Is It In You?

Friday....... Early AM........ Plane ride to the Donkey City to face off with one of the most hated rivals in the Division.......... so I ask...... Do you have it in you?

Huffy, do you have it in you to play more press coverage? To make the solid tackle? To not get caught in the pick route? To play with passion and intensity for 60 minutes? To make a difference? Is it in you?

Seymour, is it in you to be the leader you were brought here to be? To pressure the shit out of Peyton Manning? To put him on his ass? To be an effective team mate and guide that D-Line to victory? Is it in you?

Kelly, is it in you to play your ass off on every down and stay the fuck onside? To protect your defensive backfield by containing the run? Is it in you?

Rolando, is it in you to play smart and be the king of the second level as you were brought here to be? To play from sideline to sideline and to stay in your fits? To put the hurt on the Denver running game and any wide outs that come accross the middle? Is it in you?

O-Line, is it in you to OWN the line of scrimmage? To make holes big enough for a mack truck to drive through and allow your running game to be explosive? To keep Palmer on his feet and not allow any sacks? To play with the same heart and intensity you did against the Steelers?

Palmer, is it in you to play with poise and stand in the pocket and deliver the ball on time to your receivers? Is it in you to play with heart and passion and make good sound decisions? To play effective football for 60 minutes? To protect the ball in our possession for the duration of the game? Is it in you?

D-MAC, is it in you to put your foot in the ground and run North and South with thundering power and no regard for your opponent? To pound that bullshit Donkey defense into submission? To slash and gash that secondary on your way to a 150 yard game? To put that rock in the end zone and show who we are? Do you have it in you?

Coaching staff, do you have it in you to call a smart game? A game plan to puts us in the best position to succeed, but not so vanilla that you take any momentum out of the players? To allow our skilled players to get the ball with enough time to make big plays? To call a smart mix of plays on offense and a strong relentless game on defense with hidden blitz packages and good solid rotation on the line?

I'll make this simple.... we are going up against one of the best. He got there because he understands how to break a teams will. He is relentless. He is dominant. He is smart and poised. He knows that he is not to let his foot off of the gas until the final bell rings. He will tear you apart and keep his foot on your throat as you bleed to death. Going into this bye week, I and the Raider Nation will accept nothing less than 2-2. Just because we beat a good team in the Steelers does not mean that everything is fine. That's bullshit to think that. We expect greatness every week. Not one week on and one week off. EVERY WEEK!  That's what it takes to be champions. That's what it takes to be great.

DO YOU HAVE IT IN YOU TO BE GREAT?

Do something about it! Whoop that ass on Sunday! Prove the Raider Nation right! 

Chaotic View

Heart......

Ladies and Gentlemen, I am impressed. On a day that boys became men, our team pulled out an improbable win against one of the best teams in the NFL. We beat the Steelers.

Carson Palmer showed why all of the pundits who say the trade was not worth it  can stick their foot in their mouth and shut the fuck up. How about 23-33 for 209 and 3 TD's you bunch of haters? Kiss his ass and move on to Tim Tebow. Carson showed why his leadership will take this team to the promise land.

How about McFadden? 18 for 113 and a 64 yard TD! He ran hard. He ran tough. He ran with authority. He ran with a purpose. Great job learning on the fly.

The biggest key, the O-Line. They kept Palmer on his feet against a tough scheme from the Steelers. You know Dick Lebeau was going to mix it up on the blitz scheme, but our players moved together and held strong to control the line of scrimmage.

There was a somber moment when an illegal helmet to helmet hit to DHB in the chin brought out the stretcher and took the wind out of our sails for a moment. Please Nation, pray for him and send him a tweet to show him you are thinking of him ......  https://twitter.com/theDHB85



















A special moment pre game for Al Davis and the Nation, Marcus Allen officially ended the feud. Thank you Marcus. Always a Raider!

And just as Al would always hope, Jano, his prized possession, did what Al brought him to Oakland to do..... Put it between the cross bars!

Thank you to the players for answering my call. Thank you for answering the call of the Raider Nation! You came out and fought to come back down 10 into the 4th quarter and never took your eyes off the prize.

It was a war but you made plays. You got the ball on turnovers. You showed the Heart of a Champion. I and the Raider Nation are proud of you!


On to Denver!

Chaotic View

Video's Of Dissapointment.... The Asswhoopin In Miami

Dennis Allen (Excuses)

Carson Palmer (More Excuses)

The Morning After Pill..................

