Tag: amari cooper

Bye Week Blues: Coop Gone and More

Listen, it’s been a couple of weeks since I have written here. How can you blame me? What should I say after our season’s first win came in OT of a toilet bowl versus the Browns? Or after that embarrassment to the Chargers in a defacto home game? Or that ass whooping in a London game that got yanked off TV?

My mom told me if I don’t have anything nice to say then I shouldn’t say anything.

This week was supposed to be different. A bye week means we didn’t lose. It means that adjustments are coming and hopefully a surge towards relevancy. Unfortunately, we got some bye week blues today.

Gruden Strikes again

Man, oh man, another week and another franchise player moved unexpectedly. It was only a few years ago that Amari Cooper and Khalil Mack were seen as exemplary, elite and franchise players. I remember the last time I was in the Coliseum. Hearing those, “COOOOOOOPPPPPP!!” chants was an experience. Now, both are gone from the roster.

Cooper’s trade isn’t the same as Mack. With Mack, the Raiders gave up on a contract situation and generational talent way too early. With Cooper, they realized he was wasting away on their roster and cashed in asset before they couldn’t get equal value.

This past season was the first time I’ve noticeably seen Cooper frustrated. He argued with Carr a few times and other times they looked out of a sink. You could see Coop’s body language wasn’t the most engaged even if he never said anything publicly.

Statistically, he’s had a fall from grace the past two seasons. Last year he had under 1,000 yards for the first time in his career and this year he only had 280 receiving yards on 32 targets in six games. Of course, you can’t blame that all on him. You’ve gotta look at how the play calling has changed as well as how QB and O-line played have declined in that same timeline. You also gotta watch how he is open on every play and how he can take it to the case on every damn play.

Stop Saying, Cooper, ain’t worth a first rounder

For real, it is getting corny. The Raiders did not pull a fast one as Cooper is worth a first-round pick. His two Pro Bowl seasons in 2015-16 alone prove that. Not to mention, his blocking, route running, mental processing and competitive toughness are second to few at his position. I don’t care if he doesn’t holdout every year, isn’t six-foot-five, actually catches a TD, doesn’t get hurt often or take pictures with Drake.

Personally, I would’ve asked for a first round pick and another player who can help now. Then again, I’m a stan who understands what Cooper brought to the field as a playmaker and leader. I’m also one who sides with stars and proven-commodities over draft picks because the draft is really a shot in the dark. I know how hard it is to find star players and I know what kind of hope they bring fans. The point is, teams hope they draft Amari Cooper each year and the Cowboys did what they could to make sure they got Amari Cooper.

I don’t even care about the drops or drop off in statistics because Cooper has proven he can play through that. He’s also been exactly what he was build. Sure, he isn’t gonna surprise you with his size or even his speed and jumping. However, he’s gonna bring it every single play. That’s the type of player you build around especially if you’re a locker room like the Cowboys which has way too much off-field and on-field drama. Cooper will shut up, play ball and he might teach that locker room something.

Moreover, he’s probably gonna be better this next season and a half than any rookie receiver who still has to adjust to the game. Hopefully, Dallas can get their line and QB situation figured out so Cooper can thrive and remind everyone that he is an elite receiver still. Dude is only 24 too so he is still getting better.

Fire Sale

Honestly, I’m happy Cooper is gone. He deserves better than Oakland. In fact, I’m hoping everyone with value gets traded. Derek Carr, Kelechi Osemele, Gabe Jackson, Rodney Hudson, KJ, BI, Gareon Conley and anyone else with value should be shopped. As much as I hate saying Goodbye, I’d rather see them get a chance somewhere else than sacrifice their bodies or waste away for a garbage team. The Raiders already command this draft with five picks combined in the first round of this year and next year’s drafts. They mine as well sell whatever they can for more picks and embrace the tank. I don’t see many bright spots on this roster anyways.

A team was formerly known as the Oakland Raiders

All that hard work for nothing. It seems like the Raiders were so close in 2016. Finally, Reggie McKenzie’s process was bearing fruit. All those waiting on draft picks, cutting dead money and not making trades was finally looking good. Remember, Carr, Cooper, Murray and Mack all in the 2015 Pro Bowl? That seems so far from now.

