The Oakland Raiders' matchup with the Green Bay Packers looks much different than anyone initially expected.
The Packers must respect the Raiders’ potent passing attack. Oakland’s defense should primarily focus on Green Bay’s No. 8 rushing offense as opposed to its No. 23 passing attack.
Although still dangerous, Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (28 touchdowns, five interceptions) doesn’t present the same danger deep downfield without his No. 1 wideout Jordy Nelson, who’s on injured reserve with a knee injury. Rodgers averages 6.9 yards per pass attempt, his lowest since taking over as the starting quarterback.
Nevertheless, Rodgers remains efficient and a threat to extend ...
The Oakland Raiders’ Week 15 stock report features some disappointing performances from talented offensive skill players and ultimate praise for key components within an undervalued special teams unit.
The defense and special teams won the turnover and field-position battles to put the Raiders in good position to score points. Offensively, Oakland was sleepwalking through the first half.
In the second half, the tight ends propelled the Raiders into the lead. Clive Walford and Mychal Rivera deserve honorable mention for moving the chains. Rivera scored the final touchdown on a fake screen pass.
After some bitter losses, Oakland tasted a sweet hard-fought victory over ...
Oakland Raiders kicker Sebastian Janikowski's recent struggles have placed him in the crosshairs of the firing squad.
He deserves criticism for his miscues, but there’s premature buzz about his career headed straight for the toilet bowl.
When discussing Janikowski's latest mishaps, short-term memory comes into play among fans. This season, he’s logging a 76 percent field-goal percentage, and some spectators contributed to an uproar over his last misfire on Sunday.
On the contrary, Janikowski’s struggles have plagued him his entire career.
Janikowski Being Janikowski
As the table above illustrates, Janikowski failed to convert at least 80 percent of field-goal attempts in several seasons. He experienced ...
The Oakland Raiders' 15-12 victory over the Denver Broncos lead us back to old trends and into some potential tweaks in the offensive game plan going forward.
Initially, the Raiders passing attack didn’t steal the show, but it remained a threat with underutilized weapons to seal the victory.
The Broncos defense forced the Raiders to take what was given in terms of yards and space on the field. Oakland took advantage of the slight opportunities, and then some, with effective adjustments.
Should we expect more production from infrequent contributors in the final three regular-season games? Will an injury alter the five-man combination in the trenches? ...
The Oakland Raiders finally beat the bully in the AFC West sandbox in a physical matchup that further transformed the team's image.
Change doesn’t transpire overnight, but the Raiders finally earned a notable victory worth pointing to as a sign of what’s to come in the near future.
Oakland has beat down some poor teams this season, including the 4-9 Baltimore Ravens, 3-10 Cleveland Browns, 3-10 San Diego Chargers and 3-10 Tennessee Titans. The Raiders also earned a victory over the 8-5 New York Jets, who lost their starting quarterback in the first series of the game.
The Raiders earned a victory over the 10-3 Denver Broncos without major ...
In an imperfect game filled with drama, the Oakland Raiders logged a 15-12 victory over the Denver Broncos in their biggest win of the season to this point.
The Raiders offense started off like a deer in headlights, producing a net minus-12 yards in the first half, per Associated Press writer Josh Dubow. Inaccurate throws, unimaginative play-calling and a ferocious Broncos’ pass rush contributed to Oakland’s offensive futility in the first 30 minutes.
Fortunately for Oakland, Denver settled for four field goals to keep the glass half-full for Raiders fans.
Defensive lineman Khalil Mack walked off the field as a human at halftime ...
The Oakland Raiders must win battles in the trenches and prioritize ball security to earn a victory over the Denver Broncos in Week 14.
The effort starts with pressuring Broncos quarterback Brock Osweiler behind a poor pass-protecting offensive line. Defensive lineman Khalil Mack could become a huge factor in limiting Denver’s passing attack.
Aside from Mack, fellow defensive lineman Mario Edwards Jr., Denico Autry and linebacker Malcolm Smith should find success rushing the pocket with speed and power.
Defending Denver’s Conservative Offense
As illustrated in the table above, the Broncos scaled the playbook back to keep Osweiler comfortable in the pocket.
In three of four ...
The Oakland Raiders’ fleeting playoff hopes will lead to an extensive in-season evaluation on talent.
The Raiders have several rookies and undeveloped players who could play vital roles on the field in 2016.
This season, some players will earn extended snaps due to injuries. Two veteran starters have disappointed over the course of the season; both should yield snaps to rookies.
Two offensive skill players have impressed in minimal roles and deserve more opportunities in action.
Head coach Jack Del Rio has shown flexibility with the depth chart, increasing reps in response to solid play. Now it’s time to find hidden roster gems or ...
The Oakland Raiders and Denver Broncos prepare for their second matchup of the season with both teams heading in opposite directions.
The Raiders failed to meet head coach Jack Del Rio’s expectations, but he ensured the team would continue to press forward in the final four games, per CSNBayArea.com reporter Scott Bair.
The Broncos ride a three-game win streak with new starting quarterback Brock Osweiler at the helm.
The fourth-year quarterback hasn’t lit up the boxscore behind a makeshift offensive line, but he’s provided enough production to enable the ground attack. The Broncos rushing offense ranks third in the last three outings, averaging ...
The Chicago White Sox struggled to score runs last season, so they added some offense Wednesday in the form of third baseman Brett Lawrie.
The White Sox announced a trade with the Oakland Athletics on Twitter and gave up left-handed pitcher Zachary Erwin and right-handed pitcher J.B. Wendelken in exchange for Lawrie. MLB.com did not rank either pitcher in Chicago’s top 30 prospects following the 2015 campaign.
Athletics outfielder Josh Reddick still seemed pleased to welcome Wendelken to the fold:
Lawrie was the headline of the trade, especially after he appeared in 149 games for Oakland last season and hit .260 with a ...