Bleacher Report - Oakland Raiders

JaMarcus Russell: Can He Learn From This Experience?

Raider Card Addict — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 18:57:32 -0500

Congratulations JaMarcus. You played yourself out of the starting rotation. Your coach made it plain, in saying that this benching isn't a one game at a time deal. The team is turning its attention towards trying to work with Bruce Gradkowski as the starting quarterback in Oakland.

I can imagine it's a bitter pill to swallow, considering that you were drafted to be the face of the franchise and return it to the glory days. Instead, your considered by many to be a bust, ranking in the rare air class, with Ryan Leaf.

Right now, the only realistic way that JaMarcus Russell comes off the bench is if Bruce Gradkowski goes down hurt in the game, Al Davis suddenly realizes he has a very expensive bench, or Russell learns to be a quarterback?

As hard to believe as it sounds, Russell needs to make use of this time—now that he has plenty of it to work with. He needs to find himself in better shape, having better communication with his teammates, and he needs to take a harder look at what he can do to help the team. He needs to learn that just because he is a No. 1 overall pick, that the world does not revolve around him. He still needs to work with those same players.

The one advantage that Russell still has, that Ryan Leaf didn't, was he hasn't alienated himself from his teammates. Several players still think he can play, but needs to get himself into the mindset of playing football.

Probably the most accurate critic, Rich Gannon sounded off that Russell's biggest problem is the constant change of coaches. Could anyone function well with that much turnover?

Hopefully the next time we see Russell out throwing the football in a game, he will be completing passes to his own teammates...and not digging us a hole we'd like to throw him into.

Read more Oakland Raiders news on BleacherReport.com

Oakland Raiders: The Beat Goes on, Get Ready for the Cincinnati Bengals

Damali Binta YAEL — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 14:20:10 -0500

The "boos" ought to be hushed. The "cheers" ought to be loud. We expect an improved performance since a few changes have been made in the lineup of the Oakland Raiders.

The global comparison of the Oakland Raiders and the Cincinnati Bengals shows the performance of each team in several categories.

So much is involved in the prediction of the outcome for Sunday. Nevertheless, we can be encouraged to know that, overall, the Oakland Raiders do have some positive attributes when you look at the historical data.

The chart shows the strengths and weaknesses, from a global standpoint.

The outcome of a football game depends on more than deterministic data. There are all types of probabilities involved. There are coaching decisions, too.

Would you be disappointed if the change in quarterback did not dramatically change the outcome of the game on Sunday, Nov. 22?

Yes, we expect victory. Some analysts see it differently.

Jimmy Boyd had this to say:

"Last week, Russell was pulled in the third quarter after completing just 8 of 23 passes for 64 yards.

"It’s hard to say his replacement, Gradkowski, was better as he was picked off twice. He strained his hamstring in last week’s game with the Chiefs and that could keep him out of the starting discussion this week.

"Whoever Cable ultimately decides on will lead an offense that ranks 31st in the league with a 9.8 points per game scoring average.."

Now add this comment Boyd made and, perhaps, get a little encouragement:

"A win Sunday would give the Bengals a fifth straight road victory, which is something the team has never done before. While they are nearly a double-digit favorite, pulling off the feat figures to be no easy task as they are 0-8 all-time on the road against the Raiders.

"The Raiders already showed they can hang with the big dogs on any given Sunday with a win over the Eagles earlier this season so the Bengals will have to avoid any letdowns after an emotional win last week."

Sometimes you have to dig deep to get a little encouragement, but what the heck, we will do what it takes.

We will never give up hope for a renewed commitment to excellence and to winning, again. Go Raiders!

Read more Oakland Raiders news on BleacherReport.com

Bengals-Raiders Preview: JaMarcus Russell Flushed in Oakland

Jeffrey Boswell — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 13:31:14 -0500

Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

With the AFC North well in hand after last Sunday's 18-12 win in Pittsburgh, the Bengals can turn their attention to more trivial things, like the Raiders.

"I think the Steelers are stunned that we've beaten them twice," says Carson Palmer. "I'm sure they didn't expect us to take them down at Heinz Field. But what's the best way to remove a 'line in the sand?' By 'sweeping' it away, of course.

"Marvin Lewis now has the kind of team he's always wanted, one that is defined by an attacking defense and an efficient, mistake-free offense. It took him awhile, but Marvin's finally been able to put his best defenders on the field instead of in the courtroom."

In Oakland's 16-10 loss to the Chiefs last week, JaMarcus Russell was a dismal 9-of-24 for 67 yards, an effort that got him benched , but not punched, by Tom Cable. Bruce Gradkowski took over at quarterback and was worse, throwing two interceptions.

"No. 2 was stinking up the joint," says Cable, "so I had no choice but to pull him. That's doing what any decent-minded person would do—I executed a courtesy flush.

"Now, for this franchise, choosing a quarterback is a lot like choosing a head coach—it's a 'hit or miss' exercise. Of course, in the case of my selection as coach, it's both 'hit and miss.'"

With Cedric Benson injured, the Bengals signed former Kansas City troublemaker Larry Johnson to reinforce their rushing attack, a development that left many observers spitting their drinks out in surprise. Some even denounced their sexuality.

Hopefully, for the sake of the Bengals and their postseason aspirations, Johnson will "run in" to a game before he has a "run-in" with the law.

Cincinnati wins, 23-7.

Read more Oakland Raiders news on BleacherReport.com

Oakland Raiders Week 11 : Pressures, Hurries, and Knockdowns

Justin Smith — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 12:47:28 -0500

After a bye-week hiatus and the a subsequent very busy week for my family, we're back with the old pressures, hurries, and knockdowns.

There have been some shakeups around our beloved Raiders, the most obvious of which is a switch from the struggling JaMarcus Russell to Bruce Gradkowski at starting quarterback.

With many of the Raider Nation now resigned to another poor season with poor results, there isn't as much pressure on the team as a whole these days. Just playing hard would be an improvement, and it's sad that we're at that point yet again.

We've gone through our five stages of grief:

We were in denial at first, saying as we have for seven years that this team is better than they're playing and will turn it around after the Broncos smoked us at home.

We were angry, yelling at Russell and Cable and wondering why oh why a team with this much talent couldn't score with Lindsay Lohan, and why the defense seemed to have multiple personalities after Houston smoked us on the road.

We were bargaining with ourselves and the team after the Giants debacle, questioning whether JaMarcus Russell even cared, and threatening to boycott games and merchandise if Al Davis didn't make some changes to the infrastructure.

We were afraid, after the Jets game, that this team was a rudderless ship that was folding quickly and had no hope to salvage the season. We were afraid that we'd wasted time and money on a quarterback who wasn't worth it.

Then, we finally accepted the fact that this team is in disarray and there's little hope to salvage a winning season after the Chiefs game. We also accepted, fully, that Russell is not the answer right now and embraced the change to Gradkowski.

We've gone through our five stages, in much more agonizing personal detail than I've outlined above, and constantly since the Jets game. Each and every member of the Raider Nation has gone through this, in their own personal way, every week.

Now, we're just excited to see something new.

PRESSURES

Bruce Gradkowski

Okay, this is obvious. He's stepping in to the most important position on the field against a Bengal defense that's been ferocious in the last three weeks with the entire hopes and dreams of Raider Nation on his shoulders. I'd say that's pressure.

However, JaMarcus Russell set the bar so very low for QB play in Oakland that short of soiling himself in the middle of the field Gradkowski can do little to embarass himself on Sunday. We are in a mode of extremely lowered expectations, therefore the pressure on Gradkowski is not as great as if we were a winning team with designs on a playoff spot.

The fact that only Cleveland has had worse quarterback play than the Raiders (and any back-yard football game played by fat guys in their 40's) means that Gradkowski has a long leash with which to hang himself; but he's shown this season that he's capable of doing so.

The excitement of a fresh face has created some buzz around Oakland, but it's easy to create buzz when the most exciting thing to happen to the team thus far is a renegade pigeon pulling outside contain duty on a kickoff.

Darren McFadden

It's time now, with Russell on the bench, to turn our attention to another massive offensive disappointment: Mr. Darren McFadden.

Since having a breakout game against the Chiefs early last season, McFadden has done little of consequence other than be injured. The man goes down when hit by a stiff breeze, and he's had some fumble issues.

Granted, the team bafflingly refuses to split him wide or try and get him on the edge with room to maneuver, which isn't his fault, but he has yet to show the explosiveness and ability that made him one of the most dynamic backs in NCAA history.

His time is running out, and with Michael Bush being such a fantastic option and Justin Fargas running hard and blowing people up in blitz coverage, he's fading into the background. The strange thing is, after all the excitement surrounding his arrival, Raider Nation doesn't seem to care all that much. There are those lowered expectations creeping in again.

HURRIES

Chaz Schilens gets back on the field and catches the first pass thrown his way. Then, he's forgotten about. Guarantee Gradkowski won't forget about him this weekend
Hall and Joseph are incredibly good, incredibly instinctive, and incredibly fast young corners for the Bengals. That's not a good matchup for our incredibly fast, incredibly non-instinctive, incredibly inept young wide receivers
However, they have been getting open far more frequently lately. Darrius Heyward-Bey, had he been able to catch a couple of the other balls thrown his way, would've had a great game last weekend. He catches the two that he drops, and you're looking at three catches for roughly 80-90 yards
Bey admitted he's putting too much pressure on himself and still feels the need to justify his high overall selection. He's not a natural pass catcher so the mental side of catching the ball is going to be as important for him as the physical. He has the tools, but needs the confidence
Gradkowski is deceptively fast and I expect him to scramble for a couple of nice gains and first downs on Sunday
Those weighing in on the JaMarcus Russell situation seem to feel that he's an excellent quarterback with a ton of potential that isn't getting any help from his teammates. McNabb, Ocho, Tollner, and Gannon have all expressed that they feel he's got the goods, but needs more help around him
There is no way this team wants to blow up the QB position and start all over again. This is a wake-up call for Russell, not a death-knell, and he responded positively by staying for extra time in practice and making throws. We'll see if that continues, but he no longer has the sense of comfort or entitlement he played and spoke with, and that's probably the best thing to come out of this whole situation

KNOCKDOWNS

Cable Will Always Toe the Company Line

I think we all know that his switch to Gradkowski was signed off by Al, but Cable himself initiated the change against the Jets and then pulled the trigger again against KC.

Now that he's gone through so much controversy in the media and the team is playing uninspired, terrible football yet again, Cable probably feels he has little to lose and is rolling the dice in some situations.

Let's see if he brings his new found gumption to getting more creative with his playcalling. I really, really hope so.

JaMarcus Russell Will Have a Breakout Season

This one's been dead for a while now, obviously, but he's lost his starting job so it seemed pertinent to mention this.

I was one who thought this to be the case, and lobbied hard for the kid early in the season. I was the ever-forgiving parent, pulling a Russell and blaming everyone and everything else but the kid.

But about four weeks into the season, after we'd seen him regress back to the womb insofar as quarterbacking, I'd had enough and began calling him out for his apparent apathy and lack of dedication, as we all did. Some got on board much earlier, some later, but we've all now reached the conclusion that he's not the answer this season.

The scary prospect is that he's not the answer at all, period. If that's the case, then we're back to square one at the quarterback position, with no first-round pick in 2011, and that to me spells a couple of more years of futility as we search for our quarterback.

Not a pleasant thought.

