They finished 8-8 but hope to improve on that record and contend for the division title in 2012-2013. The Raiders schedule doesn’t start off easy, however, when they face San Diego at home in the first week of the season. San Diego ultimately destroyed any hopes the Raiders still had of a playoff birth (and a division title) last year when they defeated the Raiders in the final game of the season. The Raiders will look to get revenge and a good start to the season when they face one another in week one. Raiders tickets should sell out quickly for this game, so buy yours early and show your support.

In week 3, Raiders tickets will again sell out fast when the Pittsburgh Steelers come to Oakland. Palmer will face the ultimate test when he goes up against Troy Palamalu and the Steelers’ secondary.

On September 30th, the Raiders travel to Denver to face Peyton Manning for the first time in a Broncos uniform. If Manning’s health holds up, this could be the beginning of a new rivalry between Manning and the silver and black.

After a bye, Oakland begins a tough inter-conference schedule when they travel to Atlanta. The Falcons are hoping to rebound from an off year last year when they exited the playoffs early after a trouncing by the New York Giants. Palmer and the Raiders passing attack will have to be in full gear when they face Atlanta quarterback Matt Ryan and wide receiver Roddy White.

On November 11th, the Raiders travel to Baltimore to face what will perhaps be the toughest defense in the NFL in 2012-2013. Raiders running back Darren McFadden will be challenged by a tough defensive front that is stingy when it comes to rushing yards.

On December 6th, the Raiders start a 4-game stretch that includes three divisional opponents. If they are still in the hunt for the divisional title, this stretch may very well determine the winner of the division. First, they face Denver again. It will be interesting to see if Peyton Manning has the Broncos in contention, and how healthy he will be down the stretch.

Next, the Raiders face Kansas City. The Chiefs will be trying to rebound from a disappointing year in 2011-2012. Beating the Raiders to keep them out of the playoffs could make their season. The Raiders then get a chance to turn the tables on San Diego, by beating them in the last game of the season like the Chargers did to them last years. Raider tickets are available now, so buy yours today!

2012-2013 Oakland Raiders Schedule

September 10 – Raiders vs. Chargers

September 16 – Raiders vs. Dolphins

September 23 – Raiders vs. Steelers

September 30 – Raiders vs. Broncos

Bye

October 14 – Raiders vs. Falcons

October 21 – Raiders vs. Jaguars

October 28 – Raiders vs. Chiefs

November 4 – Raiders vs. Buccaneers

November 11 – Raiders vs. Ravens

November 18 – Raiders vs. Saints

November 25 – Raiders vs. Bengals

December 2 – Raiders vs. Browns

December 6 – Raiders vs. Broncos

December 16 – Raiders vs. Chiefs

December 23 – Raiders vs. Panthers

December 30 – Raiders vs. Chargers

During this off season the Raiders have made a couple of moves. They restructured the contracts of their quarterback Carlson Palmer, safety Michael Huff and linebacker Aaron Curry in an effort to gain salary cap flexibility and to put themselves in a position that would allow them to sign a couple of free agents. They also released cornerbacks Chris Johnson and Standford Routt because they were over the salary cap restrictions at that time.

Free agent running back Michael Bush decided to join the Chicago Bears by signing a $14 million dollar 4 year contract. Another former Raider, quarterback Jason Campbell also joined the Bears. Center Samson Satele left for the Indianapolis Colts and Guard Stefan Wisniewski is expected to replace him. It was a shame to see these players go, I know that they will be missed every time I use my Raiders tickets to see a game live.

The Raiders signed 7-year veteran Ron Bartell in a move that surprised Raiders tickets holders. Bartell only played one game last season but he is expected to be in full health for the 2012-2013 season. This could prove to be a smart acquisition for the Raiders because they’re bringing in an experienced player that can mentor for younger players. His deal is for $3 million dollars and one year which is a bargain price for a good player like Bartell.

