Oakland Raiders vs. Denver Broncos Keys to the Game: Ground and Pound

by Rich Langford on Sep 12, 2011 7:01 AM PDT

If pass defense is the No. 1 key to the Raiders beating the Broncos then the Raiders' rushing attack is No. 1a. For this offense to click the run game has to lead the way. While the passing game has looked improved in the preseason, Jason Campbell is going to be far more effective if he can pick on a defense geared for the run.

The Broncos have a much improved pass rush. The Raiders can't let them pin their ears back and set their sights on Campbell.

The Raiders have to get the ground game going, and they have the horses to do it. Samson Satele, Stefen Wisniewski and Cooper Carlisle are going against a soft Broncos interior defensive line. They need to own these matchups and wear the Broncos out from the inside out. Jump over for more....

Darren McFadden is making his 2011 debut. He missed all of the preseason, but I fully expect him to come in this game ready to dominate. If the line opens up holes for him, he is going to get big yards. The Broncos have a solid linebacking corp, but McFadden should be able to destroy these guys in space.

Joe Mays is a solid MLB, and he tackles well, but he is far too stiff to handle McFadden in space. With DJ Williams out the Broncos are forced to start Wesley Woodyard on the weakside. Woodyard is quick, but he should be easily blocked. He is also going to have a hard time taking down DMC or Bush one-on-one.

Von Miller will be manning the strongside. Miller is a freak of an athlete, but he was brought in Miller to rush the passer. He was a rush linebacker in a 3-4 in college. The Raiders should not shy away from running right at him. He is going to have a hard time handling the Raiders running backs.

On paper, the Raiders should dominate this matchup. This is the perfect opportunity to get of to a bullying start. They need to wear them down in the first half and pop for big runs in the second half.

Poll

The Raiders will run for?

100 or less yards

66 votes

100-150 yards

357 votes

150-200 yards

507 votes

200 or more yards

243 votes

1173 votes | Poll has closed

Tweet Comment 76 comments | 1 recs |

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Comments

I think you guys will have a successful day running the ball...

Its what you do. Having said that, I dont think it will be so successful that we are forced to sell-out against it and open up the passing game for you. I dont predict a blow-out either way. It should be a hard-fought game.
Thanks for the 1. & 1a. breakdowns, Rich

They say the cool is all over me..

by Teboner on Sep 12, 2011 8:47 AM PDT reply actions

a fair take but I disagree

I don’t think you can stop the run with a base defense and will have to stack the box. plays will be there for jason to make. if he gets protection and makes the plays I feel very good about this game.

by lchristmas on Sep 12, 2011 10:52 AM PDT via mobile up reply actions

We better not pull a Chiefs tonight, I'll be pissed

too many times have we shown up flat and not ready to play.

"Bad is Back, thanks be to the Antichrist" - George Atkinson

by Ghost Raider on Sep 12, 2011 9:02 AM PDT reply actions

Yeah.

Plus we won’t hear the end of it. It’s not like we have been talking up our team to be solid playoff contenders. However they (looking at Rodney A) has judging by the way they speak about them (VonDoom will be nigh unstoppable!!!! He did awesome in preseason!!!! Doom is amazing!!!). So IF they win they will talk up so much shit.

So winning this game would be great, not only for the raiders but for our sanity.

I’ll take 11 players with heart on the field over 11 guys with just talent. Talent is fleeting, it goes away over time. Heart is what drives you to be better. To push yourself beyond what you think your capabilities are. To show us that when you strive, all things are possible.- SMP

by Jack'sAxe on Sep 12, 2011 9:23 AM PDT up reply actions

To me, it's nothing different than when we trucked out

Burgess and Sapp. Bunkley is the only DT that even remotely worries me, and he’ll likely get doubled. I still don’t buy Dumervil as an every down DE, and I say we run right at him or hit some long trap plays his direction. They guy is coming off a torn Pec, so I have to wonder how effectly he’ll be at shedding blocks, rather than beating an LT to the edge for a sack…

We HAVE to run the ball in this game, and we’ll have to do it in every game because that’s what we’re built to do. Denver has made stopping the run their priority, as they didn’t make very many if any moves on the offensive side of the ball…looking forward to it.

