Oakland Raiders Week Six: Pressures, Hurries, and Knockdowns

Here is the Week Six edition of my pressures, hurries, and knockdowns.

PRESSURES

The Entire Organization

Can’t really pinpoint any particular area, or individual under pressure this week. With Antonio Pierce and Greg Ellis’ recent comments, this team is on notice that everyone now knows they’re mailing it in, and not giving an effort out there.

At this point, every coach, player, secretary, security guard, and part-time valet involved with the Raiders need to step up and show that they care about the team, about success, and about the fans. The Raider Nation is becoming more disillusioned than I’ve ever seen, and if we don’t want a full-scale mutiny on our hands, the entire organization needs to step it up.

The pressure is on this organization to show that they actually care, can bounce back from adversity, and put a passable team on the field.

 

HURRIES

• We may finally get to see what this offense looks like with Chaz Schilens on the field. To say Russell has missed him would be the understatement of the season
• It appears that as more information comes out about the Hanson-Cable incident, the muddier the waters become. The Michael Silver Yahoo! interview has largely been debunked since, and Cable is even whispering about counter-action against Hanson. All we can do is stay tuned
• Perhaps what this team needed was a good roasting from an opponent. Too many times in the last seven years the Raiders have had players that put in no effort, but the demands of Raider Nation went ignored. It’s out there now, and it’s up to these guys as men to prove Pierce and everyone else wrong
• JaMarcus Russell acknowledged that he needs to become more of a leader, and at least in his words he appears to know what that requires. I’m not ready to throw him aside yet; the kid has talent, and I want to see it come out

 

KNOCKDOWNS

I cannot think of any positive knockdowns to go in this section at the moment, so I’m reserving judgment until after the Philadelphia game. Things are at the lowest point right now; I hope I have better things to say after today’s game.

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NFL Week Six: Pressures, Hurries, and Knockdowns

Some interesting developments in the last couple of weeks. I was quite ill, which is why I missed a couple articles, but should be no problems going forth.

Without further ado, here are my opinions regarding week six in the NFL.

 

PRESSURES

San Diego Chargers

With the Denver Broncos’ somewhat surprising surge to the top of the AFC West pack, the Chargers, with their typical slow start to the season, are in jeopardy of falling far behind in the race for the divisional crown with a loss on Monday night.

With the AFC West in shambles prior to the season, it was widely accepted that if San Diego simply suited up this season, they’d walk away with the division title. The Broncos had different ideas than those of their critics, and are enjoying a defensive renaissance.

Kyle Orton is exactly what Josh McDaniels tried to tell everyone he was over top the Cutler din, and though it pains me to say it, the Broncos look like a team built for the long haul right now, especially with the emergence of talented rookie Knowshon Moreno. 

The Chargers, at 2-2, welcome the Broncos, at 5-0, to Qualcomm in San Diego in the Monday Nighter. It’s hard to say that the fifth game of a team’s season is must-win, but consider that if the Broncos win and go to 6-0, they will be 3 1/2 games up on the Chargers with 11 to play. In a 16-game schedule, that’s a hefty hill to climb.

That’s not a stranglehold by any means, but this Denver team looks more poised and solid than the one that collapsed down the stretch to allow an undeserving Chargers team to sneak into the playoffs last season.

The pressure is on San Diego to come through in the clutch at home and avoid falling into a massive hole in the AFC West.

To expect mediocrity for the first half of the season to magically transmogrify into a playoff berth two seasons in a row is simply too much to ask. The Chargers need to help themselves out and not hope for another epic collapse.

 

Washington Redskins

The ‘Skins, in a quirk of scheduling you’ve probably read about many other places, face yet another winless team this weekend in the Kansas City Chiefs. This is their sixth consecutive game against a winless team.

This Washington squad was supposed to compete for the NFC East crown, or at least make things interesting. Instead, they barely compete in any game they are in, and make things interesting only to their fans. And not in a good way.

Jim Zorn has the hottest seat this side of Satan, the offense is stagnant, the defense isn’t playing up to their talent level, and the team consistently gets down for their competition.

They’ve already given the Lions and the Panthers their first wins of the season, narrowly missed doing the same for the Rams and the Buccaneers, and now play the hapless Chiefs at home on Sunday.

If the ‘Skins lose to the Chiefs on Sunday, Zorn should be fired immediately. That would be three winless teams in five weeks that beat the ‘Skins, and the only team that looks more uninspired than these guys are, unfortunately, my Oakland Raiders.

The ‘Skins are under pressure to prove to their fans that they’re better than they’ve shown, and that Daniel Snyder didn’t yet again waste a bunch of money on players that suddenly forget how to play football the minute they walk into the Nation’s Capital.

 

HURRIES

• Jeremy Maclin is a playmaker. Watching this kid in Missouri, you knew he was going to be special in the NFL. I don’t know how my Raiders cover both him and DeSean Jackson on Sunday. Scary.
• Despite the Titans’ struggles, don’t expect to see Jeff Fisher’s name on any hot-seat lists anytime soon. Possibly ever. He’s the longest tenured coach in the NFL and his track record shows far more success than failure.
• In a league that’s usually fraught with parity, there are some seriously horrendous teams this year. The Chiefs, Rams, Browns and Bucs are terrible as expected, the Panthers, Titans, Redskins, and Texans are all far below expectations, and the Raiders don’t resemble their talent level on paper when they take the field.
• Imagine if that bounce in the Cincinnati game goes the other way. The Bengals are 5-0, but the Broncos are still 4-1. Amazing.

KNOCKDOWNS

The Titans are Good

Okay, at this point the goodwill they built up with their wonderful season last year needs to go by the wayside. Each week we hear that the Titans are a good team that just hasn’t gotten it going, and each week we see them play terribly.

Now Jevon Kearse is injured, their secondary is depleted, Kerry Collins looks his age, Chris Johnson isn’t fooling anyone, and this team is being read and dictated to every step of the way.

A defense that lost Albert Haynesworth and Jim Schwartz is feeling the push. Ranked at or near the bottom of the league in every significant defensive statistic, it’s safe to say nobody is afraid of the Titans anymore.

Yet, they are consistently spoken of and ranked as if they are still an elite team, despite being winless. Well, I personally think that the Titans are not a very good team right now, and their record reflects that.

Regardless of past performance and pedigree, what counts is on the field, and they haven’t been on it much this season.

 

The Cowboys are Good

Barely escaping with a hard-fought victory over a poor Kansas City team, even though it was on the road, is not very impressive.

The Cowboys have put together one complete game this season, and that was against the Bucs. So far they’ve beaten the Bucs, the Chiefs, and the Panthers, who were all winless when they played the Cowboys and have a combined record of 1-14.

Granted they did give the Giants all they could handle in JerryWorld, and they fought against the Broncos at Mile High, but they’ve shown that they will play down to their weaker opponents and then cannot get up high enough to beat their stronger opponents.

Tony Romo has been incredibly inconsistent, and the defense, especially the secondary, has let them down multiple times this season. The Cowboys can be a good team, possibly an elite team, but they need to show up more often on both sides of the ball.

Romo needs to stop trying to make the big play every snap, and play within himself. When he does, he’s nearly unstoppable and makes some big plays. When he doesn’t, he throws poor passes, makes bad decisions, and costs his team games.

