Category: Oakland Raiders

(Photo: John Locher, AP file photo) Oakland Raiders Mark Davis takes photo with Raider fans in Las Vegas during the first investor meeting with Sands Hotel owner Sheldon Adleson in a deal that fell through. Bank of America than stepped up and now is on board to guarantee the stadium funding on the Vegas strip near the MGM Hotel for the Raiders

By Jeremy Kahn

OAKLAND–Well, Mark Davis got his wish and the Oakland Raiders will be moving out of Oakland for the second time in their 57-year history, as the other owners approved the move out of Oakland and move to Las Vegas.

The vote was 31-1, with the Miami Dolphins voting that the Raiders should stay in Oakland, where they played since 1995, after returning from Los Angeles, where they played from 1982-1994. Prior to playing in Los Angeles during those 13 years that witnessed the Raiders win Super Bowl XVIII with a resounding 38-9 victory over the Washington Redskins at Tampa Stadium in Tampa, Florida.

Prior to those 13 years in California’s largest city, the Raiders called the City of Oakland home from 1960-1981, where they won Super Bowl XI over the Minnesota Vikings 32-14 at the Rose Bowl and then won Super Bowl XV by the final score of 27-10 over the Philadelphia Eagles at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans.

“My position today was that we as owners and as a league owe it to the fans to do everything we can to stay in the communities that have supported us until all options have been exhausted. I want to wish Mark Davis and the Raiders organization the best in Las Vegas,” Dolphins owner Stephen Ross said in a statement.

Unlike the Los Angeles Rams, who moved back to California prior to the 2016 season, and the Los Angeles Chargers, who are moving back to their original home, where they played in their inaugural season of 1960, the Raiders will remain in Oakland during the 2017 and 2018 and possibly the 2019 season, before their new stadium will be complete.

“My father always said, ‘the greatness of the Raiders is in its future,’ and the opportunity to build a world-class stadium in the entertainment capital of the world is a significant step toward achieving that greatness,” Davis said in a statement. “I would like to thank Commissioner [Roger] Goodell, the National Football League and my 31 partners. I would also like to thank Governor Brian Sandoval and the Nevada Legislature for their commitment. Finally, I would like to thank Sheldon Adelson for his vision and leadership, without which this project never would have become a reality.”

Davis continued: “The Raiders were born in Oakland and Oakland will always be part of our DNA. We know that some fans will be disappointed and even angry, but we hope that they do not direct that frustration to the players, coaches and staff. We plan to play at the Coliseum in 2017 and 2018, and hope to stay there as the Oakland Raiders until the new stadium opens. We would love nothing more than to bring a championship back to the Bay Area.”

The Raiders are the only NFL team to share their stadium with a Major League Baseball, as the Oakland A’s have played in the Coliseum since moving to California from Kansas City in time for the 1968 season.

ESPN.com contributed to this report.

AP photo: Oakland Raiders owner Mark Davis poses with Las Vegas fans as he and the City of Las Vegas agree to have the team move to Vegas starting in 2019(John Locher/AP)

The Oakland Raiders signed an agreement with Clark County in Las Vegas that they have a letter of intent to move the franchise from Oakland at the end of the 2018 season and the Raiders will play their first season in Vegas in August 2019 in a brand new dome stadium on the Vegas strip. This is just one hurdle to get the team in position to get the team to come to Vegas and build the new stadium.

The question still remains will 22 of the 32 owners will vote to approve such a move for the Raiders and will that take place. It sounds like it’s going to happen, it’s a sad day in Oakland, nothing is official. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and the owners felt like that was probably the best move. Once the vote gets approved by the owners that’s the time to panic.

Joe Hawkes Beamon will be covering the Oakland Raiders move to Las Vegas listen to the podcasts at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Houston Texans quarterback Brock Osweiler (17) scores on a two-yard run against Oakland Raiders’ Cory James (57) during the second half of an AFC Wild Card NFL football game Saturday, Jan. 7, 2017, in Houston. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

By Jeremy Kahn

When the 2016 season began, the Oakland Raiders wanted one thing, and that was to end their season in the State of Texas and it did in the wrong way.

Brock Osweiler went 14-for-25 for 168 yards and a touchdown, as the Houston Texans defeated the Raiders 27-14 at NRG Stadium.

Osweiler, who was benched on December 18 due to insufficiency, won his job back, when Tom Savage was ruled out with a concussion. The first-year Texans quarterback played his best game, as the Texans won their first playoff game since the 2012 season.

With the loss, the Raiders dream season came to a nightmarish end, as the Texans number ranked defense put a damper on rookie Connor Cook’s first ever start in the NFL.

Cook became the first quarterback in NFL history to make his first start in a playoff game after Derek Carr broke his right fibula on December 24, and then Matt McGloin injured his shoulder on Sunday. Not only was Cook making his first start, he was also doing without his left tackle Donald Penn, who missed the game after 160 consecutive starts due to a left knee injury.

Nick Novak gave the Texans a 3-0 lead, as he hit a 50-yard field goal and then things got worse for the Raiders just moments later.

Cook threw a pass that was tipped and intercepted by Jadeveon Clowney and just one play later, Lamar Miller scored from four yards out.

The Raiders cut the Texans lead down 10-7, as Latavius Murray scored on a two-yard run late in the first quarter.

Novak stretched the Texans lead up to 13-7, as he hit a 38-yard field goal and then the Texans essentially put the game away with a two-yard touchdown pass from Osweiler to DeAndre Hopkins.

Cook went 18-for-45 for 161 yards with a touchdown pass to Andre Holmes in the fourth quarter, but did throw three interceptions.

Holmes was the leading Raiders receiver, as he caught four passes for 50 yards including the last touchdown pass of the 2016 season.

Michael Crabtree was forced to leave the game with a concussion in the second half, but before he left, he caught two passes for 33 yards. On the other hand, Amari Cooper also caught two passes for just 10 yards and also dropped several passes.

Murray was the leading rusher for the Raiders, as he carried the ball 12 times for 39 yards and that one touchdown.

The Raiders were atrocious on third down, as they failed to convert their first 11 third down conversions and ended up going up 2-for-16. Their only third down conversions came in the fourth quarter, and on the same drive where Holmes caught his touchdown pass.