I haven’t been trumping up our team, I have just been saying that the personnel losses have largely been mitigated. I think we’ll be pretty good, but I haven’t even predicted a final score, because I acknowledge we have questions…looking forward to seeing them answered.

we never retreat we always ATTACK!!!

by transparent58 on Sep 12, 2011 9:46 AM PDT up reply actions

they are gonna LOAD the box

first play, play action and hit DHB (or Ford) for the touchdown. I just hope jason can make the throw.

by lchristmas on Sep 12, 2011 10:24 AM PDT via mobile up reply actions

I notice DHB can't cut fluidly and juke to a straight stop from his high speed then resume.

I don’t like it. He needs to be more fluid, there is no excuse for a CB to be very close to him. He can’t shake off and switch directions in my opinion.

The RaiderLaker

by JaggerJaw on Sep 12, 2011 10:27 AM PDT up reply actions

he can run very fast in a straight line

and they will be paying him, personally, very little respect on top of their obvious plan to stack the LOS

by lchristmas on Sep 12, 2011 10:28 AM PDT via mobile up reply actions

He juked the shit out of the Seattle CB

by samiam2112 on Sep 12, 2011 10:32 AM PDT up reply actions

This was in the Pre and we have seen it only once. At least I have.

The RaiderLaker

by JaggerJaw on Sep 12, 2011 11:54 AM PDT up reply actions

DHB is not my worry in this game...

by samiam2112 on Sep 12, 2011 4:16 PM PDT up reply actions

I hope their DC thinks he is facing the raider 2007 passing offense, like their super expert fans do

by lchristmas on Sep 12, 2011 10:27 AM PDT via mobile up reply actions

The play action fake is a JC strength the throw is his weakness...

by samiam2112 on Sep 12, 2011 10:33 AM PDT up reply actions

yup

he sees the guy open and gets the yips

by lchristmas on Sep 12, 2011 10:38 AM PDT via mobile up reply actions

Chuck Knobloch-itis

by samiam2112 on Sep 12, 2011 4:14 PM PDT up reply actions

Spot on

He is not an accurate passer.

@WorldBLee

by worldblee on Sep 12, 2011 11:06 AM PDT up reply actions

I wish he was!

by samiam2112 on Sep 12, 2011 4:15 PM PDT up reply actions

your rage on that guy is almost enough to make me accept you as a raider fan

by lchristmas on Sep 12, 2011 10:30 AM PDT via mobile up reply actions

If they can't get up for this they should just return the game checks!

In all seriousness if you can’t get motivation for MNF against a division opponent on the road in a hostile barn yard then when!
Tonight is the night for all theses guys who say it’s about winning and we want to win to get out there and play there collective asses off. Refuse to loose and refuse to accept failure rise above your fears and dare to be great! Just win baby!

by samiam2112 on Sep 12, 2011 10:19 AM PDT up reply actions

I am confident, not cocky about the results

but if we lose it will not be for lack of effort. hue and big dick are gonna have these guys JUICED

by lchristmas on Sep 12, 2011 10:40 AM PDT via mobile up reply actions

If we lose, I won't visit this site for at least a week so I won't have to hear the trolls

"Bad is Back, thanks be to the Antichrist" - George Atkinson

by Ghost Raider on Sep 12, 2011 9:24 AM PDT reply actions

LOL LOL LOL

by samiam2112 on Sep 12, 2011 10:20 AM PDT up reply actions

there are 5 attitudes with which you can approach a game

as a fan:

5. the other team is much better than us. we will likely get blown out.
4. we can hang, but we will probably lose
3. anything can happen. close matchup.
2. we are the better team and should win, but we better keep our shit together or we can get knocked off.
1. we are far better and will win in a walk.

this game is a “2.5” for me based only on our uneven preseason. if not for those concerns its a solid “2.” id have to say that if I was a bronco fan i’d be looking at this as a “3” at best. it is amusing that rodney and his few followers who have been polluting our site with their pseudo analysis not only think they will win but think it will be a blowout.

I wonder what the general consensus is over there. I don’t care enough to go look.

by lchristmas on Sep 12, 2011 10:22 AM PDT via mobile up reply actions

I Have To Project Myself At 1.5 Against That "ASS"...

