Skip to main content

Houston: Do We Have a Problem?

Not Lamarr Houston, he has been fantastic. This is an email interview I did with Houston Blogger @HouSports, in preparation for the week four matchup in Oakland. There is no real problem, although they do ask about the Raiders problems of the past.

Q: After being in the Super Bowl in 2002 the Raiders are just 30-85 with their best season being 5-11. What has happened in the last 8 years to cause this poor run?

A: The Raiders Super Bowl team was older and a time of rebuilding was to be expected. The effort to rebuild was prolonged by poor draft picks. Of the four first-round picks in 2002 and 2003 only Nnamdi Asomugha is still on the roster. Robert Gallery didn’t pan out as a left tackle and only six players remain which were drafted between 2002 and 2006.

In addition to the Raiders poor run of draft selections, Al Davis hasn’t had the best luck with coaching hires. Bill Callahan ran a veteran team into the ground after the Super Bowl, Norv Turner ran soft camps and wasn’t getting results, Art Shell ran a bed and breakfast offense and feuded with players, and Lane Kiffin ran himself into the ground by feuding with Al Davis himself.


Q: The Raiders have been through their coaches recently. Will Tom Cable stick as head coach and if not who are some people you and other Raiders fans would like to see get the job?

A: Al Davis is notoriously impatient with his coaches, but has softened in recent years and given coaches a chance to build something despite sub .500 records. The consensus seems to be that Tom Cable must get the 2010 Raiders to at least eight wins. He will stick if he can get the Raiders to the .500 mark or a playoff appearance.

If Cable is fired, the leading candidates would be either Offensive Coordinator Hue Jackson or Stanford Head Coach Jim Harbaugh. Harbaugh visited Al Davis in Napa at the Raiders training camp this August and would probably be the fan preference.


Q: Darrius Heyward-Bey seems like he is starting to play to his potential. Who are some other players that need to step up and help turn things around?

A: Mario Henderson, Samson Satele, Cooper Carlisle and Langston Walker all need to step up in a huge way for the Raiders to turn things around. This is four of the five offensive lineman and all are playing below average. Robert Gallery is hurt again, but even his backup Daniel Loper is out-playing the aforementioned four. Jared Veldheer is a rookie that is also getting snaps because of Mario Henderson’s poor play.

Safety Tyvon Branch also needs to step up. The NFL’s leading tackler at safety in 2009 has made multiple mistakes in 2010 that have often resulted in opposition touchdown celebrations.


Q: Sitting at 1-2 heading into Week 4, what is the biggest concern for the Raiders right now?

A: The offensive line. Bruce Gradkowski and Jason Campbell can be successful, but they need adequate time to make good decisions. Gradkowski earned the starting job mainly because he was able to make quicker decisions and use his quick delivery to get the ball out before the rushers arrived.

Q: Bruce Gradkowski has taken over at QB for Jason Campbell. What are your thoughts on the QB situation and who, in your opinion, gives the Raiders the best chance to win?

A: Right now it is Gradkowski because has the mobility to escape pressure that results from shoddy pass blocking. If and when the Raiders learn to pass block, Jason Campbell would be a better solution. Mario Williams should have fun this week.

Q: With Michael Bush coming back from injury and Darren McFadden playing well, what will the Raiders do at the RB position?

A: McFadden is playing well and will continue to get the bulk of the carries. One area the Raiders have struggled is in the red zone and short-yardage. This is where Bush may be able to help with his more physical running style and large body.

Q: The Texans have been looked at by a lot of people as a rising team with a shot at the playoffs this year. What is your opinion on the Texans?

A: The Texans have been a rising team with a shot at the playoffs for about three years, yet haven’t been able to do it. My opinion of the team hasn’t changed; they are still a playoff caliber team. The addition of a decent running attack helped the Texans defeat the Colts and adds a new dimension to the offense.

Mario Williams and Brian Cushing are anchors of a strong front seven. The secondary may be a weakness, but it can mitigated by early leads and a good pass rush.


Q: Who is the one guy on the Texans that you wish played for the Raiders?

A: Andre Johnson. He’s the type of receiver teams dream about having. Johnson has the total package without too much “Diva.” While Matt Schaub is enticing, Johnson is an elite and rare commodity.

Q: Alright, prediction for Week 4?

A: 27-24, Raiders. Sebastian Janikowski will kick the game winning field goal. Nnamdi Asomugha will shut down Andre Johnson like he did Larry Fitzgerald last week.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Oakland Raiders Swing for the Fences in 2016 NFL Draft

[embed align="center"]http://gty.im/153039819[/embed] These aren't your daddy's Oakland Raiders or even your younger self's Raiders. If anything, these are your newborn's Raiders or your puppy's Raiders. These are the Raiders we've never seen before. Indicative of the freshness of the franchise was their 2016 NFL Draft. No longer slave to a high draft pick and desperate needs, the theme of the draft for the Raiders was upside. It's as if general manager Reggie McKenzie got so used to hitting his draft picks out of the park that he started swinging for the fences. We'll have to wait a couple of years before we know if he struck out or if he'll continue his Ruthian ways. First, McKenzie boldly went with a safety at No. 14 overall. Kyle Joseph is coming off a torn ACL and fills a major need, but safety isn't a premium position. Only a handful of safeties have been drafted in the first 14 picks in the last 15 years and include names like Ea

The Raiders aren't who we thought they were....they're better

The Oakland Raiders are tired of being the team that will be good in a year or two. The team expects to win now and it is winning now. We thought the Raiders needed more talent. We thought that being in the playoff hunt was a year away for this team, but we were wrong. This isn't the team we thought they were, they're better. On Sunday, they moved to 3-3 on Sunday with a 37-29 win over the San Diego Chargers that wasn't close until the final minute. It was also the Raiders second road win of the season. The last time the Raiders had two road wins by their sixth game was 2011. Before that, a five-year streak from 1998-2002. The Raiders went 8-8 in 1998, 1999 and 2011 and narrowly missed the playoffs each year.  They made the playoffs in 2000, 2001 and 2002. They didn't have a losing record in any of those seasons because teams that can win on the road are usually pretty good. As the season matures, there is more and more evidence that some of the "best-case scenario

Oakland Raiders' Studs and Duds From Preseason Week 1

[embed]http://gty.im/484069738[/embed] The Oakland Raiders finally look like a competitive football team again. That should be the biggest takeaway from their preseason rout of the St. Louis Rams. Quarterback Derek Carr and the offense looked significantly improved from a year ago, thanks in large part to some of the studs listed below. The starting defense was still a little shaky, but there were still a few bright spots. Overall, the Raiders can feel good about their first live action of the year, especially since there appeared to be no significant injuries to come out of it. Studs Rodney Hudson Of all general manager Reggie McKenzie's offseason acquisitions, he committed the most money to center Rodney Hudson. Offensive linemen rarely get the praise they deserve, but a great offensive line as anchored in the middle can be huge for an offense. Hudson was very solid in his debut against a very good defensive front. If Hudson and the offensive line can consistently protect Carr an