(8-8) Oakland Raiders 26
Carson Palmer put Tim Tebow in the damn playoffs. I now HATE that stupid trade.
Oakland Raiders
2 January 2012
You can tell that team loves Romeo. (Why, who knows.)(8-8) San Diego Chargers 38
(8-8) Oakland Raiders 26
(8-8) Oakland Raiders 26
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20 December 2011
(And hilarious.)(9-5) Detroit Lions 28
(7-7) Oakland Raiders 27
(7-7) Oakland Raiders 27
What a heart attack this game must have been. Or it would have been… if either of these teams could actually make any noise in the playoffs. Yay for Detroit and all though. It was another good comeback from the Lions, who are making a habit of falling behind early.(11-3) New England Patriots 41
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18 December 2011
to lose a game late in the season that they absolutely should win.(8-5) Detroit Lions at
(7-6) Oakland Raiders
(7-6) Oakland Raiders
I seriously have no idea what’s going on in this game. Two aggressive defensive lines, but two very different offenses will take the field. The Lions can’t run the ball to save their lives and the Raiders would prefer to simply pound you into the dust. Something has to give.(10-3) New England Patriots at
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11 December 2011
I don’t like the 2011 Falcons on the road. They’re just not that good.
(7-5) Oakland Raiders at
(12-0) Green Bay Packers
(7-5) Oakland Raiders at
(12-0) Green Bay Packers
I really just had to put this one on here because it features two teams with winning records, once of which needs a win to keep pace in the playoff hunt. I really don’t expect the Raiders to give Green Bay much of a fight unless Carson Palmer can sling it deep with consistency. Mike McCarthy would probably prefer that opponents keep it on the ground, which is exactly what the opposing Raiders like to do most.
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27 November 2011
as I’d prefer not to, let’s get to the breakdown.
Chicago Tribune
(7-4) Oakland Raiders 25
(7-4) Chicago Bears 20
With Caleb Hanie at the helm, the Bears struggled to move the ball through the air. Going into this game, most fans would have expected Martz to rely more heavily on the run than he would if Cutler was playing, but that wasn’t the case. The game started off balanced in terms of run/pass ratio, but that eventually faded away as Hanie was forced to throw from behind. However, Martz needed to give his QB help by focusing on getting the ball to Forte and Barber, both of which had solid numbers despite their lack of attempts. Hanie was jittery early on, overthrowing or vastly under-throwing his receivers, which led to the first and second of his three interceptions. He played relatively well after he settled down, making scrambles for large gains and big throws to Johnny Knox for a 29 yard TD in the second and a deep throw for 81 yards as the Bears mounted a miracle comeback in the fourth.
Continue reading "Joe's 2011 Gameday Recap: Raiders 25, Bears 20"
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(7-3) Chicago Bears at
(6-4) Oakland Raiders
If Lovie Smith’s team is going to get their sixth straight win, Hanie will have to come out and prove early that he’s a threat to throw down the field. He doesn’t have nearly the arm strength that Cutler does (but who does, honestly), but he can get it deep when necessary. Chicago’s offense has been so successful this year because the idea of Jay going deep has loosened the defense for Matt Forte up front. With better offensive line protection, Hanie has to let his receivers take advantage of a soft set of Raider corners. Stanford Routt and Chris Johnson may have been in the league for several years, but that doesn’t mean they’re any good. Mike Martz has to jump on the Raiders in the first half and then rely on Forte to close this one out. Get a decent lead for this defense and they’ll get you a win. Just avoid taking heavy hits from a Raider defensive front that only needs to rush four to get to the quarterback. Richard Seymour will be coming on every play.
Continue reading "Joe's 2011 Gameday Preview: Bears at Raiders"
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10 November 2011
Welcome back Thursday Night Football… we missed you.
(4-4) Oakland Raiders at
(4-4) San Diego Chargers
So I say this game could be sloppy for two reasons: Philip Rivers and Carson Palmer. Rivers leads the league with 14 interceptions on the year, single-handedly bringing the Chargers down from a division-leading 4-1 to a middle of the pack 4-4. While San Diego’s defense is still playing at a relatively high level, they can’t defend against pick-sixes. Without Malcom Floyd, the Chargers will rely heavily on Vincent Jackson and Antonio Gates to stretch the field. (Duh.)
