Bye-Bye Bye Week

 Posted by at 10:56 AM  No Responses »
Oct 312011
 

The Raiders are coming fresh off the bye week and it couldn’t have come at a better time. The Raiders are nursing a host of injuries and spent extra week getting Carson Palmer ready and advance scouting for the Chargers next Thursday. The coaching staff also spent time evaluating their own team so don’t be surprised if there are a few changes in the starting lineup come Sunday.

Several Raiders receivers stayed in Alameda during the bye week to work with Palmer on timing and routes. Palmer has extensive homework to do getting to know the Raiders playbook and the game plan for the Broncos. The Raiders coaching staff also took a look at T.J. Houshmandzadeh and he will have a physical Tuesday. Housh is very familiar with Palmer and Hue Jackson, so it comes as little surprise the Raiders would take a look at him. One of Derek Hagan or Chaz Schilens would probably be out if the Raiders brought in the veteran receiver.

Everyone is hoping Darren McFadden’s foot sprain was minor and that he will be healthy enough to play this Sunday. The prelimary indications on the severity of the foot injury targeted today’s practice as an important indicator. Both the team and the fans are hoping the Raiders best offensive player is back for an important showdown with Tim Tebow’s Broncos.

The Raiders will find out today if a few days work with the receivers was enough to get Carson Palmer comfortable. The rest of the season hinges on Palmer’s play. The Raiders were fringe playoff caliber team with Jason Campbell leading the way. Palmer needs to be better considering how much the Raiders gave the Bengals to acquire him.

The Raiders face the Broncos Sunday in a division game at home versus Tim Tebow and the two-win  Broncos. Division games are always an adventure, but the Raiders can’t afford a letdown versus this caliber of team. The Broncos traded away Brandon Lloyd and Tim Tebow is the unquestioned starter. The season isn’t getting any younger and the Raiders can’t afford to drop to 4-4 headed into San Diego on a short week.

The 12th Man: Time To Unite

 Posted by at 10:26 AM  No Responses »
Oct 282011
 

Everyone knows the importance of fans, or the 12th man, but too often people jump ship in times of trouble. Last Sunday was the definition of trouble, and a time where the 12th man needed to step up.

Even though Jason Campbell wasn’t listed one of the NFL’s top 10 Quarterbacks, he was 4-2 as a starter before Hue Jackson swayed the “powers that be” to bring retired Carson Palmer on board. From the beginning Jackson told people that he was going to keep his starter at quarterback last Sunday as a surprise so the Chiefs wouldn’t have an edge. This plan backfired, to say the least. Jackson now knows that when you try to keep something like this a “surprise,” chances are your team will play like they are surprised too.

Part of the poor performance was due to Darren McFadden exiting the game with a foot injury; an unpleasant surprise. The plan had been to rely heavily on McFadden regardless of who the quarterback was. Kyle Boller is a backup and Palmer was sitting on his couch (yes, “Couch” Hue) watching the Raiders-Browns game one week prior. No one expected either of these men to have stellar passing games. The offensive line didn’t help matters by letting Palmer get pummeled on his first play back. Some of his interceptions can be attributed to his receivers, but the blame is on him since he is the new team leader.

Now is the time for the 12th man to step up to the plate. Everyone saw what happened last week in Detroit when Lions fans disappeared and the Falcons were able to run their no-huddle offense. While the fans may not think they’re important, they are in fact an important part of the team. Few things will electrify a team more than a roaring crowd and support system.

This isn’t to say that mistakes should be ignored, but as a part of the Raider Nation, one of the most well-known fan bases in all of sports, there’s no need to boo the team and tweet obscenities at the players. In hard times Raider Nation should band together and cheer on the team they love. If you have gripes with play calling, passing, defense, etc. voice them, but do it constructively so as to make the team better, not tear them down.

The Raider Nation is not made up of Eagles fans, it’s made up of Raiders fans who love the status of “12th man” and cheer in the spirit of Mr. Davis. Even he would grab a man’s helmet and tell him what he did wrong, but at the end of the day, he’d try to fix it.