Read more Oakland Raiders news on BleacherReport.com

Oakland Raiders Still Have a Solid Team

Bret Armstrong — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 22:48:36 -0500

The Oakland raiders may be 2-7 for the year, but if you looked at only the roster, you would have to ask yourself why, right Chad Ochocinco?

"I don’t know man, I don’t know. Dude, watching the Raiders on (expletive) defense that front line is awesome, the corners are awesome. I can’t for the life of me understand how they are not winning. I don’t get it. I don’t get it. Because what I see on film, the record does not show. Because they look a lot better than their record shows so I’m not understanding what’s going on," said the receiver formerly known as Johnson.

I have to say, in spite of the recent JaMarcus Russell benching, they still have a good core group of quarterbacks. I especially like that Bruce Gradkowski speaks clear and precise English, not some weird southern form of "Mr. Coolguy."

Charlie Frye has said that he feels like he has grown a ton since his days in Cleveland, where he was traded the day after opening day. I believe him. He also said he believes they are one of the hardest working groups of Qb's in the league. He and Gradkowski have been around a while and I'm sure they've had this discussion, so I kind of have to believe him there too.

Heck, since being inevitably benched, JaMarcus has decided that he should stay after practice and work on his throws, oh my!

The halfbacks, I believe, still could be starters for any other team in the league. Justin Fargas has shown some burst and plenty of pop that he has left.

Michael Bush is the only Raiders runner to rush for a hundred yards since Justin Fargas did it week 12 last year against Denver. Bush has had two 100 yard games since then, and might be emerging as the starter at the position, although Tom Cable said he did not like that Bush needed a breather after five consecutive runs against the Chiefs.

Whatever! I'd like to see Tom Cable take five consecutive handoffs against any team...the Rams even.

Darren McFadden has got wheels under him, but so far has been a big time disappointment for Oakland. Expected to be the next Adrian Peterson, he is making Jerry Jones look very smart for drafting his former Arkansas teammates Felix Jones. He's no Adrian Peterson yet, right now he looks more like Reggie Bush running between the tackles.

The tight ends are an underrated groups here with Zach Miller, who is slowly developing as the go-to-guy. He is receiving heavy coverage from people who are looking to make the Raiders throw to their young wide receivers. Once the receivers start catching balls, Miller will become very dangerous.

Tony Stewart is an under-rated player. This guy doesn't mind getting his nose dirty in run situations and he catches just about every throw that comes near him.

Brandon Myers looks to be a late round steal for Tom Cable's staff. Primarily a blocking tight end, he has shown tremendous hands when given the opportunity.

Maybe the Raiders should run more three tight end sets, and forget about going with the three wide receivers for now!

The wide receivers are bursting at the seams with potential though. Chaz Schilens continued to show why people are so high on him. During the Chiefs game, he only got 38 snaps, but he was thrown to four times and made three catches out of those four.

In contrast, disappointing rookie wide receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey was given 54 snaps, thrown at five times and only made one catch. Two plays later, he let a ball go right through his hands and potentially cost Oakland a touchdown on what could've been a game winning drive.

Alas, DHB will still start over Johnnie Lee Higgins, an explosive return man who showed promise in starting three games last season for Oakland, in which he made 13 of his season high 22 catches and had three touchdowns.

This year Higgins has struggled with a shoulder injury since week one, but appeared to be back physically and mentally until re-injuring the shoulder last weekend. It remains to be seen if he can overcome this one faster.

Louis Murphy was another late round steal for Oakland in this years draft. Murphy was being talked about earlier this year as a candidate for offensive rookie of the year, but has been slowed in his production by a lack of confidence from JaMarcus Russell in his receivers. Murphy still has shown tremendous skills in fighting for the ball and fighting for his teammates extra yardage when his number is not called.

The offensive line needs some work, but the good news there is that the left side of the line is in place for years to come.

Mario Henderson is emerging as one of the best left tackles in the league. he has only given up three sacks through nine games for the Oakland Raiders, now that's saying something. Henderson is only in his third pro year.

Robert Gallery couldn't get it done when he played left tackle, but Tom Cable liked him to be his left guard, and Gallery has been playing at an all-star level at the position. The combination of he and Henderson give the Raiders a great left side that requires no worries from the coaching staff or the quarterback.

There are some good players in back-up roles here as well. Chris Morris filled in at guard while Gallery was hurt earlier in the year. He can play both guard positions as well as center.

Khalif Barnes was brought in during the offseason to challenge Henderson at left tackle, but would make a great right tackle as well, as he has proved starting all four of his pro years at left tackle for Jacksonville.

Samson Satele has assumed his role as starting center and coach Cable said he has been one the few bright spots for Oakland recently.

The defense has looked absolutely awesome at times this year. Ochocinco pretty much summed it up in the previous statements.

Many fans complain about Kirk Morrison in the middle linbacker role, but I contend that Morrison has made a lot more plays at the point of attack this year with a great defensive line in front of him.

However, I have to agree that he is not a pure middle linebacker. I think Morrsion should be re-signed this coming offseason, but I feel like Oakland should move him over to opposite of Thomas Howard and look for a real rugged, tough, and physical presence to prowl the middle.

The defensive line that Chad talked so highly of includes Richard Seymour, Greg Ellis, Tommy Kelly, and 2001's third overall draft pick Gerard Warren.

They are backed up by a solid young group that includes Oakland's sack leader from a year ago, Trevor Scott. Scott set the tone for the upset of the Philadelphia Eagles earlier this year with two first quarter sacks.

There is also 2009's third round draft pick Matt Shaughnessy who is quickly gaining a role as a fan favorite. He shows heart, talent, and commitment on the field. In the last two games he has had nine tackles and two sacks.

Jay Richardson is in there, Desmond Bryant is there—a rookie defensive tackle who has shown a very good upside in his playing time.

The other linebackers, not named Morrison and Howard, are very competitive with each other. Earlier this season, Jon Alston pushed Ricky Brown for his OLB spot and Brown pushed Kirk Morrison for that MLB spot. They could use more depth here, but they have two guys working on the practice squad right now who could be on the roster as early as next season.

The defensive backs who start for this team are a tremendous combinations of guys. Everyone in the league and many fans of other teams know who Nnamdi Asomugha is now. Some can even spell his name and pronounce it correctly.

Chris Johnson has blown a few assignments this year, but when he is on, he is nearly as good as his counterpart.

Michael Huff has come onto the scene, and made it nearly impossible for Hirum Eugene to see any field time this year.

And you really can't say enough about SS Tyvon Branch. He is the real deal. He is great in pass coverage, studies his butt off in the film room, excellent in run support, and even stops by every week at Silver and Black Nation to answer questions and comments from the faithful fans.

This is another area where Oakland could use some depth, especially at cornerback. But like Chad and I said to begin with, if you just look at the roster you have to wonder what the problem is.

Many would say it starts upstairs. I say we just need to continue being patient. The team is in place. The guy upstairs is the reason for that.

Number one thing is that they need time to gel together as a unit. Number two, they are all very young and if they can manage to turn that corner, this is going to be a very good team for a long time.

I was as mad as anyone when they lost to Kansas City. Angry as a wasp on a hot summer day, but I got over it. They will too.

I also still believe they can get over this mountain in front of them stopping them from going places, but it is a mountain at this point, not a mole hill.

Many of these men in the Silver and Black are not at fault for making it that way. Many of them have plenty of room for growth. What impresses me the most is that there is no separation in the locker room. Each one of these young men respects the other and they don't step on toes or throw their teammates under the bus.

To me, that means they are forming a solid foundation of unity. So we as fans should stay untied with them.

See what I think of the QB Change: http://fanhuddle.com/oaklandraiders/2009/11/19/oakland-raiders-a-new-sherriff-in-town/

Read more Oakland Raiders news on BleacherReport.com

Al Davis Is 80, But Has Time Finally Caught Up With The Raiders?

Dom Mitchell — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 15:22:41 -0500















[The policemen and newspaper reporters and photographers have jumped out 


of the cars and are running up to the pool, in which a body is seen 


floating.  Photographers' bulbs flash in rapid succession.

FLASH OF THE BODY



Angle up through the water from the bottom of the pool, as the body


floats face downward.  It is a well-dressed young man.]





That is the opening scene of Sunset Boulevard, the story of former silent movie star 
Norma Desmond who has lost her once great stature. It is famous for its legendary 
quotations and as one of the first movies to explore the darker side of  Hollywood.

[Norma Desmond] " I am big. It's the pictures that got small."

***

It is frightening to think just how eerily similar the life of Al Davis is becoming to the story of the fallen silent movie star, felled by the advent of the "talkie," who recessed into seclusion and created a fantasy world wherein she was still a star.

Anyone who is a fan of football should hope the similarities are only superficial.

This is a man who is one of the most influential men in the history of the game, a man without whom the AFC would likely not exist. This is the man who built and ran one of the iconic franchises in pro sports, the Oakland Raiders.

No matter how much you may hate the Raiders or Davis, they have shaped the NFL, and the league would not be the same without them.

It would be a real tragedy if this was how it all ended.

When you hear Al Davis talk about the Raider franchise, you can close your eyes and picture it all, the huge black banners proclaiming the " Commitment to Excellence" which adorn the exterior of the Oakland Coliseum. Even, the silver and black uniforms crowned by the legendary pirate crest. And of course, the three Super Bowl victories and countless clashes throughout the decades.

"You see, this is my life! It always will be! Nothing else!"

Open your eyes and you see that that hasn't existed in twenty years, other than a brief interlude at the turn of the century, which, granted, could have been a lot different if not for a controversial decision by the officials.

Once, the Raiders would have overcome such obstacles in their continuing battle against the world of Football, but the success lasted only one more season due to conflicts between Davis and his charismatic young coach, John Gruden.

The once proud franchise, hated, feared and respected by teams across the league, the place where every player wanted to play, is now the laughingstock of the NFL.

There are teams which have been playing worse, but no team has done it so consistently, ever.

More and more Davis seems to be trying to return to his glory days, either through his words, his coaches or his players. Art Shell was brought back, Darrius Heyward-Bey and Mike Mitchell were drafted, to be what Cliff Branch and Jack Tatum once were, and Davis talked about the greatness of the franchise.

But now it is in the past, and you can never go back.

"The stars are ageless, aren't they?"

There has been plenty of analysis of the Raiders' failures this season and the ones preceding it, which will not be revisited here in detail. It is the overall picture which is important.

The decisions Al Davis has made in recent years suggest that at best he is failing to admit to himself that someone is deeply wrong. You can only blame so many coaches before the conclusion that they are not the problem becomes unavoidable.

They took the idols and smashed them, the Fairbankses, the Gilberts, the Valentinos! And who've we got now? Some nobodies!

Only so many players can come to Oakland and under-perform before its time to accept that something about the culture must be amiss.

While Davis was correct to put some of the blame for Randy Moss' failures in Oakland on the franchise, that blame should not be directed at the players, or the coaches, but Davis himself.

He too often treats his players too favorably at the expense of his coaches. Players have no incentive to perform and play hard because the coach gets the blame rather than the player. It worked for a long time, why shouldn't it now?

The whispers of Norma Desmond continue to permeate- "Without me, there wouldn't be any Paramount studio"

A big problem in this regard has been free agency and the huge increase in contract sizes and guaranteed money. Players are no longer bound to one team for much of their career, so there is less loyalty to the team and to the owner.