I am at a loss for words.

I found myself sitting through the pain of what I saw last night like someone waiting in front of a firing squad awaiting their death. It was slow, agonizing and terrifying to think this is what we have become.

But you know what, I am not going to give our competition the benefit of the doubt to think that we as the Raider Nation will not go out without getting in our punches. I am not going to lay down and go down without a fight. Its time to come out swinging. We know what we have to fix.

I am not sure if the majority of you saw what I saw, but in the 4th quarter, even when the entire stadium was deflated and our team was on the brink of utterly abandoning ship, there was one bright spot that stung me like that asshole bee did last summer in my arm, this Killer Defense we have. Did you know that Phylis Rivers only threw for one touchdown? And he may have had a good night in way of completions, throwing 24/33 for 231 yards, but it was not a career night. We also held their offense to 32 yards rushing. If that doesn't make you optimistic, I don't know what will.

Grant it, that big loaf Kelly gave them the touchdown, single handedly, by giving them two first downs on that TD drive, but as I told you guys on Chaotic View, the Raiders have some new fire power backing up that line of ours in Miles Burris and Philip Wheeler. These two combined with Rolando McClain for 15 Solo Tackles and 7 assisted tackles. I think we have become something to be reckoned with, and what was really exciting for me is that they didn't give up. All the way through the last snaps of the game, they kept the pressure on the Chokers and forced Phylis to throw the ball.

To the bad, I had a hunch before the game the something was going to happen top Jon Condo. I have been telling my inner circle for a while now that the guy plays with reckless abandon on all of the special team plays. He is normally the first Raider on the ball down field, and he likes to go low on the blockers to get through to attack the ball. Last night was something that you don't see happen too often, where he was hit in the head by a fellow team mate with the knee, but it goes to show that there are critical positions that need to be addressed every year and as a back up (Goethel) you have to be ready to come in and do your job, which he did not.




Now, I am not going to put it all on Goethel, because he was not completely responsible for the bullshit we saw on special teams. That unit sucks all together and I think that we need to light a fire under the ass of Steve Hoffman, the Special Teams Coach. It is not too early to send his ass packing if something doesn't happen and soon. 

Offensively, we did not throw any interceptions. That's a good thing. Streater had a good game, aside from the fumble he gave up trying to do too much. We moved the ball up and down the field, but missed passes and some missed routes were the glaring issue I saw that can be fixed with time.



Overall, we need some serious work with the trip into Miami. Having the chance to win the game with 54 seconds to go was a positive, as bad as we did play, but it still counts as a loss none the less.

My Game grades-

Offense - B
Defense - B+
Special Teams - F

Your thoughts?

Chaotic View

Some voices of interest

As I always love to do..... Bring the updates:

Carson Palmer

Terrell Pryor

Coach Allen

Lamar Houston

Richard Seymour

Oh yeah, by the way, we made some cuts to the team.  Linebacker Korey Bosworth, defensive ends Mason Brodine and Wayne Dorsey, safeties Aaron Henry and Chaz Powell, cornerback Terrail Lambert, wide receivers Thomas Mayo and DeAundre Muhammad, quarterback Kyle Newhall-Caballero and fullback Manase Tonga. Fullback Rashawn Jackson and offensive lineman Ed Wang. No big names on this list, but I am sure some of these guys may get looked at by other teams.

Chaotic View

Thats Better......

I have to admit, I was starting to second guess our team going into the Official Dress rehearsal, Game 3, against the Lions. But I have to say, I have seen the light and it speaks of a great season. Let me explain.

Defense, defense defense. What can I say? The Lions may suck at running back, but they are an NFL team and those players get paid to play, regardless of draft position.  65 rushing yards allowed people. Only 65. Against any team, that's good. But so you know it is not a fluke, we rank 3rd in the Pre-Season in Team Defense, 4th against the rush with 82 yards per game allowed, 3rd in Total yards allowed and 5th in pass yards allowed at 153 per game.

I mean this is the Lions. They are a team on the up and up with star players on their team in Stafford and Megatron. Yet Stafford only went 8/10 for 68 yards and Johnson only caught one ball for 7 yards. Not to mention that the Lions only had 14 first downs, 1 by rushing and 13 by passing.

I am putting my money down in Vegas. Mark my words people......... Top 5 Defense this year.