The Raiders have a crucial game coming up after the bye week, so there is no better time to be a strong 12th man. Remember when the Raiders were responsible for the Heidi Rule; when the Raiders scored two touchdowns against the ’68 Jets to win the game in a matter of minutes? There’s always hope; there’s always a chance. Your job, as 12th man, and a member of the Nation is to hold strong and cheer on the team, no matter what.

Hue Jackson Bets the Farm

 Posted by at 2:49 PM  No Responses »
Oct 182011
 

Huge action from Hue Jackson. Aaron Curry last week. Carson Palmer today.

The Raiders gave up a lot for Palmer, but he’s a better quarterback than Jason  Campbell. The Raiders lost Campbell for a significant period of time and were faced with starting Kyle Boller for the rest of the season if they didn’t make a move for a quarterback.

The time is now for the Raiders and Hue Jackson pushed all his chips into the middle by bringing in Carson Palmer. The Raiders have only two picks left in the 2012 draft and with the Carson Palmer trade started dealing 2013 draft selections.

This trade and the moves of the past two seasons setup the Raiders for success going forward. Allow us to examine position-by-position and pick-by-pick and what the future may hold for this team and why the move for Carson Palmer was still a good one.

If the Raiders go far in the playoffs under Palmer those draft picks become low in each round and with most of the young players on the roster locked up for the next two seasons the time is now for the Silver and Black. Below is a snapshot of the Raiders outlook going forward.

2012 Draft
1st: Carson Palmer
2nd: Taiwan Jones and Joseph Barksdale
3rd: Terrelle Pryor
4th: Jason Campbell
7th: Aaron Curry

Compensatory Picks for Nnamdi Asomugha, Robert Gallery and Zach Miller should net a third and up to a fourth-round pick.

2013 Draft

1st: Palmer if team gets team to AFC Championship game*
2nd: Palmer if the team doesn’t  get to AFC Championship*

*Conflicting reports as to the compensation.

Notable 2012 Free Agents

Michael Bush – Will he be content to be a backup or will he be able to get a mega-deal elsewhere? Time will tell and he could be a casualty of the Raiders cap situation.

Chaz Schilens – His injuries really sidelined his career. He could be retained for cheap as a backend WR.

Tyvon Branch – Is Mike Mitchell ready? Has Branch taken the leap that the Raiders have wanted him to make? Either way, he shouldn’t command a large amount

Marcel Reece – He’s a fullback and the Raiders will pay him well for that position.

Jason Campbell – He’ll find a new home next season. Good dude, average quarterback. Unfortunate circumstances.

Quarterback

Carson Palmer is the guy now and for the next few years. Pryor will be given the Aaron Rodgers treatment.

Runningback

Darren McFadden and Taiwan Jones. Michael Bush is unknown going forward. The Raiders will need to add some depth at the position, but as long as McFadden is healthy this is still the biggest strength on the team. Reece will be back next season as well.

Receiver

Darrius Heyward-Bey, Denarius Moore, Jacoby Ford, Louis Murphy are all under contract through 2012. Those guys are the anchors of this group and Chaz Schilens and various other will fill it out. An exciting young group that was a huge weakness just two seasons ago.

Offensive line

Very young group that has come together nicely this season. The Raiders will eventually ease Bruce Campbell and Joseph Barksdale into the mix on the left side. Needs to add depth, but they should be able to find quality depth for cheap on the free agent market if needed.

Defensive line

Richard Seymour is around for at least two more seasons along with Tommy Kelly. The Raiders defensive line may begin to show signs of age in the coming seasons, but as it stands now this is a strong group. Expect the Raiders to re-tool the defensive line in the 2013 draft.

Linebacker

Rolando McClain is playing in his sophomore season so he has at least two more seasons before the Raiders look elsewhere. Kamerion Wimbley just signed a new deal and the Raiders think they can make something out of Aaron Curry. The group still needs depth and there are some questions here, but it isn’t the most pressing need on the team and the Raiders can likely address it without a high draft pick.

