1. NFL Week 12 Rankings: Which Teams Are Climbing Fastest?

    The NFL is always a week-to-week league, but on occasion a team otherwise thought to be underachieving, buried or simply not that talented can put together a string of impressive wins and find itself right back among the ranks of playoff contenders...

    Justin Smith Written by Justin Smith about over 1 year ago 244 reads 0 comments

  2. NFL Picks Week 11: 5 Stone-Cold Locks

    The state of affairs in the NFL is, as always, tumultuous, and as such it's difficult to say any game is a lock...

    Justin Smith Written by Justin Smith about over 1 year ago 6,283 reads 2 comments

  3. Oakland Raiders Week 10: Pressures, Hurries and Knockdowns

    The Raiders blew a golden opportunity to seize control of their destiny last Sunday with a meltdown in the second half that was almost beautiful in its ugliness...

    Justin Smith Written by Justin Smith about over 1 year ago 564 reads 6 comments

  4. Oakland Raiders Week 9: Pressures, Hurries and Knockdowns

    Week 9 brings a three way tie at the top of the AFC West with the Raiders , Chiefs and Chargers all sitting with a 4-3 mark. The Chargers have beat the Chiefs. The Chiefs have beaten the Raiders; the Raiders play the Chargers next Thursday...

    Justin Smith Written by Justin Smith about over 1 year ago 1,344 reads 17 comments

  5. Oakland Raiders Week 7: Pressures, Hurries and Knockdowns

    So a few minor things have happened since I last wrote an article two weeks ago today. Minor things like the man, the myth, the legend, THE Oakland Raider, Al Davis , passing away...

    Justin Smith Written by Justin Smith about over 1 year ago 1,853 reads 26 comments

  6. Oakland Raiders Week 5: Pressures, Hurries and Knockdowns

    The Raiders come into this week's road contest against interconference rivals the Houston Texans , a team that, despite being far away and not in the Raiders' division, they play on an annual basis...

    Justin Smith Written by Justin Smith about over 1 year ago 855 reads 6 comments

  7. Oakland Raiders Week 4: Pressures, Hurries and Knockdowns

    Now, THAT was a gratifying win. Beating a long-time and hated conference rival while out-muscling a supposedly "physical" team and shutting up the biggest mouths in the sport were all great in itself...

    Justin Smith Written by Justin Smith about over 1 year ago 1,263 reads 19 comments

  8. Oakland Raiders Week 3: Pressures, Hurries and Knockdowns

    Well, that one hurt. I know I'm a little late to the party, but the loss from last week stings no less. We had it. We lost it. Gave it away, really. It wasn't pretty on defense, but the offense was lights out...

    Justin Smith Written by Justin Smith about over 1 year ago 840 reads 4 comments

  9. Oakland Raiders Week 2: Pressures, Hurries, and Knockdowns (Pregame Edition)

    Hello, folks, and welcome back to my weekly column, Pressures, Hurries and Knockdowns. This season, I will be doing two versions: A pregame spread on Friday that outlines who is under ...

    Justin Smith Written by Justin Smith about over 1 year ago 1,246 reads 27 comments

  10. Oakland Raiders Week 1: Pressures, Hurries and Knockdowns (Postgame Edition)

    Well folks, hope you enjoyed the first PHK of the year, as well as the Raiders first opening day victory under the Monday Night Lights since before I had facial hair. I know I did...

    Justin Smith Written by Justin Smith about over 1 year ago 1,480 reads 29 comments

  11. Oakland Raiders Week 1: Pressures, Hurries and Knockdowns

    Hello folks, and welcome to another year of my weekly column Pressures, Hurries and Knockdowns, or PHK for short...

    Justin Smith Written by Justin Smith about over 1 year ago 869 reads 9 comments

  12. Oakland Raiders: 5 Reasons the Defensive Front Will Be Better in 2011

    The Oakland Raiders defensive front has been, for want of a better term, a bit of a revolving door in recent years...

    Justin Smith Written by Justin Smith about over 1 year ago 1,973 reads 17 comments

  13. Oakland Raiders Preseason Thoughts

    The Oakland Raiders had a tumultuous offseason—but with the lockout, I suppose everyone did—in which they saw their long-standing defensive leader, Nnamdi Asomugha, and ...

