Just Lose, Baby: Raiders Do It in Close Games

The Oakland Raiders, once known for miraculous comebacks and logic-defying victories, keep coming up with new ways to “Just Lose, Baby.”

Entering today’s home game against the St. Louis Rams, the Raiders had lost three of their four games this season by a total of five points. In games decided by a field goal or less, they have lost eight straight.

“If this keeps happening, I’m going to have to make a call to New Orleans and see if someone put a curse on us,” tight end Harvey Williams said.

It has become a familiar sight. As the Raiders shuffle off the field in defeat, owner Al Davis--whose great teams of the ‘70s and ‘80s were known for last-second victories that validated his “Just Win, Baby,” creed--watches in dismay from his private box.

The Raiders’ swagger was built around game-winning field goals by George Blanda, heroic touchdown passes from Ken Stabler to Dave Casper and improbable rallies such as the 1968 win against the Jets that turned football fans against “Heidi” when NBC switched to the movie before the game ended.

But last Sunday’s 23-22 loss to those same Jets, a game in which Cole Ford missed a late field goal and the Raiders blew yet another fourth-quarter lead, was just the latest example of a team at its worst in close games:

* Dec. 24, 1995, Denver 31, Raiders 28--John Elway leads Broncos to 14 points in fourth quarter; Jason Elam kicks 37-yard field goal with 48 seconds left.

* Sept. 29, 1996, Chicago 19, Raiders 17: Jeff Jaeger, cut by Oakland in preseason, kicks his fourth field goal with 11 seconds left.

* Nov. 4, 1996, Denver 22, Raiders 21: Elway throws a 49-yard TD pass to Rod Smith with 4:14 remaining.

* Nov. 10, 1996, Tampa Bay 20, Raiders 17 (OT): Ford misses 28-yard field goal with five seconds left in regulation.

* Nov. 17, 1996, Minnesota 16, Raiders 13 (OT): Scott Sisson kicks 31-yard field goal with 3:07 left in overtime.

* Aug. 31, 1997, Tennessee 24, Raiders 21 (OT): Al Del Greco kicks 33-yard field goal with 3:08 gone in overtime.

* Sept. 8, 1997, Kansas City 28, Raiders 27: Elvis Grbac throws 32-yard TD pass to Andre Rison with three seconds remaining.

* Sept. 21, 1997: New York Jets 23, Raiders 22: Ford misses four field goals and an extra point, Jets return a blocked field goal 72 yards for the winning TD.

The Raiders insist their recent close losses have been caused by a series of mistakes and not by any problem with the team’s collective psyche.

“I feel there’s no monkey on our back or black clouds or mystical forces out there going against us,” cornerback Albert Lewis said. “The key thing is we have broken down in too many areas in too many crucial times in the game.”

Oakland has not made the playoffs since 1993. Last year, the glaring problems were an NFL record-tying 156 penalties and repeated turnovers. This season, the difficulties have varied from game to game.

At Tennessee, the Raiders gave up 216 yards rushing to Eddie George. Against Kansas City, it was a late breakdown on pass defense. At New York, Oakland was shut out in the second half and the Jets took advantage of special teams mistakes.

Coach Joe Bugel said parity among teams in the 1990s means many games are decided in the final minutes--and perhaps on one key play.

“The way it’s going in the NFL now, it’s going to come down to a field goal,” Bugel said. “A lot of games come down to the wire. We have to win some of those games.”

The Raiders have blown a fourth-quarter lead in each of their four games this season, although they did rally to win at Atlanta. Many players believe the team’s inability to finish off opponents is Oakland’s biggest weakness--more so than the late collapses.

“I don’t think a lot of games with us should be close, and they have. We start off fast and then we shoot ourselves in the foot,” offensive tackle Lincoln Kennedy said. “I think the confidence will come when we blow somebody out in every phase of the game.”

The Raiders came into the year believing they had the talent to be among the AFC’s top teams, but they have just one win after a quarter of the season.

“It’s been like this for years. We look good on paper, but we’re just not getting it done,” Williams said. “We play well throughout the whole game, and then there’s that one big mistake that kills us. Just to keep losing like this takes a lot of wind out of a football team that has played as hard as we have.”