The Hater Nation Remembers

The clutch plays of Tim Brown.

We have been too harsh on Tim Brown. It is hard to talk bad about a future Hall of Fame receiver that led the league in receptions once, and never led the league in receiving yards or touchdowns. The dude was just that dominant.

But nobody could match Brown in the clutch. Brown was at his best when it mattered the most. When you think of Tim Brown, which clutch playoff moment do you think about? Do you think about his three career playoff touchdowns in 12 games? (Brown and the immortal Don Beebe are only 19 playoff touchdowns behind Jerry Rice.)

Maybe it was his 2 receptions for 17 yards in Buffalo�s 51-3 route of the Raiders. It was as if Brown had put the Raiders on his shoulders and led them to that field goal.

Brown was instrumental as the Raiders prevailed over the Dolphins, 27-0, in 2000. Yes , an actual Raiders playoff victory. It is hard to believe that he did not get the game ball in that one after making 2 receptions for 27 yards. (That is ten more yards than the game in Buffalo).

But my favorite Brown playoff moment was his lone reception, for nine yards, in a Super Bowl loss to the Buccaneers. In the biggest game of Brown's career, he came up woefully short. Just as he always had during his NFL career.

The dude averaged less than 4 receptions for 48 yards in 12 postseason games. Brown topped more than 100 receiving yards only once during that stretch. Brown stepped it up a notch in a game against arguably the greatest defense in NFL history (2000 Baltimore Ravens). He had 5 receptions for 48 yards �and no touchdowns. When Brown was pitted one-on-one against the greatest defense he had ever seen, he pushed his total up from his average of 4 to 5. That is clutch. If that does not spell clutch to you, then you are just a hater that does not realize just how great the Raiders are.

Congratulations Tim Brown. It is no wonder you won that fist full of rings with the Raiders.

You can read about Tim Brown's credentials here, or his induction in the Hall of Average. Keep up the discussion in the Hater Nation Forums.