Raidernation4Life

Can the Oakland Raiders win the AFC West division title next season?

2011-05-09T13:30:00.000-07:00

With the Oakland Raiders coming off arguably their most successful season in recent memory, a lot of people have started to wonder whether or not this team will continue to improve or turn back into a perennial bottom feeder in the AFC Conference. Now that they have a talented core of young players, the consensus is that the Oakland Raiders can only go up from here, but with their recent history over the last ten years they could easily continue to struggle and finish last in the AFC West division next season.

The determining factor of the Oakland Raiders success moving forward in my opinion is whether or not they decide to re-sign lock down corner Nnamdi Asomugha and/or up-and-coming tight end Zach Miller. These two players will be key to this team's success over the next few years as Asomugha is arguably one of the best corners in the league and Miller is quickly turning into the best option in the Raiders' passing game.

With these two Pro-Bowl caliber players back on the field and committed to the Silver and Black, the Oakland Raiders will have a great shot at winning the AFC West division title next season and finally getting back into the playoffs.

The only the Raiders will face is the fact that a new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) has not be finalized as the players and the owners still don't see eye-to-eye. With no new CBA, the Raiders will be unable to sign free agents or re-sign their current free agents which means anything can happen from here on out.

Are the Oakland Raiders the best running team in the NFL?

2011-04-28T12:00:00.000-07:00

Coming into the 2011-12 NFL regular season (whenever that might be), the Oakland Raiders will be looking to capitalize on what was the best season in recent memory. Even though Al Davis' team was unable to finally make it back into the playoffs, despite going undefeated in the AFC West division (6-0), this team looked like they had finally turned the corner and were ready to have a breakout year.

One of the main reasons for the Oakland Raiders success last season was their dominant running game. Ironically enough, the eventual AFC West division champion Kansas City Chiefs had the best running game statistically, but without the injuries to up-and-coming running back Darren McFadden, the Raiders would have easily had that distinction.

Even though the upcoming NFL regular season has no real official start date due to the NFL lockout, the Oakland Raiders will be ready to take on the best of the best in the AFC Conference next season with a dominant running game once again and quite possibly an upgrade at the quarterback position.

Jason Campbell was a great addition to this team last season, but he has been extremely streaky under center in Oakland so far. With that being said, the Raiders could pursue a veteran QB like Donovan McNabb (Washington Redskins), Carson Palmer (Cincinnati Bengals) or draft a rookie like Jake Locker (Washington Huskies) to help secure the future at QB for the resurgent Raiders.

Whatever the franchise choses to do from here on out, the consensus around the league is that this team could be a force to be reckoned with for years to come.

Could the Oakland Raiders draft a QB in the 2011 NFL Draft?

2011-04-26T01:10:00.000-07:00

The 2011 NFL Draft is rapidly approaching and a lot of people in the Bay Area have been wondering which way controversial owner Al Davis will be going for the Oakland Raiders come draft day. Even though the Raiders are coming off perhaps their best season since their Super Bowl appearance back in 2002 (lost to Tampa Bay Buccaneers), this team still needs to keep their foot on the gas pedal and continue to improve their once storied NFL franchise.

With arguably one of the best running games in the league led by Pro Bowl caliber back Darren McFadden and his wingman Michael Bush, the Raiders will not be looking to upgrade their backfield, but they might look to get a bit deeper under center with a new rookie quarterback.

Obviously, with JaMarcus Russell being arguably the biggest draft bust in NFL history, the Oakland Raiders and Al Davis will think twice about drafting another quarterback, but they might not be able to risk the temptation if Washington Huskies' gunslinger Jake Locker falls in their laps on draft day.

The ideal quarterbacks in this draft for the Oakland Raiders would be Cam Newton or Blaine Gabbert, but not too much further down the talent trough is Jake Locker. Not only would have Locker been the number one overall pick in last year's draft had he come out of college, but he decided to stay one more year in Washington.

This may have been a blessing in disguise for the Oakland Raiders as they might have a chance to draft the promising young quarterback, but whether or not they pull the trigger to bring him to the Bay Area remains to be seen.

Can Jason Campbell lead the Raiders into the playoffs?

2010-08-06T01:08:00.000-07:00

The Oakland Raiders have been arguably one of the worst NFL franchises over the past half decade or so as they have failed repeatedly to rebuild their storied franchise with promising young talent.

Even though they have had high draft picks over the past five years or so, they have consistently made the wrong choices in the form of quarterback JaMarcus Russell and running back Darren McFadden. Not only have their draft picks been nothing but busts over the years, but they have also turned perennial Pro Bowlers like wide receiver Randy Moss into nothing more than a mediocre wideout.