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8 November 2011
Thanks Chris Johnson.
(3-5) Denver Broncos 38
(4-4) Oakland Raiders 2
Dammit. I was ONE loss away from being finished with Tim Tebow. Everyone’s favorite Jesus-pumping QB didn’t look supremely terrible today. However, the Oakland defense sure did. If Willis McGahee is racking up 163 yards on you, you’ve got issues.
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6 November 2011
s roadie if they’re going to be taken seriously in the AFC.(2-5) Denver Broncos at
(4-3) Oakland Raiders
(4-3) Oakland Raiders
One more Tebow suck-fest and I’ll do my best to avoid putting his team anywhere near The Opening Drive. This week the Raiders make the list because this will be Carson Palmer’s true debut. With two weeks of prep, he needs to make a good showing versus a shittastic Bronco squad. (5-2) New York Giants at
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24 October 2011
I said it.(3-3) Kansas City Chiefs 28
(4-3) Oakland Raiders 0
(4-3) Oakland Raiders 0
Hue Jackson had no business putting Carson Palmer in a game in which he wasn’t prepared enough to start. Kyle Boller may have thrown three picks, but that’s no reason to toss Palmer to the wolves. Just bend over, take the loss, head into the bye and get Palmer ready. (And how are the Chiefs 3-3? I call B.S.)(7-0) Green Bay Packers 33
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23 October 2011
” kind of game, but I can’t take the Jets at all.(2-3) Kansas City Chiefs at
(4-2) Oakland Raiders
(4-2) Oakland Raiders
No Carson Palmer? No problem. Wait… Kyle Boller’s starting? PROBLEM. (6-0) Green Bay Packers at
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20 October 2011
(See the Jay Cutler trade.)
The “Who the Fuck Knows What’ll Happen”: Oakland Raiders
They’ll be winners if Palmer gets anywhere near his former glory and gets them into the playoffs. They’ll be epic fails for years if he continues to decline as he has the fast three seasons following his slew of injuries. Once one of the top three quarterbacks in the NFL, Palmer has deteriorated in skill and probably isn’t worth this hefty price. That apparently didn’t matter to head coach Hue Jackson, who worked with Palmer before at USC and Cincy. Jackson’s been given the key to the car, let’s just hope he hasn’t traded his reliable pewter Corolla for a 90’s era Camaro with a busted axle, torn leather seats and a bullet hole in the engine block. (Best analogy I had.)The Loser: Jason Campbell
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17 October 2011
t;(4-2) Oakland Raiders 24
(2-3) Cleveland Browns 17
(2-3) Cleveland Browns 17
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10 October 2011
he’s going to start a professional winning streak. (3-2) Oakland Raiders 25
(3-2) Houston Texans 20
(3-2) Houston Texans 20
It wasn’t an overly pretty win, but then again, the Raiders never really fit that description. Getting two interceptions off Matt Schaub (including one on the final play of the game) kept the Raiders ahead on the day after their longtime owner Al Davis passed away. It was a great emotional win for the Raiders. For Houston though, it drops them down to earth and showcases the troubles they’ll face without Andre Johnson.
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9 October 2011
Even with that in mind, I wouldn’t be shocked if this turned into a shoot-out. (2-2) Oakland Raiders at
(3-1) Houston Texans
(3-1) Houston Texans
After the devastating loss of owner Al Davis, I expect nothing less than a rallying effort from the Raiders in Houston. Their secondary is going to have issues defending Matt Schaub and that Texan air assault, but if their running game can keep Houston’s offense on the sidelines, they’ve got a shot.(3-1) Tampa Bay Buccaneers at
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2 October 2011
one out, but he could get rocked for a third straight week.(2-1) New England Patriots at
(2-1) Oakland Raiders
(2-1) Oakland Raiders
If the Raiders focus on their ground game with Darren McFadden, they could be playing right into New England’s hands. The Patriots have issues in the secondary, so they’d probably welcome a team that prefers to hand off. Jason Campbell is a statue in the pocket, so they might even get a pass rush on him. Oh yeah, and Brady and Belichick don’t like losing back-to-back.(2-1) New York Jets at
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26 September 2011
That 9-7 prediction of mine is probably out the door now.