“O” is going to be substantially improved and the “D” should be slightly as well…

by PantyRaider on Sep 12, 2011 11:52 AM PDT up reply actions

McBush are going to tear these assholes up

by Phuck denver on Sep 12, 2011 9:39 AM PDT via mobile reply actions

Y'all are discounting Taiwan the wild card.

Jones will have at least one big gain on a screen. DMac should have over 100, Bush will get somewhere around 60 and two touchdowns, and Taiwan will get him about 60 and a touchdown. I see 4 touchdowns already before bringing the receivers into play.
I predict a long night for the Bunko defensive front.

Refuse to tiptoe through life only to arrive safely at death

by spec on Sep 12, 2011 10:43 AM PDT reply actions

Keys to the Game

1. DEFENCE ! Stop the run, disrupt Orton and the Who’s. Period. Cant wait to see how flavorful Bresnans defence is without the vanilla. 2. Same goes for the Offense. Saunders has an encyclopedia of plays. I want to see more than just Run, Run, Play Action, Punt. I want to see some better Packages also. How come Bush and DMC are never on the field together? Are we gonna see 2 TE set with Ausbury and Meyers? How about a wishbone with DMC and Taiwan, with them motioning out to WR? 3.Special Team rules have been changed. We need to let Lechler and Seabass break records this year. My first prediction for the game – Seabass kicks off through the uprights. Later in the game he breaks the distance record for a FG in the thin air. Cant forget another big S/T question, who’s our gunner?

by LaRaider on Sep 12, 2011 11:08 AM PDT reply actions

You mean this?

by samiam2112 on Sep 12, 2011 2:43 PM PDT up reply actions

Like Negrodomus

What did I say? Step 1. check. Step 2. check. Step 3. Classic.

by LaRaider on Sep 13, 2011 9:29 AM PDT up reply actions

If the Raiders bring the intensity like they did last year vs. Denver

All will be good. If the POS team from the preseason shows up, we will get our butts kicked. I can’t fathom why the Raiders shouldn’t be fired up and intense for this game, so I’m hoping we extinguish the bad feelings from preseason quickly and get ready to play some real football.

@WorldBLee

by worldblee on Sep 12, 2011 11:09 AM PDT reply actions

Ground Pond Is My Reality At The Moment...Underwater Literally...Damn Tropical Rains...

I ran my Tuk-Tuk with my Motorbike piggyback and got here to Chanthaburi Thailand yesterday threw the downpour where I stay at my friends home on the river…But now we’re literally submerged!!…

My intent was to see the game with High Speed net here that I don’t have at home in Cambodia..Now I will have to swim to the Cyberspace Cafe if I make it at all!!!….

Kinda funny I suppose…Couldn’t ride threw the water so my wife sat on my motorbike while I pushed it along in water about 6" past my knees…Below the carburetor so I assumed I was OK…NOT!!!….The exhaust filled with the damn shit and now my engine is flooded out…Had to lay the damn thing down to drain it before I could kick it over..Not running yet!!!

Well that was than…8 hrs ago…Now the flood waters are to my waist!!!..May not see this one but will listen to the radio and view the nfl.com graphics…Go Raiders!!!….

http://poleshift.ning.com/profiles/blog/show?id=3863141%3ABlogPost%3A758002&commentId=3863141%3AComment%3A758183&xg_source=activity

by PantyRaider on Sep 12, 2011 11:13 AM PDT reply actions 1 recs

That's dedication, brother

Good luck getting to view the game!

@WorldBLee

by worldblee on Sep 12, 2011 11:33 AM PDT up reply actions 1 recs

Wow. Hope all your effort pays off.

Girlfriend: So the guy who catches the ball is the catcher, right?
Me: No. They are called wide-receivers. Catchers play baseball.
Girlfriend: Samething.

by dram5780 on Sep 12, 2011 4:08 PM PDT up reply actions

I'm just worried

if we don’t come out fired up because you know they will, especially after that 59-14 smacking we put on them last time at Mile High

by killerk968 on Sep 12, 2011 12:07 PM PDT reply actions

McFadden knows all about "Ground and Pound"

He’s got five illegitimate children to prove it.

Enter the backseat.

"I am not prettier than your girlfriend, you just like ugly girls."
- an extremely confident man.
THANK YOU, BASEDGOD.

