By John Ingoldsby, Player Engagement Insider
Planning always pays off in the National Football League, and the Oakland Raiders’ advance efforts helped make the Mexico City game as massive an event as expected.
Featured on foreign soil for the first time ever on Monday Night Football, the game unfolded as expected for running back Taiwan Jones, who twice visited the sprawling capital city earlier this year as one of the team’s ambassadors.
During his earlier journeys there, the six-year veteran consistently had heard what a huge happening the game would be, and the NFL-crazed metropolis of more than 20 million did not disappoint.
“It was pretty cool, and just like the locals on my earlier visits had told me it would be, they definitely packed the house and came out in big numbers,” Jones said. “They were loud the whole time with a lot of good energy in there, so it was definitely a fun atmosphere to play in.”
An atmosphere on the sacred sod of iconic Estadio Azteca that was packed with 76,000-plus fans who, like NFL lovers in London, contributed to the game selling out in under a half-hour.
With Oakland as the designated home team and Raider Nation out in full force, Jones observed, “Azteca was definitely the biggest stadium that I ever played in with the biggest crowd, and Mexico fans brought the energy from start to finish, so it was easy to go out and play with the same energy that they brought.”
But this was a business trip for the six-foot 195-pounder, unlike Jones’ earlier visits that included everything from attending a soccer game and boat rides to coaching flag football and a guacamole challenge.
“We flew down the day before the game, and during the bus ride from the airport to the hotel I actually put on my music and slept, and then on game day we woke up and did our regular game day meeting routine, and during downtime I was in my room and stayed off my feet,” said the Eastern Washington alumnus reflecting on his day leading up to the Raiders’ exhilarating 27-20 last-minute win. “Then right after the game, we packed up, headed to the airport to fly home, and arrived about 5:30 in the morning.”
When they awoke, it was a new day for the Silver and Black as they not only held onto first place in the AFC West, but with an 8-2 record are alone with the New England Patriots atop the entire AFC, and behind only the 10-1 Dallas Cowboys in the NFL’s overall standings.
“We feel pretty good that for the first time in a long time we have an 8-2 record leading our division, so we are excited for where we are right now, but still have a lot of things to work on, so we will watch film and see what we can correct,” said the 28-year-old, who will have fond memories from south of the border.
“With the fans being so loud and bringing the energy there, it was pretty good for not only the Raiders and building our fan base, but also for the whole NFL,” said the Antioch, California native. “I would be fine playing there again.”