Silver And Black Pride - Raiders 2012 Season AwardsCovering all things Las Vegas Raiders footballhttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/49501/sbp-fav.png2013-01-14T13:00:02-08:00http://www.silverandblackpride.com/rss/stream/36262272013-01-14T13:00:02-08:002013-01-14T13:00:02-08:00Raiders 2012 Season Awards: Best Departure
<figure>
<img alt="Rolando McClain posing for pictures following his arrest in Decatur Alabama." src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/IYxlG5GrffcIJswTpsO1FCE4f_0=/0x2:398x267/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/6557471/rolando_arrest.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Rolando McClain posing for pictures following his arrest in Decatur Alabama. | KGO photo</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Since we handed out the <a href="http://www.silverandblackpride.com/2013/1/14/3876026/oakland-raiders-2012-season-awards-best-acquisition">award for Best Acquisition</a>, it' only right to hand out the award to best departure.</p> <p>The Best Departure award goes to the player whose leaving actually improved the play of the team. Addition by subtraction, if you will. There are not always players who fit this category, however, and usually the award would go to someone who left in the off-season as a free agent or trade. Not this time.</p>
<p><b>Best departure - <span>Rolando McClain</span></b></p>
<p><a href="http://www.silverandblackpride.com/2013/1/8/3853332/rolando-mcclain-arrested-again-false-name">Or "Fuck y'all" as he prefers to be called</a>. The term "cancer" is one that can be overused in sports. But rarely is it more appropriate than when describing this piece of work.</p>
<p>Since the day he walked in the door as the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/teams/oakland-raiders">Raiders</a>' 8<sup>th</sup> overall pick in 2010, he has acted entitled. And he has gotten worse every day since then.</p>
<p>While Al Davis was still in charge of the team and Hue Jackson was busy catering to the whims of his players, McClain's antics were allowed to slide. He was allowed to be evasive with the media and fans despite being the middle linebacker and therefore the expected leader of the defense. And his play was allowed to be so-so because of the immense "potential" which lied in that big, athletically gifted body of his.</p>
<p>After his rookie season, the sky seemed to still be the limit. The defense had begun playing well near the end of the season and helped them to finish with their first non-losing season in eight years.</p>
<p>The 2011 season began well too. The Raiders jumped out to a 7-4 start even with the loss of <span>Jason Campbell</span> for the season and the rough two games that saw <span>Kyle Boller</span> and <span>Carson Palmer</span> combine for nine interceptions. They were on the heels of a three-game win streak and in week 13, everything fell apart.</p>
<p>Hmm, why does week 13 sound so familiar? Oh yeah, that's the week McClain was allowed to miss the week of practice to attend his grandfather's funeral and while he was at home in Alabama, he and his buddies assaulted a guy and Rolando put a gun to his head and then fired off a round by the side of his head... allegedly.</p>
<p>The plan that week was for McClain to mourn the loss of his grandfather and re-join the team in Miami that weekend. The news of his misdeeds and the embarrassing pictures and mugshot that accompanied them, were all over the news. It seemed McClain was in for some real trouble. What was his punishment? One snap... One. Snap. <span>Darryl Blackstock</span> was given the official start by taking the first snap and McClain was sent in for the remainder of the game after that.</p>
<p>The Raiders would get destroyed in that game by the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.thephinsider.com/">Dolphins</a>. Demoralized even. Then again, McClain had demoralized them before they even set foot on the field. Then their coach further demoralized them by allowing him to play. The Raiders would lose four of the final five games and miss the playoffs.</p>
<p>With the end of the season came the dismissal of Hue Jackson and a restructuring of the front office and coaching staff. The last remnants of those who changed little Rolandito's diapers were now gone and there would be no one there to wipe his little behind if/when he crapped his pants again.</p>
<p>The coaching staff was asked a great deal about what their plans were with regard to McClain. After all, at the time, his possible second conviction and/or suspension was looming for the four charges he was appealing. The coaches spoke in carefully worded phrases that all suggested McClain had immense talent but had yet to show it.</p>
<p>The staff gave McClain four games to show he could live up to the talent they believed/hoped he had. The Raiders went 1-3 in those games while giving up an average of over 31 points per game. The staff deduced that taking McClain out on passing downs would be solution. They did just that and with the middle linebacker off the field for the greater percentage of the snaps, the Raiders nearly beat the then undefeated <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/teams/atlanta-falcons">Falcons</a>. Then they rattled off two straight wins.</p>
