Say Hello To Our First Place Oakland Raiders

AFC West Division
Team W L T Pct

Oakland 5 4 0 .556

Kansas City 5 4 0 .556

San Diego 4 5 0 .444

Denver 3 6 0 .333

The Pats beat the Steelers using the same approach I described didn’t I? On defense though, Rapelisberger held onto the ball too long waiting for a big play to develop that they just killed him with the zone blitz. I really hope its Grads this week as I can trust him to start the game in the shotgun with the occasional no-huddle spreading them out. Then while the entire team is spread out they can catch them off guard with the occasional power lead run or draw play. Also when running, try to stay away from Troy Polamalu’s side of the field. I don’t need to see him making plays against us. As for your poll, I’m surprised it was that close.

But we can’t lose sight of the big picture….this week’s coming game is HUGE! The message sent by beating the Steelers this week will resonate not only with the rest of the League that THE RAIDERS ARE FOR REAL, but it will send a shiver down the spines (if they have them) of Turner, McDanniel and Haley. We beat Pittsburgh next week and the Raiders establish themselves as front runners in the AFC West….no more…SD is two games back…..no more…“the AFC west is a weak non issue division”
SO HOW DO WE BEAT THEM?? New England showed us the way…how to Spread their Defense with Schemes that exploit their LBs in coverage…using our FB in screens and bubbles to Miller, Murphy and Ford. Pittsburgh O-line is hurting and they were not able to establish any real push or to move people for Mendenhall or Moore. They key is Rothlisburger, if our D-Line can stop BigBen from moving up and shooting out the side of the pocket…we can contain their very explosive passing attack Wallace is a Fucking Beast…and Ward that cheap shot artist will be back. Cable, Jackson and the rest of the Raider Coaching staff need to put in the long hours this week scheming and game planning to exploit the weaknesses we saw last night. I thought last week’s game vs. KC was big….I thing going forward each and every game will be HUGE starting with this one in the ARM PITT….we need to take it to these guys and gain some much needed respect from the rest of the LEAGUE the RAIDERS ARE FOR REAL!!!!

We’re 5th in the AFC in scoring (235 pts), behind only the Pats (258), Titans (241), Colts(240), and Bolts (239) – that’s 26.1 pts/game. Remember when we cudn’t even score 10 a game? And we’re 7th in yards per game and 4th in TOP at 31:57. Unfortunately, we’re also near the bottom in 1st downs made, 3rd down cowversions, and dead last in penalties and in total penalty yardage.

On the D side we’re 7th in points against in the AFC (188), behind the Jets (150), Steelers (162), Ravens (165), Titans (179), Browns (182), and Colts (185), which is 20.9 pts per game. Only the Jets and Chargers give up less yards per game (309.6). We’re 4th worst in rushing yards against (124.8), but #1 in passing yards against. strangely we’re near the bottom in interceptions, but near the top in recovered fumbles, and have the next-to-last # of tackles (342). Our 27 sacks is tied with the Titans and Chargers for the top.

Shane L. leads the League in Punting Average (49.1 yards/punt), although our team punt return average is mediocre at 8.8 yrds per return – just a little context, the Chargers have the worst returns average by far at 22.2 yrds per return, while the Browns have the best at 5 yrds per return. Sea Bass leads the League in FG’s attempted and made, but at only at 75.9% clip, 4th worst. Still, he leads the League with 89 points scored. In punt returns we’re 3rd best with 265 total yards, but near the bottom with a 7.6 punt return average per punt – I guess the D is forcing moar punts, with not so great returns. Our kicking returns aren’t much better.

So, in reviewing what the stats say we still need help in stopping the run, although vs the pass we remain very strong despite our lack of interceptions. On Offense we need desperately to clean up the penalties, and we need to do better in sustaining drives (picking up 1st downs and coewverting 3rd downs). We were pretty good in desperation (4th down cowversions), but we can’t lean on that. Getting Chaz S. back and healthy should help that a lot. Finally, while our kickers remain solid, our overall special teams play cud use improvement as well.

We’re moooch better than we have been for the last few years, and I think the stats bear that out, but there remain holes to fill. Let’s hope the team cowtimues to get better and better as the year goes on – and remember, the stats only tell part of the tale. in teh end, the only stat that matters is the W – just win baby!!!!

:=8D

Top dogs

I am also confident that they will win in Pittsburgh by running the ball down their throats and quick hitters to Zach Miller and co! I love the matchup at home against the Fins I am predicting that the Raiders will hand them a solid beatdown ! If they win their next 2 and KC and SD manage to drop a game in the next 2 weeks Then we should make it to the playoffs without a hitch . I love the feeling of thinking that the Raiders will win when they take the field!
GO RAIDERS!!!

Good thing they have Norm. No worries.

but the emergence of WR J,Ford should help the passing game.Defenses will no longer be able to ignore him.in the chief’s game he had one of the best DB’s in the league on him.if Murphy is healthy the Raiders could use some 4 WR sets w/Murphy,DHB,JLH and Ford,then motion DMC out of the back field.that has to be a match up nightmare for DC’s.the thing is,JC is going to have to get rid of the ball quicker or they could always run a naked boot off of this formation.dont think the stealer’s would be expecting that.

Callahan is the dumbest coach in America still. He actually likes working with Rex Ryan. That guy would drive me SO up the wall…. the Raiders are in first place and we’re not. Hopefully that changes.

We have a tougher schedule than KC going forward so I’m not sure how this plays out, but after so many years of bad football, imjust happy we are competitive again.

We have a tougher schedule than KC going forward so I’m not sure how this plays out, but after so many years of bad football, imjust happy we are competitive again.

Btw, I love Vick but now he is out of our reach unless he gets into trouble and they go PC and we capitalize …

above the Eagles & Saints.

9. Oakland (5-4). No team has had a better bye week in a long, long time. The Raiders were a half-game behind first-place Kansas City in the AFC West entering Sunday’s games. Kansas City lost. Oakland has the tiebreaker edge because of last week’s head-to-head win over the Chiefs. So now the Raiders and Chiefs are both 5-4, and the Raiders are in first because of that tiebreaker edge.

10. Philadelphia (5-3). Big game tonight, Mike Vick.

11. New Orleans (6-3). Bye week. Interesting two-game stretch in five days now — Seattle at home, then at Dallas on Thanksgiving. Winnable, certainly, both of them. But that Dallas game is a lot more interesting and more challenging now.

DAMN, IT FEELS GOOD TO BE A RAIDER!!

Just don’t put pics of Dumbass Callahan up at the top to ruin my appetite for winning!