Season at a Crossroads

by Raybin on Nov 19, 2007 9:28 AM PST

This season isn't salvagable. There's no way this team is going to reel off 6 straight wins.

5-11 would be a victory at this point. We can conceiveably beat Kansas City and Denver. We can even beat San Diego, despite what happened earlier this season.

I dare not even contemplate what will happen when we play Green Bay, Indianapolis and Jacksonville.

What I mean by a crossroads is this: are they going to pack it in and go through the motions or are they going to hold their head up high and gut it out for 60 minutes every game?

I read an article today that quoted Warren Sapp as condeming the defense as undisciplined. He's absolutely right. It also said though that his shoulders were slumped and he looked defeated.

When someone as fiery as Warren Sapp is defeated, you know there are serious problems.

He and the rest of the defense have to make a choice. Are they going to take this embarrassment as a stimulus to step up? Or are they going to keep playing with downcast eyes?

It's up to them and to Kiffin. Otherwise there won't be one win more this season.

I do hope though that last game was the final nail in Schweigert's coffin, so far as his future with Oakland goes. He missed a tackle on two of Chester Taylor's touchdowns.

Rob Ryan's scholarship also is in precarious danger of being revoked. If they keep playing like this, he'll be the first one let go.

Curry and Porter were at last impressive. Zach Miller showed what he can do if he's actually allowed to go out and try and catch the ball and not stay in to help an inept O-Line. He had some clutch catches on that last desperate drive.

Speaking of desperate, Daunte was quoted as saying both he and the team are desperate for a win. There are two principal reactions to desperation: determination or panic.

Which will it be, Kiff & Company?

This is where we find out if there really has been a change in attitude or just another round of the Same Old Raiders.

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Comments

There is not much else Rob Ryan can do

he was given the talent. It just isn't enough, it isn't the scheme, it is the execution of it by the players.

by theblackpearl on Nov 19, 2007 9:42 AM PST reply actions

I don't mean to excuse the players

Their execution is godawful.

But at some point, the coach has to take responsibility and, you know...coach.

by Raybin on Nov 19, 2007 10:02 AM PST up reply actions

You hot the nail on the head Raybin:

Ryan said last week that his defense was the best on 3rd and 3 to 10 yards in the League!!!

My follow up question would have been, "How about on 1st and 10 or second and 10?"

Of course that question was never asked.

I do think that the defense stepped up in a lot of ways on Sunday, they just DO NOT play to stop the run. Period.

I loved that they sold out on every play and went all out to strip the ball. The weakness was, as has been the case for years now, our safeties stink.

I still hold out some hope for Huff, but Stu is DONE. His goose has got to be COOKED.

Pride And Poise!!!

by Raymond St. Martin (Saint) on Nov 19, 2007 11:47 AM PST reply actions

Did the human torch fight our safeties?

Because they always get burned.

Okay, that was a bad joke to what we already all know as Raider fans. Opposing running backs must salivate to see our D and know they are going to rip huge yardage in a footrace against Stu or Huff.