<p>That party wouldn't last as the Raiders had a tough stretch ahead and teams realized they had to find new weak areas to target without good ol' faithful Rolando to jog behind the play. But his influence on this defense was still present which made all the difference and the Raiders lost the next four games while giving up an average of over 42 points per game. After week 12, they were the only team in the NFL giving up an average of over 31 points per game. It was time for a change and McClain served up that change on a Silver & Black platter.</p>
<p>That week in practice he and Dennis Allen got into a verbal altercation which caused Allen to kick him out of practice. He was reported to have said "I got 4 million reasons not to care" either as part of the argument or a parting remark. He then took to facebook and announced he was no longer a Raiders and looking forward to joining a "real team".</p>
<p>The Raiders didn't cut him for this. No one was going to scoop this turd up off waivers and the salary cap ramifications made it impossible to cut him outright. They opted to take some money from him by virtue of a two-game suspension. Then left him in limbo on the inactive list the remaining three games of the season.</p>
<p>That was the entire month of December in which the Raiders defense experienced a resurgence. Over that month, they were the fourth ranked defense in the NFL while holding the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.milehighreport.com/">Broncos</a> to one of their lowest point totals of the season, shutting out the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.arrowheadpride.com/">Chiefs</a>, and holding the high-scoring <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.catscratchreader.com/">Panthers</a> offense to 17 points. It was clear, once again, that this team is much better without Rolando McClain on the field. Which means, it will be far better still with him nowhere near it next season.</p>
<p>Best Departure with a bullet.</p>
https://www.silverandblackpride.com/2013/1/14/3876260/oakland-raiders-2012-season-awards-best-departureLevi Damien2013-01-14T10:45:57-08:002013-01-14T10:45:57-08:00Raiders 2012 Season Awards: Best Acquisition
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/l_VySBcVnBdt7Cx0DjSP5xXX7do=/0x700:2460x2340/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/6553279/20120907_mjr_su5_014.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Mark J. Rebilas-US PRESSWIRE</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>We get down to the nitty gritty in our Raiders 2012 Season Awards. This honor goes to the team's Best Acquisition.</p> <p>The <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/teams/oakland-raiders" class="sbn-auto-link">Raiders</a> were in one of the most precarious positions this offseason. Their salary against the cap was horrendous. At one point, they were over by $22 million and that was even after they had cut away portions of some big salaries. After those cuts, they would still need to look at adding free agents in an attempt to remain competitive. Our Best Acquisition is the player who was all they had hoped and more.</p>
<p><b>Best acquisition - <span>Philip Wheeler</span></b></p>
<p>One of the big name players the Raiders had to cut ties with was Kamerion Wimbley. The team needed to sign someone to replace him at the strong side linebacker spot and they couldn't break the bank doing it. That's where Philip Wheeler came in.</p>
<p>The <a href="https://www.stampedeblue.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Colts</a> didn't bring him back as a free agent and he was courted by several teams looking to add a young, proven linebacker talent to the mix. The Raiders fans caught onto this and kicked their recruiting efforts into gear on social media. Wheeler made it known that the fan reaction was a big part of his decision to sign with the team.</p>
<p>Another draw for Wheeler had to be the lack of competition for the job. The Raiders were desperate and he knew if he came to Oakland, the job was his to lose. The Raiders didn't have a lot of money to spend but he also knew that wouldn't always be the case so he signed a one-year, cap friendly deal with the team.</p>
<p>The Raiders had an idea he was going to be good but Dennis Allen admitted in camp that Wheeler had brought more to the team than he or Reggie McKenzie had anticipated. He was a fine all-around linebacker and a good teammate as well.</p>
<p>After week four, <span>Rolando McClain</span> was relieved of his play calling duties and Wheeler was handed the green dot helmet. The defense was instantly improved over the next three games and Wheeler kept the play calling duties the remainder of the season.</p>
<p>He would finish the season as the team leader in solo (78) and combined tackles (109) from the strong side. He added three sacks, six passes defended, and two forced fumbles. With the job he did this season, it is conceivable the Raiders might try him at middle linebacker. This new Raider could be here a lot longer after the season he had in 2012.</p>
