“I felt like I died and woke up,” Gruden said. “And died again. I was like a cat. I had multiple lives tonight. I don’t like playing like that”
For the Ravens, widely considered Super Bowl contenders this season, it was a near miss that stung.
“That loss hurt, definitely,” Jackson said. “That game could have gone any way tonight.” The Ravens had not blown a 14-point lead since 2004.
The result may not convince anyone that the Raiders, who were 8-8 last season, are for real. But after the game Gruden saw the bottom line with a quote from the longtime Raiders owner Al Davis.
With a smile he said: “It’s like they say here. Just win baby.”