The A's bullpen is tired. Really tired.Over the past two games, the Oakland bullpen has thrown six innings and allowed 11 runs. Suffice to say, the A's once semi-impenetrable bullpen is dragging toward the end of the season.The bullpen's faults aren't all based on fatigue.Michael Wuertz has been injured on and off the entire season, and has been woefully ineffective during appearances. Rookies Neil Wagner, Andrew Carignan and Bruce Billings have been thrown into tough situations, and their stats have suffered as a result.Overall, the A's bullpen is 18th best in the league with ...
When you look at a major sports magazine and see that there is a short feature story of the cornerback the Oakland Raiders don't have anymore, you begin to realize there is more than one way to get stability. Let's just say you were on a see-saw. On the left end a man weighs 250 pounds, on the right end you need to balance the situation. You get balance if the guys on the right end of the see-saw weight a total of 250 pounds together. If the 250-pound man is removed, then you must quickly replace him with at least two other guys whose total ...
When news first came out that Terrelle Pryor would be appealing his five-game suspension I wrote a Bleacher Report article saying I didn't think he should. Instead, I thought he would be better off studying the playbook and working with the coaches for five weeks.I gave my reasons for my opinion, and received many comments from readers, most of whom thought I was wrong. I also received comments stating that perhaps it wasn't all Pryor's idea to appeal the suspension. Some said it was probably Al Davis pushing the idea, or the NFLPA itself. Since I wrote that piece some ...
With the regular season getting underway, the Oakland Raiders will travel into hostile territory to face the Denver Broncos on Monday Night Football. While the Raiders may look forward to playing in Mile High, they may be wishing they were playing on Sunday instead of the prime time slot. The Raiders have lost their last seven Monday night games. This Monday's match-up could prove doubly difficult as it is the season opener. Oakland is still winless under first year head coach Hue Jackson. They lost all four of their preseason match-ups, a stat that seems to bear more weight when people ...
It finally seemed like Terrelle Pryor would be putting all of his off-field issues behind him to focus solely on doing whatever was necessary to make him a good NFL quarterback.He would have to sit out for five weeks, but once he returned he could hit the practice field and the film room running.Most of all, it seemed like he was finally ready to stop fighting the allegations and the league and swallow his medicine. Now, that doesn't seem to be the case. ESPN's Chris Mortensen is reporting that Pryor's agent, Drew Rosenhaus, announced today that they will be appealing ...
The Oakland Raiders defensive front has been, for want of a better term, a bit of a revolving door in recent years. The turnstile-like personnel and run defense that has plagued them since the 2002 season has been a major factor in the team's overall struggle to win games.In 2009, the Raiders made a huge, surprising move about a week before the season, trading their 2011 first-round draft pick—which ended up being the No. 18 selection that was used to take Colorado tackle Nate Solder—to the New England Patriots for six-time Pro Bowler and three-time Super Bowl champion Richard Seymour.Because it ...
As Monday Night Football approaches, you can feel the autumn wind breeze. The Oakland Raiders are coming off their most productive season in 2010 and are now trying to prove it was not a fluke. As fans, optimism has never been higher. You can feel the silver and black in your blood boiling for a Bronco beat-down on the national stage. It doesn't get much better than this moment right now. The Raiders had some offseason losses and some preseason struggles, but we still feel as if this team is on the verge of a playoff berth, and we all ...
Everybody has their favorite players. This year I have selected two players who have great potential. Darren McFadden and Marcel Reese will be added to my list of favorite players in 2011. Jacoby Ford and Jason Campbell were on the list in 2010. Also, head coach Hue Jackson has my support. Reese is said to be too big to be a wide receiver, but everyone believes he can catch the ball. Let's hope for some surprise touchdowns from a running back who seems ready to show his talent in 2011. He has posted some very positive blog comments to substantiate ...
When the Oakland Raiders visit the Denver Broncos on Monday night, there's just one thing fantasy owners should know.That is, to start Raiders running back Darren McFadden under any and all circumstances. Do it with confidence. The Raiders back burst onto the scene as one of the better fantasy options at his position last year, totaling nearly 1,700 total yards and 10 touchdowns (three receiving).Despite a few disappointing seasons to start his NFL career, McFadden has now been a top-round pick in most fantasy drafts because of his performances last season. He's a solid No. 2 back on good teams and a ...
Monday night madness starts again for the 2011 season and the Oakland Raiders vs. Denver Broncos are up first on the menu. After finishing .500 for the first time since their Super Bowl loss in 2002, the Raiders lost some key players. Nnamdi Asomugha, the best corner in football, has joined the so-called "dream team" in Philadelphia. Tight end Zach Miller and right guard Robert Gallery are "not losers anymore" in Seattle with Tom Cable. So what kind of team do the Raiders have now? If the Raiders are victorious Monday night, there will be no respect earned from the media. However, if ...