October 24, 2011

Post Game Pressers....... 10-24-2011





Kyle Boller




Stanford Routt




Michael Bush





Carson Palmer




Hue Jack City




Blackstock




DVD




Aaron Curry

Leave me some comments on what you thought of the game....


All Videos Courtesy CSNBayArea



Chaotic View

October 23, 2011

Chiefs @ Raiders Final










Offense-

Beginning on our 44 yard line, Palmer comes out gunning throwing a completion to the Boss man for a first down, and what seemed line a huge miscommunication with Moore, the Chiefs pick off the ball and score on a pick 6on the following play. Chalk it up as growing pains. I've talked about it before this week, I personally believe it was too early to get Palmer in there.

So................................. after the kickoff muff, Palmer comes out in a shotgun set and throws a completion to Michael Bush for a quick 5. Another throw on an out route to DHB gets the Raiders 15 yards to the KC 40. Palmer follows that up with a deep slant to Jacoby Ford just out of his reach. 2nd down to Brandon Myers gets the Raiders 9.Michael Bush then looks like a loaf of bread in the air, barely getting the first down.  The following first down throw to Moore, shows Moore over running the route, Palmer missing him by 7 yards. On 2nd down, the Raiders try again for Louis Murphy deep down the sidelines that went incomplete. Palmer came out again on the quick pass, almost anticipating Hagans break from the route, and was whipped around the neck, getting the first down by way of a pass interference penalty. The first play of the next series had Palmer on a roll out to his left, throwing the ball incomplete out of bounds. And.......as if things couldn't get worse, Moore has the ball bounce out of his hands and intercepted in the red zone.

WOW

Well, back to our scheduled programming. 8:12 to play and Palmer gets some more practice snaps, throwing a screen pass to Taiwan Jones that got them 33 yards on the catch and run. 2nd down and another interception, with Murphy possibly losing the ball in the sunlight. (HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA), and the Chiefs getting their 6th of the day.

Taiwan Jones getting some work, picking up 7 on the first down run. After the holding call, Jones misses the short pass over the middle forcing a third down. Murphy then follows that up dropping a sure first down, forcing a punt.


Defense-

Well, the defense didn't exactly show up today, but can you blame them? They haven't had any help with the offense throwing 5 picks for the day. The Chiefs come out with their first possession of the 4th Qtr running away. After 4 consecutive running plays for a gain, the Raiders were able to swallow up a run forcing a 3rd down. After the time out, it was obvious at least that the Defense didn't check out with 8:42 left to g, as Lamar Houston coming up with the huge tackle behind the line of scrimmage, forcing the punt.

More running on the next possession for the Chiefs.........One pass on 3rd down, missed horribly. Punt.

Done reporting now. This is junk time now and it's already decided.


Special teams-

Well, I just had a bad trip. Jacoby Ford tried to get Al to roll over in his grave by fumbling the ball on the return.

Final

Raiders 0 Chiefs 28


Chaotic View



Chiefs @ Raiders 3rd Qtr. Recap










Offense-

Starting out the 2nd half with the ball, The Raiders try for the flea flicker again, and throw an incompletion. Another high throw to DHB goes incomplete and a drop by Hagan brings up a punt. Nothing more to report.


The Carson Palmer era begins with Carson having a 21-0 hole to dig out of. Palmers first play goes to DHB on a long dig route, with a completion. After the play, Palmer got roughed with a low hit to his knees and landed weird. Thank God he got up. Carson hands off to Bush and picked up a quick 6 yards on the ensuing first down. Bush follows that up with a nice spin move to get the Raiders the big first down. A bit of mistiming between DHB and Palmer, with the out route being thrown short. An interesting play call on 3rd down, with a screen call being made and Michael Bush looking down field rather then for the ball, forces the Raiders to go for it on 4th down. Jacoby Ford then created a false start penalty and forced a punt.

First down on the Chiefs 48, a reverse to Jacoby Ford gets the offense 5 yards. The subsequent play, was a go route to Louis Murphy just overthrown. Surprised to see them go for that type of route, with only a few practices in the bag for Palmer. After a quick incomplete to Jacoby Ford on a slant, the Raiders are forced to punt.

After the interception, the Raiders take a big chance going deep to Moore. It was clear Veldheer held on the play, to protect Palmer as the defender was in the backfield before Jared knew what had happened. The Raiders follow up the penalty with a run to Bush on the right, giving him 98 on the day. Staying with the Bush train, a short completion on a 5 yard out. With a 3rd and 9, Carson Palmer threads the needle to DHB for 20 yards to end the quarter.

