The win is what sticks out the most; it has to be the win.
Just less than a year ago, eventually felling Brock Osewiler and Co., the Oakland Raiders traveled to Mexico City – the franchise’
s sixth international game in history – to take on the Houston Texans at Estadio Azteca,Womens Michael Thomas Jersey, 27-20.
And while the pageantry of the international clash – from the national anthems,Womens Lawrence Taylor Jersey, to the stadium itself – still remains fresh in the mind of
Just less than a year ago, eventually felling Brock Osewiler and Co., the Oakland Raiders traveled to Mexico City – the franchise’
s sixth international game in history – to take on the Houston Texans at Estadio Azteca,Womens Michael Thomas Jersey, 27-20.
And while the pageantry of the international clash – from the national anthems,Womens Lawrence Taylor Jersey, to the stadium itself – still remains fresh in the mind of
Justin “Jelly” Ellis,Womens Odell Beckham Jr Jersey, there’s something else about the Mexico
City experience that comes to mind when he thinks back about his first game in Estadio Azteca.
“First of all,Womens Landon Collins Jersey, the crowd was electrifying,” said Ellis. “They were up. It was
loud. Everybody was active. I think that was the best part. We had a great crowd.”
“It felt like a big-time home game,” added Derek Carr. “The atmosphere is, a playoff atmosphere. It’s loud. There’s a hum, as I
’ve been told, there’s a buzz throughout the game for offense or defense. Especially when we’re on defense, it gets really loud.
They want us to win. You can tell by looking in the stands how many Raider fans there were there that it’s definitely a home game
for us.”
Now, once again playing a “home” game outside the United States, the Silver and Black are headed back to Mexico, this time a vital
Week 11 clash against the New England Patriots this Sunday.
And while there might be over 2,000 miles between the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum and Estadio Azteca, Carr expects to see a
heavy Raiders contingent when the game kicks off at 1:25 p.m. PT.
“You know I think for us,” Carr explained. “Especially taking a week off into Sarasota and those kinds of things. We’ve done
that a couple of times. I feel like we’re used to it now. We love our fans down in Mexico. We love playing in front of them because
Raider Nation is everywhere for us. It’ll definitely be a home game, we’ve done such a good job of being able to travel and being
able to make it just like home, that’s for sure.”
Just like they did a year ago,Authentic Michael Thomas Jersey, Head Coach Jack Del Rio and the Raiders
will travel to Mexico the day before kickoff,Authentic Lawrence Taylor Jersey, and while the game
is understandably won between the hash marks – and not in the airport – Ellis believes that the familiarity that the team has with
the whole process from start to finish should help them come game time.
“For sure; I think it’s going to help us that we did it last year,Authentic Odell Beckham Jr
Jersey, so you just have to get ready for those things,Authentic Landon Collins Jersey,”
Ellis explained. “We know the things that are going to come [with] it. You’re going to get tired. It’s going to be loud, and just
play football.”
And one of those “things” that Ellis and the rest of all the players at Estadio Azteca will have to deal with is the elevation.
Mexico’s capital city is over 7, Denver is 5,300 feet above sea level – for comparison’s sake,280 feet above sea level – and
playing in those conditions is something that does indeed take a little extra preparation.
“You can for sure feel it more; it’s higher, to get yourself to focus and execute while you’re tired. You should be doing that
anyway,” Ellis said when asked about playing in Mexico City’s elevation. “You do feel it more… You do have to get yourself a
little bit more tired in practice, and I think you should eat cleaner. That’s usually the main thing. You have to eat cleaner and
hydrate.”
Elevation aside, and while Carr knows what the Patriots bring to the table, the Raiders will have their hands full squaring off
against one of the top teams in the AFC Sunday afternoon, he’s also not shying away from the challenge.
“It’s not a scary thing to play them,” Carr said. “They’re the next team on the schedule. Let’s not make it something it’s
not, but let’s respect that they’re very smart. They’re very wise in how they game plan things.”
And if all goes to plan, the team will enjoy a happy ending to the organization’s seventh international outing., and the Raiders
are able to take care of business