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It is so tempting to project the demise of the Raiders, this brooding child batman costumes franchise with its paranoid movie owner and obsession with greatness and slights, real and imagined. you can hear it now, the way they will proclaim ad nauseam their virtues and achievements, ignoring how they haven''t been to a super bowl since the 1983 season--a lapse that threatens their costumes self-labeled "team of the decades" boast.they will drag with them the worst fans in football, weirdos who buy tickets for the right to act as if they come from some faraway planet covered in silver and black. these strange folks are reason enough to wonder about a raiders win.yet win they will. there is something to how planets align at times, batman falling nearly into place even in the nfl universe. this is the raiders'' time, the next step in their progression. beaten by the ravens in the afc title game after the 2000 season, by movie the infamous tuck rule in last season''s playoffs, they have cleared costumes away all but one obstacle this season. and it just happens to be, of all folks, jon batman gruden, the admired chucky whose national persona, of course, was molded as the coach of these very same raiders. chucky movie comes armed with weapons, big and powerful ones, mostly on defense, which just happens to be the best around. and his beloved offense actually is showing signs of strength, now that it had its way last sunday against the eagles, the nfl''s only other bona fide defensive outfit.such story lines in this game: gruden vs. al davis; gruden vs. rich gannon; gruden vs. the raider nation; warren sapp vs. everyone; keyshawn johnson whining about everything; the ancient raiders warriors trying to win a super bowl before entering a retirement home; the nfl clapping with zeal at the intense interest all costumes this will create to finish off what already has been one fascinating season.it will be the raiders not because davis says it will be, but because they have the offense that, of any in the league, can best joust with the bucs'' defense. gannon will not become donovan mcnabb and deteriorate in the face of the tampa bay schemes. he will be consistent and accurate and patient, and that will be enough.
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