The Raider Nation

Blog Sources

2009-12-02T12:01:00.002-05:00

A quick overview of my 6 main sources...

Rotoworld
- I rely on Rotoworld.com, and have relied on it for years now, to give me up to the second breaking news for anything and everything to do with the NFL. The website is based on fantasy news, but that is not necessarily a bad thing. The fact that it informs fantasy football players of up to the second injuries, signings, and any other NFL news, really helps me to inform my readers of the most recent breaking news. Rotoworld itself seems to have tabs on every source possible on the internet. Also, after much research, it seems evident that many other NFL and sports websites in general, keep track of what is posted on Rotoworld so that they can keep up with breaking news as well. Aside from the news factor, the website also maintains a group of several very qualified writers that are very interesting to read. They bring good opinions to the table, and bring up new ideas with every story or column written. Not only would this be a good source for an NFL blog like mine, but Rotoworld keeps up with every major sport including golf and NASCAR.

Jerry McDonald IBA
- Jerry McDonald, a Raiders blog writer at Insidebayarea.com, is probably my favourite and most trustworthy source. Jerry keeps an up to the minute blog, that has anything a Raiders fan wants to know and wants to read about. Something very unique about having Jerry McDonald as a source is his inside access to the Raider organization, being listed as one of the teams official beat writers. He is granted access into training camps at the beginning of the year, and all media sessions as the season carries out. Not only does he just have access to such practices, but he is in attendance day in and day out. He always posts both a pre-practice and post-practice blog entry, along with game summaries (quarter by quarter), press conference transcripts, and any other news/opinions that are Raider related. The main reason that I find this as a quality source, is that it is exactly how I want my blog to be. In fact, I one day hope to have a career similar to what Jerry does for the Oakland Tribune, covering the Oakland Raiders.

ProFootballTalk
- Profootballtalk.com is a website run by editor Mike Florio. Over the past several years, it has quietly become one of the more popular, and reliable football news sites on the internet. It’s main page is what they call the “Latest News and Rumors”. This involves news from any team around the NFL, giving embedded links to where the originally story was found. For die hard fans of one team in particular, there are also the “Team Pages”. This is where all of the stories involving such teams, in this case the Raiders, are organized on one convenient page. On the right side, you will also see links to Raiders content that can be found on a number of local websites, local newspapers, and national newspapers. Overall, this site is very reliable for two reasons. First of all, the up to the second news. It is usually this website, along with rotoworld.com, that tends to be the most reliable for being the first to post breaking news. Secondly, the pure organization of this website gives any reader any easy time to find what they are looking for, and come out of it with the best information available not only on the website itself, but anywhere else on the internet.

National Football Post
- Nationalfootballpost.com is another football news website, but more centred around the columns and notes from it’s writers. The main reason why I love this website as a source is it’s main writer, Michael Lombardi. Lombardi used to work in the front office for the Oakland Raiders, and more specifically worked directly with the owner, Al Davis. What makes that interesting is, whenever he writes about the Raiders, or speaks about them on the NFL Network for that matter, he always seems to let the audience in on a little something that they did not know about the Raider organization and how it works. For years, the organization has been as secretive as they come, and it us unheard of for anything to leak out into the media. Lombardi breaks that trend, and can give honest yet knowledgeable insights as to what he sees going on in the Raider organization at any given time. Aside from that, there are also many other capable writers on the website that continue to give great insights day in and day out.

Paul Gutierrez Sac Bee
- At sacbee.com, Paul Gutierrez maintains a Raiders blog much like the one of Jerry McDonald’s over at insidebayarea.com. He does not keep his as up to date, but when there are blog posts, they tend to be extremely insightful and informative to the audience. Another factor of note is that Paul tends to have some very rare content that would be intriguing content to many avid Raiders fans, that cannot be found elsewhere on the internet. Mid game day quick hits allow for the reader to get necessary information quickly, that may have otherwise gone unnoticed while tuning into the game. What is possibly the biggest appeal about this blog is the fact that he does a live chat once per week. In doing so, readers can ask him any question, and he answers accordingly. This truly gets out the information that readers want to know, from a very qualified source to boot. Not to be overlooked, Paul is a very established and qualified writer overall, having worked for Sports Illustrated, the Las Vegas Review-Journal, the Los Angeles Times, and now the Sacramento Bee.

