Hue of Shame

 Posted by at 1:28 PM  1 Response »
Dec 202011
 

It is easy enough to blame Chuck Bresnahan for the Raiders second half collapses this season. He was never Hue Jackson’s guy and his performance this season means there will likely be turnover in that area unless the Raiders defense turns into the 1985 Bears the last two weeks and the team squeaks into the playoffs and continues to dominate defensively. That’s not going to happen.

Jackson will likely get a pass for his rookie season. Dealing with the loss of legendary owner Al Davis and assuming the General Manager duties, losing his starting quarterback, his star running back, and having some of his best players miss time will all be excuses to give Hue Jackson another chance. That’s probably how it should be, that’s a lot to bite off for any first time head coach. Add to it the Jackson-created hype and expectations and you have a dangerous mix that has a segment of the Raider Nation upset.

Playing the blame game

Let’s take a look at the two phases of the game. Let’s assume Jackson is responsible for the offense and Bresnahan the defense and see how many of the seven losses are on Jackson and how many are on Bresnahan.

Week 2: 35-38 Loss to the Bills

Raiders scored 35 points and 14 in the 4th quarter. The Raiders defense allowed 35 points in the second half and 21 in the final quarter.

Blame: Bresnahan

Week 4: 19-31 Loss to the Patriots

The Raiders couldn’t score more than 19 on the terrible Patriots defense at home. The defense couldn’t stop the Patriots offense.

Blame: 50-50

Week 7: 0-28 Loss to the Chiefs

The Raiders scored no points. Kyle Boller and Carson Palmer combined for six interceptions. Hue didn’t have enough confidence in his backup quarterback that he had to give up a King’s ransom to bring in Carson Palmer. The defense was at a huge disadvantage when the offense throws so many interceptions.

Blame: Hue

Week 9: 24-38 Loss to the Broncos

The Raiders couldn’t stop Tim Tebow and the Broncos read-option offense. The offense cobbled together 24 points and a 17-7 halftime lead only for the defense to give up 31 in the second half and 14 in the 4th quarter that put the Raiders away.

Blame: Bresnahan

Week 13: 14-34 Loss to the Dolphins

The Raiders didn’t score until the Dolphins had a 34-point lead. Garbage time touchdowns do not equal good offense. 46 yards rushing and all the passing yards came in garbage time. The defense did allow 200+ rushing, but the defense was playing decently until giving up 21 points in the 3rd quarter. It wasn’t a good performance by the defense, but the offense didn’t score until the 4th. That’s not good enough.

Blame: Hue

Week 14: 16-46 Loss to the Packers

The Raiders didn’t score in the first half, perhaps they didn’t because the defense couldn’t make s top of the Packers.

Blame: 50/50

Week 15: 27-28 Loss to the Lions

The offense scored 20 and the defense scored 7. Take the defensive score away and the score is 20-14 Raiders prior to the two easy touchdown drives for the Lions that won them the game.

It was a close game and the offense and defense had opportunities to put the game on ice and neither could do it.

Blame: 50/50

That puts the blame share at 3.5 losses each for Jackson and Bresnahan. The offense has scored 22.6 points per game and the defense has allowed 27.3 and that’s ultimately what will get Bresnahan fired and save Hue Jackson, but Bresnahan is just a scapegoat. Half the losses are easily attributable to the offensive struggles and Hue Jackson deserves a little more heat for his share in the woes of this team. It’s not as simple as plugging a new defensive coordinator in and erasing the problems that have plagued the Raiders in their 7 losses.

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.

Shocking Loss. Shocking Win?

 Posted by at 10:16 AM  No Responses »
Dec 112011
 

A game like the one last Sunday against the Dolphins would cause any fan to start second guessing their team. It doesn’t mean you’re any less of a fan, it just means you expected a different result and are having a hard time figuring out what went wrong. What if I told you that loss wasn’t far off the beaten path?

It’s very easy to get caught up in the “now” when evaluating a team. Even though the season seems very short, for most teams there are many high and low points along the way.  In the end it’s how you finish that really matters. Most tend to look at schedules and mentally fill in wins and losses as if they are almost a sure thing, but one phrase will always remain true in the NFL, “Any Given Sunday.”

