Las Vegas Raiders: 3 best Week 1 games in the last decade

2016: Oakland Raiders vs New Orleans Saints

In what was one of the greatest games in the history of the Raiders, the team’s season-opening bout against the New Orleans Saints set the standard for an electric season. 

A back-and-forth affair, the Raiders defense had to contend with a loaded Saints offense that had Drew Brees, Mark Ingram, Michael Thomas, and Brandin Cooks. 

While they certainly put up points on the back of Brees' 423 yards and four touchdowns, Carr and the Raiders continuously responded. Young wideout Amari Cooper was a star with 137 yards on six receptions and the backfield featured touchdown runs from three different players. 

Alas, it is the fourth-quarter heroics that have burned this game into the minds of Raider Nation. After a Brees touchdown pass gave the Saints a 34-27 in the fourth, Carr and the offense drove down the field and made it 34-33 with a strike to Seth Roberts. 

However, instead of kicking the extra point for the tie, Oakland risked it all and went for two and the win. To further the excitement, the team dialed up perhaps the riskiest play of them all, a 50/50 ball to the corner of the end zone for Michael Crabtree. 

Of course, he would secure the catch en route to establishing himself as a player with a knack for clutch moments and gave the Raiders a 35-34 lead. The Silver and Black would successfully fend off a Saints rally after Wil Lutz missed a potential game-winning field goal as the clock expired. 

As mentioned, this game set the tone for what was a truly electric season that was full of come-from-behind wins and huge plays which only makes this game that much sweeter for Raider Nation.