The Cowboys are still a decent team, but not good at this point. If I were a Cowboy fan I’d definitely be nervous about the fact that a possible Super Bowl contender can’t easily beat the teams they’re supposed to roll over, and then subsequently can’t thus far beat teams with a winning record.

By the end of the season, I can see the Cowboys in the playoffs making noise or I can see them at home golfing. This team is tough to read, but they’re certainly not as good as expected right now.

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New York Giants’ Antonio Pierce Could End Up Oakland Raiders MVP

The collective cries of Raider Nation have fallen on deaf ears.

Media criticism and expert analysis has been ignored or sloughed off as “hating.”

Ridicule from fans of other teams, constant cries from NFL fans who are tired of seeing a storied franchise sink deeper and deeper, and valid points regarding franchise dysfunction and anarchy are swept under the rug quicker than the leavings of a fat doobie.

Somehow, some way, most of the “players” that collect a check for the Oakland Raiders have managed to push all these distractions aside and do what’s really important: spend money and soak in their fame.

With nobody within the organization willing to hold players accountable for not showing up and working hard, why would they? This team has denigrated into a vacation spot, a place with nice weather where you can get a nice payday without doing a whole lot.

The Oakland Raiders are the government job of the NFL.

Antonio Pierce, a well-respected linebacker for the New York Giants, basically stated as much in a recent quote. He was utterly amazed that despite the Giants’ dominance of the Raiders offense, nobody on the Raiders’ side of the ball seemed to care.

Nobody was getting fired up; nobody was getting upset with their poor play. They simply took a sack or lost a fumble, picked themselves up quietly and slunk back to the sidelines. As a Raider fan, reading this made me want to scream.

Now, we in the Raider Nation have long been frustrated with the mail-in jobs of our players. For some reason, people who play for the Raiders lately lack pride, discipline, and effort; what is worse, though, is that they are allowed to lack these qualities and still get paid handsomely. And still retain a roster spot.

If you were to listen to coach Tom Cable, this team is still in Super Bowl contention. The level of dysfunction and denial being exhibited by the franchise right now has reached laughable proportions.

Regardless of their recent performances, and of opinions to the contrary, the Oakland Raiders are still a team of professional football players that have individual pride. Getting called out by your fans, the media, critics, etc. may not carry that much weight, as that is just the life of a professional athlete.

However, getting called out for a lack of professionalism and effort by one of your opponents, after they’ve already waxed your tail? Well, if that doesn’t light a fire under these guys, then nothing is going to.

You see a lot of individual sports involve head games and trash talking. Heck, team sports do as well. But when is the last time you heard an opposing player describe a regular season game as feeling like “a scrimmage”? In team sports, it’s taboo to call the other team out for a lack of heart and passion. That’s supposed to be an in-house duty, preferably belonging to the head coach.

But since anyone who plays for the Oakland Raiders can do whatever the hell they want and still get paid and praised by the owner and coaching staff, I guess Pierce felt he had to say something. I guess a guy who plays on a championship-caliber team who knows what it takes to win felt the need to call out his peers.

Perhaps he feels sorry for them. Perhaps he’s jealous. More likely he’s embarrassed and ashamed for them, and curious as to why they don’t feel the same way.

I’m curious, too. Why is it that a linebacker on an opposing team seems to care more about the effort put forth by the Raiders than anyone involved with the franchise?

I can see this going one of two ways: either the Raiders will be stung by one of their peers calling them out in public for a lack of effort and heart, or they’ll laugh it off and buy some more stamps.

If this team does turn things around, and soon, then we have to give credit where it is due. Antonio Pierce’s comments could serve to bring this team together or make the rift larger.

I hope it’s the former, but I can see the latter. There are myriad negative distractions around this team, and we need something to rally around. These comments are the perfect rallying cry for a lost and drifting franchise in danger of falling further than ever before.

There had better be 53 pissed off guys right now. I hope that every one of them feels ashamed, embarrassed, and downright humbled by what Pierce said about them. When someone who has no ulterior motive to call you out decides to do so, you’d better pay attention. Especially when that player has won a Super Bowl and is well respected around the league.

One thing is for sure: nothing else was working. These guys don’t care. If they still don’t after Pierce’s comments, then I don’t know how they look themselves in the eye. Pride, anyone?

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Oakland Raiders Week Five: Pressures, Hurries, and Knockdowns

 

Well I’m back. Sorry I missed last week, I was pretty ill, but I’m all better now. Hope I can still say that tomorrow after the Giants game.

Sorry about the picture too. Getty Images has a somewhat limited selection.

Right to it. Cheers everyone, and Happy Thanksgiving to any of my fellow Canadians.

 

 

PRESSURES

Tom Cable

 

The pressure is squeezing this cat from all sides right now, and for a guy his size, it’s got to be very uncomfortable.

The Randy Hanson situation won’t go away quietly; in fact, Hanson’s attorney is parroting on about having incontrovertible evidence, and Roger Goodell is talking in code about potentially suspending Cable for a long time if the allegations prove true.

Cable has repeatedly said that nothing happened and denied any wrongdoing, but it’s really not looking good for him right now. He needs to hope that this goes away quietly and can be dealt with behind closed doors; with a felony charge looming and Goodell’s track record, that’s not very likely.

His play-calling has also come into question lately, with many in Raider Nation wondering just what the hell he is thinking half the time. I mean, the run is supposed to be the strength of this team, yet we repeatedly come out passing and put ourselves in and-long situations. It’s unhealthy for the offense.

I’ll touch on this more later, but his “master motivator” tag needs to be removed, at least for now. This team looked like they were turning it around; they don’t so much any more.

The legal situation is one Cable can do little about; he can, however, have his team fired up, ready to play, and ready to pour their hearts on the field Sunday. Something he hasn’t done since the opener on Monday night. The pressure is on, and I can honestly say that I’ve taken a liking to Cable’s personality, but I sure wouldn’t want to be in his shoes.

 

 

The Defense

 

Let me make one thing clear: I’m not calling the defense out. They’ve played well for the most part this season, a couple of lapses in last week’s debacle aside.

Nonetheless, we haven’t seen the same heart or intensity from them since the San Diego game either. That game the defense gave up a respectable 77 yards on the ground in that game, but in the three games since have given up an average of 170+ yards, including over 200 to the Denver Broncos two weeks ago.

The defense is not fully culpable in their drop-off. They must be on the laundry list of folks who have no faith in this offense, and it’s beginning to show. After they left their guts on the field during that goal line stand in the Broncos game, they were gutted again by the offensive inefficiencies. This defense is beginning to lose faith, and it’s beginning to show in their play.

The offense is under pressure every single week, and that’s patently obvious. What might not be so obvious is that that heaps tremendous pressure on the defense, and it’s a pressure they’ve wilted under the last couple games.

Against a poised and efficient Giant attack, they’re going to have to stay disciplined, make solid tackles, and get fired up and enjoy themselves. But if they don’t get any help early from a so far stagnant offense, I hope they don’t just mail it in. That’s my biggest fear, and it will happen after long enough if the offense doesn’t shape up. 

They are under pressure to bring it. Just want it, taste it, hit em hard, and leave them respecting us. Bring that intensity we had when we first got Seymour and we wanted to stick it to the Chargers. That’s what they’re under pressure to do: rediscover their killer instincts.