I am for some reason on Facebook now |

A'S, RAIDERS, WARRIORS, AND CHELSEA FC SUPPORTER.

by DEBACLE OF MASS ERUPTION. on Sep 12, 2011 12:17 PM PDT reply actions

All Future "RB" Prospects For Our Raiders!!!..Just Keep Procreating Baby!!

by PantyRaider on Sep 12, 2011 12:22 PM PDT up reply actions

Is that a Crown Vic cop car? I want to get a black one just to get dudes scared when I roll by, haha.

The RaiderLaker

by JaggerJaw on Sep 12, 2011 12:54 PM PDT up reply actions

fuck im excited about tonight..

by yaboyrafa on Sep 12, 2011 12:21 PM PDT reply actions

Raiders will do what?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=REVl4skqqUg

by Jack'sAxe on Sep 12, 2011 12:35 PM PDT reply actions

FUCK YEEEEAAAAAHHHHHHH!

FOOOOTBAAAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

"We’re going to be a tough, rugged football team that walks with a swagger and plays the way the Raiders used to play." Hue Jackson

"Just win baby. That’s what Al Davis says and that’s all I want to do. . . . I just want to be the best, and I just want to win." - Terrelle Pryor

by Ozraider on Sep 12, 2011 12:43 PM PDT reply actions

Damn queefs lost berry for the year. Guess it’s down to the raiders and chargers for the crown. Raiders need to take advantage and strike.

by RaiderKilluminati on Sep 12, 2011 12:58 PM PDT via mobile reply actions

Tore his acl. Chiefs were a fake last year and have been exposed. Feel bad for berry though

by RaiderKilluminati on Sep 12, 2011 1:01 PM PDT via mobile reply actions

I never like to see thos kind of injuries

by samiam2112 on Sep 12, 2011 2:45 PM PDT up reply actions

Hopefully there aren’t any season ending injuries or any injuries at all tonight.

by RaiderKilluminati on Sep 12, 2011 1:05 PM PDT via mobile reply actions

Well!!...Your A Little More Classy Than Myself...."Body Bags"!!!!....

What do you do with a lame “Mule”???

Sorry but I was that guy at the stadium always screaming “Body Bags”!! when our “D” would crunch some pour bastard into the turf…Still have that tendency in my Black Hearten Blood!!

But not really wanting to see anyone get hurt…But it would be sweet if Orton can’t play and they have to use Tebow!!!

by PantyRaider on Sep 12, 2011 1:12 PM PDT up reply actions

Well I wouldn’t mind our dline ending ortons season either and honestly I smiled when I learned berry was out and the dolts players getting injures. When I say no injuries I mean no injuries on the raiders hahaha but body bags would be awesome. Some orange and blue body bags

by RaiderKilluminati on Sep 12, 2011 1:18 PM PDT via mobile up reply actions

I wouldn’t wish injuries onanyone but I also wouldn’t mind if Seymour drives ortons head onto the turf and he suffers a concussion. That’s football haha

by RaiderKilluminati on Sep 12, 2011 1:20 PM PDT via mobile up reply actions

Right On Bro!!...It's Definately FootBall...If It's In The Game It's In The Game!!!

by PantyRaider on Sep 12, 2011 1:28 PM PDT up reply actions

"The most violent team wins -- Hue Jackson."

by PantyRaider on Sep 12, 2011 1:53 PM PDT up reply actions

Monday Night Donkey Punch

GET SOME!

"I am not prettier than your girlfriend, you just like ugly girls."
- an extremely confident man.
THANK YOU, BASEDGOD.

I am for some reason on Facebook now |

A'S, RAIDERS, WARRIORS, AND CHELSEA FC SUPPORTER.

by DEBACLE OF MASS ERUPTION. on Sep 12, 2011 1:43 PM PDT reply actions

I’m ready for donkey fans to leave the stadium ,and probably Colorado, by halftime

by RaiderKilluminati on Sep 12, 2011 1:48 PM PDT via mobile reply actions

I Pitty Their Poor LiveStock!!!...Animal Cruelity On The Rise After This "Donkey" Dies!!!

by PantyRaider on Sep 12, 2011 2:00 PM PDT up reply actions

Just glad all those build up games are done and the real thing starts tonight!

back in black bitches!