Cornerback

Stanford Routt signed a new deal and the Raiders drafted two corners in Demarcus Van Dyke and Chimdi Chekwa. The position needs depth. When one player goes down the Raiders turn to free safety Michael Huff as a corner. If there is one position to worry about not having many 2012 draft picks it is at the cornerback position.

Safety

Michael Huff signed a new deal this offseason. Branch is a free agent in 2012 and unless the Raiders feel like Mitchell can play at the same level as Branch he’ll likely be the Raiders top priority going into 2012.

Raiders Exploring Quarterback Options

 Posted by at 12:21 PM  No Responses »
Oct 172011
 

Jason Campbell is out for an extended period of time. At the earliest Campbell would be back in six weeks, but that’s massively optimistic and it is still likely that it’s a season ending injury. Kyle Boller now becomes the starter and Terrelle Pryor will be the primary backup, but the Raiders are exploring other available quarterbacks.

The Raiders have already reached out to David Garrard and Josh McCown suggesting they will explore all options. It’s tough to imagine that they wouldn’t also reach out to Trent Edwards. The Raiders are reportedly going hard after Carson Palmer as well.

Josh McCown would become competition for Boller and would have a chance to become the starter if Boller falls on his face. Trent Edwards would be the same type of player, coming in to backup Boller and push him for the job, but far from certain he would start over Boller.

The biggest question the Raiders have to ask themselves is if they can still make the playoffs with Kyle Boller. If the answer is no, they really have no choice but to go out and get one they think can. All provided one is out there.

Carson Palmer is the best option available for the Raiders, but Bengals owner Mike Brown seems content to let Carson Palmer rot. The Bengals are treating Palmer like he did something horrible to the team yet asking for a high pick in return. If the Raiders could acquire Palmer he could keep the seat warm while Pryor gets up to speed. Palmer is an intermediate to long-term option. Palmer’s best seasons came in an Air Coryell inspired offense in Cincinnati with Hue Jackson as the receivers coach. This is the same system used by the Raiders and offensive coordinator Al Saunders. The Raiders will not likely relinquish a first-round pick for Palmer, but a 2013 second-round pick that could turn into a first-round pick if Palmer and the Raiders hit certain marks is possible. Palmer’s contract would have to be reworked also all before the deadline at 1 pm on Tuesday.

According to Jay Glazer, David Garrard has a herniated disk that requires surgery. I suggested on Twitter that the Raiders would have very little interest in David Garrard. That was my initial instinct on Garrard, but after examining the other options and the costs associated with them Garrard was looking more and more appealing. Now he isn’t an option for anyone.

Brett Favre. I can’t believed I typed that. I’ll let you decide how ridiculous it is. Hint: It’s VERY ridiculous. Please leave this alone.

Aside from the aforementioned three, there are a few lesser options the Raiders will likely explore and Raider Nation is going to be thrilled with this one: Josh McCown has been contacted. McCown isn’t an answer as a step-in starter, but he could come in and push Kyle Boller and would be given a chance to start if Boller were to play poorly. He’s just a backup option because the Raiders aren’t ready to trust Pryor.

Trent Edwards could be brought back and he knows the offense. He’s another one of the options that can be brought in to be a body and push Boller, but he isn’t a starter nor would the Raiders want him to be a starter. He’s the safe choice and maybe the only choice. If Campbell can return sooner rather than later the Raiders wouldn’t have to

Terrelle Pryor was brought in and is exclusively a quarterback, but he just started practicing and it doesn’t sound like the Raiders are ready to trust him. Handing the reigns of a playoff caliber team over to a raw rookie could be a recipe for disaster. The Raiders can’t afford for Pryor to fail either. If the coaching staff doesn’t think he is ready it is probably best to let him wait, but without Campbell it is possible Pryor is given a certain set of plays to run in the game as a more dynamic option to Boller’s pocket passing.

