Oakland Raiders!!! That Bad... Really???

Hello All!

Anyone that has read my articles in the past knows that I am a die hard Raiders fan.  They'll also know that I watch the team closely, pay attention, and have a good feel for what they really need and/or can do.  Having said that... are the Raiders really as bad as they have looked the last few weeks?  Really?

Week one was when they looked the best.  The Oakland Raiders actually gave the San Diego Chargers a run for that game.  Defense looked good and offense looked decent.

Week two was not as good.  That week at least Russell lead a scoring drive to end the game.  They got a "W", but it was not very pretty.

Since then, the Oakland Raiders have been the laughing stock of the league.  The run game gets negative yards.  The passing game (if you could call it that) looks worse than pop warner.  The Defense looks semi decent, until Johnson gets burned for a long pass or mediocre runing backs break off 40 yard chunks.  Really, a 20 yard run to the endzone without even getting a hand on the guy?  Really?

Considering that the Defense is on the field the entire game and that they continuously watch three and out after three and out, they are playing like they may have something to give this season.  Lechler is our star.  Our punter.  Really?

What about our offense?  Didn't we just use three top ten draft picks to secure three offensive stars?  The quarterback we drafted is the worst in the league.  Our running back had a mediocre rookie season and now is on IR for the 2nd year in a row (after a game where he ran for negative yards).  Then to top it all off, we draft a reciever that can't catch the flu in a pig pen?  Really?

Not to bag on my own team too hard, but go back to 2007 and look at the QB's drafted high.  Or 2008 and look at the RB's.  I think my point is obvious... How can we still stink so bad?  Really?

I know what all of my friends and coworkers that are Raiders fans are saying... "As long as Al Davis has control of the team, we'll stink"!  Or... "Cable's playing calling is predictable and the Defense doesn't blitz"!  Really?

Russell throws the ball in the grass because play calling is predictable?  Or the rush comes in on his blind side and he fumbles because of Al Davis?  DHB (or anyone else other than Miller) gets a ball in the hands and drops it because of who is the General Manager?  McFadden gets tripped by a shoe string tackle time and time again because of the coaching staff?  Really?

Well I've been sending them good advice (read below) and they haven't been following it.  I'm not saying that the GM is doing a great job, that the play calling is revolutionary, or that the coaching staff is premiere.  I am saying that here is something more going on that really is our biggest problem.  Really?

Hey Coach-

Here is another list from me.  I don’t want credit.  I just want wins.

I have a good perspective looking from the outside.

A)     Double team Johnsons’s receiver.  They’re not throwing at Asomugha so you know where it is going.

B)      Michael Bush should get all carries.  McFadden hasn’t found his groove and Fargas just gets stuck.

C)      Only throw screens & check downs in the first half.

D)     Call a reverse on short yardage.

E)      Throw to Miller in the red zone.

Good luck.

Jake

The week before.

Coach-

I am as committed to winning as you are.  Please consider the following:

a)      Wildcat formation with our talent as we need to mix it up on the ground.  We can get McFadden, Bush & Fargas on the field together.

b)      Commit to running McFadden on the outside & Bush between the tackles, throwing screens to each.

c)       Throw to Miller.

d)      Cut the field in half for Russell and make him pump fake (mandatory) every play.

e)      Schillens will come back soon and that will open up DHB & Murphy over time.

f)       Blitz.

Thanks coach.  Good luck.

-Jake

Watch today's game (for those of you that actually can... becasue I'm stuck here locally in blackout land) and you'll see that the recipe for victory really isn't that difficult.  Dumb it down for Russell, execute, use the "sure thing" plays when needed, and mix up the play calling with some off the wall calls.  I mean, what do we have to lose at this point... Really?

The bottom line.  We need our playmakers to step up and settle for nothing less than wins!  These guys have been the best players on the field since elementary school and now they get tossed around like rag dolls.  Our talent (if that is an appropriate name for these guys any longer) needs to step up and make plays!!!  Throw an accurate pass, run it all the way to the endzone, and stretch out to make a diving catch already!  Really!

Thanks.