Honestly, the real loser in all this is Oakland. They’re the ones who have to watch this team the next half season and possibly next year. We were all told Gruden wanted to bring a Lombardi to the team on the timeline.

Now, it seems like that timeline is at least double. There are more voids on the roster than bright spots. We’re looking forward to drafting picks over Sundays. Our team continues to move on from previous draft picks. OK, stagnant veterans are being played over developmental players with even a little potential. All things we’ve experienced before.

Of course, that’s the issue. Raiders fans in these past two decades are experts on rebuilds. We know tanking and projects for sure. We’ve learned to accept them and ride anyways. However, we were told and are still being told this team wants to be competitive. We were baited and switched. Betrayed by our own. Gruden was the last great folk hero in our team’s historic legacy and he is letting us down. Our team seemed close and now it seems so far.

Gruden is insulting our intelligence and trying to run misdirection with our minds by making us think he isn’t tanking. He is giving more sound bites in press conferences than meaningful halftime adjustments. Gruden is cashing in what talent we had for assets that will complement his future ego. He is playing his rookies and giving up on young players who were established and developing.

The point is, Gruden clearly has some sort of plan and image. Unfortunately, it doesn’t align with what Raider Nation sees or feels. What would Al Davis think about his team abandoning franchise corner stones? What would he think about Jon Gruden having infinity gauntlet power in Oakland?

Maybe Al was right to trade away his egotistical boy-wonder of a coach in 2002? IT was hard to believe since he was suffering from his own stubbornness and game passing him bye. Ironically, Gruden’s second tenure is starting to feel more and more AL. Giving up on players too young the same way his owner gave up on him prematurely.

Then again, what does it mean to be a Raider nowadays anyways? Al has been gone almost a decade. The team has a handful of winning seasons this millennium. They’re abandoning their home, for the second and last time. It seems the Oakland Raiders are not only becoming physically extinct but maybe the aura and mystique are going away too. Maybe Gruden has that on the trading block too. Who knows anymore?

Either way, good luck at getting excited for watching Carr and the offensive line look like shells of their 2016 versions. Enjoy watching an overmatched defense battle for one half. Good luck looking for big plays from Jordie Nelson and hoping Martavis Bryant knows where to lineup. It’s gonna be a long final stretch for the city of Oakland. I hope fans show up just to boo. Not the players and dudes giving up their body but the front office that continues to let us down in the most tragic ways.

$100 million later, Jon Gruden is officially official head coach of the Oakland Raiders

The Oakland Raiders officially got their white whale. They gave Jon Gruden $100 million over 10 years so the ESPN commentator would return to the sideline. ruden’s assistants are expected to be heavily compensated as well.

It is rumored they’re hiring Rams QB coach Greg Olsen as offensive coordinator and Cowboys special teams coordinator Rich Bisaccia and Bengals defensive coordinator Paul Guenther will hold the same positions in Oakland.

Why Gruden’s return is good

Every Raiders fan remembers the last time Gruden wore Raiders colors as a coach. It was the infamous Tuck Rule game. If his return reverses that curse, then I’m all for it.Other fans, look forward to the nostalgia of Gruden getting the offense back in shape and making plenty of great sound bites. If the coordinator rumors are true that is great too. Guenther is a true 4-3 guy who will finally give this defense an identity. They won’t hide behind a hybrid scheme. They won’t get pushed around either. Gruden is also a proclaimed offensive guru. That means it will be on him to get Amari Cooper and Derek Carr back on track after both regressed in 2017.Ultimately, the move is a signal from Raiders owner Mark Davis. You don’t give that kind of money to Gruden and eat Jack Del Rio’s contract if you aren’t committed to winning a championship as soon as possible. The Raiders have up to two years left in Oakland and it is clear they want to make a playoff push before that. Having an organization committed to a winning culture is always a good thing. It’s a move that should lift the morale of fans too.