(2-1) Oakland Raiders 34
(2-1) New York Jets 24
This is the only time I’ll say this: Go Raiders. Darren McFadden gashed the Jet defense on the ground, ensuring the Oakland win. Mark Sanchez passed for 369 yards, broke his nose and STILL lost. Snap.
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19 September 2011
My 9-7 prediction is officially in the crapper already.
(2-0) Buffalo Bills 38
(1-1) Oakland Raiders 35
One of the most entertaining games on Sunday; this thriller went down to the wire but ended with the Bills holding on to shockingly get to 2-0. I‘m not buying them as anything special yet, but they could rise above the scrap heap.(1-1) Tennessee Titans 26
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7 September 2011
Douche.
Oakland Raiders
Blah. Do I NEED to talk about the Raiders? Their offensive line is porous, which sucks for the statue that is quarterback Jason Campbell and the weapon in Darren McFadden. Kevin Boss is a serviceable replacement for Zach Miller, but the Raiders have very weak receivers in my estimation. I’m still not on board with Darrius Heyward-Bey at all. The Raiders used to be good on defense, but that was before they lost Nmandi in free agency. Now Stanford Routt has to take over as a top corner, which isn’t an easy transition. I like their front seven for the most part. They have excellent linebackers in Kamerion Wimbley and Rolando McClain and a good interior pass rush with Richard Seymour and Tommy Kelly.
Continue reading "Joe's 2011 NFL Season Preview: The AFC West"
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29 April 2011
Day two of the NFL Draft is all tuckered out and ready for bed, just like my sister. Amidst Chris Berman idiocies and countless Jon Gruden “that guy’s,” I’m ready for a recap of rounds two and three. Here we go!
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28 March 2011
Oh, and they’re low on actual talent. Not a great situation for John Fox.
Oakland Raiders
My prediction: 6-10
What actually happened: 8-8
My result: ****
So… Tom Cable gets his squad to over-perform and get to an 8-8 record (including an impressive 6-0 in their division) despite having never decided between his two quarterbacks… and he gets fired for it. Al Davis… you make no sense to me. This move was a year too late. Despite the crazy in the front office, the Raiders are another solid (re: sensible) draft away from competing for this division.
Continue reading "How Much I Effed Up: The 2010 AFC Edition"
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28 December 2010
e from the Patriots and ditch the drama.
Getty Images(9-6) Indianapolis Colts 31
(7-8) Oakland Raiders 26
Despite an opening return for a touchdown, the Raiders couldn’t mount enough offense to out-shoot the Colts. At 7-8, the Raiders are toying with .500 yet again but have the arrow pointing up… if ever so slightly. As for Manning and the Colts, they might be hitting a hot streak at the right time.(9-6) Green Bay Packers 45
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12 December 2010
;t plenty of stories to examine! Let’s get into our stances for the Opening Drive!
(6-6) Oakland Raiders at
(7-5) Jacksonville Jaguars
While it may not be a glamorous contest, the Jaguars are still the AFC South leaders until someone gets past them. This is a meeting of two Jekyll and Hyde squads that are going to try and run the ball down each other’s throat. It’ll be a smash-mouth affair, but almost impossible to pick. I mean, which Raiders are going to show up?
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6 December 2010
When they get Brandon Jacobs going, the Giants are nearly impossible to beat.
(6-6) Oakland Raiders 28
(6-6) San Diego Chargers 13
Well the Chargers finally lost a December game. ‘Bout time. I’d like to thank the Raiders for putting it on Norv Turner’s squad by rushing it for 251 yards. Down 21-3 at halftime, the Chargers completely abandoned the run, gaining only 21 yards on eight carries. Good on ya Oakland.
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22 November 2010
tty good.) Still, 8-2 in that division means quite a bit.
(7-3) Pittsburgh Steelers 35
(5-5) Oakland Raiders 3
Only hit worth talking about in this game is the one Richard Seymour put on Ben Roethlisberger. You rock Richard. You’re my new favorite player. That $25,000 fine was SO worth it. Raiders still suck.
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8 November 2010
Now they can run over the rest of the NFC east?