 
Defense-

After the punt, the Chiefs get the ball back and try to establish the run against a stingy Raider Defensive front 7. With little movement, the only advancement of the ball was due to a personal foul on a facemask. After a first down on a long stretch play, Aaron Curry gets involved in the physical play when Aaron Curry sticks his helmet into the back of McClain. After 2 running plays get the Chiefs into the red zone, the Chiefs run a wildcat formation and score from the 7 yard line, pulling away with a 21-0 lead.

The Chiefs 2nd possession begins with a run to the left. After picking up 6, an incomplete to Dwayne Bowe and an all confusing zone blitz scheme forced an incompletion. Chiefs to punt.

Third possession for the Chiefs goes back to the ground with the Chiefs picking up 4 yards. Another stretch play to the right gets the Chiefs a 3rd and 1 from the 9. After initially stopping McCluster, the Chiefs were able to find a small crease and get the first down. Following that picking up of the first down, the Chiefs find a way to pick up another quick first down to Steve Breaston, on DVD. The Raiders then had an opportunity to get an interception with DVD forcing an incompletion on the next down, but the ball eluded Aaron Curry. Following a 13 yard pass completion to Dwayne Bowe for another first down, DVD comes up big and annihilates Steve Breaston on a quick pass to Breaston.  McCluster follows it up on a delay draw where 4 D- Linemen had him behind the line of scrimmage, picking up 16 yards. Almost scripted, DVD then picks the ball off on a wheel route for the Raiders D.


Special Teams-

Finally, some signs of life. The Raiders, forced to punt after their 3rd possession down the Chiefs deep on their side of the field on the 2 yard line.


Score after 3,

Raiders 0 Chiefs 21




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Chiefs @ Raiders Halftime







Offense-

Coming into the quarter, the Raiders start out with a trick play, going for the TD throw with DHB on the flea flicker. Missing that play and coming back to Jacoby Ford getting the first down extending the drive. Reestablishing the run game, Michael Bush ran like a man possessed. That's the first time I have seen him hit a hole like that all year long, ripping off 34 yards. 3 plays with Bush at the goal line ended with in the Raiders being forced to go for it on 4th down, with them not being able to convert on the 1 yard line. The Chiefs just seemed to want it more.

2nd Possession doesn't get us anywhere but on our asses. The Raiders lost 19 yards on that possession with multiple penalties and poor play execution leading to a huge sack. The one lone bright spot was the final play on 3rd down by Bush getting 18 yards on the delay draw. This offense obviously does not trust Boller and it shows.

After getting the ball in ad field position for the 2nd time today, the offense just looks like it forgot to show up today. A fumble by Boller on the exchange, a quick check down and another run put the Raiders into punt formation. After a illegal use of hands on the Chiefs, the Raiders get the ball back and quickly try to get the offense going into some sort of a positive direction. Tonga with the 6 yard pickup helped get the pressure off Boller.

After getting the first down with Bush off the tackle, the Raiders then complete a 17 yard completion to DHB, putting them at the 47 yard line. Kyle Boller then takes off on first down, trying to give his best Tim Teblow impression and  picked up 20 yards. Trying to do too much, Boller throws his third interception of the game.



Defense-

3 plays from the Chiefs 1, one pass and two run gain 3 yards. Good defense allow for great field position for the Raiders with the ball going out of bounds at the 50.


2nd possession for the Chiefs shows clearly that the Raiders are over pursuing the ball and taking bad angles for the tackles. After the injury to McClain, and his subsequent exiting stage left to the locker room, Blackstock stepped in nicely and the defense again held the Chiefs to another punt.
With the Chiefs getting the ball back after the interception, the Chiefs settle for 2 running plays and looked almost as if they were ok just ending the half up 14. They then complete a 20 yard out to Dwayne Bowe and try for the hailmary, only to have it intercepted by our new Safety Endukwe at the 2 yard line to end the half.


Special Teams-

For the second time today, Moore on punt return allows the ball to land and bounce inside the 10 yard line, putting the offense into bad situation.

Shane Lechler was saved on a illegal use of the hands penalty, with what looked like one of the worse punts I have ever seen him make. It was obvious that he lost his footing on the plant leg.