Why Gruden part two could get bad

Remember the last time Mark Davis made a move that fans loved but everyone else questioned. That was the addition of Marshawn Lynch a year after retirement. The jury is still out on that move.Don’t forget it was also Davis who hired Del Rio. Del Rio was a great hire at the time but that turned sour quick.Gruden will have even higher expectations. Ownership will expect a significant playoff push before they leave Oakland. If not, Reggie McKenzie could get his pink slip next. Speaking of that, it is rumored that Gruden may want to make some additions to the personnel department too. McKenzie will stay onboard for the interim. However, it remains to be seen if he will stay with Gruden long term. Then there’s the whole matter of Las Vegas. The Raiders are taking on a lot of debt to make the move happen. They’ll need Gruden to make the team into a winner before, during and after the move. The success of the relocation to a smaller city and new sports town depends on the Raiders on-field-product.Additionally, there’s a huge elephant in the room. Gruden hasn’t called a game in nearly a decade. Certainly, he’s analyzed the game and become aware of new trends as an outsider. However, that’s completely different than leading men and putting together a game plan.On top of that, he’ll lead on Greg Olsen as offensive coordinator. Olsen held the same title with the Raiders during Carr’s rookie year. That’s good for continuity but let’s remember that is the year Carr earned his check down Derek nickname. It also reminds me of the time we rehashed Gregg Knapp. It can’t be much worse than that. Olsen did help Jared Goff develop this year. He probably learned some modern west coast offense from Sean McVay too. But Olsen didn’t do anything in his second stint with Jacksonville. Olsen’s offenses have been average throughout his career. Don’t forget that. Otherwise, John DeFillipo was the QB coach that year and the year before. He’s the real attributed mastermind behind Carr’s rookie year and the year that brought us Terelle Pryor. Except DeFillipo will probably get a head coaching job and not return to Oakland with Olsen. Hopefully, Gruden and Olsen don’t expect to dink and dunk their way to a title in 2018. If that’s the case, expect Raiders fans to turn their morale real quick. On both sides of the ball, the Raiders are going to have to add some guys to help the transition to Gruden’s regime? If it works, is to be determined…

The verdict

Applaud the Raiders for doing what they had to do and gambling on Gruden seems like the sexy bet. It won’t come without challenges because all coaching changes result in growing pains. Nonetheless, it was clear they had to move on from Jack Del Rio. Del Rio looked old and tired as the season went on. He never could find the answers during the games or in post game press conferences. There was a ton of weird drama from Lynch, Carr, the defense and the offensive line. Del Rio couldn’t keep it under control. Reports also said Del Rio wasn’t staying as late as much either. It seems like Del Rio always found someone to blame besides himself. He could never build a defensive culture or limit penalties during his entire tenure. He couldn’t maximize his talent in 2017. Del Rio wasn’t going to persuade any free agents moving forward either.Further, all this offseason lockerrrom snitching proves the Raiders lost their camaraderie. It proves that they weren’t responding to Del Rio. Raiders fans saw that as the team lacked motivation and often looked beaten during games. This prestigious franchise seemed like they were losing the physical battle each week. It was time to move on. Props to Del Rio though. He took getting fired from his dream job in stride. Del Rio got the news directly after a road game but still delivered his post game pressed. I can only imagine the emotions of losing your dream job. As fans, we all dream of doing the job that Del Rio worked his way into. He probably had the same dreams as a kid in the bay. His family and him also did a ton for the community. Del Rio built a foundation and moved the culture forward. Hopefully, Gruden can get the Raiders to the next step. This would be like the Warriors firing Marc Jackson and hiring Steve Kerr. In that same comparison, Gruden has got to win and win fast. He’s got to get this team contending for serious titles each year. He’s got to get a couple of Super Bowls over the next ten years. He’s got to get one with this core group, preferably before the team leaves its home. At the very least, Gruden needs to win a Super Bowl in four years or this could be a huge embarrassment for every one involved.Gruden has got to be more than just an upgrade over Del Rio. Gruden has got to turn the offense around and get the defense playing hard again. He’s got to sell tickets in Oakland and Las Vegas. He’s gotta coexist with Davis and McKenzie to get quality draft picks and feee agents. Can Gruden do all that? That is to be determined.

Oakland Raiders: Midseason Awards

The Oakland Raiders (7-2) entered their bye week with a first place spot in the AFC West, fresh off a win over their AFC West rival the Denver Broncos.

It was a long week for Raiders Nation. Besides not having a game last week, they watched as the Kansas City Chiefs and Broncos both escaped with narrow victories.

Nonetheless, the Raiders have a lot to celebrate over the first half of their season. Headed into a Monday Night Football game versus the Houston Texans in Mexico City, it is time to hand out some awards.

