Skip to main content

The Streak-Slaying Raiders

Last year the Raiders had many bad streaks going against them. 0-13 against the Chargers, losing seasons since 2003, and seven straight seasons with 11 or more losses. The Raiders turned all three of these around last year by sweeping the AFC West and going 8-8. The streak the has still lingered is winning outside the division and on the road. This Sunday the Raiders have a chance to make a statement that they are for real. ESPN experts still have counted out the Raiders and look at them as a second class team. See: Panel Shuts out Raiders Again

The issues for this game is who is healthy and which player will be the next man up. The Raiders haven't started 2-0 since the 2002. That year they went to the Superbowl. Too early for that talk. The current report out of Oakland is that Jacoby Ford is out unless there is some kind of miracle that happens overnight. Richard Seymour looks like a go for Sunday and the Raiders really need him to play. His presence in this defense is vital to the success in stopping Ryan Fitzpatrick. Lets remember that travel doesn't really effect the outcome of a game, even on a short week this early in the season. This is their second road game in a row and this will be an advantage to the Raiders more than a disadvantage. It is still September and the weather is still good, so the conditions won't be much different from Oakland.

Other key players that are back from injury or are at least probable is Micheal Huff and Chris Johnson. Kevin Boss is back and will help the Raiders dominate up front and protect Campbell. Boss will be a huge weapon and outlet for Campbell. He is still listed as questionable, but he says he will play.

Hue Jackson has to stop one of the worst streaks the Raiders have had since they started under Al Davis. That is leading the league in penalties. This has to stop. The only opponent that stands in the Raiders way to going to the playoffs and beyond is themselves.

The tale of two paths have collided this week. The Bills are team that remind many of the 2010 Raiders. They are talented but will shoot themselves often and spiral downward as the season goes on. They played a very good game against the Chiefs last Sunday. If they can put up that same performance again against the Raiders, tip your hat to them. It was a fluke last week and it will show this Sunday. The only way the Raiders lose this game is letting the Bills stay in the game by committing costly penalties. The Raiders must avoid drive-killing penalties like false starts and personal fouls on defense that keep the opposing offense moving.

Look for the Raiders to run over, through and around the Bills defense. Bills will say they stopped Jamaal Charles last week, but the Chiefs averaged 6.o yards per carry. Darren McFadden, who will supply both speed and power running and the Raiders should win this game in a run away. They won't and will find away to struggle to put the Bills away and could even give up the lead in the fourth. Sebastian Janikowski will give the Bills some payback for the 2008 loss by kicking a winning field goal with only seconds remaining.

The Bills path is still one of progression and the Raiders path will be determined this Sunday. If they win, the Raiders will win the AFC West. If they lose their path will get a lot harder and look similar to last year. This is the year to slay all the bad streaks and start all the good streaks on the way to the playoffs.
Raiders win 27-24.

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

Looking Forward: Raiders 2012 Free Agents

Khalif Barnes - Weakest link on the offensive line with youth behind him. Raiders will look for for other options. It's not as if there aren't a dozen Khalif's on the street each year. Darryl Blackstock - Was a Chuck Bresnahan guy, but found a home on special teams. Would have to make the team as a reserve LB and special teams guy next training camp. Wouldn't be surprised to see him back as a camp body or gone entirely. Kyle Boller - Hue didn't have enough confidence to turn to Boller. Expect the Raiders to look elsewhere for a backup to Carson Palmer. Jerome Boyd - Was nothing more than a reserve and special teams player. Some good moments and some very bad ones. Camp body again and fate will depend on the defensive coordinator. Tyvon Branch - About the only consistent producer in the secondary. Raiders will want to bring him back. Desmond Bryant - He's been great in limited action and can play inside and out. Key reserve. Michael Bush - He'll find a home a