With the Oakland Raiders inability to develop young players or keep Pro Bowl caliber veterans, they have consistently been dominated in the AFC West division by the Denver Broncos and the San Diego Chargers.

Despite the Raiders being nothing more than a joke these days in the NFL, the boys in silver and black may have finally turned the corner as they have gotten their first franchise caliber quarterback since the days of Rich Gannon in former Washington Redskins gunslinger Jason Campbell.

Even though Campbell is no Tom Brady or Peyton Manning, the young quarterback will help this offense get back on track as he has the potential to become a perennial Pro Bowler with the Oakland Raiders promising young offensive weapons at his disposal like Michael Bush (RB), Darren McFadden (RB), Zach Miller (TE), Chaz Schilens (WR), Louis Murphy (WR) and Darrius Heyward-Bey (WR).

These young players have yet to make an impact, but they have shown from time to time that they can be a force to be a reckoned with an will look to prove that point with Jason Campbell being their new quarterback behind center.

As for being able to lead the Oakland Raiders to the playoffs, I believe there is a chance that they could surprise some people next season and possibly clinch a wildcard berth, but a safe bet would be that they are still a couple seasons away from the postseason.

Raiders Look to End Ravens Playoff Hopes

2009-12-30T16:55:00.000-08:00

It has been another disappointing season for the Oakland Raiders as they come into their last game of the season against the Baltimore Ravens with a 5-10 record.

Obviously, the Raiders have absolutely nothing to gain from winning this game against the Ravens, but they do have an opportunity end Baltimore's hopes of getting back into the postseason and end their season on a high note.

Coming into this matchup, online sports betting sites have the Baltimore Ravens favored with a -10.5 point spread. Even though I believe in the end the Ravens will most likely win this game against the Oakland Raiders, but I think that Tom Cable's squad will put up one hell of a fight and make this a very close game.

The Ravens have arguably been one of the best teams in the league this season, but they have struggled at times during the season with consistently good play. Fortunately, all hope isn't lost yet for Baltimore as all they have to do to get into the playoffs is beat the Raiders in Oakland.

Even though this season has been a disappointment for the Oakland Raiders, I believe there is light at the end of the tunnel, especially with the Raiders finally realizing that the JaMarcus Russell is not the quarterback that can lead this team.

Along with the benching of Russell, head coach Tom Cable seems to be the right man for the job and it will interesting to see what changes the Raiders make in the offseason to get back into contention in the AFC West.

Raiders get Four Starters back for Week 10 against Chiefs

2009-11-10T21:32:00.000-08:00

Rarely do you ever hear good news about the Oakland Raiders, but this week Oakland will get four starters back from injury to play this week against the arch division rival Kansas City Chiefs.

Once again, rarely do you ever hear that the Raiders are favored to win a game, but this week against the Chiefs the Raiders chances are looking pretty good with the return of players like left guard Robert Gallery, right tackle Cornell Green, wide receiver Chaz Schilens and most importantly running back Darren McFadden.

With these players healthy and back in the mix for the Raiders their fortunes might begin to change. I don't think the Raiders will be playoffs contenders this season as there is virtually no way they will be able to catch up to the San Diego Chargers and the Denver Broncos, but at least they can get some positive things happening for them to finish out yet another disappointing season in Oakland.

Obviously right now all the Raiders want is something positive to happen for their franchise after having a disappointing year like this filled with controversy surrounding head coach Tom Cable and protests asking for the benching of JaMarcus Russell, it might not come this season, but like the Atlanta Falcons last season, a winning season could be right around the corner!

Week 10 Preview: Kansas City Chiefs @ Oakland Raiders

2009-11-10T16:48:00.000-08:00

It has been a long and disappointing season for the Raiders thus far as they haven't really made any kind of improvement from last year's team and sit at the bottom of the AFC West yet again with a 2-6 coming into week 10 against Matt Cassel and the Kansas City Chiefs.

The biggest question that all Raiders fans are asking this season is:

When will JaMarcus Russell be benched?

A few years back Raiders fans thought they had something to look forward to and hope for the future after Oakland selected LSU quarterback JaMarcus Russell number one overall. Russell seemed like the total package with a cannon for an arm and a Ben Roethlisberger like frame that would make him hard to bring down, but it hasn't been his body or his strong arm that has let the Raiders down, it has been his terrible accuracy and inability to lead this team.

Along with Russell the Raiders were able to get their hands on a promising young running back Darren McFadden last season, but have yet to really see what the kid can do because of injury problems.

