The Raiders season is over, has been for sometime. No playoffs, nothing to fight for but their pride and maybe roster spots for next year. Yet fight they do.

This week, the Steelers came to town fighting to remain on top of their division and cement their chances of a play off berth. They learned that the Ravens lost and had a chance to have a full game advantage over them with a win. So desperate in fact that they brought an injured Big Ben back into the game to ensure it.

Yet, thank to the last minute drive led by Derek Carr and a botched field goal attempt by the Steelers, it’s the Raiders that came out on top. The slip by the kicker is on the Steelers equipment manager, given they brought up loads of shoes earlier in the game.

This team over came a penalty laden performance (some of which seemed to be completely false – like when the defensive line man slipped and we got called for a penalty) to get the win.

Gruden has the team fighting together, fighting to win, fighting to improve and I love to see this. Derek Carr hasn’t given up on winning, he still wants to win and you saw it on display yesterday. Coaching a receiver when he went the wrong way. Helping the injured line man off the field after scoring what turned out to be the game winning touchdown.  That display alone tells me Carr hasn’t lost this team by the way, as was suggested earlier in the season.

This team’s improvement can be seen in the 2-3 record in the last five games. It can be seen in the improvement of the receivers brought in after Cooper was traded. It can been seen in the dramatic improvement of the Raiders defence that still doesn’t really have a pass rush.

Imagine this team with an injection of first round talent that is coming with the 2019 draft. 

The 2018 Oakland Raiders under head coach Jon Gruden have been somewhat of a disappointment. At least for the many people that hoped for instant success from a coach who hadn’t been on the sidelines for a long time.

Didn’t help that our best player the last few years choose money over loyalty and was traded away to the Bears before the season began. Its a shame we couldn’t keep him but the cost would have been too high to do so.

It meant that all season long the Raiders have had zero pass rush. Not that they had much with Mack anyway.

During the season, we traded away another of our stars, Amari Cooper looked to have a bright future in Oakland and then he didn’t. Drops became the norm for the wide receiver and a fresh start looked like the best chance for him to turn it around – which it looks like he did. While giving the Raiders more draft picks for the rebuild of the Raiders in Gruden’s image.

On top of that, Derek Carr has had some growing pains as he learned to function in Gruden’s scheme. While watching some of his weapons disappear, Cooper to trade and Lynch to injury.

However, this Sunday, I saw something that gives me hope for the future. The Raiders went toe to toe with the Chiefs. Losing by only a touchdown in a shoot out that ended 40-33.

Carr looked more comfortable in the scheme. Richard looked comfortable at running back (he just needs to make sure he holds onto the ball in future). We have a tight end that can scare opponents.  We still have a front seven that couldn’t get to the quarterback with a two second head start. But we have picks for that. Picks to find a pass rush and a new start WR.

I have some hope that we’ll be good again soon, something I worried about when Gruden was announced as our head coach.