Pro Sports Daily
- Prosportsdaily.com gives the fans links to articles all around the web of anything to do with their favourite professional sports teams. There are multiple Raider articles posted per day, with the main sources being local newspapers like the Oakland Tribune, the SanFrancisco Chronicle, Contra Costa Times, Sacramento Bee, USA Today, and many others. Also a key portion to the website is it’s Rumours section. Obviously only updated when such team rumours exist, it still remains a key feature to keep track of. Unfortunately it seems as though this website is only updated every morning. Therefore if something of significance regarding the team were to happen during the day or at night, this website would not be able to update it until the next morning. Regardless, it is extremely beneficiary to have a source that compiles relevant articles from major newspapers across the United States.

The Gradkowski Factor

2009-11-24T23:03:00.004-05:00

One start = one win for new starting quarterback Bruce Gradkowski. There seemed to be a couple of things that really stood out in regards to how the team performed with him at the helm.
First of all, the quarterback play itself. Over the course of the game, Gradkowski did something that Russell had proven to be incapable of doing all season long; getting the ball to his wide receivers. When you think about it, the receivers are the biggest play makers on the football field. To not get them involved, whether it is constantly having passes sail over their heads, or electing to dump it off to check downs, is not how you win games. The fact of the matter is, Russell has had open receivers, but just could not hit them with passes the way that an NFL quarterback should. Granted, Raider receivers only had 4 receptions (TE Zach Miller had 5) in this past Sunday's game, but it was the timing and significance of those receptions that really counted. On that final touchdown drive, Chaz Schilens, Darrius Heyward-Bey, and Louis Murphy all came up with huge catches (Murphy's being the touchdown).
Another thing to consider is the energy that Gradkowski brings to the offensive huddle, and the team overall. The quarterback is always looked to as the leader of a football team. It has got to have a big effect when Gradkowski is energizing, confident, hardworking, and even "punctual" as Darrius Heyward-Bey puts it. (Courtesy of fellow blogger, Jerry McDonald) It is quite safe to say that Gradkowski brings a lot of things to the huddle that JaMarcus Russell has proven to be incapable of so far. Yes, Russell may be the more talented physical specimen, but without a solid work ethic, talent like that can be wasted as we've seen happen in many previous draft busts.
Not only does Gradkowski have an effect on the offence, but it is quite conceivable that the defence fed off of his energy and leadership as well. It is much easier to take the field in attempts to shut down your opponent's offence when you have confidence that your offence, and those leading your offence, can put points on the board. That is the definition of "team" football; all three phases of a team (including special teams) playing together, despite not being on the field at the same time.
If this is the difference that Bruce Gradkowski makes, and should he continue to make this difference, there is no doubt that he should remain the starter for the remainder of the season. For a great view on Gradkowski's impact, check out the Oakland Tribune's Monte Poole and his exclusive web column.
More to come...

Exactly what the nation has been waiting for

2009-11-24T22:16:00.014-05:00

Sunday's 20-13 victory against the AFC South leading Cincinnati was the just what Raider fans have been hoping for all yeah long: A complete effort on both sides of the ball. For the first time, we saw the offense put up points, especially when it counted, coupled with a defensive team that played possibly it's best game of the year.
What really stands out from the game? Of course it was the quarterback performance. In one game, newly anointed starter Bruce Gradkowski equalled JaMarcus Russell's 9 game total of 2 touchdown passes. Going 17 for 34, with 182 yards 2 TD's and 1 INT isn't a Manning-esque performance, but it is the "game manager" that the Raiders need to be competitive. A quarterback that can keep his offence on the field also helps the defence get their much deserved rest. More to come later on the differences that Gradkowski seemed to make in the game...
Raider fans everywhere are very excited about the way the team performed this past Sunday, but the question remains: can they keep it up? If you recall, the Raiders had an impressive upset against the Eagles several weeks back, only to get blown out 38-0 by the Jets in the following week. Could this time be different? We will all find out this Thursday, when the Raiders visit the Dallas Cowboys for a Thanksgiving Day showdown.

Highlights of Sundays game:

More to come...

Bryan Thiel Q&A

2009-11-23T03:33:00.001-05:00

Q - The number one issue in the media as of late has been the Raider coaching situation. How do you see it playing out come the end of the season? And do you think there are any legs to the recent reports of a possible Jon Gruden return?

