Rusher
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- Mar 19, 2019
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The bright lights of Las Vegas have now swallowed the Black Hole.
The Raiders lost to the Jaguars 20-16 Sunday, a result of a game that won’t be remembered for long. The venue will be.
The 60-year-history — minus that 13-year sojourn to Los Angeles — of Raiders football in Oakland’s now over, with their remaining two games on the road against the Chargers and Broncos before next year’s move to Nevada.
So while it wasn’t much of a game, it allowed the fans there a chance to say goodbye.
Many former Raiders legends were there for the celebration, and so was extra security. Not all the fans were on their best behavior for the farewell, with officials asking in the fourth quarter for people to stop shining laser pointers on players and coaches.
Coupled with a scoreless second half, Jon Gruden trying to challenge plays he wasn’t allowed to challenge, the Raiders missing a couple of chances at a field goal in the final two minutes, and quarterback Derek Carr being booed off the field as the game ended, it had the requisite weirdness.
As for the game, the Jaguars took advantage of those mistakes to drive for a go-ahead touchdown with 31 seconds left, with Gardner Minshew hitting Chris Conley to cap a hectic drive.
That allowed the Jaguars (5-9) to snap a five-game losing streak.
The loss was the fourth straight for the Raiders (6-8), extinguishing any small hope they had at the playoffs.
And unless the Raiders come back to the Bay Area again, it was a final chance for the city to wrap its costumed arms around its team.