Many players, especially rookies receive so much guaranteed money that it makes little difference if they are cut. The success at the turn of the century was as much to do with Rich Gannon, who was a "John Gruden guy" rather than an "Al Davis guy," than it did with the moves Davis himself made. Tim Brown after all had been with the team since the 1980s.

"We didn't need dialogue. We had faces!"

Now, players and coaches just don't seem to want to come to Oakland.

Established coaches want more control than Davis is willing to give, and every player who leaves Oakland does so with horror stories on his tongue. Regardless of the statements by Richard Seymour and Davis, it would seem that he had deep reservations about coming to Oakland.

"No-one ever leaves a star. That's what makes one a star."

With JaMarcus Russell finally being benched long after most people thought he should have been, there is hope that Davis is still the great man from the interviews through the years.

Whenever anyone suggests Al Davis is becoming too old and losing touch, it is refuted, and by all accounts from the players and coaches, he's still as sharp as ever. And in those press conferences, however rare they may be, boy can he put on a show.

But, still he seems to assert that this has merely been an outlier, though it has lasted for the better part of two decades.

" I hate that word [comeback] . It's a return, a return to the millions of people who have never forgiven me for deserting the screen."

As much as his supporters want to believe that Davis still has it, that he's just biding his time, getting everything right until he unleashes the Raiders upon the league again are finding it more and more difficult to see how this could possibly be the case.

His critics claim he has surrounded himself with yes men, purging those who disagree with him, and no longer hearing the opinions of those he respects.

Joe Gillis: Tell her, Max. C'mon, do her that favor. Tell her there isn't going to be any picture. Tell her there are no fan letters other than the ones you write.

Norma Desmond: It's not true! Max!

Max von Mayerling: Madame is the greatest star of them all.

The ever loyal Raider Nation are deserting Davis at an increasing rate. The franchise which has averaged just two blackouts over the past few years despite compiling the worst record in football is looking at blackouts for every remaining home game, and the attendances are falling rapidly.

Joe Gillis: Oh, wake up, Norma, you'd be killing yourself to an empty house. The audience left twenty years ago.

Once the kings of Monday Night Football, now they are embarrassed during every appearance, humiliated in front of the entire nation.

Cecil B. DeMille: Thirty million fans have given her the brush. Isn't that enough?

In spite of all this, what Davis has done, what Davis says, and what the Raiders represent give hope to their fans. Football allegiances aside, every fan, and especially every network would like to see the Raiders return to prominence, always one of the biggest draws among NFL teams.

Anyone who loves football wants Davis to succeed, it would be a great story, and it would be great for the NFL to have a villain once more which everyone loves to hate.

But with each passing year the glory becomes more distant, and it becomes more difficult to believe that Davis still has it. It seems more and more like he is having trouble letting go, having trouble admitting to himself that its over, that his time has passed.

The time is fast approaching when the world says "enough is enough." When he can no longer claim that the franchise is a work or progress, its either back, or its over.

Fans should hope that the Raiders of old can return, because this isn't just any team. This is the Team of the Decades, which dominates the NFL-Films reels and always brought that extra bit of character to the league.

Norma Desmond "All right, Mr. DeMille, I'm ready for my close-up."

Read more Oakland Raiders news on BleacherReport.com

Oakland Raiders Get Good News Twice: Will it Help?

Raider Card Addict — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 01:34:43 -0500

Today, two little pieces of news came out of Oakland. Both of them should bring a smile to the face of the fans both near and afar, but belong to the Raider Nation.

For one, JaMarcus Russell is now on the sidelines. Yes, this is right, Russell's actions have planted him there. For anyone's guess, it is similar to the same reason why the Titans benched Vince Young early in his career....too much, to soon, with too many chances to fail.

And for JaMarcus Russell, he did just about everything wrong, with a few exceptions.

As for the Bruce Gradkowski experiment, does anything think JaMarcus will remain on the sidelines for any length of time? It will depend on if Bruce comes out and wins a game or two right away, or if he actually looks worse than JaMarcus.

If he performs as he did last year, in a single start having a rating of one...we can only hope that with his mobility, he can use the speed this team has, and turn on the switches as needed.

What does come as a bit of surprise, is that Al Davis was okay with this. This, could mean one of two things. One, he thinks Tom Cable will be gone after the season, the same way Norv Turner was after replacing Kerry Collins for a game in his last year in Oakland. Or Two, he feels that Tom Cable still has some ideas on turning this club around and that Russell is truly that bad as a player.

The second news, to the Raider Nation, is important.

A general agreement to extend the lease for the Oakland Raiders was made to keep the team in Oakland until 2013. More than a few nights were spent, wondering if this was going to be Al's method of deciding on when to leave the city. The biggest problem that Al would run into, is who would accept a team with Al acting as the sole dictator to the Raiders?

Odds are good, he has not become trapped to his own team, until such time that the team can produce more than six wins in a season...Oakland's bargaining chip in the '80s, was the ability to win.

So the fans can rest easy, knowing at least some good news happened this week.

Will it help Sunday? It all depends on how well Bruce Gradkowski has been studying film.

Read more Oakland Raiders news on BleacherReport.com

Oakland's JaMarcus Russell Is an "Extremely Good" Quarterback

Ramone Brown — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 21:55:43 -0500

Yes that's right, I said it. JaMarcus Russell is extremely good. Don't believe me? Want proof? Well I could show you an overhead slide-show presentation...or you could just ask Chad Ochocinco .

According to Ochocinco, Russell is the last person we should be blaming for the Raiders' offensive struggles.

"Man, JaMarcus is extremely good," Ochocinco said in a conference call Monday morning. "You have to remember a quarterback can only be as good as his supporting cast. Case closed. Always will be."

"You take a Tom Brady or a Peyton Manning; you take them out of their supporting casts, you take them out of the elements they're in now, and you put them in JaMarcus' situation; do you think it would be that much better? I'm just asking. Realistically."

But really, what is a QB to do? His receivers suck, most of his o-line can't block, Tom Cable is terrible at calling an offense and there isn't even an offensive coordinator on the coaching staff.

His receivers can't catch, run the right routes, or get open. Do you disagree? When two receivers run into each other at full speed it can only mean one of two things: Either they are running the wrong routes, or the guy calling the plays has a sick sense of humor.

The o-line sucks, aside from Henderson and Gallery. Too bad an o-line consists of five players not two. Satele is often over-powered by bigger line-men, Carlisel can't make a block without holding and Green can't remember the snap count. Russell has no time and has been sacked in less than 2.5 seconds on many occasions.

Then there's the coaching, which is horrible. It's the coach's job to properly prepare the team for its next opponent. There has only been one game which I would say we were prepared for offensively: week one against the Chargers.

Then there's the play-calling. If the Raiders' offensive play selection doesn't leave you scratching your head asking, "WHY?", you must not be watching the same games I am. The Raiders seem to come out passing nearly every game. Then when they have success on the ground they stop running. Funny thing is the run game is the Raiders' strength but you wouldn't know it from the play-calling.

Bottom line is, Russell is not as bad as he's made out to be. If you put new rims on a piece of shit car, guess what? You're still driving a piece of shit car. Whoever the Raiders put at QB will have the same results as Russell.

If you want proof, look at Gradkowski: 44.2 QB rating, no TDs, 2 INTs, a lost fumble and nothing to brag about aside from an 11.3 yard per carry average.

Russell is hands down better than Gradkowski, and better than Frye, if and until it is proven otherwise.

Here are some more quotes by Ochocinco regarding the Raiders:

"I don't know man, I don't know. Dude, watching the Raiders on defense that front line is awesome, the corners are awesome. I can't for the life of me understand how they are not winning. I don't get it. Because what I see on film, the record does not show. Because they look a lot better than their record shows so I'm not understanding what's going on."

"I will never play for the Bengals again, and you can take that to the bank"

"Oh, man, I'm just coming to give the Black Hole the best show they've ever seen. I'm not sure if they've really had much to look forward to this year but, man, we're coming to town. It will for damned sure be a circus."

By the way, don't forget to vote JaMarcus Russell into the Pro-Bowl: http://vote4jamarcus.com/.

Read more Oakland Raiders news on BleacherReport.com

Cliff Branch: Another Raider Denied Entry To the Hall of Fame

David Wilson — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 20:33:43 -0500

Of the many Raiders who seem to have been excluded from the hall of fame for some reason (Ken Stabler, Ray Guy, Jack Tatum), Cliff Branch has as much reason to feel aggrieved as any of them. It was my privilege to meet Branch in 2008, at the Raider Image store in Oakland. He still has that energy, and a real buzz about him, even after all these years.

He looks like he could still play—he has aged that well.

But as with any theory or opinion, you have to back it up with evidence, and to do that I am going to compare Cliff Branch’s career with that of two receivers from the same era who are already in the hall of fame, Lynn Swann and Bob Hayes.

Years Rec Yards Average TD Long SB Rings

Bob Hayes 11 371 7414 20.0 68 95 2

Lynn Swann 9 336 5462 16.3 51 68 4

Cliff Branch 13 501 8685 17.3 67 99 3

Now any reasonably objective person looking at these statistics could only conclude that these three players are clearly in very much the same group, and if you had to pick one player to be excluded, it would be Hayes, not Branch. Cliff played longer, had considerably more receptions than either, more yards than either, better yards per reception than Swann, and had just one touchdown less than Hayes.

Cliff Branch also had three super bowl rings to go with those stats, which is more than Hayes won in his career. So it’s not like he had the catches and the yardage but not the rings to go with it.

I also know that statistics aren’t the full measure of a man’s career.

Anyone who has seen Cliff Branch play, will immediately see that he was one of the smartest, toughest receivers ever to play the game. Although he weighed only 170 pounds, he would routinely jump up and take the ball away from a much bigger, or even two much bigger defensive backs.

Branch rarely missed a game, even after taking savage hits or being driven head first into the turf by Steelers cornerback Mel Blount.

He had world class speed and is co-owner of the longest pass play in NFL history (99 yard TD pass from Jim Plunkett, Oct 2, 1983 vs Washington)

Cliff could also produce on the big stage, catching passes in each Super Bowl, including two TD receptions in Super Bowl XV, and six for 94 yds (including a 50 yard catch) and TD in Super Bowl XVIII.

There is also no flaw in Cliff’s character as a reason to exclude him from the hall. He has never been arrested or been investigated for substance abuse. He never did anything that would have brought him into conflict with the NFL’s personal conduct policy.

When I met him, he was as friendly and likeable as any player in or out of the league. He showed a genuine interest in the fans that spoke to him. A lot of players now could learn a lot from Cliff Branch, as a player and as a person.

So I ask, how is Cliff Branch not in the Hall of Fame?

It beats the hell out of me.

Read more Oakland Raiders news on BleacherReport.com

What's Not To Like About Cincy?

Al's Wingman — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 18:10:50 -0500

The Cincinnati Bengals are usually horrendous and one of the least-feared teams in the NFL, but this year they are doing very well for themselves and make for a dangerous opponent.

If the Pitssburgh Steelers were coming to town, the Raider Nation would have some gumption in their craw, eager to see their team stick it to their arch-rivals. Yet, even though the Bengals and Raiders are old AFL teams, there is no rivalry to speak of nowadys.

Cincy’s franchise and ownership are so conservative, that there is not even so much as a blip of animosity towards the Oakland Raiders or Al Davis. Nor between the fans for that matter. In fact, Cincy fans are overly polite with Midwestern notions of professional sportsmanship. I can’t find an iota of trash talking on any message forums leading up this Sunday’s game.