A - With Al Davis, anything is possible—which makes a John Gruden return just as likely as if he were to go out and pick up someone like Dennis Green or taking a long shot on a little-known assistant coach.

What's happened with the Raiders' staff is simply disappointing. For some reason Tom Cable's actions were not serious enough to warrant his job being stripped from him. In any other profession (aside from professional wrestling) if the head of an operation were to do that, he would be fired (and sued) in no time.

I think Cable needs to be replaced. Not because of how he's treated wives or girlfriends in the past, and if not directly because of the altercation, then because of what impression he may leave on the younger players on this roster. There's no guarantee that a change is going to be made, but it should be.

Q - There sometimes seems to be a popular opinion in the media that the Raiders "have such a talented team". In your opinion, is that true despite their performance? If so, why can't they get it done on Sundays?

A - The Raiders have talented pieces, but as a whole they don't work well together.
Players like Nnamdi Asomugha and Richard Seymour are proven all-pro talents on defense, and they have offensive weapons with Darren McFadden, Michael Bush, and Justin Fargas in the backfield and Zach Miller lining up at tight end, but it comes down to the head and shoulders of the team.

The attitude and planning of a top-end team comes from the Head Coach, and the Head Coach needs to be able to rely upon a stable of talented assistants and a sturdy quarterback.

People make a big deal out of the Bill Parcells and Bill Belichick coaching tree, but the reason both of those coaches were able to be so successful was because they surrounded themselves with specialized guys with quality attitudes, designed to work well with the players. From there, it's being able to rely on your biggest smarts position, the quarterback.

You don't necessarily need an all-pro under center, but you need a leader—and at the very least, a game manager, which Jamarcus Russell has yet to develop in to.

Having the most talent or biggest payroll doesn't always win you games, it's attitude and teamwork. The Raiders have some talented pieces, but they need a game plan and a leader in place that can put those pieces to good use.

Q - Conceivably, there could be many holes to fill on the roster. What are the top priorities in your mind?

A - At receiver, they need a bona-fide possession guy. Al Davis has had this obsession with speed for a while, and now he's got it in Darius Heyward-Bey. But on the other side of that they need someone who can balance that out and give them another threat. Right now, Zach Miller is the one consistent threat in the passing game, but it can't stay that way. Even when Tony Gonzalez was the man in Kansas City he had a solid supporting cast in Eddie Kennison and Johnny Morton. Are they all-world examples? Not in the slightest. But it's an example of how you can augment a good tight end with solid receivers, and that possession guy would open up Heyward-Bey as a threat as well.

Defensively, I think getting another solid outside linebacker to round off Kirk Morrison and Thomas Howard is the ideal acquisition, while Jay Richardson and Trevor Scott need to replace the age (and the likely departure of Seymour) on defensive end.

Q In light of JaMarcus Russell's struggles this season, can we now label him a bust? Or does he still have a shot to live up to the Pre-Draft hype?

A - I think a bust in any sport can't be truly judged until 4-5 years of service. That being said, Jamarcus Russell isn't doing himself any favors. Frankly, he simply may not have what it takes. Or he could just need a proper backup (or to backup a veteran starter) to get some tutelage.

The most experienced quarterback that's ever been on the same roster as Russell was Daunte Culpepper back in his draft year, but Russell's holdout hurt him, while Culpepper's injured hamstring didn't help matters. It doesn't change the fact the Russell has shown poor decision making and a panicky nature during his career, so the Raiders need to decide what to do. If they want to bring in a vet to help him, do it. If they want to go with another young quarterback via draft or trade, then get rid of Russell...I can't imagine that decision would go over well with him.

Q - As far as the expiring CBA goes, do you see the league entering a lockout in 2011? And what effect would an uncapped 2010 season have on the league, and more specifically the Raiders?

A - I'm not sure about 2011. It's so far away and so much can change in such a short time that it's almost impossible to be certain one way or the other. I'd lean towards the NFL being in business that season though, based on the fact that it's a $1-billion a year industry—the owners wouldn't like losing out on that.

The Raiders, like many teams, can go one of two ways. They can either buy up as much as possible during that time, stock-piling current superstars in hopes of a blitz of the league, or they can sell high.

