Under the Microscope: Darren McFadden
by B.A.Armstrong on Mar 30, 2010 5:25 PM PDT
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PrintThe fourth overall pick in the 2008 NFL draft, Darren McFadden has been a black hole for fantasy football players in his first two years in the league. Last spring and summer, he received rave reviews from reporters including David White of the San Francisco Chronicle and Jerry McDonald from the Contra Costa Times who were present at the teams OTA’s and mini-camp, only to come out and have a 4 touchdown-499 yard rushing season. Whoop-Dee-Doo! The upcoming season could prove to be McFadden’s last chance of impressing the boss, Al Davis. If he fails to impress, then everyone will be talking bust about two of the last three Raiders draft picks.
What does McFadden need to do to once again dawn the image of the player he was projected to be coming out of college? So far, his college teammate, Felix Jones’ 6.5 yards per carry dwarfs McFadden’s 3.9 yards per rush average. Jones has outgained McFadden by 95 yards, in spite of the fact that he has had 71 fewer career carries and played in five fewer games than McFadden.
Now, one could blame the offensive lines of the two teams as the difference maker, but that doesn’t account for the fact that the Raiders were 10th in the league in rushing in McFadden’s rookie year. The Raiders did experience a drop off in their 2009 numbers, but much of that was due to poor play calling by current head coach and former offensive coordinator, Tom Cable, in addition to the fact that for much of the year the Raiders lacked the threat of a passing game, and had JaMarcus Russell turning the ball over to the other teams defense.
Now that the coordinating responsibilities are removed from Cable’s agenda, the expectation is that there will be an improvement in the performance of the offensive line with Cable being able to refocus his attention to that group in particular. I fully expect the Raiders to be able to run the ball better in 2010. In addition to Cable’s re-focus on the line, the quarterback play---and thus the passing offense---should improve if Bruce Gradkowski is given the keys to the offense from opening day.
So can the Raiders expect McFadden’s numbers to improve under new offensive coordinator Hue Jackson? Time will tell, but so far in his career, McFadden’s inability to break free of first contact and his proneness to fumbling prove to be a big obstacle in his path to becoming an elite NFL halfback. He is a big guy at 6’2" and 210 pounds, but the knock on McFadden has always been a lack of strength in his lower body…in addition to the aforementioned fumbling problems.
In the latter part of the season, the Raiders may have found a suitable position in their offense for McFadden, on the outside as a wide receiver. The further the season progressed, the more McFadden was used on the outside. The troubling part with this scenario is that McFadden is un-sculpted as a route runner. Thus, he would mostly run slant routes, which ultimately began to get picked up by opposing defenses, leading to jumped routes and interceptions. With the projects the Raiders already have cut out for them at wide receiver, trying to teach McFadden to run NFL type routes might not be a top priority, but it may be worth exploring as an option.
Receiver, however, is an area where McFadden has not been topped by former college teammates Felix Jones. Darren has caught 50 career passes compared to Felix’s 21 catches. McFadden has 530 yards receiving compared to Jones’ 129 yards, and McFadden averages over 10 yards per catch while Jones averages just over six yards per catch. In his rookie year, McFadden caught more passes than any Raiders wide receiver, although he trailed Johnnie Lee Higgins in yardage. In 2009, he was fourth on the team, behind only tight end Zach Miller, wide receiver Chaz Schilens, who missed half of the season with a broken foot, and rookie stand-out wide out Louis Murphy.
I’ve always contested that McFadden should be used like Reggie Bush was used in his rookie season. That year, Reggie caught 88 passes while playing a ton of time as a wide receiver and he went on to win the award for NFL Offensive Rookie Of The Year. McFadden is what some would consider an old style wing back. He is best suited to play at this level as an outside threat rather than an "Up-the-gut" or a "Between the tackles" runner. Perhaps his greatest strength at this level would be as a wide out, maybe in the slot with his tremendous speed, great hands, and good size, creating mismatches for opponents by lining up against some linebackers and third string cornerbacks.
He could also be effective as a return man. That is an area where the Raiders struggled feverishly last year with injuries to their two potential returners, Johnnie Lee Higgins and undrafted free agent rookie wide receiver Nick Miller. The Raiders were in such desperate need that they actually resorted to using two different fullbacks to return kickoffs for them. McFadden could prove to be very refreshing for Raiders fans if he can do it without fumbling.
