Tag: derek carr

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.

 

 

 

 

 

Oakland Raiders at New Orleans Saints: Monday Morning Takeaways

Here are five lessons from the Oakland Raiders 35-34 defeat of the New Orleans Saints on Sept. 11.

The secondary needs work

Usually, you do not take much away from preseason football. However, the Raiders secondary showed signs of struggling during the exhibitions. This carried into the week one game with the Saints.

D.J. Hayden had some crucial penalties that kept some drives alive in the second-half. Willie Snead also got the best of Hayden from the slot.

Plus, Sean Smith got dusted for a 98-yard touchdown catch.

Even before that big play, Smith took his lumps against the New Orleans receivers.

Saints receivers Brandin Cooks and Snead both made plays. Snead registered 172 receiving yards, while Cooks got 143 yards.

That is way too many yards for a secondary group that was suppose to improve exponentially. The group may need more time playing together. However, the pass rush may also need to step their game up. Quarterback Drew Brees was only sacked one time.

The run defense?

Honestly, the New Orleans Saints got away from the run too early. Otherwise, maybe Oakland made some adjustments.

Either way, the Saints made some effective running plays in the first-half. Mark Ingrim dragged some defenders. However, that was not the case in the second-half. Not sure if that is attributed to an Oakland adjustment or if the Saints just liked what they were getting in pass coverage.

Ultimately, our run defense did some and bad. Inside linebacker Ben Heeney played his usual game. He did some good things, but struggled taking on linemen. Our defensive line played well versus the run in the second half. They also got drove back a few times.

Nonetheless, I need to see more from this group to determine how they will play.

Raiders are deep on the offensive line

Oakland had both of their right offensive tackles, Menelik Watson and Matt McCants go down versus the Saints. This is after they lost Austin Howard last week.

The team shuffled the line by moving Donald Penn from left tackle to right tackle. Meanwhile, Kelechi Osemele played left tackle and Jon Feliciano came in at right tackle.

This mismatched group did not prevent the Raiders from moving the ball via the run or pass. Clearly, this group is much improved from top to bottom. Hopefully, Oakland can get those guys back healthy.

Oakland plays to win

When was the last time Oakland started the season 1-0? More importantly, when was the last time you really thought the team could come back in a game that was a shootout?

Despite Oakland trailing in the second-half, you never felt like the game was out of reach. Further, the Raiders went to go and get the win.

They scored on the go ahead two-point conversion thanks to quarterback Derek Carr leading the drive.

https://twitter.com/GipsySafety/status/775164618926804992

Carr matured in yesterday’s game. He proved capable of leading a game-winning drive, and he did not play outsde of his normal abilitites. His decision-making seemed a little late, but Carr’s competitive toughness should never be questioned. Carr reminded us that, yesterday.

Oakland is deep at the skill position

The Silver and Blacked proved their offense can play with the best of them. Not only by the last-minute score, but Oakland played well throughout.

Eight different players caught passes and six players got rushing attempts. This shows Oakland’s depth and it illustrates a regime willing to utilize different players in positions that help the team.

Taiwan Jones, Seth Roberts, Clive Walford and Jamize Olawale made plays that kept the offense on the field. Latavius Murray, Jalen Richard, Amari Cooper and Michael Crabtree all played their roles outstanding. Therefore, the Raiders have a group on offense.

Othere defenses should be scared as everyone will continue meshing together.

 

 

 

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

 

Day Two still a lot of options for Raiders

via usa today

The Oakland Raiders added an impact offensive player in the first round of the draft, by selecting Khalil Mack. The Raiders built on that by selecting Derek Carr as their developmental quarterback of the future in Derek Carr.

Carr’s big-body and big-arm made him a candidate to be selected in the first round, so the value at 36 is tremendous. Added with Nor-cal connections and NFL Bloodlines, it seems like a no brainer that the Raidersselected Carr. However, there is still so much talent available that the Raiders can still nabb an impact player in the third round or trade back into the second.

Defensive Line

Mack’s addition solidifies the Raiders pass-rush, but they still need a force on the inside rotation. Lucky for them, them one with a first round grade are still on the board for a trade-up. Louis Nixx, and Timmy Jernigan are two disruptive forces on the inside. Any of these guys could warrant trading up, because they fill a need and provide immediate impact. However, They may even wait until the third round to select ASU’s Will Sutton, Notre Dame’s Stephon Tuitt, and Penn State’s Da Quan Jones who all would also be young upgrades on the inside.

