Greetings Silver and Black Pride community! I am pleased to bring to all of you the 5th installment in the series, Talkin' With Tyvon, from Raiders starting strong safety Tyvon Branch. This week Tyvon gives us his clear, unvarnished thoughts and insight following Sunday's home defeat to Denver. Also included is a short Q&A with Tyvon and myself.
The Community is invited to ask some questions to Tyvon in the comments section and he will do his best to get as many of them answered as quickly as possible:
Hey Raider Fans, it was a tough weekend in Oakland. The team is taking this loss very hard. We feel like we let a lot of people down, including teammates to fans, we are genuinely upset about this game. I hope you guys will continue sticking with us as we fight for a win next week. I feel like the defense played pretty well for the most part. We have to cut down on some mistakes, but working with a short field is tough. This week poses another challenge, but getting back to .500 will put us right back in the thick of things. I know the emotional distress can take a toll when looking at each game week to week, but as a Raider I know good things are happening. Stick with us as we grow. Go Raiders!!
TB
SABP: The game against Denver was ugly. From your viewpoint, was the team prepared for what Denver was bringing? Or was it just a matter of execution, where Broncos did and the Raiders didn't?TB: Denver was able to capitalize on our mistakes, and that is what put us in a hole. If we can eliminate some penalties and turnovers we would have been in better shape. As a defense, we need to force more turnovers and hold our ground when our back is to the wall. We were prepared, but the bottom line is they executed and we did not.
SABP: There were reports that from the Friday practice that the team was a little flat and that is was not as good of a practice as coach Cable would like. Do you think that was a precursor of things to come Sunday?TB: I think it might have played a small role. Obviously I think the media can play some things like that up a little. At the end of the day it is all about performing on Sunday’s. We didn’t and it showed.
SABP: I'm sure you could tell that the fans in the coliseum were getting frustrated with the team. As a player, do you sense that frustration and does it make you want to win that much more to bring back the cheers?TB: Definitely. The fan support is huge, and getting them on our side is a huge help, especially to the defense. When we are out there we do not want the offense to be able to hear anything. The crowd noise on the field gets the adrenaline flowing. It is an awesome feeling.
SABP: The Texans in Houston are up next. It's a pivotal game as a win will put the Raiders at 2-2 and right in the thick of it. Is there a sense of urgency with the team now and do you expect this week's practice to be the most intense so far?
TB: This week will be a tough week both mentally and physically. We need to win to keep the support of the fans, and the positive atmosphere in Oakland. We have to start finishing games to prove we are a good team.Thanks Tyvon and good luck against the Texans.
Editor's Note: While Tyvon is more than happy to participate on SABP and answer as many of your questions as possible, he therefore would appreciate that the questions be in relation to himself, the defense or the team in general. Please refrain, for example from asking questions that imply negativity towards JaMarcus Russell, Al Davis, etc...Tyvon is a team player and will not be calling out anyone in the organization. Thank you for your understanding.