If the Raiders were to buy, I'm not sure what they would have to buy with. The free agent crop isn't one that's necessarily overflowing, although if they could coerce a talent like Julius Peppers to join the Silver and Black, that'd make one tough defense.

If they chose to sell, they have a few names that would cause a stir around the league. Zach Miller could net a great return, but he's 23—not a wise sale unless the offer coming back blows the doors off—and a big part of this franchise's future. They also have the most expensive cornerback ever in Asomugha—a player that could've gotten them a slew of draft picks this year had they let him go on an offer sheet.

With an uncapped year, teams will be tripping over each other to max out their payroll to create a monster team. The Raiders could actually exploit that hunger with some saavy moves, dumping some cash, picking up some draft picks, and young, quality players.

Exclusive Interview with Bryan Thiel

2009-11-23T03:24:00.001-05:00

In a recent interview with bleacherreport.com and tosports.ca writer, Bryan Thiel, some interesting opinions were brought to the table about our Oakland Raiders. First questioned about the recent speculation in regards to the coaching situation, Bryan was quick to cite the Al Davis factor like many others do. “With Al Davis, anything is possible” he said. Amen Bryan, amen. Regardless, Thiel made certain to get the point across that Cable needs to be replaced as head coach. Specifically in regards to the recent controversy that Cable has found himself in, Thiel feels that the impression left on young players could be extremely negative.
“Having the most talent or biggest payroll doesn't always win you games, it's attitude and teamwork. The Raiders have some talented pieces, but they need a game plan and a leader in place that can put those pieces to good use.” responded Thiel when asked about a talented Raider roster that just cannot seem to get it done. From his point of view, yes the Raiders do have several very talented pieces to the puzzle, but it comes down to how those pieces fit together. In the case of the silver and black, they currently don’t.
Thiel shares the opinion and wishes of many Raiders fans in saying, “At receiver, they need a bona-fide possession guy. Al Davis has had this obsession with speed for a while, and now he's got it in Darius Heyward-Bey. But on the other side of that they need someone who can balance that out and give them another threat.” Will this be a position that the Raiders address in the 2010 free agency? Or instead the 2010 draft? The reality is, anything can happen with the Raiders. Conceivably, they could go in a completely different direction all together.
If there was one thing that really stuck out above all else in the interview with Bryan Thiel, it was his opinions on the possible bust status of QB JaMarcus Russell. “I think a bust in any sport can't be truly judged until 4-5 years of service.”, Thiel said. By his standards, Raiders fans can wait a little bit longer to call Russell a bust. Regardless, that doesn’t change the fact that the boo-birds will continue to rain down on the Oakland Coliseum with every pass that sails 10 yards over an receiver’s head. Time will tell, but JaMarcus has not been doing himself any favours as of late.

A full Q&A format of the exclusive interview with Bryan Thiel will be posted soon…

Disappointment Against the Chiefs

2009-11-16T13:51:00.003-05:00

After a great offensive start to the game, our Raiders went right back to how they've performed on that side of the ball all year long. When Shane Lechler has more punts (11) than JaMarcus Russell has completions (9), you know you're in trouble.

Despite a terrible offensive performance, the Raiders still found themselves in a position to win at the conclusion of the game. They got the ball back with 1:53 left on the clock, and QB Bruce Gradkowski drove the team down the field in relief of the once again benched, JaMarcus Russell. In a game that saw a ridiculous amount of drops by receivers on both teams, it seemed fitting that the game would end on a dropped pass by Darrius Heyward-Bey, that he then tipped in the air to be intercepted by safety Mike Brown inside the 5 yard line.

Yes, it was a brutal play to end the game, and it almost summed up the struggles that Darrius Heyward-Bey has had so far in his rookie season. Regardless, you've got to feel for the guy. As far as work ethic goes, we hear nothing but good things about this kid, and it is unfortunate that the play happend that way to him. He looked devastated on the sideline afterwards, but now it is all about how he bounces back. Will he continue to struggle? Or will he now step up and turn that missed opportunity to win the game as a chip on his shoulder moving forward? Only time will tell.

More to come on yet another loss...

Yahoo Sports: Raiders Want to Fire Coach Tom Cable

2009-11-11T13:09:00.004-05:00

Jason Cole, of Yahoo Sports reported last night that the Raiders hope to fire Tom Cable at the end of season.