Needless to say, the Oakland Raiders mess and they are not a team you consider if you are an avid sports bettor and are trying to make some extra dough with NFL betting.

There is a definitely an upside to the Raiders despite all their faults as their defense is quite good when it has time to rest on the sidelines, but that hasn't happen as of late due to the inconsistent play by Russell and the offense.

This week the Raiders might be able to get a much needed victory against the lowly Kansas City Chiefs in week 10. The Chiefs looked to have a promising season coming into this year with the addition of quarterback Matt Cassel from New England and new offensive minded head coach Todd Haley, but the combination of the two in Kansas City has not resulted in more than one win this season.

Even though both of these teams aren't all that entertaining to watch this season, this matchup between these AFC West rivals might just be a game to watch as the Chiefs and the Raiders will not want to lose this game just to be able to say they are not the worst team in the AFC West.

Raiders Get Dominated by the Giants in Week 5

2009-10-11T16:17:00.000-07:00

Is all hope lost to salvage this season?

Honestly, it is really starting to look like the season is lost unless they decide to switch quarterbacks in my opinion. JEFF GARCIA COMEBAAAAAACKK!

The Raiders running game isn't all that bad. Yes, they don't have a great runner like Adrian Peterson, Frank Gore or even Ahmad Bradshaw, but the combination of Michael Bush and Darren McFadden will get it done when the second year back comes back healthy in a few weeks.

In the meantime though they need to get it done through the air and on the defensive side of the football. Much like the running game I believe the defense can be a dominant defense if they actually had sometime to catch their breath on the sidelines. The Oakland offense is so bad these days that the Raiders defense is on the field basically the entire game and no defense, no matter how good they are, can get it done with no time to rest.

The one thing that has to change before anything is the quarterback position. JaMarcus Russell may have a cannon for an arm and can throw the length of the field, but he has terrible accuracy and has not lived up to expectations in his time in Oakland. It is time to admit it Al Davis, you got a Ryan Leaf type pick out of Russell, time to make a change and go get Jeff Garcia back to Oakland.

The New York Giants on the other hand came into this game with a lot of question marks involving their superstar quarterback Eli Manning. Last week Manning sustained an injury that looked like it would force him to sit out some time, but just like his brother Peyton, Eli got back on the horse and had an impressive performance playing through pain in the win against Oakland.

Eli Manning may have been in some serious pain, but it didn't stop him from throwing for 173 yards and two touchdowns in just one half of play before being switched out for David Carr due to the blowout.

44-7 was the final score and this game wasn't even close, in fact it was a joke as the Raiders seemed absolutely hopeless with Russell throwing for a pitiful 100 yards and the Oakland offense only amounting to a total of 124 yards. Just pitiful to say the least.

Chargers Comeback to Beat Raiders with Last Minute Drive

2009-09-15T14:01:00.000-07:00

There are bitter rivals in the NFL, the Baltimore Ravens and the Pittsburgh Steelers don't like each other, the Patriots and Colts always have epic battles, but few of these rivalries are as heated as the Oakland Raiders and the San Diego Chargers when the two AFC West rivals go head to head.

These two teams don't just dislike each other, they hate each other with an undying passion!

It isn't a personal thing like the way Phillip Rivers and Jay Cutler openly hate each other, but these two teams absolutely despise losing to one another and in this match up it has been the Raiders getting the short end of the stick in the last eleven meetings between these two.

Coming into this season the Oakland Raiders don't have expectations of being a great team or even a good team as they are still very young and struggling to establish an identity. Last season was forgettable, in fact, the past seven years have been very forgettable as this franchise has just fallen apart since their last Super Bowl appearance back in 2002.

Despite not looking great on paper, the Oakland Raiders do have some young and promising players on their squad starting with JaMarcus Russell.

Russell is a freak of nature with a 6'6" 260+ frame at quarterback. That is unheard of and closest thing to him is Big Ben Roethlisberger with the Pittsburgh Steelers, but even though this kid is huge he lacks finesse and accuracy on his throws and that was never more obvious then this week one game against the San Diego Chargers.
The positives to come out of this loss against he hated Chargers is that the tide is changing in Oakland, yes they have some work to do at quarterback, but the defense looks great and the running game is firing on all cylinders with the deadly combination of Michael Bush and Darren McFadden.

The Raiders ran the ball down the throat of the Chargers all night long as San Diego just couldn't find an answer for Bush and McFadden, but the problem was the passing game as Russell continues to struggle. At times it was the receivers faults as Russell either put it right on the numbers or on their hands, but with two rookies starting at wide receiver in Darrius Heyward-Bey and Louis Murphy, there are bound to be problems in the passing game.