Kick their ass and take their stuff!

by AllyRdr on Sep 12, 2011 2:34 PM PDT reply actions

Brake the season opener spell!

JUST WIN BABY!

Formerly known as AlohaHalofan

by Erick Danielsen on Sep 12, 2011 2:36 PM PDT reply actions

been at work since

3am, its now 3pm n still got 2 hrs left on shift, and I gotta be at work again by 3am tomorrow but still gonna stay up n watch the game…raider win will make it worth it

by "The Assassin" 32 on Sep 12, 2011 3:03 PM PDT via mobile reply actions

The game is live on ESPN at 3.15am here in Scotland

I start work at 9.00am. Luckily I got a shitload of coffee.

Kick their ass and take their stuff!

by AllyRdr on Sep 12, 2011 3:05 PM PDT up reply actions

For those of you who don't have cable and you live in the Bay Area like myself, you can watch on channel 5 (cbs).

by duballers23 on Sep 12, 2011 3:07 PM PDT reply actions

Practice makes perfect

Oakland Raider Faithful

by Raider_Horror on Sep 12, 2011 3:18 PM PDT reply actions 2 recs

haha

they also had a punching bag at camp lol

by RyanTheRaider on Sep 12, 2011 5:55 PM PDT up reply actions

Just downloaded NFL gamepass app ON MY PHONE

gonna be able to covert watch the game at work – FUCK YEAH!!!!!!

"We’re going to be a tough, rugged football team that walks with a swagger and plays the way the Raiders used to play." Hue Jackson

"Just win baby. That’s what Al Davis says and that’s all I want to do. . . . I just want to be the best, and I just want to win." - Terrelle Pryor

by Ozraider on Sep 12, 2011 3:31 PM PDT via mobile reply actions

NICE!

by samiam2112 on Sep 12, 2011 4:00 PM PDT up reply actions

Greetings to my Raider Brethren!!

Are we all ready for the unlimited ass whooping on the Donks tonight??? Go Raiders!

Yes I'm a girl ... Yes I'm in Virginia ... Yes I'm a Raider loving pirate lass ... problem with that???

by RaiderPrincessVA on Sep 12, 2011 4:06 PM PDT reply actions

Enjoy the game ...

GO RAIDERS!!!

by VJH5404 on Sep 12, 2011 5:24 PM PDT reply actions

Jerrymcd Jerry McDonald
WR Derek Hagan inactive, believed to be healthy enough to play. Other inactives: Murphy, Mitchell, Davis, BCampbell, Ausberry, Boss.

by RyanTheRaider on Sep 12, 2011 6:06 PM PDT reply actions

INACTIVE?!

WHAT KIND OF BULLSHIT IT THAT!

"BA doesn't stand for Batting Average. It’s Brandon Allen, as in the percentage of a hitter’s worth compared to Brandon Allen. Ted Williams, at his best, was only 4/10th of the hitter Brandon Allen is today." - YonYonson

by hero66 on Sep 12, 2011 6:11 PM PDT up reply actions

Well i guess miller is our punt returner

and we are using Myers and Gordon because of their superior blocking.Hagan should play, im guessing there is an injury we dont know about or they think Hagan fills the same role as Schillens, or they really like Miller.

by RyanTheRaider on Sep 12, 2011 6:14 PM PDT up reply actions

hagan had better be injured

that is the ONLY excuse for this. if he’s not then hue jackson was lying through his teeth

by hero66 on Sep 12, 2011 6:16 PM PDT up reply actions

Dammit

I was counting on Ausberry.

Refuse to tiptoe through life only to arrive safely at death

by spec on Sep 12, 2011 6:47 PM PDT up reply actions

Gordons a better option tonight

because of his great blocking

by RyanTheRaider on Sep 12, 2011 6:58 PM PDT up reply actions

I know

But, I took a chance on Ausberry in fantasy,

Refuse to tiptoe through life only to arrive safely at death

by spec on Sep 12, 2011 7:08 PM PDT up reply actions

VittorioTafur Vittorio Tafur
Looking on bright side, WR Chaz Schilens making only his 14th appearance in last 33 games. He’s had some bad luck, worked hard to get back

by RyanTheRaider on Sep 12, 2011 6:38 PM PDT up reply actions