Halftime Score 

Raiders 0 Chiefs 14


Chaotic View


Chiefs @ Raiders 1st Qtr Recap


 






Defense

 
The Chiefs get the ball to begin the game and as expected, they start out sloppy. Coupled with great pass defense and sloppy play by the Chiefs, like 12 men in the huddle and false start penalties, this game is already going our way.

The Chiefs second possession starts on the 20 yard line with a run, and as has been the case lately, the Raiders stuff the offensive line back 3 yards into the backfield and stop that one in its tracks. Another zone blitz scheme forces a quick throw and an incompletion. They do convert on 3rd down though, with Curry just missing the throw to deflect it. He did however come back on the following 1st down and had a great solo tackle in the flat. After another incompletion and a 8 yard completion to Dwayne Bowe, the Chiefs are forced to punt. 
Weird deflection on the Chiefs 1st play of the 3rd possession. A little "trickeration".....ended in a not so much. Loss of 4.  Loose coverageon 3rd down allows Bowe to get a first, extending the drive into the Raiders side of the field. Another first down to Steve Breston on the ensuing play, with the Raiders playing 6 yards off the receivers. Screen gets gobbled up by Stanford Routt, bringing in a 3rd and 7. More loose coverage and a whiff in the open field allows Breston to get the the 15 yard line. The Chiefs keep their momentum going with a pass to Bowe, outstretching the ball over the goal line through the tackle of Routt but was called down by contact on the 6 inch line. Aaron Curry forces the strip on 1st down into the end zone, with the ball being fumbled into the end zone and picked up by an offensive lineman. Chiefs taking a big lead 14-0.

 
Offense

To begin, the Raiders come out with a naked boot and Boller used his legs to get the first 8 yards of the day. The Raiders implement a interesting set, snapping the ball on a quick snap count but Pryor snapped the ball too quick. That was the first time for me to see that. Interesting. Bad throw by Boller putting us at a disadvantage with only 2 minutes off the clock down 0-7, telegraphing his pass the entire way. He can not force throws like that this game, as there is no respect being shown by Kansas City with tight coverage of our receivers ability to get by them. Not to mention that it was double coverage.

Second possession begins with us trying to establish the run. You can see the Chiefs are dedicating an additional 2 defenders in the box. 2nd play on the check down to Darren was to slow down the rush. Boller then tries to scramble on 3rd down and was able to get 2 yards before getting clobbered.

The Raiders get the ball with 8:12 to go on the 1. Michael Bush bowls down some Chiefs and gets the first down. Another run for 2 quick yards and then almost like a punt, Boller throws his second pick of the day.

The Raiders finally start to get some forward progress on offense with the last possession of the quarter, with Taiwan Jones, DHB, and Michael Bush getting into the mix. Looks like Jackson must have lit a fire under someone's ass. Hope we can score on this possession and get back into this game. Time to settle down.

Special Teams

Love the hits I saw on the first punt of the game. Groves came in and laid the wood on a Chief, showing them that we are coming in to knock em out.
After a shaky few possessions, a huge blow to the offense with  Moore allowing a punt to go over his head, not blocking the gunner and the Chiefs down the ball at the 1 yard line.

Ending Score after 1

Raiders 0 Chiefs 14

 


Chaotic View





















October 21, 2011

Hot Off The Press....... 10-21-2011 Update W/ Hue Jackson Video



Well, there is some good and some bad to report.

The Good:

Rock Cartwright is back on the practice field, along with Chimdi Chekwa.

Coach says that Carson is progressing nicely. That he calls a play and Carson executes. Could be good, could be bad. I call it Silver.

Palmer was available for a short time before heading to a meeting.
“I’m getting prepared. I’m getting as prepared as I can,’’ Palmer said. “I’m excited about the opportunity to be just around the field, let alone get a chance to play.’’

Our friends @BSPN are now claiming that Carson is unlikely to start against the Chiefs. Uhhhhh. DUH. Could have told you that when we signed him. I never bought into such rumormongering and have stood by my intuition that it is too soon and he needs to build more chemistry


The Bad:

Jano is limping pretty bad with a left Hammy injury. If you remember, a lot of his kicks were real short last week and he only kicked one field goal of 48 yards in the game. We ran one fake and we went for another 4th down on the 5 yard line. Must have slipped by a few people, cause no one noticed. Some kickers in today to try out were Rhys Lloyd, Ricky Schmitt and Dave Rayner..

Marcel Reece is still not on the practice field with an injured ankle. Would love to see him come through after the bye to get the running game moving again.

Rolando McClain appeared to be sitting out practice for the third day in a row, and he looked to be joined by free safety Michael Huff .


