What happened to the Jason Campbell we used to know?
You know what we’re talking about. It was always something with Campbell — a tipped pass, a forced fumble, a receiver’s drop, the sun in his eyes. Campbell had the cardiovascular fitness to run the two-minute drill, but he could never get it done.
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Many times, he seemed the victim of things beyond his control — like his loony coach, who liked throwing tackling dummies at him during practice.
But in a bad situation or not, there was no more damning stat than Campbell’s 2-8 record last year with the Redskins in games decided by a touchdown or less. For his inability to produce in the clutch, there was no one else to blame.
So in an offseason trade for a mere fourth-round draft pick, Campbell, poor guy, went from one dysfunctional franchise to another, the Oakland Raiders.
But don’t feel bad for Campbell. On Sunday he was the toast of the Bay Area as he led the resurgent Raiders to, yes, a come-from-behind victory over the Chiefs 23-20 in overtime.
With considerable help from playmaking rookie wideout Jacoby Ford (six receptions, 148 yards), Campbell completed three big passes — two that set up field goals in the fourth quarter and then one beautiful 43-yard rainbow that set up Sebastian Janikowski for the chip-shot game winner in OT.
Playing in front of their first home sellout crowd in more than a year, the Raiders (5-4) won their third straight and provided more evidence that they can challenge for a playoff spot in the crowded AFC.
While the soft-spoken Campbell might not be the ideal personality type for the rowdy Raiders, his physical gifts are a perfect fit for what owner Al Davis craves in his quarterbacks. No one has ever doubted Campbell’s ability to throw deep, a quality he displayed in the clutch Sunday.
Now with a bye week, the Raiders must decide whether Campbell is their quarterback or the job still belongs to Bruce Gradkowski, who injured his shoulder in Week 5.
Now that Campbell’s finally added a comeback to his resume, it should be an easy choice.
