Raider Nation is proud once again! (At least until next Sunday)

The Oakland Raiders defeated the Houston Texans 27-16 Sunday in front of a nearly empty Oakland Coliseum. This was by far the best performance by the team this year and we, as fans, needed it. I have been ready to give up on this team for years now but for some reason I just keep holding on and I don’t know why. Well, I do know why but after years of losing you can easily forget why you love a team. But enough about that, I could go on for days about how many bad choices the Raiders and Al Davis have made over the last few years, but this is about the great game they had yesterday.

This was a fantastic game by the youngsters with rookie wide receiver Chaz Schilens, rookie running back Darren McFadden and rookie-like quarterback JaMarcus Russell all contributing to the win. But the real story of the game was wide receiver/punt returner Johnnie Lee Higgins.

He caught a beautiful 29 yard laser from Jamarcus for a TD to start the 3rd quarter. The second year WR from UTEP finished the game with 3 catches for 59 yards and a TD. He also had a record setting 80 yard punt return for a TD. He now holds the Raiders team record for punt returns in a season with 3.

He now has 16 receptions for 314 yards and 3 TDs. Modest, I know but I believe that he will earn himself a starting position at WR. And his punt return stats are looking good too, 40 returns for 503 yards and 3 TDs. Nice. If you keep this up you might have me rethinking my man crush on TE Zach Miller (I Love This Guy, 94 Recs, 1118 yards and 4 TDs in 30 games). You have been warned.

So, Johnnie Lee, thank you for reminding me why I am a Raiders fan. Now let’s hand Jon “Chucky” Gruden and his Tampa Bay Buccaneers a loss next Sunday and finish the season on a high note.

Go Raiders!!