As per Cole,

Some people expressed surprise at a report Sunday by ESPN that the Raiders are actually cooperating with the NFL in the investigation/evaluation of coach Tom Cable. Don’t be surprised. The reason, a source familiar with the case said, is that Oakland owner Al Davis is hoping to gather enough information to fire Cable with cause at the end of the season so that Davis doesn’t have to pay Cable.

It looks like the Raiders will be taking a ride on the Coaching Carousel once again this offseason. The question is, will they be able to lure a high profile coach from the likes of Gruden, Cowher, Holmgren, and Mariucci? Or will they once again have to settle for whoever will take the job? Time will tell Raiders fans. As you know, my vote is for the return of Gruden, but those may be unjustified high hopes.

Stay tuned...

The Return of Chucky?

2009-11-09T19:24:00.002-05:00

Back when he was in Oakland, every Raider fan adored Head Coach Jon Gruden. How couldn't they? He, along with General Manager Bruce Allen single handedly turned around the lowly Oakland Raiders of the 90's into the powerhouse they were in the early 2000's. Yes, when Gruden left the Raiders finally took the next step and got to the Super Bowl under Bill Callahan. What many fans forget is that it was Jon Gruden who built that team. They concievably would have never gotten to that point were it not for him.

Recently, a story broke courtesy of Raiderbeat.com, about rumours that both Jon Gruden and Bruce Allen are open to returning to the Raider organization.

In light of recent reports about Tom Cable allegedly beating previous girlfriends and wives, along with the fact that the Raiders are once again having a disappointing season, speculation is rising that Al Davis will once again make a coaching change. Raider fans everywhere always dread the day that Al Davis gives up on the current coach. If once again a coach is fired, it may turn out to be the right move if indeed Gruden and Allen are brought back.

For starters, Gruden and Allen have proven that they can build great teams together. The first of which was the Raiders from 2000-2003. Second was the Super Bowl winning Tampa Bay Buccaneers at the end of the 2002 season.

Also, the two of them have proved that they have been the only ones as of late that have worked well with the ever so controlling owner, Al Davis. In having a successful organization, there needs to be chemistry not only on the football field, but in the front office too. Gruden has been known as one of the only coaches who could ever 'handle working for Al Davis'.

It could all just be rumours, but let's just say if Jon Gruden and Bruce Allen were back running the Raiders again, it would be a whole heck of a lot easier to have confidence in the direction of the franchise. It's been said many times before that the Raiders have an extremely talented team. In my opinion, they just need guidance and a good system. In no way am I qualified to say that Tom Cable can't provide that for the team. But if he can't, Raider fans all around the world would welcome the return of Jon Gruden.

Yet Another Loss to the Chargers

2009-11-09T18:30:00.008-05:00

Sorry for the delay Raiders fans, but we're back up and running. I'll be keeping you updated as often as possible after catching you up on all the events of the past 2 weeks that went without a RaiderNation blog.

Week 9's game saw the Raiders disappointing season continue, as they lost to the San Diego Chargers for the 13th consecutive time. That is now the longest current losing streak to any one team in the NFL.

We can say that the Raiders performed much better than the mess that was the 38-0 loss to the Jets, but that's not saying much. For Quarterback JaMarcus Russell, it was a game of fewer mistakes, but nothing spectacular. He finished the game going 14 of 22 for 109 Yards and 1 Interception.

In a game that saw JaMarcus Russell not off target too often, the issue of the Wide Receiver play arises. Russell would constantly drop back looking downfield, but find nothing and elect to dump the ball off to his checkdowns. Without any access to game film that sees the whole field, we can only wonder if the receivers are ever getting open for him. Regardless, a better offensive performance is pivotal if the Raiders have any dreams of beating a team as talented and as fundamentally sound as the Chargers are.

A couple of quick hits...
- It seems like an obvious solution, so it must have crossed the mind of defensive coordinator John Marshall; but why is CB Nnamdi Asomugha not assigned to as receiver like Vincent Jackson? The Raiders always have Asomugha lined up against whichever receiver comes to the right side of the field. Game in and game out he has proved that he is the best and the most feared cornerback in the NFL. Why not have him take away the opposing team's number one receiver every game (regardless of where they line up on the field)? Even if not from the start, one would think that's the solution the Raiders would come to after Chris Johnson and Stanford Routt were getting beat easily by Jackson all game. In a primarily man defensive scheme it seems like it would be easy to change, but then again that's why I am not an NFL Defensive Coordinator.