Whatever the position McFadden finds in this offense the fact remains that he needs to find it this season. Levi "Dizzle" Damien fromwww.tfdssports.com is already calling for the trade of McFadden to be the Raiders next offseason move. In his article, he claims that the value the Raiders will get for McFadden is slowly dwindling into dismalness and his value on the current roster is less than favorable for the team.
McFadden must make an impression on the field this year if he wants to avoid being talked about as the Raiders next first round bust. This time next year, fans could be calling for his head in addition to his teammates JaMarcus Russell’s. Like Russell, he has the talent. The thing for the Raiders is to find out how to get the best out of his abilities…if he can stay on the field.
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Great analysis again BA
It’s almost unbelievable that mcfadden hasn’t done more after the career he had in college and was widely considered the best player in the draft. This has to be a break out year otherwise he will be gone let’s just hope he can stay healthy.
"Mel Kiper has his opinion and I respect it. But what does it mean? My 9-year-old nephew can watch film and make an opinion. I think I value the opinion of scouts who get paid to make their opinions. It will carry me through my career. It will serve as motivation for me." - Mike Mitchell
"I'll be the guy on top of the Quarterback" - Richard Seymour
Here they come baby, Just win baby, Feel the storm of the cold autum wind baby
Its the Oakland Raiders, Get your mouthpiece
You in the black hole, With the black beast! - Ice Cube 'Raider Nation'
by Ozraider on Mar 30, 2010 5:39 PM PDT via mobile reply actions
Great Job! Your really a top notch writer and one of the better voices here
As for McFadden, This is really a make or break year for him. He hasnt really done anything to show us he’s bust though. Besides his injuries, he was just being imporoperly used. I think its obvious that he isn’t a typical tailback. He’s never going to be one of those guys who take 20+ carries.
If Hue Jackson uses him as a Reggie Bush type of HB, then our ground game should be scary. Im almost 100% positive Micahel Bush will rack up 1300+ Yds next year and with DMC being used as a counter, opposing D’s should be shaking
In Bruce We Trust
I think
If Bush can get around 1,300 yards, then McFadden should have his best year pro. Granted he has to stay on the field, but if Bush makes 1,300 with 8-10 touchdowns, I’d expect a healthy D-Mac to add around 700 yards and 4-5 TD’s of his own, in addition to his regular receiving numbers.
Don't Trade Nnamdi Idiots!!!
Bring Back Bruce!!!
by B.A.Armstrong on Mar 30, 2010 5:59 PM PDT up reply actions
His recieving numbers should improve
With Bush getting the majority of the carries, he should see alot of time at slot. Meaning alot more catches and even more receiving TD’s. I just hope Hue Jackson knows what he’s doing and realizes what a gift he has in both of these young men who differ so much
In Bruce We Trust
I think Hue will be pleasantly surprised
And I’d be quite surprised if he has ever had this type of talent at his disposal before in the running games he has coached with/for
Don't Trade Nnamdi Idiots!!!
Bring Back Bruce!!!
by B.A.Armstrong on Mar 30, 2010 6:13 PM PDT up reply actions
I think
McFadden is a bust. He isn’t aggressive enough at all, he spends most of his time running east/west and to the sideline. He is a lame. They cut the wrong RB IMO.
Refuse to tiptoe through life only to arrive safely at death
He was being used the totally wrong way! Give him this year to decide whether he's a bust or not
In Bruce We Trust
Exactly
The thing isn’t entirely McFadden’s fault, so I wouldn’t label him a bust.
The Ultimate Opportunist
by Rated-R Superstar on Mar 30, 2010 9:03 PM PDT up reply actions
In the games I have watched
it looked like he hit the hole (and i’m using that term loosely because there is always at minimum 8 defenders in the box) hard. The threat of a passing game, and some decent blocking will really improve his numbers. He does not break tackles, but he can get through the first level of defense in a hurry if there is an opening.
Also, I would not call him a big back. He is tall, but 210 lbs is nothing for a 6’2" player. He needs to fix his fumbling problem too.
All we need is a freakin offensive plan
Just like kordell stewert going to pro bowls with a certain OC and sucking with th other OC, we need a more defined offensive plan catering to our players strengths and abilities. Not to mention we were ravaged by injuries last year…
I even cum Black & Silver...
by Tramp "Raider Roxxxtar" on Mar 30, 2010 6:15 PM PDT via mobile reply actions
You guys are probably right
The Raiders offense was less complex than that of our local Halifax Blue Comets. So fair enough.