Some of the key players to watch:

Miles Burris - He runs sideline to sideline and looks like a 3 down backer. He has good strength and plays with a very low pad position which will show in his tackle numbers.

Lamar Houston - He is beginning to play more D-Tackle at times and looks like he is going to be a severe challenge for any Guard. He is in the backfield disrupting plays and forcing runners back into his help. If he can play consistent, he will have a career year. 8 sacks min.

Mike Mitchell- He has been playing later in the game in backup for Branch and Huff. I know, you think well that's lower on the totem pole so why worry about him? Well, he will be coming in to rest these guys out and he has been showing that he has slowed down in his pursuit on the ball and is making better decisions on his angles. I like what this staff has done for him thus far, if he can pull it together, he can be the next Jack Tatum. Come over the middle punk asses, I dare you!

Philip Wheeler- This guy has to be the Pre-Season Co-MVP along with Darren. He hustles to the ball, is a sure tackler and has been playing dominant football.

On Offense, I am going against the grain and popular opinion. I think Palmer had a great game. He was on time with most of his throws, made great decisions with the ball and moved the ball up and down the field. The two turnovers were the responsibility of the wide outs who have not played very consistent all pre-season.
He only went 17/26 for 187 yards. I think with a few more games under his belt, our scoring is going to go out of the roof.

Prior finally solidified his spot on the teams depth chart as the 3rd QB. He is quick, has finally shown his touch on the ball, but he is hanging on by the hair on his chinny, chin chin.

Players to watch for:

Rod Streater - Talk about someone fighting for a position. He may have just won himself the 3rd receiver spot. Ford continuously rides the pine with one injury or another, Denerius Moore can't seem to stay healthy either, so I see this guy as the starter on the opposing side of DHB. I think Palmer likes him and I see at least 65-75 catches and 600-700 yards for this guy. Consider him the TJ Houshmenzadeh to Chad Johnson combo Palmer used to throw to in Cincy.

Taiwan Jones - Mr. Freshlegs may be exactly what we have been looking for. He is in his sophomore season and in his first game back showed some flashes of brilliance. If he can pick up 600 yards in a back up role, I would be stoked.

DHB - I think you can finally remove the veil of question on this Al Davis choice. He is starting to pay dividends. Love the acrobatics on the deep ball reaching over the former Raider Justin Miller. He is showing that mentality that he is going to go after the ball, and it is something we have not seen since Tim Brown. 

Criner - He is the red zone answer. Bottom line!

Special Teams-

I will leave it at this, something needs to happen in the next few weeks to get this aspect of the team together. They have played like crap and someone needs to be accountable to staying in their gaps and making tackles. We can't put the defense in the situations they have had to play in. Always backed up to our end zone.  Its bullshit and needs to be fixed PRONTO!

The last game against the Sea Chickens will be a fight for those last few players that will make the 2nd and 3rd stringers and the practice squad. See you Friday. Check back for updates and post game video.

Chaotic View

Pre-Season Game 2...... Cards Vs. Raiders

Wonder what just happened? Don't. Want to know why? Its pre-season and you can only learn so much with players who put in 80% effort because they do not want to get injured and those who have secured a starting role on the team and do not feel the need to go the extra mile in games that don't matter.

I do not put much weight on these games, and my thought is that neither should you. But, for s*its and giggles, I think I should touch on what I saw and give my two cents.

Offense-

Better, but still not where it needs to be. I saw a lot of the vintage Texans offense on display.  A few bootlegs, some misdirection and even cut backs. Inconsistencies reside at the Wide Receiver level and Offensive line, but for the most part the team was able to move the ball with some level of purpose.


Carson was able to avoid some pressure and get the ball on the hands of his wideout's, but as I mentioned, there are a lot of inconsistencies there. DHB dropped a sure touchdown in the end zone and a few other balls that should have been caught.














 Mike Goodson has his debut and subsequently failed miserably. 2 fumbles lost by him alone and looking like he had absolutely no ball control skills. Scary to think this cat could be our back up to McFadden. Not really a chance I think we should take if this keeps up.

Streater looked good at Receiver. 7 for 43 yards and could potentially be our starter opposite DHB should Ford and Moore be out for substantial time. No different than last year, early injuries derailing our hopes of having a great tandem running the sidelines.