The Oakland Raiders also acquired former Houston Texans Right Guard Mike Brisiel. Brisiel is expected to improve the Raider’s running game which was already good last season. Cooper Carlisle may not be back for next season and Mike Brisiel is an upgrade at the position. I am happy to know that I can expect to see a better running game this year when using my Raider tickets.

The new GM of the Raiders, Reggie McKenzie also signed defensive back Patrick Lee to a one year contract. Lee is not an experienced player, he’s started just one game since joining the Packers in 2008 but he provides depth to the Raiders’ secondary. McKenzie also re-signed right tackle Khalif Barnes to a one year deal worth $2 million and he is the expected starter.

Raiders tickets holders seem to disagree but McKenzie is making smart off season moves. There are better players available at each position but they would have demanded more money and Oakland retains flexibility by adding quality players with small contracts that will contribute.

The Raiders need a consistent effort from all of their players to be successful next season. Khalif Barnes will need to prove that he is worth the money that they paid him by showing that he can be a good starter at Right Tackle. He needs to get fewer penalties called while he is playing and he has the potential to be what the Raiders need. Another player that needs to step up is running back Darren McFadden, the Raiders need him to be healthy and productive like he is capable of being. Quarterback Carlson Palmer also needs to bring his A-game. Palmer has shown in the past that he can be the quarterback of a winning team and he needs to show Raider Nation that he can be their Quarterback. All in all, its looking to be an interesting start for next season. Buy your Raiders tickets today, to make sure you are ready for the 2012-13 NFL season.

Passing of a Legend

Legendary Raiders owner Al Davis died on October 8, 2011 of heart failure. The engine that drove the Raiders, Davis had become a bit of a caricature in his final years as age dimmed his light a bit. That being said, Davis was a force in the NFL for nearly its entire history. His initial role as commission of the rival AFL made him a power broker in sports, which continued when the league merged with the NFL in a negotiated deal. He set all types of firsts. For example, he was the first owner to hire an African-American head coach [Art Shell] and female executive [Amy Trask]. He was a man who never backed down and coined the famous phrase, “Just Win, Baby!” His loss seemed to spur the Raiders on to their best season in nearly a decade. Buy your Raiders tickets now to pay tribute to his immortal statue outside O.Co stadium.

Season Review

The Raiders finished 8-8, which was good enough for a tie for first place in the weak AFC West. The team would have won the division and gone to the playoffs if they didn’t lose their last game at home against the San Diego Chargers. That let the Denver Broncos squeak into the playoffs as the division winner. Still, after a decade of mediocrity, the Raiders appeared to have turned the corner with a solid set of talented players. This team should be a force to reckon with at the start of the 2012 season. Reserve your chance to see this renewed team by buying your Oakland Raiders tickets now.

Offense

Hue Jackson became the head coach of the Raiders for 2011 after having served as offensive coordinator in 2010. The move seemed a success at first as the Raiders became a physical force on offense with a rushing attack led by Darren McFadden and a long ball passing attack led by quarterback Jason Campbell. The offense physically punished opponents for much of the early season and ended the first half of the season 4-4, which was a major improvement over previous years.

Injuries

The Raiders then suffered injuries to McFadden and Campbell that would keep them out the rest of the year. These injuries were devastating news to Raiders tickets holder! Sensing the opportunity to win a weak AFC West, the team went out and traded multiple first round picks to the Cincinnati Bengals to get disgruntled quarterback Carson Palmer. Reserve Michael Bush stepped in at running back and there was a new spark to this team.

Downfall

The Raiders, sitting at 7-4 at one point, stared in the face of their first championship in over a decade. They then proceeded to lose four out of five to miss the playoffs. There were many reasons for the collapse, such as leading the league in penalties…again. The dominant reason, however, was a defense that absolutely fell apart as the end of the season neared. The defense managed to give up 34, 46, 28 and 38 points in its four losses, numbers that the offense simply could not overcome. Even when faced with a win and go to the playoffs scenario in the final home game, they were blasted for 38 points by a Chargers team that had nothing to play for. The Raiders defense was so bad that it set a franchise record for TD passes allowed (31), yards per carry allowed (5.1), yards passing allowed (4,262) and total yards allowed (6,201). The team gave up 433 points for the season, the second most in Raider history. We could only hope that the Raiders organization knows what needs to be done in order to sell out of Raiders tickets for next season.