Refuse to tiptoe through life only to arrive safely at death
no doubt about it!
All those red zone trips, and not one run???? when it was the run that got you in the red zone?
It was fucking mind boggling how poor the play calling was, and how it seemingly played against our strengths. Who would run Darren off tackle, and Bush outside? I can see occasionally running Darren ISO and off tackle, simply to decoy your calling, but in order to make decoy calls work, you have to first have some inital success with the game plan you come out with. This is something we were unable to ever do starting any games this year. Even the games we won saw us not doing anything offensively until well into the third or fourth quarters, with the exception of the SD opener.
"If your only ambition in life, is to be a better person; well, that's just the best ambition you can have..." Wayne "Rabbit" Bartholomew
Coaching/Scheme/Gameplan Were All Wrong
Couldn’t agree more…And add to that our inability to develop talent and we have the mess that is OakTown….
Criminy…Look at the penciled in talent that we have on this team and explain why we can’t get a 1st dn in the 1st half not to mention a “TD”….
McFadden is explosive, and needs to be given the ball in space, whether tossed to, handed off, or as a receiver
If we had done this even half the times, instead of running him off-tackle, behind a tackle who failed to reach the next level, often finding Darren, who lacks instincts inside, running into the back of the tackle.
Had McFadden been in Jones’ shoes in Dallas, he’d have an equal ypc, or even better, with probably many more td’s to boot.
While the Raiders run game might’ve been in the top half of the league, our passing game was always dismal, and you can hardly say that for Dallas and his former counterpart in the backfield in Jones’ team with Romo and Austin putting up stellar numbers all year. Throw in the always deadly Witten, and even Roy Williams, who though sad, had better production than the best Raiders wideout.
I expect at least a thousand yards on the ground from Darren this year under Hue Jackson’s offense, whether we get production from the passing game or not, which I believe we will.
You are correct in assessing it’s his time to shine, or he’ll be gone; but, he’ll do so with flying colors. The key is using Bush correctly too, but with those two guys as premieres, there’ll be plenty of carries to go around.
Oh, and upgrading the offensive line of course…
"If your only ambition in life, is to be a better person; well, that's just the best ambition you can have..." Wayne "Rabbit" Bartholomew
by brhynno on Mar 30, 2010 6:21 PM PDT reply actions 2 recs
rec'd
I predicted a huge year from McFadden last year but was obviously disappointed. If he can stay healthy and now with a proper OC i agree with your optimism .
"Mel Kiper has his opinion and I respect it. But what does it mean? My 9-year-old nephew can watch film and make an opinion. I think I value the opinion of scouts who get paid to make their opinions. It will carry me through my career. It will serve as motivation for me." - Mike Mitchell
"I'll be the guy on top of the Quarterback" - Richard Seymour
Here they come baby, Just win baby, Feel the storm of the cold autum wind baby
Its the Oakland Raiders, Get your mouthpiece
You in the black hole, With the black beast! - Ice Cube 'Raider Nation'
Yes. It's disappointing to hear guys say things like, "he's lame," or he "isn't aggressive," or "sucks..."
I would definitely challenge them to go back and watch him play. He’s got some balance issues he’s working through, but he’s a force to be reckoned with if he gets going downhill against a guy, and can keep them from wrapping him up low.
I think he’s stronger upper body than Adrian Peterson, and has longer arms and can be more effective with his stiff arm, but the balance thing and falling if getting touched in the lower body are a huge obstacle.
Almost all of his poor plays and tackles near the line of scrimmage were horrible calls, and it was compounded by horrible play by the line.
"If your only ambition in life, is to be a better person; well, that's just the best ambition you can have..." Wayne "Rabbit" Bartholomew
Then explain to me
why Fargas could enjoy so much success in the same scheme? Is Fargas just that much more of a back?
Refuse to tiptoe through life only to arrive safely at death
Fargas was that successful, huh?
I love Justin. He was a more violent runner, and that’s how he takes himself outta the game so often. He struggled the same way in his early years.
Just go back and watch film. Where’s all the TD’s Justin has? Was his average way better?
not aggressive??? click
always looks to lay a hard stiff arm where possible. Perhaps runs too headlong into traffic. Maybe less aggressive will take his game to the next level. Fargas’ initial trouble stemmed from the same thing: looking for contact, instead of learning to avoid it, and look for it at the right times, which is usually not against safeties or lbs in the NFL.
