This week, 55.9 percent of the 12,852 fans who voted on a DenverBroncos.com poll said that the team’s biggest division rival was the San Diego Chargers.
Even with the recent rise of the Chargers and the Raiders’ struggles in the four-plus seasons since qualifying for Super Bowl XXXVII, I was still a tad stunned by the results — particularly that less than a third of those who voted chose the Raiders.
Granted, these Internet polls aren’t exactly Zogby or Gallup; there’s no attempt to get a representative sample of fans.
Nevertheless, as a lifelong NFL observer, I’ve long believed Broncos-Raiders to be a rivalry that is in the Bears-Packers and Redskins-Cowboys class, one that transcends the teams’ records or place in the division table.
Contests in the series often made it to national television even when one team was lousy because such a storied rivalry can create storylines that overcome an apparent mismatch based upon records; one need look no further than last year, when NBC selected the teams’ October meeting in Denver for Sunday Night Football. (Of course, the network would have been better off picking the November meeting in Oakland that wasn’t decided until the final moments.)
The litmus test of a rivalry is whether it remains compelling in moments when one or both teams are down. North Carolina-Duke, for instance, witnessed not only one of the best games in the series, but one of the finest college basketball games ever played, when the Blue Devils were spiraling towards a last-place finish and their only losing season since 1983. Redskins-Cowboys saw one of its most memorable chapters come in the midst of Dallas’ 1-15 1989 season, when the Cowboys logged their solitary win in front of a packed but shocked house at RFK Stadium.
There’s plenty of evidence for the rivalry’s vitality in recent years, as well as its ability to yield unexpected results:
2006: Denver was 6-2; Oakland 2-6. But the Raiders led most of the way before finally succumbing late, 17-13.
2005: Oakland was 3-5 en route to 4-12; Denver was 6-2 and headed to 13-3. The Broncos won 31-17, but it’s easy to forget that the Raiders had a budding comeback in the fourth quarter, momentum on their side and could have pulled within one score early in the final period if Kirk Morrison held on to an errant Jake Plummer pass that was squarely in his grasp.
2004: Oakland was doomed for a 5-11 finish, but still beat the playoff-bound Broncos by rallying in the fourth quarter for a 25-24 win.
2001: Denver had been eliminated from the playoff picture when it hosted division-winning Oakland in the next-to-last game of the season, but the Broncos nevertheless prevailed, 23-17.
1999: The Broncos were winless; the Raiders 2-2. Denver won that tussle at Oakland, 16-13.
1997: Denver was 6-0 and en route to a world title. Oakland was 2-4 and headed for 4-12. The Raiders won in their home confines, 28-25.
And “Raider Hater” remains a common phrase in the Broncos fan lexicon, does it not? They certainly despise all things Bronco on their end. From going to McAfee Coliseum a few times and making a few anonymous, early pre-game strolls through the Black Hole, I know their fans’ blood hits 212 degrees with the sight of white horse logos on blue helmets.
I don’t know … perhaps I’m guilty of not changing with the times, but “Raiders Week” remains special to me. It conjures up memories of fiercely fought frays — both recent and in the distant past. It’s what made the NFL so compelling to me as a child … and what keeps it at the front of my sporting passions today.
It’s still the Broncos’ biggest rivalry to me. It’s not — and will never be — “just another game.”
What do you think? Am I just so hopelessly old-school that I’m clinging to a past paradigm that no longer exists? Feel free to reply below, and until next time, vaya con Dios.
Tags: Oakland Raiders
While the Chargers were #1 in the poll, nothing beats “Raiders Week.” True, the Chargers have become more of a formidable opponent in recent years yet nothing is better than beating the Raiders, who will always be our #1 rival regardless.
Someone said that it is easier to have intelligent conversations with Chargers fans, I have to disagree on that a little. I know a few Charger fans that aren’t capable of having an intelligent conversation with. They are probably smug over their recent success.
Nothing beats RAIDER WEEK!
GO BRONCOS!!
I still feel the Raiders- Broncos is the best rivalry the team has. My favorite memory of a Bronco’s – Raiders game was the game where Karl Mecklenburg hit Marcus Allen on an end around run. He hit him so hard i swear he flew backwards 5 yards through the air,and was ineffective for the rest of the game. Every time he saw Karl coming at him he just hit the turf!
The Bronco’s biggest rivalry is now Indianapolis
The Raiders are definitely the Broncos biggest division rival and it is still special for me for sure. No matter how good or bad the Raiders are each season a win against them is always a little more satisfying.
But yes, San Diego is out biggest division game of the season and makes that match up a little more important. I think in a simple poll the difference between long standing rival and strongest match up gets lost.
I also think of the Colts as our rivals as well and to some extent the Ravens. But for me the team I absolutely hate to death and the team I desperately will the Broncos to win are against the Patriots. I can just feel the extra tension in those games and it usually seems like the Broncos-Patriots match up in key situations. The Colts-Pats games get so blown out of proportion hype wise but I think the Broncos-Pats are just as spirited and important.
Anyone who was at the game yesterday knows what a real rivalry is! It’s the Raiders
Holy Cow there’s a lot of hate in this room! You mention the word “Raiders” to a true Bronco fan and the atmosphere immediately goes bad!! The Chargers beat out the Raiders?? I remember going to games at Mile High against the flippin’ Seahawks(back in the day when we DID play Seattle) and there was a heck of a lot of bad blood there too! And KC??? Don’t even get me started!! I’ve been a Bronco fan since I was 9 and even though it was always really gratifying to win the Chargers it was NOTHING compared to winning the Raiders!!! Those damn stupid, arrogant, nasty, filthy, smelly, UGLY, rude, UGLY Raiders and their UGLY fans…. (ok.. deep breath)… well, as you can tell, I get riled up just THINKING about that team. I live in Boise, Idaho now and we have neighbors all around us who are Raider fans.. I’ve had my car egged and keyed because of my big BRONCO sticker on my back window but I REFUSE to take it off!! We get together at the local bar to watch the Bronco/Raider games and pick fights (yes I’m a girl but I’m also a TRUE Bronco fan) with whoever is stupid enough to take the bait. My husband is a 6’9 300+pound Bronco fan who can be your best friend an hour after you meet him.. but if you mention that you are a Raider fan, you’ll get your wings
Eh… really, we’re not violent.. it’s all in fun.. but SERIOUS fun I tell you!! Thanks to the Broncos for a frickin’,almost have a heart attack, crazy game on Sunday!!! I couldn’t have IMAGINED a more intense ending to a game that I really REALLLY REE HEE HEALLY wanted to win!!! Love to all you true blue fans!!
Customized Design Solutions
I couldn’t understand some parts of this article, but it sounds interesting
Computer Network Security
I couldn’t understand some parts of this article, but it sounds interesting
mac keeper…
[...]Raiders Week: Still Special to Me « DenverBroncos.com[...]…