<p><a href="https://twitter.com/LeviDamien" class="twitter-follow-button" data-show-count="false" data-size="large">Follow @LeviDamien</a>
<script type="text/javascript"><!--
!function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js";fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document,"script","twitter-wjs");
// --></script></p>
https://www.silverandblackpride.com/2013/1/14/3876026/oakland-raiders-2012-season-awards-best-acquisitionLevi Damien2013-01-10T15:37:15-08:002013-01-10T15:37:15-08:00Season Awards: Special Teams Player of the Year
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/9LZUUTufNrEKAhDLkHMAY0ny4YQ=/0x891:2667x2669/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/6377449/20130103_kkt_ar5_466.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Next up in our 2012 Season Awards is that of Special Teams Player of the Year.</p> <p>For more than a decade the <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/teams/oakland-raiders" class="sbn-auto-link">Raiders</a> have had some of the best special teams players in the NFL. At times, they have had some great overall special teams work. While that cannot be said of this year, one of the most deserving award recipients yet again comes from special teams.</p>
<p><b>Special Teams Player of the Year - <span>Sebastian Janikowski</span></b></p>
<p>There has rarely been a less debatable award than this one. So much so it just might leave the realm of opinion and just be seen as a fact. One might even argue Janikowski is the Raiders Player of the Year regardless of whether he was technically special teams.</p>
<p>He made more field goals this season than any other kicker in the NFL (31). He didn't miss a kick inside 50 yards and only missed one inside 60 yards (51).</p>
<p>Six times this season, he outscored the rest of the team. The Raiders won three of those games and two of them, he kicked the game-winner. Three times, he was the team's only scorer. One such time was in week 15 when he hit five field goals to help the Raiders beat the <a href="https://www.arrowheadpride.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Chiefs</a> 15-0.</p>
<p>In week six he missed his only kick from inside 60 yards. It came from 51 yards out. But he also made two other field goals of 50 yards or more in that game (50, 57). The first of the two moved him into sole possession of third place in league history in kicks of 50 yards or more. He surpassed longtime NFL kicker Morten Andersen. The difference is, it took Andersen 24 years to get that mark. Janikowski has done it in 13.</p>
<p>A little icing for that cake is he did it while facing one of Anderson's former teams-- the Chiefs. It was reminiscent of last season when he tied former <a href="https://www.milehighreport.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Broncos</a> kicker <span>Jason Elam</span> for the NFL record for the longest field goal (63 yards) in Denver.</p>
<p>Janikowski was snubbed from the Pro Bowl squad this year by <a href="https://www.dawgsbynature.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Browns</a> kicker <span>Phil Dawson</span> despite Dawson's longest kick coming from 52 yards out and Janikowski's longest coming from 57 yards out. Both kickers missed one field goal inside 60 yards. Janikowski had three misses but two of them were from 61 and 64 yards out.</p>
<p>Good ol' Seabass scored so many points for this team this season (118), a lot of people were saying he should have been the Offensive MVP. I might've agreed except he doesn't play on offense. This is his award for his season. And it is well deserved.</p>
<p><a href="https://twitter.com/LeviDamien" class="twitter-follow-button" data-show-count="false" data-size="large">Follow @LeviDamien</a>
<script type="text/javascript"><!--
!function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js";fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document,"script","twitter-wjs");
// --></script></p>
https://www.silverandblackpride.com/2013/1/10/3862638/oakland-raiders-2012-season-awards-special-teams-player-of-the-yearLevi Damien2013-01-09T22:35:56-08:002013-01-09T22:35:56-08:00Season Awards: Defensive Rookie of the Year
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/HWcZaCTVOOSyf0DR7ML9i18E6Ow=/0x165:3310x2372/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/6339601/20121223_bsd_sd2_415.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>With the offensive rookie of the year given his due, it's time we recognize the Defensive Rookie of the Year.</p> <p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/teams/oakland-raiders">Raiders</a> defense was in a predicament this season. They had to cut ties with starting strong side linebacker <span>Kamerion Wimbley</span> and cornerback <span>Stanford Routt</span>. Then they lost starting weak side linebacker <span>Aaron Curry</span> for the season followed quickly by both starting corners, <span>Ron Bartell</span> and <span>Shawntae Spencer</span>. It was patchwork time and that meant some rookies would get their shot on the defense. None more so than this fine young player.</p>