Unlike other Midseason Awards, I will not keep this team specific. The Raiders are on the national stage and their players deserve consideration for NFL recognition.

MVP: Derek Carr

The Raiders are tied for the best record in the AFC West, and Derek Carr deserves a lot of credit. He led game-winning drives against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and New Orleans Saints. He also helped the team close out games versus the Tennessee Titans and Baltimore Ravens. He’s thrown 17 touchdowns and only 3 interceptions. Carr is also on pace to throw for more than 4,500 yards in the season.

Candidates Ezekiel Elliott, Tom Brady and Matt Ryan all get consideration for this award. However, Brady missed four games. Elliott plays behind a dominant offensive line and Ryan could drop off in the second half of the season. Carr has a case for midseason MVP, and it should not be that close.

Offensive Player of Midseason: Derek Carr

Clearly, Carr is a candidate for the offensive player of the year award if he is an option for overall MVP.

Granted, Amari Cooper is having a great year. The Raiders defense would not be the same without him.

However, Cooper and Crabtree should both surpass 1,000 receiving yards. That is due to Carr.

The Raiders quarterback also shattered a franchise record for passing attempts and yards. He’s won AFC Player of the Week twice.

Even if you give the MVP of midseason to another player in the league, you must make Carr the offensive player of the year. He leads a Raiders offense that ranks No. 5 in yards per game and No. 6 in total points. Carr also owns one of the best touchdowns to interceptions ratio in the NFL.

Defensive Player of Midseason: Khalil Mack

Khalil Mack turned his season around by registering six sacks in four games. That puts him on pace for 14 this season. PFF ranks Mack as one of the best edge players this season.

Von Miller is also in the conversation. Aaron Donald may be as well. Both of those players may have a better argument because their defensive units rank better than the Raiders in most categories.

Thus far, Miller has 9.5 sacks and Donald has five sacks. Donald faces a disadvantage for the award because he plays inside, where he gets fewer opportunities to sack the quarterback. Also, Donald’s Rams seem most unlikely to make the playoffs.

Therefore, Mack’s shot at this award lies with the entire defense. Currently, Oakland ranks 16th in total points and fifth in most defensive yards per game. If Mack wants to win the NFL DPOY award, he must help turn those stats around. Taking the AFC West from the Broncos could also help Mack claim the award from Miller’s hands.

Rookie of the Year: Karl Joseph

Rookies Ezekiel Elliott and Dak Prescott make it hard for Joseph to win this award on a national scale.

Joey Bosa’s four sacks and Leonard Floyd’s five sacks make it hard for Joseph to win the defensive edition too. Also, Deion Jones also has a couple of interceptions, a touchdown and a gang of tackles.

Joseph’s best argument centers around his one interception and holding the second highest tackles mark on the team. Joseph did not start the first three games of the season, but he can easily win this award with a few interceptions.

Coach of the Year: Jack Del Rio

Listen, I don’t care what Jason Garrett is doing with his rookies. I don’t care how many times Bill Belichick can win this award. I don’t care what Gus Bradley is doing in his own franchise turnaround.

Jack Del Rio deserves this award, especially if he ends the Raiders 14-year playoff drought. Del Rio turned around the losing culture in Oakland. He brought them back into the national spotlight with some of his gambling playcalls.

Del Rio’s biggest obstacle for this award revolves around that struggling defense. Afterall, Del Rio is a defensive coach.

Biggest Disappointment: Clive Walford

Sean Smith has made enough plays to get himself out of this conversation. Instead, we can award it to our second-year tight end. Fantasy football experts hyped him up as our third passing target. Unfortunately, he only has one touchdown catch and is barely on pace to eclipse his rookie totals for catches and yards.

You could add some players like Dan Williams or Menelik Watson into this list. That is partly because they have not commanded the roles of full-time starters. Williams for his condition and Watson for the nagging injuries.

However, Walford was suppossed to become elite. He’s barely progressing.

Remember, they do call this the Not-For-Long league. Therefore, I gotta imagine there is a bigger bust somewhere in the league.

Oakland Raiders versus Tennessee Titans: Turn Up or Turn Down

The Oakland Raiders (2-1) played a better defensive game as they held onto a road victory over the Tennessee Titans (1-2). Here are some reactions from the week three win.