The Raiders did announce that the game has been sold out for a 4th consecutive time. This is the first time since 2008.


In other news......

DHB after practice on 10-20-2011.....












Hope you guys are having a great Friday!

Chaotic View













October 20, 2011

You Know You Can't Resist............



Good, cause neither can I. If I find it, it gets posted!


Post Practice Videos

Wednesday


Jacoby Ford


Big Rich






Former Raider Bill Romanowski...... Love this guy!




And Yes, Romo did call them a sorry ass team! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA

Chaotic View
All Videos COurtesy of CSNBAYAREA.com

Back To Football...... Week 7 Scouting Report Chiefs @ Raiders


Scouting





With so many stories being made over the last week, from the singing of Carson Palmer, to Matt Shaunessey being placed on IR, to the unforgettable plays on Special Teams from Lechler to Boss to the 101 yard return by Jacoby Ford, the hype has gotten away from the Raider Nation and we have lost focus on the fact that its


CHIEFS WEEK!

SERIES HISTORY:

102nd regular-season meeting. Chiefs lead series, 52-47-2. The teams, original members of the American Football League, have met twice every year between 1960 and 2010, with the exception of the strike-shortened 1982 season, when they met only once.

Now, I know a lot of you are probably saying, yeah so what? The Chiefs are 2-3 and in third place in the AFC West. What difference does it make? Well, that's why I wrote this little blog to let you know.

THIS GAME IS HUGE!!!!!!!

Kansas Shitty is coming off of a 2 game winning streak. Now, the teams they beat are not exactly something to write home about, beating Minnesota by five points and Indianapolis by four points, (Mom unless you are reading this), but they do play in the NFL the last time I checked. And they do get a pay check the last time I checked. So I do not discount them coming into our house and trying to steal any of our thunder right before the bye week, trying to send us home with a 4-3 record and one game further back from the Super Chokers.

I know, you don't wanna hear this, but here come the stats:

After losing three very important contributors, running back Jamaal Charles, tight end Tony Moeaki and strong safety Eric Berry, they started the season reeling, trying to find their equilibrium without their offensive engine in Charles and defensive leader in Berry. Things were ugly in the first two games, as the Chiefs were outscored 89-10 in the worst back-to-back beatings in franchise history

QB Matt Cassel has a 2-3 record against the Raiders as a starter. One of those victories came while he was filling in for Tom Brady with the Patriots during the 2008 season. Overall, he's completed 53.8 percent of his passes against Oakland for 1,006 yards and just 5.9 yards per attempt. He's thrown seven TD passes against seven INTs and has been sacked 15 times.

RB Thomas Jones has played against the Raiders five times over his career, running for 365 yards and two touchdowns on 89 carries. His best performance came in October 2008, when he ran for 159 yards on 24 carries in Oakland. He also ran for 121 yards on 26 carries in 2009.

WR Dwayne Bowe has played eight games against the Raiders since joining the league in 2007, catching 36 passes for 542 yards and two touchdowns. He's averaged 15.1 yards per catch. His best performance came in November 2009, when he caught six passes for 91 yards.

Tamba Hali has a streak of three consecutive games against the Raiders with at least part of a sack. Last year in two games, he had 3.5 sacks, and in a November 2009 game, he shared a sack. In 10 career games against Oakland, Hali has 35 total tackles and six sacks.

After reading these stats, it is easy to see why the games we have had against these guys have always been played so tightly, with the exception of last years season ender, where the Raiders Spanked the Quiefs 31-10. Simply put, we will have our way with their defense, so long as Palmer gets the protection he needs and can get the play book down. I dare the Chiefs to line up 8 in the box. Seriously. In addition to that, on defense, I need to see more blitzing, but manage it throughout the game from the 2nd to the 4th quarter. Hit Cassel early in the game, back off and manage the run defense and then hit him hard before the end of the half and at the end of the game to take his will. These guys will turn the ball over. They will play sloppy and the game may get a little testy at times. The key on our end is to control our tempers, minimize penalities that sustain their offensive drives,  whoop their asses at the point of attack and go home for the bye week uninjured and with a 5-2 record.

Here are the current Season stats, Team Averages & NFL Ranks :

TEAM OFFENSETEAMPER GAME AVERAGE
Total YardsKAN
 304.0
OAK
 373.0
Yards PassingKAN
 176.2
OAK
 212.8
Yards RushingKAN
 127.4
OAK
 160.0
TEAM DEFENSETEAMPER GAME AVERAGE
Yards AllowedKAN
 369.2
OAK
 396.7
Pass Yds AllowedKAN
 249.6
OAK
 283.5
Rush Yds AllowedKAN
 119.6
OAK
 113.2

Let me know what you think. I would love the feedback!