Russell did have a moment of brilliance near the end of this game throwing a 57 yard bullet to Louis Murphy for the go ahead touchdown with 2:34 left in the fourth quarter, but that was plenty of time for Chargers quarterback Phillip Rivers to drive down the field and hand it off to Darren Sproles for the game winning touchdown and end the game 24-20.

There were a few things for both the Raiders and Chargers to look at after this game that will drastically change the look and feel of both teams. For one, the Raiders will have to work the running game until Russell can get some confidence or look at bringing in Brad Gradkowski who actually got in the game when Russell got hurt on a quarterback sneak. Gradkowski threw the ball twice and completed both passing for 17 yards.
So sit Russell, milk the running game with McFadden and Bush who combined for 123 yards and a touchdown or see if Russell can get back on track in the coming weeks.

The Chargers on the other hand seem to be in the passing of the torch mode as we could be witnessing the end of the LaDainian Tomlinson and the emergence of Darren Sproles. It seemed more and more obvious as the game went on that Norv Turner has become comfortable using Sproles in place of LT as Sproles was the back to get the call at the end game and came through with the game winning rushing touchdown.

San Diego did struggle in the passing game though despite Rivers finishing with 252 yards, one touchdown and one interception. Even though you would think it was Rivers just having an off night it was actually the much improved Raiders defense keeping the Chargers in check.

So the positives for the Raiders is a great running game with two backs and a much improved defense. Negatives for Oakland is inconsistent play by JaMarcus Russell and failure to capitalize on offense. Positives for San Diego is Darren Sproles and negatives are LT and struggling offense.

Even though there has been Super Bowl talk surrounding the Chargers I still think they have a ways to go before they can be considered legit contenders this season. As for the Raiders I see nothing, but positive things coming out of this game. Yes, Tom Cable and company have to deal with the problems at quarterback, but the defense looks good and their is potential to turn this offense back into a major force in the AFC.

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Week 2: Oakland Raiders @ Kansas City Chiefs Sept. 20th 1pm EST

New England Patriots Trade Richard Seymour to the Oakland Raiders

2009-09-06T16:41:00.000-07:00

Where did this move come from? Good news for the Raiders, but why would the Patriots do something this drastic, this close to week one?

Obviously the Oakland Raiders have been in somewhat of a desperation mode for quite some time now as they try to get back to dominant status in the AFC, but why the New England Patriots would want to get rid of a five time Pro Bowler like Richard Seymour is beyond me.

The Raiders will definitely get an upgrade at their defensive line with the addition of Richard Seymour, but it didn't come without a price as they had to give up their 2011 first round draft pick which has been a very high pick in the draft in recent years as they have brought in high profile players like JaMarcus Russell, Michael Huff and Darren McFadden.

The main motivation for Al Davis to pull the trigger on this deal was to help stop the run as the Oakland Raiders have struggled stopping the run ever since their last Super Bowl appearance in 2002. In fact the Raiders have been the worst team in the league at stopping the run since 2002 allowing 141.7 yards per game on the ground.

As for the Patriots point of view this somewhat of a surprise, but maybe it shouldn't be as the New England defense is starting to looking quite different this season. First move the Patriots made concerning the defense was trading away linebacker Mike Vrabel in the Matt Cassel deal then both Rodney Harrison and Tedy Bruschi decided to call it a career and retired from the NFL.

The one thing about the Patriots and head coach Bill Belichick though, they always seem have some master plan and end up coming out on top.

So in the short term I believe the Oakland Raiders defense just got a lot better, but I wouldn't be surprised to see the New England Patriots turn their new first round pick into something special.

Raiders Cut Quarterback Jeff Garcia

2009-09-06T15:56:00.000-07:00

It is no secret that the Oakland Raiders are one of the most troubled NFL franchises in the league if not the most troubled franchise. One of the main reasons for the Raiders troubles has been the combination wacky NFL owner in Al Davis and bad decisions with team personnel.

Over the past couple of seasons the Raiders have had nothing, but bad publicity. One bad move after another like getting rid of arguably the best wide receiver in the NFL in Randy Moss, firing head coach Lane Kiffin in a very embarrassing fashion and now cutting veteran quarterback Jeff Garcia.

Now Jeff Garcia isn't the quarterback he used to be when he was a Pro Bowler with the San Francisco 49ers or even the Philadelphia Eagles, but he is still one of the best backup quarterbacks in this league, too bad the Raiders didn't think so as they cut the veteran only a week before week one.

