Preseason Game One: Post Game Review

There was a great quote I read in regards to the aftermath of the 3-0 loss the Oakland Raiders were dealt from the Dallas Cowboys, "The new era of Raiders football begins with a shrug."

That is the only thing the organization and the fans can do about this low scoring defensive battle at O.co Stadium.  About the only good thing that came out of this game is that the defense looked pretty solid, and that McFadden didn't injure himself.  That should be the absolute number one priority for this coaching staff; keep the carries for McFadden at a minimum, or you can just start preparing yourself for another McFadden injury plagued season.  The next priority would be to stop the penalties, but that is a whole other story (should be one since we have led the league in penalties for the past decade).  However, it is for certain though that when McFadden is healthy and running well, he is considered one of if not the best running back in the league.  His health and offensive talent is going to be the biggest catalyst if the Raiders want to score touchdowns and win games. 

Offensive execution is going to be the name of the game in the next preseason game against the Arizona Cardinals.  Arizona's offense is not something to get scared about, but their defense is quite decent and that is something to worry about especially if you don't want to get shutout in consecutive games.  

One more thing to make light of....Did anyone notice that Reggie McKenzie had a twin brother?  Talk about spot on match, I definitely could not tell which was which.

Will be back later this week to discuss any and all further info regarding the Raiders and their upcoming game in Arizona against the Cardinals.

2012-2013 Oakland Raiders, NFL is BACK

It is that time of year again!

The National Football League is only a few weeks away from the initial Preseason games to launch this season off.  You always hear that baseball is America's pastime, but let's all be honest people; NFL is by far America's favorite sport.  With a revenue of over $9 billion dollars annually, makes it quite clear which sport is the most successful in this country.

This blog is a special appreciation for my Oakland Raiders.  3-time Super Bowl winning champion Oakland Raiders.  And I want to make it official for this upcoming football season that I will make the commitment to post about your Oakland Raiders and keep you updated week by week pre and post game.

What makes this upcoming season so memorable is the fact that the Raiders have turned the page with the late and great Al Davis; If not the most infamous NFL owner of all time.  Eric Davis, son of Al Davis and company have completely changed the dynamic of this team, starting with bringing in a former Green Bay Packer executive, Reggie McKenzie. McKenzie is creating a new attitude to this team and hopefully changing the bad labels that the rest of the league has put on them.  He changed that attitude by turning the coaching staff upside down and bringing in people that he believes will get the job done for an under-achieving Raiders squad.

Former Broncos Defensive Coordinator and now Head Coach of the Raiders, Dennis Allen is the first Defensive-minded head coach since the great John Madden to walk the sidelines for the Silver and Black.  It is obvious that fans were tired of seeing the bad mistakes from the defense and the fact that they seemed to rack up the penalties each and every game, and it was up to the Raiders front office to finally bring someone in that can help limit those costly mistakes that have plagued this Raider team for that last few years.  And for all you Raider fans out there (including me), it's hard getting heckled for rooting a team that leads the league in penalties every year.  I mean it is by far the most frustrating thing in the NFL..you work so hard to get those yards and with one foul swoop fifteen yards is immediately take away, or a Pass Interference is called over and over again.  Solidifying our defense is the most important aspect to this team, because just by limiting those penalties, it is almost certain that the Raiders could have won a few more games and had the potential to win the division and make the playoffs.

Injuries; we all hate them, especially stud Raiders running-back Darren McFadden, when at his best could be called the best running back in the league.  However, throughout his whole career he has never been able to finish a complete season always seeming to get injured.  Whether it be turf toe or an ankle injury, something is always coming up.  Withe the loss of Michael Bush heading over to the Chicago Bears, it is going to be up to McFadden to take on more carries and to stay healthy and help this team win.

One thing that will not change from the Al Davis era is going to be the long pass game.  Veteran Carson Palmer is coming back as the starting QB again and will be expected to make those long connections in the end zone more often this season.  With returning wide receivers like Denarious Moore, Jacoby Ford and Darrius Heyward-Bey, Palmer should and will have success in the passing game.

I shall continue more on the Oakland Raiders and their preparation for the 2012-2013 NFL season.  We will discuss the different offensive schemes that the Raiders will hopefully execute and the players that will make those differences.  To be continued.

