Post-Tennessee Media

RaiderCentral...always the best with local clips.  Thanks again.

Side notes on the game:

The offensive line is doing a better job at pass pro as the season goes on.  To be expected with extended playing time, hopefully it will be even better down the stretch with Veldheer set to return in a couple of weeks.  

Running the ball was less effective at home vs. Tennessee, who have a pretty solid defensive unit, two solid corners and some good run defenders up the middle in Brown, Pollard, Ayers and Casey.  Olson used some misdirection to help spring Jennings off the edge which was good to see as he was getting bottled up inside for most of the game.

McGloin had a decent second start but threw a really bad INT.  Mercifully, the defense bailed him out only giving up a field goal.

Defensively, while it's hard to swallow that last drive, they played pretty well.  Personally thought Porter had an off game, and the manufactured pass rush was getting picked up relatively well by the Tennessee OL (especially on the final drive)...and that Titan OL is pretty good, they have some solid veterans and rookies in that group.  This gives Reggie even more evidence that a true pass rusher is needed opposite Lamarr Houston.

Good to see Miles Burris back in action, thought he was flying around with some urgency, but he definitely needs more snaps in the back third of this season to make some serious impact.

Tyvon Branch is sorely missed, Ross and Adams are starting to get exposed, especially on that Hunter debacle.

Not having Moore and Watson out there hurts...to some extent losing D.J. Hayden for the year hurts too.  Didn't like seeing Chekwa in single coverage on a 4th quarter drive that eventually won the game for Tennessee...lack of depth evident, injury bug always evident.

Ford with another fumble, he might as well book an open ended ticket out of Oakland after the season, along with Darren McFadden.

Janikowski missing two FGs was a disappointment.  Not sure what was off, but it hurt, it hurt a lot.

R.I.P. Thomas Howard

Sincere condolences and prayers to the friends and family of Zeng Long Liu.  Drive the speed limit, wear your seat belt...drive defensively, and if you've been drinking, find another way home.

1983 - 2013

Rest In Peace

Todd Christensen

1956 - 2013

Raiders 2014 Draft Notes

Well, Raiders are past the halfway point for the 2013 season...what have we learned?

1.  Terrelle Pryor is a wild card.  A rollercoaster of decision making, with little to no consistency except for the vs. San Diego game.  Right now, Pryor is riding a big time low with the loss @ New York Giants.  UCLA's Brett Hundley and Clemson's Tajh Boyd are early round guys who could be in the conversation at the right pick no. selection.  There are a lot of other decent trigger men who, under reasonable pocket protection, could come in and throw it better than Terrelle Pryor...probably throw fewer picks as well.

2.  Jared Veldheer and to some extent, Tony Bergstrom are sorely missed.  Khalif Barnes at LT and Lucas Nix at LG might be the worst left side duo in the NFL.  It certainly isn't helping Pryor develop one bit...leaving him scrambling and trying to do too much.  A good bet will be that Tony Sporano and Dennis Allen don't want Nix, Barnes and/or Brisiel starting in 2014...see Mississippi State's Gabe Jackson, Notre Dame's Zack Martin and Baylor's Cyril Richardson.

3.  Special Team Coach Bobby April and 2nd Year Defensive Coordinator Jason Tarver are outdoing themselves.  Several blocked punts and field goal attempts...and with some competent return men (if Ford will ever get his head out of his rear), April could be ST Coach of the Year soon.  Tarver 3:16.  The defense is completely overachieving, almost to the extent that they're putting the Raiders in a position to win games with only one...ONE...competent drive a game.  Honestly, if the offense were marginally more consistent this year, the Raiders could very well have won 5 or 6 games.

4.  Weapons needed.  While Denarius Moore and Rod Streater are solid receivers, just so long as they're not dropping every other ball thrown their way, they are by no means, go-to guys.  The Raiders need a true downfield weapon for Pryor, or whatever QB, is throwing to them in 2014.  Lots of talk about Clemson's Sammy Watkins or Texas A&M's Mike Evans to Oakland...and for good reason.  Should Veldheer and Watson come back healthy, look for Oakland to go playmaker on offense.

5.  The Manufactured Pass Rush can only go so far.  The Raiders need a compliment to Lamarr Houston off the other edge.  Be it through an OLB like Anthony Barr or Khalil Mack, or a straight up Defensive End like Clowney...the four-man pass rush needs to step into the mix at some point in the near future.

6.  More help needed at Tight End.  Rivera, Kasa and Mastrud.  Not going to get you very far in the long run.  Ausberry is all but gone in 2014 already.  Large targets like Washington's Austin Seferian-Jenkins, UNC's Eric Ebron or even the strong blocking C.J. Fiedorowicz from Iowa would all be large, athletic, young additions to a sputtering TE Corps.

7...MORE GAMES TO GO.  Let's see if the Raiders can squeak out a better season than 2012...

Let Defense Ring.

@ NY Giants: Post Game Reactions

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Raiders vs. Eagles: Tailgate

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Dennis Allen: Post-Philly Loss

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Olson & Tarver: Halloween PC

Grades have to be pretty positive thus far for the two coordinators.  Olson essentially went into the season with a partially shattered offensive line and has found ways to move the ball.  Tarver has obviously been lights out, putting together a scheme showcasing and utilizing the versatility and speed of the Oakland defense.

Chip Kelly better come prepared with something special or it could be a very, very long day for Foles.

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DA, Post Pittsburgh, Sanford Returns

The Raiders have brought defensive lineman Brian Sanford back on to the roster.  Tackle Jack Cornell returns to the practice squad.

Practice Notes:  OT Menelik Watson and LB Miles Burris returned today.

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