 

 

HURRIES

 

• Reports I’ve read say that Chaz Schilens is playing this weekend, and then I just read something that said he’s doubtful, and then….so I don’t know. What I do know is that if he is back, Russell has both his security blankets and no more excuses. The Giants being an excellent team is not an excuse
• Russell made some really nice throws last week, but they were dropped. It seems like the entire offense is snake-bitten even when they execute well
• The offensive line needs to get plenty of rest and eat their Wheaties tomorrow. That Giants front is scary, scary, scary. Speed rushers, bull rushers, hybrids, run stuffers. They’ve got it all, and our guys are going to have to bring their “A” game.
• Having Gallery back would be nice, but Cable paying extra attention to the line this week is a potential double-edged sword considering all his duties
• I’m glad Michael Bush is getting the start. Last time he got the majority of the carries was the Tampa game last season, and we all know how well that worked out
• Ahmad Bradshaw and Brandon Jacobs are a scary tandem, obviously. But the Raiders have difficulty with shifty backs like Bradshaw, and equal difficulty with hammer backs like Jacobs. Solid tackling and gap discipline is of paramount importance 

 

 

KNOCKDOWNS

Tom Cable has Changed the Attitude in Oakland

 

Now, I think he’s begun to, and it’s so damaged that it’s a definite work in progress. But much like JaMarcus Russell’s play, there seems to be a regression in commitment and intensity on this team.

In the beginning, all of Raider Nation—myself included for sure—were ecstatic that Cable was taking out the trash and instilling a new attitude. The players were saying all the right things, buying in, and Jerry McDonald’s blog seemed to indicate that things were indeed feeling a bit different.

We all saw the team that flew out of the gates against the Chargers on Monday night. That’s what we wanted, expected, and we were all on board. Despite the loss, there was a new attitude in Oakland and this team was going to do some good things because they finally cared; they weren’t just picking up a paycheck.

Only are they? After three straight lackluster performances not only on the stat sheet but on the field as well, we’re left to wonder whether anything has really changed. Recent comments from Jeff Garcia, Rich Gannon, and Boomer Esiason, although not confirmed by team sources, would suggest that there are players in the locker room with no interest in winning or playing good football; they just want to pick up a paycheck.

With Cable’s legal troubles looming, the offense playing terribly under his tutelage, and the team slowly but surely slipping out of his grasp, he has to do something quickly to regain his hold on the franchise and the Nation. Our faith, once so strong in the beginning, is starting to waver. Cable needs to have this team ready and prepared and show us all we aren’t the same Oakland Raiders anymore; he owes it to us all.

 

 

The Raider Run Defense Has Improved

 

For one game. That’s it. Then, same-old same old. I’ve already gone into detail about how the offense has heavily contributed to any defensive struggles the team may be experiencing. But this team, so disciplined and smart in the first game, have forgotten their way.

Last week, there was horrible gap discipline. The tackles were getting shoved aside and the linebackers were being hacked up by the O-Line, leaving the secondary to make plays. I’m glad that Tyvon Branch, Nnamdi, and now Michael Huff are good tacklers, because without them there would’ve been much harsher gains.

The Texans were also stagnating in their run game, until they played us. Then, Steve Slaton remembered who he was. Against Denver, even though they held well on the goal line, the Broncos still marched down the field at will and we turned Knowshon Moreno into a star early in his career. Once again I put a healthy slice of the blame on the offense here, but many big gains in the Denver and Houston games were early and often, well before the D should’ve been exhausted.

No, much like Cable, the initial positive changes I saw installed by Marshall and his regime in regards to run defense have somewhat evaporated. Now, Board and Marshall have done a good job in getting the line to play strong against the man in front of them; the players just have to remember to do their jobs and not always try and make the big play.

This team has a lot of speed and the run defense is something that can be corrected. With Marshall’s experience and the talent we have on the line I expect that to be the case.

The Giants are a tough running team; the game is going to be a huge test. It will also be the first step in showing everyone that this Raider team is more like the one they saw opening night than the one that’s showed up since.

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The Oakland Raiders Season : A First Quarter Reflection

Well the first four games of the season are in the books, and I can’t say I’m very happy about the results thus far. We all thought this team would be in better shape at this point; but there have been some pleasant surprises in the midst of all the turmoil.

With the Giants looming, things don’t seem to be any brighter on the horizon, and with McFadden’s injury adding to an already stagnant offense, things look bleak indeed. I feel that we’ll give the Giants a game on Sunday, and begin to turn things around. This team just needs to regain the attitude it showed on the first Monday of the season.

There have been ups and downs in this early season, some highs, some lows, some surprises, and some major disappointments. Here are my “awards” for the first quarter of a thus far less than pleasing season.

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Oakland Raiders Week 3: Pressures, Hurries and Knockdowns

This is the first in what will be a weekly column about the Raiders regarding pressure situations, quick hit thoughts, and myths that have been disproven or are on shaky ground. I am also doing a weekly Pressures, Hurries, and Knockdowns article for the entire league.

Thanks for reading, and if you have any comments or suggestions to make the column better please send me a message.

PRESSURES

The Offense

I’ve already written about JaMarcus’ accuracy issues, so I won’t go into them here. I feel that the entire offense is under pressure to succeed, if only to keep the defense off the field and fresh.

The defense played great against the Chargers on opening night, but after a string of ineffective offensive possessions in the 3rd quarter, they were wearing down toward the end of the game.

They still stood strong until the very end, and that was more scheme than fatigue, but they were a step slower at times, and a noticeably tired defensive line failed to generate any pass rush on Rivers after being in his face the entire night. This can be attributed to being on the field too much in the second half.

Last weekend, Russell was struggling, so it afforded Kansas City the opportunity to load up the box and mostly neutralize the running game. The defense, as a result of multiple three-and-outs by the offense, were on the field for nearly 40 minutes.

They still held up strong and helped lead the team to a 13-10 victory, very impressive coming off a highly emotional game on a short week on the road. Russell and the offense got it going when it counted, as he shook off earlier struggles to complete 4/7 passes for 68 yards, and proving for the second week in a row he can bring his ‘A’ game come crunch time.

But the offense simply has to be better earlier in the game. The struggles cannot all be put on Russell, as the entire offense has stagnated at times. This offense is very young, and as such will struggle to be on the same page and read the field the same way.

Darrius Heyward-Bey and Louis Murphy are both rookie wideouts, and as such have not yet developed a full cohesion with Russell. They still telegraph and run improper routes at times, which contributes to the overall struggles of the passing game. They can only get better from here as they continue to learn and grow.

It’s a work in progress with this much inexperience, and it’ll definitely pay dividends as time goes on. We should see improvement every week, and it’s hopeful last weekend’s first three quarters were the top of our struggles.

This offense has the talent to win now, if they can simply get a few more completions from Russell. This is easily attainable, as it is most likely the worst was over after the 3rd quarter of the Chiefs game. It’s hard to believe, with the flashes of playmaking he’s shown, that Russell could play that poorly ever again.

The playcalling of Tom Cable also needs to focus more on the run, and not abandon it when we aren’t tearing the ground up. Both Darren McFadden and Michael Bush have shown consistent ability to pick up big yardage, and both can go the distance. Cable must be patient, because if you give them enough carries, one or both will make at least one big play a game. He also needs to get McFadden outside with the ball more often.

It’s important to stick to the run, improve the pass, and get some screens in play to improve Russell’s confidence and give our backs the chance to make a big play. A wide receiver screen to DHB or Murphy wouldn’t be a bad idea either. There are many weapons on this offense, but without more efficiency with the pass, a full-on commitment to the run may be difficult, putting the team in a major conundrum.