Week 13: Bump in the Road

What can you say about the Week 13 loss to the Miami Dolphins other than that it is starting to look like the beginning of the end for the Oakland Raiders and their playoff hopes.

All you can say is that this is by far the most crucial moment for the Oakland Raiders, whom are currently tied for first in the AFC West with Tim Tebow and the surging Denver Broncos. However, the question to ask is will the Raiders actually embrace these upcoming moments for the better or for worse? Nervous Raider fans will have to wait and see when we head to Lambeau Field and play against the 12-0 Green Bay Packers. We can automatically say that this would be a loss, especially with how locked in Aaron Rodgers has been this whole season. But I do feel that there could be a possibility that Oakland can pull out one of the biggest upset wins in NFL history.

Let's list how the Raiders will lose this game and how the Raiders could potentially win (Even if you think that there is no chance).

Reasons Why Raiders Will Lose:
1. Aaron Rodgers: Best QB in the league hands down. Probably has the best receiving core in the NFL.
2. Clay Matthews/Charles Woodson: Two of the best players in their respective roles in the NFL, if you can't outplay them then good luck throwing a pass or running the ball.
3. Lambeau Field: Extremely difficult to play in this stadium, especially in the cold. Has one of the best fan bases in the NFL. Will be hard to focus in this stadium with the noise and cold being the main factors.

Reason Why the Raiders Win:
1. NO PENALTIES: I know it is nearly impossible for the Raiders to not get penalties in a game, but the Green Bay Packers are definitely not the team to commit these on. Not only does it give the Packers D all of the momentum, but it will pump up the fans and ultimately allow Rodgers to get back on the field to slice the Oakland secondary up.
2. Back Against the Wall: If Oakland can realize the situation they have put themselves in and know that they could potentially get ousted out of 1st place. That should be enough for them to play harder than they have ever played before. Their playoff hopes depend on this game more than any other game they have played this season.
3. This is the most important key if the Raiders want to win this game. Create Turnovers!!! Obviously no other team have been able to do this to the Packers offense, but the Raiders do a good job of creating turnovers and the way to do that is if Oakland's front 7 get to Rodgers and make him hurry on his passes. Bottom line is turnovers change the game and momentum.

Overall, this will be the toughest and most important game that the Raiders will play in over a decade since Super Bowl XXXVII which I do not want to talk about. I wish I could say the only thing that could ruin the Oakland's chances for winning this game is themselves, but it is not AT ALL. When you are playing against a man named Aaron Rodgers who is having one of the next years a QB could have...that looks like the main reason why the Raiders will lose this game. We will see.


(Picture from Joe Rimkus Jr. / Staff Photo | Miami Herald)

Four Games Remaining

The Oakland Raiders are 6-6, and tied for second in the AFC West, behind 2 games to the Kansas City Chiefs. Coming off a big upset win in San Diego against the Chargers, the Raiders are looking for more AFC West domination since going 4-0 in the division for the first time since 2002.

It's seems so long ago since the Raiders have shown some life in the race for the playoffs. After the horrible loss to the Buccaneers in the Super Bowl in 2002, the Raiders have not been able to win more than 4 games in each of the following seasons. The situation with Jamarcus Russell did not make the Raider's situation any better as well. I would go into more information on Russell, but he is literally not even worth talking about. Worst overall pick ever in NFL history.

However, all that has changed for the Raiders going into the 2010-2011 NFL season. On offense, with the acquisition of Jason Campbell, the Silver and Black have improved tremendously in putting more points up on the board. Although the Raiders do not have the most dynamic receiving core, with tight end Zach Miller being the most productive receiver on the team, it has been the one-two running back threat of Darren McFadden and Michael Bush carrying the load for the Raiders. For the first half of the NFL season, the running game for the Raiders was leading the league on yards gained averaging nearly 150 yards a game. In week 13, Oakland is 3rd in the league in rushing yards, and if the Raiders can stay away from injuries, we will see plenty more productivity from these outstanding running backs.

On defense, the Raiders have made some exceptional strides in solidifying the defensive line and the linebacker core. With Nnamdi Asomugha leading a young core of defensive backs, the Raiders have been in the top ten of the NFL in pass yards allowed for the past few years. Some key draft picks and free agent acquisitions have been promising for this Raider defense, such as Richard Seymour from the Patriots and Kameron Wimbley from the Browns. First round draft picks Rolando McClain and Lamar Houston have been huge for this team, providing a solid inside and outside presence for the defense.