Turn Up: The Secondary

Rookie safety Karl Joseph led the team in tackles during his debut as a starter. Meanwhile, free agency acquisitions corner Sean Smith and safety Reggie Nelson both registered interceptions. Not to mention, D.J. Hayden made some key tackles. T.J. Carrie made some plays in coverage on the final game. Also, David Amerson led the team with four pass deflections.

The Raiders secondary finally showed some ability. They still need to turn up their abilities to make up for the first two games, where they gave up more than 400 passing yards. However, this game showed a glimpse of their potential. Oakland will need the secondary to improve because they invested a ton of money into the unit during free agency.

Turn Down: Opponents’ Rushing Yards

Oakland got exposed in the running game, again. This time, Tennesse registered 181 rushing yards. The Silver and Black struggled tackling the Titans’ big running backs DeMarcco Murray and Derrick Henry.

Rookie linebacker Cory James showed some positives in his first start. However, the team still requires improved play in the middle of their defense. That starts up front with defensive tackle play. The Raiders’ under-sized linebackers need the big defensive tackles to eat space. This way, James and others can use their speed to get downhill and attack the ball.

Turn Down: Dropped Passes

The Silver and Black only scored 17 points, but it was a successful outing on the offensive side of the ball. Oakland could have dominated the ball more with better execution from their pass catchers.

Quarterback Derek Carr completed 21 of 35 passes for 249 yards and a touchdown in the game, but his team went scoreless in the second half. Some of that goes on the shoulders of receivers who dropped too many balls. Amari Cooper, Clive Walford, Andre Holmes, and Seth Roberts all took turns at failing to complete receptions. Some of them were bad throws or good plays by the defense, but they need to make the catches when the ball is in reach.

Turn Up: The Rushing Attack

Again, Oakland still dominated the line of scrimmage by registering more than 100 rushing yards in the game. Nonetheless, most of that success came from a 22-yard run from Latavius Murray and a 30-yard run from DeAndre Washington. Take those away and the unit was much less effective. Just look at Murray’s pedestrian 3.7 yards per carry.

Either way, Oakland’s rushing attack should get better once they get one of their top-three tackles back from injury. Starting right tackle Menelik Watson went down with another injury in this game and Vadal Alexander put together a solid outing in his first extended performance during Watson’s absence. Regardless, it would be nice to see this unit stay at full strength.

 

Raiders Offensive Notes: Derek Carr, Amari Cooper, & Latavius Murray

 

Derek Carr

According to ESPN, quarterback Derek Carr averages 7.4 yards per pass. This puts him in the bottom-five of the leauge.

However, Pro Football Focus has him third in the league with an 83 percent adjusted completion percentage.

Carr also has a chance to become the second QB in Oakland history to throw for at least 900 yards, per ESPN also. Rich Gannon was the first to do it during his 2002 Super Bowl and league MVP run.

Can Carr maintain his accuracy and increase his yards per completion? Will he continue with the dink and dunk?

“I’m going to do what’s best for the team in those situations. Obviously, you want to push the ball down the field.” Carr said. “As long as we’re staying explosive, I think that that’s the main thing that we want.”

Latavius Murray

Latavius Murray has gotten only 43 percent of Oakland’s rushes due to the success of rookies DeAndre Washington and Jalen Richard. However, Murray is doing more with less, according to ESPN.

Murray got 57 yards on 8 carries versus the Falcons. He is averaging 5.3 yards per carry in two games.

“Regardless of when I go in there and how many times I go in there, I just got to do what I got to do when I’m in there.” Murray said.

Overall, the runner is catching the ball better and doing everything better. Hence, PFF has him graded as the best tailback. Murray is also top-five in yards after contact.

“This year I’m just making sure I use my size to my advantage, breaking tackles, trying to run through guys,” Murray said. “I guess when that ball is in my hands, whoever is on the other side of the ball became the victim of Angry Tay.”

Amari Cooper

After a great rookie year, it appears Amari Cooper is taking the next step, according to The Mercury News.

He has 11 receptions for 208 yards, with an average of 18.9 yards per catch.

Head coach Del Rio said:

“There’s a benefit in the experience he gained. I think we know more about him now in terms of the toughness he brings, and I think he understands more in detail about how to take care of himself and how demanding a season is for an NFL player.”