I feel Russell bounces back and plays well, and the running game gets on track this weekend.

 

Erik Pears

When Robert Gallery, the Raiders talented left guard who was playing at a high level this season, broke his fibula in the Chiefs game, it was a harsh blow to an offensive line that had been playing rather well to that point.

The left side of the line had been instrumental in paving the way for effective running against the Chargers, and protecting Russell’s backside in both games this season. Gallery and left tackle Mario Henderson have developed an excellent cohesion on the left side and many of the Raiders more effective runs have gone behind Gallery this season.

Replacing him will be Erik Pears. There is pressure on Pears to continue success in place of Gallery, as Gallery is a great player who continually gets to the second level to clearout space for longer runs by the talented backfield of Bush and McFadden, and Fargas (if he ever sees the field again).

Pears is an ex-Bronco, so this game has that much more significance for him. He will be putting a lot of pressure on himself, and the storyline of him replacing a team captain and essential piece of the running game against the team that tossed him aside after an injury (granted, they replaced him with Ryan Clady, who is a wall) will only add to the scrutiny he would already be under.

He better be prepared to bring it, but players usually get amped up for their former teams, especially if they’ve been cast aside. Pears started 10 of 16 games at Right Tackle for Denver in the his rookie year in 2006, and played well enough to earn the starting job for all 16 games in the 2007 season.

He got Wally Pip’ed by rookie Ryan Clady last year when he was shelved with appendicitis, and Clady played so well that Pears never got back into the rotation.He was picked up in the offseason by the Raiders on the strength of the fact that he played for the Broncos and therefore has experience in the zone-blocking scheme employed by his new team.

His experience with the ZBS and Denver as a whole, coupled with his size at 6’8, 308, as well as positive reports from practice indicate that he is capable of filling in for Gallery. This also allows Chris Morris to stay at center, where he has played quite well this season and is responsible for calling blocking schemes. With the offense under pressure to perform, it’s essential Pears plays well to ensure the improvement I expect to see Sunday. 

HURRIES

• It’s great news to have JLH back returning punts this weekend. You may remember the last time Johnnie played the Brocos: an 89-yard punt return and wonderfully soulful celebration. Wanna see him dance this weekend
• Rich Gannon provided some very astute analysis regarding Russell’s inaccuracy issues, and feels that all of them can be corrected, which is good news. Ted Tollner agrees
• Josh McDaniels has respect for JaMarcus Russell even if Broncos fans don’t. McDaniels noted in an interview that Russell has the highest yards-per-completion in the league at 16.6, as well as his success against the Broncos last season
• Chaz Schilens will be back, but not until next week at the earliest. Though Schilens said he wants to be out there now, he conceded the medical staff is right in holding him back to ensure no longer-term damage
• I fully expect the Black Hole to wreak havoc on Denver this weekend, and I ask my brethren in the Raider Nation to make it as miserable as possible for the hated Broncos and their new QB Kyle Orton
• Michael Huff will start at free safety in place of an injured Hiram Eugene this Sunday. Huff leads the league with 3 interceptions and has been all around the ball this entire season. More on him below

 

KNOCKDOWNS

JaMarcus Russell Lacks Leadership

First off, let me get this out of the way. I think all of us in the Nation have questioned Russell’s work ethic and commitment at some time during his career. We would all like him to study film more and practice take more initiative like he did in the summer with his passing camp.

But his leadership, though maybe not found in his preparation just yet as he matures and grows, has shone through on the field thus far this season.

His struggles have been well-documented, but what is not quite so well documented is his impressive ability to bounce back from early struggles to play strongly in the final minutes and put his team in a position to win. He’s done it both games this season thus far.

For a young man who held out and missed training camp his rookie season, has had three different play callers and two different coaches, one of whom held him back intentionally and sabatoged his development, and more criticism, drama, and turmoil than many players experience in their whole career, Russell has shown a remarkable ability to shrug it off and go out and play.

His on-field leadership has come far, as proven in the fourth quarter of the San Diego game. After his shin was crushed by a pile of falling bodies, he limped out of the game and appeared done.

Bruce Gradkowski came in and made a couple nice throws, and then Russell returned. He then proceeded to throw a cold-blooded, 47 yard touchdown pass to Louis Murphy on 4th and 15 to put the Raiders ahead.

I don’t think Russell would’ve been able to do that last season. He has shown his teammates that although he may struggle, and even struggle mightily at times, when it comes time to lead a big drive in the final minutes they can hop on his broad back and trust him to get the job done. That is huge for locker room morale and usually the last quality a young quarterback develops.

Michael Huff is Done

This one is an absolute pleasure to write. Loved in the locker room, professional on and off the field, and a favourite of the coaching staff for his personality and work ethic, Michael Huff nonetheless was very close to being cut before this season began.

Drafted #7 overall in 2006, Huff was considered a top safety prospect and expected to have an immediate NFL impact. Instead, despite some decent numbers in the tackle department, Huff lacked any big play acumen heading into this season.

He always seemed a step late to the ball, despite having good coverage often. He missed many tackles that led to big gains for the other team, and generally didn’t perform well. In fact, he probably would’ve been benched earlier had he not been drafted so high.

It seemed a real possibility that with Mike Mitchell being drafted in the 2nd round and Tyvon Branch being healthy, Huff could be the odd man out in the safety battle and demoted even further on the depth chart. But Mitchell has struggled with hamstring issues, and hasn’t seen enough field action to be trustworthy on many snaps until he gets more comfortable.

That has opened the door for Huff, and he has responded in spades this season. Whereas he was never around the ball before, he has a league-leading 3 INT’s, and has recovered a fumble as well. He also had four passes defensed last Sunday against the Chiefs, almost half of the 11 he collected starting or playing heavily in all 16 games last season.

The Huff have seen thus far in 2009 is the Huff we’ve expected all along, but even better. Nnamdi Asomugha has always been a huge advocate of Huff’s, and he’s stated that he believes Huff’s recent play will be the rule going forward rather than the exception.

Huff is a very hard working player and has committed himself to justifying his draft status by watching extra film with Asomugha and staying after practice to work on catching and route reads. So far, so good, and with him getting the start this Sunday, we’ll see if he can continue to create havoc for opposing offenses.

 

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NFL Week Three: Pressures, Hurries, and Knockdowns

Welcome to the first of what will be a weekly column of mine, in which I describe pressure situations in the NFL in the Pressures section, make quick hit points in the Hurries section, and express my thoughts regarding previous truths that have subsequently been disproved or are on shaky ground in the Knockdowns section.

For any members of the Raider Nation wondering why there is no mention of our beloved Silver and Black, I will be doing a separate Raiders version of the column on Saturdays.

 

PRESSURES

 

John Fox, Carolina Head Coach

Previously one of the most insulated men in the business after taking Carolina to a SuperBowl in just his second season back in 2003. Fox has had an inconsistent run since then, at times under-performing with talented teams. He’s now hitched his wagon to a quarterback who’s better days seem to be behind him, and, with a team expected to be better than their current 0-2 record, the pressure is mounting. 

Carolina followed up their SuperBowl appearance with a disappointing 7-9 season in ’04, but bounced back to return to the NFC Championship game in ’05. In ’06, they had high hopes and were heavily favoured to represent the NFC in the SuperBowl, but, in a pattern that has maintained throughout Fox’s tenure dating back to ’02, the team failed to post back-to-back winning seasons, and, at 8-8, missed the playoffs.

