Oakland Raiders: Offensive Line Will Be Key To Success Against the Rams

Going into Sunday’s game against the Titans in Tennessee, most Raiders fans were optimistic that this year would be different. What we saw on Sunday was, for the most part, the same old story.

The defense couldn’t stop the big play, and the offensive line couldn’t control the line of scrimmage and protect the quarterback.

Heck, even Sebastian Janikowski had a hard time kicking the ball between the uprights.

About the only bright spot was a very solid performance from Darren McFadden, where he had 95 yards rushing on 18 carries, and 55 yards receiving with a touchdown. If he continues with that kind of play, I will be writing an article very much unlike my article where I questioned his abilities and desire to excel in the NFL.

While most NFL analysts are now predicting another dismal season for the Raiders I’m still not sure. In my Bleacher Report article where I gave my predictions on the season, I had the Raiders winning in Tennessee, but inside, I knew it was a long-shot.

I knew Tennessee was a good team at home, and I knew Chris Johnson would get his yards against the Raiders.  But I was also hoping the defense would stop other Titans players from making the big play. You know, like Nate Washington’s 56-yard pass reception from Vince Young where he burned the Raiders defense, and Javon Ringer’s 15-yard run in the second quarter.

I was also hoping for some offense from the Raiders. Instead they looked so bad many were comparing Jason Campbell with JaMarcus Russell.

In my mind, comparisons like that are not fair. Campbell had no time to do anything with the ball thanks to the Raiders’ horrible offensive line play.

From the time Campbell got the ball, he had maybe two seconds to do something with it. I’m not sure Joe Montana in his prime could have done much better.

I became a Raiders fan somewhere around 1968 when I was 12. I can remember during the Ken "The Snake" Stabler days—my dad, who hated my Raiders, yelling at the TV while watching the game that anyone could complete a pass if he had as much time as Stabler. It seemed like he could dance around for 10 seconds before he had to get rid of the ball.

If you look at any of the successful NFL quarterbacks from the past few years, you will see they, too, have the luxury of holding on to the ball until their receivers get open. Jason Campbell did not have that time Sunday, and you can’t really blame him for not being able to make the offense click.

The offensive line has to take full credit for that.

Unless the offensive line can protect Campbell a lot better than they did Sunday against the Titans Campbell will most likely be injured for most of the year. No quarterback can repeatedly survive that kind of punishment.

If Campbell goes down we have Bruce Gradkowski, but he is injury prone, and will most likely not survive for long without protection from the offensive line. 

If Gradkowski goes down, then we have Kyle Boller ready to lead the team.

Do you get where I am going with this?

Yes, the offensive line must get better, and must protect the quarterback and give him time to find the open receivers or it will be a long, disappointing year for the Oakland Raiders and their fans.

I think this Sunday’s game against the Rams will be a real litmus test for the Raiders. If they can come back from a horrible showing against the Titans, and defeat the Rams convincingly, then the season may very go well for the Raiders.

But the offensive line will be one key to their success this Sunday, and for the rest of the year.

Hopefully, Raiders fans will look back at the game with the Titans and say that was the worst the game played all year.