Check out offensive notes here.

 

 

 

 

 

Raiders at Saints: Oakland’s Best Quotes

Oakland Raiders Head Coach Jack Del Rio said his team put on a gritty performance in a win over the New Orleans Saints. He said the team is learning how to win and close games.

“Let’s win it right now. I thought that we took some clock there at the end so they would not have as much (time). That is why we went for two after the score…..I let them know early in that drive (that we would go for it). I said, ‘When we go score here, we’re going to go for two and we’re going to win it right here.’ I said that right when the drive started.” The Raiders coach said about his decision to go for a two-point conversion that would decide the game.

Quarterback Derek Carr on the playcall:

“When I got the call, I took a deep breath, made sure my footwork was right, and just lobbed it up for Crab. That’s just my thought process. I say lob it up, but obviously trying to put it in a certain spot where he can make a play.”

Receiver Michael Crabtree said that the team practices that play so much that it becomes routine.

“He (QB Carr) gave me a great ball there, and he did that the entire game. That shows he trusts me. And it wasn’t a gutsy call at all, not at all. He (Coach Del Rio) has a lot of trust in us, and we have a lot of trust in him. I mean when you put in so much work in camp and in the preseason, I feel like all we have to do as players is execute.” Crabtree said after the game.

Added, the receiver said the team showed heart by not giving up when they were down late.

Fellow receiver Amari Cooper also said the team is learning how to win.

“When we got down late in the game, no one got upset about it,” said Cooper. “We just kept going. We were resilient today. We all knew we just had to keep playing and make plays.”

In the end, the Raiders offense proved they could keep pace with the high-octane New Orleans Saints offense. More importantly, the team never seem rattled. Despite sputtering on both sides of the ball in the second-half, Oakland seemed like they were the better team. The Silver and Black proved it by taking the win via the two-point conversion.

*Quotes released by the team website.

 

 

 

 

Oakland Raiders at New Orleans Saints: Quick Hits

The Oakland Raiders begin their season 1-0, after a thrilling 35-34 win over the New Orleans Saints.

The Saints led 17-10 at  halftime in the Super Dome.

Out of the second half, both offenses sputtered. Then the Saint hits on a deep pass that ignited them.

Oakland put together some drives also. Richard got a big-play that would lead to a tie game. Here are some big plays and points from the game.

  • Raiders defense started the game with Bruce Irvin strip sack which ended the Saints’first drive. This lead to Sebastian Janikowski kick.
  • Murray had 7 carries for 32 yards in the first half. Jalen Richard caught a pass. Taiwan Jones also got a carry but lost yards.
  • Amari Cooper setup first touchdown of the season. Cooper caught two passes before the Latavius Murray 11-yard touchdown run. Cooper made a sprawling catch at the five before Murray punched it in for 10-3 lead.
  • On defense, the secondary struggled in the first half. Sean Smith gave up a long pass play to rookie Michael Thomas. Brandin Cooks caught a touchdown pass with D.J. Hayden in coverage. Willie Snead tore up the Raiders from the slot. He caught a short touchdown pass on fourth down, but he consistently got open.
  • Raiders offense punts on first drive after halftime as they trail 17-10 but defense holds Saints to the same. Richard gets nice punt return negated by holding.
  • Sean Smith dusted by Brandin Cooks for 98-yard touchdown run. New Orleans takes 24-10 lead  in the third.
  • Crabtree came up big in the second-half. Raiders held to a field goal after a solid drive, Saints maintain a 24-13 lead.
  • Matt McCants goes down at right tackle. Oakland moves Penn to fill his spot. Kelechi Osemele plays left tackle and Jon Feliciano comes in at left guard.
  • Carr leads Raiders on a drive to start the fourth quarter. Finds Cooper on a deep pass after having lots of time in the pocket. Then throws a strike to Crabtree at the five. Jamize Olawale punches in the touchdown. The Silver and Black miss the two-point conversion, as the score is 19-24.
  • Saints answer with a field goal drive. Mark Ingrim dragging defenders and Drew Brees dodged Raiders pass pressure. A questionable P.I. call keeps the drive alive.
  • Richard busts 75-yard touchdown run that gives the Raiders a chance to tie the game. Carr then finds Cooper for two-point conversion. Game tied at 27.
  • New Orleans scores after a deep pass to Snead is fumbled but then recovered by a fellow-Saints receiver. Brees throws fourth touchdown as they go up 34-27.
  • Crabtree makes great catch on Raiders answering drive. Carr throws ball late, but Crabtree finds the ball. Raiders miss on some passes within the twenty. A pass interference call on Jalen Richard saves the drive on fourth down. Seth Roberts scores touchdown which ties the game at with less than a minute left. Crabtree catches two-point conversion to give Oakland 35-34 lead with :47 left in the game.
  • Willie Snead catches a couple of passes in the middle of the field for the Saints. New Orleans kicked a 61-yard-filed goal attempt which was wide right.

