Oakland Raiders Defeat San Diego Chargers For First Time Since 2003

It's over.  It's finally over. 

Breath deep Raider nation and savor that air.

The Oakland Raiders have snapped a 13-game losing streak that dated to 2003 by defeating the San Diego Chargers, 35-27, in the Oakland Coliseum.

Today is 10/10/10. 

In binary code, that translates as the number 42, which according to an old story in computer science is the answer to the universe.  The story is that a bunch of scientists once had a computer calculate the meaning of life, the universe, and everything else, and the answer was 42.

Funnily enough, Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers attempted 42 passes today.  I suppose that means that passing is the answer to the NFL universe. 

It's either that, or just win, baby!

Commissioner Roger Goodell was in attendance and spoke with Tom Flores and Greg Pappa at halftime.  After all the criticism I've had of Commissioner Goodell, I must wonder if his presence was good luck.  Well okay, I'm merely being nice.

Surely, Charger fans will say they just choked.  And I bet some Raider fans will too.

But I'll take it either way.

I feel validated today after I wrote that the Raiders could get hot down the stretch. 

It was a scrappy way for the Raiders to win, with backup quarterback Jason Campbell in relief for Bruce Gradkowski, while backup tailback Michael Bush started in place of the injured Darren McFadden.

Despite a laundry list of injuries, the Raiders have had the "never give up" attitude, even after the Chargers built a two-score lead in the third quarter.  The Raiders fought back in the fourth quarter, a comeback that included a 97-yard drive for a touchdown led by Campbell.

The wild game began with the Raiders jumping out to a 12-0 lead in the first quarter, after blocking a punt for a safety, scoring a field goal after the fr...

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