The Raiders will most likely bring back Trent Edwards to be the primary backup for Boller. Boller will get his shot, at least until Campbell is healthy in as short as six weeks. With games against Kansas City, Denver, San Diego, Minnesota and Chicago over the next six weeks the Raiders will have an opportunity to stay in the hunt, but it gets dicey if Campbell misses more than six weeks.

Week 6 Preview: Browns @ Raiders

 Posted by at 12:12 AM  1 Response »
Oct 162011
 

On Offense

With all the discussion about last week’s emotional win in Houston it is easy to forget that statistically, last week was the Raiders worse offensive game. Last week, the Raiders finished with 278 offensive yards marking the first time since week 1 the team did not reach 300 yards. The Raiders offense were out-gaineed by nearly 200 yards, by far the largest amount so far this season. The most the Raiders had been out-gained this season was by 56 in Week 3 when Mark Sanchez and the Jets were playing catch-up and attempted 44 passes.

To improve this week, it starts up front with the big hogs. The Raiders offensive line last gave up 3 sacks in week 5 after only allowing two total in the other four games this season. The Browns have 11 sacks in four games and a pass rush that could pose problems to the Raiders offensive line. Darren McFadden totaled only 51 rushing yards in week 5 and 75 in week 4. The opposition has done a good job shrinking the running lanes the past two weeks. Regardless of the defensive front or scheme the Raiders offensive line needs to find a way to get McFadden cleanly to the second level and beyond.

The Browns will likely load the box and make Jason Campbell prove he can be consistently accurate. In order to help open up the running lanes, Jason Campbell must make the Browns secondary respect the pass. Campbell can do this by connecting with tight end Kevin Boss and other receivers on intermediate passing routes. Campbell will be facing a defense that is giving up less than 200 passing yards a game so look for McFadden to break out his mini funk with 125 yards or more this week and look for Kevin Boss to make an impact in the red zone.

 

On Defense

The Browns are led by Colt McCoy and running back Peyton Hillis, but Hillis has been maligned and McCoy has shouldered the offensive burden impressively. In four games, McCoy has passed for 984 yards and 6 touchdowns. More would be talked about McCoy’s campaign if it was not for Hillis’ off the field problems. Given that Hillis’ agent did not advise him to sit out this game; the Raiders should expect a healthy dosage of him. His physical running style will go along with a well-distributed passing game which will feature team leading receiver Mohamed Massaquoi and tight end Benjamin Watson. This Sunday, Cleveland rookie Greg Little will get his first career start at wide receiver.

So far this season, the Browns offense has not been impressive. Victories in the NFL cannot be taken for granted and opponents cannot be underestimated, but the Browns’ victories came over Indianapolis and Miami. Cal product Alex Mack is the Browns starting center and is recovering from an appendectomy. This is a golden opportunity for the Raiders defensive line to flex their muscle and dominate once again. After one practice Aaron Curry will get the start, look for him to be around the ball on running downs and off the field in passing situations. Look for multiple sacks from the defensive line and an interception or two in the secondary.

 

Matchups

Darren McFadden vs. D’Qwell Johnson

D’Qwell Johnson has been plagued with injuries during his career but he is now staying healthy and is having the best season of his career. He has registered double digits in tackles in three out if the Browns four games this season. Johnson also leads all middle linebackers in sacks and was voted AFC defensive player of the month in September. For the Raiders to have a big game, McFadden needs to have early success. After two unusually subpar games, McFadden needs to get back on track. The key will be how many times McFadden gets past the first wave of Cleveland defenders.

Raiders’ Offensive line vs. Browns’ front 7

In all aspects the Raiders offensive line had their worst game last week and it showed. They gave up 3 sacks and the Raiders only gained 94 rushing yards. The Browns are coming off a bye but they will be without pass rushing Marcus Bernard. The Browns front 7 has a good combination of size, experience and speed. They are led on the line by 300 pounder Ahtyba Rubin and in the linebacker corps by D’Qwell Johnson. The Browns have had early contributions from massive rookie lineman Phil Taylor and his defensive end peer Jabaal Sheard. This matchup will set the Raiders offensive tempo for much of the game.

