Marshawn Lynch signing the day before the draft, is like getting your dessert first if you are an Oakland Raiders fan. When the Oakland Raiders traded for Marshawn Lynch they didn’t just fill a hole, they took the offense to the next level.
Marshawn Lynch Brings Hall of Fame Credentials to Oakland Raiders
Marshawn Lynch is slated to return from Haiti. Expected to be today. He’ll have a new contract & #Raiders uniform https://t.co/raSehQh4ky
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) April 26, 2017
The significance of this addition cannot be understated. Lets start with the raw numbers over 10 NFL seasons.
9,112 Rushing Yards.
1,979 Receiving Yards.
84 Touchdowns (one of those throwing)
Lynch is a workhorse also. He has played and average 12.7 games a season over his career. And only two of those 10 seasons did he not play at least 12 games. Also, during most of that time, he was playing behind some of the worst ranked offensive lines as well.
Now opposing teams have to face, Derek Carr, Amari Cooper, Michael Crabtree, Jarad Cook, Jalen Richard, DeAndre Washington, AND Marshawn Lynch. All that with one of the best offensive lines in all of pro football.
Now I get some of you are doubters. At age 31, some of you will feel he has a lot of miles, and the tread is wearing thin. I get you. However when I look at this BeastMode scenario, I see another situation that played out in 1981.
The Diesel.
A man called the “Diesel” by some, whose name was John Riggins, had just come back to the Washington Redskins. This after he sat out a year over a contract dispute. Other called him “Big John” like the old Jimmy Dean song. He was also 31.
What John Riggins did for the next five years is legend. The Diesel came back and played 72 games, including playoffs, over that five year span. He scored 74 Touchdowns and rushed for 5,496 yards. He also was Superbowl XVII MVP. This cemented his Pro Football Hall of Fame enshrinement.
If you think about the team the Redskins had in the early 80’s and compare them to the 2017 Raiders, the similarities are uncanny. Joe Theisman, Art Monk, Joe Washington, Charlie Brown, and an offensive line called “The Hogs”. With the help of John Riggins the ‘Skins made the playoffs in 82-84, and went to the Superbowl twice, hoisting Mr Lombardi up in Superbowl XVII.
Some of you will think my expectations are too lofty. Others might say I have completely lost my mind. That’s ok by me. I have always called it like I see it, and this is what I see.
Bold Prediction Time?
As long as the Raiders remain relatively healthy, the addition of Marshawn Lynch, and a solid 2017 draft is going to propel the Raiders to a Superbowl this year or next. The Raiders offense will be top three in either yards or points. Just like the Redskins were in 1983-84.
Book it!