Changes

Despite making big steps forward towards credibility, the team appears to be in for another offseason of major changes. It appears Marc Davis, the son of Al Davis, has moved into the dominant ownership position. He has already hired Reggie McKenzie from Green Bay as his general manager. In a surprise move, head coach Hue Jackson was fired. Many fans were disappointed to hear this news and started a boycott of Raiders tickets in reaction. In a less surprising move, so was defensive coordinator Chuck Bresnahan and three of his defensive assistants.

With a general manager in place, the offseason can get rolling for the Raiders. The first task is to find a head coach and new defensive staff. Once that is done, one can expect the team to focus almost entirely on finding linebackers and defensive backs that can actually play at an NFL level. The Raiders have never been afraid of spending big money on free agents, but nobody really knows how Marc Davis will run the team. His appearance does not inspire confidence, but the proof will be in the pudding with the moves made this offseason.

2012 Outlook

The Raiders have a potent offense and a terrible defense. The AFC West is up for grabs. If the Raiders can find a decent head coach and upgrade the defense to a point where it is even just average, the team could easily take the division. Being the Raiders, one suspects it is more likely the team will find someway to blow it instead. With Marc Davis now in charge, a new era has begun for better or for worse. It is still to early to turn in my Raiders tickets. I can only hope that when I am sitting in the stands, things have changed for the better.

Playoff Implications

Coming into the game, the Raiders trailed the Denver Broncos by one game because the Broncos did their part by getting crushed by the Buffalo Bills in the AFC West. The only hope for the Raiders to make the playoffs was to win their last remaining games while the Broncos lost theirs. Make sure you buy Raiders tickets for the Oakland Raiders vs. San Diego Chargers game to cheer the Raiders to victory and ensure them a playoff spot.

First Quarter

The game started with a bang when Raider Bryan McCann returned the opening kickoff 91 yards, but was caught short of the end zone. The Chiefs defense stood tall and was able to limit the Raiders to a field goal. The Chiefs did nothing on their next possession, but Carson Palmer threw the first of his two interceptions on the day in the following drive. The Chiefs were only able to turn it into a field goal and the period ended in a 3-3 tie. It was a very exciting first quarter and I am sure those people that bought Raiders tickets were having a good time.

Second Quarter

The second quarter turned out to be a comedy of errors. Both teams moved the ball a bit, but managed to slam their proverbial thumbs with a hammer whenever the opportunity allowed it. In one sequence, the Raiders intercepted the Chiefs. The Chiefs then intercepted Palmer [again] only to have it called back on a penalty. The Raiders responded to this good fortune by driving down the field and executing a fake field goal for a touchdown…only to have it brought back on a penalty. The half then ended 3-3 when the Raiders blocked a Ryan Succop 49 yard field goal attempt, a moment of foreshadowing if every there was one.

Third Quarter

The third quarter continued the comedy of errors by both teams as they wracked up penalty after penalty, but two significant plays would be made. Carson Palmer connected on a 61 yard pass to Denarius Moore to give the Raiders a touchdown lead before the Chiefs clawed back for a field goal after a 43 year completion from Kyle Orton to Terrance Copper. The quarter ended with the Raiders leading 10-6.

Fourth Quarter

The fourth quarter would start off with the Chiefs charging down field only for Orton to throw another interception. Neither team could get much going because of penalties until the Raiders were able to get a 31-yard field goal to up their lead to 13-6 with three minutes left in the game. Needing only to shut down the Chiefs to secure the win, the Raiders defense promptly fell apart and allowed Kansas City to drive 80 years in five plays for the tying touchdown. The Raiders offense then responded by going three and out with the resulting punt giving the Chiefs the ball on the Kansas City 33 with 16 seconds to play. Raiders tickets holders started to wonder if this would be the end of their playoff chances.

