FanPost

RAIDER REBOUND

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What a damn game, ey Kids? RAIDER REBOUND indeed!

It makes you want rethink back to the old days when we were consistently winning, before the dark times..before the Clone Wars..

before the Empire!!

Enter the 2012 season and the future honestly looked uncertain. We lost the first two games and still did not know if Dennis Allen is the 2nd coming of Lane “the pain” Kiffen (aka Lance) or a bright, young Coach that’s going to take our legendary team to the next level.

This game proved he is capable of competing with the big boys. Maybe even Greg Knapp can be credible again! Sky’s the limit!

I’ll tell you one thing…it’s sure is nice to see our Captain Darren “ RUN DMC” McFadden get his swag back. Yes, 113 Yards is not TOTAL BEAST MODE, but it’s a good way to start! That run near the “Dark Side” End Zone showed the Nation what our main man is truly capable of. I’m sure if Pro Bowler Ballers Troy Polamalu and James Harrison were on the Field Sunday, it might make a wee bit of a difference..but let’s just enjoy the return of the run game for now, shall we!?!?

Zone Blocking is still the number one Question on MANY of my Friends and followers minds and only time will tell if giving up the power blocking scheme was actually a good idea. Those two games when Darren seemed missing in action will not be ignored. Let it be known: We are currently last in NFL in average rushing yards (62.4). Something might have to change.

Carson Palmer? He must of read my rants and Hulk roars about Third Down Efficiency last week..

7/12? Superb! We are FINALLY going in the right direction! He seemed to look a lot calmer out there on the field Sunday and threw to 9 different Receivers! If he keeps that kind of Offensive balance, command presence, production and accuracy up, there is no telling who the Raiders CAN’T compete with! Now if he can only stop throwing picks on the opening drive…

I have to give a super shout out to the work horse after 3 solid games; Mr. Brandon Myers. It’s no longer a question of IF he will get the ball, it’s a question of WHEN he will get the ball. After gathering 5 receptions for 65 yards in week one, 6 recs for 86 yards in week 2 and 4 recs for 55 yards on Sunday, I believe he is developing into the type of Tight end we used to depend on back in the day. Let’s keep this guy around this time, ok Mr. Davis-Reggie?

Prayers also go out to Mr Darrius Heyward Bey for getting out the hospital today. I hope the aftermath concussion issues do not keep him out of the Denver game..but most of all, I simply wish him a true and full recovery. That seemed like a hit others would call “unsportsmanlike” . Damn Replacement Referees..open your damn eyes and press the rewind button!

Defense? We still have a lot of work to do. Giving up 384 passing yards is huge a concern. (26th in Passing D btw) We’ve tried different Corners, different Schemes and even converting Mike Huff to a Cornerback with no positive answers. Does anyone else have any other ideas? Chimdi Chekwa anyone? I think part of the problem is STILL no decent pass rush. Every single QB that plays against our Defense has time to make cookies, do his taxes, read a book and THEN make a converted pass. Fine.. Richard Seymour got lucky with a Sack that somehow fell into his lap.. Victory! I guess I’ll give the Lord of the Sith award to Phillip Wheeler for logging in 7 tackles with 8 assisted..also Pat Lee's strip of Antonio Brown was huuuuuge.

Seabass? What can I say? You came through again on a Field Goal shot that saved our asses as the clock expired. The guys actually had me stand up on a seat to guide-force power the pigskin in just in case you were thinking of shankin’ it. Who put it through? I’m not so sure…(:

Summary:

OAKLAND, Calif. -- With an efficient offense led by Carson Palmer, an opportunistic defense that stepped up in the final minutes and a clutch kick by Sebastian Janikowski, the Oakland Raiders turned a somber mood into a celebratory one.

Janikowski kicked a 43-yard field goal on the last play as the Raiders scored the final 13 points after wide receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey was knocked out and hospitalized by a scary hit to beat the Pittsburgh Steelers 34-31 on Sunday.

"You put a lot of hard work, blood sweat and tears into trying to build a championship team, and one of your guys goes down, especially in a situation like that, it's hard to keep your focus," coach Dennis Allen said. "But I thought our guys did an outstanding job in getting their focus back, coming back and executing, and winning a game in the fourth quarter."

There was a pall over the stadium early in the fourth quarter when Heyward-Bey was knocked unconscious by a helmet-to-helmet hit in the end zone by Steelers safety Ryan Mundy that was not called a penalty by the replacement officials. Heyward-Bey was taken to the hospital with a concussion and neck injury. But Allen said he was able to move his extremities, which was a welcome sign for the Raiders (1-2).