Defense-

"That boy is scared" was something you could read from the lips of Tommy Kelly after the sack on Kevin Kolb in the end zone for a safety. That was for the most part the way the game went. The defense (1st team) stood their ground and just about put Kolb on his ass every other play. Aside from poor starting field position, thanks to our special teams and offensiv

e fumbles, the defense held their own forcing 4 turnovers, 3 by way of fumbles and 4 sacks.










Special Teams-
Sucked a big one and this could get bad. A blocked punt, huge return and some other missed responsibilities could spell disaster should this not get taken care of quickly.

What does it all mean? Work, work and more work...........Post game Vids coming soon.

Chaotic View

Post Game Videos - Cowboys Vs. Raiders

Mike Mitchell

Coach Allen

Carson Palmer

 Terrell Pryor

Matt Leinart

Post Game Recap.... Preseason Cowboys Vs. Raiders

Great to be back. First and foremost. It was a long offseason and I finished the long list of Sunday honey-do's......

So I went back and watched the tape after it was all said and done last night and I have some particular topics I would love to touch on.

Offense-

1. Mc Fadden is what he is. A Beast! I know we only showed a few things we would be doing (Vanilla Offense), but I was not really paying attention to the play calling
   or scheme. I watched the intangibles. Mc Fadden displayed the burst of speed through the hole, the patience to allow his gaps to open and the ability to break tackles. Overall if this guy stays healthy, we could have the NFL's leading rusher in our backfield.
2. Palmer is still learning the offense. There were a few pass attempts that I think he held the ball for too long as he went through his progressions, but overall, he got first downs and had to deal with an atrocious performance of Jacoby Ford.
3. I'm not going to harp on it too much but Jacoby Ford was a drive killer last night. I think he just had a bad game. He broke his route in the deep interception play, he got alligator arms on two plays, one slant that could have been a nice gain and gotten us beyond the 50 in our second possession and again on an in route that would have given us a first down in our last First Team possession. He also muffed a punt and didn't display the confidence of yester year. I hope this is just because it is the preseason and not because he is getting soft on us.
4. Terrell Pryor is not ready for the NFL. He looked like a deer in the headlights last night. We made some first downs, but his balls were thrown like a QB who was trying to make sure he didn't make any mistakes, rather then the Terrell Pryor I remember at Ohio State with the cannon arm. I would be surprised if he made the team. If so, he needs to be in the Wild Cat formation or as a tight end.

Defense

1. I was not surprised at our performance. As I mentioned in my blog yesterday, the Defense needed to establish dominance and that they did. I was surprised that Seymour was not on the field, but that's ok. He has nothing else to prove in the preseason. That line though. Tremendous. We held Tony Romo  to 3 for 6 and 30 yards and 1 sack with one narrowly being missed by Lamar Houston.. It was refreshing to get it done on the line.
2. D-Backs need more work. Bartell allowed a long pass completion and on a few zone plays, the tight end came out into the flat and was able to convert for first downs. Still preseason, but its the little things that count. Get off the field on 3rd downs!

One last stat......... only 5 penalties for 37 yards compared to 12 for 97 on the Cowboys. I would say that is a victory in itself!

Overall, not bad for the first game.  Still much to do and only a few weeks to work the bugs out, but I think with discipline and a good work ethic, this team can be a playoff contender.

Chaotic View

A New Era.......... The Autumn Wind

RAAAAAAAAAAAIDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDEEEEEEEEERRRRRRRRRRRRSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

RAAAAAAAAAAAIDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDEEEEEEEEERRRRRRRRRRRRSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I can hear it now. Deep in the Black Hole, the sound resonates through my head gear, vibrates my chest and stings my eardrums. It lingers like a good vintage wine for hours after. The call of Victory!

Back in February, I thought time stood still. Seconds turned into minutes. Minutes to hours and hours to days. It was like a bad case of separation anxiety. The team went their way and the fan base was left with so many questions and no answers.

Well, the waiting is over. The 2013 season is upon us and a new desire and hunger for the pinnacle of achievement hangs in the balance. Its time for answers. But those answers come at some expense that we knew was inevitable. The Autumn Wind blew across the surface of our bow. Change was upon us. 

It all started with the hiring of Reggie McKenzie. It was obvious from the start in his introduction with Mark Davis that it was going to be his direction. A new Era of Raiders football. With the subsequent hiring of Dennis Allen, a defensive minded coach and the first since John Madden, the Raiders began to remove themselves from the Al Davis era and tonight into the Reggie McKenzie era of 21st Century NFL Football.

