Natalie Saar

What’s Going On In The Training Room?

 Posted by at 10:32 AM  1 Response »
Dec 112011
 

Anyone who is a Raiders fan or works writing about football is beyond frustrated with the Raiders organization right now. Not because of the way they’re playing, which is bipolar to say the least, experiencing glimpses of an untouchable championship team, then flashes of a scrappy high school squad. The frustration comes from within, with regard to injuries. Call it self-serving, but many people need to know what to expect on Sunday, and with these obscure, clearly false injury reports, fans are getting restless.

A key component to the Silver and Black’s mystique is an air of secrecy. Up until the time of his death, the team and family never let on how truly sick Mr. Davis was. This would take attention away from the team on the field, which no one inside the walls of the facility in Alameda wanted. This same tactic is being employed with the Raiders current injured players.

Darren McFadden has been out for weeks with a foot injury that they’ve played down from the beginning. He’s still not practicing and no one has any idea when he’s coming back. Recently, Denarius Moore and Jacoby Ford went down too, both with what was made to sound like minor injuries and promises that they would be back soon. Taiwan Jones is also out and no one knows when the rookie might help out Michael Bush carry the load.

This week the Raiders are going up against the undefeated champion Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field. If the Raiders are playing up to the very best of their ability, they have a good chance of beating the Packers. Have extra drinks on tap for celebration. However, if they play like they did last week have extra drinks on tap to make you forget. There’s always a chance that the injured players can come back, but the patience of Raiders fans is waning.

A little honestly never hurt anyone (not a lot, just a little) and everyone wants to know what’s really going on inside that training room. How much longer will McFadden have “DNP” next to his name on the injury report? At this rate, should we expect to see Denarius Moore, Jacoby Ford and Taiwan Jones again this year?

The Raiders spinning injury information, trying to calm the fan base is not working anymore. The fans are starting to expect that anyone on the injury report after the game Sunday will not play for the rest of the year because no one is letting the fans know what’s really going on inside the training room.

Hold tight Raiders fans and focus on the players who are on the field. Carson Palmer is getting better as he falls in sync with this team. T.J. Houshmandzadeh finally caught his first touchdown pass as a Raider last week and Michael Bush is keeping the ground game going single-handedly.

Raiders’ Obstacles and Weapons

 Posted by at 8:00 AM  2 Responses »
Nov 172011
 

The Raiders are one of the most up and down teams in the NFL, but with good reason. At the beginning of the season, they rose with the Autumn wind, fueled by the emotion of the passing of Mr. Silver and Black himself. They looked unstoppable; that is, until Campbell got hurt. The team, who still has no real, official front office leadership, had to make a snap decision about what to do since the signing deadline was looming. This landed Carson Palmer squarely into the black hole, and the rest of the team started looking like just that: a black hole. Then the Autumn wind picked up again and the team is cruising steadily. Though they’re headed in the right direction, there are still some massive things to look out for, both good and bad.

Raiders’ Biggest Obstacles

Penalties
It’s still no secret that the Raiders are the most penalized team in the NFL, which is not unique to this season. This seems to be something that needs constant work and attention. Even a casual Raiders fan can think of at least one game that was lost on a penalty. This remains their biggest obstacle.

Play Calling
Hue Jackson is seemingly trying to fill the shoes of Head Coach and Al Davis, one of which he is new to and the other is impossible. You could see the desperation and over-confidence in his face when he prematurely threw down the challenge flag last week. Hue Jackson, while doing a good job overall, tends to get in his own way. His ability to out-think himself and put the weight of the Raider Nation on his shoulders is most definitely an obstacle.

The O-Line
While they did a pretty good job last week, the O-line is the scapegoat for a lot of problems. If a quarterback has no blocking, he can’t throw; it’s as simple as that. If he gets sacked, he gets hurt, and Boller goes in, which NO ONE wants except maybe his mother, unless she’s a Raiders fan. The O-line needs to protect their quarterback. If he has time, plays happen and games are won.

Raiders Biggest Weapons

The Run Game
Even with DMC out, the Raiders have been able to generate a ton of yards utilizing the run game. Michael Bush is a number two running back, but when given the chance, he always rises to the occasion. This is a weapon the Raiders use effectively and consistently. Taiwan Jones brings up the next weapon.

Rookies
Sure, coaches have had half a season to get a look at some of these Raider rookies, but not a good one, which works to the Raiders’ benefit. Denarius Moore lit up the field last Thursday and quickly took Who’s-Yo-Mamma’s place as Palmer’s number one receiver. Taiwan Jones played a very valuable part and averaged 5.6 yards per carry against the Chargers. The ability of their rookies to step up, play where needed, and excel is a huge benefit.