"If your only ambition in life, is to be a better person; well, that's just the best ambition you can have..." Wayne "Rabbit" Bartholomew
here's another for ya
"If your only ambition in life, is to be a better person; well, that's just the best ambition you can have..." Wayne "Rabbit" Bartholomew
Geez
Then why was Fargas named starter? The stats don’t lie, man. Fargas would go headlong and fight for three yards where McFadden would run 60 yards for a 1 yard gain. C’mon, TD’s? Nobody has been scoring many of those lately. Oakland has no passing game, so they are always playing against a stacked box—-McFadden has been worthless in this scenario. Fargas and Bush actually did reasonably well.
I would much rather see McFadden go in a trade than Nnamdi. Let him go for someone who can read a D and handle the ball. I say, trade him for Jason Campbell and a draft pick.
Refuse to tiptoe through life only to arrive safely at death
he's been worthless in the worthless attempt at using him we made
he’s not to blame. He’d outplay Felix in Dallas. He’ll be successful. You’ll see.
"If your only ambition in life, is to be a better person; well, that's just the best ambition you can have..." Wayne "Rabbit" Bartholomew
I do like seeing your optimism
It shows life in Raider Nation. I sincerely hope your right.
If they intend to get the ball to him in space, they had better damn well get some semblance of a passing attack going to keep the linebackers back in zone coverage from time to time, or it is going to be doom on McFadden again.
Funny how it always ends up in the quarterbacks’ lap. A little line help would be a good thing, too. A smart Gradkowski as starting QB and get a mobile and hostile OL who can pull and do some lead blocking for a back in “space”.
Refuse to tiptoe through life only to arrive safely at death
absolutely. my fears are that despite the upgrades we make and the strides in the team
we’ll continue to shoot ourselves in the foot the way we have the last six or seven years, especially as long as Al refuses to hire the GM.
I think it’s beyond just the crazy decisions Al makes; it’s about having a personnel guy you can speak your mind to without worrying about your job being at risk. I know people who work in similar situations where nepotism in family franchises interferes with how the acting manager/familiy ownership interferes with the franchise’s ability to do business, because it’s associates cannot approach the mgmt/ownership.
I think it’s a huge part of the whole problem.
"If your only ambition in life, is to be a better person; well, that's just the best ambition you can have..." Wayne "Rabbit" Bartholomew
oh, and I don't want to trade Nnamdi, and if I had to decide on trading a player between the two
there’s no question Dmac would be pounding pavement.
"If your only ambition in life, is to be a better person; well, that's just the best ambition you can have..." Wayne "Rabbit" Bartholomew
wow, that four tenths of a yard extra Fargas got was staggering, and DMac's paled in comparison
Rushing Player Att Yds Yds/Att Long TD
Justin Fargas 129 491 3.8 35 3
Michael Bush 123 589 4.8 60 3
Darren McFadden 104 357 3.4 28 1
"If your only ambition in life, is to be a better person; well, that's just the best ambition you can have..." Wayne "Rabbit" Bartholomew
High Ave At Times
There were several times sense “RunDMc” joined the Raiders that he had a very high yr/carry ave during a game but that’s where the coaching problems and gameplan came in to play…When the “D” made adjustments to shut him down our “O” was unable to do anything about it…We just continues to try to run him the same damn way like it was all upon him to open the holes that were no longer there…
MB & DMC two good reasons to take Iupati with #8
by Sons-of-Blanda on Mar 30, 2010 9:32 PM PDT up reply actions
+1
"Mel Kiper has his opinion and I respect it. But what does it mean? My 9-year-old nephew can watch film and make an opinion. I think I value the opinion of scouts who get paid to make their opinions. It will carry me through my career. It will serve as motivation for me." - Mike Mitchell
"I'll be the guy on top of the Quarterback" - Richard Seymour
Here they come baby, Just win baby, Feel the storm of the cold autum wind baby
Its the Oakland Raiders, Get your mouthpiece
You in the black hole, With the black beast! - Ice Cube 'Raider Nation'
by Ozraider on Mar 30, 2010 11:12 PM PDT via mobile up reply actions
Just thinking of that run game...
and if we upgrade at tackle, too? and with competent playcalling, and proper utilization of skill sets?