Getty Images
(5-4) Oakland Raiders 23
(5-3) Kansas City Chiefs 20
So... the Raiders might be for real. Might. Beating Kansas City gives them a a claim to the throne of the AFC West, which can't be called the worst division in football anymore. (NFC West, looking at you.) Jason Campbell's deep ball to Jacoby Ford to set up the game-winning field goal is a prime example of how the Raiders like to play. Partnered with a bruising running game and a sack-happy defense, they have a great shot to win the division.
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7 November 2010
ks on any given day, so don't be shocked at a Seattle win.
(5-2) Kansas City Chiefs at
(4-4) Oakland Raiders
Game of the week? I'd say it's pretty close. The Raiders are coming off two straight blow-out wins and Kansas City sits alone atop the AFC West, setting up a showdown in the back hole. The only question is, will anyone watch it? Both squads love to pound the ball on the ground, so victory hinges on quarterback play. Who do you trust more: Matt Cassel or Jason Campbell? Ew.
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1 November 2010
enough red zone opportunities to take first place in the NFC North.
The Star-Ledger
(4-4) Oakland Raiders 33
(4-3) Seattle Seahawks 3
Oakland Raiders: offensive juggernaut? It certainly looks that way over the past two weeks after racking up 59 on the Broncos and shutting down the Seahawks. Darrius Heyward-Bey finally showed up to play with 105 yards and a TD. About time I say. Jason Campbell may be earning back the starting job with these impressive back-to-back outings.
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25 October 2010
strip to set up the game winning field goal in overtime to keep the Ravens in the AFC hunt.
(3-4) Oakland Raiders 59
(2-5) Denver Broncos 14
Man, I had this game pegged wrong. I thought the Broncos would be able to the chains moving with their passing attack and do enough to hold down a Raider offense that isn't as good as their numbers may suggest. Here's the real question: does this loss say more about the Raider offense or the Denver defense?
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11 October 2010
Getty Images
(2-3) Oakland Raiders 35
(2-3) San Diego Chargers 27
Just like Miami's dismissal of their special teams coach thanks to last Monday night's debacle, San Diego needs to make a move this week. Two blocked punts are just the latest slip-ups in a series of blunders that have cost the Chargers games they were supposed to win. Norv Turner's offense can load up on statistics as much as they want, they still aren't avoiding these slow starts and they can't win in the playoffs. What else is new? Maybe this win gives Tom Cable to actually stick with Jason Campbell at quarterback instead of jumping off the ship two games in. Ridiculous.
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4 September 2010
Could they prove me wrong? Sure. Are they likely to? No.
Oakland Raiders
Ever since their Super Bowl appearance, the Raiders have been on a disastrous fall from grace the likes of which has rarely been seen in sports. Drafting JaMarcus Russell number one overall set the franchise back significantly, but making the trade for Jason Campbell of the Redskins gives them the first proven commodity at the position since Rich Gannon. (Though I do like Bruce Gradowski quite a bit. That guy's a winner...at least in Oakland anyways.) The offensive line isn't up to snuff, but at least Robert Gallery turned out to be a decent guard, if not a franchise left tackle. Drafting guard Bruce Campbell satiated owner Al Davis' love of physical attributes. Darren McFadden is an injury-prone and overrated running back who will watch as Michael Bush gets the heavy workload. Their wide receivers are young and fast, but not much else. Louis Murphy is the top deep threat. I'll say it again: Louis Murphy is their best receiver. Until Darrius Heyward-Bey proves he can catch more than 9 balls in a season, forget it. Tight end Zach Miller will be the go-to-guy all season for Campbell.
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21 August 2010
preseason game and therefore meaningless, but here's what I took from the Bears' 32-17 loss to the Oakland Raiders.
it was another slow start for a Bears first-team defense that gave up countless first-drive scores last season. Brian Urlacher left the game after only a few plays with a calf injury that's not believed to be serious. The pass rush struggled and the coverage downfield was nonexistent on a drive that ended with a Jason Campbell QB sneak for a touchdown. Corners were out of position and linebackers were missing their assignments. It was a less than stellar effort. Julius Peppers showed up on a few goal line plays late in the drive, but it was too late to jump-start the defense by then.
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Forgive the extremely abbreviated posting, but I'm in the midst of a crazy nerd-filled weekend at Chicago Comic-Con and simply don't have the requisite time to fully flesh out a preseason game with the Raiders. Never fear though, I will be live-tweeting the game and posting a recap for all of you. Now let's get to a few of the things I'm looking for during Saturday night's contest.
