Going back to last preseason, Chaz Schilens was looked at as a horrible twist of fate. A good, talented player, he had a problem of not being able to be truly, fully healthy. Missing a good number of games, he did return in time to give the team 29 catches in eight games.
Now, from the news in Napa Chaz is more than likely out against the Titans in week one.
From the work Oakland did, they tried to play his foot injury with caution, only to cause a knee injury from over compensation. It's a difficult fact, but given that the Raiders ...
Every dog has its day, even the underdog. For the past few years, I’ve listened to NFL fans and analysts berate Al Davis and the Oakland Raiders.
“The Raiders are underdogs every week,” they said. “Oakland is where NFL players go to die,” they clamored.
But hunger, desire, discipline, and hard work have the Raiders primed to renew their throne as the beasts of the Bay.
The defense is set. The run game is revved up. The offensive field general, Jason Campbell, is focused and eager to prove that he is capable of leading the Raiders into the playoffs.
Over the past ...
According to Oakland Raiders coach Tom Cable, receiver Chaz Schilens visited a knee specialist Monday about the prospect of having surgery in the coming days. Cable said he thought the knee issue could have flared up as a result of Schilens overcompensating for his foot."I'm very concerned," Cable said. "It's been a tough road for him. We get through the foot thing now, and something else has kind of reared up on us. We'll take care of it and get him back as soon as we can."Cable said he hopes Schilens will be back for the season opener Sept. 12 ...
A Quiz
1. What is the name of the man who coached the Oakland Raiders for 10 years?
2. What is the name of the man who coached the Raiders for nine years?
3. How long did Art Shell coach the Oakland Raiders?
4. How long did Jon Gruden coach the Oakland Raiders?
These are questions that many of the senior Oakland Raiders fans know the answer.
Did you make 100 percent on the four question quiz?
The Key
John Madden coached the Oakland Raiders for 10 years. His tenure is the longest of any Oakland Raiders coach.
The correct answer to the second question is Tom Flores. Flores ...
“Pressure busts pipes” they say, but pressure also busts up NFL passing schemes. And in the NFL, championships are won up front. The New York Giants proved that theory against the more talented New England Patriots with a pass rush that neutralized Tom Brady and the Patriots' high-flying passing attack.
Thus far, the Oakland Raiders lead all NFL teams in sacks with 12, which is better than the Baltimore Ravens and the Minnesota Vikings.
Some NFL fans and analysts mock preseason stats, but I argue that certain stats, such as sacks and quarterback pressures, are indicative of the dominance of a defense.
For ...
Raiders' fans well know about Al Davis' pressure football on the the offensive side of the ball. The deep ball is the main tool that the Raiders have used to play pressure football over the years on offense.
Davis is also a believer in pressure football on the defensive side of the ball. He has even created his own dictum for such a thing.
He once said, "The quarterback must go down and he must go down hard."
It started with players like Ben Davidson in the 1960s. Then it went on to players like John Matuzsack and Otis Sistrunk. The 1980s featured the likes ...
A look at last week’s least-owned, best performing sluggers and hurlers.Coco Crisp is as fast as the Flash. Homer Bailey is stingy, allowing one run in 13 IP. Yuniesky Betancourt takes over against the White Sox. Can they keep it up the rest of the season?Begin Slideshow
The Oakland Raiders drafted Darrius Heyward-Bey with the seventh overall selection in the 2009 NFL Draft.
The pick itself drew much criticism, as Darrius was considered a mid-to-late first-round pick, at best.
His season was a major disappointment as he missed the last eight games with an injury, and was only able to get nine receptions for 124 yards and a touchdown.
However, word coming out of Raider camp is that Darrius added 10 pounds of muscle and is a much more polished route runner. He's also been working on fixing the nagging problem of catching the ball with his body, not his ...
Tom Cable ("The Cable Guy") was appointed as head coach of the Oakland Raiders during the 2008 season. In that season, he had early struggles but ended the season with three wins in the last six games.
In 2009, he kept the head coaching job as well as the offensive play-calling duties. During the season, he was criticized for his basic offense. He became Tom "Basic" Cable.
Now, the Raiders offense is showing life. With Jason Campbell, Michael Bush, Louis Murphy and Zach Miller, the Raiders have a respectable offense capable of striking.
But when Cable sees something wrong, when asked by media after practice ...
When a person comes from a great family, often the parents will advise that person of the outstanding achievements of their forefathers. That same discussion can be applied to the Oakland Raiders.
Their heritage is a commitment to excellence. Embracing the pursuit of excellence would restore the continuity of the history of the Oakland Raiders franchise.
Sometimes young people are not aware of the history of an organization or of a franchise. They sometimes have a vague understanding. The elders need to inform the young people.
Here is an attempt to inform. Look at the graph of the John Madden-Tom Flores era, starting ...