Random Thoughts From The Most Devout Raider Fan

As I woke up Monday morning I was hoping it was Sunday again, and week one was all just a bad dream for the Oakland Raiders.  Reality soon set in, and the all too familiar feeling of despair and hopelessness was upon me, rendering me numb from the false optimism given to me by my beloved Oakland Raiders.  Each year I wait for the team to turn the corner on our NFL record setting streak of double digit loss seasons, but at the end of the day I know what must happen in order for this once proud franchise to return to domination.  As much as it pains me to say it, Al Davis must fade out of all football operations!

From the obvious, and absolutely ridiculous draft decisions, to the ancient offensive and defensive formations and philosophies he forces upon his coaches, it is plain as day to the avid football man that he is the underlying problem.  Although these are only a few physical reasons for our current misfortunes, I think there might even be a deeper root of all evil with Mr. Davis and his laughable streak of inept team performances, and he may have the football Gods and karma to blame.  In my opinion, you can only treat people and employees poorly and with only your self interest in mind for so long, until eventually you must pay the penance for your miscalculations.  This NFL record of annual losses is painful to every fan that loves the Raiders as much as me, but is absolutely unbearable to Mr. Davis, and he has himself and his pride to thank for that.

Now for the analysis of the game and where I think we should go from week one, in terms of surviving the next 15 games.  First and foremost, I am a fan of Tom Cable, mostly because he brought stability to the coaching staff that we needed for a long time.  That being said, Tom have I misplaced my trust?  Are you serious with performance of the offensive line?  Most importantly, how could you have put together such an unorganized bunch of players with no heart or pride?  I can, in no way, blame you for the unbelievable defenses your owner makes you run, or the play calling which I thought would have been decent if the plays had time to develop, buy I can blame you for the teams inability to compete.  I am fully aware of the fact that Mr. Davis has not allowed the Raiders to draft offensive lineman in the early rounds, even though every knowledgeable fan knows that games are won in the trenches on both sides of the ball, but the group of lineman you put on the field in Tennessee were an embarrassment, and that is being kind.  And can I possibly get a hard count!  It could have been 1^st and 5 all day long; instead the Titans defensive ends got a head start and were in the backfield greeting a frightened Jason Campbell all afternoon.

My second point of emphasis on offense was the poor play of the aforementioned Jason Campbell.  I am also a huge fan of his, and have been ever since he was at Auburn, but football is a mans game, and he took some shots to the chin early and instead of punching back he crumbled as if he wanted to head to the locker rooms for an early shower.  Check down after check down, he padded his completion numbers instead of standing fearless in the pocket attempting to COMPETE against a very game Tennessee defense.  But you know what they say, it’s not the size of the dog in the fight, it’s the size of the fight in the dog, and I know our diminutive backup quarterback has a whole bunch of fight.  I promise you Raider Nation, those dinks and dunks and check downs will not win us many games, and they certainly will not keep the defense off the field long enough for them to reach their real potential.

On the opposite end of the spectrum I must give some credit and sentiments to a few people for their play and overall attitude.  These players are going to pave the path back to the promise land, and it is Tom Cable who is drafting these young FOOTBALL PLAYERS.  (My reference to football players means that they are good at the game and not just the measurable stats)  The whole defense was a spirited bunch, and honestly I cannot even begin to evaluate how we still struggle against the run, especially with a rookie 300 pound DT playing end.  I truly believe if Al Davis stays out of their way and allows us to blitz, Coach Marshall can make this a powerful unit.  Without creative blitz packages, it is tough for any defense to succeed these days no matter how talented they are.  My sentiments definitely go out to our receivers for their hard work with minimal reward.  Running routes all day knowing that by the time you come out of your breaks the quarterback would either be on his back or scrambling would make anybody frustrated beyond belief.  Darrius and Louis I know how hard you guys worked this offseason, and I know how bad you want to show the league how much you have improved, unfortunately the guys up front and under center have to share the same passion as you young gentleman. 

Finally, I want to give a major shot out to Mr. Bustin Loose also known as Darren Mc Fadden.  You have battled injury and ran behind atrocious offensive line play your whole young NFL career, yet have never complained once.  Raider Nation has called for Michael Bush as your replacement stating that you cannot break tackles, and all you did is keep your mouth shut and work harder.  Even Jerry Mc Donald basically wrote you off when you asked him if you would break 1,200 yards on his Twitter Q and A page.  You are a testament to maturity and passion for the game, and I am patiently waiting for you to compile fantastic stats this season so everybody can give you the credit you always deserved.  You can flat do everything on the football field, and I am glad you finally were able to show it on Sunday.  In conclusion, I will be tuned in every Sunday to watch my beloved Raiders, but I will be cautiously optimistic from now until the end of the Al Davis era.