Midseason Report Card

 Posted by at 3:40 PM  No Responses »
Nov 102011
 

The Raidersblog team gives their grades at the midway point of the season.

Quarterback

Chris Hansen: B
Brandon Dwonch: C – (Incomplete)
Nick Silverman: B-
Natalie Saar: C – (Boller D)
Bram Makonda: C+
Jeff Fagen: B
Overall GPA: 2.5

Jason Campbell played his game and did it well enough until he got injured. Carson Palmer, given ample time to learn the offense, tossed three touchdowns and had such command of the offense he was audibling at the line. The grade can be considered incomplete for now, but with significant room to grow.

Runningback/Fullback

Chris Hansen: A-
Brandon Dwonch: A-
Nick Silverman: B+
Natalie Saar: A
Bram Makonda: A-
Jeff Fagen: A
Overall GPA: 3.8

Darren McFadden held the league lead in rushing until his injury against Kansas City. Michael Bush is a great replacement back and can consistently put up 100-yard days. Marcel Reece injury really hurt the offense, but he’s as good as they come at the position. Richard Gordon and Manase Tonga have done a good job as blocking fullbacks. I’d like to see a bit more of Taiwan Jones, but that’s of minor concern with this group.

Wide Receivers/Tight Ends

Chris Hansen: B-
Brandon Dwonch: B
Nick Silverman: B
Natalie Saar: B-
Bram Makonda: B
Jeff Fagen: C+
Overall GPA: 2.8

Emergence of Darrius Heyward-Bey, the emergence of Denarius Moore, the injury of Jacoby Ford and then re-emergence of Ford against the Broncos. Signing T.J. Houshmandzadeh to be a veteran. Schilens has stayed healthy. A lot of talent here, but the group hasn’t been consistent enough and Hue Jackson seems content to rotate them based on matchups. I’d like to see two of these guys develop to a point that they merit the majority of the playing time. The tight ends drag this down. Kevin Boss isn’t even getting on the field and you have to wonder if a Palmer-run offense needs one. Brandon Myers hasn’t done anything notable. What gives?

Offensive Line

Chris Hansen: A
Brandon Dwonch: A-
Nick Silverman: A
Natalie Saar: C
Bram Makonda: B+
Jeff Fagen: B+
Overall GPA: 3.3

It’s almost amazing how fast this unit has come together. There are a few signs of weakness lately, but overall this unit has been magnificent. This unit was able to run block in the past, but when it came to protecting the passer they didn’t get the job done. This season the offensive line has been able to pass protect in addition to run blocking. It’s a remarkable turnaround for being one of biggest questions this offseason. The unit has been playing at a high level and they get extra love for an unexpected jump.

Defensive Line

Chris Hansen: B
Brandon Dwonch: C-
Nick Silverman: C-
Natalie Saar: B
Bram Makonda: C+
Jeff Fagen: C-
Overall GPA: 2.3

Not nearly up to expectations when it comes to rushing the passer, but aside from the atrocity in Oakland last week they have done a solid job stopping the run. Considering the loss of Matt Shaughnessy for the season this unit has still played pretty well, particularly up the middle. There is certainly room for improvement, but don’t sleep on this group in the second half.

Linebackers

Chris Hansen: D+
Brandon Dwonch: D
Nick Silverman: C-
Natalie Saar: B-
Bram Makonda: C
Jeff Fagen: D
Overall GPA: 1.7

Flashes here and there from the group of linebackers. If Wimbley as a pass rusher is considered in this grade it would be higher. Groves was replaced by Curry. Curry and McClain show flashes, but haven’t gotten the job done consistently. Too many missed tackles, missed gaps, and poor coverage.

Secondary

Chris Hansen: C
Brandon Dwonch: C
Nick Silverman: C-
Natalie Saar: C+
Bram Makonda: C
Jeff Fagen: C-
Overall GPA: 2.0

The only consensus among the Raidersblog staff. The secondary is in transition and hasn’t been healthy. Stanford Routt and Tyvon Branch have been solid, but too many yards have been given up in the air. Michael Huff and Chris Johnson haven’t played up to expectations. There is potential for better play here, with young players ready to break into the lineup and players getting healthy.

Kicking, Punting & Special Teams Coverage

Chris Hansen: B-
Brandon Dwonch: C+
Nick Silverman: B
Natalie Saar: A
Bram Makonda: C+
Jeff Fagen:  B
Overall GPA: 2.8

Sebastian Janikowski is one of the best. So is Shane Lechler. Too bad the coverage units really drag down the grade here.