I know that its hard to place expectations on the team this early, but its the typical routine we go through as fans. Win the Super Bowl. My fears are that we may have taken 2 steps back to make the leap after this year. All of that can change with a great showing tonight against the Cowboys. Which Raiders team will show up? The New or the Old?

Keys to tell........................

Offense

1. Small steps. We were pretty good last year and with a full off season under Carson Palmer's belt, I am hooping that the players can get going together on the common path.I am looking for a touch down on our opening possession. No 3 and out.
2. Maturation of our Wide Receivers. I hope that they can continue on the path they have been going, Yards after the catch. With the west coast offense now being implemented, I can almost assure you that there will be more 5-10 yard routes and more inclusion of the tight end to move the ball and focus more on the first down rather then the home run ball.
3. Stability at Running back. We need to stay healthy and build a good running game. We are going back to the Zone Blocking Scheme and establishment of our dominance will start today on the offensive line and backfield. 
4. 65%-35% mix Run/Pass. Although Carson Palmer is a proven vet, I think he should only be called on when it comes to putting the final dagger through out opponents heart. We have to be balanced at first to get our opponent off guard and then run them into the ground.

Defense

1. D-Line dominance. We need to establish ourselves as a run stuffing defensive team. We have some new vets in the backfield with returning rookies, but it all starts with the D-Line protecting us from the runs. In addition to this, they have to make quick pursuits to the QB. Nothing new here.
2. Line backer pursuit. Has to be there. These guys need to be all over the ball and filling their gaps. The hardest part to this is to be patient and trust the guys in front of you to do their jobs. Ray Lewis is not who he is because he alone is great. He has a trust for the down 4 that allows him to be patient and flow with the play and attack the ball.
3. Minimize penalties. Our biggest offender, Stanford Routt, is gone. Thank the Lord. He stunk it up last year with 17 penalties alone. This group needs to play disciplined football and get off the field on 3rd down. No exceptions. 

It should be interesting to usher in this new era of thinking. I am excited to see the growth of Dennis Allen from his days in Denver into something we have needed for a long time. A leader of the team. Only time will tell and tonight our journey begins.

Its good to be back Nation. Good to be back!

Chaotic View

 

Common Sense......Time To Come Up...... Free Agency

After the hiring of Dennis Allen, I figured there is enough talk about who he is and what he has done so far in his coaching career and decided to stay away from telling you yet again the same Wiki information you have read about a hundred times already.

What I will do is talk to you all about what the Raiders need to do going into the next year to improve this team at the positions I feel we are the weakest at.

Here are the current Raider Free Agents:

KEY

UFA: Unrestricted free agent; a player who has completed four or more accrued seasons and whose contract has expired.

RFA: Restricted free agent; a player who has completed three accrued seasons and whose contract has expired.

OFFENSE

• Jason Campbell QB – UFA
• Khalif Barnes T – UFA
• Kyle Boller QB – UFA
• Michael Bush RB – UFA
• Rock Cartwright RB – UFA
• Stephon Heyer OL – UFA
• T.J. Houshmanzadeh WR – UFA
• Marcel Reece FB — UFA
• Samson Satele C – UFA
• Chaz Schilens WR – UFA

DEFENSE

• Darryl Blackstock LB – UFA
• Desmond Bryant DL – RFA
• Tyvon Branch SS – UFA
• Matt Giordano – UFA
• Quentin Groves LB – UFA
• Jarvis Moss DE – UFA
• Trevor Scott DE – UFA
• Lito Sheppard – UFA

SPECIAL TEAMS

• Jon Condo LS – UFA
• Bryan McCann – UFA

In previous blogs, here and here, I posted my comments on certain players and who balled out and who simply busted out. Well, because of the fact that the Raiders have a large amount of free agents and limited draft picks, I thought I would fill in the gaps on our glaring needs from the waiver/free agency wire.

Carl Nicks - Guard - Cooper Carslie is getting old and needs to be replaced. This guy is going to be a hot commodity this offseason. Hopefully courted by us.

Cortland Finnegan - CB - Standford Routt is not a top flight CB, but with the youth at that position, I would say we need to get rid of his 54 million contract and spend it on a guy who is tough and only commits penalties when he is punching someone in the face.

Calais Campbell - DE - Going to the 3-4...... we need some speed on the outside. Hybrid DE that can rush the end well. Has 21 career sacks at the age of 25.