Continue reading "Joe's Preseason Preview: Raiders at Bears"
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22 April 2010
The movement could be frantic.
Oakland Raiders: How will they screw up this year?
Raiders Owner/GM/Curmudgeon Al Davis always finds a way to reach on a pick or find a complete bust. They reached on Michael Huff at pick 7 in 2006, found the laziest quarterback ever in 2007 with JaMarcus Russell and the jury's still out on 2008's Darren McFadden thanks to a poor offensive line. Probably the worst of the bunch is from last year's draft when Davis used the 7th overall pick on wide receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey (9 catches in 11 games in 2009) and not the top WR Michael Crabtree (48 catches in 11 games).
Continue reading "2010 NFL Draft: What to Watch for on Day One"
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2 January 2010
win unless Belichick has a second coach-fart this season.
(8-7) Baltimore Ravens at (5-10) Oakland Raiders
If the Ravens win, they're in. That may be tougher than it sounds if the Raiders decide to try for one of their upset-specials. However, as Bruce Gradkowski is still out at QB, JaMarcus Russell will get the start. Russell can't be mediocre if the Raiders are going to play spoiler. Since I don't believe he can do that for four quarters, the Ravens should win.
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26 October 2009
e team a few weeks, it’s impressive.
(4-3) New York Jets 38
(2-5) Oakland Raiders 0
After a great win, Oakland went back to being putrid. JaMarcus Russell threw two interceptions and fumbled in the first half; giving way to back-up Bruce Gradkowski’s getting some game action. For the Jets, it was a desperately needed victory. Dropping to 3-4 would not have been a happy event in the Big Apple. Mark Sanchez eating a hot dog on the bench was amusing enough though.
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23 October 2009
Both have too many issues to be legitimate contenders.
(3-3) New York Jets at (2-4) Oakland Raiders
Oakland is coming off a freak win against the Eagles while the Jets have lost their last three outings. Mark Sanchez has been launching interceptions left and right with eight picks in those losses. If they fall in Oakland, the Rex Ryan honeymoon will officially be over. For the Raiders, the rest of this season will be spent deciding if JaMarcus Russell is their quarterback of the future. Hasn’t looked like it to me. Oh Oakland, keep on suckin’!
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19 October 2009
Maybe Kurt Warner isn’t done yet.
(2-4) Oakland Raiders 13
(3-2) Philadelphia Eagles 9
Who saw this coming? The Eagles had been lighting up the scoreboard all season while the Raiders were struggling to just complete passes. Everyone is complaining about Andy Reid failing to commit to the run. Hello McFly! Reid hasn’t committed to running the ball in the nine years since he’s had Donovan McNabb! This is how Reid rolls: through the air.
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14 September 2009
Yep Trent, you're a Bill. Sorry.
San Diego Chargers 24, Oakland Raiders 20
So… LT didn’t look all that great, and it brought him a seat on the sidelines as the game was on the line in the fourth quarter. Philip Rivers looked flustered at times until his final drive when the Raiders gave him every check-down he wanted enough space to gain ten yards.
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15 November 2008
Holy crap, the Oakland Raiders suck! How do you take a once proud franchise and systematically drain it down the toilet? John Madden, put down the turkey leg and race your Winnebago straight to Oakland and do something about this please!
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21 October 2008
If the Panthers can stay on target, they’re one of the best teams in the NFC.
Oakland Raiders 16, New York Jets 13
Brett Favre always looks so depressed after a loss. I know he has the most wins at quarterback in NFL history, but shouldn’t he know how to cope with defeat? In the post-game conference, he talked about how it was one of the worst losses of which he’s ever been a part. He honestly looks like he’s going to cry in his post-loss conferences. Man up Favre. If you can call a former division rival and offer up strategy to help beat the Packers, you can suck it up after a loss, crushing or not. He’s also mostly to blame, as he threw two interceptions to kill Jet drives. Added with a Leon Washington fumble, the Jets turned it over three times, while the Raiders didn’t let it go once. New York dominated in the running game, rushing for 242 yards on a collective 33 carries. When you’re gaining over 7 yards a carry, the only thing that can stop you is turnovers. Nice job Brett. This one’s on you.
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