Chaotic View



October 19, 2011

Hue Jack City Is Not Screwing Around!






I don't know about you, but I have waited for someone like Hue Jackson for a looooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooong time. This man controls his environment, makes smart decisions, takes risks, makes no excuses and WINS! I mean, when was the last time you could look at a Raiders coach and say, this guy has the potential to make a difference? Jon Gruden right?

Look at the message this guy is sending not only to his team, but to the league. We are going to win. We are going to win now. And if you are a potential free agent or a player on our roster, you either come with your lunch in a brown paper sack ready to work, or I will bring someone else in here who will eat your lunch for you.

This guy is exactly what Al Davis needed to make sure that his franchise was ran beyond his time here. I am impressed and excited about being a Raider Fan. Not only for my love of football, but because there is an element of surprise in this team again.

Jackson was asked today, "Are you sending a message to your team." I mean come on. Really? You ask that? Here is what he said, "What do you think?" "No doubt. I told them, I am going to do everything I can, the organization has backed me, to give this team the best opportunity to win football games, and that’s all you can ask for." "As a head coach, when you have ownership, Mark Davis, Amy Trask and the rest of this organization stand behind you and say, ‘Hey, look, whatever we think it takes to win, that’s what we’re going to do,’ and that’s what we’re doing. The players appreciate that because it gets no better than that. You come to work everyday knowing that you’re fighting for something. And we’re fighting for a championship."

So you have to wonder, how does this affect the Veterans. You know, the guys who have this cloud of "Respect" and "Expectation" that they are here for the long haul just because they have experience and long tenure in the NFL. No one summed that up quite like Seymour. "This is a production business." "Our job is to go out and produce and get better as a team, and we’re always evaluated year in and year out, from game to game. And the best players are going to play. And that’s what we’re always told, so I’m trying to do everything I can to make sure my job is safe." Ha. Richard Seymour is worried about his job? Wow. You think this is a culture shock? No more scholarships? I think so!
So, today is Wednesday, the first day of the Carson Palmer era, and it is said that he, Kyle and Terrell all took snaps from the first team today.



Here are some quotes from the players following their first day's work together:

“He looked great,” wide receiver Chaz Schilens said. “That’s all there is to it, man.”

“He looked good,” Ford said. “It’s just a matter of the timing. He has to get that down and get used to the offense and new receivers. Whenever we can do that, we’ll be clicking on all cylinders.”

“Carson looked great,” Hagan said. “Obviously, the same Carson I’ve been working with throughout the summer. We had a few throwing sessions out in L.A. He looks the same. He’s putting the ball right on the money. Obviously that’s something we’re looking forward to.”

“I thought we were going to get (David) Garrard, but we got Palmer, so, hey, man, can’t do nothing but be happy,” Said Tommy Kelly

Here is Palmers take on the day:

“Definitely rusty,” Palmer said. “Good to be back in it but definitely have some rust to wear off. I haven’t thrown to NFL receivers in awhile. Whether it’s been high school kids or my brother, I have had one NFL guy to throw to in T.J. Houshmandzadeh but, other than that, I haven’t thrown to guys that can run like this and lots of guys that can run like this in seven-on-seven situations and team situations, things like that.”

Amid reports today that Al Saunders committed to Palmer starting, Hue Jack City had this to say. “You hear it come from me?” Jackson said. “It didn’t come from anybody over here. I know I never said that.” Jackson was asked how Boller took the news of Carson's signing and he said he took the news the way he expected.“He’s awesome, he’s a pro.” “Honestly, I don’t worry about that, because my players exactly why I’m doing what I’m doing,” Jackson said. “I don’t mince for words, I don’t pull any punches. I’m not sliding a guy in when nobody knows. It is what it is. It’s about the team. It’s about the winning. It’s about being the best we can be and I don’t think anybody runs from it.”

Raider Nation, our time is now. We can compete with the Patriots, Chokers, Squeelers, Green Bay and all of the other elite teams. I would bang my best against their best any day! Look out. We are coming through!


Chaotic View


October 18, 2011

Just In Case You Live Under A Rock....... Carson Palmer






Courtesy CSNBayArea




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Carson Palmer.... The Savior Or The Bandaid?