Dwayne Bowe - WR - Chaz "Glass Chin" Schillins, and Louis "Cancer" Murphy are way beyond their time. We need those roster spots for people who actually want to play.

Brodrick Bunkley - DT - Going 3-4? Want a familiar face? Bring in one of your tools Allen.... No better place to start then your former team.

Reggie Wayne - WR - Wow, talk about a retread that could be had at a discount. I would love for this guy to provide a presence on this team that would help DHB and Jacoby Ford become a better squad. Paired with Dwayne Bowe, this may be too lethal of a team to have even your best day as a defensive backfield and not expect Carson Palmer to light it up.

Jon Condo - LS - Just sign him. He is a Raider for life.

Matt Giordiano - FS - Played well enough to earn and keep a starting job. He can only get better.

Tyvonn Branch - SS - Hard hitter, good blitzer and proven team member. Resign for sure.

Marcel Reece - FB - Need I say anymore? Just the name is synonymous with success. Pay him!

Michael Bush - RB - A quality backup to Darren McFadden who is often hurt. If we do not keep McFadden and trade him and make a run at Arian Foster (Who is a life long Raider Fan by the way)  in my opinion, we don't skip a beat in the backfield.

Rock Cartwright - RB - Perennial special teams player who is always around the ball and does what he needs to to finish his career with the Raiders. He is a fan favorite and one of the old goats that the team looks to for leadership!

It is yet to be seen as to whether or not Jason Campbell will stick it out with the team. Just him being in the locker room last year polarized the WR group into who their loyalty was finishing out the season. I think if he is going to stay, then Carson has to go, but if not, he can not be in the Raiders locker room next to Palmer and cause a huge separation through the rest of the offense. Guys pick their guy. Carson was Hue's guy and came in and played great ball for the limited time he was exposed to the offense. Our productivity increased and our average yards per game in the air increased. Like I said though, Jason Campbell was the QB who began the success and guys don't forget that. I would be surprised if he stayed with the team and didn't bicker about not being named the starter.

Speaking of the QB position, can we just release Kyle Boller now please? I heard TO was looking for a new QB. We should look for someone to play and compete with Terrell Pryor for the 2nd spot.

Anyhow, that's what I think we should do to get this team better. Some you may agree with, some you may not, but I would love to hear why...... Speak now, or forever hold your peace.

Chaotic View

Keys to Victory Against The Pack......

I know you have all heard the term, "Any Given Sunday" right?

If you have lived under a rock for a while, that means that any team can beat any team on Sunday when you are playing between the sidelines and end zones.

People, like myself, will always point to stats and other things that have happened in the past that can potentially lead us to the type of game plan that the Raiders can use to actually pull out a improbable win against an almost unbeatable team. But are they really unbeatable?

I think the Giants exposed them last week. So I will tell you what the Raiders are going to do that will contain these guys.

1. Contain Jordy Nelson. This guy is on par for a Pro Bowl year and he isn't slowing down. The objective with this guy is to let him know that if he thinks he is going to have easy receptions over the middle of the field, Rolando McClain, Aaron Curry and the rest of the defensive backfield is going to impose some punishment that will make him think twice the next time.

2. Control, not shut down Greg Jennings. He is the leading receiver this year with 65 receptions for 969 yards. Limit him in his touches and zone in on him when he does catch it. Everyone has to attack this guy when he gets the ball. That includes Defensive linemen hustling to make tackles down field. Play Championship defense!

3. GET PRESSURE ON AARON RODGERS! You have to remember, Rodgers was sacked 50 times in 2009, 31 times in 2010 and 29 in 2011 and didn't have nearly as much success as he is now. This will be key to defeating Green Bay this weekend. Hit him and hit him often. Wimbley, Seymour and Desmond Bryant should have big games

4. Re-Establish the Run. Bush needs to have a minimum of 100 yards and dominate the line of scrimmage. The problem I saw last week was that Miami had more corner speed and because McFadden and Jones are hurt, the defense knew that Bush was going to be running between the tackles. Green Bay is soft up the middle, so even if they stack the box, our line has to make room for Bush to get to the second level and smash these linebackers.

5. Use a minimum if 4 trick plays through the game. Whether it be a reverse, halfback option, fake punt or whatever. Jackson has to keep these guys on their toes and not allow the defense to key in on what we are doing. Lets get back to being unpredictable and score points. These plays will open it up for Bush to run and for Palmer to complete normally impossible throws.