Does this mean not a single drunken lout with a chip on his shoulder exists within the Cincinnati fanbase?

If you can’t be ruffled by Al Davis through a 40-50 year existence, then you deserve some kind of credit for being so blissful.

On the surface, it is easy to get the idea the Bengals as the complete opposite of the Raiders. Cincy being so morally righteous (at least as far as the city's reputation) and Oakland being a troublesome environment for players, fans, coaches (and their wives, girlfriends).

Looking a little deeper, the Bengals are not a trouble-free team. They have had their fair share of players with brushes with the law. There is also Chad what’s his name’s consistent antics and subsequent wrist slapping by the NFL.

The difference is, the Bengals straighten their ship when they need to and are proving it with wins on the field and less attention off the field.

In terms of personnel, the Bengals could be labeled a quasi-outlaw type of team. It’s not often you think of the Bengals to give second and third chances to players who have made questionable judgment calls (Cedric Benson, Chris Henry and now Larry Johnson). Yet, that is exactly what a portion of their roster represents.

The bottom line is they have competent players, a solid quarterback, and competent coaching. With the exception of one game against Philly, the Raiders have been absent of competency so far in the 2009 season.

Maybe that’s why there’s no trash talking from Raider fans for this game. It’s not that they have abandoned all hope of an upset,Raider fans just need a reason to believe their team can step up and show they can deliver some competency—like the Bengals have.

Read more Oakland Raiders news on BleacherReport.com

No Words Can Describe How Bad the Oakland Raiders' Offense Is

SR — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 05:38:34 -0500

In making this article, I was trying to come up with a good headline, but the truth is there aren't any words for how bad the Oakland Raiders offense is. I've been to all five Raiders home games this season and seen it with my own eyes.

JaMarcus Russell just doesn't have it, there is no reason for our team to struggle like we do.

This isn't even NFL football, I play fantasy football and watch teams like the Colts, Saints, and Vikings just so I can watch "real" NFL players preform.

Every home game for the Raiders I wake up real early, spend money on a ticket, drinks, and food only to see teams come into the Bay Area and whoop on the Raiders like it was the thing to do.

Sometimes I wonder why I even bother. I feel like the Raiders are my pimp and there forcing me to give them my money. However I can't help it, I'm 100 percent loyal to the Raiders and I love going to the games.

I feel as if I'm going to miss out, "just in case the Raiders do win".

Since the Oakland Raiders games aren't on T.V., the only way to view them other than the Internet is to watch it live, plus nothing beats watching football live, being at the game with a cold beer and some sunflower seeds.

It's just so hard going to games nowadays knowing how bad our offense is. Our defense is decent, it's good enough to keep us in games, but the offense kills it for us every time.

Darrius Heyward-Bey, out of all the wide receivers that came out of the rookie class of 2009, DHB has to be the worst.

I know he's young and a rookie, but look at guys like Kenny Britt (Titans), Michael Crabtree (49ers), Percy Harvin (Vikings), Johnny Knox (Bears), Jeremy Maclin (Eagles), Hakeem Nicks (Giants), Sammie Strougther (Bucs), Mike Thomas (Jags), and Mike Wallace (Steelers).

All of these guys have looked better then DHB this season, even our fourth-round pick Louis Murphy has been doing better then DHB.

Next, you take a look at our offensive line. The Raiders O Line sucks I don't care what anyone has to say about this. We only have two good linemen on our whole roster and that would be Mario Henderson and Robert Gallery.

The rest of those guys I would cut and get some guys in here who can pass/run block better. We have no depth on our O Line, teams put so much pressure on our QBs it's not even funny. It's a damn joke. Bring back Mo Collins!

As for JaMarcus Russell, this guy just doesn't get it. He makes the most money on the team, he should be our best player and the leader of the Oakland Raiders, but he doesn't put in the work to get the results and it shows on the field.

Russell isn't in shape, he makes bad reads, and can't hit open receivers. I'm at the point now were I don't even want to see him on the field, I rather go with Bruce or Fyre than see Russell come out there and do nothing.

Tom Cable should bench Russell. Not in the middle of the game, but in the middle of the week this Wednesday. Let Bruce get all the reps with the first team and play this Sunday at home against the Bengals.

The Raiders are 2-7. In the two wins we had this season (Kansas City and Philadelphia), Russell was bad. If anything, it was fluke that we won those games.

How many times will it take to get beat before you change your mind on him. Watch Russell play, then go watch Drew Brees, Peyton Manning, Carson Palmer, Matt Ryan, Brett Favre, Mark Sanchez, Tony Romo, etc.

You can pick any QB in the NFL and they are better than Russell.

So let's do a quick recap.

Worst rookie WR in the draft this season—Darrius Heyward-Bey.

Worst O Line in the NFL—Oakland.

Worst starting NFL QB—JarMarcus Russell.

Now onto Darren Mcfadden, in college he was a beast, in Madden 2010 he is great, but in real life NFL games he isn't a factor at all.

Mcfadden has been hurt, and when he does play, the Raiders never give him the ball. Also in the 2008 draft, Jonathan Stewart (Panthers), Rashard Mendenhall (Steelers), Chris Johnson (Titans), Ray Rice (Ravens), Kevin Smith (Lions), Jamaal Charles (Chiefs), Steve Slaton (Texans), Tim Hightower (Cardinals).

All of these guys listed above have produced more than Mcfadden has, and Darren was the fourth overall pick that year.

Heyward-Bey, Mcfadden, and Russell are all locked up with massive contracts, yet none of them seem to be great players. Not even average to say the best.

Justin Fargas, Michael Bush, and Zach Miller all play hard, but together as a unit our offense sucks, there is no need for stats and all these numbers for proof, I've seen it with my own eyes and hear the BOOOOOOOO's every home game.

Another thing to question is the coaching and play calling. Tom Cable's excuses are weak. Either the team is ready to battle or there going to get beat.

This team isn't ready each week, the coach must have his team ready, if he can't do that then Cable needs to be fired and we need to get a coach that knows how to run a successful NFL offense. Let that coach draft and groom his own QB.

JaMarcus needs a major paycut and needs to take a seat on the bench, we're not going to sit here for another two or three years while JarMarcus can't even get 100 passing yards in a single game.

Russell only has two TDs on the season and nine INTs. Two TDs in nine games? You can't be serious, there are QB's around the NFL who get two TDs in one game on a regular basis. This fool's passer rating is 47.2 percent.

The lone bright spot on this Raiders team is the defense and special teams, however the offense is so bad, that it brings the whole team down.

I'm so tired of spending money only to see the Raiders get a beat down, all the Raiders fans walking onto BART all mad and upset, shit gets old.

With everyone in black, It feels like a bunch zombies walking into the tunnel because how packed BART gets after games.

I'm just trying to figure out when will the Oakland Raiders return to greatness and get a solid offense that can move the ball, get first downs, and score points like regular NFL teams.

Right now, our offense sucks.

Read more Oakland Raiders news on BleacherReport.com

Raiderhed Keeps The Mood Fun In Oakland

Al's Wingman — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 03:42:16 -0500

With just about everything we’re hearing about the Oakland Raiders being bad news these days, there is actually a little bit of fun going on locally.

If you are old enough to get into a bar, enjoy consuming awesome bar food and commiserating with fellow Raider fans, then catching Raiderhed is a must. Raiderhed plays every Saturday night prior to Raider home games at Ricky’s in San Leandro, Calif.

If you have never been to Ricky’s, at all then it’s questionable you have lived the full Raiders experience. It’s all about atmosphere.

Lots of Bay Area bars support the Raiders but few truly represent the culture of the fans as Ricky’s has over the years.

Win or lose, you can always count on good times at Ricky’s, where you can talk Raiders all day and night, regardless of opinion and differences.

It’s where the fans come since the Internet just doesn’t hold up as meaningful enough.

Raiderhed also plays at the south end of the Oakland Coliseum parking lot on home game days. Tailgating at the Coliseum can be confusing to navigate so it’s best to plan ahead if you actually expect to find the south section of the lot.

They’re not the greatest band you’ve ever heard. To be perfectly honest, they are not even a good band but they don’t need to be.

Raiderhed is just good fun with their original lyrics sung (badly) over well known tunes such as Ozzy Osbourne’s Crazy Train among many others.

My personal favorite is "Cleveland Sucks" (as if Browns fans need to be reminded of that) sung to the tune of Ian Hunter's "Cleveland Rocks".

You’ll just have to check them out yourself with a net search. Here are some youtube links to get you started

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VH-RuEtlbVg (I Wanna Win)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ZVCgv5ruck (I'm a Raiders Fan)

Read more Oakland Raiders news on BleacherReport.com

Oakland Raiders: Are Performance-Enhancing Mouthguards the Answer?

Damali Binta YAEL — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 20:52:51 -0500

Did you say that the performance of the Oakland Raiders needs to be enhanced? Are other teams competing against the Raiders already using those high-tech mouthguards?

An article in USA Today claims that performance can be enhanced by having a dentist design a mouthguard that improves an athlete's bite. The articles states:

"A neuromuscular dentist tries to find the optimal bite based on where the muscles are most relaxed. If the bite is out of alignment, a neuromuscular dentist can run test and design a mouthguard to protect and correct the bite."

Now just suppose our opponents already have made use of the scientific and technological development for optimizing bite alignment.

With these developments, is it possible that the playing field is not level after all? Does the team with the best dentist win?

One NFL lineman, Derrick Dockery, is on record as claiming that his performance was better with his mouthpiece.

The Raiders should recommend that all of their guys get that technologically designed mouth guard so their performance might be enhanced.

I am a firm believer that a team should do whatever it takes to get on a winning streak. So when it comes to a new-fangled mouthpiece, I say try it!

JaMarcus Russell seems like he has lost his stamina. Is it possible that his jaw is not aligned properly?

I know you think I am being funny, but I am serious. He needs a high-tech check up because his performance is not optimal.

In fact, the whole Oakland Raiders team needs to go see a neuromuscular dentist, this week, before more fans loose hope.

Something is wrong with this team, and the problem needs to be diagnosed as soon as possible.

Read more Oakland Raiders news on BleacherReport.com

Meet Marc Trestman: Next Head Coach of the Oakland Raiders

Tony from NB — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 10:59:24 -0500

It’s inevitable, a coaching change will occur in Oakland, probably at the end of this regular season. Tom Cable couldn’t improve on the final two wins of the 2008 NFL season, partly because of the personnel on the field, but also due to his abilities as a coach, or inabilities. Cable’s high-profile legal issues are well documented and that certainly plays a part in his eventual dismissal.

If Al Davis remains in charge of football operations he should consider a “professional” coach who has a history with the Raiders, Marc Trestman.

Trestman is currently the 53 year old head coach of the Canadian Football League’s, Montreal Alouettes. He had the Alouettes (Als) in the Grey Cup (league championship) in his first season (’08) and now has them poised to return, with a CFLs best record, 13-2.

The Als should win it all this season, and Trestman is responsible for the high octane offensive that the Als have displayed in the last two seasons.

So why Trestman?

Well, he’s smart (a law degree), articulate, and has a terrific football pedigree and above all, Al Davis knows who he is.

Therefore, who is Marc Trestman?

Trestman entered football coaching at the University of Miami in 1981 as a volunteer coach while getting his law degree. In 1983 he was named quarterbacks coach. That same year, quarterback Bernie Kosar passed for 2,329 yards and Miami won the national championship. The next year, Kosar completed 262 passes for 3,642 yards, both school records.