Jason Campbell vs. Browns’ Secondary

Campbell did barely enough to lead his team to victory last week. The Browns’ defense will likely come out loading the box, begging Campbell to make accurate throws. Campbell needs to make the Browns’ respect the pass. For McFadden to have success, Campbell needs to distribute the ball well, take advantage of open receivers and make accurate passes. The Browns secondary has an impressive mixture of experience and youth with 2nd year safety T.J Ward leading the way. Pass defense is a team effort but so far the Browns’ secondary is holding teams under 200 passing yards a game. Joe Haden, the Browns’ stud corner back is coming off a knee injury and will likely be a game time decision, his presence could be missed.

Kevin Boss vs. Browns’ coverage

Three out of the four games the Browns have played a tight end has caught a touchdown. Two out of those three games, the tight end was the leading receiver for the other team. Kevin Boss started the season injured and has been outshined by the Raiders wide receivers to this point. Boss has yet to reach the end zone so look for Boss to have his coming out party this Sunday against a defense that struggles defending the tight end.

Colt McCoy vs Chuch Bresnahan

Colt McCoy deserves his own light. With Hillis’ shenanigans, McCoy really has really stepped up and led this team. After a record-setting collegiate career, McCoy probably still has a chip on his shoulder after falling into the third round. Watch for McCoy to distribute the ball well and work short routes that test the Raiders open field tackling. Last week, Bresnahan used blitzes to take his linebackers out of coverage and it worked. Look for Bresnahan to dial-up the blitz again. Bresnahan will probably use a mixture of blitz packages including safety and zone blitzes to put added pressure on the Browns’ young quarterback.

Peyton Hillis vs. Raiders Defensive Line

When the Raiders defensive line plays inspired and they lead the team to victory. Tommy Kelly, Richard Seymour and Lamarr Houston all had great games last week. If the defensive line was not busy holding Arian Foster to 68 yards rushing, they were getting after Schaub and deflecting passes. When the defensive line plays like this, they are nearly unstoppable. Peyton Hillis so far has been a disappointment this year. His play has taken back seat to his contract and him being sick. Look for Hillis to come out motivated after the bye week.

Greg Little vs. DeMarcus Van Dyke

Greg Little is making his first career start at wide receiver and has been an early season favorite of Colt McCoy’s. Little, who’s getting the start over Cribbs, has caught a respectful 14 balls for 131 yards this season. Even though he has a low average he has caught more balls in four games than any Raiders receiver has in five, outside Hayward-Bey. DVD had a great first start for the Raiders only giving up one catch. If DVD gets the start, expect Little on his side and for him to get consistently challenged.

Benjamin Watson/Evan Moore vs. Raiders Linebackers/Safeties

The best friend for any young quarterback is a reliable tight end. Watson has been McCoy’s favorite target, leading the team in receptions with 16. Moore has 7 catches in four games and is currently tied with Watson in touchdown catches with 2. Even though last week the Raiders defense was stout again the run, they had some blown coverages that resulted in touchdowns. The Texans tight ends finished with 12 catches for 201 yards last week. The Raiders linebackers did not play the pass well. They often respond late and were suckered by play action. The Raiders safeties have had communication problems as well as problems tackling. The Raiders need to clamp down on these tight ends or Watson and Moore will have a party of their own.

Aaron Curry vs Aaron Curry

Just after a couple of being traded Aaron Curry is making his first in the silver and black. Curry will be asked to play weak side linebacker, a position that he has never played. Curry will see runs his way and be responsible for cut backs on runs to the strong side. Curry will be tested early and often by the Browns. It would make sense for the Raiders to take Curry out on obvious passing downs. The key will be how he plays against play action and other pass plays. Curry get one chance to make a good first impression on his new team and to the Raider Nation and this is it.

 Older Entries  Newer Entries