Another Panther squad touted as SuperBowl contenders disappointed in ’07, finishing below .500 at 7-9. They once again bounced back last season, riding a strong and versatile run game and stout defense to an impressive 12-4 record and a spot in the playoffs against Arizona.

Unfortunately for Carolina, the Cards were in the early stages of a magical run and the Panthers went out mewling in a debacle of a divisional round game at home behind quarterback Jake Delhomme’s five-interception, one fumble self-destruction that was as hard to watch as it was mesmerizing. 

Delhomme figures heavily in the pressure that is now on John Fox. Despite the fact that Delhomme has never joined the upper echelon of quarterbacks in the league, and despite the fact that he had a terrible season opener in which he nearly mirrored his ’08 playoff performance with another four interceptions and a fumble, he was given a vote of confidence by the coach.

This after the team gave him a rich extension this past offseason ($42.5 million over five years with $20 million guaranteed), at the behest of Fox. 

His clinging to Delhomme, who has always been a good quarterback who until recently was somewhat careful with the ball, has lead the team away from drafting a quarterback of the future and left the position somewhat of a question mark. It’s not to say Delhomme can’t bounce back and put up serviceable numbers, but at this point, it hasn’t boded well for him this season; which doesn’t bode well for Fox.

Fox’s teams are also usually known for stout defense, but currently sit 24th in total defense and 26th against the run. With the real possibility of 0-3 looming in the form of a trip to Jerryworld in Dallas on Monday, this team is in danger of falling into a deep hole in the tough NFC South, and it’s tough to see them or Fox surviving the fall.

 

New England Patriots

I’m not ready to throw the towel in on the Patriots by any means. We counted them out last season after losing Tom Brady, one of the best quarterbacks in the business, and they narrowly missed the playoffs, posting an impressive 11-5 record on the arm of a quarterback who hadn’t started since High School. This team is well coached, and well managed, and always has a chance in every game. I don’t like them, but I have to give credit where it is due.

The “Is Brady the same?” storyline has been played up enormously, and it is a huge factor in the pressure the Patriots are feeling to right a ship that’s usually on a steady course. The offense is struggling; the offensive line is struggling; and, subsequently, Brady is struggling. Well, as much as he does anyhow.

But the issue with the Patriots now, one that can’t be fixed in practice or with film study, is that their big-bad-bullies of Boston mystique is all but gone.

The Giants began eroding the myth in 2007 at SuperBowl XLII, where they repeatedly broke through the previously impenetrable Patriots offensive line and put constant pressure and pain on quarterback Tom Brady. The Patriots were still just a couple plays away from winning that game, but the Giants provided a blueprint for rattling Brady that proved effective again last week when employed by the Jets.

The Jets took the final shine off the Patriots aura last weekend and The Patriots have been the bullies of the AFC East in the 2000’s, especially against the Bills whom they’ve now beaten 12 straight times, and the Jets, against whom they have a 10-2 record since ’03. 

The Jets-of-recent-years have lacked the confidence to stand up to a Patriots team that was often dominant. Coach Eric Mangini, like a good father does when his charge is being bullied, decided to take the conservative approach and tell the authorities. He ratted out his former team for using illegal taping techniques, leading to the horrifying cliche “Spygate” and all the bombast that went along with it.

This approach wasn’t successful, and the Patriots continued their dominance of the Jets through the Mangini era, while a formerly warm coaching relationship was fractured forever. There is no way the new Browns coach will ever again be acknowledged by the Hood. 

Enter tough Uncle Rex Ryan. Instead of telling the Jets to just sit back and take what comes, he instead told them to take charge, to tell the bully to their face they weren’t afraid of them. He further dared them to punch them in the nose with everyone in the NFL watching.

This was surprising to say the least, as with the exception of ’02, when you made statements like that about Patriot teams between the years of 2001-2007, they usually beat you by multiple touchdowns just to send a message: You don’t talk smack about us.

The Jets, however, weren’t intimidated and they took their coaches’ words to heart.

They came out with a hard-hitting, pressure-packed performance on defense and got enough from Mark Sanchez and the offense to pull off an impressive 16-9 victory in front of the football world. By first calling them out and then following through, the Jets served notice that the bully wasn’t to be feared any longer.

With that game, the Patriots’ psychological advantage of presence intimidation is officially over. The Patriots are so used to being heavily favoured in most games and getting in their opponents heads before the game is even played that it’ll be interesting to see going forward how things will play out.

At 1-1, the season is very much alive and the Patriots do not panic, nor should they. They still have a great team with a savvy coaching staff. And most bullies are still big and strong; it’s just when they’re exposed when the aura of fear is gone and people look at them differently.

With Atlanta coming to Foxborough this weekend looking like a very strong team, and with both Wes Welker and Randy Moss possibly shelved for the contest, 1-2 is distinctly possible. In a division where the Jets are playing great football, the Bills look like they could possibly contend, and the Dolphins are better than their record, it won’t be as easy as it’s been in the recent past.

And now, teams who felt hopeless before will truly believe they can beat them every single week.

 

HURRIES

We’re seeing some great individual pass rushing displays this early season, with the Broncos Elvis Dumervil getting four against the Browns and the Bengals Antwan Odom rocking Green Bay’s Aaron Rodgers five times last Sunday.

I don’t usually feel bad for Jerry Jones or the Cowboys, but you had to feel a little bit sorry for him when the ‘Boys non-existent pass rush and an erratic Tony Romo choked the life out of the amazing spectacle he’d created. Didn’t you?

I’m not surprised Mario Manningham is playing well for the Giants. The kid was a big-play maker at Michigan, and I thought the Giants got a steal when they nabbed him in the third round of the ’08 draft. He didn’t see the field much last season, and it looked as if he might not this season either with the emergence of rookie Hakeem Nicks. But Nicks is hurt, and now Manningham is making the most of his opportunities. With Manningham and Steve Smith performing lights-out this season, and Nicks and fellow rookie Ramses Barden showing great flashes of potential, along with the ever-underachieving Sinorice Moss, the Giants suddenly have a very young, very talented core of receivers that could prove to be exceedingly dangerous.

Does Detroit get their first win this weekend when they host the offensively-challenged Redskins? It’s the sexy pick of the week, but I can’t pick the Lions until they win one. This may be their best chance in a while though, because their next three games before their Week Seven bye are: Chicago, Pittsburgh, and Green Bay. If they don’t get it on Sunday, they will have another excellent chance, being rested and ready after the bye, in Week Eight when they host the Rams.

 

KNOCKDOWNS

 

A Good Running Game and the Time of Possession Battle Win Games

This truth was shattered to pieces this past Monday night, as the Indianapolis Colts were run all over by the Miami Dolphins, and held the ball for less than 15 minutes yet came away with a 27-23 victory on the shoulders and fingertips of Peyton Manning.

Manning threw a touchdown pass on his first attempt, a nice 80-yard catch and run by Dallas Clark that left the Miami crowd stunned. But the Dolphins went into leech mode, trying to bleed the Colts out with constant pressure on the ground and keeping their defense tired and on the field. The Dolphins put up more than 230 yards on the Colts with a variance of the Wildcat and straight running that kept them off-balance the entire game.

This one game cannot debunk the truth of the statement that if you have a good running game and win the time of possession, you stand an excellent chance of winning the game.

