Now the hard part; recovering from the win. The Raiders have had the uncanny ability to recover from losses, but a marked inability to recover from a win. Back-to-back wins would be a marker for this team.
The concept is simple. Take one game at a time. Win a game, the next week you are 0-0 and looking to go 1-0. Lose a game, the next week you are 0-0 and looking to go 1-0. It’s cliché, but that doesn’t reduce it to rubble. Each team must be able to do both, focus on the next week instead of the prior week.
Next week Pete Carroll’s Seattle Seahawks come into Oakland on Halloween. The Raider Nation doesn’t need a holiday as an excuse to dress up, but on Halloween you will get more than your fair share of crazy costumes and the FOX broadcast will love it.
A win next week means the Raiders could be playing for the division lead when the Kansas City Chiefs visit Oakland in week nine before a bye in week 10. The Raiders sit at 3-4 and have yet another chance to get back to .500 for the first time since 2002.
The Raiders demoralized the Broncos, something Nnamdi Asomugha and Tommy Kelly have seen before and both highlighted with their postgame interviews. The impact an early big lead can have a snowball effect on the opposition. It has happened routinely to the Raiders and now they get to taste what it is like on the other side.
The only negatives Tom Cable could muster in his post game press conference were penalties, blocks could be a little cleaner and two sacks.
In reality, the penalties are an issue in losses, but never in wins. Avoid the mental mistakes, but this isn’t really a big deal. The errors you want to avoid are penalties that turn third and short into third and long or negate positive plays. Timely penalties are worse than penalties overall. Raiders didn’t have many ‘shoot yourself in the foot’ penalties.
Blocks can always be cleaner. No team has ever executed an entire game with perfect blocks. Sometimes an ugly block works just as well. Not many issues with blocking on Sunday. Keeps improving, but if they do what they did in Denver, they should be fine.
Two sacks surrendered? I can remember at least one of them was Jason Campbell holding the ball too long. Tom Cable is taking issue with two sacks? Really? I didn’t think this line was capable of the performance they turned out Sunday.
Raiders did rack up a list of injuries during the game.
Matt Shaughnessy (Concussion)
Chris Johnson (Concussion)
Samson Satele (Concussion)
Louis Murphy (Clavicle)
Kamerion Wimbley (Groin)
Robert Gallery (Calf)
Darrius Heyward-Bey (ill)
Michael Bennett (Hamstring)
Concussions aren’t to be taken lightly. Players must pass several tests to be cleared to play the following week and the NFL is considering a mandatory one week waiting period for all concussions in the future. Tough to count on any of those three this week.
Louis Murphy re-injured the clavicle he originally injured three weeks ago. Thus far, Murphy is the only receiver who has produced. While the Raiders were able to make things happen without wide receivers on Sunday, defenses are going to load the box to stop Darren McFadden if the Raiders can’t find a competent passing game. Receivers must get involved.
Darrius Heyward-Bey started the game, but came down with an illness. He is the receiver the Raiders need to step up more than anyone. Jacoby Ford and Nick Miller can only be counted on so much.
Gallery’s injury didn’t seem serious, but he’s been an injury magnet, so cross your fingers. Wimbley’s injured groin is a big question and we may not find out the severity until Wednesday.
Jared Veldheer had a great game overall. He started as a left tackle before moving to center when Samson Satele was injured. Mario Henderson came into the game a did a good job run blocking, but his pass blocking wasn’t tested. A healthy Satele keeps Veldheer at left tackle. Veldheer needs to stay at left tackle.
The Raiders could go out and sign a center, but the only one with enough knowledge of the scheme to start next week would be Chris Morris. Jake Grove is also available.
Let’s hope Satele’s concussion was minor and he will be able to play this week.
Other Notes:
Didn’t get one complaint from the Raider Nation about Jason Campbell after the game. The talk the entire week was that Kyle Boller should get the start regardless of the health of Campbell.
Late in the week it was looking like Campbell might miss the game due to injury and that Kyle Boller might get the start. Not so fast.
Speaking of injured player surprises, who had Darren McFadden sitting on their fantasy bench? That was 47 points, ouch. I did, but it looks like I might still get the win against @ThunderingBlurb
Studs and duds article should be easy this week? Not so fast. I’ve had to think long and hard about any possible dud on the Raiders and how can I possibly give out studs to only a few players? Harder than you think to pinpoint them despite the huge win.