Kick Return/Punt Return

Chris Hansen: C+
Brandon Dwonch: C+
Nick Silverman: B-
Natalie Saar: B
Bram Makonda: B
Jeff Fagen: C
Overall GPA: 2.5

Aside from one Jacoby Ford return touchdown the return game hasn’t done a lot to help the Raiders. Punt returns have been terrible all season. Huge room for improvement.

Studs and Duds From Week 3

 Posted by at 3:38 PM  1 Response »
Sep 272011
 

The Raiders victory over the Jets has the coach and the team riding high. Even the national media is catching on as the Raiders are now making the top 10 in the mostly ridiculous power rankings.

Tom Brady comes to Oakland in week 4 so the Raiders don’t have much time to think about their early season victory. The Raiders need more studs on defense if they are to beat the Patriots.

Studs

Samson Satele

I sometimes have a hard time believing he is the same player as he was last season. I heard Satele was dealing with headaches and dizzy spells last season. I’m not sure how much this impacted his on-field performance and how much his production has to do with having Bob Wylie and Steve Wisniewski as offensive line coaches. It doesn’t matter now as Satele has done a great job this season. Early in Sunday’s game Sione Pouha got the best of him on one running play and Satele dominated at the point of attack from that point on.

 

Darren McFadden

I’m pretty sure he’ll be on the list every week. You already know his stats 171 yards, 2 touchdowns.

 

Hue Jackson & Chuck Bresnahan

The Raiders made the Jets defense look silly most of the afternoon. Bresnahan switched to zone coverage when youngsters were forced into action and it worked in the second half. Coaching staff pulled all the right strings and called all the right plays. Credit to them.

 

Jason Campbell

Took care of the football. No turnovers and didn’t force throws into the Jets secondary. Stepped up into the pocket and delivered a strike to Michael Bush down the left sideline that lead to the game sealing field goal.

 

Kevin Boss

First game in Silver and Black looked pretty good. Made a key catch on the Raiders opening touchdown drive and a key block that sprung McFadden for over 70 yards. He’ll make everyone forget about Zach Miller if he stays healthy.

 

Chimdi Chekwa

Coming out party for the rookie? He entered the game when Chris Johnson went out with an injury and had tight coverage on Plaxico Burress most of the day. If the Raiders secondary remains banged up the Raiders will need Chekwa and Joe Porter to play well and Demarcus Van Dyke to get healthy.

 

Duds

Special Teams

It didn’t really burn them on Sunday, but the coverage units did terrible covering kicks on Sunday. John Fassell is really missing Hiram Eugene. Rock Cartwright can’t cover kicks alone. Lechler had a rare off day and Jon Condo had a few sub par long snaps. Seabass kept the special teams from being a complete disaster, but even he missed one. Taiwan Jones and Denarius Moore didn’t stumble and fall down like Nick Miller, but hardly improved the return game. Big difference between a muff and a forced fumble.

 

Rolando McClain

He had a solid game, but he makes the duds list for his weak arm tackle on Tomlinson’s long reception. When he properly diagnosing runs he’s at his best. He’s been solid in coverage, but far too many missed tackles and bad angles.

 

Matt Giordano

Plays too tentatively. He always seemed to be watching players run by him. He’s a ticking time bomb in the secondary, but until the Raiders young cornerbacks relieve Michael Huff from cornerback duties Giordano will keep playing. 

Khalif Barnes

The weakest link on a much improved offensive line. It shouldn’t be long now because Joseph Barksdale is starting at right tackle. He’s already been promoted as evidenced by Stephon Heyer’s deactivation on Sunday. The only pressure on Campbell came from Barnes inability to handle the speed rush. He’ll continue to have a role as a sixth lineman in jumbo sets, but his starting job is very much in jeopardy.

 

Jets @ Raiders: The Week 3 Preview

 Posted by at 9:56 AM  No Responses »
Sep 252011
 

On Offense by Brandon Dwonch

The Raiders offense has been hitting on all cylinders. Week 1 saw Darren McFadden run for 150 yards. Week 2 showcased the Raiders vertical passing game as Jason Campbell passed for 323 yards and hooked up with Denarius Moore for 146. McFadden could not be the second leading rusher in the NFL nor could Campbell be performing this well if not for the offensive line. The make shift offensive line is exceeding expectations and deserves recognition. The offensive line is creating holes, finishing blocks and keeping Campbell upright and clean.

This week the offensive line faces their stiffest test yet. The Jets’ defensive front seven is stout and only giving up 88 rushing yards per game. By comparison the Raiders defense is allowing 130 rushing yards a game. Even though the Jets front seven might be a little overrated, they and their coordinator cannot be taken lightly. Make no mistake, the Jets are a defensive team.

