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! 

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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.

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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.

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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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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

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All Videos COurtesy of CSNBAYAREA.com

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!

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Week 6..... What To Expect

Vs.

Game time 1PM PST

Here is my Analysis of the Game, based strictly on stats and film I have seen:

Offense -

AP Photo

The Raiders have a 60 yard per game average advantage. Being that the Browns are currently 4th in the NFL in defending the pass, I look to see Darren McFadden running circles on these guys. Look for Darren to set the tempo and Michael Bush to pound the rock down their throats. I am looking for minimum of 150-175 yards on the ground, based on Cleveland's commitment to contain the run. We do have close to 100 yard advantage based on season averages, with the Raiders averaging 161.8 vs Cleveland's average of 85.8. Based on this, it could be a long day for the Browns. The Raiders need to stay committed to it though, regardless of the down and distance and the timing of the game. We have been getting away from our run more and more over the last 2 weeks, and it is critical that we re-establish our dominance.



AP Photo



Passing yards are pretty similar, with the Browns averaging 235 and the Raiders 219. I don't see the passing game being something that we will push this week, because you can tell that that aspect of our offense has not gotten completely on the same page as far as timing and Jason Campbell has overthrown a lot of the routes to Moore and Ford. Putting the ball in his hands also opens us up for interceptions and I believe that Campbell is better off just managing the game, rather then having it in his hands to win it for us.

Defense-

AP PHOTO

There are way too many similarities in this game with regards to defensive match ups. Its our big boys up front against the struggling line of the Browns, who have yet to establish any sense of continuity that will make all the difference. The Browns are banged up with Joe Haden missing the weeks practice sessions, and not likely to be involved in the game, and really they have lost one of their two games to a poor team in Indy and barely eeked out a win in Miami against the Fins, who are not exactly a contender at 1-4.

So what are the keys to this game outside of stats? Well let me break it down for you.

AP PHOTO

Tommy Kelly, Richard Seymour and John Henderson.

These three must keep Peyton Hillis to his season average of 50 yards. Bottom line. They must also run some disguise blitz packages against Colt McCoy in obvious passing downs. Last week, if you noticed, the Raiders ran more blitz packages and zone blitz schemes, getting burned on a few, but pressuring Schaub enough to force some throws that I am sure he wanted back. Schaub was obviously shaken in the final 2 quarters, as many of his throws ended up on the floor in front of the receivers, or hurried for fear of being sacked and minimal gains. This is obviously not the same defensive scheme that Al Davis would have preferred, but I think that now that he is no longer at the helm, Hue Jackson and Chuck Bresnehan can mix things up and start to run some unique looks that will make opposing teams think twice around staying pass happy. You should start to see our average of 299 yards in the air go down progressively over the next few weeks. Don't forget that Bresnehan established a good quality team in Cincinnati of late, and his defense was ranked in the low teens for quite some time. I see the same happening here with a little bit of freedom to call his game. The key to victory is getting off the field on 3rd down, keeping the Browns out of manageable third down situations where they have a 37% average for the season, and putting the hits on McCoy and Hillis.

This is a winnable game for us, and not so much of a let down scenario as many have been saying, but we have to stay aggressive and become the bully that Hue has been talking about, riding the wave of emotion of Al's passing.

AP PHOTO

Now is our time!

Raiders 35 Cleveland 10

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This Team Believes!

Big wins don't come often in this league for the Raiders, as most times when we have been down over the past 7 years, we stay down and roll over as who ever the competition steam rolls us at the finish line. For longer then I care to remember, this has been the case. Well ladies and gentlemen, those days are long gone and we are riding the success of a 3 game winning streak, and it looks like those days of old have finally seen our backside and given us a kiss on our arse as we go on our way.

With 2 dominating statistical victories over the previous 2 weeks, an unstoppable Raiders offense, piling up 1,053 yards with ease and our defense allowing just 405 yards and 17 points, we started to take on the image of an immovable force that was to be reckoned with. Well, I think they lived up to the hype this week and showed that there are things in the works here that we as fans can't even really see. We did not back down to the over rated Chiefs when they came pounding on our doorstep right before the half. We didn't cower when the ref's made call after call that went against us when we all know if it was some other team, the call would have went their way. We did not back down from the league who said they wouldn't buy into the hype, like they did all week on the NFL Network in their show the Playbook, BSPN's Countdown, and all of the other Media Outlets who refuse to pay attention because of their hate for the Raiders.

Believe it now SUCKERS!!

Here are the catalysts to our success in the Chaotic View.