RAIDER NATION

Welcome

CARSON PALMER



AP PHOTO
I am not sure of what to make of this trade for Carson Palmer everyone. I think we all know that with Jason Campbell at the helm, the Raiders became a very managed offense, often taking very little risk downfield because Jason was making it hard for the receivers to stay inbounds, often throwing the ball towards the side lines in an attempt to make up for under throws or just flat out missing the receivers. So, as I look at this deal, I believe the Raiders are sending a message to Jason, your career here in Oakland has now been extinguished, or you will now take a back up role going forward.

I mean think about it. The Raiders sent Cincy their 2012 first-round draft pick and a conditional pick that could become an additional first-rounder in the future. That's 2 1st round picks for a 32 year old QB. Don't get me wrong, I think Carson is a very good pick up, but the facts are the facts, Carson Palmer is going to open up the offense and make better decisions when throwing the ball, but needs time to work with the receiving core on timing I'd expect him to maybe start going into the second half of the season and also look for the Raiders to IR Jason Campbell for the remainder of the year, as well as maybe releasing him going into next year, depending on how Palmer plays.

So what are the numbers behind Palmer?

Lets sum it up.....

Carson Palmer has a 62.9% completion rating. He is very accurate with his throws and is always on time. He has good instincts for the routes and with our offensive line, he shouldn't have any problems picking that percentage up quite a few points.

86.9% Passer Rating.

Palmer has started 97 games in his career after sitting out his rookie season. That delay in his work load I believe allowed him to mature into the role he has played in Cincy, a luxury he will not have here in Oakland.

Carson has tallied 22,964 yards, 154 touchdowns and 100 interceptions over his career.

Carson has 2 4,000 yard seasons (2006, 2007) and a 30 touchdown passing single season (2005).

He has been awarded as a two-time Pro Bowl QB.

He was the Heisman Trophy winner for my USC Trojans in 2002.

He was drafted first overall in 2003. 

And a bit more......... The Business


Palmer has four years and $50 million left on his current contract and stands to earn $11.5 million in 2011. Word on the streets, the contract you see him signing up above is a modified contract price.

Simply said, Carson is as proven as any of the quarterbacks in the league. Carson is a tremendous upgrade of our current roster. Carson is and will be better then any rookie coming in from college in the next few years. So why not. Take the gamble, get a vet in here and lets win this damn thing!

I AM STOKED, and you should be too!

Good move Hue, Mark and Amy!

Chaotic View


Week 6.....VICTORY!!



So what did we learn from the game this past Sunday against the Browns? Lets break each of the 3 phases down.


Offense

"Just Win Baby" Raiders Vs Browns
Courtesy Sacbee.com


After starting the game out with a 15 play drive that ended up in a touch down by Darren McFadden, my thoughts were that the Browns were in for a long, long day. As the next drive began, it was clear that the Raiders were prepared to show the Raider Nation they they were going to do it for Al and they were not going to disappoint. Then, just as fast as they gained momentum, Jason Campbell had experienced one of those brainfarts he has become all too famous for. Instead of the knucklehead sliding feet first, he went head first, didn't give himself up and lost the football. Well the browns used this to their advantage and scored 7 on us and tied the game. I didn't see much from our offense after that as Jacoby Ford scored on the kickoff return and brought the defense back out. The Offense didn't get the ball back until a few minutes left to go when Campbell got hurt. I'm not sure what to make of it though as Campbell was more of a game manager and not a looked upon figure to carry the load like Darren McFadden. so Boller was brought in and got us out of the half (barely) and came out in the second half with a little more accuracy. The Raiders never gained the momentum back on the offensive side of the ball, with their remaining scores coming on the fake field goal and the one field goal attempt. Something needs to happen to get theses tables turned. The sooner the better.

Overall grade C+

Defense


AP Photo

I have to admit, after the first two Brown possessions, I knew that we were going to make this a one dimensional game on defense. another stellar performance by the front 4 in keeping Peyton Hills to 14 yards before he left with a hamstring injury, but also against his backup, Mike Hardesty, who ran for only another 35 yards after that. It was the secondary I was more concerned about. Once they clamped down on Colt McCoy, the second half kind of just fell into their laps with the only drive that meant anything extending by way of penalties. Dumb drive extenders that kill and momentum that a team prefers to have and took away from any true dominant performances. After their touchdown with 1:30 to go in the 4th I have to admit that my stomach did tense up, but they clamped down in crunch time when it mattered and shut down the last minute effort of the Browns to tie the game with 30 seconds remaining. It looked like we have grown up in some regards and I find myself not praying as hard in those moments anymore. That's a good thing.