6. CONVERT 3rd downs. We have sucked in 3rd down territory. This year, the Raiders are  54 for 153 or 35%. This has impacted our Offensive time of possession with an average of 29 minutes a game and also opens the flood gates for teams to rip apart our often exposed defense. We need to limit the Offensive opportunities of Green Bay via the time of possession.

7. CONTAIN GREEN BAYS SPECIAL TEAMS!!!!! We need to dominate field position in this game. Force deep 3 and outs and get our offense the ball back.

All in all, this is going to have to be the most flawless game we play. We can't get frustrated if they get up on us. We have to dig deep and stay in tune with the game and force the momentum back to our side of the ball. Whether that's scoring touchdowns on offense, getting turnovers on defense or just running the ball, find the momentum and maintain the game. No mistake football.

ANY GIVEN SUNDAY!

Photo Courtesy of Bob Carr - Raidersfans.net

Let me know what you think.... 

Chaotic View

Well............There Goes Our Control.........

What the hell just happened? How does a playoff contender, Division leader and the winner of 3 straight games against The Chargers, Vikings and  Bears come up short to a 3-8 team? This was not playoff caliber football!

Well, to be quite honest, there was a lot that played into our inability to be competitive in the game yesterday but I will say this, we lost the game yesterday because of POOR Offensive line play. The inconsistency and undisciplined play from players like Kahlif Barnes, who was called for penalties of holding and false start, cost this team momentum and points. To be quite honest, I was pissed that Hue Jackson didn't pull this idiot and put in someone else who maybe would be more conscious of his actions and how it impacts the team. He was out of position on the holding plays and had bad technique the entire game, forcing bad throws and tons of incompletions.

  

I don't know if you noticed it, but Carson Palmer didn't look comfortable yesterday what so ever. The typical time Palmer has had over the last few weeks seemed to go away. Palmer ended the day with 273 yards on 20 completions. In addition, what happened to the running lanes for Bush? He ended his day with 18 yards on 10 carries. There were even a few plays down field that the Offensive Line had blocking responsibilities on (The Screen to Reece and a few to Bush) where they just didn't get into the second level and hit someone. At the end of the play, they were standing there wondering what just happened. As you can see in the image to the left, Bush had a hard time picking up the blitz too, which led to a real bad day for Carson.

Our poor Defense led by Chuck Bresnahan has been gashed over and over and over and over again. When are we going to learn with this guy that he is not a good defensive coach? Isn't Jack Del Rio available? Something needs to happen and happen quick. Richard Seymour was kicked out of the game yesterday because his frustration got the best of him, but it just goes to show that he isn't just unhappy with the play on the field, he is unhappy with the scheme as well. We are not in position, guys are wide open and the run fits just are not happening and again a team puts over 150 yards rushing on us.

Overall yesterday, I was disappointed that we only held the ball for 21:40 of a 60 minute game. That is a piss poor showing on Offense and the only other team I have ever seen do that and win a game are the Oregon Ducks. Turns out we are not an option team and we don't run the hurry up offense, so what gives?

I have these messages for Hue..... Talk is Cheap! Make it happen, or our chances of doing anything goes down the toilet real quick. Handle the McClain issue quickly! Get this damn defense turned around, even if it means removing Bresnahan. Tell Al Saunders to get the damn ball to Marcel Reece. Get Kahlif Barnes' ass off the field and get Barksdale or Campbell in there in his place. You have the Nations attention. You have the teams attention. If we don't compete in the next two weeks against Green Bay and Detroit, you will lose both and people become very unforgiving. Just ask Jamarcus Russel. 

We have now lost control of the AFC West, with the Donkeys holding the Tie Break advantage over us because of the scoring difference in our two games. Based on strength of schedule, I do not think there is very much difference so we have no choice but to win the West outright. If they continue their winning ways with TeBlow, it is going to be a long offseason.

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Post Game Reaction....The Loss To Miami.....Video Style.....

Everyone stayed away from the cameras, but there were 4

Hue Jackson

Carson Palmer

Michael Bush

DHB

Here are some Social Media (Twitter) updates from the players that are Noteworthy....

@solo_dolo_9s lamarr houston
Sorry raider nation u guys deserve that win

@BazookaJoe72 Joseph Barksdale

We lost, they won. No excuses...that's what happened. Its football...and we not gonna sit around and give reasons for losing.