A Veteran Quarterback
While many questioned the signing of Carson Palmer for two weeks (three if you count the bye), they were silenced on Thursday. Taking a closer look at Palmer’s initial play would show you there was nothing to worry about and he just needed to fall in sync with his players. He now provides the team with steady veteran leadership, which they haven’t had from a quarterback since the Gannon years.

Raiders’ Obstacles and Weapons

 Posted by at 8:00 AM  2 Responses »
Nov 172011
 

The Raiders are one of the most up and down teams in the NFL, but with good reason. At the beginning of the season, they rose with the Autumn wind, fueled by the emotion of the passing of Mr. Silver and Black himself. They looked unstoppable; that is, until Campbell got hurt. The team, who still has no real, official front office leadership, had to make a snap decision about what to do since the signing deadline was looming. This landed Carson Palmer squarely into the black hole, and the rest of the team started looking like just that: a black hole. Then the Autumn wind picked up again and the team is cruising steadily. Though they’re headed in the right direction, there are still some massive things to look out for, both good and bad.

Raiders’ Biggest Obstacles

Penalties
It’s still no secret that the Raiders are the most penalized team in the NFL, which is not unique to this season. This seems to be something that needs constant work and attention. Even a casual Raiders fan can think of at least one game that was lost on a penalty. This remains their biggest obstacle.

Play Calling
Hue Jackson is seemingly trying to fill the shoes of Head Coach and Al Davis, one of which he is new to and the other is impossible. You could see the desperation and over-confidence in his face when he prematurely threw down the challenge flag last week. Hue Jackson, while doing a good job overall, tends to get in his own way. His ability to out-think himself and put the weight of the Raider Nation on his shoulders is most definitely an obstacle.

The O-Line
While they did a pretty good job last week, the O-line is the scapegoat for a lot of problems. If a quarterback has no blocking, he can’t throw; it’s as simple as that. If he gets sacked, he gets hurt, and Boller goes in, which NO ONE wants except maybe his mother, unless she’s a Raiders fan. The O-line needs to protect their quarterback. If he has time, plays happen and games are won.

Raiders Biggest Weapons

The Run Game
Even with DMC out, the Raiders have been able to generate a ton of yards utilizing the run game. Michael Bush is a number two running back, but when given the chance, he always rises to the occasion. This is a weapon the Raiders use effectively and consistently. Taiwan Jones brings up the next weapon.

Rookies
Sure, coaches have had half a season to get a look at some of these Raider rookies, but not a good one, which works to the Raiders’ benefit. Denarius Moore lit up the field last Thursday and quickly took Who’s-Yo-Mamma’s place as Palmer’s number one receiver. Taiwan Jones played a very valuable part and averaged 5.6 yards per carry against the Chargers. The ability of their rookies to step up, play where needed, and excel is a huge benefit.

A Veteran Quarterback
While many questioned the signing of Carson Palmer for two weeks (three if you count the bye), they were silenced on Thursday. Taking a closer look at Palmer’s initial play would show you there was nothing to worry about and he just needed to fall in sync with his players. He now provides the team with steady veteran leadership, which they haven’t had from a quarterback since the Gannon years.

Raiders’ Obstacles and Weapons

 Posted by at 8:00 AM  2 Responses »
Nov 172011
 

The Raiders are one of the most up and down teams in the NFL, but with good reason. At the beginning of the season, they rose with the Autumn wind, fueled by the emotion of the passing of Mr. Silver and Black himself. They looked unstoppable; that is, until Campbell got hurt. The team, who still has no real, official front office leadership, had to make a snap decision about what to do since the signing deadline was looming. This landed Carson Palmer squarely into the black hole, and the rest of the team started looking like just that: a black hole. Then the Autumn wind picked up again and the team is cruising steadily. Though they’re headed in the right direction, there are still some massive things to look out for, both good and bad.

Raiders’ Biggest Obstacles

Penalties
It’s still no secret that the Raiders are the most penalized team in the NFL, which is not unique to this season. This seems to be something that needs constant work and attention. Even a casual Raiders fan can think of at least one game that was lost on a penalty. This remains their biggest obstacle.