That is still true. However, a good passing game is more valuable than ever.

Look around. Though it would take too long to do a proper statistical analysis (if anyone knows a good place to go for NFL stats, please let me know) it certainly seems as if teams are throwing the ball a heck of a lot more this season.

Sometimes it’s out of necessity (Kevin Kolb), sometimes it’s because they’re so, so good at it (Drew Brees), and sometimes it’s for on-the-job training (Matt Stafford, Mark Sanchez). The league has changed on offense from the conventional one back, No.1 receiver offense where only a couple guys could burn you at any time.

Teams now have multiple threats to go the distance at any time, as athletes get bigger, stronger, and faster all the time, and want to get the ball in the hands of their playmakers as often as possible. This usually means passing to them, like converted punt returners Devin Hester of the Bears and Josh Cribbs from the Browns.

More dangerous athletes mean more home-run hitters, and throwing them the ball on short routes like bubble screens and slant patterns can pay huge dividends. For that reason, expect teams to continue passing to their big play guys. 

 

The Houston Texans are Ready for Prime-time

Everyone’s favourite darlings in the preseason for the past two seasons, the Houston Texans somehow always come out of the gate misfiring and then have an uphill climb just to get to .500, which is exactly how they’ve finished in those two seasons.

This season was no different. Every expert and many fans decided it was the Texans year, and there was no two ways that they were going to the playoffs. Heck, Sports Illustrated and others even picked them to evict the Colts from their long-tenured penthouse stay in the AFC South.

But then they came out against the New York Jets and laid an absolute egg in their home opener. Outwitted, outplayed, and outgunned by a rookie quarterback and head coach, Gary Kubiak and his Texans looked to be heading on to another down slide early in the season that would portend doom for their playoff hopes.

They bounced back in a big way against Tennessee last week, putting up 33 on a supposedly good defense (almost in the pressures section, the Tennessee D has not impressed thus far) and doing just enough to win a very rowdy game in which they gave up multiple huge plays to the fastest guy in the NFL, Titans back Chris Johnson.

At 1-1, the season is not over. My point is that the Texans have done nothing this season other than lower their expectations. Nobody really though the Jets would win that first game, let alone in such a dominant fashion. The Jets showed last weekend against the Pats that their Week One play was no fluke, but still, Houston simply cannot be trusted until they string together two or three good performances in a row.

Conventional wisdom would say that they have an excellent chance to do so as they host the Jaguars this Sunday and the Raiders next Sunday. As a Raider fan, I respectfully disagree with conventional wisdom and say we beat the Texans in their own house. But that’s for another time.

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The Oakland Raiders Worriesome Win

The Raiders and Chiefs played yet another closely contested battle today at Arrowhead, with the Raiders pulling out a victory after a late touchdown drive that saw an offense stuck in neutral the entire day finally get it going when it mattered.

History will show that JaMarcus Russell showed well on the winning drive, going 3 of 6 for 58 yards with a couple of key first down conversions after penalties had mired the team in difficult situations. History will also show that before this drive, Russell had one of the worst quarterback performances I’ve ever witnessed.

That the Raiders were on the winning end of a drive in the final minutes is not lost on me, nor the rest of Raider Nation. Russell came through when it mattered, and Darren McFadden, bottled up most of the day, found no resistance on the left end to waltz in for the game-winning touchdown with 1:07 left to cap the drive.

It was a great feeling as a Raider fan to finally see a victory after trading scores in the final minutes. It far more often than not for far too long has gone the other way. The collective feelings of joy and relief across Raider Nation were tangible, and I know it was one of my best football moments in quite a while.

Up until the point that the clock read 0:00, I was unhappy with Russell’s performance. He’s engineered two go-ahead drives in the fourth quarter in two weeks, and that’s to be commended. But his erratic passing that we all hoped was an anomaly against the Chargers turned into an utter nightmare against the Chiefs.

Starting out 0-5, he never seemed to be able to get in a rhythm. When he connected with Darrius Heyward-Bey for the kid’s first NFL reception it was his first really good on target throw of the day down the field, it seemed a good bet he was about to get going.

But, he then proceeded to misfire constantly in the 2nd half. He missed a couple by just a touch, such as the potential Louis Murphy touchdown pass that was just out of reach.

He also was the victim of some excellent D-Line play from the Chiefs, who batted down a couple of balls that were intended as screen passes, one of the few plays that the Raiders had any success with all day.

Until the final drive, in which he zipped a couple of bullets right on the money, Russell looked very poor. He’s still showing better pocket presence, and the line once again gave him time for the most part; but he simply must get better at putting the ball on target. We cannot continually blame others for his inability to hit open targets.

The Chiefs showed that if you dare Russell to beat you, then you can stop their running game. We need the run game to be effective, because the defense cannot keep playing as much as they did today and continue to hold up as well as they did.

Without having to worry about defending the pass, the Chiefs were free to send run blitzes and put eight and nine in the box to stop McFadden and Bush. The two backs combined for a hard-fought 70 yards on the ground, a far cry from the 138 yards the Raiders gained as a team against the Chargers on Monday night.

That can largely be attributed to Russell’s ineffectiveness today, as the Chiefs found out early that they had little to worry about from the Raider passing game. 

It’s maddening to watch him at times because he’ll miss easy throws or overthrow a simple screen like he did today to McFadden; and then he’ll come out and zip throws down the field right on the money like he did with Watkins and Murphy on the final drive. He teases you with his ability to make amazing throws, and then makes you crazy by missing the simplest targets.

His accuracy problems can largely be attributed to him not knowing how to throw the ball in every situation; he fires the ball hard almost all the time, when touch is required on many of the throws he needs to make.

He’s regressed as far as his accuracy goes, but he’s definitely progressed in his leadership and his clutch performance. Those tendencies are of infinite importance, and no matter how hard you try you cannot truly simulate game situations in practice.

To know he can execute with the game on the line is comforting, but it would help the team if he could do it consistently for four quarters. Accuracy is all about repetition, and he obviously needs to work more with his receivers and put more time into his game.

Other than the final drive, there is little positive to say about the offense today. The penalties had gotten better, but three times on the final drive the old albatross reared it’s ugly head. Cornell Green has got to go. Just…has…to…go.

The defense bent but didn’t break today, and showed well when it counted. I was disappointed that they were getting pushed around more than doing the pushing this game, but they fought back and fought hard.

The late touchdown, given up when Nnamdi Asomugha was out of the game and Stanford Routt was left to cover Dwayne Bowe, was a blemish in an otherwise impressive performance considering they got zero help from the offense all game.

In the first quarter the Chiefs offensive line were bullying the Raiders front, something we didn’t expect to see after the beating the Raiders put on the Chargers last week. The Chiefs had an impressive 17-play, 74 yard drive that ate up over nine minutes of the clock in the first quarter, but the Raider defense held them to a field goal.

Despite the fact that the defense held us in the game, and Michael Huff came up huge once again with a two-turnover game, grabbing a couple of picks from Matt Cassell, the run defense once again looked suspect at times. The bullying, in-your-face presence shown last Monday was nonexistent today. But that’s understandable.

Coming off a short week after a highly emotional game, they can be forgiven for being a little sluggish. It’s a testament to their will and talent that they kept the team in the game despite a tidal wave of three-and-outs from the offense.

I said before I felt this was a must-win game, and I meant it. This team, although not as fired up as they were on Monday, still showed we have the will to win and the want to fight for every game.

