Packers, when many of us felt the season was basically over.

As discussed earlier, receiver Denarius Moore should be back in the game and make a positive impact, and could even be the spark that gets the team fired up again.

There are several keys to a win for the Raiders Sunday, and one of those is going to be the penalty factor. Oakland leads the NFL in penalties, and yes, it’s not a surprise, they also probably lead in unfair penalties in my opinion, but it is what it is. They have 130 on the season for 1,116 yards, putting them on a record setting pace.

The Lions are ranked fourth in the NFL for penalties with 105 and third for yardage with 894, so they aren’t doing a good job at keeping the flags down either. This game could be one big flag festival, but in some games, as in Oakland’s victories against the Chargers and Bears they did a fairly good job at keeping them to a minimum. We need that team to arrive on Sunday.

The defense will have to be at their best, and Stanford Routt will be assigned with the task of stopping Lions’ receiver Calvin Johnson who hasn’t been up to his usual high standards of late. He’s just scored one touchdown in the last three games, but he’s still no slacker. I believe Routt will come out ahead in this one.

The Raiders’ right guard, Cooper Carlisle has the difficult job of going against defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh, one of the dirtiest players in the league. But Suh, coming off a two-game suspension, has just three sacks this season, and is one of the most penalized players. Getting into his head and forcing him to make bad decisions could also be key to a Raiders’ victory.

We’ll have to wait and see what happens, we don’t have much longer and I don’t have a crystal ball. This game could really go either way, but the Silver and Black can get the win if they really want it. Believe.

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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Note: This article was written by a Yahoo! contributor. Sign up here to start publishing your own sports content.

It’s been a lot of gloom and doom for the Oakland Raiders’ in the time since Thanksgiving weekend, when the team defeated the Chicago Bears, 25-20. After that game, we’ve seen more than a few players go down with injuries, including the stand-out rookie receiver, Denarius Moore, in the game against the Minnesota Vikings. The worst news was the tragedy in cornerback Chris Johnson’s family, and the player is, of course, having a difficult time with the situation.

Denarius Moore
Wikimedia Commons

But the tables could finally be turning for the Raiders. There are some pieces of good news this week that lead me to believe they could be.

The first, is that it looks like Moore will be back on the field against the Detroit Lions this Sunday. Head coach Hue Jackson was smiling once again during his media conference, and commented that Moore was back out at practice running around and catching some balls, and looking good. He said that his teammates were glad to see him back out there and gave them a little life.

Jackson also reiterated that Moore’s return on the field could be a tremendous boost to the players and give them the added spark they need to win. In his last full game against the San Diego Chargers, he had a total of five catches, 123 yards and two touchdowns. On the season, he’s got 24 catches for 410 yards and four touchdowns.

If you don’t believe that Moore can make the difference, you’re probably asking about the defense, which has definitely been a problem, especially in their two recent losses. Defensive tackle Richard Seymour’s stats create a dim picture. In the Raiders’ first five games, Seymour had five sacks, 15 tackles and three assists. In week five, he injured his knee in the game against the Texans, and he hasn’t been the same since.

In the last five games, Seymour has had just one sack and one tackle. He hasn’t missed a game, and instead has played through the pain because he knew how much the team needed him. He commented, “It’s just been tough for me just because I haven’t been able to practice much. It’s just tough pushing through injuries. Earlier in the year, I felt good, it was going.”

Coach Jackson spoke with Seymour today and feels comfortable that things will be better this Sunday, and Seymour said he is feeling better as well. Hopefully, he will be the boost the defense needs. Both Seymour and all of the players know that it’s crunch time, and I believe they’ll get it done.

The Raiders will be back home at O.co Coliseum for their seventh consecutive sold out game, and as Jackson said the fans bring a certain energy, and a special force to the team. With both the players and the fans in it to win, they can be unstoppable.

K.C. Dermody grew up in the Bay Area of California, and has been anOakland 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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An AFC West Division Win is Still a Possibility for the Oakland Raiders: Fan’s Take

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