Trestman then moved to the NFL and coached the running backs with the Minnesota Vikings in 1985 and 1986, Bud Grant introduced him to the NFL. He became Quarterbacks coach with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 1987 then held the same position with the Cleveland Browns in 1988.

In Cleveland, he again coached Kosar and the team finished 10-6 and made the playoffs (Yes, the Browns). He was promoted to offensive coordinator in 1989. That year Kosar passed for 3,533 yards and 18 TDs, wide receiver Webster Slaughter had a franchise record 1,236 receiving yards, and the Browns made it to the AFC Championship game (yes, the Browns).

In 1990, Trestman returned to Minnesota as quarterbacks coach for the Vikings. He spent two years there and then left coaching for three years. He returned to the NFL in 1995 as quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator with San Francisco, where he served in that capacity through 1996.

49er's coach George Seifert made Trestman learn the "West Coast" offensive. The first year he was there, the 49ers led the NFL with 457 points scored, 644 pass attempts and 4,779 passing yards (Steve Young likes him, too).

Trestman moved to the Detroit Lions as quarterbacks coach in 1997. That year Lion's quarterback Scott Mitchell passed for 3,484 yards, second most in team history (yes, the Lions).

In 1998 he was with the Arizona Cardinals as quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator. That year quarterback Jake Plummer threw for 3,737 yards, and the Cardinals made the playoffs for the first time since 1982 and won their first post season game in 51 years (way before Fitzgerald and company).

Trestman next went to the Oakland Raiders in 2001 as Rich Gannon’s quarterbacks coach. In 2002 he was promoted to offensive coordinator and the Raiders led the NFL in total offense with 389.8 yards per game and passing yards with 279.7 per game (the last time they did that).

That same Raider team made it to the Super Bowl but lost to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Rich Gannon gave much credit to Trestman for his MVP Season (take a look at the photo inscription from Gannon to Trestman).

Trestman spent the 2004 season with the Miami Dolphins and in 2005 he returned to college football as the North Carolina State Wolfpack offensive coordinator.

Trestman was named head coach of the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League in December of 2007. The Als narrowly lost 22-14 to the Calgary Stampeders in the 2008 Grey Cup championship game, that should change this year.

Marc Trestman is an offensive minded coach above all else, with an understanding of the running game, deep ball, and west-coast style. Therefore, he is ready for the NFL of the 21st Century.

Trestman did interview with the Raiders for the Offensive Coordinator position in January of 2009, so Al Davis is well aware of Marc’s body of work after he left the Raiders in 2003.

Why hasn’t Trestman been given a head coaching position in the NFL?

I say perception, he doesn’t look like a NFL head coach, which is sad. He’s also been the victim of complete staff dismissals.

Any former coaching comparisons?

Well, if your looking for a comparison, look no further than Marv Levy. Sure, there are many differences between the NFL and CFL, but I'm a firm believer that the qualities to lead, communicate and getting your players to believe are the same whether there are three downs or four, whether there are 11 or 12 men on the field. Marv Levy understood that, and he was one of the most successful NFL head coaches of all time, and he came from the CFL.

He led those same Montreal Alouettes to two championships (’74 & ’77). As a former Montrealer, I fondly remember the 1977 Grey Cup on the frozen turf of the Olympic Stadium, with a record crowd of over 63 thousand.

Both Trestman and Levy are certainly not flashy, but right now the Raiders need a different kind of coach, a smart one and a winning one.

Read more Oakland Raiders news on BleacherReport.com

Oakland Raiders: When Things Are Going Right, Not Wrong

Damali Binta YAEL — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 08:47:14 -0500

I know it is hard to keep cheering a team to victory when there are losses, back to back. But, we have got to keep cheering, hoping, and pulling for our team.

Sometimes we look for signs of progress. Surely, you see some type of progress? Don't you?

When I see some of the guys who I believe really love the team, write about their disgust at the recent performance, it is heartbreaking.

I think of it as I think of dealing with troubled children or persons with addictions. You work with them. They fall down, we pick them up. Again, they fall down and we pick them up, again.

The cycle seems to go on and on. If we give up during that cycle, we will never break the cycle.

So, no matter how difficult it is right now, don't give up.

I have the dual mission of pulling for the current team, while planning to impact the lives of some of the senior players who need someone to cheer them forward during their senior years.

I have a testimony to share. Yes, I am starting plans for a Center in the Golden Triangle. Before I boarded the plane to Washington, D.C., I actually thought it would be a good thing to meet a politician, say, a Congressman to help me get the project developed. I am in Virginia today, writing this in the Westin Hotel before one of my final meetings.

The government purchased my ticket for this trip as a consultant to an educational agency. They even selected the seat on the plane, 5F.

The two people on the seat with me on Nov. 15, were very polite and were reading books. My intuition said that one of them was an elected official.

When we landed in Washington, I got up enough nerve to ask the tall man if he was an elected official, and he was. I smiled and I asked for his business card.

Well, again, I am experiencing people in the right place at the right time. Here is what I wrote to the United States Senator:

Dear Damali Binta Yael,

Thank you for contacting my offices. Your correspondence has been received, and we will respond to you as quickly as possible. A copy of your message is attached below for your records.

If you need immediate assistance regarding an urgent problem you are experiencing with the federal government, visit the "Help With Federal Agencies" section of the website for details on how to proceed so that your difficulties are brought to my attention as soon as possible.

If you are seeking information or services from my offices that are NOT related to my Legislative duties, please visit my "Services For Texans" section for more information.

Warmest Regards,
U.S. Senator

---------------------------------------------------

Your Message:

I had the pleasure of sitting in a row with you, today, on Continental Airlines. I could tell from your countenance that you were an elected official.

I purchased a lot in Beaumont, Texas, and I have plans of building a home/center there to benefit a retired NFL player who has had many ups and downs in his life.

I am writing a proposal for this project, and I feel like it is destiny to have a chance to meet a U.S. Senator so near to the date of the purchase of the land. I purchased the lot on Nov. 3, Election Day.

I attended college with this gentleman. He is a recovering alcoholic, and he attended college with me more than 40 years ago. I seek your advisement.

Completion of this project in his honor and in the honor of others like him who have had their bouts with living on the streets, will not only bless the ones of us who share our contacts and expertise with them, but it will bless us for having compassion for others who have not negotiated the opportunities in America as successfully as we have.

I do not believe in luck. I believe it was God's will that I had the opportunity to sit in 5F, and to have the discernment that you were an elected official. I am in Washington, DC reading proposals for a government agency. Thank you for your time.

If I had given up, I would not have a good report today. I am meeting people who will advise me on this great project. I did not give up, and things are moving forward.

Finally, I am sharing this example because I believe we can not give up on the Oakland Raiders. Hang in there. It's going to get better, even though it looks dark and dim, the sunlight is going to come through.

I see a gleam of dawn. Do you?

Read more Oakland Raiders news on BleacherReport.com

Foolish Thoughts: Turner, Benson, Brown, Westbrook Struck by Fantasy Jinx

Jacob Sloan — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 03:03:34 -0500

It’s all your fault, you know. Yes, you, the one who pointed out how few injuries had struck fantasy owners thus far this season. You’re the reason we lost Cedric Benson, Ronnie Brown , Michael Turner , Julius Jones , and Brian Westbrook (again).

You jinxed three of the top backs in fantasy…and Julius Jones just happened to go down the same week.

I would say you cost us Kyle Orton, too, but it seems he won’t even miss a game despite his ankle injury. His neckbeard can take a twist of the ankle and a crushing in stride. There’s something else that Orton and cockroaches have in common.

It’s hard to say who got it the worst. Westbrook owners have been dealing with this all season. Much like Jon and Kate of “plus eight” fame, no one expected this to last all season.

Benson owners got a bargain rate on him to begin with in the draft this year, which makes it hard for me to feel sorry for them. Give your fantasy gift-workhorse a breather. Stop being so needy.

While “Wildcatting” his way into the fantasy hearts of fantasy owners, Brown still shared carries this season with Ricky Williams. Owners could have locked Brown up as a second running back in the draft and might have even stashed Ricky Williams as a precautionary measure.

You may be in a bit of hot water if you were relying on Brown at this point in the season, but I’d expect you to have a backup plan.

Julius Jones ? Well, is anyone missing him?

Is that crickets I hear?

Maybe it was a blessing in disguise that Jones got injured. I wish the guy the best, but now we can all get a serious look at Justin Forsett, and that’s all we really wanted out of Seattle this season anyway.

But Turner owners, poor Turner owners, you just lost your first round pick. A high ankle sprain is no tiny injury, and it could be several weeks before Turner gets back on the field.

Sure, maybe you wore a tin foil hat all season and picked up Jason Snelling to hedge your bets, but if not, you’re probably looking for a solid replacement this week. Good luck to you.

For the savvy few who stocked up on young backs poised to break out at some point this year…and who stuck out the weeks upon weeks where they did next to nothing this season, this week also marked the emergence of several young backs that owners had been stockpiling all season.

Was Sunday some special holiday or rebirth and renewal? No, I’ll stick with the jinx hypothesis.

Jamaal Charles —Nice of you to finally come to the party. I only had to pick you as a solid start for two weeks in a row . I know 103 rushing yards, a touchdown, and four receptions for 14 receiving yards may come easy against the Raiders, but I’m looking forward to how this carries into next week. If you become reliable, I might even start you in the fantasy playoffs against Buffalo and Cleveland.

Beanie Wells —That’s the kind of game we’ve expected from you all season, scoring twice and looking like a real champ. You even got some work in the passing game. Are Tim Hightower’s days numbered? I’m not so sure. But I do know you are getting your fair share of the work from here on out. That’s promising.

Justin Forsett —In Julius Jones absence, you racked up 123 yards, a touchdown, and five receptions for 26 yards. I love surprises, but it sure would have been nice to know you were going to take over this week.

And just because the Raiders have to screw fantasy owners that find themselves relying on them when it matters most, it was Michael Bush, not Darren McFadden, running for more than 100 yards against the Chiefs. Oh, Al Davis, so old-persony cute and so very evil.

It may be frustratingly impossible to predict who gets the bulk of the Raiders’ running game now that all three are back in the fold. Most weeks, you shouldn’t touch them. Same rule applies to Al Davis.

I know the hot story out there is that Maurice Jones-Drew took a knee at the end of the game rather than running it into the end zone. Some fantasy owners may be furious, but as a MJD owner and supporter, I’m not.

The guy already gave you a touchdown and over 100 yards. I think we can let him off the hook just this once for not getting two scores in a crucial time management situation. We should just be glad he’s not Michael Turner . If you owned him, you’d be much more angry.

Now back to watching the Browns circle the toilet bowl. I keep expecting their offense to take the field at some point, but it doesn’t seem like they have one. Just tragic.

Read more Oakland Raiders news on BleacherReport.com

The End Approches for JaMarcus Russell In Oakland

Colin Mehigan — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 18:46:12 -0500

We can now assume that the JaMarcus Russell era is over with the Oakland Raiders.

Whether he starts next week’s game against Cincinnati is irrelevant. The fact that Tom Cable is now considering benching Russell in favor of Bruce Gradkowski as the starting quarterback means the former LSU player has reached his point of no return with the Raiders.

