Oakland Raiders Defeat Chicago Bears: 10 Observations of Raiders Offense
When the Oakland Raiders took to Soldier Field Saturday in Chicago to face the Bears, they did so without many key offensive players. Chaz Schilens, Darren McFadden, and Darius Heyward-Bey all sat out against the Bears.
There were even more defensive players that didn't play, but I'll leave that for my colleague Elias Trejo to explain in the companion article to this one that discusses only the defense. "Oakland Raiders Defeat Chicago Bears: 10 Observations About The Defense." Be sure to check it out.
Back to the focus of this article—the offense.
Ultimately, there were some good things, some bad things, and some surprising things about the offense's performance on Saturday. This slide show will discuss 10 of these.
Let's get on with it...
Jason Campbell Is Getting Comfortable
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There is no doubt that Jason Campbell is a drastic upgrade at the quarterback position for the Raiders.
Learning a new offense is nothing new for Campbell. This year marks just one more time he'll have to do this. That said, it appears that Campbell is building chemistry with his receivers and the offense in general.
In the first and second quarter in Chicago, Campbell looked strong in the pocket and confident in his reads and throws. The significance of this cannot be overstated.
As long as the Raiders' coaching staff can shore up the interior line play, Campbell has shown the ability to run this offense, and run it well.
With Campbell directing the offense, the Raiders sustained offense and scored points against the Bears. This is an improvement over the first week in Dallas when the first string failed to score any points.
Getting acclimated to a new offense and new teammates takes time, and I expect the progression of Campbell and the offense to continue as the regular season approaches.
Michael Bush Is the Real Deal
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Once again, Michael Bush is being over looked by the media and opponents alike. All this guy seems to do is produce.
Against the Bears on Saturday night, Bush did a nice job running the ball, catching the ball, and picking up blitzes. All the things you need your starting running back to do.
Bush had a relatively short day, getting only nine touches, but tallied 50 yards in limited action.
It's pretty clear that Bush is going to be the starter at running back for the Raiders in 2010. If he can simply maintain last year's 4.6 yards per carry average, but get more than the 129 carries he got in 2009, Bush will be a force for Raider opponents to contend with in 2010.
The Fullback Competition Has Heated Up
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Marcel Reece, Manese Tonga, Chane Moline, Alex Daniels, and the suspended Luke Lawton are all vying for what will most likely be one fullback spot on the roster.
Things got very interesting on Saturday.
Marcel Reece took a screen pass 40 yards, Manese Tonga made a couple of nice catches, and Chane Moline had a catch. Alex Daniels made some good blocks as well.
This could be the most interesting position battle in Raiders training camp, if not the most crowded.
I do not envy head coach Tom Cable or offensive coordinator Hue Jackson, because they have a very tough decision to make about the fullback position before the season starts.
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Yamon Figurs and Johnnie Lee Higgins Are Playing Well
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One of the biggest worries Raider fans have about the team moving forward is the wide receiver position. Sub-par play from this position in 2009 has been much discussed recently.
On the front line of this talk are Johnnie Lee Higgins and Darius Heyward-Bey. Although Heyward-Bey hasn't played much due to injury, Higgins and Yamon Figurs are making the best of their opportunities.
There isn't much question about who the starters will be. The fact is that Chaz Schilens, Louis Murphy, and Heyward-Bey are slated to occupy the top three spots, but the remaining spots are up for grabs.
Higgins is playing much better than last year, both in the return game and in the offense. He has yet to fumble and has made some nice catches.
Figurs has also put in some good work this preseason. He has shown speed and elusiveness on returns and relatively sure hands on pass routes.
These two men are doing well, and making it very difficult for players like Shaun Bodiford, Paul Hubbard, and Nick Miller to make the team.
Mario Henderson Is More Than Just Servicable
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There has been a lot of criticism of left tackle Mario Henderson. Saturday against the Bears, Henderson proved the naysayers wrong.
Lined-up opposite Pro Bowl defensive end Julius Peppers, Henderson held his own. Peppers' name wasn't mentioned by the announcers until he got injured. Henderson kept the highly-touted quarterback killer out of the backfield and protected Campbell's blind side admirably.
In the run game, Henderson again kept Peppers from wreaking havoc on the running backs. He also got to the second level and took care of the Bears linebackers when asked to do so.
Henderson is greatly improved over the 2009 season, and appears to be up to the task of playing left tackle in the NFL.
The Center Position Is Still In Flux
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The struggles continue at center for the Raiders. Samson Satele and Chris Morris both got worked over pretty badly against the Bears. Stud defensive tackles Tommie Harris and Anthony Adams pretty much had their way with both the Raiders' centers.