At this point, the game turned. The Raiders defense continued its stunning collapse as it somehow allowed the Chiefs to drive nearly 40 yards to the Raiders 31 yard line in only 2 plays and 11 seconds. The Chiefs trotted out their kicker, Succop, for the game winning field goal only to have defensive lineman Richard Seymour block it to send the game to overtime. Few people can remember the last time they were able to see two blocked field goals in a single game! Those that bought Raiders tickets for this game should feel lucky.

Overtime

The Raiders were fortunate to win the toss in overtime given the state of their defense and seemed to know it. Taking over the ball on his own 24 after the kickoff, Palmer threw deep to Darrius Heyward-Bey on the first play for a 53 yard completion. That put the Raiders on the Kansas City 23. Two Michael Bush runs got them to the 18 yard line where Sebastian Janikowski nailed the game winning 36 yard field goal.

The Raiders had escaped despite a very close game. People interested in buying Raiders tickets should feel lucky that their playoff hopes are still alive

Looking Forward

The Raiders miraculous survival in Kansas City keeps them alive for the division crown in the AFC West and the playoff spot that comes with it. In an interesting twist, the Raiders have to hope that the Chiefs team they just beat can travel to Denver and defeat the Broncos. If the Broncos lose and the Raiders beat a dispirited San Diego Chargers, the Raiders will win the division. Any other result and fans will be disappointed that they cant buy playoff Oakland Raiders tickets.

Quarterbacks

Half way through the season, the Raiders and Bears had definite issues with their quarterbacks. In the case of the Raiders, quarterback Jason Campbell had suffered a season ending injury and those that purchased Raiders tickets thought the season was lost. The Bears, on the other hand, were living the high life as quarterback Jay Cutler played some of the best ball of his career and the team looked prime for a deep playoff run.

By their week 12 game, things had changed dramatically.

In less than three weeks, the Bears had lost Cutler to a broken thumb that is expected to keep him out for the remainder of the regular season. In contrast, the Raiders had moved a pile of draft picks to the Cincinnati Bengals in exchange for disgruntled veteran quarterback Carson Palmer. With little used backup Caleb Hanie starting for the Bears, few gave the men from Chicago much of a chance in this game. The Raiders would in fact prevail 25-20, but the game provided more questions than answers for both teams.

Oh Hanie

They say there is a reason backup quarterbacks are not starters in the NFL. Caleb Hanie proved as much in the game against Oakland. To say he set the game of football back 20 or 30 years in the first half would be an understatement. He looked like he was going to hyperventilate out on the field as he somehow managed to throw three brutal interceptions. He would rally a bit to throw a total of two touchdowns in the game, but his quarterback rating of 56 pretty much nails down how bad he was. It is also a performance that cannot be reassuring to Bears players or fans moving forward.

Oh Carson

With Hanie flailing, one would think that Oakland would have strolled to the win. The Raiders were the dominant team, but the Bears exposed a serious offensive problem the team has. While Carson Palmer threw for more than 300 yards, he could only get his team into the end zone on one occasion. The Raiders had to settle for six field goals. Yes, six! This, of course, turned what should have been a blowout into an exciting game for those that bought Raiders tickets.

Moving Forward

Raiders’ fans have to be giddy moving forward. For the first time in years, their team is relevant. Playing in the impotent AFC West, it is hard to see how they could possible lose the division although one can apparently not count out the running Tim Tebows in Denver. Still, this division is the Raiders for the taking and their remaining schedule contains only two difficult games against the Green Bay Packers and potentially the Detroit Lions. Can you say Oakland Raiders win the West? For the first time in nearly a decade, it looks very likely. You better hurry up and buy your Raiders tickets now before they sell out for their remaining games.

As for the Chicago Bears, the news is not as dire as one would expect. Hanie was a disaster at quarterback in this game, but one gets the feeling he will settle down moving forward. Not that he will be great, but the strong Bears defense can compensate for a lot. The Bears only sure loss on the remaining schedule is a game against Green Bay. With just average quarterbacking, they should be able to sneak into the playoffs and hopefully get Jay Cutler back.