"If your only ambition in life, is to be a better person; well, that's just the best ambition you can have..." Wayne "Rabbit" Bartholomew
A new OT and G could help if
we pick the right combo.
A nice, fast FB would help break up the traffic.
Yea I agree
Part of his poor play is the Oline. You guys need a Gaurd in the worst way. Id really like to see you guys get Iupati or Poncey outta Florida. He played gaurd and from what I hear is a Mean SOB that plays with an attidude. But I also want the same two guys on the eagles.
The brothers Pouncey are two mean sombitches
who’ll both be great pros, for a lot of years. Maurkice would be an awesome Raider. He can play guard, or move unseat Satele or Morris and move them to G.
"If your only ambition in life, is to be a better person; well, that's just the best ambition you can have..." Wayne "Rabbit" Bartholomew
From Bob Highfill
He said, and i quote, :“Russell could prove to be the biggest NFL bust of all time, a title former Chargers, Cowboys, Bucs and Seahawks QB Ryan Leaf has worn since he was taken second overall in 1998. Last week, Leaf hit a new low when he agreed to plead guilty to seven counts of obtaining a controlled substance by fraud and one count of delivering a simulated controlled substance in exchange for 10 years probation. The judge still has to agree to the plea deal.”
Wow…is that what the future holds for QB busts in the NFL
Don't Trade Nnamdi Idiots!!!
Bring Back Bruce!!!
Russell got lucky though, he'll last with the money Al gave him unfortunately...I wish I could've seen him burn (like a plane not literally)
and go down with his money like leaf…If u have no work ethic and are a slob and steal money from an old man, u deserve it.
The RaiderLaker
Thanks
Thanks for the Post
I have always said what others have said and that is get him the ball in space,get him the ball in space. Last year the Raiders did that and he was run down by a CB/Safety. That made me concerned if he has NFL breakaway speed. This has to be his breakout year.
I Pimped McFabulas -n- Still Do
He was my top selection and I was excited when we took him…However I have been discouraged by what I have seen sense his rookie season but not because of a huge flaw in “RunDMc” but because of the lack of development and poor utilization of his skill set and the continued employment of Fargas as the feature back….All these things have contributed to his demise and Bush too for that matter so now that the backfield has thinned it’s time for both these players to shine…
The drop off in the run blocking of the “OL” has been tremendous…Someone posted we were a top 10 rushing team but those #’s came later in the season…Early on we were closer to #20…All the emphasis was on developing a passing game at the expense of the run and the thought was the run would still be there when we needed it but not so…All threw the preseason we were unable to rush the ball and speculation was when they turned on the gas we would be a top 5 rushing team but instead we were inept…
A poster previously pointed out the loss of Grove at “C” as a large reason for the "OL"s drop in run blocking ability but they were also facing less 8 man fronts because “DHB” was drawing at least one “S” deep and a “CB” so that left only 2 "DB"s to cover 2 "WR"s and the "TE"s….Apparently a “LB” had to cover somebody….“TE” or a “RB”…-w- only a 6 or 7 man fronts we should have been able to run that damn ball…
Report: McNabb is willing to go to any contender and restructure his deal to chump change...
Hint:not the Raiders…the Cards here
The RaiderLaker
Good
I want him to go to a contender and see sucess. He deserves it, Oakland is progressing and has a real fighter in Radkowski, Lets not fuck that up with a Vet who doesn’t wanna be here
In Bruce We Trust
McNabb is a pro
if, typically when trade news are in the air that long, it rarely happens, McNabb comes to the raiders, he’ll be here to compete on his contract year. Regardless of where he wants to go, if he shows up to camp, he’ll be here to win. he has way too much pride. No QB, please help me remember, with us his success – Top 15 Passer Rating All-Time, Highest pass vs interception rating, 5 NFC Championship Games, 1 SB appearance, has taken so much heat from his fans. I’ll say it again, he should be hall of fame consideration. The ultimate f**k y** is taking the raiders to the playoffs. If he shows up (doesn’t pout by doing an Elway or simply retires), his goal will be taking the raiders to the playoffs. No doubt. All receivers will know their routes before the first exhibition game, none of that JR throwing to no man’s land because WR are doing whatever they want.
by raiders4liffe on Mar 31, 2010 1:05 AM PDT up reply actions
+1
He’s a great under-appreciated player ever since he was drafted by Philly but if he doesn’t want to be here, don’t trade for him. I honestly think if Al is even looking at Sage Rosenfels this means he has had enough of Jamarcus. He probably asked him about restrcuturing his deal & Jamarcus just scoffed. That means he will likely be cut since there is no cap hit to hurt the team.