The Raiders have been a tough team to gauge this season and depending on what week I ask you, your answer would probably vary. However, one thing that is hard to argue is that this team is very dangerous. Most teams would tell you that they don’t look forward to playing the Raiders for the pure fact that they are a team with an endless amount of weapons and when they are firing on all cylinders the only ones who can stop them is them.

The loss to Miami put the Raiders season into perspective for a lot of people. The high of three straight wins is quickly wiped away by the sobering 34-14 defeat against a team most expected to beat. Keep in mind though that losses like that brings the team back down to earth as well. They are no longer coasting to the finish. The season now hangs in the balance and there is no room for a let down. Sometimes a bad loss is just what the doctor ordered to force a team to refocus for the final stretch of a season. It’s up to the coaches and players now to accept the challenge put in front of them and lay it on the line come Sunday.

Whether the Raiders have what it takes to knock off the Packers is yet to be seen, but don’t count them out. In order to be the best, you have to beat the best and Oakland gets that chance Sunday. The rest is just football, but I encourage you to ask yourself this question: In a season where the Raiders had three top free agents walk, lost their legendary owner, traded for their franchise quarterback mid-season, often played without their four best offensive players, won games they shouldn’t and lost games they shouldn’t, would a win against the Packers on Sunday really be that surprising?

 

Studs & Duds From Week 13

 Posted by at 1:13 AM  1 Response »
Dec 082011
 

It was such a painful football game to watch a second time that it took three days to get entirely through it. Searching for answers to what happened in Miami, I put some extra focus on finding the performers and pretenders this week, so let’s take a look.

STUDS

Darrius Heyward-Bey

Magnificent day from the Raiders’ breakout receiver. No he didn’t have great yardage numbers or multiple touchdowns, but he was the only offensive weapon the Raiders had on Sunday. He had 21 yards taken away from him via holding penalty on the offensive line and made a highlight one-handed touchdown grab. Knowing how far his team was behind, Heyward-Bey flipped the ball to the official. There would be no celebration of his second touchdown catch of the season.

Stefen Wisniewski

The rookie has a rough game last week and although the rest of the offensive line crumbled around him he stayed strong. It wasn’t a great performance, but no other Raiders seems to qualify for studs this week.

Stanford Routt

Wasn’t allowing anything through the air. No major errors supporting the run. He had a nice day and the Dolphins had to get Brandon Marshall into coverage against someone else. He needs to turn in more of these performances and hopefully his teammates will rise to the occasion and make a stop when the defense starts ignoring his coverage responsibility.

DUDS

Aaron Curry

Love his energy on the football field, but he was lost in coverage and lost against the run. Save a big hit his day was a total waste. With Rolando McClain sitting out many reps due to so little practice time, Curry was calling plays and the difference showed up in the Raiders’ game and Curry’s performance as well.

Jared Veldheer

Two weeks ago Veldheer was getting mentioned as a probowl candidate. That was two weeks ago before being smoked by Julius Pepper and Cameron Wake. He’s playing with really poor balance and defenders have learned how to get inside of him. Wake moved Veldheer around on Sunday with relative ease. Raiders desperately need a rebound from their young left tackle.

Richard Seymour

If you hadn’t realized Seymour was playing last Sunday until he was ejected no one would blame you. Seymour and the rest of the front seven were handled by the Miami offensive line. Absolutely no pass rush and the run defense was porous once again. The Raiders need more from Seymour, much more if they are to make a legitimate playoff push.

Carson Palmer

Even when he was completing throws the receiver they had to adjust significantly to it. His throws were off. The pressure really gets to Palmer. A few adjustments and many of his receptions could have been bigger than they are. He made some throws in garbage time that makes me think

 

Week 13 Preview: Sling It

 Posted by at 9:44 AM  No Responses »
Dec 042011
 

The Raiders land in Miami to face a rejuvenated Dolphins team. It was a few short weeks ago Tony Sparano was on the chopping block. Now, after winning three of the last four, Sparano’s team looks to play spoiler in the AFC. The Dolphins are finding out what they have in quarterback Matt Moore, the defense is playing well and Reggie Bush may be relevant once again.