Wide Recievers

Many slated the Raiders to select Sammy Watkins or Mike Evans at the top of the draft. Mack fell to them, and they did not second guess themselves. However, this is a very deep class. Allen Robinson, Cody Latimor, and Jordan Matthews are the big recievers Reggie McKenzie perfers, so any of them could be potential options to trade up for. Even if they do not elect to trade up and select a reciever in the second round, their are plenty of guys who may fall to the 3rd and possibly day 3. Donte Montecrief, Davante Adams, Paul Richardson, and Latarvius Murray are a little bit more raw then the guys mentioned above, but could have an equally high ceiling. The Raiders will probably only draft one of them if they are the best player available.

Defensive Backs
The Raiders still have a need in the defensive back field. Brock Vereen could be available as a safety in the third round. Otherwise they would be better off waiting for day 3 to select a safety. Jaylen Watkins would be a wanted slot corner/safety combo at the top of the third round. Bashaud Breeland, Keith McGill, Phillip Gaines, and Stanley Jean-Baptiste could all be other names to keep an eye on. They have Different skill sets but could be best players available when the third round comes along.

Offensive Line

The Raiders missed out on Bitinio and Suo Fila at the top of the second. However, centers Weston Richburg, Marcus Martin, and Travis Swanson could all be available when the Raiders select again in the third round

Pro-Days not Everything

Blake Bortles performs at combine, and built on that performance with a great pro-day via USA Today
A lot of hype surrounds NFL pro-days. For good reason too, as NFL teams have scouted the top prospects for months, and look forward to an oppurtunity to see them perform live.

For QBs especially, Pro-days are a huge deal because many of the top prospects elect not to throw at the combine. Additionally teams want to see players perform at their best in their own controlled and simulated environment.

Teddy Bridgewater, Blake Bortles, Johnny Manziel and Derek Carr all held their pro-days this week. Allen visited the first two’s and is scheduled to check out Manziel’s. Mckenzie has attended Derek Carr and David Fales pro-day.

With That said, the hype has been around Bridgewater and Bortles. Bortles recieved a 10 out of 10 from ESPN’s Ron Jaworski, and many other scouts have sky rocketed him up to the top of the draft boards even as far as the no. 1 pick.

Bridgewater on the other hand, was overwhelming. Mike Mayock said his pro-day was average and did not do anything to his draft stock. Other opinions in the media did add more questions to Bridgewater’s potential after the poor pro-day.

The Reality of the situation tells a different story. Bridgewater attempted throwing without his usual gloves and claimed that had to do with some of his inaccuricies. Bortles smelled blood and absolutely killed his pro-day.

Neither’s performance should really effect their draft status. The fact of the matter is you want to draft a QB because you are in love with him. Once you love a QB you can build your team around him and give him every chance to succeed. If he is your guy then one good or bad outing should not change your opinion of the guy.

Both guys have a compilation of film over the past years which indicate what they are capable of doing in pads, not a tee shirt. What did people expect from the pro-days? Of Course, Bortles is going to impress with his rocket arm, size and mobility. However you can not really answer questions about his ability to make decisions or read defenses until he goes against a live Defense, not on air.

Same thing with Bridgewater. Bridgewater has not been the consensus number one QB because he has the biggest arm. Scouts have liked his decision making and leadership skills. Combined with solid athletecism and a solid arm, many feel like he is the most pro-ready quarterback. One bad day should not change that perception because his game tape indicates otherwise. Not to mention, Bridgewater took negative opinion in stride and has illustrated the bounceback characteristic you want with a QB.

Added, Jamarcus Russell had one of the best Pro-Days ever. There will always forever be guys who look great in tee-shirts and shorts at every level of football. That should not takeaway from what a player does on gameday in a live situation

Either way, Pro-days should not change the Raiders perspective on either of these QB’s. Both have enough gametape to prove they belong in the NFL. The Raiders should not fall out of love with Bridgewater cause of a bad day nor should they love Bortles because of one great day.

The pre-draft process is exactly that, a process. The Raiders need to take the compilation of pro-days. combine performances, interviews, and game tape before gambling on a QB at the top of the draft. Regardless, the Raiders will have an oppurtunity to set up private workouts for either or both of these guys.

For more on my take about the Top Qbs Pro-days, listen to my podcast.