Mechanical issues delayed Raiders’ flight to New Orleans

There might or might not be a connection between giving Tom Brady a below-market deal for 10 percent of the franchise and the latest tale of dysfunction coming from the gang that couldn’t raid straight.

Via Vincent Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review Journal, mechanical problems delayed the Raiders’ flight out of Las Vegas to New Orleans on Saturday. Due to leave in the morning, the flight eventually took off at roughly 7:00 p.m. local time — with the team using a different plane.

Based on the FlightAware app, a United aircraft left Las Vegas at 7:05 p.m. PT and landed in New Orleans at 11:39 p.m. CT. That gives the Raiders a little more than 12 hours between touchdown and the effort to score touchdowns against the Saints.

Will it matter? If nothing else, it might be another factor that contributes to a get-this-shitty-season-over-with mindset for the Raiders, who’ll be facing a Saints team that might get a lift from its home fans.