Tag: seahawks

Gratitude and keys to beating the Seahawks

Raiders fans don’t have a lot to be thankful for this year, given their overall record and playoff prospects.

Nonetheless, they should be thankful for the Broncos. Not only did the Raiders sweep the Broncos for the third year, but Denver is the only team more underwhelming than the Raiders.

Denver leveraged picks for a quarterback formerly known as Russell Wilson. These days Wilson looks far from the franchise guy he was in Seattle. The Broncos also traded a budding defensive star to the Dolphins before the trade deadlin. Thank God for those Donkeys.

Raider Nation should also be grateful for Maxx Crosby. The Raiders defensive player looks like one of the best players at his position this year. Previously, he ran cold in big moments or team run games would wear him down. Now, he’s converting those pressures and hurries into sacks. Crosby is playing more discipline versus the run and finding ways to impact games in big moments. Look at that blocked field goal and all the deflected passes.

Josh Jacobs and DaVante Adams are the other reasons for gratitude this offseason. Jacobs has also taken another step. He is running harder than we have ever seen. Jacobs is being more strategic with the hits he takes too. Unfortunately, the Raiders lead runner is in a contract year and his days in Vegas may be numbered. Even more reason to appreciate him the rest of this season.

Meanwhile, Adams is by far the best receiver the Silver and Black have seen. Like Crosby, Adams is also under contract for more than this season. We have to be thankful to have these two alpha players on our roster.

Onward to the Seahawks

This an old school AFC West rivalry. The Seahawks were suppossed to take steps back this year but legendary coach Pete Carroll has this team playing well. Shoutout to former Raiders Shelby Harris, Bruce Irvin, Quinton Jefferson, Tanner Muse and Gabe Jackson on the Seahawks roster.

Seattle is young and led by Geno Smith but don’t let that fool you. They bring size and speed outside. The Seahawks are ranked right behind the Raiders in passing yards this year. Seattle is 16th in rushing yards. Kenneth Walker is shifty enough to give the Raiders some problems out of the backfield.

Vegas must play discipline. Don’t give up any big penalties. Do their best to limit big plays down the field from Tyler Lockett and D.K. Metcalf. All of that is easier to do if the Raiders offense controls the clock and stays on the field. The Vegas defense wears down after so many three-and-outs or series beginning with bad field position. Hopefully, Nate Hobbs is back to lend some help in the secondary too.

The Raiders still rank in the bottom for sacks and interceptions. Seattle has young offensive tackles and an athletic interior offensive line. Vegas needs to keep their d-line rotation tight. Chandler Jones needs to get a sack and impact this game.

Clelin Ferrell is on the d-line during some of the Raiders best plays. Even if he doesn’t get home, he helps setup his teammates. Also hoping Jerry Tillery can start taking some snaps from Bilal Nichols. Nichols is a decent pass rusher but not great against the run. Overall, the Raiders defensive line needs to use their size and length to stalemate their blockers and free up the Raiders LB for tackles.

Defensively, Seattle is 14th in sacks with 27 for the year. They’re 20th in picks with only 7 for the year. Seattle’s defense also allows the 13th most passing yards but the 25th most rushing yards.

Vegas must exploit the Seahawks run defense early and often. Derek Carr is a much better quarterback when he doesn’t have to force things on third and long. None of the Seahawks corners should matchup with Davante Adams. That means the Raiders must take what they want on offense.

Vegas gets Kolton Miller back after he missed last week. Miller’s presence was missed on pass downs especially. They will need him versus the speed the Seahawks bring off the edge.

If the Raiders offense can put together drives that will take some pressure of the Vegas defense. A few weeks ago, Tampa Bay limited the Seahawks run game and ended their four game win streak. The pressure will be on the Raiders defense to stop the run, limit big plays and get after the quarterback.

Unfortunately, we have yet to see the Raiders offense and defense get in sync. Every game it seems like one makes plays when the other does not, then vice versa. They can’t afford that against a young and well coached team playing for a playoff spot in a loaded NFC. Seattle finds ways to hang in games. The Seahawks make just enough wins to pull out close games and shootouts.

This is a winnable game for the Raiders but they have to execute over four quarters. Something they have yet to do versus anyone besides the Broncos.

Putting together a road win over the Seahawks should give this team an ounce of hope. They have yet to show the can put together consecutive wins. Doing that versus a playoff contender should give the team something to build on towards more victories. That should also help Josh McDaniels build some mojo. Just Win Baby!

Terrelle Pryor trade makes sense

Here is a column I wrote for my school paper.