- At the end of an attached highlight video, you will see what I think is possibly the worst and saddest attempt at a two minute drill to conclude a game. With two minutes to go, the Raiders were on the San Diego 44 yard line, with what seemed like great field position and a great opportunity to march down and tie the game. They gave up sacks on two consecutive plays to open the drive. The second of which was due to Receivers Johnnie Lee Higgins and Louis Murphy colliding in their routes, giving JaMarcus Russell nobody to throw to. It was painful to watch. Well, see for yourselves...

The Raiders are now 2-6 heading into a week 9 bye. Week 10 sees them host the Kansas City Chiefs in a rematch of their first win of the season. Stay tuned...

Back to the Drawing Board... 38-0 Jets

2009-10-26T10:00:00.004-04:00

Well, just when things are looking brighter after the Eagles game, the Oakland Raiders turn in another terrible game, dropping their record to a disappointing 2-5.
After JaMarcus Russell and the Raider offence turned the ball over on the first play of the game on their own 5 yard line, the Jets quickly took a 7-0 lead. From that point on, not once was the game within reach for the Silver and Black. For those of you fans that did not see the game due to a local game black out, consider yourselves lucky. This was ugly. After a great performance against Philadelphia, one would think the Raiders would come into this game with some momentum, and at the very least put up a fight against a struggling Jets team. Let's break down the blowout loss by position.

Quarterback - The turnover on the first play of the game was the worst way he could start, as Russell showed his extreme lack of pocket presence holding on to the ball for far too long under pressure. Giving the Jets the ball on your own 5 yard line right off the bat does not exactly help out your defence. Russell also went on to throw two interceptions, one of which was a pass gift wrapped to Saftey Jim Leonhard. (There wasn't a Raider player within 10 yards of the pass). The second interception was thrown a deep pass intended for Todd Watkins, with flawless coverage and a great play by standout CB Darrelle Revis. The Result for Russell? He got what many fans had been calling for... benched in the second quarter. Enter Bruce Gradkowski. Gradkowski faired better than Russell did, but also gave up a costly sack fumble during the game's most promising drive for the Raiders. Regardless of the decision to bench Russell during the game, plan is to still keep him as the starting quarterback. As frustrating as the season has been so far, it is the right thing to do. Playoffs are a long shot at best for this team, and with Russell still potentially being the future of this team, he needs every chance he can get to improve and grow into an NFL Quarterback.

Runningbacks - For a second straight game Justin Fargas showed explosiveness carrying the ball, racking up an impressive 67 yards on only 8 carries. Had the passing offence been more of a threat, or had the Raiders been even close to the Jets for an extended period of time, Fargas surely would have gotten more carries. Michael Bush also had a few solid runs, but unfortunately while playing from such a huge deficit for the majority of the game, the Raiders were forced to abandon the running game all together.

Wide Recievers - Unexpectedly, WR Chaz Schilens was a late scratch, citing pain in his healing left foot after friday's practice. As a result, it was back to the starting lineup of rookies Louis Murphy and Darrius Heyward-Bey. Murphy turned in a decent stat line (4 catches 58 yards), but too many of those catches came in garbage time when the game was already long over in favour of the Jets. As for Darrius Heyward-Bey, he caught two passes for 28 yards, doubling his season total. Heyward-Bey, the 7th pick of the draft is going to have to start showing a lot more in the passing game, although his Quarterback's performance has not been helping him out much. We won't get into Crabtree comparisons, they are completely irrelevant.

Offensive Line - A surprise start for the Raiders, offseason signing Khalif Barnes was inserted into the line up for his first ever start at Right Tackle. He gave up 2 of Calvin Pace's 3 sacks, but it will surely take some time getting used to playing on the right side after all those years in Jacksonville on the left. As a whole, the offensive line was not bad at all. In the passing game, there were several occasions where they picked up Jet blitzes very well giving Quarterbacks ample time to find their hot reads, but too often that didn't happen. In the running game they were once again solid, opening decent holes for Justin Fargas and Michael Bush. Again, you can't exactly spend a tonne of time running the ball when you're down big (24-0 at half).

