The Oakland Raiders defense has struggled in recent years, most notably in stopping the run. LaDainian Tomlinson made running against Oakland an art, and even JAGs like Kolby Smith have been made to look like the second coming of Sweetness when faced with the Raiders' lack of run defense.
Well, finally the front office decided enough was enough. With talent in the secondary, the front seven needed to be addressed, because if you can't stop the run, you can't win in the NFL.
Don't believe me? Look at the Raiders record over the last seven years, and how it corresponds ...
The Oakand Raiders have had an awesome off-season this year. They should be much improved this coming season.
However, there is a difference between a much improved team and a serious playoff contender. The Raiders really aren't that far off from being just that.
Only two more moves will put the Raiders over the top in that department.
The two moves should be made for two offensive lineman. The Raiders look to be as good as they need to be at every other position.
Both Jared Veldheer and Bruce Campbell were drafted as "projects" for the offensive line. I love Campbell's measurables and I think ...
The Oakland Raiders have a long storied history at the running back position. There have been standout players from the time the team to the field in Oakland until now that helped the Raiders forge a running back legacy of greatness.
You can look back to the great Raiders teams of the 1970's and see how Clarence Davis ran with power and purpose through such tough opponents as the Pittsburg Steelers Steel Curtain defense of the 1970's that had countless Hall of Fame players.
Davis also ran through good defenses in the playoffs against Miami, New England, and Minnesota in Super Bowl ...
The Oakland Raiders have announced the signing of second round draft pick Lamarr Houston. Houston is a defensive tackle drafted out of Texas who is being moved to the defensive end position. Houston will compete for playing time with Matt Shaugnessy and Jay Richardson on the opposite side of Richard Seymour.
And then there was one...
Rolando McClain is the Raiders only unsigned draft pick remaining with training camp opening Wednesday, but players report tomorrow (Tuesday).
JaMarcus Russell and Darrius Heyward-Bey failed to get contracts done before training camp and look at how that worked out. Russell has been released after three terrible ...
Gone are the days of the JaMarcus Russell experiment in Oakland.
This is now Jason Campbell's team to lead, and the Raiders should improve because of that.
Fantasy owners should remember that Justin Fargas is no longer in Oakland while Darren McFadden and Michael Bush will split carries in the Raiders' backfield.
Overall, Oakland will improve because of the addition of Campbell, but don't expect any astronomical numbers to come form any of the Raiders' skill position players this fall.
Here is the 2010 fantasy outlook for the Oakland Raiders.Begin Slideshow
Tom Cable has many job sustaining decisions to make in training camp. There will be many battles for positions and roster spots as a wave of new blood has come to Raider Nation.
There have been many different spring depth charts released that didn't necessarily come from Cable's desk. This one is just as unofficial as the rest of them as camp has not begun yet.
Turn the page to see my predictions.Begin Slideshow
The Oakland Raiders are to known be a circus around this time of the year.
Whether it's rumors about a 300—pound quarterback, a receiver getting mugged in Vegas, a coach breaking another coaches jaw or Al Davis making it rain, throwing money around like Vince Young at a strip club.
Most Raiders players will tell you they've learned to block it out and ignore all that negative attention. They're used to being a part of one of the biggest circuses in the NFL, the Oakland Raiders.
The culture is changing for the Raiders and perhaps the biggest example of this is what you have been ...
Recalling the fine works in military literature can equip the Oakland Raiders to win more games in 2010.
Here are some words of wisdom, translated from The Art of War, a historical document. Where did I learn about this work? It was in the comment strand of one of my articles.
A new state of mind or attitude needs to be developed in the Oakland Raiders. Here is an excerpt:
Verses from the book occur in modern daily Chinese idioms and phrases, such as the last verse of Chapter 3:
故曰：知彼知己，百戰不殆；不知彼而知己，一勝一負；不知彼，不知己，每戰必殆。
So it is said that if you know your enemies and ...
In a previous article , I suggested 10 offensive numbers that I felt should be retired. That position didn't go over as well as I expected.
Raider Nation made it clear they liked the fact that Al Davis didn't retire numbers. The readers made a strong case, and I must admit, my mind was changed. That isn't something that happens very often.
The consensus seemed to be that the Raiders shouldn't retire numbers, but that the fans would very much like to see a "Hall Of Excellence" or something to honor these legendary jersey numbers and the men that wore them.
Based on ...
Studying NFL football is like preparing for war on the playing field. Sometimes that war requires you to study your opponent. It is somewhat like reconnaissance. You enter their territory and you scout out their weakness.
It seems more trolls and opponents come to our B/R page lately. What is the intent? You know and I know.
They want to know what we think, what we believe, and how we react to stimuli and confrontation. The answer is clear and simple: We stand up to a challenge and we fight back, forcefully, artfully and creatively.
Over the years many of us have learned to be diplomatic. But, ...