 

Ultimately, the secondary struggling almost cost them the game.Hayden had some penalties and Smith got beat. They also had some questionable tackling from their linebackers. Carr’s decision making was also late. However, he did enough to lead the Silver and Black to their first win of the season.

What a game?!

Oakland Raiders at New Orleans Saints: First Half Notes

The Oakland Raiders took on the New Orleans Saints for the first game of the season. The Saints lead 17-10 at home.

DEFENSE:

  • Bruce Irvin sacked and forced a fumble on Drew Brees which ends first drive. Leads to first points of the season off of Sebastian Janikowski kick.
  • Mark Ingrim gets 12 and 20-yard gains for Saints on the second series. Saints held to a field goal, which ties game at three all.
  • Tim Hightower gets run going again later in first. Willie Snead tears apart Raiders. Snead Catches a deep ball that puts them in the red zone. He then catches short fourth and goal touchdown pass to make game 10-10.
  • Saints go up 17-10 in second quarter thanks to Brandin  Cooks touchdown pass. He beat D.J. Hayden in coverage. Sean Smith also gave up the crucial play that put Saints inside the red zone. Michael Thomas catches a pass, then registers some yards after the catch.
  • D.J. Hayden gets defensive holding call that negates Bruce Irvin sack. Luckily, Raiders defense forces punt with a little more than a minute left in first half.

OFFENSE:

  • Latavius Murray gets the Raiders first touchdown of the year via an 11-yard run thanks to an Amari Cooper sprawling catch which put Raiders at the five-yard-line. It was Cooper’s second catch on the drive. Oakland goes up 10-3.
  • Jalen Richard made his first appearance with a catch in the first quarter. Meanwhile, Taiwan Jones loses eight yards on a carry later in the first half.
  • Derek Carr shows his scrambling ability in second quarter. Makes first down run and leaps for extra yards. However, this drive did not lead to points.
  • Menelik Watson goes down during Raiders final drive with about a minute left in the second quarter. He walks off the field on his own, but it looked like an ankle injury.
  • Cooper catches the final pass of the half via a hitch route.

Oakland must try to stop the run on defense. Hightower and Ingrim were having their way. On offense, look for Oakland to continue establishing the run. Hopefully, Watson’s injury is not serious. Backup right tackle Austin Howard got hurt last week, so he is inactive.

Raiders Rants: D.J. Hayden, Mario Edwards, Karl Joseph, Matt McGloin & more

The Oakland Raiders finished minicamp a couple of weeks ago. Here is my take on the biggest headlines since then.

Matt McGloin

Raiders QB Matt McGloin started minicamp as the No. 3 quarterback, behind Connor Cook.

My Take: It should not come as a surprise. McGloin was drafted by the previous regime. He is a game manager at best. Let’s see what we got in Cook. All reports indicate he looks good.

Karl Joseph

  • Defensive coordinator Ken Norton Jr. said this secondary is more talented than last season’s crop.
  • Norton Jr. said Raiders rookie Karl Joseph is a stick of dynamite, because of his explosiveness via film.

My Take: Norton Jr.’s comments are in line with what everyone has said about the Raiders secondary. However, they need to get healthy. We gotta see it on the field, because they haven’t played together yet due to injuries.

D.J. Hayden

Speaking of the Raiders secondary, head coach Jack Del Rio said D.J. Hayden had a good spring. He said he was excited about Hayden’s development.

My Take: I’ve made it a point to defend Hayden. I’m glad the Raiders are doing so as well. It is clear he will have the first shot at winning the slot corner position.

