0-and-forever
ALAMEDA, Calif. — Ever since Al Davis arrived in Oakland more than a half-century ago to build his beloved Raiders into one of pro sports’ most successful franchises, his team has been closely associated with Davis’ favorite saying, “Just win, baby.”
That mantra has now turned into a desperate plea. The Raiders have become the 13th team in pro football history to lose 16 straight games following last weekend’s defeat in San Diego and are six games away from a defeated season.
“We hate it,” safety Charles Woodson said. “We hate that that’s even in the minds of our fans. Does it weigh on us? No, I don’t think it weighs on us. Just losing games is what weighs on us. We’re not worried about we’re 0-and-whatever. We’re just tired of losing games. We have to find a way to win.”
That hasn’t happened since Matt McGloin led Oakland past Houston 28-23 on Nov. 17, 2013. Six straight losses followed to end last season and the Raiders picked up by losing their first 10 games this season.
With six more losses starting Thursday night against Kansas City, Oakland would match the 0-16 record for futility set by the 2008 Detroit Lions — the only team to go winless in a 16-game season.
“There’s still a lot of pride in this organization,” Tom Flores said. “That’s the painful part right now. People look at us and laugh.”
The Raiders are three losses shy of tying the franchise record of 19 set in 1961-62. Flores played on the 1961 team before sitting out the next season with an illness. That skid ended with a win over the Boston Patriots in the final game of the season.
“There weren’t that many people who even knew or cared,” Flores said. “The last game of the year we had about 5,000 people at the game. Afterward, you’d have thought we had won the Super Bowl with people tooting their horns until midnight.”
The fortunes of the franchise immediately changed with Davis coming on the next season as coach. The Raiders won three Super Bowl titles and for years had the best record in all of pro sports under Davis’ leadership.
The downfall started before Davis’ death in 2011 as the team has failed to post a winning record since winning the AFC title in 2002.
Rock bottom arrived this year with a blooper reel full of lowlights to go along with the losses. It started in the home opener when James Jones fumbled twice on the same play to thwart a scoring chance against Houston.
There was also a shotgun snap that sailed past McGloin that led to a touchdown for Miami. Then a botched fake field goal in Cleveland that led to an interception by backup quarterback Matt Schaub on his only pass of the season.
Earlier this month, quarterback Derek Carr threw a pass to left guard Khalif Barnes, who was ineligible on the play.
