FanPost

A future without the Raider rivalry?


So, CBS Sports is reporting that the Chargers or Raiders would be willing to leave the AFC West if they are both relocated to Los Angeles.

Since I have been following the Broncos over three decades ago, I have had the enjoyment of two regular season games in which we would, at the very least, demonstrate our moral superiority over Oakland/Los Angeles/Oakland and their fan base. The potential of a future AFC West without the two rivalry games involving the Raiders would seem to be almost beyond that which I could consider reasonable.

Very few true Broncos fans could even begin to imagine being a fan of both clubs, and for good reason. We have had many decades and over 100 match-ups to build the spark of competition into the engulfing wildfire it has become today. From intentional injuries, fights among the fans and outright deception and manipulation of Broncos players by Raiders staff and personnel, there is plenty of past precedent and rich history to consider this rivalry to be one of the very best in the NFL.

It wouldn't be the first time that the AFC West lost a member. When Seattle was swapped in the 2002 realignment of the NFL, they were moved to the NFC West, leaving the original four AFC West members, Kansas City, Oakland, San Diego and Denver. To lose one of these members to another realignment would be earthshaking to the division and might perhaps have concentric effects in numerous divisions due to more potential shuffling.

Abandoning the historical structure of this division would almost certainly alter the chemistry that has -- for multiple generations -- been a significant reason for pouring the heart and soul of the fan base into what is now known as NFL football west of the Mississippi River.

This is a Fan-Created Comment on MileHighReport.com. The opinion here is not necessarily shared by the editorial staff of MHR.