Coaching

AP Photo

Tom Cables message all year has been to cut it loose. Let it go and have fun. Well, that seems to be working and the backyard ball the Raiders are playing is breeding feelings of confidence this team has not had in years. And remember, this is a different energy because this team is now one of the youngest in the league, versus the 2002 team that was the oldest of that time. Look at these quotes from Tom Cable....

“We can’t sit around here and feel like, gosh, what a great effort, this and that, or execution and all that. It was a tremendous but it’s just not very clean. What did happen today, a new building block showed up today. And that is, no matter what, no matter how long it takes, we just keep grinding and find a way. And that’s what we did. The thing I’m so, so pleased about was to see us on the sideline and to just feel it, like nobody was backing down, nobody was giving in, and we were just going to keep finding a way. I kept seeing the offensive guys pull for the defensive guys, and vice versa. And it really mattered down there at the end.”

Tell me this isn't the mindset of a humble coach who has his hand on the true vibe of the players on the field. For a coach to notice that we are under performing, and yet still see that stuff going on is huge and shows that the pulse of the team is Tom Cable.

“A new building block showed up today,” Oakland coach Tom Cable said. “And that is, no matter what, no matter how long it takes, we just keep grinding and find a way. And that’s what we did. The thing I’m so, so pleased about was to see us on the sideline and to just feel it, like nobody was backing down, nobody was giving in, and we were just going to keep finding a way.”

The fighting ways of the Raiders are back. A scrappy bunch of misfits, who no one believes in from the outside world, but we will punch you in the face and knock you on your ass until you recognize us. Be ready world, we are not done yet.

Players Swagger

Who means more to the Raider Nation, then this 53 man roster and the boys on the practice squad? Their effort is evident. Their will to win is immaculate. Their no guts no glory approach is inspiring and their perception of each other is forming a cohesion, that like the wedge on a kickoff return, can prove to be impenetrable.



Photo B. Ward - SF Chronicle



Mike Mitchell-

“You see it. I don’t know what it was like a few years ago, but I can tell you last year we don’t win this game,” said Mitchell. " I can say that with 100 percent assurance. You can see the change. Guys, when we got down (last year), it was almost like, Here we go. It’s over, but this year, we don’t care. We’re going to play you until there’s no time on the clock. We’re going to play you, and we’re going to fight you as hard as we can, and that’s what coach Cable has us believing, that’s what we’re doing, and that’s the team we are.”

Trust is a big thing in this league. Trusting the man next to you is doing their job breeds confidence that you don't have to do too much. That is leading to better execution on both offense and defense as guys don't over pursue to make up the negligence of their teammate.

Marcel Reece-

"I commend our defense, because they play lights out night in and night out. One thing that we had to do was try and match their intensity, match their confidence, and match their execution."

Wow. So competition from the opposite side of the ball is taking shape. Remember last year when Jamarcus would go out and flop the game on the offensive side of the ball, and the entire defense was saying, "We just have to carry the team and allow the offense the chance to get the ball again and hope they score some points" Interesting their competing with one another during the game, which shows they are having fun. So important. 

Tommy Kelly-

Photo B. Ward - SF Chronicle

“The Raiders are back,” Kelly said. “Yep, the Raiders are back. We’ve won three in a row. We just had a come-from-behind win against a division leader. We’re back, man.”

Richard Seymour-

"Everybody is starting to see, when we play together the things that we can accomplish. It doesn't matter what the score is, we just continue to fight."

Photo B. Ward - SF Chronicle

Ladies and Gentlemen, this is coming from a Superbowl Champion of the current NFL Era. I think his words are quite evident that the team is moving in the right direction and progressing the way that the New England Cheatriots did when they started to believe and went on their recent run of superior play. They should have still lost the Tuck Rule game, so no props to them.

It was a damn fumble!

The Raider Nation

61,075 fans in the Hole!

Our first sellout in 12 games dating to the 2009 season opener against the San Diego Super Chokers.

Some quotes from an article on the SF Gate from the Nation....

"We're not back," the Gorilla Rilla said. "We never left." I would love if that were true. Some fair weathered fans are jumping on the band waggon, but that's OK, there is plenty of room.

"The fans were off the hook," Raiders coach Tom Cable said. "That's what it's about when a team connects back with its fan base. They're just going to get bigger from here on out."

"It feels like the Rich Gannon days," Dr. Death said. "You just feel the energy. The team has stepped up their game. It's time for us to step up our game."

"The Raider Nation is back", the Violator said. "Be very afraid, A sleeping dog has awakened."

Chaos and Rilla

Raider Nation and Fans of the NFL, The Raiders are relevant!

ATTENTION TO THE OTHER 31 NFL TEAMS , your notice has been SERVED!

As Always, just a

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