It was a week full of distraction for the 7-4 Raiders and perhaps that wasn’t a bad thing. The focus could have been on how the Raiders are still unable to get three offensive playmakers on the field. Jacoby Ford Denarius Moore and Darren McFadden remain out of action. Tommy Kelly did not participate in practice and is questionable with toe injury.

There is good news for the Raiders, they get back veteran corner Chris Johnson and Richard Seymour is getting healthy. The offense has been able to manage without Ford, Moore and McFadden, but the defense has been patchy and can use all the help they can get.

The Dolphins are surprising evenly matched with the Raiders and the game could come down to turnovers and special teams play or a defensive score.

Offense

The Dolphins defense is averaging less than 100 yards allowed on the ground. That’s bad news for Michael Bush. The good news for the Raiders is that the Dolphins have been vulnerable through the air.

Palmer is capable and if he can limit mistakes could have a big day ahead of him. The Raiders should use play action early and as the Dolphins’ linebackers will attempt to fill the run. Expect a couple deep shots and for the Raiders to utilize Marcel Reece and more three and four receiver sets than usual to force the Dolphins to take a linebacker off the field. Any of Darrius Heyward-Bey, Louis Murphy or Chaz Schilens could be in for big days.

In the run game, the Raiders could choose to spread the Dolphins out or focus on zone blocking to setup the passing game in the redzone. The zone running style suits Michael Bush and could help the offensive line recover from the physical domination the Bears laid on them last week. Bush is at his best running north and south and the Raiders will try slip Bush past the line and take their chances with Bush against smaller players.

Jared Veldheer draws a matchup against Cameron Wake. Another tough battle for the Raiders young left tackle. After a string a good games, Julius Peppers got the best of him, but don’t expect that to continue, Peppers, when he wants to, can get after the best. Expect Veldheer to handle Wake and keep him away from Palmer most of the day. Samson Satele has a tall order in front of him in Paul Soliai. Every 3-4 defense needs a good nose tackle and that has been Satele’s weakness for years. If the Raiders are able to run, it will be because of the play of Satele.

Defense

The Dolphins have found a rejuvenated passing game behind Matt Moore and the Raiders are still struggling to collect themselves on defense. Richard Seymour has been nursing a sore knee but it is healing. If Reggie Bush splits wide the Raiders will cover him with a safety such as Mike Mitchell or Michael Huff.

Brandon Marshall is the biggest weapon and one that must be handled for the Raiders to have a good day. Stanford Routt shadowed Vincent Jackson against the Chargers only for Vincent Brown to have a monster day. The Dolphins flank Marshall with Brian Hartline. Hartline is certainly capable of doing damage, but he’s hardly the jump-ball threat that Vincent Brown is.

Lamaar Houston has had a good season and that should continue today. The Dolphins offensive line has weaknesses and Houston can exploit them along with his part-time defensive end friend Kamerion Wimbley. Marc Colombo can be beat and Jake Long has taken steps back this season. The Raiders will attack the edge and hope to pressure Matt Moore into mistakes.

Houston could also see time inside at defensive tackle with Tommy Kelly’s status in doubt due to a toe injury.

As has been the key for the Raiders, the linebackers must step up and stop the run to allow the big men up front to rush the passer. That’s the Raiders game.

Special Teams

Special teams could be the difference between a win and a loss between two surprisingly evenly matched teams. Coverage units need to keep Clyde Gates from getting his feet moving in the return game. Sebastian Janikowski and Shane Lechler need only to continue to do their thing.

X-Factor

 

Would be easy to say turnovers. The team with more usually wins, particularly when the teams are so evenly matched. Perhaps more important for the Raiders to covert in the redzone and score touchdowns. Carson Palmer, Michael Bush and the rest of the offense have struggled punching the ball into the redzone. The Raiders need to turn scoring opportunities into touchdowns and not just field goals.

By The Numbers

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