After a contentious history in California that included multiple relocations, the Oakland Raiders are packing up and moving away. The team started out in Oakland before relocating, against the wishes of the NFL, to Los Angeles and, later, back to Oakland once again. The team just played its last game at the Oakland Coliseum on Sunday, their playoff hopes dashed. If they had hoped to go out on a high note, the players missed their chance and the farewell they received was anything but pleasant.
The Raiders took on the Jacksonville Jaguars in a game that everyone knew would be tough. However, the Raiders had plenty of opportunities to take the victory, having led 16-3 as the first half came to a close. The second half was a complete shutout, as the Jaguars rallied to take the lead and the victory with 17 unanswered points on the board.
That defeat was the icing on the cake, the memory the Raiders leave behind to their fans. They started out relatively strong with the season began, taking a solid 6-4 record until they hit Week 11. From there, things started to disintegrate and they lost their next four games.
Sunday night saw the culmination of frustration on the part of the fans, more than a little upset over the loss and the team’s imminent relocation to Las Vegas. As the team left the field, dejected and embarrassed, they were pelted with food and beverages among a chorus of boos and negative chants – certainly not the way they would have hoped to be remembered.