Raiders vs. Cowboys: Post Game Positives for Oakland

Many NFL enthusiasts downplay the importance of pre-season football. However, I disagree on certain levels.

Fundamentals are the building blocks, blue-prints, and the bones of an NFL team.

For instance, on the offensive side of the ball, if a team does not score in pre-season, it's probably because most teams don't "let all the tricks out of the bag."

Fundamentals, technique, and execution are the purposes, and what most coaches evaluate in training camp and pre-season.

The reason for film study, at a grassroots level, is to examine technique and fundamentals. Based on my observation, the following are things that the Raiders did well on against the Dallas Cowboys.

Oakland Pass Rush

Matt Shaughnessy and LaMarr Houston each had two sacks. In addition, Trevor Scott had one sack for a team total of five by the start of the third quarter.

Oakland Running Game

Michael Bush averaged over four yards a carry against Dallas' first string defense, an average that is higher than Fargas and McFadden's average yards per rush last season(both averaged less than four yards a carry).

Oakland Run Defense

In 2009, the run defense was the "Achilles heel" for the Oakland Defense. On Thursday night against the NFL's best trio of backs assembled on one team, the Raiders Defense held the heralded three to 21 yards on 10 carries.

About 2.1 yards a rush, outstanding.

Oakland Offensive line

In the first half the Oakland offensive line only gave up one sack, while making holes for the running backs to average over four yards per rush.

Against a front seven as good as the Cowboys that says a lot.