<p><b>Defensive Rookie of the Year -</b> <span>Miles Burris</span></p>
<p>This was not a hard award to give out. Burris started from day one and never let go of it which was something no other rookie on this team was able to do.</p>
<p>Aaron Curry missed all of training camp with bad knees and Burris was playing in his stead. Initially the team wasn't completely sure if Burris would be the guy come the regular season but as camp went on, he continued to improve. By the time the season was to start, the Raiders were comfortable enough with this rookie linebacker to give him the job.</p>
<p>It is definitely not unheard of for a fourth round pick to be something special. It happens all the time, in fact. But rarely do you see a pick that late get thrown into the fire from day one. And while we talk about his being a fourth round pick, he was a compensatory pick which means he was basically a fifth round pick.</p>
<p>If it hadn't been for the injury to Curry, Burris never would have been given his shot so early on but once Curry came off the PUP list, he had become expendable. At that point, Curry would simply impede the progress of the rookie phenom and he was waived after one game in which he played primarily on special teams.</p>
<p>On any team running a 4-3 defense as the Raiders were, the middle linebacker is considered the most important player on the defense. For the Raiders, that was a bit of an issue because that middle linebacker was the ineffective <span>Rolando McClain</span>.</p>
<p>By week four, Dennis Allen decided it would be better if McClain were taken out of the game on passing downs. So, while McClain was on the field for less than 50% of the snaps, Burris remained on the field for every snap regardless of pass or run. That is a lot of faith being placed in such a young player.</p>
<p>The decision paid off to take out McClain and leave Burris in the game alongside <span>Philip Wheeler</span>. The Raiders had their three best defensive performances of the season in the games following the switch. And it became clear pretty quickly that the Raiders may just have a real building block in this kid.</p>
<p>His play began to come down late in the season when the length of the NFL season took its toll on him. That's to be expected. He still finished the season second on the team in combined tackles (96), just missing breaking 100 tackles on the season. Then in week 16, he added an interception to his resume. Pretty good for any rookie. And certainly the best defensive rookie performance on this team.</p>
<p><a href="https://twitter.com/LeviDamien" class="twitter-follow-button" data-show-count="false" data-size="large">Follow @LeviDamien</a>
<script type="text/javascript"><!--
!function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js";fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document,"script","twitter-wjs");
// --></script></p>
https://www.silverandblackpride.com/2013/1/9/3858956/oakland-raiders-2012-season-awards-defensive-rookie-of-the-yearLevi Damien2013-01-09T15:47:27-08:002013-01-09T15:47:27-08:00Season Awards: Offensive Rookie of the Year
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/joE54L8AtPvWlUTgO5ORWJOjAEo=/0x0:4000x2667/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/6325001/20121104_jla_se9_495.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Cary Emondson-US PRESSWIRE</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Next up in our 2012 season awards, we honor the Offensive Rookie of the Year.</p> <p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/teams/oakland-raiders">Raiders</a> didn't have much of a draft last year. There had traded away their first and second round picks and used their third round pick on <span>Terrelle Pryor</span> in the previous supplemental draft. They were able to make up for the overall numbers with three compensatory picks.</p>
<p>But from the beginning Reggie McKenzie had said he loves his draft picks and he loves his undrafted free agents. That latter is where the Raiders were able to make up for the lack of big draft prizes.</p>
<p>Offensive Rookie of the Year: <span>Rod Streater</span></p>
<p>32 teams passed on Streater in the draft... eight times. The Raiders were one of those teams which made them the lucky team Streater chose to sign with following the draft.</p>
<p>Streater went undrafted due to his low college receiving numbers. He flew under the Radar as part of a run oriented offense at Temple. He had a total of 19 catches as a senior for 401 yards. His best game his entire college career was 88 yards.</p>
<p>He surpassed his senior catch numbers this season in week 9 vs the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.baltimorebeatdown.com/">Ravens</a>. Two weeks later, he surpassed his best game in college by catching 3 passes for 96 yards and a touchdown. The next week he had his first 100 yard game.</p>
<p>Streater was the Raiders best receiver by that point. As an undrafted free agent, he defied the odds just to make the team. He had every pro scout in America going over their notes and wondering how they could have missed on him.</p>