Of course he wants to go to Arizona or Minnesota. That is completely normal to have a preference. He is human and wants to compete near the end of his career. He just doesn’t realize the young talent here in Oakland and the fact that he will take us to the playoffs if he comes here. And of course after that first year, he will know that winning a SB in Oakland is possible and he will stay for a few more yrs. Its just getting him here that seems like the hard part.
If I want your opinion, I'll give it to you.
by Parental Advisory on Mar 31, 2010 12:37 PM PDT up reply actions
Not sure if he has a few years left in those legs, tho
he’s taken a lot of beatings over his career. Tough as nails, but it wears on your longevity and ability to play over time.
"If your only ambition in life, is to be a better person; well, that's just the best ambition you can have..." Wayne "Rabbit" Bartholomew
yeah, but if we could build a seriously good O-line in front of him then it would work. Look at Warner and Favre. The talent will always be there, its just the desire that goes away.
If I want your opinion, I'll give it to you.
by Parental Advisory on Mar 31, 2010 1:01 PM PDT up reply actions
He won't take us anywhere, he'll be disgruntled, like Moss, and like Walter (irrelevant QB).
He’s a diva, i give Seymore props, he wasn’t a complete bit.ch about it, although he already got his ring…perhaps thats why…but still Mcnabb won’t help us, he’ll leave even if we franchise him he’ll not report and lose the franchise money, although he wont care about the money, he’ll go to the Cards or Vikings I can foresee this happening. (i’ll give him 1/2 props though, for leaving the money and forcing his way to a contender, but it hurts being a raider fan) he wants it now, the Raiders wont be there until 2, 3 or 4 years from now. We’ll just have to ride Gradkowski for now…
The RaiderLaker
Diva might be a little harsh
He probably saw that beating that Walter took, and wants no part of that. If AZ can protect for Warner, McNabb could have an MVP season there. He has never had a line or receiving corps like that.
Pro
he’s a pro. Moss wasn’t. If McNabb comes here, which is a huge if, he’ll play. This guy withstood over a decade in Philly from getting booed on draft day to TO on national TV. He’s harden. Can’t blame the guy to want to win the big one now and adding to his legacy. Philly completely mishandled the situation by leaking their interest and not pulling a realistic deal quickly. He can make it work here.
by raiders4liffe on Mar 31, 2010 11:42 PM PDT up reply actions
Its simply not gonna happen
Its all just pre-draft rumor mill bullshit. McNabb has no interest in being a Raider. He is obviously more interested in going to a contender team with an established QB that he can “mentor” for the remainder of his career.
Refuse to tiptoe through life only to arrive safely at death
Ok raiders4life, if he came, he might play (he wouldn't try hard though) then
after the year is over he WILL leave and we just lost a high 2nd round for that, and he will leave cuz he wants to win one at least like u said. if we franchise him he’ll throw a fit and not report to camp then lose money, then not report to the games either, this’ll fu.ck up chemistry and the phycological effect would be high and make players doubt like: “Damn not even a great like Mcnabb wants to play for us…shit I guess we’ll suck forever and i’ll stop trying”= taking it down a notch. Dont look for false hope and be desperate for McDudd…
The RaiderLaker
franchise tag
next year for franchise tag QBs, the number is expected at $20 million. He may pretend to show a fit about long term commitment, blah, blah but he’ll show up, not on time but early to pick up that check. All I’m saying is the guy is not a premadona, he’s an unappreciated warrior. Can he run? Not anymore but he can move in the pocket to buy time; does he have a canon of an arm, not but the ball gets there; is he prepared? the guy can teach all paterns in his sleep; can he sort the receivers route? our young WRs will finally get guidance and timing. Too much noise around the trade, it’s unlikely to happen.
by raiders4liffe on Apr 2, 2010 9:51 AM PDT up reply actions
MB & DMC
will obviously get a lot more touches with Fargas gone. The issue will actually be our D putting the offence back on the field and not giving up up 2 quick TDs early in the game to force our offense to air it out and give up the run. Philosophically, I have a hard time picking a guard at #8; can Lupati move to tackle? Would he be the best tackle available #8? If not, I would be ok taking the best DL at that spot.