Play Calling
Hue Jackson is seemingly trying to fill the shoes of Head Coach and Al Davis, one of which he is new to and the other is impossible. You could see the desperation and over-confidence in his face when he prematurely threw down the challenge flag last week. Hue Jackson, while doing a good job overall, tends to get in his own way. His ability to out-think himself and put the weight of the Raider Nation on his shoulders is most definitely an obstacle.

The O-Line
While they did a pretty good job last week, the O-line is the scapegoat for a lot of problems. If a quarterback has no blocking, he can’t throw; it’s as simple as that. If he gets sacked, he gets hurt, and Boller goes in, which NO ONE wants except maybe his mother, unless she’s a Raiders fan. The O-line needs to protect their quarterback. If he has time, plays happen and games are won.

Raiders Biggest Weapons

The Run Game
Even with DMC out, the Raiders have been able to generate a ton of yards utilizing the run game. Michael Bush is a number two running back, but when given the chance, he always rises to the occasion. This is a weapon the Raiders use effectively and consistently. Taiwan Jones brings up the next weapon.

Rookies
Sure, coaches have had half a season to get a look at some of these Raider rookies, but not a good one, which works to the Raiders’ benefit. Denarius Moore lit up the field last Thursday and quickly took Who’s-Yo-Mamma’s place as Palmer’s number one receiver. Taiwan Jones played a very valuable part and averaged 5.6 yards per carry against the Chargers. The ability of their rookies to step up, play where needed, and excel is a huge benefit.

A Veteran Quarterback
While many questioned the signing of Carson Palmer for two weeks (three if you count the bye), they were silenced on Thursday. Taking a closer look at Palmer’s initial play would show you there was nothing to worry about and he just needed to fall in sync with his players. He now provides the team with steady veteran leadership, which they haven’t had from a quarterback since the Gannon years.

Raiders’ Obstacles and Weapons

 Posted by at 8:00 AM  2 Responses »
Nov 172011
 

The Raiders are one of the most up and down teams in the NFL, but with good reason. At the beginning of the season, they rose with the Autumn wind, fueled by the emotion of the passing of Mr. Silver and Black himself. They looked unstoppable; that is, until Campbell got hurt. The team, who still has no real, official front office leadership, had to make a snap decision about what to do since the signing deadline was looming. This landed Carson Palmer squarely into the black hole, and the rest of the team started looking like just that: a black hole. Then the Autumn wind picked up again and the team is cruising steadily. Though they’re headed in the right direction, there are still some massive things to look out for, both good and bad.

Raiders’ Biggest Obstacles

Penalties
It’s still no secret that the Raiders are the most penalized team in the NFL, which is not unique to this season. This seems to be something that needs constant work and attention. Even a casual Raiders fan can think of at least one game that was lost on a penalty. This remains their biggest obstacle.

Play Calling
Hue Jackson is seemingly trying to fill the shoes of Head Coach and Al Davis, one of which he is new to and the other is impossible. You could see the desperation and over-confidence in his face when he prematurely threw down the challenge flag last week. Hue Jackson, while doing a good job overall, tends to get in his own way. His ability to out-think himself and put the weight of the Raider Nation on his shoulders is most definitely an obstacle.

The O-Line
While they did a pretty good job last week, the O-line is the scapegoat for a lot of problems. If a quarterback has no blocking, he can’t throw; it’s as simple as that. If he gets sacked, he gets hurt, and Boller goes in, which NO ONE wants except maybe his mother, unless she’s a Raiders fan. The O-line needs to protect their quarterback. If he has time, plays happen and games are won.

Raiders Biggest Weapons

The Run Game
Even with DMC out, the Raiders have been able to generate a ton of yards utilizing the run game. Michael Bush is a number two running back, but when given the chance, he always rises to the occasion. This is a weapon the Raiders use effectively and consistently. Taiwan Jones brings up the next weapon.

Rookies
Sure, coaches have had half a season to get a look at some of these Raider rookies, but not a good one, which works to the Raiders’ benefit. Denarius Moore lit up the field last Thursday and quickly took Who’s-Yo-Mamma’s place as Palmer’s number one receiver. Taiwan Jones played a very valuable part and averaged 5.6 yards per carry against the Chargers. The ability of their rookies to step up, play where needed, and excel is a huge benefit.

A Veteran Quarterback
While many questioned the signing of Carson Palmer for two weeks (three if you count the bye), they were silenced on Thursday. Taking a closer look at Palmer’s initial play would show you there was nothing to worry about and he just needed to fall in sync with his players. He now provides the team with steady veteran leadership, which they haven’t had from a quarterback since the Gannon years.

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