Both of these teams will be in the playoffs at the end of the season. Will they meet in the Super Bowl as the representatives of the NFC and AFC? Not a chance. Both have too many problems to overcome.

After the two teams traded punts early in the first quarter, Minnesota got on the scoreboard first with a 12 play drive from their own 23 yard line. The Vikings drive was kept alive by two 15 yard penalties against the Raiders. Vikings RB Adrian Peterson carried the final 12 yards to score the TD and give the Vikings an early 7-0 lead. Less than five minutes later, the Raiders scored their first points on a 29 yard field goal by kicker Sebastian Janikowski to make the score 7-3 Vikings at the end of the quarter.

In the game, the Raiders were penalized 12 times for 117 yards, four of those being illegal hits. The Raiders are annually one of the most penalized teams in the NFL, and this year is no different. No doubt, cutting down on costly penalties will help the Raiders win future games by a wider margins. Not to mention, give fans that spend money on Raiders tickets a little breathing room.

In the second quarter Oakland scored on three touchdown drives to blow the game open. The Raiders first touchdown of the second quarter was setup when DB Matt Giordano intercepted a pass from Minnesota QB Christian Ponder at the Oakland 5 yard line. He ran it back 42 yards to the Oakland 47 yard line to give the Raiders offense great field position. Seven plays later Palmer found WR Chaz Schilens in the Vikings end zone for an 11 yard TD reception.

That gave Oakland a 10-7 lead and they never relinquished it. The Raiders scored two more times before halftime on drives of 57 yards, and 16 yards to make the score 24-7. The Raiders defense really did a phenomenal job in this game by getting the ball to their offense with good field positon three times. The Oakland offense never had to mount a scoring drive of more than 57 yards all day.

In the third quarter the Raiders defense intercepted the Vikings QB Ponder for the second time of the day, resulting in a short field goal for Oakland and a 27-7 lead. A total of three Minnesota turnovers resulted in 17 points for the Oakland Raiders in this game.

In the final quarter Minnesota staged a comeback by scoring two touchdowns while Oakland remained scoreless. Just barely into the fourth quarter, Ponder threw a 26 yard scoring strike to Vikings WR Percy Harvin to make the score 27-14. And then with just under six minutes to play, Ponder again passed for a 1 yard TD making the score 27-21. The Vikings got the ball back one final time with about 3 minutes to play, but were unable move against a stiff Oakland defense.The Vikings turned the ball over in four downs, and Oakland ran the remaining time off the clock for a 27-21 victory. This last minute drive sure worried the fans that bought Raider tickets for this game. Lets hope they try to keep the 4th quarter comebacks to a minimum.

This was surprising because not many owners would want to hold a player with potentially high trade value to a contract if they made it clear they were unhappy with the team. Palmer went a step further than conveying his unhappiness, he stated he’d rather retire than ever wear a Bengals uniform again. Brown and Palmer were at an impasse until this week, when Oakland Raiders quarterback Jason Campbell went down with a broken collarbone.

The Raiders are off to a 4-2 start this year, and the quiet but effective play of Campbell is believed to be an important part of that record. Campbell had surgery on Monday and is expected to be out 6 weeks. Without Palmer, the reigns would have been passed to historically ineffectual quarterback Kyle Boller or rookie Terrelle Pryor. The Raiders haven’t had a winning season since making it to the Super Bowl in 2002 (and losing to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers). Raiders coach Hue Jackson did not want to let the opportunity provided by this good start slip away.

Jackson was willing to give enough that Mike Brown finally relented and accepted a first-round pick in 2012 along with a conditional pick in 2013 for the disgruntled Palmer. The Raiders also will assume the cost of Palmer’s contract for 2011-2012, which allows Cincinnati to free up some room under their salary cap. The trade leaves the Raiders with no picks through the first four rounds of the 2012 draft, adding more credence to Jackson’s assertion they are dedicated to winning now.