Bruce Gradkowski may or may not be the answer (probably the latter) but the Raiders need to move on from JaMarcus Russell. Russell’s deficiencies are well-documented, and it has surely been the pride and embarrassment of Al Davis that has prevented the Raiders from turning the page at the quarterback position.

The only future JaMarcus Russell has with the Raiders (and possibly the NFL) is to accept a drastic pay cut and the role of a back-up for the 2010 season. Meanwhile the Raiders will have to consider their future options.

Do they draft a quarterback or sign an expensive free agent? Neither option is very appealing.

Oakland has a dismal record drafting quarterbacks (Todd Marinovich, Andrew Walter and Marques Tuiasosopo spring to mind, as well as the forlorn Russell). Meanwhile the 2010 free agency quarterback pool looks very shallow indeed with Jason Campbell and David Carr leading the charge for free-agent mega-money. Rich Gannon and Jim Plunkett they are not. Indeed Marc Wilson and Jay Schreoder they are not.

The only hope for the Raiders is that they discover a hidden gem in the lower rounds of the draft with a Tony Romo or a Matt Cassell-type selection.

The best way to achieve the above is to have an extensive scouting system with a Director of Personnel monitoring the move of every feasible collegiate quarterback. Al Davis in front of a 50-inch plasma watching tapes of College Gameday in between episodes of Mad Men while drinking chamomile tea will no longer suffice.

While the disheartening efforts of the Raiders continue at an inexorable pace, I may need some of that tea for myself mixed with something a bit stronger to get me through the rest of this most miserable of seasons.

Read more Oakland Raiders news on BleacherReport.com

Oakland Raiders: And the Beat Goes On

Brandon Baytops — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 15:48:14 -0500

JaMarcus gets benched again. Our coach has an anger issue. And the stadium resembled a rainforest with all the green seats yesterday...

We lost to a team that's clueless, but at least made the effort.

The torture that was yesterday, which is just a spitting image of what we Raider faithful have gotten used to, is sad. I've seen teams struggle like us over the past seven years. The thing that stands out the most to me is our bewilderment and lack of effort.

I, like many, was a high school jock. I played basketball, AAU, baseball (rode the bench), and ran track. I was so "great" that I even took the track part of that to college at a Division II school.

I won't say that I understand what it takes to make it to any professional level sport in this world, but I always did my best to prepare.

However, watching these Raiders, like the Raiders of the past years, we just seem confused.

I often think what the team's practices are like. I drift off wondering if they really care about being productive or if they watch film.

I would love a Super Bowl contender every year. Even just a great QB and head coach combo would be great. I'm not hard to please. I don't believe most of us are. I would like a team that looks like they take the time to prepare and play hard.

All the while, the losses continue to mount.

We are at the point in the season where we are now fighting for position atop the bottom heap of the league, vying for the first pick in the 2010 draft, which we won't have because we traded for Richard Seymour.

The players will keep coming and going and the coaching staffs will continue to be hand-selected.

Some would say at this point that the players are the ones that are out there, but there is no vehicle that works with only one wheel.

The problem started at the top and has continued down to the people who wear the headsets and the guys who wear the helmets.

I get upset when I hear players like Warren Sapp talk about the Raider experience he had in such a negative light, but the fact that it's understandable is what frustrates me the most. This may be my most scatterbrained piece yet. I'm in a whirlwind of embarrassment and frustration.

As the quote goes, "If you love something, let it go. If it comes back, it was meant to be."

Let us go, Al, and when we come back (as a winner), you will see that you should've left us a long time ago.

Until then, the beat will go on.

Read more Oakland Raiders news on BleacherReport.com

2009 Oakland Raiders: A Comedy Of Errors

Rick Richardson — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 13:47:01 -0500

The more appropriate title of this article should have been “Things Go ‘Heyward’ By the Bay”.

I tease because I love...I laugh to keep from crying.

As the current edition of Raider’s football continues to carve out their own interpretation of “the mystique”, and in the meantime trash all of my childhood memories of this once proud franchise, I look for ways to cope.

They say laughter is the best medicine. Well that and penicillin, but since this is over the counter medicine, and penicillin has no effect on the current virus that has tormented the Raiders; I present to you my small dose of medicine during these tumultuous times.

Here are the top ways to tell if the Raiders are going to have another dismal season.

* After another dismal showing young JaMarcus is surrounded by teammates Gerrard Warren, Darren McFadden, and Javon Walker, like the cool kid who was just wronged by the teacher. Even if the cool kid was in the wrong for throwing spitballs in class. He shouldn’t be in trouble.

After all those spit balls sailed harmlessly over everyone’s head.

P.S. I didn’t see Richard Seymour or Greg Ellis massaging his ego and whispering sweet nothings in his ear.

* When your team's quarterbacking future utters the quote after being pulled from the game, “things were going okay”. This after posting stats that read 8 of 23 for 64 yards. Talk about your coke bottle thick, rose colored glasses.

Those stats would make a high school quarterback worry about his impending relocation to the bench.

* When your most recent multi-million dollar mistake does his best double-fisted impression of “wax on, wax off” while attempting to catch a pass during the teams final drive to glory.

I mean granted, Bruce Gradtkowski viciously attacked Heyward-Bey with a surprisingly accurate pass. Something he wasn't accustomed to seeing from Russell. But hey if you are going to fight a football don’t let it get the best of you. In this display of “fight or flight”, DHB should have used his speed to run away, thus avoiding the shame of a pigskin beat down.

* Speaking of Heyward-Bey. He was observed defending himself Dwight Schrute style during a recent encounter with the jugs machine. Although a few of the hurled footballs did penetrate his defenses, striking him in the chest. This is not a problem since this is his technique of choice when dueling with ... err ...catching a football.

Side note to Al. The next time you want to draft a receiver number seven overall, at the very least have someone from the scouting department sneak up on him and toss him a football. Heck a nerf ball or even a rolled up sock will do. And if he bats at it like a swarm of bees is assaulting him, draft a lineman.

* If there is an officiating crew that works for the NFL anywhere near the stadium.

Talk about kicking a team in the Al when they are down.

When Trevor Scott was pulling a Chief lineman along like a speedboat would a water skier, you would have thought that the line judge would have known that the number 91 on Scott’s jersey was not supposed to elongate to his socks.

It was hard to tell if the Chief lineman was hanging on to keep his running back from being drilled in the backfield, or if he was just afraid to let go because he was being dragged so fast.

Then again, maybe the official was contemplating an illegal equipment violation by Scott, and became distracted. The official should have thrown it, because Head of NFL officiating Mike Pereira would have backed him up. It could have been called the "un-tucked rule".

And last but not least:

* You wish JaMarcus Russell could be more like Vince Young.

Read more Oakland Raiders news on BleacherReport.com

Oakland Raiders Disappoint Again : Quick Hits From Week 10

Justin Smith — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 12:22:30 -0500

The Raider Nation had one last bastion of optimism heading into yesterday's game against the Kansas City Chiefs. Coming off a bye in which they apparently practiced hard and rejuvenated themselves, the team was also getting back four starters on a beleaguered offense. Russell was coming in early, working harder.

Chaz Schilens would be back and open up the passing game and give Russell a reliable wide receiver he so desperately needs. McFadden was rested, healthy, and ready to rip the Chiefs apart as he did last season.

Players were ready to stomp the Chiefs, talking running the table, and enthused about their prospects in the second half. The Raider Nation, desperate for anything positive, bought into it hook, line & sinker.

And here we sit, 2-7, blowing a great early start against a mediocre team and left wondering what positive there is left to say about this team. I haven't been writing much the last couple of weeks because I'm tired of having nothing good to say, and being given no material to work with by this "team."

Here are some quick thoughts from yesterday and how they apply to the big picture:

- Chaz Schilens' return was not the savior of the Raiders offense, and it was honestly unrealistic and a little unfair to Chaz to expect him to fix everything by showing up. He made his presence felt early, catching a quick five yarder from Russell in the first quarter, but didn't show up again until Russell had been benched and Gradkowski was in.

He finished with two catches and didn't open the field up like we thought he would. He's a great player and finding his legs, and he'll continue to impress as the season goes on, but it was too much to expect so much from him.

- However, Heyward-Bey getting twice the amount of offensive reps as Chaz is simply ludicrous. Heyward-Bey had the potential to have his best game as a Raider, but dropped two key passes, including the last play of the game which nullified a chance for a Raider victory.

On two different occasions I saw Bey jump for balls he didn't need to jump for, and both were drops. That last play, he could've reached up and caught it with his hands, and instead he jumped unnecessarily and tried to body-catch the ball.

The result was a perfectly thrown pass ricocheting off his chest and into the hands of the Chiefs' Mike Brown, who fell to the ground and ended the game. The fact that Bey immediately crumpled to the ground and was inconsolable was little comfort to Raider fans.

- Louis Murphy has drop issues as well. The fact that these guys don't fight for the ball, body catch everything, and can't get open despite lightning speed has me seriously, seriously questioning why we'd get rid of James Lofton, and just what the hell Sanjay Lal is doing as receivers coach.

For these guys to show absolutely no improvement in fundamentals more than halfway through a season is inexcusable.

- Tom Cable, when the run game is working, why, oh WHY force the pass? I understand you can't run all the time, you need versatility. I get that. But mix it up. Don't always run, or always pass. Run sometimes, pass sometimes. Honestly, if the passing game isn't working, run it more often.

I just do not get why Cable continually goes away from the run even when it's working. And why he doesn't get McFadden to the outside. And why Michael Bush was taken out of the game. And why we don't use our speed on more reverses and trick plays. The latter I understand to a degree: this team cannot execute a normal offensive play properly, so throwing trickery into the mix probably isn't feasible.

- I'm now out of the "start him until he gets it" Russell camp. He's not getting it, and he doesn't care. The commentators in the game yesterday, Gus Johnson in particular, made the point about Russell's body language and how he simply didn't seem to care about anything.

There's one thing in being cool and collected, and one thing in being aloof. This guy is so far beyond aloof that if his teammates all walked off the field in protest of his play, he'd just shrug his shoulders and put his fur coat on and go spend some money. Because it's obviously someone else's fault, so why should he worry?

- I'm not usually one to get on the referees, and the Raiders were somewhat undisciplined yesterday, but the discrepancy in penalties called was huge.

There were a couple of occasions in which Raider receivers were interfered with an it wasn't called, Raider linemen were held all day with no calls (Seymour and Shaughnessy in particular) and every time a Raider sneezed a flag was thrown. We beat ourselves yesterday, of that there is no doubt, but we got a hefty push from Mike Carey and his crew.

- I'm very sad today. The season now means nothing but a draft choice, and we just lost to the Chiefs at home. I'm having a very hard time finding anything positive to say about the offense of this team.

- The defense, however, played a great game and deserved a hell of a lot better than what they got from the offense. The Chiefs were handed short fields, and the Raiders twice held them to field goals. Despite the offensive ineptitude, the defense had this team with a chance to win at the final possession. You cannot ask for anything more, other than some pressure.

- Seriously, the Chiefs O-line is horrid, and yet we couldn't generate any pressure? What up with that? When we blitzed on occasion, it worked. What happened to the D-Line wreaking havoc on QB's? That's gotta come back in a big way.

- Shane Lechler is the best punter I've ever personally seen, and a lot of people seem to think he's the best all-time. His performance, coupled with the defense, kept us in the game yesterday.

- After dropping a game we should've won yesterday, I realistically see only two more wins on the horizon, meaning another 4-12 season. At this point there is little to get excited about.

