The Best in the West

Prior to the 2011-2012 NFL season, few expected the San Francisco 49ers and the Oakland Raiders to be talked about as top five teams in their respective conferences as they are being touted now. Times are changing and both teams are giving fans on campus something to cheer about for the first time in years.

Heidi Kitchen, senior, Social Working said, “I’m really excited how both teams are playing. You can tell there is a difference on campus with fans and how they are reacting to this NFL season as opposed to recent seasons.”

Both Bay Area teams entered this season with first-year head coaches in the NFL and seemed destined for failure with the shortened off-season due to the NFL labor disagreement that caused a lockout.

Landon Wolf, senior, Computer Science/Art thinks, “Jim Harbaugh and Hue Jackson have reformed the entire philosophy of the Bay Area teams. The Raiders are ‘building a bully’ and the 49ers are transforming from ‘resilient to relentless’. Both of these mantras are clearly building momentum in their respective locker rooms and stadiums. The players and fans are ready to win and are prepared to shake off the last decade of pessimism.”

Dalton Tucker, Senior, Economics said, “I love that [Harbaugh] never takes a win for granted and that he is excited to win every singe week. I love that in a coach.”

In a pass-happy league, the 49ers and the Raiders have gone the old-fashioned route with their game plans, as each consist of a run-heavy offense led by Frank Gore (49ers) and Darren McFadden (Raiders).

Quarterback play from the two teams has been acceptable and, at times, exceptional. Alex Smith (49ers) ranks in the top 10 quarterbacks in the NFL in Passer Rating at 95.2 along with eight touchdowns to two interceptions and Jason Campbell has a rating of 84.2 and six touchdowns to four interceptions. In Oakland’s previous win against the Cleveland Browns on Oct 16, Jason Campbell suffered a broken collarbone, which can potentially sideline him for the rest of the season.

What appeared to be a damper in the Raiders surprise season, may turn out to be a blessing in disguise as the Raiders made an eye-opening trade with the Cincinnati Bengals for pro-bowl quarterback Carson Palmer in exchange for a first-round draft pick in 2012 and a conditional second-round draft pick in 2013. Palmer has the ability to be a difference-maker and will be looking to make an impact immediately with the Raiders.

Obstacles have been troubling the Raiders in October. Sadly, on October 8, 2011, long-time Raiders owner Al Davis passed away at age 82. The loss of Davis, however, was followed by a highly emotional win against the Houston Texans in Texas on October 9th, 2011.

Dalton Tucker said, “[Jackson] has really carried his team through this tough time with the loss of Al Davis. [Davis] loved football and that kind of passion is hard to match.”

Along with a new identity, the 49ers are looking to build a state of the art NFL Stadium in Santa Clara, CA. Team headquarters are already in Santa Clara and there has been significant progress in getting the stadium underway, according to the Mayor of Santa Clara, Jamie Matthews.

“Things are going incredibly well. Joe Montana and Eddie DeBartolo proposed a plan to open a sports bar and hotel near the stadium. Football should be played in Santa Clara by 2015, if not sooner,” said Mayor Matthews.

The Commissioner of the NFL, Roger Goodel, has approved Santa Clara as a host city for the 49ers stadium.

Mayor Matthews also stated that having Super Bowl 50 in Santa Clara in 2015 “isn’t outside of the realm of possibilities. The NFL is eying it for one of their premier events.”

There has been much talk amongst the media and fans about the potential of having the Raiders and the 49ers share a stadium. Matthews said, “The Raiders are not officially part of the stadium reality, but we remain open to have them.”

It may be a team other than the Raiders to cohabitate the stadium, as it was environmentally built for two teams. “When completed, it will be the finest stadium in the NFL,” Matthews said. “It will be the crown jewel of Santa Clara and the NFL with over 300 days of sunshine.”

Along with the new stadium, the 49ers and Raiders seem to be becoming “crown jewels” in the NFL themselves.