This is a match up of strength vs. strength. In order to win, the Raiders offense must remain balanced and efficient. This means the Raiders need to establish their physical presence in the trenches but also attack Darrelle Revis, Antonio Cromartie and the Jets secondary. If the Raiders can run for over 125 yards and pass for over 175 the offensive line would have “bullied” the Jets front seven.

 

On Defense by Brandon Dwonch

The Jets were a team for years that relied heavily on the run but so far this year they are trying to air it out. In two games this season the Jets have gained a paltry 146 rushing yards on a meager 48 attempts. With 32 of those attempts and 101 of those yards coming in a blowout win over Jacksonville. On the other hand, the Raiders average 35 rushing attempts and 160 rushing yards a game. With the Raiders allowing over 200 rushing yards last week, the Jets’ offensive approach might change. With the Jets being without their starting center Nick Mangold, expect the Raiders defensive line, led by Richard Seymour and Tommy Kelly, to come out hungry to prove themselves and have a great game in front of a sold out coliseum.

Look for Mark Sanchez to test the Raiders questionable secondary. This Jets passing game revolves around Santonio Holmes, Plaxico Burress and Dustin Keller and Holmes and Keller are both serious threats. The Raiders for years have struggled covering good receiving tight ends. Keller is in the top three at his position in the AFC in receptions, yards and touchdowns and could take over this game. The Raiders cannot afford to let Keller get on a roll.

The Raiders could do themselves a favor by assigning Stanford Routt to shadow Holmes, but this is highly unlikely. Routt, who currently owns the lowest completion percentage against in the NFL at 28% (4/14), has earned a chance to create his own island. It is time to see the coverage in the secondary consistently rolled towards Chris Johnson or Demarcus Van Dyke’s side. For the Raiders secondary to improve they need to figure out and fix their defensive communication problems. They need to line up correctly and stick to their assignment. If not, it will be a very long game against the fundamentally sound Jets.

For the Raiders to win this game their secondary must produce. Somebody in the secondary needs to step up and make plays. If the Raiders defense holds Holmes and Keller’s combined receiving yardage under 100 and Mark Sanchez under 215 passing yards, they would have done their job very well and will give the Raiders a great chance for victory.

 

Matchups by Chris Hansen

Richard Seymour and Tommy Kelly vs. Rookie Center Colin Baxter

Nick Mangold didn’t make the trip to Oakland. The undrafted rookie will start at center and face two of the best defensive tackles in the league. If Seymour and Kelly can apply pressure to Mark Sanchez up the middle, the Raiders have a good chance to disrupt the Jets’ pass and run game.

 

Kamerion Wimbley vs. Wayne Hunter

Another week and another right tackle for Wimbley to feast on. Putting pressure on Sanchez and forcing errors will be a key to victory. Wimbley should have another fun afternoon harassing the quarterback and should record his first sack of the year on Sunday.

 

Santonio Holmes vs. Stanford Routt

Although the Raiders aren’t likely to shadow Holmes with Routt, this is still a key matchup. Holmes is the flanker and as such will likely lineup across from Routt more than not. The Raiders must not have a repeat of what happened in week 2 and neutralizing Holmes needs to be their primary focus.

 

Dustin Keller vs. The Secondary

The Raiders may deploy several options to stop Keller which may include using Jerome Boyd, another safety or an extra cornerback. Keller presents the Raiders with challenges in coverage and the Raiders will likely initially counter with Boyd. This is the first game the Raiders will really need Boyd to step in and play like Mike Mitchell in 2010, covering tight ends and becoming a linebacker to stuff the run when needed.

 

D’Brickashaw Ferguson vs. Matt Shaughnessy

It’s a big game for Shaughnessy as he faces his first elite left tackle of the season. If Shaughnessy is going to become a pro bowl-type player these are the games were he needs to shine. Ferguson is a tall tackle at 6’6″ and Shaughnessy should do whatever he can to get underneath him to gain leverage. Sanchez will have a tough afternoon if he gets pressure from both sides.

 

Raiders Offensive Line vs. Jets Front Seven

It’s tough to point out any one player from these units that needs to play well, but Samson Satele will have his hands full with Sione Pouha the big nose tackle. Satele has played well, but has struggled in the past with good nose tackles. If Satele can handle Pouha without significant help from Stefen Wisniewski or Cooper Carlile, the two guards will be free to take on blitzing linebackers like Bart Scott and Calvin Pace. This is the greatest test of the Raiders new look offensive line and the two tackles will always be under the most pressure. Jared Veldheer and Khalif Barnes will need to diagnose blitzes on the outside and pick up the inside man to allow Jason Campbell to step up into the pocket.