Perhaps if I saw some promise or potential with our young players, I would be excited to see them progress. But honestly, McFadden is approaching bust status (and isn't now, nor has he ever been, used properly by the coaching staff), Russell doesn't have a clue, DHB can't catch a cold, Louis Murphy thinks he's better than he is, and this offense is in shambles.

A great core of players and talent if they can ever figure out how to play in the NFL. Perhaps it's years of disappointment, but I'm just not that optimistic anymore.

- However, if they CAN get their heads to match their talent, it'll be a core for years to come

- How a team with Michael Bush, Justin Fargas, Darren McFadden, and Zach Miller can fail to score week in and week out is baffling: until you look behind center. Russell is probably upset about being benched, and probably doesn't feel it was deserved. Wake up call, big guy: you aren't getting it done, and you never have. You've earned nothing. If Gradkowski played the entire game, I have no doubt we would've won.

- Cable needs to go and needs to go now. I already made the point in my last article that we get blown out by embarrassing margins more often than we win under Cable, and now this disgusting statistic from Jerry McDonalds blog: in 21 games coached by Cable, the Raiders have scored one or less touchdowns in 16 of them.

That means we have failed to score more than one TD in 75 percent of Cable's games as HC. Wow. Allegations of abuse and whatever other off-field garbage aside, Cable is a terrible head coach that obviously knows nothing about play-calling or offense.

- While were at it, the personnel decisions continue to baffle. Why de-activate Khalif Barnes, who started the last two games at RT, yet activate Langston Walker?

- Why even have Javon Walker on the roster at all? There is NO way that he's a worse WR than Heyward-Bey or Murphy, or Watkins, yet the guy gets no love. Cut him loose already, money be damned.

- This team is going to pack it in now. Seen it too many times, and if they don't, at 2-7 with nothing left to play for, I will be extremely pleasantly surprised. I hope I'm extremely pleasantly surprised and we win our last seven games. But with the Bengals, Ravens, Broncos, and Cowboys on the schedule that's not bloody likely.

Author's Note: I have edited the zero touchdown rant to the more accurate one or zero touchdowns. I apologize for the misinformation; I was quite upset yesterday.

Read more Oakland Raiders news on BleacherReport.com

Will the JaMarcus Russell Benching Be Permanent?

Wayne Makela — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 00:47:32 -0500

Oakland Raiders head coach Tom Cable pulled starting quarterback JaMarcus Russell near the end of Oakland's 16-10 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, as the former No. 1 pick was atrocious all day long, completing just nine of 24 passes for a mere 67 yards.

So, does this mark the end of the Russell era ?

God, we hope so .

Russell has been absolutely anemic all season long, throwing just two touchdowns to nine interceptions, while struggling to throw for just 1,000 yards through nine games.

The Raiders are just 2-7 with their "franchise" quarterback, but despite the first rounder invested in him three years ago, or owner Al Davis's love for his size and arm strength, his overall play (and most recent play) suggests that he's neither the answer for the 2009 season nor deserving of any more chances for the future.

The only problem is, the only serviceable quarterback on the roster, Bruce Gradkowski, isn't exactly an upgrade, and the Raiders aren't doing themselves any favors by switching from one bad passer to the next.

While there are several reasons that explain the Raiders' lack of success in 2009, one look at Russell's completion percentage in each contest says it all: just five games with more than 50 percent of his passes completed, and only three over 60.

It's become apparent that the old adage "nowhere but up" does not ring true with Russell, as it actually appears that he has gotten worse and worse as the season has gone on.

A statement from Cable is expected to be made sometime this week in regards to the direction the team is headed at quarterback after he refused to commit to Russell following Sunday's game.

For more breaking NFL news and fantasy advice, go to NFLSoup.com

Read more Oakland Raiders news on BleacherReport.com

Have the Oakland Raiders Forgotten About Darren McFadden?

Nick Mordowanec — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 22:08:15 -0500

Earlier in the NFL season I wrote a piece about how JaMarcus Russell will end up as one of the biggest busts in history, and some readers maligned me for it. Everybody has their own opinion, and Russell’s performance thus far has only been in my favor (the guy was benched against the Chiefs today...yes, the Chiefs ).

But now I want to look at another Oakland Raider who has fallen on hard times: Darren McFadden. And before I get into it, I want to reiterate that I am not a Raider hater or am not picking on Oakland players. This article just came to me as I was watching the game today.

Anyway, back to McFadden. Remember how great the guy was at Arkansas? He had a lean body with great speed and unheralded strength. And while many forget his fellow running back was the Dallas Cowboys’ Felix Jones, he was the star of the team and an obvious Heisman Trophy finalist.

McFadden did not win the Heisman after the 2006 and 2007 seasons (he was a runner-up both years), but he was acknowledged as the nation’s top college football player in 2007. He also received plenty of attention from NFL scouts and numerous teams when he declared for the draft, and it was all warranted. You don’t get drafted fourth overall if you are a complete hack.

The guy was a beast, plain and simple. And he still is.

But playing in an ever-changing Raiders offense and splitting carries with Michael Bush and Justin Fargas has had an impact on McFadden’s contributions-not to mention missing a significant chunk of games due to injury.

This begs the question: will McFadden ever be the featured tailback in Oakland? Can he remain healthy long enough to assume the role? Will he be a Raider for life?

It may be considered premature to ask such questions in McFadden’s second season, but most of us realize the different shelf-life of running backs as compared to other offensive positions. One day you could be the starter, the next you are holding the clipboard or being released.

Look at Larry Johnson. He came off a 1700-yard plus season in 2007 and was on the verge of surpassing Priest Holmes for the Chiefs’ all-time rushing mark, but he has gotten a couple years older and seems to have lost some of his burst. Alas, he made some stupid mistakes recently which have impacted his career in a negative way, but if a guy can play in the NFL then many teams will grab him.

McFadden so far has not made any gay slurs or ridiculed his coach in his short career. He has, however, been utilized in a less-than-stellar fashion. His injuries have given players like Bush and Fargas more time to prove their worth, and they have delivered.

Look at today’s game against Kansas City. Russell gets yanked for Bruce Gradkowski, and McFadden only receives four carries for a measly 11 yards. At the same time, Bush and Fargas had a combined 24 carries for 160 yards—119 yards by Bush alone.

Maybe Bush was showing the most promise on this given Sunday, but giving only four carries to an athlete like McFadden makes me scratch my head. If he is healthy he should be more involved, and if he is hurt there should be no risk of injuring him even more.

All I know is that the Raiders really need to look in a mirror in the off-season and ask themselves how they can better their most skilled offensive players, especially Russell, McFadden, and Bush. If they waste any more time, they are equally wasting away precious years on McFadden’s career.

Read more Oakland Raiders news on BleacherReport.com

The Oakland Raiders Are Soft

Sonny — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 19:56:45 -0500

The Oakland Raiders could not beat a team in which every QB to face them over the past four or five games burned them in the passing game.

The Oakland Raiders WRs are a joke, causing a couple picks because they do not know how to catch. In the few times that they managed to hold onto the ball, the O Line with the penalties blew the drives.

The Raiders have three No. 1 picks in J-Russ, D-Mac and DHB that look like total busts. I am so tired of listening to Cable every week after being crushed talk about how close they are.

This team is not only not close but as sad as it is to say, the Oakland Raiders over the past seven years, that's right seven years have played some of the worst football that I have ever witnessed.

They make me as a Fan physically ill to watch, as they have become the laughing stock of the NFL. I feel bad for my children that when walking through a Supermarket have to watch and listen to other shoppers rolling around on the floor in laughter as they see the Raiders shirt or cap on my kids.

I am an old time Raider Fan who is tired of the whole mess. Al Davis needs to contact Jon Gruden and Bruce Allen and do what ever it takes including giving Gruden a small stake in the team, to have them step in and bring this joke of a ball club into this century.

To all the fans still on board and telling me to get lost and walk, I say wake up and smell the stench. In seven years of having top picks and after going through a bunch of coaches, this team is still a laughing stock.

The day Davis cut Gruden will go down as one of his biggest blunders of all time, just for the stability factor alone and for the foundation of the team.

Maybe years ago it was 90 percent players and 10 percent coaching, but in today's NFL, it has become a 60/40 split with all the substitutions and match ups.

I will always be a Raider Fan and it looks like I will just have to back off for awhile. If the players do not give two #####, who in the hell am I to have to live this crap for 16 games a year for what will be going on eight years next year.

What a sad, sad day for Raider Nation, a joke of a team with what looks to be no hope in sight. How far Mr. Davis has fallen is just stunning.

I use to believe that "Just Win Baby" crap. As stubborn as Mr. Davis is in making the changes that will really help this team win again, it makes me wonder if ego is more important to the man than his Raiders and winning.

Read more Oakland Raiders news on BleacherReport.com

Home Loss To Chiefs Realistically Ends Oakland Raiders' Season

Bret Armstrong — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 19:55:56 -0500

Oakland blew it hard today. There game against the Chiefs continued a trend that was hard to watch for Raider fans.

Any hope the Raiders had of turning it around in the second half of the season slowly and dreadfully faded into oblivion at home against lowly Kansas City.

Now we can officially declare over any false playoff hopes for Oakland. Their seventh-straight 10-loss season might as well be in the bag now, as well.

In a game that Oakland should've won by at least 14 points, the Raiders failed to score for three straight quarters after starting the game on a roll with a 70-plus-yard touchdown drive set up by a Michael Bush 60-yard ramble that put the Raiders inside the Chiefs 5-yard line.

JaMarcus Russell ended up getting pulled for the second time in the last four games and returning wide receiver Chaz Schilens was very much a non-factor in the loss.

The Raiders put themselves in too many bad situations with penalties. They faltered big time on third-down conversions.

They looked like a pathetic high school football team playing against the Chiefs, and I'm tired of supporting their bad behavior with positive comments.

This is the last straw for a team that had so much potential. They will now join the ranks of the Lions, even in my book. Coming off a bye week to play the Chiefs and lose at home is a pathetic performance.

To be quite honest, I could care less what happens to the team for the rest of the year. There needs to be drastic changes that begin in the front office with the resignation of Al Davis at the end of the year.

For all I care, they could turn over this entire roster, ownership and coaching staff next season and still not be worth their weight.

Sorry B/R world, but I am officially pissed off at the organization. Puh, to even call them organized is a step out of reality.

For a complete game recap: http://fanhuddle.com/oaklandraiders/2009/11/15/99/

Read more Oakland Raiders news on BleacherReport.com

Oakland Raiders: How To Get Better in 2010

Jay Herres — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 19:45:49 -0500

As I watch yet another uninspired Raider effort in an ugly game today, I can't help but wonder—what's the plan for 2010?

Rumormongers are already saying Al Davis wants to fire Cable for cause after the season. It's just not that simple.

With five coaches since 2001, Al clearly can make the firing decision when he feels it's warranted. If he fires another coach, it will be JaMarcus Russell's fifth play caller in three years. Unless the next play caller is Russell's former LSU offensive coordinator, he'll have to learn a new playbook. With $20M-plus guaranteed, his ability to adapt to the new system will cross Al's mind.

If Al is true to form, he may fire Cable, but keep various assistants, such as Ted Tollner, John Marshall, and Paul Hackett. If he does that, then more of the same misery awaits Raider Nation: puppet head coaches, bad dynamics in the staff, and more wasted years.