Now that we’ve won, it’s a must that Russell bounces back next week against Denver, who he has played well against in the past, and puts the fears of a Nation to rest. We are all feeling that with our defense and the potential of our running game we have a chance to be a good team if we can get consistent production from our quarterback.

I still have faith in JaMarcus and his talents, but I must say my faith is getting thinner by the week at this point. I have given him the benefit of the doubt, but today was a nightmare, and one more repeat performance will have all Raider Nation cringing every time he drops back to pass.

A few thoughts:

• Why rotate Richard Seymour out of the game so often? He was a force last Monday. He needed to be on the field more today
• I like Matt Shaugnessy and Desmond Bryant; we suddenly have a deep D-Line
• How much does JaMarcus Russell miss Chaz Schilens right now?
• Heyward-Bey is getting better at selling his routes, but still has a long way to go. Congrats on catch #1 kid
• Louis Murphy is eventually going to be very, very dangerous
• We need to call more running plays to the outside

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Why This Week’s Raiders-Chiefs Game Is So Important

Going into Week Two, the San Diego Chargers and the Denver Broncos both sit at 1-0, while the Oakland Raiders and Kansas City Chiefs are both a little behind at 0-1.

Grudgingly, and despite it not being the cakewalk it has in the past against a what is a noticeably more aggressive and assertive Raider squad that beat them up from start to finish, the Chargers being 1-0 is not nearly as big of a surprise as the Broncos being 1-0.

The Broncos defense played much better than advertised against Cincinnati, but their offense was fairly stagnant throughout. Credit should go to an improved Bengals defense to a degree; but Denver looked out of sync often and didn’t overly impress.

The Broncos were saved by a very fortunate, very unlikely bounce at the end of the game that will go down as one of the least favorite moments of disbelief I’ve experienced in my own personal NFL history. I don’t need to explain; you know.

The Raiders smothered the Chargers on offense for most of the game, but like a scene out of a horror film slipped into the dreaded soft zone at the end of the game. San Diego took advantage of their exposed underbelly to march 89 yards in a 2:16 drive that was as gut-wrenching as it was efficient.

Darren Sproles capped the drive by punching the ball right through the end zone and the hearts of Raider Nation.

The Chiefs acquitted themselves well on the road against a very formidable Baltimore team. They moved the ball on a tough defense and hung in the game until the fourth quarter, at which point Baltimore’s home field and talent advantages asserted themselves.

It’s safe to say that the much-maligned AFC West didn’t look as terrible as expected during their first games.

With both the Raiders and the Chiefs exceeding expectations even in defeat in the first week, they will be looking at the upcoming game at Arrowhead in Kansas City as a litmus test for where they are in their development.

Both of these teams are young, but the Raiders began their rebuilding process a little before the Chiefs so they are a little ahead of the game at the moment. This game carries a tremendous amount of importance for both teams. But, with the expectations of Raider Nation raised after an inspired Monday night performance, it means that much more to Oakland.

As mentioned, each team exceeded expectations by hanging with “superior” teams until the end of the game. The Raiders actually outplayed the Chargers most of the game, and were it not for a lack of aggression on defense at the end coupled with a cold blooded Philip Rivers, would’ve had the win.

 

But how much of it is the Raiders being better than people thought, and how much of it can be attributed to it being the first week of the season, San Diego playing down to their competition, or any number of other factors?

The Raiders that came out blazing on Monday night are not the same team we’re used to seeing. The played with passion and a hungriness that’s been lacking for far too long. The jubilation and genuine enjoyment with which they played the game was entertaining to watch.

San Diego did not play down to their competition. It did not appear to me that the Chargers had superior talent at any place on the field other than quarterback. I’m not knocking JaMarcus Russell, and I’ll get to him a little later. But annoying as he is, Rivers has proven he’s an elite quarterback. J-Rock has a ways to go before he’s there.

Raider Nation has good reason to be encouraged by what we saw on Monday, as the running game got going early and often. Darren McFadden and Michael Bush both looked strong, fast, and aggressive, and only Coach Cable inexplicably straying from the run in the second half prevented D-Mac from breaking 100 yards.

That bodes very well for this Sunday’s game against the Chiefs. You see, Bush and McFadden both like playing the Chiefs.

Last season in Kansas City the two backs combined for 254 yards on 37 carries, a 6.9 yard average, and two touchdowns. Throw in Justin Fargas’ 43 yards on nine carries, and that’s a total of 297 yards on 46 carries for a 6.5 yard average. Not bad for an afternoon.

Although Fargas is back from an injury and ready for Sunday, I still fully expect Bush and McFadden to touch the ball early and often. This is an important game for the Raiders rushing attack, as they’ve shown they can carve up the Chiefs on the ground, and they need to gain yardage to help alleviate the now considerable pressure on JaMarcus Russell.

This is a very important match-up for Russell’s development. He’s taken a lot of heat for his misfires on Monday night, while not getting enough praise for gutting out an injury to throw a go-ahead touchdown pass at crunch time. If the run game is effective he shouldn’t have to throw the ball very much. But it’s important that when he does he completes more passes to his receivers, and puts the ball on target more often.

Raider Nation wants to see JaMarcus succeed, because he shows so many flashes of great talent. But the missed timings and poor throws need to be held to more of a minimum than they have been.

He did many more good things than bad on Monday, and showed the heart and leadership on the field required from a great quarterback. He was a very accurate passer in college, so he has the capability, but this game will go a long way to either alleviating or exacerbating the fears of the Raider hopeful.

 

No question after the lack of production at the wide receiver position last season carried on into Monday, it’s essential to get the kids on track. Starting two rookie wide receivers certainly help amplify Russell’s difficulties, and even cause them on occasion.

Louis Murphy has shown flashes of brilliance thus far but has also shown flashes of inexperience, running an improper route that contributed to a 1st-quarter Russell interception. Darrius Heyward-Bey, despite assuring the fans and the press he played a good game, did not have a catch and looked lost at times on the field. These guys have got to get going, and Javon Walker has to contribute. The wide receivers must acquit themselves against an often shaky KC secondary to satiate the fans.

The defense absolutely has to have amnesia and bounce back from a disappointing end to an otherwise dominating performance against San Diego. Coaches Cable and Marshall are on record saying that scaling back the aggression was a poor choice, that they called the game conservatively at the end, and that they have promised to address the issue.

I’ll believe that when we have a lead in a tight game on Sunday in the fourth quarter and we’ll still up on receivers and in the face of the offense. It’s of paramount importance that Cable and Marshall stick by their word should the situation arise again. And if the unthinkable should happen, the Coaches should be absolved of criticism as long as they stay the course.

But until we see it, we won’t believe it. And hopefully we’ll be too far ahead for it to be a concern anyhow. This team needs to learn to win, and not, as Warren Sapp astutely pointed out (surprising, I know) be afraid of success.

Most importantly, this game must go far toward rewarding the faith of Raider Nation. That team that came out and beat San Diego like it stole something was no mirage. This team is jacked up. They are more aggressive; they are better tacklers, more fundamentally sound, potentially explosive on offense, and getting better as a cohesive unit than they have been in a long time. If they play with the competitiveness showed Monday, they’ll walk away with a victory.

But if they come out flat in this game, then the dreaded “here we go again” feeling may loom and threaten to blanket what promises to be a better season than in years past. They simply cannot, in any way, afford a slip of effort or passion in this game. Fans will be devastated after the showing Monday, and belief will dissipate.