Overall grade B

Special Teams

AP Photo

Well, this was a coaster and special teams played probably the biggest role in this weeks win, as they scored 17 of our 24 points. From Jacoby Ford running back a one hundred and one yard kickoff, to Shane Lechlers' consistent punting and new found NFL talent of QB (yes I know he used to play QB regularly before) to very good coverage on the kickoff team, this part of the squad came up big and was the only spark we had. The one let down they had was on the recovery of the onside kick. I mean come on. That had to be the first completed inside kick I've ever seen. Why did they not have someone else there to block those guys out. These guys need to sell out on that kind of play and I hope Hue looks into that because there will be more close games and we can not afford to give a good team that type of chance. I don't believe we will be so lucky next time.

Overall Grade A-

So what did we learn? We need another QB ON THE ROSTER, and coincidentally Carson Palmer was just signed as I wrote this. We still have work to do in the secondary but it looks like the Curry move was one of the best decisions of the year so far. Last but not least, I'm going to say it now, when we stomp the Chiefs and Broncos, we will in a sense beat out San Diego this year for the division and we will be in the playoffs. I'm not making any predictions, all I am saying is that this division is ready for us to re assume our dominance.



AP Photo

 
Welcome back Raider Nation.

RIP Al.



 
 
 
 

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October 14, 2011

Some Recent Cant Miss Vids.........



Protecting Campbell








Our Wideouts





The Black Hole!




Courtesy of CSNBAYAREA

As always, just a

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Aaron Curry Interview...... Hot Off The Press



Q: Has it been a whirlwind, learning you’re traded and now starting on Sunday?
Curry: It’s been very eventful, very exciting. Just to know that Coach has faith in me that I can come in and play right away is a great confidence-booster for me, just to know that he believes in me. My job is to get out there and do my job, be held accountable to do my job and just play hard and fast and fit in with Raider football.

Q: How does it feel to have a fresh start?
Curry: It’s like a breath of fresh air. One of the first things Coach told me is that I didn’t have to worry about any opinions formed on me before the day that he and I met. I’m starting with a clean slate and he doesn’t care what happened back in the past. It’s all about moving on to the future. When he told me that I took a deep breath because that was my biggest concern was would the opinions pass on from club to club or from person to person. With him telling me I had a clean slate that gives me the opportunity to come out here and develop what I want him to see and who I want him to know.

Q: Can you pinpoint why it didn’t work in Seattle?
Curry: Not necessarily. I can’t really pinpoint it. If I could have pinpointed it I might have fixed it. It just didn’t work out. It sucks that it didn’t but I’m excited to be here in Oakland and playing for the Raiders. My brother Eric Barton played here for five years so I’m just getting a shot to carry his legacy on. I’m excited about that.

Q: Strange to get here today, start Sunday?
Curry: When you look at it from the outside in it looks weird but I’ve been practicing all week whether I was wearing blue or whether I was wearing black. I’ve been working on my linebacking skills for the last four weeks, just honing all my skills and learning everything about football, not just about where I was playing in our defense. So I’m prepared to play football. When it comes down to it, who has the ball?

Q: What do you do best?
Curry: Run. The best thing I do is run. Wait for the runner to make a move and run in his direction. That’s my best asset.

Q: Can you see how this system suits that?
Curry: Yes. Definitely. From alignment to assignment, we’re allowed, the whole entire defense, we’re allowed to line up and run and hit. That’s what’s good about this defense. That’s what’s going to be so exciting about this defense.

Q: Have to think before you ran in Seattle?
Curry: Sometimes. Sometimes I was putting too much pressure on myself to do too much thinking versus just running and hitting. When coach told me ‘We’re coming down here to play fast and we’re coming out to play smart as well, but we’re going to play fast and we’re going to run and we’re going to hit, we’re going to be a physical defense,’ … that’s right down my alley.

Q: Moving from Sam to Will, is it a big transition?
Curry: Not a big deal. It would seem like it but as far as the scheme goes, no matter what you name the linebacker it’s pretty much what I played when I played up north. It’s just going out there, similar keys, some different fits but it’s all going to boil down to getting to the football.

