The Oakland Raiders have a bunch of talent on their roster. The key to last year's success was the ability of young players to step up at big moments throughout the year. We saw Jacoby Ford become electric on special teams and Louis Murphy make big time catches.We watched as Nnamdi Asomugha shut down one-half of the field and Sebastian Janikowski knock down game winning field goals. Going into this year, we know we have the talent, but who is going to surprise us and have a breakout year? Here are my 5 choices on who I think is going ...
After a promising 8-8 season in 2010, the Oakland Raiders are looking for a winning record in 2011.Though the playoffs are unlikely for this team, a 9-7 season isn't out of reach.We'll learn a lot about the Raiders during the preseason, such as:Will Jason Campbell be a decent QB?How much will the loss of TE Zach Miller hurt?Can Darrius Heyward-Bey become a good NFL WR?So, without further ado, let's take a look at some key preseason issues for the Oakland Raiders.Read more Oakland Raiders news on BleacherReport.com
It's finally here. Real football. After the most historic yet frustrating offseason in the history of the National Football League, football finally returns Aug. 11. The Oakland Raiders are coming into a season where their expectations are a bit higher than in years past. Yes, the Raiders are considered true contenders in their AFC West division and could quite possibly be the champions of that division come season's end. The foundation of that lofty goal begins in the preseason. True, the preseason is meant for coaches to evaluate their team and young prospects but coaches around the league will always say ...
Seems Like Old Times Napa, California. As I stood on the sideline watching the Oakland Raiders practice, I had a strange wave of deja vu roll over me.I saw guys like Mike Waufle, Chuck Bresnahan and Rod Woodson, and ex-Oakland Raiders Linebacker Greg Biekert was around somewhere. Al Davis has decided to surround himself with familiar faces for the 2011 season. Bresnahan was brought back to take over at defensive coordinator. This will be Bresnhan’s second time running the defense, and he made it clear that losing the Super Bowl with the Raiders has made him hungrier than ever for that elusive ring.Bresnahan ...
The Oakland Raiders posted an unofficial depth chart on their website. While I don't read too much into it, it's still a decent indicator on what Hue Jackson and the coaches are seeing at this moment in time. I was mostly interested in looking at the offensive line. Stefen Wisniewski (2011 second-round draft pick) is listed as Samson Satele's backup. However, I expect Wiz to be given every opportunity to start. The biggest surprise to me was the wide receiver situation. Darrius Heyward-Bey is listed as the No. 1 receiver, even though he's coming off an injury and has barely practiced in ...
Heading into the July 31 trade deadline there was speculation that the A's would be sellers, opening several roster spots for their top prospects to be given an extended look and audition for Major League jobs in 2012.However, the trade deadline came and went and only Brad Ziegler was traded for the acquisition of power hitting first baseman Brandon Allen.Rumors for outfielders Josh Willingham, Coco Crisp, David DeJesus and Conor Jackson never materialized into discussions that were enticing enough for the A's to pull the trigger.Oakland's general manager Billy Beane instead decided to keep the team intact and provide his ...
When Nnamdi Asomugha officially left the Raiders a few weeks ago, I had to stop and collect myself. This team has been a huge part of my life for so long, and an era had just ended.Asomugha was indeed my favorite player for that past 10 years, and that started when he was at the University of California. When he was playing safety there, I watched him many times from the stands, and knew he was going to be something special when he went to the NFL. Then, after watching him for years playing for the Bears, he was drafted by ...
The A’s secured their first road series victory since May with a win over the Tampa Bay Rays on Sunday. Josh Willingham and Hideki Matsui were at the forefront of the victory, combining to hit two home runs and driving in three of the A’s runs in a 5-4 win. Willingham and Matsui have been monsters at the plate since the All-Star break, and their play warrants contract extensions. Josh Willingham is hitting .273 since the break, and he’s driven in 19 runs and homered six times in just 77 at bats. Willingham joined the A’s in an offseason trade ...
Jason Campbell put 3,000 miles of space between himself and the Washington Redskins when he was traded to the Oakland Raiders in 2010.Turns out it still wasn't enough to escape Stephon Heyer, a 6'6", 320-pound turnstile at right tackle who followed in Campbell's footsteps this offseason by signing with Oakland as a free agent.On most plays, calculating sacks allowed is a subjective game of finger-pointing. Quarterbacks shake the dirt off and scowl in whichever direction the hit came from; linemen claw and scratch to hold off pass rushers and wonder why the ball hasn't been thrown yet.But in a few ...
Hue Jackson is a brand new coach, and he takes the helm after the longest NFL lockout in history. Jackson's drive for success in 2011 ought to be inversely proportional to the hindrances and obstacles of the lockout conditions that restrained him from contact with the Oakland Raiders.
In other words, Jackson's drive should be far more powerful coming out of the challenging situation of the lockout and block out from contact with his team.
The Arizona Cardinals have had the same coach for four years. In 2009, the Cardinals' win-loss average was only .313. In earlier years, the average ranged from .313 to a high of .625 ...