FanPost

Run DMC: I have you now!

You don't know the power of the Dark Side!!!
(Ok, you know if you witnessed yesterday's win!)
It feels good, doesn't it, Raider Nation? Ah, the day after: The day when you get to hold your head, your cap and your spirits up-all at the same time!
Sure, the victory was against a team that only put up TWO points last Sunday, but you still feel like your team is on the top of the Universe!

O!!!! It appears we have experienced a Darren "Run DMC" McFadden sighting! "I have you now!" was thought by our once strong and kind of durable Jedi.
Holy Hallelujah! I was beginning to think we were not capable of recapturing the similar kind of rushing attack we were accustomed to years ago. 129 deceptive, quick and brutal yards were witnessed by a Sellout Crowd.
Obviously, when I look at this stat line, I could only hope for the same kind of numbers against every opponent in 2013. I know injuries to Veldheer and Watson make our Offensive line a weaker one, but that's still not an excuse to bring a inconsistent running game in the many weeks to come.
I believe Terrelle Pryor's ability to run opens up many holes in the Defense when executing with the Read Option or the Pistol plays. The power to run will be determined by Terrelle's and Darren's elusiveness/durability, as well as Greg Olson's play calling.

Speaking of Olson's calls...yeah, can we get a few passes called on 1st down? How about a few passes executed from the big formation? How about a few more touches for Pro Bowler Marcel Reece? How about some damn creativity and trickery?!? (and I'm not speaking of a play that get's called back for alignment)

I swear on almost every down, I'm calling out the play before it transpires. So my question is, if an idiot in a Star Wars mask can see the future plays...??

Hell, you now the rest.

I need more quick passes, shovel passes, screens and passes thrown to Jacoby Ford! Remember him? Make it so, Mr. Olson or suffer AT AT's in your backyard!


Defense, I have to give it to you. My main man, Charles Woodson (6 tackles) was all over the field like Superman in Smallville. He even made a spectacular play that made it look like he actually had super powers! Maurice Jones-Drew ran toward the sideline and C Wood FLEW above him to make the high tackle.. WHAP! (As Madden would say). I just can't say enough about the Veteran. Maybe he still has some of that Super Bowl like ability left in him.

Jason Hunter was playing exceptional with 4 tackles and a sack! Not bad for a guy that's been out of Football for a year!

Mike Jenkins and Tracy Porter broke up passes on great coverage plays! Pat Sims, Christo Bilukidi and Lamarr Houston were locking down the run! Whew!

It was a Hell of a game for all these men.

It kind of makes me wonder...Will this be the year, we will finally break the curse of having an incapable Defense?

Eh, let's see how we do against a REAL passing Offense before we give 'em the '85 Bears award. I believe Peyton Manning is licking his chops already..

grrr..



Summary from NFL.com:

OAKLAND, Calif. -- Coaches often preach for their defenses to "fly around."

Charles Woodson took that to the extreme for the Oakland Raiders.

In a sloppy game that featured 15 penalties, few good passing plays and only one touchdown for each team, Woodson's touchdown-saving tackle after leaping over two players provided a memorable highlight.Woodson's flying tackle of Maurice Jones-Drew helped spearhead a strong defensive effort by Oakland and Darren McFadden and the running game did the rest as the Raiders beat the Jacksonville Jaguars19-9 on Sunday in their home opener.

"I'm just flying over a building in a single bound," he said.

That play set the tone for a strong performance by the defense of the Raiders (1-1) against a punchless Jacksonville offense that came within 2:53 of becoming the first team since the 2006 Raiders andBuccaneers to fail to score a touchdown in the first two games.

"I think today for the most part we did our job as a team collectively," Woodson said. "We beat a team I felt like we were supposed to beat and that's a step in the right direction."

McFadden ran for 129 of Oakland's 226 yards rushing on the day, Terrelle Pryor added 50 yards on the ground and 126 through the air in a turnover-free performance and Marcel Reece scored on an 11-yard run to help Oakland bounce back from last week's late loss in Indianapolis. Sebastian Janikowskiadded four field goals.

Playing depleted Jacksonville (0-2) sure helped the cause. The Jaguars entered the game without quarterback Blaine Gabbert (right hand), receiver Justin Blackmon (suspension) and tight end Marcedes Lewis (calf), and then lost star running back Maurice Jones-Drew in the first half to an ankle injury.

"We can't make excuses regardless of who's out there," tackle Eugene Monroe said. "'We just need to execute and not make mistakes, not get panicked and turn this thing around."

A week after allowing six sacks, dropping five passes and punting a franchise-record 11 times in a 28-2 loss to Kansas City, the Jaguars offense was nearly as bad under Chad Henne.

Jacksonville crossed midfield for the first time in the opening quarter in this game, as opposed to the fourth last week.


"Right now we're making too many mistakes," coach Gus Bradley said. "We have to hold everybody accountable, players, coaches, because it's about execution and mindset. We'll challenge our guys in that area and we'll get those things taken care of."And the Jaguars got their first touchdown of the season on Henne's 13-yard pass to Clay Harbor after a fumble by McFadden late in the fourth quarter.

But there were many more blunders than highlights, as the Jaguars went over 36 minutes without a first down and didn't generate any offense until the game was out of hand.

One of the most egregious mistakes came when D.J. Williams lined up in the neutral zone on a punt, prolonging a third-quarter drive that ended in a field goal by Janikowski that made it 13-3.

Jason Babin also prolonged two scoring drives with penalties to help Pryor get his first win as an NFL starter in his third start.

Pryor, who beat out Matt Flynn for the starting job in training camp, was much less spectacular than he was a week ago in Indianapolis, when he recorded the eighth 200-yard passing, 100-yard rushing game since the 1970 merger.

But he also avoided many of the mistakes that plagued him a week ago, when his two interceptions contributed to a 21-17 loss. The threat of his running also opened up big lanes for McFadden.


The Raiders started fast, forcing a three-and-out on Jacksonville's first possession and converting a short field after Phillip Adams' 30-yard punt return."Knowing that you have to defend him going around the edge, a couple plays they left the middle wide open and I was able to get up in there and get some big runs out of it," McFadden said.

They scored their first opening-drive touchdown since the final game of the 2011 season. Aided by a personal foul on Babin, Oakland took a 7-0 lead on Reece's 11-yard run.

There wasn't much offense the rest of the game. Pryor did not complete a pass past the line of scrimmage in the first 27 minutes, and Henne struggled to move the Jaguars down the field until late.

NOTES: Raiders S Tyvon Branch left in the first quarter with a "significant" ankle injury. ... Janikowski missed a 35-yard field goal attempt in the first half, ending a streak of 50 straight makes under 40 yards. ... The Jaguars had 34 yards rushing for their lowest total since gaining 33 in the season opener against Tennessee in 2008.

Next week will be a better test, Nation. The Quarterback will be his usual, intelligent, quick and deceptive self. I believe the only way to stop Manning will be to sack him like York (as many times possible!!). In the past, I'm not sure we had the ability to get to the QB...but now? We currently are tied for 1st in the NFL with 9.0 sacks! Get er done, D!

I'm also sending out the Force to T-Pryor (we need better passing) and Run DMC (We need his A game). There is no way we can win this game without their A class production.

Hell, either way- Go Raiders!!!!

Peace!

-DR