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.

Chaotic View



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

 

 

Post Game Videos......... Raiders Defeat Bears 25-20

Kamerion Wimbley

Tommy Kelly





Michael Huff





DHB and Jacoby Ford





Michael Bush





Marcel Reece





Sebastian Janokowski





Carson Palmer





Lito Sheppard





Tyvon Branch





Louis Murphy






All Videos courtesy of CSNBayArea

Chaotic View

Post Game Video's.... Raiders @ Viqueens

Desmond Bryant and Jared Veldheer

 

Marcel Reece

 

Tommy Kelly

 

Mike Bush

 

Coach Jackson

All Videos Courtesy CSNBayArea

Chaotic View

Nuggets for Raiders Vs. Vikings

These are just stats of things that could weigh into the game.....

The Raiders lead NFL with 54 plays of at least 20 yards. League average is 36. Big Play Vertical offense opens up so many different options, including check downs on screens and just audible into a run set.

Carson Palmer has 17 completions of at least 20 yards in 76 attempts. Jason Campbell had 17 in 165. Goes show that with Carson, Hue Jackson may trust him to send the ball more down the field and is not looking for a game manager. Could also be that the running game is forcing more one on one coverage on the edges and Carson is finding that mismatch. Our speed vs a one on one coverage..... I take our speed all day!

Palmer is 7-for-16 for 237 yds, 3 TDs and 1 INT for 104.2 rating on passes 21+ yards in air. I think Al Davis would be so in love if he was still around.

9 of Denarius Moore's 23 receptions have gone for at least 20 yards. Remember, he missed quite a few in the game against the Broncos, where he could have had the same type of game as he did against the Chokers. Says a lot for the confidence Carson has in him as well as his skill set. Being able to get separation an using his speed to get down the field in a hurry.

  

The Raiders offense is fourth in rushing yards per game, Vikings fifth. Vikings tied for second per carry (5.2), Raiders tied for fourth (5.0).

The Raiders have 17 runs of at least 20 yards this season, most in NFL and more than 2X league average of 7. This stat is important to note because we have not really had a healthy offensive line all year, not to mention that there was a lot of speculation going into the season of the rotation on O-Line. Hue Jackson told everyone that our O-Line was going to be good. I don't think anyone in the Raider Nation doubted that, but all of those on the outside thought otherwise. Losing Cable was not such a big loss after all.

The Vikings defense sixth against the run at an average of 93.9 yards per game. They are fifth in terms of per carry at an average of 3.7. I don't think this stat shows well, because they have played teams that are poor at the run. Teams like San Diego, Green Bay, Tampa Bay, Detroit and Arizona have a league average of 26, 26, 27, 22 and 24 carries per game respectively. The Raiders present a whole different approach to the running game and I don't think they will be able to stop our run game. 

Darren McFadden is ninth in rushing (614 yards). Michael Bush is 29th (490). They are averaging 5 yards a pop.This says one of two things, either the Raiders have stuck to the Run first option of game play and that is our identity, or the rest of the league is so pass happy that our stats are blown up because of it. Look for things to change as McFadden sits and Bush gets more of the load. He will work his way up the ranks quickly. When McFadden comes back, we are going to be explosive and more runs like the one he had on the edge against the Jets will happen, especially because of Carson Palmer.

Michael Bush held to negative yards on 6.4% of rushes, lowest of any back with 100+ carries. Matt Forte highest at 15.7%. I think that this stat says a lot of Bush's running style. He runs North and South, not side to side. n between the tackles will keep this average low in comparison to someone lie Matt Forte and even Darren McFadden for that matter.

Defense-

Kamerion Wimbley tied for 7th in league with 21 QB knockdowns/hurries to go with his 6 sacks. He is playing like a beast on the edge as a down linemen. His impact needs to be consistent though from the edge, to allow those interior linemen to clog up the running lanes, close the passing lanes and create more interior pressures leading to more INT's. Look for a big game against the Vikings, Miami and Kansas City with a more traditional pocket passing offense. 

Seymour 18 QB knockdowns, hurries and sacks, 1 behind Bears Henry Melton for most among DTs. Just goes to show that the edge rush can help these interior guys out. Not to mention that Seymour is just a beast.

The Raiders defense is 25th against the run at an average of 132.4 yards per game, tied for 31st (last) at an average of 5.2 yards per carry. Hopefully this trend can be contained better as I don't believe we have seen those types of teams that like to run the ball except for Denver. This stat is misleading, but our defense has been our Achilles heel this entire season and needs o get better for our playoff run.

Game 9 coverage stats: Routt 3-5 69 yards TD; Sheppard 3-7 28 yards. Against the Chokers, I would say that is pretty good. Vincent Jackson is averaging yards per game. If Stanford and DVD will learn to attack the ball when it is passed against them, that stat would be even better. The touchdown the Chokers threw against Stanford clearly showed that he used bad technique and didn't attack the ball, thus allowing the receiver to get the ball at the highest point and control it on the way down.

Overall, I think we are doing good in some spots and others need work. If we can play consistently and more players do their job and trust each other, I think the sky is the limit for this team going forward.

Leave me your thoughts below in the comment section.

Chaotic View

First Place Baby!

 

Our Oakland Raiders are in first place of the AFC West and how sweet it is. Stellar play on the offensive line, by Carson Palmer and Michael Bush along with our entire Defense took a hard won victory from the Chargers in classic Raider Fashion! Being a Bully!