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Original post- http://sundial.csun.edu/2014/04/seahawks-make-smart-move-with-low-cost-aquisition-of-raiders-pryor/

 

NFL teams began their quest for Super Bowl XLIX Tuesday with the beginning of offseason training activities (OTA). OTAs are teams’ first opportunity to welcome new players and assimilate them with team culture.

The defending champion Seattle Seahawks added one more new addition, by exchanging a seventh round pick in this year’s draft to the Oakland Raiders for quarterback Terrelle Pryor.

Oakland’s short-lived Pryor saga comes to an official end, despite Pryor’s show of promise as playcaller.

His departure signifies the end of an era, as Pryor was the last player ever selected by Al Davis, Raiders’ legendary owner and figurehead. Davis selected Pryor in the third round of the 2011 supplemental draft, after Pryor was suspended for a well known violation of NCAA rules.

Davis died later that season and would never see Pryor play a down of football. Neither would Davis be able to develop Pryor into the running and passing threat Davis envisioned when he selected him.

In fact, The Oakland Raiders never did Pryor any real justice as the developmental quarterback of the future.

The same year as Pryor’s selection, the team acquired Cincinnati Bengals “retired” quarterback Carson Palmer for an attempt at a playoff run. Exchanging a first and second round pick for Palmer sealed the team’s fate to the former Bengals’ quarterback for a season and half, while Pryor mainly sat on the bench.

Last off season, the Raiders said goodbye to Palmer, and added Seattle’s then back-up quarterback Matt Flynn. Then the team drafted a quarterback in the fourth round of the NFL Draft, and signed undrafted free agent Matt McGloin. However, Pryor successfully won the starting position, despite coaches handing Flynn the job initially.

Even after winning the job and almost upsetting the Indianapolis Colts in week 1 with a record-setting performance, Pryor was benched in favor of McGloin, after a knee injury and struggles with defenses’ adjustments to his running ability.

This off season, the Raiders traded for veteran Matt Schaub to be their starter. Combined with the Raiders interest in quarterback prospects in the draft and their fascination with McGloin, the Pryor trade was a foreseen conclusion.

The Oakland Raiders are lucky to have even gotten a seventh round pick for Pryor. The media and NFL knew Pryor had requested for a trade. It was not a secret that Pryor and Raiders’ head coach Dennis Allen did not mesh well. Pryor’s preference to improvise with running plays always seemed to throw Allen’s game plan for a loop.

Whether or not Pryor succeeds in the league, it was time for the Raiders to move on from Pryor. The team believes in Schaub and McGloin enough that Pryor’s play making ability would have wasted on the bench.

It is a shame the Raiders bid the 24-year-old goodbye, because he showed promise in his first few starts.  Sure Pryor struggled in his first season starting, but the Raiders never gave the raw prospect a real chance at growth from the experience the same way other current Pro Bowlers have been given early in their career. The Raiders need offensive play makers, but they effectively traded away one of their best.

As for the Seahawks, they added a play maker for a bargain price. Having coached at USC when Pryor was dominating high School and college football, Carroll is familiar with the type of person Pryor is. Seeing an inevitable release from the Raiders, the Seahawks would not have given the Raiders a draft pick for Pryor if they didn’t think he added something to their team.

Until the  Raiders, Pryor never had anyone work on his quarterback mechanics. Having relied on his athletic ability throughout his playing career, Pryor had a substantial learning curve. Yet Pryor’s god-given talent and size makes his ceiling unlimited.

Even with the turmoil in Oakland, Pryor never complained or made excuses. He showed his skin as a true competitor and deserves to be in a situation where he can develop as a quarterback.

Pryor joins a unique Seahawks’ culture which inspires competition, at every level. No, Pryor will not end up as the starter, because that is young phenom Russell Wilson’s job. Yet, Pryor could easily unseed Tarvaris Jackson as the back-up, and excel if Wilson were ever to go down with an injury.

Added, Pryor’s unique skill set gives the Seahawks another running option in scoring situations. Plus, his size and ability resembles a quarterback the Seahawks play twice a year in San Francisco 49er’s Colin Kaepernick. The Seahawks can use Pryor’s dual-threat skills to prepare for their division rivals, the 49ers.

Seattle offers a scenario for Pryor that he never had in Oakland. Pryor finally has an opportunity to develop. Not only does the Seahawk’s offense suit Pryor’s ability, but he can learn from Carroll and Wilson without pressure to produce. Either Way, Pryor’s opportunity in Seattle may be his last chance to live up to the hype generated from his playing days at Ohio State.

Even if Pryor does not fit with the Seahawks, and they are unable to utilize his potential then they can simply cut him. The Pryor trade offers Seattle a high-reward playmaker at a low-risk price.