Patriots Week 1: Raidah-hating

Week One of the NFL season is finally here and to start things off the Back-To-Back Super Bowl Champion New England Patriots play host to the Oakland Raiders in the now annual Thursday-night opener. Now UB is happy to see the NFL is finally realizing you don't have to waste a marquee-matchup like in previous years (Pats-Steelers; Eagles-Bucs; Pats-Colts) on the first game of the year. The 1st game sells itself, no need to schedule a Super Bowl preview-esque game. That being said, Patriots-Raiders is an intriguing matchup.

Most fans think of Patriots-Raiders and the "Snow Bowl" from the 2002 playoffs is the first think that pops into their head, but tension between these two franchises dates back to 1976 when the Pats crushed the Raiders 48-17 at home before having to play them in Oakland in the Playoffs. A BS roughing the passer call on Kenny Stabler by Sugar Bear Hamilton gave the Raiders new life late as they scored the winning touchdown, 24-21. From there the Raiders went on to win the Super Bowl. In the following years the Pats declined and the Raiders moved to Los Angeles.

Which brings me to the Raiders fans...Now it's one thing to dress up like extras from Mad Max (above: nice watch dork), but what were these guys doing when Al Davis up and moved the team 5+ hours south from Oakland to LA? That would be like moving a team from Boston to Baltimore. What were they doing then? They should have been ripping the heads off dummy's and putting AL DAVIS on the forehead, but no, when Davis decides to move the Raiders back to Oakland in the 90s, they come flocking back...Have some self respect people...

Anyway where was I, oh yes, in 1985-86 the Pats force 6 turnovers to beat the Raiders in LA (which would should have made Oakland fans happy) 27-20. The game ends with Howie Long (from the Boston area) and Matt Millen getting into a fight with the son of the Patriots owner. The Pats go to the Super Bowl.

16 years later the two teams meet in the playoffs again, this time in a blinding snow storm and the last game of Foxboro Stadium. Now all Raider fans point to the "Tuck" rule as the cause for the end of their season...maybe that is because they are trying to suppress the memory of dropping 3 strait to end the season 10-6, a wild card entry. The final loss against the Jets gives the Pats the #2 seed in the AFC and a home game. So Brady gets hit, apparently fumbles, but gets the ball back and the Pats go on to win the game and later the Super Bowl. The fate of the "Tuck" rule is voted on in the off season and none of the 31 teams (including the Raiders) vote to remove the rule...

The next year the Pats fly to Oakland to play the Raiders in a regular season game. Brady gets hit and fumbles for real this time in a 27-20 loss. The Raiders go to the Super Bowl. (Your Uncle Buck attends the game with Little Tick...most of the game is a haze due to the booze...that may have been for the best...)

So there you have it...Since that 2002 game the Raiders have won 2 road games...The Pats have won 2 Super Bowls...I'm off to the game...(oh yeah, and Randy Moss is a Raider...)

Pats 33, Raiders 13