<p>The scouting report was much higher on Raiders rookie round five pick, Juron Criner. He was at one point considered a round two prospect. It was his 40 time that dropped him into the fifth round. Streater got on the field first and stayed there as Criner would be hampered by injuries late in the season.</p>
<p>As rare as it is to become an instant contributor as an undrafted free agent, it's almost unheard of to outshine every drafted rookie that season and take playing time away from the starters. But that's exactly what Streater did.</p>
<p>This is the fifth season in a row the Raiders have had a rookie receiver step up for the team. Last season it was <span>Denarius Moore</span> but he took a step back in his second season. The season before that it was fourth round pick, <span>Jacoby Ford</span>, but he was placed on injured reserve before the season. The season before that, it was fourth round pick, <span>Louis Murphy</span>, who was traded to the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.catscratchreader.com/">Panthers</a> due in large part to the emergence of Streater. The season before that was <span>Chaz Schilens</span> who had injury issues most of his career in Oakland and was not brought back this season.</p>
<p>Streater will hope to be the one guy to buck the trend of coming hard out of the gate only to falter or go down with injuries. He is the hot receiver right now, finishing with 548 yards receiving on the season. That makes him the Raiders' Offensive Rookie of the Year.</p>
<p><a href="http://link:%20http://www.facebook.com/gillette/app_234360426694611">WHO IS THE MOST DOMINANT PLAYER BOTH ON THE FIELD AND IN EA SPORTS MADDEN NFL 13?</a></p>
<p> </p>
<p><a href="https://twitter.com/LeviDamien" class="twitter-follow-button" data-show-count="false" data-size="large">Follow @LeviDamien</a>
<script type="text/javascript"><!--
!function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js";fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document,"script","twitter-wjs");
// --></script></p>
https://www.silverandblackpride.com/2013/1/9/3857736/oakland-raiders-2012-season-awards-offensive-rookie-of-the-yearLevi Damien2013-01-08T13:24:45-08:002013-01-08T13:24:45-08:00Raiders 2012 Season Awards: Defensive MVP
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/I4XcqJjFDlPZRW19yvAIoWgOjVU=/0x457:2828x2342/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/6264153/157365577.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Ezra Shaw</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>We continue with my 2012 Raiders Season Awards. The next award goes to the Defensive MVP.</p> <p>We started the awards by handing out the Offensive MVP. Now we move on to the Defensive MVP.</p>
<p>Defense has not been anything to brag about in Oakland for quite some time. This season was no exception with the team finished among the worst in the league. But beneath the rubble of a season torn apart by "out of whack" contracts and injuries, there were some gems which came shining through. The Defensive MVP shined the brightest.</p>
<p>Defensive MVP - <span>Lamarr Houston</span></p>
<p>At the halfway point of the season, I called Lamarr Houston the <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/teams/oakland-raiders" class="sbn-auto-link">Raiders</a> Defensive MVP. Some readers disagreed with me at the time. There should be far fewer in disagreement now.</p>
<p>As the season has gone along, Houston has done nothing but get better and better. That is saying a lot considering he was Defensive Player of the Month for October. I said at the time that his energy was infectious to not just the defense but the entire team. When he made plays, it served as extra motivation for his teammates on both sides of the ball.</p>
<p>The first time we saw this energy was in week five against the <a href="https://www.milehighreport.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Broncos</a> when he ran 50 yards downfield to put himself in the right place to recover a fumble by Broncos receiver Demaryius Thomas. This was after most of his defensive teammates had given up on the play. Had he slowed up for even a moment, there was a Broncos tight end right behind him who would have recovered that fumble inside the five yard line.</p>
<p>Two weeks later, he tracked down <a href="https://www.bigcatcountry.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Jaguars</a> receiver <span>Cecil Shorts III</span> to force the game-clinching fumble in overtime. A defensive end is not supposed to be running down receivers. Not to say many of them can't. They just aren't often asked to do it. Neither is Houston. He just does it because he wants to make a play.</p>
<p>Going above and beyond what is asked of him is what makes him the Defensive MVP. It's something that has been in short supply in Oakland for quite some time. He made up for lapses elsewhere which if every player on this defense did that, there would be few if any of the huge plays made against them this season.</p>