Palmer’s career has been moderately successful in Cincinnati, although it is generally believed that his full potential hasn’t been achieved. After getting the starting job in 2004, Palmer led Cincinnati to their first winning season in 15 years in 2005. Palmer threw 32 touchdown passes and finished with a quarterback rating over 100. In the playoffs, however, Palmer tore his anterior cruciate ligament, knocking him out of the game (which they would eventually lose). He returned for the 2006 season, when he had another good year even though the Bengals only finished at .500. The years 2007-2010 would be much more mediocre for Palmer and, although the 2009 Bengals rivaled the 2004 team in terms of success, Palmer would not reach those 2004 numbers himself.

Palmer is hoping this trade will put him back into a situation where he can excel as he did early in his career. Oakland has a strong running game and quick wide receivers, so the offensive pieces are in place. If Palmer is rusty after sitting out the first 6 games of the season is yet to be seen. Regardless, this move gives the Raiders their best chance to win this year with Campbell out. And, with Mike Brown satisfied, it would seem everyone came out ahead on this deal. I know that I cant wait to use my Raiders tickets and see Carson Palmer play.

Al Davis was born on July 4, 1929 in Brockton, Massachusetts, although he would spend most of his younger years growing up in Brooklyn, New York. He would attend Syracuse University and began his coaching career soon after at Adelphi College.  After a decade of coaching in college he began his classic career as an offensive ends coach for the Los Angeles/San Diego Chargers in the American Football League until 1962. In 1963 the Oakland Raiders ownership took a chance on 33 year old Al Davis and made him the head coach and general manager of the franchise. He would be the youngest man in the history of the pro football to ever be hired into those positions.

From that point on Al Davis would leave his mark on the NFL and create an image that reflected his eagerness to be competitive and too just win baby. His trademark slicked back hair and dark sunglasses would define his persona for the next half century. In his first season with the Raiders the team went 10-4 and achieved their first winning season as a franchise. In 1966 took the position as Commissioner of the American Football League, which at that time was separate from the NFL. In 1970 the two leagues would merge and the NFC and AFC were born.

In 1967 Al Davis returned to the Raiders as a 10% partner. Davis would also be the Head of Football Operations. In 1969 John Madden became the Raiders Head Coach and the team would achieve 6 division titles in the next decade. In 1972 Al Davis became the managing general partner of the Raiders and never looked back. He would continue to retain the position of general manager of his team for the next 4 decades. In 1992 Al Davis became an inductee into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio.

His belief was simple; once a Raider, always a Raider and his generosity to his team and former players was unprecedented. From 1982-1994 he moved the team to Los Angeles returning in 1995. The Raiders would suffer 8 losing seasons in a row from 2003-2010. On October 8, 2011, 4 weeks into this NFL season, with the Raiders holding a 2-2 record in the AFC West, Al Davis passed away at the age of 82. At his death Davis owner 67% controlling interest in the Oakland Raiders and that interest passed on to his wife Carol and his only son Mark. The Al Davis legacy was over, but will not be soon forgotten. He had done things his way and in the process established the Oakland Raiders as one of the most competitive teams to ever perform on the gridiron and if you listen close to the wind in Oakland don’t be surprised if you hear the words, “Just Win, Baby” for many years to come.

New England jumped right back, driving the ball 80 yards on nine plays in their first possession, capping it off with a 15 yard strike from Tom Brady to receiver Wes Welker. After two punts, the teams exchanged touchdowns, both coming on 80 yard drives. The Raiders used a strong running game to methodically march down the field, finishing the drive with a one yard Michael Bush touchdown run. Unable to slow down the Patriots passing attack however, the Raiders gave up explosive plays down field as well as the lead mid-way through the second quarter.

The Raiders put together what appeared to be the go-ahead drive when quarterback Jason Campbell threw an interception in the end zone, killing the Raiders 80 yard drive. The Patriots essentially turned the interception into a 10 point play, as they took their next drive 54 yards for a field goal to end the half, giving them a 17-10 lead.

