Raiders vs Vikings: A Clash of the Pirates on Nov. 20- We won!

Damali Binta – Nov 13, 2011

A little research will make clear the fact that both the Oakland Raiders and the Minnesota Vikings have logos of pirates, those men who took what they wanted throughout history.

Which pirate will prevail on Nov. 20? The discussion can be enhanced by a look at some of the historical data.

In 2011, we see that the Oakland Raiders have more wins than the Vikings. This may look good, but the Vikings have put up an effort to win against some very good teams this season.

For example, although the Vikings were defeated by the Green Bay Packers, the separation was only six points, with a final score of 33-27 in 2011. Actually, that's not bad because the Packers are a very strong team in 2011, with a perfect record of nine wins, so far.

Again, the Vikings fought back in a game against the Chargers, losing by only seven points in 2011. That one touchdown and an extra point separated the victorious Chargers in this case.

Now, if you look at the position of the Vikings in the NFC North, you see that they are at the bottom of the barrel as of Nov. 13, 2011. Compare that to the first place position of the Raiders in the AFC West, to date.

Now, look at the historical data to see a pattern:

 

 

 

 

 

 

If history helps us formulate opinions in the future, then it looks like the Vikings are on a decline while the Raiders are fighting hard to maintain an upward trend. In 2010, the Raiders' performance exceeded that of the Vikings. So far, in 2011, the Raiders are doing better than the Vikings.

Again, we have to remember that two pirate types are going to be on the playing field. Clearly, the Vikings are hungry to outperform a team that they have dominated, if you look at total wins per season, for the past seven years.

On the other hand, the Raiders are tired of being in the "near" basement of the NFL, and with Carson Palmer accurately and boldly taking those risks and firing those "bombs," the Vikings are in for a great surprise.

I believe the Raiders will defeat the Vikings. Why? Well, some  statements need to be made by Hue Jackson. Some milestones need to be achieved by the team. Some validation of good decision-making needs to be documented for the franchise.

In my opinion, Carson Palmer is a leader and has the nonverbal cues that signal intimidation and fear or respect for a sharp-shooting quarterback.

Palmer hits the target in a narrow window, from a great distance. This quality is going to help the Raiders rise above the other pirates, the Minnesota Vikings.

Go Raiders! I will take a risk and predict a score for Nov. 20:

Raiders 38, Vikings 28

Go Raiders!