Defence - The Raider defence got torched all game long by the Jets' running attack. They surrended 316 yards on the ground, accompanied by 4 rushing touchdowns. This was the second consecutive week that the Jets went over 300 yards rushing. The success that the Jets had in their run game helped their passing offence as well. The Raiders were forced to respect the run all game long, especially considering they couldn't stop it. That did one of two things to the Raider defence.
1) There were no real blitz situations like there were last week against the Eagles.
2) The play action passing game for the Jets worked almost to perfection as the Raiders were forced to look for the run on every down. That's what happens when you can't stop the running game.
Mark Sanchez only threw 15 passes all game, and that's exactly the way the Jets want it. As a rookie Quarterback he should't have to carry the team on his shoulders. Managing the offence, taking care of the football, and letting the leagues number one ground game go to work is just fine for Coach Rex Ryan.

Special Teams - Again, if there was a Raiders MVP for this game it would have to be Punter Shane Lechler. He averaged over 50 yards a kick once again, constantly giving the Raider defence good position on the field after offensive struggles. The offence never once got Kicker Sebastian Janikowski in range to attempt a field goal. The problem with the Special Teams continues to be the return game. Jonathan Holland only made it outside the 20 yard line on kickoffs one time. After a year where they had 5 kick return TD's (2 kick and 3 punt) the special teams as far as the return game goes continues to be quite disappointing.

Overall, another disappointing performance on the part of the Raiders. Next week they travel to San Diego in a rematch of the Week 1 Monday Night showdown. The question is, which Raider team will show up? The one that dominated a great Philadelphia team? Or the one that got dominated by the New York Jets. Here's hoping for the same thing we saw against the Eagles, but right now things are not looking good. Stay tuned throughout the week for Raider News. Next Sundays game is in San Diego at Qualcomm Stadium, 1:05 Local and 4:05 Eastern.

Preview: New York Jets @ Oakland Raiders

2009-10-21T03:34:00.002-04:00

This week's upcoming game sees the Raiders hosting the 3-3 New York Jets. Again, we will see a tough test for the struggling Raiders offense. The Jets, under new head coach and defensive genius Rex Ryan, have sent blitzes on over 50% of snaps so far this season. The Raiders will need another big time performance from their offensive line, and another solid game from the likes of FB Gary Russell, HBs Justin Fargas and Michael Bush, and TEs Zach Miller and Tony Stewart, to keep the pressure off JaMarcus Russell. The Jets will surely send the pressure early and often to throw the Raider offense off rhythm.

It will be interesting to see if for a second game in a row, Raider Defensive Coordinator John Marshall dials up a heavy dose of the zone blitz. After having huge success last week against the Eagles with such packages, they have got to stick with what works. Whats more, putting pressure on young rookie QB Mark Sanchez will be pivotal. He has proven that when given time to scan the field he can be productive. However, when the pressure is on, like many young QBs, he can be forced into making bad decisions and bad throws. Such was the case this past week against the Buffalo Bills. Sanchez was an abysmal 10 of 29, for 119 yards and 5 interceptions. Ideally, the Raiders would like to put some pressure on Sanchez early, and force him into making mistakes, in turn giving the Raider offense good field position to work with. Here's hoping they continue to bring the pressure, much like last week against Philadelphia.

The week 7 matchup against New York also sees the return of WR Chaz Schilens for the Raiders. Schilens has been out with a broken fifth metatarsal bone in his left foot since early on in the preseason, and has been sorely missed. Throughout training camp and the better part of last season, Schilens and QB JaMarcus Russell had built a solid chemistry. If the first game of the preseason was any indication, Schilens was to be poised for a big season; catching all 5 passes thrown his way for 52 yards in the first quarter. So far this season, Raider receivers total a measly 19 receptions for 264 yards. In comparison, TE Zach Miller has 21 catches for 354 yards. Clearly, there is production missing from the Wide Receiver position, and the return of Chaz Schilens could be a much needed help.

So, tune in Sunday at 1pm Local, 4pm Eastern Time, for an interesting matchup that sees the 2-4 Oakland Raiders hosting the 3-3 New York Jets. Here's hoping last week's performance carries over to this week and throughout the season!

