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The Kansas City Chiefs and Oakland Raiders used to be the best rivalry in football. Now, both organizations are a shell of their former selves with everyone in the country forgetting they even exist unless they're in search of a punchline.
Games between these two rivals were must-see TV back in the 1960s and early '70s, with greats dotting the landscape for both sides such as Len Dawson, Bobby Bell, Willie Lanier, Emmitt Thomas, Otis Taylor, Fred Biletnikoff, Willie Brown, Art Shell, Jim Otto and Gene Upshaw.
Now? Get ready for the immortals like Brady Quinn and Carson Palmer. Despite everyone's intense hatred of Oakland (which is well-earned), it's actually sad to see how far that franchise has fallen.
It's always more fun when both a team and its rivals are good. What's better than beating a team like the Raiders when all the chips have been pushed to the middle of the table for both sides? Nothing.
It's hard to say how long it will take before both teams are once again competitive. Kansas City doesn't appear to be that far away, needing a real head coach and an NFL quarterback to once again be a legitimate force.
However, time will tell how accurate my feeling on that really is with Hunt and the boys almost forced into drafting a first round QB, right after they can Romeo Crennel. New blood will be in place at those two spots and possibly in the general manager chair as well this offseason.
Nobody else on the team can hide behind those issues anymore; it's sink or swim.
Oakland is another case altogether. It's hard to say whether or not Dennis Allen is the right man for the job yet considering he's only coached six games. Same goes for GM Reggie McKenzie, who needs a few more seasons and some drafts before it's obvious how well he's doing.
What's clear is the Raiders' need for a QB along with many other pieces. Personnel-wise, the Chiefs are much closer on paper than Oakland. McKenzie has a ton of work left, including the need to find a brand-new secondary, some linebackers and a few playmakers.
This game on Sunday should be so much more exciting than it is. Usually I'd be all pumped up for Raider Week, instead I find myself waiting for another miserable Sunday afternoon.
Hopefully a new day will be on the horizon soon for two storied franchises that have lost their way.