In pass protection, the pressure that did find quarterback Jason Campbell primarily came directly over center. This was a problem in Dallas the previous week, and the issue remains. The one interception thrown by Campbell was as a direct result of Satele failing to hold up to to the Bears' interior defensive line.
Their run blocking isn't spectacular either. On a run play early in the first quarter, Satele didn't block anyone—not defensive tackle Harris, who forced the running back to make an unplanned cut, and not the linebacker that eventually wound up getting in on the tackle—no one.
I will say that Satele is playing better than he did last year, but frankly—that isn't saying much.
Once Satele got injured, Chris Morris came in and didn't fare much better. He, too, failed to impress at center in the time he was given.
All these issues are sure to present themselves in the film room and I'm confident that coach Cable will either coach the problems out of Satele and Morris, or do the right thing for the Raiders and play someone else at the center position.
Jared Veldheer anyone?
Michael Bennett Wants a Job—Bad!
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Much like the quarterback position, there is no doubt who the starter is, but the back up jobs are more in doubt.
At this moment, Michael Bennett is out playing another recent Raider acquisition, Rock Cartwright, although Cartwright does have a little more to offer from a diversity standpoint as he can line up at halfback or fullback.
However, if Bennett continues to average 4.8 yards per carry and 28 yards per reception, he may just solidify himself as the man to spell Bush and Darren McFadden.
Kyle Boller Also Wants a Job—Bad!
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Make no mistake, the Oakland Raiders are a much deeper team than in the recent past. The quarterback position is no exception.
With the recent placement of Charlie Frye on the injured reserve, the competition for the third string quarterback behind Campbell and Bruce Gradkowski is between Kyle Boller and Colt Brennan. At the moment, Boller is making a very strong case for himself.
In both preseason games, Boller has come in and directed the offense to winning drives. Gradkowski had better get himself healthy before Boller plays him down to the the third spot.
Boller is 19-of-30 for 203 yards and one passing touchdown, and one rushing touchdown in his two games.
Granted, Colt Brennan hasn't been given much of an opportunity to play and prove his worth, but if Boller keeps playing like this, the point will become moot.
Colt Brennan Needs More Playing Time
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As I stated in the Kyle Boller slide, the battle for the third quarterback spot is between Boller and Brennan.
Boller has played pretty well, but Brennan hasn't been given much of a chance to play. He has been given one pass attempt in two games. That pass attempt was a 14-yard completion to fullback Chane Moline (pictured).
If the coaching staff wants to know what this kid can do, they have to get him in the game and let him sling it around. If they don't give him some chances, they'll never know if he can get it done.
I'm hoping as the preseason winds down and the regular approaches, the coaches protect Campbell by giving him only a couple of series per game. This would open up more time for Boller and Brennan to share.
If this happens, the coaches and the fans will finally get a good look at Brennan and he will finally have an opportunity to make his case to be on the final 53-man roster.
The Play Calling Is Much Better
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Last season, the offensive play calling was handled by coach Cable. This did not work out as well as Raider Nation had hoped.
This preseason, the tide has turned. The play calling has fallen on the capable shoulders of newly hired offensive coordinator Hue Jackson.
Screen plays called at the right time went for big yards. Dump off passes to the fullbacks worked perfectly. Third downs were converted into first downs with regularity, and the Raiders controlled the clock.
There were eight more run plays called than pass plays. This is something Raider fans have wanted to see for several years.
The pass routes are more precise, logical, and effective. Stop routes, dig routes, and crossing routes are making a comeback in Oakland—much to the delight of the Raider faithful.
Assuming all goes as planned, Campbell and the Raiders' offense will be much more effective at sustaining drives and scoring points.
This more than anything will help the Raiders control the time of possession as they did in both preseason games in Dallas and Chicago.
That's That...
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Overall, the Raiders look much better on offense than they have in the last several years.
With the exception of the offensive line, the team is very deep and looks much more consistent. Offense was sustained, the chains were moved, and most importantly, points were scored against a pretty good Bears defense.
Of course there are things that need to be fixed. Campbell still needs to get his head entirely around the new offense, and key players need to heal up and get on the field.
If those things can happen, and the center and right guard positions can be improved, the Raiders' offense has the ability to be more than solid—they could be scary.
What do you say Raider Nation? What about the offense stood out most to you? What did I forget? Are you optimistic or worried about the offense in 2010? Let me hear your thoughts in the comments.
Don't forget to check up on the defense by reading Elias Trejo's article titled: 'Oakland Raiders Defeat Chicago Bears: 10 Observations About the Defense'
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