The Raiders Blitz!? It's About Time

2009-10-21T01:43:00.006-04:00

For so long, Raiders defensive coordinators have been allegedly banned from straying away from the Al Davis scheme. That scheme being man defence, with a natural four man pressure from the defensive line. As of late, the Raider defence has been getting shredded for big yardage by opposing offences. It's not that their defence is not talented enough; they are one of the more talented defences and surely one of the fastest defences in the NFL. The problem that persists is that Al Davis' defensive scheme is out dated. This is not the 70's or 80's anymore where you can run such schemes. The NFL today is more so about pressure on the quarterback. To do so with such talented offensive lines, bringing a blitz is key. Four man pressure just doesn't get it done anymore. Again, such keys to defence in the game today is what the Raiders have been lacking, and they were sorely exposed in weeks 3-5 this season. Especially so, considering their lackluster offence can not stay on the field long enough to get the defence any rest.

Despite all of that, the team derived away from such company lines in this past weekend's game against the Eagles, and not surprisingly played a much improved game all around. From the first snap they were constantly sending pressure with 5,6,7 and 8 man blitzes, getting Eagles Quarterback Donovan McNabb uncomfortable early. Not only that, but they also mixed in an array of zone coverages, surely something the Eagles did not expect. Courtesy of David White at sfgate.com,

"They were able to come up with a scheme we haven't seen," McNabb said. "They dropped back in more zone than we've seen in the early games. They came up with more of a blitz package."

Mission accomplished. Because the Raiders have run their tiresome Man to Man four man pressure schemes since the beginning of time it seems, the Eagles must have understandably thought this game wouldn't be any different. Who would have? Regardless, Raider fans across the world are very excited to see a breakthrough like this. Credit goes to Defensive Coordinator John Marshall for stepping into risky territory, assuming he didn't have permission from Mr. Davis himself to run such defensive packages. Then again, if it was that successful, Al Davis really couldn't get mad, could he? Regardless, that's for a whole other conversation in itself.

The point is, the Raider defence tried something new this past Sunday, and it was mightily successful; shutting down one of the most explosive offences in the league. Couple that with an improved performance by the struggling offence? You have yourself a very satisfying and convincing victory over a very solid Philadelphia Eagles team. Now the question is, can they keep it up? Stay tuned for a preview of this week's upcoming game, as the New York Jets travel to Oakland for the second consecutive year, in a game that should tell us who the Raiders really are.

Just When There Was No Light at the End of the Tunnel...

2009-10-21T00:32:00.004-04:00

After three straight colossal losses for the Raiders at the hands of the Broncos, Texans, and Giants respectively, any football fan would have predicted another blowout in this past Sunday's game when the Philadelphia Eagles came to town. A convincing 13-9 victory against the Eagles was shocking for even the most optimistic fans much like myself. Through their first four games, the Eagles showcased a high octane offense, and a defence, much like those of the late defensive coordinator Jim Johnson, with the most creative of blitz schemes. The matchup didn't bode well for the Raiders considering their struggling offensive line, struggling quarterback, and a defence that spends too much time on the field as a result. So the question is, how did they do it?

First and foremost, it seemed as though the Raider defence, and the team as a whole played some inspired football Sunday. Could it have been that Giants linebacker Antonio Pierce's comments following last week's 44-7 blowout really got to the Raiders players?

As per profootballtalk.com...

"I do not like knocking teams," Pierce said. "But right now, they're struggling. We're playing that game the other day and, honestly, it felt like a scrimmage, like a practice. It felt like we were going against our offense [in a controlled setting] as far as the tempo.
"There was no vibe of trying or effort from the Raiders at all from a defensive standpoint against their offense. We're getting three-and-outs. You don't hear nobody [saying], 'Hey, let's go!' trying to pick the guys up, rallying them, getting guys fired up. There was nothing. It was quiet. A guy gets sacked or somebody gets beat, they just get up. It's not like there's yelling or no kind of [emotion] about the way they were playing."

Apparently his comments were posted around the Raiders locker room as motivation. It seems to have worked. Whether it was that, or they just got too sick of having an embarassing 1-4 record, the Raiders played a great game in all phases, showing what their talented team is actually capable of when they put it all together. Here's hoping they can bring that type of game week in and week out. Next up, the New York Jets.

More to come on my reviews of the Raiders' best performance of the year...