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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Week 13 Matchups: Risk/Reward

 Posted by at 8:00 AM  No Responses »
Dec 042011
 

Defensive Matchups

Stanford Routt vs. Brandon Marshall

Marshall can take over and when his mind is right he is one of the best wide receivers in the game. Routt has an interception in two consecutive games and may be starting to prove he is worth his contract. With Bresnahan mixing up things, don’t be surprised if Routt shadows Marshall as he did Vincent Jackson a few weeks ago.

Rolondo McClain vs. Reggie Bush

Bush is at his best when in space and McClain is at his worst in space. The Dolphins will try to get Bush in open space and build on his reception total currently at 35. McClain needs to be physical with Bush to take him out of his game. From his midweek arrest in Alabama, McClain has plenty to prove. ***If McClain sits, Blackstock will draw the matchup, but the key for him will be getting the defense lined up correctly***

Kamerion Wimbley vs. Jake Long

Long has been under-achieving this season and as a result the Miami Dolphins offensive line has given up 36 sacks, which ranks 28th in the league. The Raiders are 5th in the NFL with a team total of 30 sacks. If the Raiders defense is to dominate they need to consistently get to Matt Moore. The matchup of Wimbley against Long will set the tempo in the battle of the trenches.

X-Factor

Michael Huff

Huff has done a bit of everything this year. He’s showing off the versatility he showed at Texas and he also has two interceptions. Look for him to be all over field and making an impressive impact this Sunday.

Offensive Matchups

Marcel Reece vs. Yeremiah Bell

Since coming back from injury Reece has been the catalyst of the Raiders’ offense. If there are yards to be picked up, Hue Jackson finds a way to get Reece the ball. Bell is an outspoken, athletic member of the improved Miami D with a nose for the ball. Look for these two to bump heads on many occasions.

Michael Bush vs. Karlos Dansby

Last week, for the first time since his injury, the Raiders missed Darren McFadden’s running production. Bush was held to 69 rushing yards on 24 attempts. The Raiders offense relies on the running game to win games so Bush needs to get going early. Dansby is one of the league’s best inside linebackers and has led a defense that hasn’t given up a 100 yard rusher since Ben Tate put up 103 in week 2.

Carson Palmer vs. Vontae Davis

Palmer is a risk taker. Last week he had one interception, but could have easily had three. Davis has had great performances, but he has also been suspended. Davis is a risk taking corner looking to make plays for his team. There will be reward, but for who?

X-Factor

Chaz Shilens

A week after catching his first touchdown from Palmer, Chaz caught 4 passes for 58 yards. Those numbers might not sound too impressive, but up until last week his season high was 31 yards. With Ford and Moore still nursing injuries look for Chaz to be one of Palmer’s favorite targets on third downs and in the scoring zone.

Week 11 Defensive Preview: Focus is on the Linebackers

 Posted by at 4:20 PM  2 Responses »
Nov 182011
 

The 2011 Minnesota Viking Offense is very similar to the offense of the 2009 Oakland Raiders. Both of these offenses featured young developing quarterbacks and potentially game braking running backs. The Raiders won five games during the 2009 season. With the season more than halfway over Minnesota is 2-7, so finishing with a five-win season is a realistic goal for them. As a result, both of these offenses relayed on a strong running game to alleviate their ineptness in the passing game.

For the Vikings to be successful they have to get Adrian Peterson going. Peterson has earned the right to be regarded as the best running back in the NFL. The Raiders defense has contain him and remain disciplined. To be successful, the Vikings must take advantage when the Raiders defense plays undisciplined or gets too aggressive. Look for Christian Ponder to try to expose the Raiders’ linebackers in pass coverage and take try to connect with Percy Harvin when he is lined up against Demarcas Van Dyke or Lito Shepperd. The pressure is on the Raiders front seven to play with enough aggression to keep Peterson in check and simultaneously maintain gap discipline. The result of the game will hinge on the leadership and play of Richard Seymour and Rolando McClain.

Match-ups

Adrian Peterson vs. Rolando McClain

The Raiders have an inconsistent rush defense, that performs well in wins and abysmal in losses. As the quarterback of the defense, it is easy to criticize McClain, but he does deserve some praise. With Minnesota having an inept passing game, the pressure will be on McClain to lead the troops and to keep Peterson from taking over the game.

Aaron Curry vs. Christian Ponder

The Raiders play a lot of nickel, so Curry is on the field in less than ideal situations. Even though Curry is getting better in passing situations, he still remains a liability in coverage. If Ponder is to make Minnesota’s passing game respectable, a great place to start would be throwing to the target closest to Curry.

Kamerion Wimbley vs. Charlie Johnson

Wimbley has been getting after the opposing quarterback all season and finally cashed in with four sacks last week. Johnson and the Vikings offensive line have given up 25 sacks, contrast that with the Raiders giving up 11 sacks. It doesn’t help having a developing rookie as quarterback. If the Vikings are to convert third downs and sustain drives they will need good protection and that starts with containing Wimbley.

X-Factor

Richard Seymour

The Raiders defense could easily dominate the game. If they do, it is because they consistently stuffed the run and put Ponder in long down and distance situations. If the Raiders defense dominates the line of scrimmage it is because their defensive line, led by , is getting consistent penetration. Barring a systemic defense collapse the Raiders should win this game. If a collapse occurs, it is because their defensive captain, Seymour, played undisciplined and received multiple penalties.