 

Denarius Moore vs. Darrelle Revis

Will the Jets shadow the rookie with one of the best cornerbacks in the league? They might try to limit the rookie and force the Raiders other receivers to beat them. It’s a tough matchup for any rookie. If Moore can beat Revis for a couple his hype train may never stop.

 

Derek Hagan/Chaz Schilens vs. Kyle Wilson

It’s either Derek Hagan or Chaz Schilens for the Raiders against the Jets slot corner Kyle Wilson. The Jets slot corner has been targeted more than any other team through the first two weeks. Revis and Antonio Cromartie have limited opponents number one and two receivers leaving the slot corner as the best option. Look for the Raiders third receivers to play an important role in this game.

 

Kevin Boss vs. Blitzing Linebackers

It’s the debut for Boss in Silver and Black and it couldn’t have come at a more opportune time. The Jets like to throw crazy looks at the opposing quarterbacks and will send at least one linebacker to rush the passer. Boss will need to find the soft spot vacated by the rusher and Campbell will need to deliver the ball to Boss in the face of a rush. If accomplished the Raiders will effectively take away the linebacker lined up across from Boss and this will make it easier to diagnose blitzes as they will likely come from the weak side. The Raiders may try to do the same on the weak side by running screens to Darren McFadden. It is often more effective to burn the blitz on a pass than max protect, particularly when the opposing defense has Revis and Cromartie.

 

Hue Jackson vs. Rex Ryan

They both want bullies, but only one can be a bully on Sunday. Who will it be?  The Jets defense is aggressive and the Jackson may call a few misdirection plays and see if he can’t get some of his speed out in the open. Jackson needs to have his players on the same page to diagnose Ryan’s defensive looks that can give offenses fits. The bully this Sunday will be the coach who outsmart the man on the other side of the field.

 

Score Prediction: Raiders 20, Jets 19.

 

 

 

Gut Check

 Posted by at 1:00 PM  1 Response »
Sep 232011
 

After a week one win, on Monday night, against a division rival, the Raiders and the Raider Nation were flying high. The opening game curse was broken, the Prime Time curse was broken, Hue Jackson was 1-0 as a head coach, and the Raiders were back. Week 2 has brought everyone back down to earth a little. Welcome to the first, but probably not last time the Raiders have to look in the mirror and decide what kind of team they are going to be this year.

Hue Jackson had a lot of time this off-season to say what he wanted to say. Get his message across to everyone. The time for talk, however, is now in the past. This is a different Raiders team under Hue Jackson, but one win on Monday Night Football is not going to convince anyone. He has to get his persona to show through his players. That’s what good coaches do. Rex Ryan is able to get his attitude to show through his players on the field. Bill Belichick is able to get his players to always be right mentally. Mike Tomlin has his players always playing with a nasty edge.  Hue Jackson says he is “building a bully”  so he has to find a way to get that attitude to show through his players on Sunday or it’s just words. Gut check coach Hue Jackson, bullies get even.

The offense is playing with the “next man up” philosophy and have been impressive. Jason Campbell is playing his best football as a pro, making good decisions, trusting in his guys, being a leader, and most importantly throwing the ball well. Don’t forget that just about all his weapons on offense have been out at some point too. Darren McFadden, broken orbital bone. Michael Bush, not signed right away and arrived at training camp late. Jacoby Ford, broken hand and now out with hamstring injury. Louis Murphy, sports hernia surgery. Darrius Heyward-Bey, had a mysterious injury to start camp, and now has a knee injury. Chaz Schilens, suffered a knee injury in preseason. Kevin Boss, has a sprained MCL. Taiwan Jones, had hamstring issues that kept him out most of camp.

With all that going on Campbell has led this team and has played pretty well. That is a tremendous positive and should not be overlooked. The offense did what they had to do Sunday versus the Bills only to come away with a loss. The defenses will only get tougher the more film there is and the surprise factor is gone. Now the Raiders have to find a way to keep scoring and not start to breakdown like in years past. Gut check time offense, after putting up 35 in a losing effort, will you follow it up or take a step back?

The defense had a stats party week one. They shut down the run, had 5 sacks, they were creating turnovers, their blitzes were getting home and they felt invincible. That feeling carried over into the Bills game as well. At least for the first half. Then came one of the biggest drop offs on defense in recent memory. The Bills had the ball five times in the second half and scored five touchdowns. The Raiders had no answer. They had opportunities just like in week one, but this time, they didn’t cash in. They couldn’t get anything to go right, and at the end of the game they were left thinking to themselves “What just happened?” IT’S GUT CHECK TIME! The kind of games like the one last Sunday defines teams. They can accept that they were exposed or take it personally and make it right.

Winning is easy; losing teaches you about yourself.