Q: Were you upset or angry with how things were going in Seattle?
Curry: I was at first. Naturally, I was just frustrated but I got my focus back and before I left I was at complete peace. I was done focusing on my circumstance. I handed that to my God and let him handle it and he put me where he said I should be. That’s why I’m so excited. I’ve been placed here for a reason. There’s a purpose for me being here and it’s not because of anything that anything that we do. It’s because a divine person said for me to be here. That’s why I’m so excited.

Q: How would you assess your pass coverage skills?
Curry: I would say I’ve gotten way better from my rookie year and it’s going to get even better here because it’s not as complex. We’re using simple terms and we’re going to keep it simple so that we all can play hard, we can all play fast and really hone in on our individual skills.

Q: How were you greeted by your new teammates?
Curry: Everybody’s been excited. Everybody’s been happy saying that they’re happy to have me here. I’ve just been letting them know how excited, how I can wait to get out there on Sunday and play in front of the Black Hole and just go crazy. The last time I saw them I was playing for Seattle so they weren’t for me but when they were cheering for the Raiders they were going nuts. Even the stuff that they were saying toward us, they were going crazy so I just can’t to feel that emotion.

Q: Some of your former teammates are saying now you can relax, without feeling the pressure of being the No. 4 pick . . .
Curry: It was of very, very high expectations that early on I let the pressure get to me, and then when I did let the pressure get to me that was an issue. So it was kind of a back and forth. I really think the expectations are extremely high, and now coach said I’m allowed to come here and just relax and be me. The only expectation is to play Raider football, follow the rules that we follow, play the ball that we play, and take it from there.

Q: Wake Forest defense, how did that role translate to being in NFL?
Curry: Well, the difference when I was in school and the NFL, we played two defenses, when I was in school and we didn’t care that people knew what we were in, we knew how they were going to attack it to beat it. That’s the biggest difference. I played the same thing every snap. If I didn’t play it this way, I played it that way, and it never changed. We didn’t have any exceptions, we didn’t have any options. This is how we play it, this is how you do it. Do it fast, and that was the biggest difference between school and college (think he means school and the NFL) where up north, we had a lot of stuff. You had to be able to do everything. Everybody has to be able to do everything, versus just being just given a role and just taking off with it.

Q: Nervous, this is is your third coach . . . wondering what’s coming down here, what will playbook look like, etc.
Curry: Yeah, of course. The first thing I thought about was the playbook. I knew from the history of the Raiders and their defense, how they do things. I knew some of the stuff. I knew that some of the things they were going to play and how they looked like some of the stuff we did in Seattle, but still, everyone has their own stuff, and so, of course I thought about it and once I got it in my hands yesterday it wasn’t as bad as I thought. Not yet, at least.

Q: Was Wednesday your last day in Seattle . . .
Curry: Tuesday was. Wednesday I didn’t practice. Tuesday was my last day.

Q: When did you start hearing you might be coming to Oakland?
Curry: When they called me and said, that Oakland was looking and was interested. And it was like Wednesday.

Q: What has Blackstock said about being here?
Curry: Blackstock is awesome, man. He just told me we’re going to be given a shot to do what we do as linebackers and he’s really expressed his passion for linebacker play and how we should play, and he’s shown his excitement and he’s helped me with the playbook along with coach Biek, he’s helped me with the playbook and he’s just constantly talking to me and telling me to put the past behind me. He said the same thing, there’s a purpose, and there’s a reason why we’re both here. Last time I saw him I was a 195 pounds coming out of high school and so we both believe that there’s a purpose for us both being here and that’s for us to, for all of us, to go out there and play Raider football. Like, I keep seeing on the walls, it says, `build a bully’ and that’s what I’m excited about.

Q: Had a chance to talk to Groves?
Curry: Yeah, we chatted. I met Groves after one of the preseason games, so it wasn’t really like, we didn’t have to introduce ourselves to each other, it was what’s up, good seeing you again.

Q: Have you talked to your brother Eric Barton about being a Raider?
Curry: Yeah, Eric’s way more excited than I am. I’m excited, and he’s like over-the-mountain excited. He’s like, I mean, when can I come up? Where can I stay? I’ll be there tomorrow. I’ll see you tomorrow. What’s the defense look like? Tell the coaches I say hey? I think he’s revisiting his time here and he had some special time here. I believe he went to the Super Bowl in 2002, so he’s extremely excited. He should be here today and he’s going to show me the ropes and he’s going to tell me all about Raider football, and I’m also excited about that, to actually have the history in my blood and be able to talk to him, he’s going to tell me how it should look and how we should do it.