Cable tried to change the culture, but his chance at success was clearly undercut by the performance of the franchise quarterback. A little success on offense would have made a huge difference in the team and Cable's future. Without more positive momentum, the year becomes another in a series of wasted efforts.

The best answer for the Raiders—has always been and remains—is to bring in a GM and have him pick a coach, enabling Davis to go back to being an owner. There is no strategy for the team and no scheme on offense or defense into which the roster fits.

This change—to a GM and a strategy—must be made unless Al is willing to risk another couple of lost years. At his age, he most likely appreciates each year a little more nowadays.

Right now five Super Bowl coaches are available, with two former Raider coaches among them. Jon Gruden and Mike Shanahan clearly won't come back to Oakland, leaving Bill Cowher, Mike Holmgren, and Jim Fassel as the other three. Cowher and Holmgren may have GM/Coach aspirations, but would Oakland be the right environment for someone to plunge into?

The Raider team is in such bad shape, making it an excellent opportunity for a veteran coach who wants to reaffirm his leadership and reputation. Any success on the field would be a credit to the man roving the sidelines—not in the owner's box. There is some talent, but the talent and the scheme haven't always been in alignment. A coach and GM granted the authority to change that are the best option Davis has right now.

It is highly likely that Davis will take a run at Cowher or Holmgren, but will lose out to a slightly better team. Davis MUST bring in a GM, and let that GM take a run at a younger coach, or even a re-tread with low miles.

The bottom line is that the key ingredient for the Raiders is a "culture change" from the owner's box to the coach's desk to the locker room. The roster has some talent at key positions, but changing everything about the organization—starting at the GM and the coach—is key to any future success.

The Raider Nation will return to the stadium in droves once a winner is put on the field. Even the most stalwart of fans have grown tired of defending the moves the organization has made in recent years. Now is the time for Al to make a defining move, a surprising move, and a necessary move to return the Raiders to greatness. Al needs to change everything, starting with himself.

Read more Oakland Raiders news on BleacherReport.com

Raiders Playing Chiefs for Native American Heritage Month. Why?

Raider Card Addict — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 21:38:20 -0500

Recently two pieces of news regarding the Raiders had come out, concerning the month of November. For one, the Raiders were going to have a celebration event at the home game to be played on Nov. 15.

From the Raiders website, this would be a large-scale event, including broadcasting the game in Navajo, and on-field ceremony honoring Peter MacDonald, who was a Code-Talker during world war II and the Leader of the Navajo Nation.

An entire breakdown of all events scheduled can be found here:

http://www.raiders.com/news/article-1/Raiders-Celebrate-Native-American-Heritage/ab19127a-540b-4875-b2a8-7eb1546b62d5

Now for anyone who has visited the Raiders site, it is through no stretch of the imagination that the Raiders' fanbase does go well beyond normal boundaries.

The Raiders broadcast in different languages, to other countries and have fan bases in every continent, with the exception of Antarctica....haven't seen a penguin with a tattoo yet.

Then earlier this week a column circulated from Inside the Bay Area when a local contributing columnist wrote that the Raiders' choice of opponents was done in bad taste.

This article can be found here: http://www.insidebayarea.com/argus/ci_13763248

Byron Williams, to his credit does have an interesting point. Why hold a celebration for Native American Heritage against a team that is considered derogatory and insensitive to the indigenous people of this land?

They could have just as easily had moved it back a week and held the event against the Bengals, one week later.

Looking at the situation from the team's point of view, the Raiders can look at it this way. The Raiders already have a history of setting forth an example regarding minority players and executives.

We had the first African-American Coach, we had the first Hispanic Coach, in Tom Flores, we had the first female executive in the NFL, with Amy Trask.

Why not make an example of Native American Day and beat up the team that doesn't recognize how offensive it is to others?

Maybe someone in Oakland did contemplate how useful it would be to play the Chiefs on Sunday.

Read more Oakland Raiders news on BleacherReport.com

The Raider Nation: There's Too Many of Them, Captain

Raider Card Addict — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 04:29:13 -0500

One part of being with the Raider Nation is that you have brothers and sisters you never knew about.

Now, before someone starts asking questions at the family picnic, look at it this way.

I consider myself to be a good loyal supporter of the Raiders. I buy when I can, watch games, try to keep the locals faithful, and have a car decorated from the windows to the steering wheel cover.

On a recent trip to pay some bills, I was walking back to the car when someone I didn't know mentioned "they may not be much right now....but they're my team."

This comment can bring a smile to anyone's face, because it highlights two simple truths. They may be bad, but we haven't abandoned this team.

As Raiders fans, we love this team. It hurts when they keep making the same mistakes. We scream like madmen when they win, and want to kick the cat when we lose.

But all in all, "they're my team."

Even this week, with the Raiders at 2-6, the Raiders will be well-represented.

The fans are still out there. Be it wearing a cap, a jacket, or a few logos on the car, thumping down the street. Even now, the fans don't take anything from others, prideful of what the Raiders have...a loyalty that few can match.

Deep down, what makes this fan base loyal is the team. We may hate the owner, we may dislike the QB, and we might argue on who was the better coach, Madden or Flores, it still boils down to the same point. This is our team, for better or for worse.

So when the haters ask the grand question, "How can you follow the Raiders right now?" You can look at them and say it in simple terms.

They're your team...and you have a lot of company.

Read more Oakland Raiders news on BleacherReport.com

Tom Cable: "I Coach The Raiders; I Had To Beat Somebody"

Aaron Liebman — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 23:46:50 -0500

This past summer, Raiders coach Tom Cable faced allegations for assault on a former assistant coach. Apparently he has upgraded now over beating up women, as we've learned he's done in his past.

Maybe the women were just warm up for him to get tough enough to fight a man (even if it's just an Assistant Head Coach.) In light of news of these further assaults, many women's groups are calling for Cable to be disciplined.

Cable recently had these comments regarding the incident. "None of these women understand football", he began saying. "If they did, they'd see that I coach the Raiders and a violent past is necessary to gain employment for Al Davis."

Asked if he had a particular issue with women, he simply responded "I may look big and tough, but deep down I'm small and weak. I tried fighting men my own size, and even some smaller, but realized I was in over my head.

So, I knew if I ever wanted to coach the Raiders, I'd have to start beating up people I knew I could take. I tried children, but they're surprisingly tough. After failing to win fights against cripples, I was left with no other fighting options than women. It was nothing personal. It was all about business, and those particular ones just happened to be there."

Being the Raiders' fifth coach since 2003, Cable admitted he needed a way to standout to his owner. "If Davis every tried to fire me, he might get afraid that I'd make him my next victim. He may not be a woman, but at his age, I think I might be able to take him."

Although Al Davis would not respond to the claim, sources near him say that the idea of Cable taking down Davis is "laughable." One even went as far as to say "Al Davis is not a human being, and thus has no feelings. No punches or any other forms of violence against him could do any damage."

Cable understands that some people will look down at him for his violence against the opposite sex, but counters that he should not be judged until you walk a mile in his shoes. "If you had to coach the Raiders you'd be beating up women too. Although I like my job as coach, especially since I can order people around, dealing with the lack of talent and a quarterback who hits his targets less than I hit mine can take its toll."

When asked about his future in Oakland, Cable laughed. "Who else is going to want to coach this team? Even if I didn't return, many of Al's former coaches have only improved their careers by leaving. Jon Gruden won a Super Bowl. Norv Turner coaches San Diego. And even Lane Kiffin coaches in college football. Perhaps I'll lower my standards and go for a coaching job under Dan Snyder in Washington."

Read more Oakland Raiders news on BleacherReport.com

Former All Star QB Having a Great Year In Oakland

Bret Armstrong — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 20:55:07 -0500

Shane Lechler is on pace to set an NFL record this year for the Oakland Raiders. That's right folks, in another season of turmoil and disappointment, one Oakland Raider is having a great year.

While no one can deny that we love our punter, we are proud to have him, and he is the best in the league, some would argue that the fact he punts 5.75 times per game is too much action for an NFL punter.

Lechler is averaging an NFL record 52.3 yards per punt, with a net of 44.9. Only two punters in NFL history have averaged 50 yards per punt, one was Slingin' Sammie Baugh and the other was Donnie Jones, who averaged 50.0 yards last year.

In his NFL record-setting season, which was only 11 games, Sammie Baugh averaged 51.4 yards per punt on 35 attempts.

Lechler said, "It's funny, you look at those records and you see the numbers and you're like, 'Were their calculations right then? You guys serious? How close were you guys watching this because these numbers are amazing.'"

Lechler does currently hold the career record with a 47.1 yards per average, but is really high on this record, and has looked to take it since his first year in the league. "He was a hell of a player, man," Lechler said. "It kind of reminds you of one of those old Texas high school football players that used to play the whole game."

Lechler has taken the field 46 times in only 92 offensive drives for Oakland's 32nd ranked offense. Lechler currently has 26 punts of more than 50 yards, tied for the league lead in that category.

"Unfortunately, our situation helps him be the best in pro football," Raiders coach Tom Cable said. "What's huge to me is he consistently does it. It's not a game here, a game there. It's every week."

Cable is hoping Lechler can break the record, but at the same time he would like to see him punt fewer times per game. For the Raiders, it says something that they leave enough open field for Lechler to have that kind of average, and what it is saying is that things are not good in Oakland.

See my predictions for KC vs. Oakland: http://fanhuddle.com/oaklandraiders/2009/11/13/all-hands-on-deck-to-try-and-right-oaklands-ship/

Read more Oakland Raiders news on BleacherReport.com

Texas Southern Student Analyzes Oakland Raiders and Kansas City Chiefs Data

Damali Binta YAEL — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 14:26:02 -0500

On Friday, Nov. 13, 2009, Brandon Dural, a public affairs major at Texas Southern University (TSU), in Houston, Texas, analyzed historical data for the Oakland Raiders and the Kansas City Chiefs ahead of this week's matchup between those two teams.

He has been an NFL fan for several years. He was willing to be interviewed for this article, and told us what this data says about this week's game.

Interview

Damali: What does this data tell you?

Brandon: Based on the data, Oakland should be the favorite to win.

Damali: Give me more details.

Brandon: Oakland has a higher winning percentage. They have gone to more Super Bowls and won more. However, Oakland has a tendency of running the ball more, while Kansas City has a tendency of passing the ball.

Damali: Looking at the 2009 data for the first half of the season, what do you think?

Brandon: Based on the September game, I feel as though this game will go down to the wire. In other words, whoever has the ball last will win.

Damali: Is there a particular player that may influence the outcome greatly?

Brandon: Since one of Oakland's star players, Darren McFadden, is returning after injuries, he should have an impact on this game.

His dynamic speed and explosiveness combined with the physical power of running back Michael Bush will give Oakland a one-two punch that will wear down the weak defense of the Kansas City Chiefs.

I have watched both teams play against my favorite team, the Philadelphia Eagles. Oakland is more physical this season.

Damali: What else would you conclude?

Brandon: Oakland has a good secondary, led by Nnamdi Asomugha. The Raiders should be able to cover the receivers for Kansas City.

Kansas City has been struggling to have a running game. The Chiefs recently released their starting running back, Larry Johnson, due to off-the-field issues.

Brandon Dural loves to analyze sports data. He is a member of Bleacher Report, and he joined the Sports and STEM community. He is excited about the opportunity to write and publish his own articles in the near future.

Brandon's Prediction: Oakland 17, Kansas City 14

Read more Oakland Raiders news on BleacherReport.com