Quote:
- If Al Davis wasn't the owner of the Raiders.
- A solid defense over the course of a few seasons.
- A proven QB.
- A head coach who kept his job more than one or two seasons.
The last one is key. Head coaches provide a sense of stability on a team. The Raiders have had ONE coach last more than two years (Gruden) since Art Shell left after the '94 season. Without that.. players spend too much time learning new systems, or GMs go through too many players to fit each system, for a team to really put something together for an extended period.
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You really think Al Davis is that much worse than Bill Ford? When was the last time the Lions had a decent defense for a few seasons? And when it comes to QBs, we have ruined so many. Harrington, Long, Ware, Peete, Mitchell, etc. Stafford is just the latest. The last one is the only one, IMO, that there is even a decent argument that the Raiders are worse on. And it's worth noting that the age of Gruden is far better than anything the Lions have seen in that timeframe.