The Raiders gave up another score to the Patriots opening up the second half, this time an 80 yard drive that consumed four minutes of the third quarter. The Raiders would answer with a score on their ensuing possession, but their offense once again stalled in the red zone and end up settling for a short field goal. Down 24-13, the Raiders made a rare stop on the Patriots top rated offense. Showing the same consistent moving the ball between the twenties, Campbell once again sucked the air out of the stadium by throwing an interception in the red zone. New England put the game away on their next drive to open the fourth quarter, while the Raiders added a cosmetic score before time expired.

Outside of the critical Cambell interceptions and red zone inefficiency, there was plenty of positives for the Raiders’ offense. First, they averaged close to six yards a carry and accumulated nearly 160 yards on the ground, going with a bevy of fast and powerful backs that includes Darrn McFadden. Even Campbell had plenty of bright moments before melting down deep inside Patriots; territory, throwing for nearly 350 yards. Oakland struggled containing the powerful New England offense however, yielding over 400 total yards, including 183 to what was considered a rather middling running attack. With an inability to convert after long drives, the Raiders were unable to match the Pats offense, despite out gaining and seemingly outplaying through stretches of the contest. Darrius Heyward-Bey was the star for the Raiders, finishing the game with 115 yards on four receptions, including a long of 58 yards. If the Raiders want to keep its fans interested in purchasing Raiders tickets, they will need to step up their game.

Darren McFadden scored his first touchdown with a 2 yard run in the first quarter on a 5 play 76 yard drive. The New York Jets answered right back in less than two minutes they drove the ball down the field 76 yards on 4 plays, capped off by a Mark Sanchez 1 yard run.

In the second quarter the New York Jets scored 10 unanswered points. The first score was on a LaDainian Tomlinson 18 yard touchdown pass from Mark Sanchez. The second came off a 21 yard field goal by Nick Folk giving the New York Jets a 17 – 7 lead over the Oakland Raiders. The Oakland Raiders with 5 minutes left in second quarter and down by 10 scored 10 unanswered points to tie the ball game at half. With 3:40 left on the clock the Oakland Raiders scored on a Darren McFadden 70 yard scamper to the end zone. The Oakland Raiders got the ball back with 1:44 left in the game and drove the ball 51 yards in 10 plays to set up a 54 yard field goal attempt by Sebastian Janikowski who proceeded to nail the field goal with no time left on the clock.

The third quarter remained scoreless with a score of 17 – 17 until 40 seconds left in the quarter. When the Oakland Raiders reach down into their bag of tricks and pulled out a Denarius Moore 23 yard reverse for a touchdown giving the Raiders a 24 -17 lead. Then on the kickoff after the Denarius Moore touchdown Antonio Cromartie muffed the catch and the Oakland Raiders recovered at the Jets 13 yard line. Darren McFadden got the ball to the 1 yard line after he gained 12 yards on a run that ended the third quarter.

The fourth quarter started off with a 1 yard touchdown run up the middle by Michael Bush. After a few punts back and fourth the New York Jets went 93 yard on 10 play in 3 minutes and 6 seconds to score a touchdown and pull within 7 of the Oakland Raiders. The score was a 16 yard pass to Plaxico Burress from Mark Sanchez. After the Plaxico Burress touchdown the Oakland Raiders drove 49 yard on 8 plays taking nearly 3 minutes off the clock putting Sebastian Janikowski in position to make it a two score game with a 49 yard field goal. Sebastian Janikowski made the 49 yard field goal and put the Oakland Raiders up by 10 with 2:37 left on the clock. The New York Jets had a shot to score a touchdown with 49 seconds left when Mark Sanchez ran for a 2 yard touchdown on 4th down but was overturned and ruled down at the one essentially ending the game. The Oakland Raiders won 34 to 24 against the New York Jets with Raiders rookie G Stefen Wisniewski voted Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Week and RB Darren McFadden as the FedEx Ground NFL Player of the Week.