The biggest stat of the day, in my opinion, was Michael Bushs' 30 carries for 157 yards, gashing the chargers as he ran through tremendous holes opened up by a newly formed offensive line. With Samson Satele out this week from an injury sustained in the Denver Game, rookie Stefen Wisniewski stepped in with StephonHeyer to shore up that center of the offensive line and parted the blue sea of Charger jerseys. He ran with finesse when needed and lowered the boom at other times. He also added another 3 catches for 85 yards on screen passes, which caught the gaping Chargers defense off guard and kept long drives going for the opportunistic Raiders Offense.

Carson Palmer was also key to this victory. Following up on his first 300 yard performance against Denver, Carson came out blazing, building on the chemistry with rookie Denarius Moore and throwing 14-20 and 299 yards with 2 touchdowns and one pick that should not have happened had Bush picked up the blitzing line backer in the 4th quarter. Carson read that play perfectly in a repeat opportunity similar to the play that Jacoby Ford caught against Denver for the touchdown against the sideline of the Black Hole end zone in the O.Co. Palmer also continued to keep the defense on their toes, distributing the ball to 6 different receivers in the game.

Not to forget, the defense came up huge in this game for us, with Kamerion Wimbley getting 4 sacks, another from Tommy Kelly and yet another from Desmond Bryant. He was pressured all night and could not find his groove with his banged up wide receiver corp, and miscommunication seemed to be the effect of the tough Bully play of the front 7. That was clearly obvious in the interception that Matt Giordano had in the end zone against Vincent Jackson, who did not appear to even anticipate the throw coming his way.

Team Stat Comparison

	Oak	SD
1st Downs	20	20
Passing 1st downs	11	13
Rushing 1st downs	8	5
1st downs from Penalties	1	2
3rd down efficiency	4-10	5-16
4th down efficiency	0-1	1-1
Total Plays	63	68
Total Yards	489	314
Passing	298	239
Comp-Att	14-21	23-47
Yards per pass	14.2	5.1
Rushing	191	75
Rushing Attempts	41	15
Yards per rush	4.7	5.0
Red Zone (Made-Att)	1-3	1-2
Penalties	7-45	6-31
Turnovers	2	2
Fumbles lost	1	1
Interceptions thrown	1	1
Defensive / Special Teams TDs	0	0
Possession	32:37	27:23

 

 

As you can see, the Raiders dominated in many categories and many more wont be shown by stats. True to form, the Raiders are on their way to Being The Bully we have been promised by Hue Jackson, and the Carson Palmer trade, as I have always said, was the best move of the year so far.


Leave me your comments and feedback below after reading. Let me know who you thought stood out more the others. Who was your MVP? Who was your most improved player or group?

Exciting news coming to Chaotic View in the next blog. Stay tuned!

Chaotic View

  

Not Dwelling.....

                      So much is being made of the loss to the Denver Broncos and rightfully so. I mean the Raiders were expected to hand Denver a loss as sure as the sun was going to rise in the morning. Well, as they say, any given Sunday.....It happened..... Moving On.

I am not here to dwell too much on the negative that came out of the game with Denver, but I am here to talk about what we did right.... as small as the right was.....

Carson Palmer - Sure, he threw 3 interceptions, but did everyone forget he went 19/35 for 332 yards? Did everyone forget to look at the fact that he is gaining trust from his wide receiver core? Jacoby Ford with a TD, Marcel Reece with a TD and Michael Bush with a TD. Carson completed to 8 different receivers in the Denver game. He had 14 passing first downs. He made good throws and had the zip on the ball that so many said he didn't have anymore after his elbow injury a few years ago. Sky is the limit with this guy, and I see his stock going higher and higher and may soon even be close in comparison to the Rich Gannon era of offense. Sorry Jason Campbell, as good as you did in managing the offense, I can't remember the last 300 yard passing day you had.

  

Michael Bush - Oh how big of a task it is to fill in the shoes of Darren McFadden this year. For the most part, what I have always noticed about Michael Bush when he would go in to give Darren a break during a long drive, he would always run into the back of his offensive lineman and wouldnt get his downhill speed going, constantly going down on first contact. In addition to that, he never lowered the shoulder to finish out runs like McFadden has become so notorious for in recent past. Well this week was a night and day difference for Michael. He was able to get through the line of scrimmage to the second level consistently and ran for a total of 96 yards on 19 carries. It may not seem like a lot to some, because we are so used to being spoiled by Darren, but 96 yards for Michael Bush is a big deal to me because it is not only the distance that he ran for, but the punishment that he handed out when finishing the runs that is making the diifference for me. If he can get the same thing going against a Charger defense that is hanging on from multiple injuries to their defensive line, then we will have the ball control that we need to control the clock and keep Philip Rivers off the field and win the game.

Now, I am not going to act as if there are not any negative things that we need to do a better job at, but talking about them just reminds me of the bad feelings I get when watching the games and does not do any good, nor does it make you want to read more. But, just for s*its and giggles, they are:

• Aggressive play calling. Play to win, not to lose.
• Better pass protection. Give Carson more time to make his progressions is going to be key to not turning the ball over.
• Improved special teams gap assignment play.
• Improved linebacker and defensive line play. CONTROL THE RUN!

All in all, if we can continue building this bully and playing smart controled football, success will go our way again.

Dont forget, we are tied for first place still in the Division and determine our own future going forward.

FYI. Exciting news coming to Chaotic View soon. We are bulding our affiliations and will be making this blog more interactive for you. More to come.

Chaotic View

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

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