After Suh, the DT pool becomes monolithic with about 6 of them contending for primacy, so DT can be had in 2nd round
without sacrificing much if anything. But an excellent O-lineman is a long-term value and there aren’t many of them outside the first round. So someone like Iupati or Bulaga will give us a return on investment for years and immediately improve offense.
by Sons-of-Blanda on Mar 31, 2010 6:20 AM PDT up reply actions
Great Job!
McFadden is not the “Weapon” he’s made out to be. I won’t blame his coaching or teammates. I completely agree he hasn’t made the most of his carries. That’s his own fault. It’s not like our other running backs haven’t been successful in the same system.
True but in his best game you may notice with the exception of that 1 goal-line effort
he was being used well. They were tossing pitches & having him run counters consistently. That Denver game gave me hope for him. If the team can trade down & pick up some help on the O-line ala Anthony Davis, Trent Williams, Iupati, or Pouncey it will do wonders for him. Also Fargas not being there to take away carries will be the biggest help yet.
Personally I like McFadden...
It took Ronnie Brown 3yrs to do anything in the pros. Maybe it will be the same for Dmac. When playing he has never been givin the chance to get in any rythym. He never got 20 carries a game. If you look at his stats, they are not much differnet from Fargas or Bush. He just hasn’t been able to stay healthy. We have too much inversted in Dmac and I can really see MB not being around this year. I am only saying that b/c I think that we could probalbly include MB in a trade or get a 3rd rounder, maybe 2nd for him. I know Al and Cable want McFadden to be the premier back. I think if he gets 250 carries this yr he will easily get 1000 yrds. Lets just hope his body can hold up.
If I want your opinion, I'll give it to you.
by Parental Advisory on Mar 31, 2010 12:29 PM PDT reply actions
Funny you mention Ronnie Brown. It seems Cadillac Williams, his draft brother at the position and basically the other hyped guy at RB
seems to have slipped into obscurity compared to Ronnie, huh? I know the injury had everything to do with it, but it’s still interesting nonetheless. Ronnie Brown had Ricky Williams coming into his own again, which is also similar to Mike Bush.
"If your only ambition in life, is to be a better person; well, that's just the best ambition you can have..." Wayne "Rabbit" Bartholomew
yeah its very weird how those two turned out. Cadillac started off very good and year by year declined, while Ronnie was nowhere for 3 yrs and then suddenly exploded.
If I want your opinion, I'll give it to you.
by Parental Advisory on Mar 31, 2010 1:02 PM PDT up reply actions
Injured
Cadillac was injured every year too.
by Mallard Davis on Mar 31, 2010 5:13 PM PDT up reply actions
Improvement will come
With Cable no longer calling the plays,and the threat of a passing attack McFadden’s numbers should improve. DHB’s inability to produce at WR should prompt Hugh Jackson to use McFadden more in that role. Remember, Cable came out prior to the Giant’s game and told Dan Dierdorf he had to simplify the offense so JA3andout could understand it . Having a limited arsenal going against an NFL defense is the kiss of death ,and won’t happen on Jackson’s watch. I don’t like the idea of McFadden returning kicks as he can be a bit fragile at times and he’d only end up on IR which helps nobody.
DHB is actually trying to improve himself and his skills. He is currently catching passes from grad(although that was reported about 3-4 weeks ago)
He was a rookie, I’ll forgive him for that. He needs to work on route running and hands. I don’t think Cab;e or Hue will give up on him for just one season.
Spread Him Out
I agree with you,he needs to be used like Reggie Bush and spreading him out would be perfect if Bruce or another qb not named Russell can deliver a short pass on time with touch and hit this guy in stride Better yet, The Raiders and Al could petition the league to have the hash marks moved out like the NCAA (just kidding).The bottom line is Dmac needs to produce this year and if moving him around is the answer then do it and stop running him up the gut until we have a o-line that can make that happen.Besides that’s what Michael Bush is for .It’s too bad Al will never change his philosophy and adopt the west coast system that Gruden ran because we have the personal to do it. So how long until camp,I can’t wait.
Al IS THE PROBLEM
being a Raider fan since 74, I’ve watched this team go from the "winningest"team in pro sports , SI 1991, to the silver and black version of the Browns>
Al Davis does’nt adapt to the times. He’s still stuck in 85’. Age, is the whole problem.
We have to ride the storm out for now , remember the good ol’ days, and the pride we have left.
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