The Odd Stat of the Week

Issue: What is the weirdest stat you have heard this week?

Short Answer: Well, it actually involves the Oakland Raiders...

Reasoning: My brother Casey (if you read this blog, you may feel as if you know him personally by now) was telling me how much he liked odd stats.  You know, the one's that make you raise your eyebrows a bit?  So, I have decided to make a weekly post involving such stats (I hope I remember I said that next Sunday).  This week's odd stat involves the newly improved (not that they could have gotten much worse) Oakland Raiders.

Did you know, that Oakland's win today over the Chiefs (31-10) put them at 6-0 in the AFC West?  Yes, they finished 8-8 on the season, which means they were 2-8 versus the rest of the NFL.  They beat San Diego twice (week 5, 35-27; week 13, 28-13), Denver twice (real tough, I know; week 7, 59-14; week 15, 39-23), and Kansas City twice (week 9, 23-20; week 17, 31-10).  They lost to Tennesse, Arizona, Houston, San Francisco, Pittsburgh, Miami, Jacksonville, and Indianapolis.  Their only two wins outside the AFC West?  Seattle and St. Louis (two teams who are competing for a playoff spot, but neither of which have a winning record).

So, just how odd is it that a team go undefeated in their own division, and still miss the playoffs?  This is the first time it has ever happened since the AFL/NFL merger in 1970.  What does it tell us going forward?  The Raiders might be a team to watch in the upcoming years.  Oh, and I am going to attempt to draft Darren McFadden in my fantasy leagues next year.

Runner-up for odd stat of the week: Miami Dolphins road record this year, 6-2; Miami Dolphins home record this year, 1-7.

*Stats taken from Da Raiders.