<p>He finished the season fourth on the team with 67 tackles (48 solo). No other Raider defensive lineman came close to his tackle numbers. The closest was <span>Tommy Kelly</span> with 46 tackles (25 solo). Houston had more tackles by himself than the right end trio of <span>Matt Shaughnessy</span>, <span>Andre Carter</span>, and <span>Dave Tollefson</span> combined (57), the defensive tackle combination of <span>Richard Seymour</span> and <span>Desmond Bryant</span> (51), or the nose tackle duo of Kelly and <span>Christo Bilukidi</span> (54).</p>
<p>Of those tackles, Houston had far more tackles for loss (13) than anyone on the team or any combination of the above defensive linemen at their respective positions. He also led the team with 13 quarterback hurries and shared the team lead with 4.0 sacks.</p>
<p>He is a strong building block for this defense which is hoping to ride the defensive momentum of the last few games of the 2012 season into 2013.</p>
<p><a href="https://twitter.com/LeviDamien" class="twitter-follow-button" data-show-count="false" data-size="large">Follow @LeviDamien</a>
<script type="text/javascript"><!--
!function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js";fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document,"script","twitter-wjs");
// --></script></p>
https://www.silverandblackpride.com/2013/1/8/3852248/oakland-raiders-2012-season-awards-defensive-mvpLevi Damien2013-01-08T06:00:07-08:002013-01-08T06:00:07-08:00Raiders 2012 season awards: Offensive MVP
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/jDID9wgHStzTesNmqs5CMQ4jRC0=/5x0:3995x2660/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/6225089/20120923_jla_al2_253.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Kirby Lee-US PRESSWIRE</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>This is the first of many of my Raiders 2012 Season Awards. In this first edition, I lay out the Raiders Offensive MVP.</p> <p>It's time to hand out some awards. Some of you may not think these players deserve any awards. But I am handing out the awards anyway.</p>
<p><b>Offensive MVP - <span>Carson Palmer</span></b></p>
<p>I put out the MVP candidates and <a href="http://www.silverandblackpride.com/2012/12/28/3813928/who-is-the-raiders-offensive-mvp-this-season">you responded. With 42% of the vote</a>, Carson Palmer is the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/teams/oakland-raiders">Raiders</a>' MVP this season. I had Palmer as the Raiders MVP at the midway point as the unquestioned leader of this team. He was on a record pace at the time despite being under constant pressure and getting little to no help in the running game.</p>
<p>The Raiders were 3-4 in the first seven games of the season and hope was very much alive. Palmer had 9 touchdowns to 5 interceptions and had thrown a touchdown pass in all but one game on the season and his passer rating went over 100 twice.</p>
<p>The Raiders then reeled off six straight losses. Much of that fell on the defense which was giving up an average of over 30 points a game until week 12. Palmer put up a streak of nine straight games with an interception. Some of those can be attributed to the Raiders being behind and the offense in desperation mode. Some can be blamed on the receivers. But some were simply an ill-advised pass by Palmer.</p>
<p>While we spread around the blame for the interceptions, we must also take some credit from the touchdown passes which rarely had any bearing on the result of the game. What we like to call "garbage time." The Raiders finally won a game in week 14 against the hapless <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.arrowheadpride.com/">Chiefs</a> but they did it without putting the ball in the endzone once. He played just over 14 games with the first half being pretty good but fading down the stretch.</p>
<p>Palmer's detractors will point to the final game of the season in which Terrelle ignited the Raiders' offense against the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/teams/san-diego-chargers">Chargers</a>. The Raiders still lost the game and Pryor, like Palmer, threw an interception. The difference was the Chargers weren't able to gameplan for Pryor so he was able to just use his athleticism to make things happen.</p>
<p>But really, Palmer is the MVP simply for lack of other options. On a 4-12 team, there are rarely players one can point to as the most valuable. Value is a relative term which typically involves who was most responsible for their wins. The Raiders' four wins were mostly a product of the defense.</p>
<p>His 4018 passing yards may not have made the difference for the Raiders but without it, the Raiders would look a lot more like the Chiefs or the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.bigcatcountry.com/">Jaguars</a>, neither of whom have a starting quarterback and it resulted in a 2-14 record.</p>
<p><a href="https://twitter.com/LeviDamien" class="twitter-follow-button" data-show-count="false" data-size="large">Follow @LeviDamien</a>
<script type="text/javascript"><!--
!function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js";fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document,"script","twitter-wjs");
// --></script></p>
https://www.silverandblackpride.com/2013/1/8/3849302/oakland-raiders-2012-season-awards-offensive-mvpLevi Damien