It will truly be interesting to see how the season will play out. With Jacksonville this coming Sunday, the Raiders defense have a real challenge ahead of them in dealing with the unstoppable Maurice Jones-Drew and the rest of the Jaguars. Once the season is complete, it would not be a surprise to see the Raiders finish with a .500 record, which could be considered an accomplishment. As of this point, the Oakland Raiders can only grow into a more mature and physical team with more hard fought wins. WE SHALL SEE. Until then, stay faithful.

Asomugha and Lechler Heading to Miami

Hello,hope everyone has a safe and healthy Happy New Year

Tom Cable said it perfectly regarding the selection of Nnamdi Asomugha and Shane Lechler,

“I am excited and happy for the Raiders who have been selected for the Pro Bowl,” said Raiders Head Coach Tom Cable. “It’s tremendous that they are being recognized as the best at their positions. They deserve it and the Raiders organization is proud of them. The Raiders have rich history and tradition and these players exemplify what it means to wear the Silver and Black.”

Nnamdi Asomugha and Shane Lechler have been selected for the Pro Bowl once again, and will be starting in Miami for January 1st, 2010 game. It has Asomugha's third selection to the Pro Bowl out of his seven year career; He has literally been the best defensive player for the Oakland Raiders throughout his whole career, consistently gaining great defensive numbers in each season, he has a total of eleven interceptions for his whole career.
In Lechlers career, this is his fifth selection to the Pro Bowl; Hailed as one of the best punters in this decade, he has a consistent average of forty plus yards a punt.

It is quite an honor for this team to have two players to represent this organization, not matter how bad this team has become we can have someone stand out among the elite players in the league. We shall see...

History is Made; Raiders Lose; Two Players Ejected

Many positives and negatives in this game between the Oakland Raiders and Cleveland Browns, more for the Browns than the Raiders this time. We can start with a positive for Sebastian Janikowski with his 61 yard field goal to end the half; the fourth longest field goal in NFL history. Charlie Frye made his second start in a row and ended up with a career game with 333 yards, but made three interceptions which initially made it impossible for the Raiders to come back.
The penalties for the Raiders is the most disappointing part of this game. Accumulating 133 yards in penalties, the Raiders literally assisted the Browns all the way down the field to throw the dagger touchdown to make the score 17-9 to end the half. Also, how does two players from the same team get ejected from a game? Stanford Routt and Tony Stewart had themselves ejected for flagrant personal fouls after the whistle was blown.
The season is almost over, the Raiders obviously do not have any hope for the rest of this season, however, my concern is the quarterback position for this team. There are so many questions, I do not even know where to start. As for the draft, I hope Al Davis can see past his selfish ways, and make a pick that can benefit this team. An offensive or defensive lineman would be great, also another wide receiver would be good too.
Baltimore is next week, can we stun the Raven's chance in making the playoffs? We shall see.

Raiders Win on Road, Russell Leads Comeback

It's been two weeks, and last week's loss does not really have significance unlike the week 15 game between the Denver Broncos in Mile High.
With the injury to both of Bruce Gradkowski's knees during the Redskin game, Tom Cable made the decision to Start Charlie Frye, the former Cleveland Brown starting quarterback who threw 19 touchdowns in 2006, but then only played 3 games in three years.
We will get to the Jamarcus Russell and his glorious comeback drive, however, the player that Oakland fans should be thanking is Michael Bush and his dominance in running the football. His 18 carry 133 yard performance is a great boost for this Oakland Raider team that has had a tough time in maintaining a strong offensive line.
The 23 yard touchdown burst for Bush was the moment this team had chance to win this game. The second moment in which the Raiders had a chance to win this game was in the 4th quarter; 4th and ten, Jamarcus is in for Frye who suffered a concussion in the game. WIth no timeouts and one and half minutes left, Russell saves the game by throwing a first down to TE Tony Stewart for the first down, which then led up to the ten yard touchdown pass to Chaz Schilens to take the lead.
I say that Russell should take some of the credit for this win as well as Bush, however, this is something Oakland fans want to see every week, not occasionally. Next week will be the chance the Raiders have been looking for in winning consecutive games. We shall see, stay tuned for an interesting season.