When it became apparent really isn't important.
It might have been apparent way back in March, when the Raiders were studying quarterbacks in the draft. After witnessing Derek Carr's impressive workout at Fresno State, the Raiders put him first on their quarterback board, ahead of Blake Bortles, Teddy Bridgewater, Johnny Manziel and the rest, according to offensive coordinator Greg Olson. The team valued Carr as a high first-round pick, but it did not value him more than linebacker Khalil Mack. So the Raiders chose Mack with the fifth pick of the first round.
Then, with the fourth pick of the second round, ...
In any other year or on a better team, Oakland Raiders outside linebacker Khalil Mack would be the consensus Defensive Rookie of the Year. He may still win it, but he’s in a tight race with St. Louis Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald.
One thing is for sure, Mack doesn’t need to win the award to validate that he’s more than just a Rookie of the Year talent—especially for the Raiders. Mack is a special player and will be for years to come.
Mack’s play has even taken some of the sting out of Oakland’s dismal year. Mack is a foundation player ...
Dear Santa,
I don't want too much for Christmas. There are just a few things I would love to see. I don't even care about the presents underneath my Christmas tree.
I just want you to do a few things for the Oakland Athletics.
Please make the following wishes come true. If you can't make all of these happen, Santa, then for your convenience, I have ordered them from least realistic to most realistic.
A Big-Name Slugger
After trading away five All-Stars since July, including big names like Yoenis Cespedes and Josh Donaldson, A's fans need some assurance. They could use a big name to ...
The plan for the Oakland Raiders on Sunday was simple: run the ball, avoid giving up big plays and force Kyle Orton to beat them with his arm. It wasn't always pretty, but the Raiders were successful enough in these areas. The result was a 26-24 win over the Buffalo Bills.
Latavius Murray got his second start, and he once again showed that he will be Oakland's starting running back in 2015. He consistently finds openings, and he's able to exploit them. And even when there isn't one there, he always seems to move the pile. Perhaps announcers Brian Anderson and ...
The Oakland Raiders won their third consecutive home game Sunday in a statement victory, 26-24, over the Buffalo Bills, who were eliminated from playoff contention with the loss.
This was, remember, a Bills team that held Peyton Manning and Aaron Rodgers to zero touchdowns and two interceptions apiece. With that, Derek Carr's 17-of-34 performance for two touchdowns and no interceptions looks pretty impressive.
The win was underscored by strong performances on both the defensive and offensive sides of the ball, and it gave the franchise a taste of what it can look forward to in the future with stars Carr and Khalil ...
The Oakland Raiders find themselves in a familiar position heading into Sunday's game. This is a game they can win. The question is whether the coaches will actually give the team a chance to succeed.
The Buffalo Bills have established a clear identity and proven what kind of team they are. Offensively, Kyle Orton's job is to not lose the game. If he makes some plays, fine. If he gets the offense into the end zone, great. But first and foremost, his job is to avoid major mistakes.
The Bills are perfectly fine with relying on their defense—one of the NFL's best—and ...
Tarell Brown's 2014 season is officially over.
The Oakland Raiders cornerback has been battling a foot injury for several weeks, but the team has finally decided to place him on injured reserve, according to CSN Bay Area's Fallon Smith:
“Tarell has been one of the toughest competitors we have,” interim head coach Tony Sparano said, via CSNBayArea.com. “He’s grinded through some things but, this week, we just couldn’t get him ready in time.”
Brown, who signed a one-year deal with the Raiders after spending the previous seven seasons with the San Francisco 49ers, tallied 47 tackles, four pass deflections and zero interceptions. He ...
The Oakland Raiders (2-12) are two games away from ending another disappointing year. But that doesn't mean the season can't end on a positive note.
For that to happen, they'll have to find a way to solve the defensive puzzle of the surprise playoff contender, the Buffalo Bills (8-6).
The Buffalo offense is nothing to write home about. Kyle Orton was named the starting quarterback in Week 5, and the Bills have gone 6-4 since. Orton has certainly been a major factor in the team's playoff push, but his job has been blatantly clear: Don't make mistakes.
He's the epitome of a game manager. It's ...
And so the Oakland Athletics tear-down continues. General manager Billy Beane made yet another trade Thursday evening, sending All-Star catcher Derek Norris to California neighbors, the San Diego Padres, for a return of younger players with more years of team control, as Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News reports.The full trade is as follows, according to Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports:The deal isn't a bad one for the Athletics, but it is another sign that this organization merely is trying to cash in on all its best players in a very efficient—and audacious—fashion.Thing is, it's not as if ...
The Oakland Raiders have won only two games in 2014 but may have a quarterback to build around in Derek Carr.Who should the Raiders target on offense to build around Carr? Where do the Raiders need to improve on defense?Watch as Stephen Nelson and Bleacher Report NFL Analysts Chris Simms and Matt Miller discuss the Raiders' offseason in the video above.Read more Oakland Raiders news on BleacherReport.com