Many ridiculed the Oakland Raiders for selecting Darrius Heyward Bey over Michael Crabtree, a much safer pick. I, however, predicted in 2009, that the Raiders would draft offensive tackle Michael Oher from the University of Mississippi.
At the start of the 2008-2009 College season many scouts, myself included, rated Oher the top tackle in college. By season’s end, Oher had dropped several slots, which mostly was by consequence of the NFL combine, and in his place resided Baylor’s Jason Smith.
Smith, like Bey, struggled mightily his rookie season—and like Bey, Smith earned his job, primarily, on the fact that he was a ...
Everyone's making their predictions, so I have decided to make my own bold predictions.Begin Slideshow
The second preseason game is tomorrow night against the Chicago Bears, and after a stellar defensive performance against Dallas last Thursday night, coach Tom Cable appears satisfied that his team is ready to be physical once the season starts.
I am not convinced.
The biggest issue this team has had over the last seven years of futility is the inability to stop the run. The main contributing factor to this weakness has been a lack of fundamental understanding of positioning, gap control, and proper tackling. These are all things learned during the physical dog days of July and August when teammates bash ...
Rolando McClain was well known by NFL fans long before the 2010 NFL draft. Raider Nation knew who he was, and what to expect from him from day one. He appears to be delivering early on in his career.Therefore, it won't be all that shocking for McClain to do well and contribute to the Raiders in 2010.Every year there are players that most people have never heard of that explode onto the NFL scene to become rookie sleepers and household names. The 2010 season should be no exception. Every team selected players later in the draft they ...
We have discussed players on the wrong side of the roster bubble, who may not make the final cut down, so now onto those players on the right side of the cut.They might be undrafted, drafted late, or free agents signings of have come to Oakland via trade, but with the pre season hotting up there are still roster places to be earned. Here is my list of players who I think have done enough to make the 2010 Raider team.And the 2010 Oakland Raider team is much better than the 2009 Oakland Raider team.Let's hope that this will translate ...
Raider fans are friendly. If they see you sitting in a fast food restaurant with your Raiders gear, they will introduce themselves and ask if you are from California.
A 48-year-old insurance salesman named Paul Lawrence Carter did just that. Carter is a representative with The Reliable Life Insurance Company.
He mentioned that his father finished high school with Warren Wells, Oakland Raiders prototype receiver in the late '60s. Carter said that he has been a Raider fan since 1976.
He even stressed that he hoped the Raiders will do better this year. He wants the Oakland Raiders to pull out of a slump. Several others in the small restaurant ...
There were several notes to take from the win at Dallas and there will be just as many to take from Saturday's game at Chicago. One of those is the improvement of the D-line.
In the first quarter (meaning with the starters on both teams) the Raiders got after Tony Romo and didn't allow a run longer than five yards. Most of that was with a four man rush.
The credit can go to a few people. One, Mike Waufle who returned to Oakland after five years with the Giants as D-line coach. Another is Richard Seymour who moved inside to tackle ...
The most effective strategy in any battle is playing to your strengths. When I examine the passing game of the Oakland Raider, there are three glaring issues that present themselves:
1) The offensive line is suspect at best, particularly at the Center position and the right guard and tackle positions. Watch the footage of the Campbell sack against Dallas in the Pre-season opener.
2) Chaz Schilen, arguably the best among the receivers, has constant nagging health issues that continue to sideline him. DHB, as shown in the preseason game against the Dallas Cowboys, continues to struggle getting separation from DBs, and when he ...
According to coach Tom Cable, tight end Zach Miller will become a greater weapon in this year's passing attack.
Cable likes the chemistry between Miller and new quarterback Jason Campbell.
“I really like it with the whole group, but those two guys are really starting to develop something, for sure," Cable said. "You take him in the red zone; you need a touchdown in that situation. You saw who it went to."
Last week, Campbell found Miller twice on a two-minute drive, connecting once for a touchdown. The bond between Campbell and Miller will become very valuable to the Raiders offense during the ...
The Oakland A's took the first two games of the 1972 World Series from the favored Cincinnati Reds in Cincinnati. The A's were in an enviable position since no team had ever lost the first two games at home and won the Series. The teams traveled to Oakland for the next three games, but rain caused the third game to be moved up a day. One of the Series' most memorable plays, which has been almost forgotten with the passage of time (which means it is no longer considered memorable, but ...