The team said he was in stable condition and will stay in the hospital overnight for observation.

Palmer then threw his third touchdown pass and Janikowski kicked two field goals to beat the Steelers (1-2) and get the Raiders on track after two losses to open the season.

"Any time they take one of your brothers out, you have to retaliate and get them back," safety Michael Huff said. "Obviously not in an illegal way or anything like that. We wanted to go out and get the win for him because he couldn't finish it."

The Raiders took over with the game tied at their 25 with 1:42 remaining. Palmer got the drive going with a 24-yard pass to Brandon Myers on third-and-10 and then hit Derek Hagan on a 17-yard pass down to the Pittsburgh 26 with 27 seconds left.

Oakland then ran down the clock to set up Janikowski's winning kick that send the crowd into delirium less than an hour after silence overtook the stadium when Heyward-Bey was injured. Mundy's helmet hit Heyward-Bey in the facemask on an incomplete pass in the end zone. Heyward-Bey's neck jerked violently and his head also crashed into the ground. Players from both teams kneeled in prayer as Heyward-Bey was attended to for about 10 minutes.

"We don't play like that," Mundy said. "We don't try to injury people or anything like that. We understand this is people's livelihood. We take that serious."

He managed to raise his right hand while being taken off the field on a cart to go to the hospital with a neck injury.

Four plays later, Palmer eluded pressure and found Denarius Moore on a 6-yard touchdown pass that brought Oakland within 31-28 early in the fourth quarter.

"For us seeing him give the thumbs up, knowing he was all right gave us more momentum," Hagan said. "That really uplifted us and we came out on top."

Raiders cornerback Pat Lee then forced a fumble downfield by Pittsburgh receiver Antonio Brown that Philip Wheeler recovered at the Oakland 36. Palmer then drove the Raiders down the field and they tied the game on a 32-yard field goal by Sebastian Janikowski with 6:30 to play.

With the Steelers missing Pro Bowl defensive stalwarts Troy Polamalu (calf) and James Harrison (knee), the Raiders were able to move the ball effectively most of the game.

Darren McFadden ran for 113 yards, including a 64-yard TD burst in the first quarter that surpassed his rushing total from the first two games of the season combined.

Palmer overcame an interception on the first play of the game to go 24 for 34 for 209 yards and three touchdowns, including a 3-yarder to Heyward-Bey late in the first half.

"They outplayed us defensively," Pittsburgh safety Ryan Clark said. "Their defense made the stops when they needed to, and we didn't. It wasn't from a lack of trying. Maybe it was trying too hard."

Roethlisberger was even better, throwing two TD passes to Heath Miller in the first quarter, as well as third-quarter scores to Mike Wallace and Brown. Roethlisberger finished 36 for 49 for 384 yards as Oakland failed to generate any sustained pass rush.

But he failed to convert a third-and-9 under pressure following the two-minute warning to give Oakland the chance at the winning score.

Each team converted a turnover into a touchdown in the opening half with the Steelers taking a 17-14 lead at the break after Roethlisberger 64 yards in the final 1:54 without a timeout to set up Shaun Suisham's 33-yard field goal on the final play.

The half started well for the Steelers as well when Palmer was intercepted by Ryan Clark on the first play from scrimmage after Moore slipped on the infield dirt while making his cut.

Roethlisberger converted one fourth down before throwing his first of two 4-yard TD passes to Miller in the opening quarter. In between those scores, McFadden scored on the longest run against the Steelers since 2006.

Oakland tied the game again late in the half after Joselio Hanson recovered a fumble by Jonathan Dwyer at the Pittsburgh 30. The Raiders then drew Ziggy Hood offside with a rapid shift on fourth down and Palmer found Heyward-Bey on the next play.

Notes: Myers left the game with a concussion on the final drive. ... Hall of Famer Marcus Allen lit the torch honoring late owner Al Davis in a sign that his long-running feud with the organization has ended. ... Miller has four TD catches in three games.

Alright Nation, it doesn’t get any easier next week. Our team travels to Denver were Peyton Manning is coming off another 300 yard plus game. We need to find a way to get the Quarterback: PLAIN and SIMPLE! If that means more blitzing? So be it! ATL had a great design by masking their blitzs and coverages by acting like they were In press coverage as Payton approached the line, followed by transforming into their real Defense as Manning audibled. If we can get #18 to not realize what we are doing? We will be successful. If he reads us again without any pressure? We fall back into a below average team. Just Win baby..PLEASE! These winning weeks are Priceless!!! Go Raiders!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

-DR