Max McCaffrey

My Take: Max McCaffrey made a name for himself this spring. That is a lot considering he is the son of a Broncos great and brother to a Stanford great. McCaffrey should be one of the leads to breakout as an UDFA this year. Think Seth Roberts, Andre Holmes, and Rod Streater mold.

Read more on dude here.

Pro Football Focus

  • The popular stats website graded Khalil Mack as the No. 6 overall player in the league.
  • Other Raiders like Amari Cooper and Derek Carr also made the list.

My Take: Shout out to the Raiders finally catching some respect.

Kick Returners

  • Apparently, the Raiders will keep the status quo at the returner positions.
  • T.J. Carrie is expected to keep his job as the punt returner, while Taiwan Jones will return kickoffs.

My Take: No surprise here. Both Jones and Carrie could see reduced roles at their normal positions. Carrie is no longer a starter at CB and Jones could lose his spot as RB No. 2. Both dudes are athletes who should make great contributions on special teams still.

Mario Edwards Jr.

Mario Edwards participated in minicamp. His status was questionable with an undisclosed neck injury.

My Take: Good for Edwards. He should breakout with more talent around him on defense. He balled as a rookie, until injuries cut his season short.

 

 

 

 

The Oakland Raiders Quarterly Report: Offense

Editor’s note: Sorry, I have neglected my own voice on Silver and Blog. I’ve been wrapped-up in obligations with Endzonescore.com, Justblogbaby.com and Sportsoutwest.com. You can find plenty of Raiders opinion and news on my personal Twitter: @Petecertified.

via NFL.com

For some odd reason, people like to think in fours. In this case, the Raiders played four games in the 2015 season, which is a quarter of their sixteen.

Thus far it has been a mix bag for the rising Raiders. Against the Cleveland Browns and Baltimore Ravens, the Raiders fielded a high-powered offense. Their defense found ways to make plays that sealed the game in an Oakland victory.

In the Chicago Bears game, the offense looked inconsistent as well as the defense. Then there was the week one game against the Cincinnati Bengals, which resulted in a blow-out.

Through four games the Oakland Raiders provide more questions than answers. The truth is, the Raiders have not established an identity through four games.

Are they truly a team on the rise? Or are they really a young team destined for more growing pains?

Here is how the positions groups fared thus far.

Quarterbacks: B-

Derek Carr pretty much sums up the Raiders by his inconsistency. One week he delivers bombs through tight windows. Another week he is the same dump-off quarterback from last season. Carr delivers some beautiful balls and avoids pressure. However, he also misfires more than a few times.

Nonetheless, he gets a positive grade for being the developing leader.

Running Backs: B

Latavius Murray racked-up one monster game versus the Cleveland Browns. Outside of that, Murray has been effective in the passing game. With the exception of the Chicago Bears game, Murry also found cut-back seems and trucked defenders in each game.

Taiwan Jones, Roy Helu and Marcel Reece also looked good throughout the season. It is rewarding to see the offense actually trying to give them roles.

Receivers: B+

Amari Cooper is as advertise. If you’ve watched a game you know that. He has made crucial plays in each of the Raiders games. Michael Crabtree revived his career as a possession receiver. He seems to be the consistent pass catcher the Raiders need complimenting Cooper.

Further, undrafted rookie Seth Roberts surprised me with his touchdown plays this season. He brings an added element stretching the field. I’m still waiting for Rod Streater or Andre Holmes to remind people of their potential. I might be waiting for a while.

Tight Ends: D

This grade is more a result of the group’s preseason hype. Between Mychael Rivera, Lee Smith, and Clive Watford, the Raiders have talent at the position. Yet, has one racked up more than ten yards a game?

They’ve been decent blockers. However, Carr could use one of them as a weapon in the middle of the field. Someone needs to step-up as a receiver moving forward.

Offensive Line: B-

Speaking of inconsistent, insert the Raiders offensive line. They have not been terrible. Carr has not been sacked a lot. However, they lack significant push for their running backs. Moreover, it might be unfair to group these guys together. The leftside deserves an A grade, while the right side is just above average. I can’t forget about Rodney Hudson’s penalties the first couple of weeks too.

How would you grade the Raiders performance through four games?

Stay posted for the Defensive Quarterly Report, tomorrow