Getting Over the Hump?

The Chargers game may hold significance later down the line looking back. This game reminded me of the game that the Raiders finally broke through and beat the Chiefs on an OT field goal by Joe Nedney to win 41-38 on the final game of the season on January 2, 2000. The Chiefs had a stronghold on the series in recent years much like the Chargers had. The Chiefs had won 12 of 13 meetings between the two from 1993-1999. Just like the Chiefs, the Chargers entered last Sunday's game having won the last 13 meetings against the Raiders. So why is this important? Well, the Raiders then went on to win the division the next three years and played in the AFC Championship game twice and the Super Bowl. That win that they desperately wanted, finally saw them break through and get it to put them over the hump. In the same way last Sunday's game felt, it could very well do a great wonder for the overall confidence and psyche of this football team. They are not there yet. They still have to go out and put together back-to-back wins and prove to themselves that they have finally arrived. It all begins this Sunday in the Bay Area with cross-city rivals, the 49ers.