Oakland Raiders: The Bullying Has Commenced In the AFC West

At the end of training camp, Oakland Raider's offensive coordinator Hue Jackson referred to the mind-set in Oakland by saying, “we’re trying to build a bully here.”

This bullying was not evident through the first six games of the season as Oakland compiled a 2-4 record. The Raiders ran into a red brick wall—the “red zone”—there was no production, whilst on defense opposing running backs were given the red carpet treatment.

But, following a 17-9 reversal to the 49ers, the Raiders had an epiphany somewhere between Candlestick Park and Alameda. This team was sick of losing.

The Raider Nation has suffered greatly over the last seven years, enduring a record number of double-digit losing seasons. It has been a long road.

It was evident progress was being made and improving on 5-11 last time out still seemed a realistic aim. But still a break-even season (8-8) was dreamland. The playoffs were fanciful, despite the paucity of play in the AFC West.

Beating the Broncos and the Seahawks was always entirely possible, but it has been the manner of victory that has really got the attention of the entire NFL. Is the Oakland bully for real? The Raiders have so utterly dominated their last two opponents in all phases of the game, that it is impossible to bracket the current team with the 2002-2009 incarnations.

The defense completely shut down both Denver and Seattle’s running game and gave them nothing through the air. The offense has played such an all-court game that the OC could change the spelling of his name to “Huge Action”.

Darren McFadden is currently averaging more rushing yards per game (111.3) and more combined yards per game (147.5) than any other back in football.

So where does this leave the Raiders and their aspirations for the rest of the season? A winning season perhaps? A shot at the playoffs? A divisional cr...

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