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NEW ORLEANS -- Even if the Oakland Raiders latest visit to the Superdome wont go down as their most memorable triumph in New Orleans, it certainly has the potential to be a pivotal moment in the apparent resurgence of a proud franchise that hasnt won much for more than a decade. Custom Green Bay Packers Jerseys .The Raiders have been so annually lousy since 2002 that coach Jack Del Rios 7-9 record in his first season with the club a year ago was widely seen as a promising development. And because a number of the Raiders top players are young, Oakland is becoming a popular dark horse pick to contend for an AFC playoff spot.Given the resolve and guts the silver-and-black demonstrated in a dramatic, season-opening 35-34 victory over the Saints on Sunday, why not?The Raiders not only erased a 14-point, second-half deficit on hostile ground. They also overcame another one-touchdown deficit in style, marching 75 yards in the final minutes for a touchdown and a bold, do-or-die, 2-point conversion from Derek Carr to Michael Crabtree with 47 seconds left.Thatll never measure up to the 1980 Raiders Super Bowl triumph in the Big Easy, but its the kind of victory that can give a young squad a psychological edge.Today really helps them with finding a way to get a win, Del Rio said after Sundays triumph. This year, we are talking about learning how to win, learning how to close these games, sticking together and making plays at the end. I am really proud of our guys, really happy for them.The Saints are also coming off of a 7-9 record last season. They showed potential to improve, but ultimately lost for much the same reason as last year -- their defense couldnt make what Drew Brees and Co. produced hold up.Theres a point where you have to dig down and get off the field, coach Sean Payton said of his defense, noting the unit did not have any sacks or turnovers. We werent able to do so. From then on, youre just hanging in there, and we didnt make enough plays.Other key developments from the Raiders-Saints season opener:BALANCED ATTACK: As much as the Raiders might lean on Carr and his top receivers -- Crabtree and Amari Cooper -- to produce, their running game made the difference in New Orleans. The Raiders rushed for 167 yards, including touchdown runs of 75 yards by rookie Jalen Richard , 6 yards by Latavius Murray and 2 yards by Jamize Olawale.BETTER BLOCKING: The Saints offensive line struggled during an 0-4 preseason, but generally gave Brees the time he needed against Oakland. Brees blamed himself for his fumble on a sack, saying he held the ball too long, and applauded his protection during a 423-yard, four TD performance.Well be fine, said veteran right guard Jahri Evans, who was re-acquired last week to shore up the unit. Drew felt comfortable back there. We got some long passes.OPPORTUNISTIC DEFENSE: While the Raiders defense sometimes struggled to stop the ever-prolific Brees, they made a number of promising plays, highlighted by Bruce Irvins sack and strip of the Saints star QB for a turnover. The Raiders forced another fumble by Saints receiver Willie Snead, but werent able to pounce on it. Meanwhile, Oakland held the Saints to 88 yards rushing.EXPERIENCE DEFICIT: The Saints started the game with a lot of youth and inexperience in the secondary and ended it with even more after second-year starting cornerback Delvin Breaux was taken to the locker room with an undisclosed lower leg injury. With newly acquired veteran cornerback Sterling Moore inactive, the Saints had several defensive backs with no prior regular season NFL experience on the field for Oaklands winning drive. That included undrafted rookie Ken Crawley, who was covering Crabtree on the winning conversion.QB PROFICIENCY: The Saints neednt worry about the 37-year-old Brees age and the Raiders can be confident that Carr continues to develop into one of the NFLs best as he enters his prime. Brees opened his 16th season by eclipsing the 400-yard mark for the 14th time in his career, tying for first all-time with Peyton Manning. He also set personal and team records for longest passing play on a 98-yard TD to Brandin Cooks . Car passed for 319 yards, one TD and a pair of clutch 2-point conversions, first to Cooper to tie the game at 27 and later to Crabtree for the win.---AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and AP NFL Twitter feed: www.twitter.com/AP-NFL Clay Matthews Packers Jersey . "Thank you for the warm welcome," Beckham said on an 80-degree February morning. In this case, it was soccer weather. The sport moved a step closer to returning to South Florida on Wednesday, when Beckham confirmed he has exercised his option to purchase a Major League Soccer expansion franchise in Miami. Jace Sternberger Jersey . -- Mike Smith never saw his first NHL goal go in. http:///...nson-Packers-Jersey/ . Los Angeles star goalie survived those perilous gymnastics with no problem, and he eventually backstopped the Kings to a skid-snapping win. Quick stopped 27 shots in his return from a 24-game injury absence, Jeff Carter scored the tiebreaking goal with 7:55 to play, and the Kings snapped their five-game losing streak with a 3-1 victory over the Vancouver Canucks on Saturday night.Zak Brown has received a firm offer from McLaren to succeed Ron Dennis as their chief executive, Sky Sports has learnt. But it is also understood that Brown has also received a job offer from Liberty Media, the sports proposed new owners.Sky sources have suggested that Brown will make a decision - effectively choosing between becoming the boss of one of the sports biggest teams or one of the bosses of the sport - in the next week. Dennis leaves McLaren rolesThe 45-year-old American businessman is a free agent after tendering his resignation as the chief executive of the CSM sport marketing and entertainment group in September.I dont think Zak would say he is the man to put together a Formula 1 team, commented Sky Sports F1s Damon Hill.His strength probably is sponsorship and selling the team and that is a huge part of this sport, putting together a package in order to fight in Formula 1 as the cash flow out is massive.He would be a brilliant person for that and he also has a good relationship with F1s potential owners Liberty Media, so he is well placed to get on with the people who might be running it. Marketinng guru Zak Brown appeared on F1 Report in October amid suggestions that he could play a key part in the running of the sport McLaren confirmed on Tuesday night that they were in the process of seeking a new Chief Executive Officer following the removal of Dennis in the final act of a long-running boardroom dispute. Jace Sternberger Youth Jersey. Its thought that Dennis autocratic management style was cited as a reason for his ousting. However, in a statement, Dennis described the grounds for his departure as entirely spurious.Friends of Dennis have described the 69-year-old as feeling betrayed by his own family.  Craig Slater reports that Ron Dennis feels betrayed by his own family after stepping down as McLaren chairman and chief executive Dont miss the F1 Reports Brazilian GP review on Sky Sports F1 on Wednesday at 8.30pm Also See: Dennis steps down at McLaren McLaren to be run by committee Working for Ron Dennis F1 gossip column Wholeslae Jerseys NFL Jerseys Cheap Wholesale NBA Jerseys Cheap NHL Jerseys Cheap MLB Jerseys Wholesale Soccer Jerseys Cheap College Jerseys Cheap Football Jerseys Cheap Basketball Jerseys Cheap Baseball Jerseys ' ' '