A young team will always have kinks to work out, but this game is very winnable despite being on the road, and Raider Nation expects nothing short of a W in KC on Sunday. We love the improvement shown, but without wins, it’ll be hollow at best.

It’s time for this team to take the next step in it’s growth, and right now there is no better opponent. The Raiders-Chiefs rivalry always produces intense, hard-fought games that come down to the wire, but Oakland seems improved and confident. However, both teams believe they can win this game.

Only one of them can be right, and it’s imperative it be the Raiders.

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Oakland Raiders Preseason: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

Well, the preseason is now over and we’re into the big boy games very shortly. The first test for our beloved Oakland Raiders: our newest nemesis, the San Diego Chargers.

Preseason started out very well for the Raiders, with a 31-10 victory over the Dallas Cowboys. The offense was looking better, and the defense was playing with more discipline.

Tom Cable was not yet embroiled in controversy, and Chaz Schilens still had two healthy dancing shoes. It was time for optimism in Raider Nation.

Things since then have deteriorated rapidly. Although there are still some positives to take from the preseason, things do not look as promising as they once had.

 

The Good

JaMarcus Russell

JaMarcus Russell’s development seems to be coming along nicely. Although he is still taking a bit too long to go through his progressions and he’s holding the ball too long (products of each other), his accuracy and command of the huddle have improved. His pocket presence, with the considerable help of Hackett and Tollner, will improve with experience.

There has been much talk about Russell’s work ethic, but he has spent his entire offseason at the Raiders’ facilities. I’m sure he’s still not the film junkie we’d all like to see, but in his words and deeds he has shown growth, maturity, and leadership that were a major concern as recently as July.

Despite our poor effort against the Seahawks, Russell was the first one to congratulate or encourage his teammates from the sideline when they made a good play. There were times you also saw him take receivers like Jonathan Holland and Todd Watkins aside.

In the fourth preseason game, which is meaningless for most starters throughout the league, it is very encouraging to see your leader not only paying attention and caring about the game, but getting involved with his teammates and instilling confidence despite some poor play. Sure, we’d like to see him get heated and get in someone’s grill, but he seems more the positive reinforcement type of leader. I’ve liked what I’ve seen from him this offseason.

Desmond Bryant

An undrafted free agent out of Harvard, and a bit undersized as a defensive tackle, Bryant has shown that working hard, wanting it, and having football knowledge are sometimes more important than raw talent.

The kid has played his heart out, and shown a burst as a pass rusher that is a pleasant surprise. The only real worry I have with him is his size. We do not need another pass-rusher. We need someone who can hold at the point of attack and help against the run. It remains to be seen if Bryant is that guy.

Louis Rankin

Although he’s been playing mostly against second and third team defenses, this guy just does not want to go down. I love his running style and his talent. I think we should keep him and cut Russell, even if Russell can play fullback. Our backfield is so loaded with McFadden, Bush, and Fargas that it’s tough to call. But I’d hate to see him cut and picked up somewhere else. He’s a talent that, given a chance, could do some good things. I don’t want to see it done in another uniform like so many others of recent history.

 

The Bad

More of the Same

Wasn’t our problem on defense supposed to solely be Rob Ryan? Wasn’t getting rid of him supposed to magically fix all of our problems? Oh wait. That’s completely unrealistic.

And we’re seeing the evidence.

We do not have a run stopper on this team at any position. Tommy Kelly would rather rush the QB all day long than hold his gaps, Gerard Warren has played fairly well but still lacks gap discipline, and our LBs and backfield can’t tackle to save their lives.

I’m seriously doubting the coaching job that is going on regarding this side of the ball. I know that Marshall is an experienced D-Coordinator and has had success in the past. So maybe it’s time for me, and everyone else including the organization itself, to admit that maybe Rob Ryan wasn’t the problem. Maybe the problem is we’re lacking talent on defense. We’re certainly lacking depth. And, from the looks of our last three games, heart.

How do you get to the NFL and not know how to tackle properly? It baffles me that this is an issue every single season. No matter the players, no matter the coaches, we simply can’t wrap up. It’s our single biggest issue and needs to be addressed very soon, or else LT and Sproles, both elusive backs that are tough to bring down, are going to run wild in the opener.

We Lack Discipline

Still…even though it was a focus of training camp, to the point where we shut down contact for the first eight practices to focus on fundamentals and footwork. We should be on the same page. We should know our assignments. We should stick with our gaps and do our jobs.

But we don’t. And I’m sick of it. Enough is enough.

Cable’s Philosophy

While I like Cable’s idea of team-first ideals, strong discipline, and accountability, where is it? The players are all talking a good game to the media, but they haven’t brought any fire or passion to the field. They simply haven’t cared enough, and it’s shown. So obviously they aren’t buying into Cable as much as they’d let on, or we’d see a crisp team out there who knows how to execute plays and wants to win the game.

Still not seeing it. And I’m sick of it. Enough is enough.

 

The Ugly

Cable’s Fisticuffs

Although it’s been downplayed by Cable, Al Davis, and the rest of the organization, if Cable did in fact break Hanson’s jaw, and if he is in fact criminally charged, then this is a major issue.

We need coaching continuity for once. Cable is doing and saying all the right things despite the fact that the product on the field is looking eerily similar to the ones that have struggled the better part of this decade. I like Cable; he’s personable and he’s fairly honest.

But this is an unwanted distraction and a potential suspension that could seriously damage the growth of a young team with some talent. This needs to be resolved, and soon.

Chaz’s Injury

Chaz was the best player on the field in the Cowboys game, for either side. I will stand by that statement no matter what anyone else wants to say. He worked his tail off to add reliability to his considerable physical attributes, and was looking as if he was the answer to our No. 1 receiver prayers.

Russell was loving him, hitting him five times in the first half of that game alone. It was looking like a wonderful marriage that may have helped us succeed.

Then, he hurt himself, and may be out longer than originally expected. The metatarsal injury is a sticky wicket for an athlete that very much relies on their feet, and we can only hope that it gets better quickly.

The Attitude

I touched on this above but cannot overemphasize its importance. We have not had a good attitude, especially the last two games. Players have been hanging their heads, not even trying to wrap up when tackling, lallygagging to the end of the play, and the list goes on.

This is very disappointing from a fan perspective, because we know this team has talent. But if you don’t care, then what good is talent anyway? The coaching staff is culpable for this. They are responsible for getting the team ready to play.

In the third preseason game, generally the best barometer for how a team is going to play during the regular season, we put forth our worst effort. It made me almost sick to my stomach to watch our guys during that game.

We need leadership, and we need it fast. Russell is growing on the field, and I know he’s a laid back guy, which means if he got pissed off and called the team out for a lack of heart it would carry that much more weight. We have no vocal leaders; our most vocal players, guys like Warren and Javon Walker, don’t have the clout in the locker room to pull this kind of stunt.

It can only come from the coaching staff, or Russell himself. It needs to be done soon, because I and the rest of the Nation cannot suffer through another season of double-digit losses simply because the team doesn’t care enough or take enough pride in themselves to bring it every single second of every single game.

 

I was originally very optimistic about the upcoming season, but after seeing our old selves the last two games, I’m honestly left to wonder if anything has really changed in and around this team. Are we cursed? I don’t know. One thing I do know: we’d better smarten up, toughen up, and man up, or we’re in for another long, long season.

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