Prediction

Raiders 20, Vikings 13

The Raiders defense will not fall apart, but the game will stay close. Hue Jackson will use the pass to set up the run as Palmer picks apart Minnesota’s injured and helpless secondary.

Praising McClain

 Posted by at 8:00 AM  No Responses »
Nov 152011
 

Until Denver and their spread option read came and put up nearly 300 rushing yards on them, including two 100-yard rushers, the Raiders allowed only Fred Jackson to post a 100-yard rushing game. Four days after the Denver game, the Raiders held an offense that averages over 100 rushing yards a game to 68. So what happened two weeks ago against Denver?

Did the Raiders defensive ends play undisciplined? Yes. Were the linebackers often late in filling lanes and did they often fill the wrong ones repeatedly? Yes. Did the entire front seven of the defense get manhandled by Denver’s offensive line? Yes. Is there anything else that led to the Raiders’ defensive collapse two weeks ago? Yes: the absence of Rolando McClain.

McClain has only missed one game, that being of course Denver at home. In that game, Curry had the green dot on the defense and the Raiders run defense was atrocious. Regardless of the Raiders having a dominant defensive line, the middle linebacker is the undisputed quarterback and leader of the defense. It is McClain’s job to get everybody aligned and on the same page. When McClain was out, the Raiders couldn’t stop the option read because they were not on the same page and kept on making the same mistakes.

Starting the season, the Raiders linebackers weren’t the strength or the weakness of the defense. As games went, there grew a linebacker problem and a move was made. Now, with no real depth, the Raiders linebacking corps consists of McClain, Curry and Wimbley. With the Raiders rarely running their base 4-3 defense and Wimbley doing the most damage in a three-point stand, McClain and Curry form the core of this unit. It was apparent in the Denver game that Curry is currently unable to lead like McClain.

McClain is not perfect. He often reacts slowly, plays too high, misses tackles, gets sealed off easily, and gets exposed in open space, but he has something that no other Raider linebacker has. He is far from being a dominant linebacker who makes his physical presence known every game, but he sure is missed when he doesn’t play. McClain hasn’t come close to exceeding expectations, but, by making his presence missed, when he doesn’t play, he has met them.

Studs and Duds From Week 10

 Posted by at 2:15 PM  No Responses »
Nov 142011
 

The Raiders really took it to the Chargers on Thursday night and came away with a seven-point victory in San Diego. The Raiders played well and a few players really stood out in a good way and a couple in a bad way. Special mention to the Raider Nation’s Southern California division for making the game an extra home game for the Raiders.

STUDS

Kamerion Wimbley

An impressive performance by the Raiders franchise player. The Chargers backup tackle had no answer for Wimbley and the rest of the Raiders defensive line on Thursday. It’s a big reason Phillip Rivers didn’t look comfortable all night. The Raider Nation has been waiting for Wimbley’s coming out party and they were blowing out birthday candle after that four sack performance.

Stanford Routt

If you wanted to be critical, he was unable to breakup the Vincent Brown touchdown grab. I saw was a heck of a catch and Stanford Routt clawing at the pass the whole way down. Just a superb play by the receiver to come down with it. The Raiders didn’t something extremely unusual for them Thursday, they had Routt shadow Vincent Jackson. Routt responded by holding Jackson to just one catch.

Carson Palmer

Elite level play from a Raiders quarterback is something the Raider Nation hasn’t seen since Rich Gannon wore a Raiders uniform. Palmer is getting better by the week and he torched the Chargers. Palmer also bailed out Hue Jackson for a suspect play call late in the game by stepping up in the pocket and moving to his right to find Kevin Boss for the long completion on third and long. He’ll make Hue Jackson look pretty good if he keeps this going.

Denarius Moore

The spectacular catches are just part of why he has been so good. The kid is special and everyone knows it. Even a couple weeks worth of struggles with routes wasn’t enough for Hue Jackson or Carson Palmer to lose confidence in him. Palmer targeted him repeatedly and that should continue.

Michael Bush

Made a strong case for someone to pay the man in the offseason. Will it be the Raiders? He had seemingly a trillion yards on Thursday and broke a team record for yardage gained since the merger. Pretty darn good.

DUDS

Khalif Barnes

For as good as the offensive line has played, Barnes is beginning to show that he is the crack in the armor. The Raiders may not have a suitable replacement yet, but they really need to start considering a switch before Barnes gets Palmer hurt.

Aaron Curry

He’s perfectly fine or even good linebacker when the play is in front of him. This makes him particularly suited for the run game. The problem for Curry seems to be coverage. He repeatedly looks lost in coverage and Thursday was no exception. Opponents will continue to try to isolate Curry on a tight end or back in coverage until he does enough to merit the offense from going to an alternate option.

Darrius Heyward-Bey

He was on the field for every pass attempt and more snaps than any offensive player outside of Palmer. You would think Heyward-Bey would have been targeted by Palmer at least once. With Jacoby Ford’s status for week 10 in doubt, Heyward-Bey will get opportunities. Palmer and Heyward-Bey need to figure each other out. All those snaps and no targets is a disappointment after such a promising start.

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