Buchanons Blunder

[Raiderrooter]

Buchanon's Blunder
November 24, 2003
BY Sal Collura, Raiderfans.net Staff Columnist



The Raider defense had just stop the Chiefs, trailing by 3 points they were about to get the ball back to their offense, which seemed to wrestle the momentum back from the Chiefs. What happened next was in a way a microcosm of the Raider season. Buchanon fielded the punt he juked and jived and was forced out of bounds. Buchanon then decided to rip off his helmet and let the Chiefs fans know what he had just done in case anyone wasn't looking. The move resulted in an unsportsmanlike conduct a penalty that cost the Raiders 15 yards of field position. Its not that Buchanon's blunder as I've now dubbed it cost the Raiders their season. No that was lost in my opinion when they lost to the Lions. But as I sat there glaring at the TV in disbelief I couldn't help think that the Raider season was summed up in that one play and crucial mistake.

For the Oakland Raiders the chain of events that started with the Superbowl loss in January 2003 and just snowballed into that blunder was all there in living color. Training camp Romonowski punches a team mate, preseason the offense can't get anything going, regular season offense still can't get anything going and when they do they are stopped by penalties, injuries stack up at an alarming rate with almost all being season ending injuries, players slamming coaches, coaches doing their best spin for damage control, alleged steroid use. My goodness even Stephen King would be hard pressed to come up with such a horror story. Lord only knows what the next five weeks will bring the Raider Nation. But when 'Showtime' tried to go Primetime it all wove together. It started first with Gibson being taking off the field by stretcher. Another injury, possibly season ending. Then the punt a great play followed by a penalty, the offense gets 3 instead of 7 again a coach on the sideline and in the lockerroom trying to put a spin on things. Even retired veterans chime in with their assesment. And then all to painful a loss. Another closes game, another loss. This is a season gone awry. If the Raider season was a horse they would have taken it behind the barn and put it out of its misery already. Soon the turkeys will be served then the trees will be trimmed and then the Raider season will be over. And as the Raider Nation will use another spring and summer to forget a terrible ending to a season, you maybe able to take "The Blunder" and wrap the whole season in that one play and tell the story of the 2003 Oakland Raiders.

[bigtoe_o]

The main thing that bothers me about Buch's Blunder is the fact that the kid isn't very good. For ever FANTASTIC play he has, he has 10 blown coverages. Plus, there is the punt return in Denver when he was celebrating as the team was getting it's butt kicked. This guy is all about himself. He would rather make the highlight reel then play a solid game where he doesn't give anything up, but doesn't have the "BIG" play. As a Raider fan I am very frusterated with this kid. I hope the verterans get in his face this week!

[Raiderrooter]

I hear you . But what do you expect he has Dion Sanders as his hero and role model. Shoot he played for those bad Falcon teams and that didn't stop Primetime from dancing everytime he returned aa kick or got an INT. Face it I'm old school and todays players are new school. They aren't going wawy si I better grin and bear it.

[Raiderrooter]

P.S. The jist of this article is really that the whole Raider season has been a blunder. For every positive (i.e Mirer's play, Wheatley) there have been 4 negatives to offset it. And 8 losses so far. Never in my wildest dreams did I think they would lose 8. And had them figured for 6 tops. Considering seeing the Lions, Bears and Browns on the schedule also the Jets who trhey usually beat at home.

[Bako]

He's youn and learning. I'm glad he's making mistakes this season so he can learn from them. And hopefully next year when we don't have so many missed tackles that give the other team first downs so they can get in scoring range, he'll be over these mistakes. Buch will be on of the best cb's in football, watch.

[Raiderrooter]

I have no doubt that he can be. What worries me is that when that happens his already over enflated ego will reach epic perportions. Forget about taken off his helmit he just may do a full out srtip tease. And thats something I really don't need to witness