    Justin Smith Written by Justin Smith about over 1 year ago 1,668 reads 46 comments

  14. Oakland Raiders 2011 Offseason: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

    After the lockout ended, Raider fans felt it was a matter of time before a few things happened: 1) We'd lose Nnamdi Asomugha and Michael Huff in free agency. 2) We'd re-sign Michael Bush and Zach Miller...

    Justin Smith Written by Justin Smith about almost 2 years ago 1,616 reads 51 comments

  15. Oakland Raiders: Tales from the NFL Lockout

    You may be surprised to hear that the NFL lockout is nearing an end. While NFLPA re-certification and some further legal wranglings are still lingering like a bad house-guest, the heavy lifting is essentially done and much back slapping has ensued...

    Justin Smith Written by Justin Smith about almost 2 years ago 774 reads 8 comments

  16. Oakland Raiders: Some Dos and Don'ts for the 2011 Season

    The Oakland Raiders enter the 2011 season brimming with optimism and looking to build upon 2010 where they greatly improved in the running game, passing game, pass rush and overall play...

    Justin Smith Written by Justin Smith about almost 2 years ago 6,329 reads 78 comments

  17. Oakland Raiders Defensive Line Shaping Up to Be Something Special in 2011

    For the better part of the 2000s, the Oakland Raiders struggled on the defensive line both stopping the run and pressuring the quarterback. Opposing teams pushed the front around with ease, doing whatever they wanted whenever they wanted...

    Justin Smith Written by Justin Smith about almost 2 years ago 4,618 reads 21 comments

  18. Oakland Raiders: Jason Campbell and Richard Seymour Assume Mantle During Lockout

    Richard Seymour wanted the guys to feel like they were at home. So to ensure a solid turnout from the Raiders football family in the Atlanta suburb of Buford, Ga...

    Justin Smith Written by Justin Smith about almost 2 years ago 1,382 reads 30 comments

  19. Oakland Raiders 2011 Schedule, Act 3 : Road Raiders

    Well, we've had a draft, a lockout lifted, a lockout reinstated and now it's back to speculating on when football may occur, if at all, this upcoming season. Fun times...

    Justin Smith Written by Justin Smith about 2 years ago 1,057 reads 8 comments

  20. NFL Draft 2011 : Oakland Raiders' Options After Day 1

    You've gotta give the NFL credit; despite the fact that it was used against them in court, the NFL always insisted there would be a 2011 draft. They never wavered, even when it made legal sense to delay the draft...

    Justin Smith Written by Justin Smith about 2 years ago 1,474 reads 16 comments

  21. Oakland Raiders Schedule 2011, Act II : Texas Makes Me Weary for Home

    Hello, and welcome to the second (and quite late) edition of my Oakland Raider 2011 season preview. Between family, Easter and recent legal wranglings NFL style, it's been tough to get back to it, but enough excuses...

    Justin Smith Written by Justin Smith about 2 years ago 734 reads 12 comments

  22. Oakland Raiders 2011 Schedule, Act 1: The First 4 Games

    Well, the NFL officially put the cart before the horse and released the schedule for the upcoming (?) 2011 season last evening...

    Justin Smith Written by Justin Smith about 2 years ago 2,278 reads 23 comments

  23. Tiki Barber: Why Signing Him Would Burn the Oakland Raiders

    So Tiki Barber has come out of retirement. In an ordinary offseason, this would most likely register as no more than a blip on the radar...

    Justin Smith Written by Justin Smith about 2 years ago 5,933 reads 54 comments

  24. Richard Seymour Signs With Oakland Raiders, and Team Solidifies New Direction

    When the Oakland Raiders first traded their 2011 first-round draft pick to the New England Patriots for Richard Seymour, many people were skeptical...

    Justin Smith Written by Justin Smith about 2 years ago 1,613 reads 30 comments

  25. NFL Labor Peace is Imperative for Oakland Raiders' Al Davis

    Al Davis is a living legend, an icon of both the NFL and California who has influenced the growth of the game of football as a coach, personnel man, and general manager before taking all those hats and more and moving into the owner's box...

    Justin Smith Written by Justin Smith about over 2 years ago 1,362 reads 15 comments