We're just gonna get ready for the next one and get better. Games like these seperate the true fans from the bandwagon fans.

@QuentinGroves Quentin Groves

Win together Lose together...#NOSEDOWN and GRIND...gotta get better..#ONENATION #RAIDERNATION

 

 

Nuggets Raiders Over Bears.......

First of all, I wanted to say I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving. Family and friends make the Holidays and this year should be no exception. I am grateful to each and every one of the Raider Nation for your support not only to me but to the Raiders. We are having a tremendous year and I know it will continue as we close this year up and head into the playoffs.

Back to business..... Wanted to run down the game a little against the Bears and shine a little light on the pros and cons of the game with you as I saw it.....

The Good-

Sebastian Janokowski- How about 19 of the 25 Raiders points? He is showing a confidence that I have always hoped he would. He is no longer timid, he is no longer hesitant and he as well as the next person on my list are the only consistent members of this team right now.

Shane Lechler- Can you say first ballot Hall of Fame? For as much flack as the NFL Hall Of Fame voters have taken for Ray Guy not being inducted, they had better get ready for when Shane retires as there  is no way in hell that Lechler is not selected as first ballot inductee, hands down. His foot alone changed the entire game for us yesterday, as it has on many other occasions. He kept Hester in check and he just keeps breaking records. Specifically with his 80 yard punt, a new team record.



Copyright bob carr sbreport.net



Carson Palmer- Aside from one throw that I can tell you he wants back, Carson was able to accumulate 301 yards and only one pick against a very opportunistic Bears defense that has 16 interceptions this year. Although our woes continued in the red zone, a lot of that has to do with penalties and Carson not yet having the time to get his hands around the play book completely just yet. He can't audible in the red zone, other then to check to the run. Its very obvious and very telling in all of the red zone drives that have stalled since he has been here. Given some time though, this will change. 



Copyright bob carr sbreport.net

Defense-  People will most likely give the Bears a hall pass because of the loss of Jay Cutler, but this is the big boy league. It's next man up as far as we are concerned, so I don't give the Bears anything. We beat that team because of one over all stat that sticks out, that was Turnovers. 3 to be exact. Key interceptions allowed us to control the ball on Offense for 30 minutes in this game. The defense held Matt Forte to 52 yards rushing and Marion Barber didn't do hardly any better with 62 yards. In passing, we held the Bears to 254 yards in the air. All in all, the Defense showed up today!

Did I mention that Kamerion Wimbley and Aaron Curry played like beasts? Nice interception Wimbley!

The Bad-

Penalties- Yesterday was good as far as the penalties were concerned, but the biggest problem about the penalties we had yesterday were not in regards to quantity, but to the location they took place. 2 HUGE penalties took 14 points off the board alone. We were penalized in the 3rd Qtr on the 9 yard line for holding, resulting in a FG (Veldheer) and we were penalized on the 9 yard line in the 4th Qtr on a scoring play for holding by Wiz which resulted in a FG. Inopportune time took away from really good offensive playing by the entire team.

Time Management- On more than one occasion, the Raiders shot themselves in the foot when it came down to clock management. There was one play that stood out above all. It was a called completed catch for 18 yards that would have kept a critical drive alive. The ruling on the field was a a completed pass to DHB, and rather then the Raiders get on the ball, they called a time out and replay found a video angle that gave Lovie Smith enough evidence that the DHB had actually stepped out of bounds and after one play, we were forced to punt. Something has to be done to clean this up. Time outs are going to be critical in games in our future and this kind of poor clock management needs to stop.

The Raiders.........

Lost 10 of 12 since start of 05 when throwing for 300+ yards. Wins were Pitt 09 and Sea 10

Lechler's 49.2 net avg was 7th highest of his career. 53 vs Denver in 07 is highest.

Our 6 INTs last 2 games most in 2 game stretch since 06 when they had 2 vs Ari and 4 vs Pitt in their only wins.

Lost 14 of 16 games when avg under 3 yards per carry before win yesterday. Beat KC in 09 and Pitt in 06

12th in league with 18 INT's.

Tied for fewest dropped passes in league this season with 10. League average is 17.

Excel on 1st down defense. 11 sacks tied for league high; 8.59 avg yards to go on 2nd down is highest in league.

 

 



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