Since Garcia will no longer be in silver and black as the backup to JaMarcus Russell, the Raiders will be using Bruce Gradkowski and Charlie Frye as the backups.

Along with Jeff Garcia 21 other players were cut from the team to set the final roster.

Jeff Garcia Intends to Start for the Raiders

2009-07-09T18:54:00.000-07:00

It is no secret that quarterback JaMarcus Russell has hit a few bumps in the road as he tries to become a prime time QB in the NFL, but after just two seasons are the Oakland Raiders justified to pull the rug from under the young quarterback's feet and hand the starting job over to veteran quarterback Jeff Garcia?

In my opinion, no, it isn't justified and the kid deserves one more shot before he gets dropped to the backup role. Obviously when the Raiders pick Russell number one in the draft a few years ago they were planning for the future and intending to make him the face of the franchise, but just the drastic mid season firing of head coach Lane Kiffin, Al Davis has absolutely no patience and wants to win as soon as possible.

Wanting to win in the NFL or any professional sport in the US for that matter is natural and admirable, but what Davis is asking for is just ridiculous. Yes, the Raiders have potential to be at least a playoff team, but the way he is imposing his will on the Raiders is not healthy and will continue to tear the team apart with frustrated coaches and unhappy players.

The Raiders went out an made somewhat of a drastic move by signing veteran quarterback Jeff Garcia to motivate Russell and secure the quarterback position as best they could for the next NFL season.

Garcia has been great quarterback throughout his career starting with another bay area team in the San Francisco 49ers where he had to deal with the ego of a young Terrell Owens. Once Garcia started to get on in years and the Niners started to drop off the veteran quarterback started to hop around the NFL with stops in Philadelphia and Tampa Bay before signing with the Oakland Raiders this offseason.

Some say Garcia is over the hill and others believe he still might have a few good years left in him like Kerry Collins in Tennessee. The one thing that has made Garcia successful every where he has gone has been his will to win and never say die attitude which he fully intends to bring with him to Oakland as he tries to compete for the starting job with JaMarcus Russell.

"Not knocking JaMarcus or anybody else on the team, but I have a belief in my own abilities," Garcia said in a phone interview from his home in San Diego.. "[That has] me feeling I am the best quarterback on the team. That's just how I approach the game."

The debate in Oakland now is: Who to start at quarterback?

JaMarcus Russell has tremendous upside with a cannon for an arm, quick feet and a big body, but he lacks experience and has had problems with his weight. Garcia on the other hand is a proven quarterback with experience and the competitive fire sorely lacking in Oakland.

Who will get the starting job? Honestly, I couldn't say, but I think they will either put Russell on a short leash and once he makes a mistake pull him out or start Garcia at the get go and have Russell use Garcia as a mentor.

Either way, it will be interesting to see what happens and who will be taking the snaps when the season begins.

Raiders Miss Out on Terrell Owens Sweepstakes

2009-03-11T16:03:00.000-07:00

It seemed like a forgone conclusion that Terrell Owens would end up with the Oakland Raiders where all troubled stars in the NFL seem to land.

In somewhat of an unexpected move the Dallas Cowboys decided it was time to give TO the boot in Big D. Some may say they made a bad move, but in my opinion he is locker room poison who only cares about himself and will never change his destructive ways. Great player, very talented and a game changer, but at times nothing but a distraction.

Every NFL analyst was predicting it and Raider fans were waiting for it, but TO didn't end up signing with the Oakland Raiders after all. He may have been more trouble than a young JaMarcus Russell could handle, but he might have been the key ingredient the Raiders needed to become a force in the AFC West again.

No one could have seen it coming, but the Buffalo Bills were the team that eventually got their hands on Terrell Owens for a $6.5 million one year contract.

Smart move by Buffalo? I would say so. I don't think the guy will change, but maybe he will have better luck on a team that is not surrounded by the media like the Cowboys and Eagles.

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Tom Cable is the New Head Coach of the Oakland Raiders

2009-02-04T13:04:00.000-08:00

Well, this decision seemed like to be inevitable. Crazy Raiders owner Al Davis has made his decision on the Oakland Raiders head coaching job, arguably the most undesired position in all NFL football.

With finishing the season they way he did I think Tom Cable was a no brainer to be the new head coach for the Raiders. First of all, I don't know a single coach who would want to come to Oakland right now with all the drama Lane Kiffin endured last season, but Tom Cable seems to be up to the task and in my opinion they got the right man for the job.

Cable did only win four games out of the eight he had coached to finish the season after Davis gave Kiffin the ax, but I would say that is one hell of an accomplishment considering the circumstances.

The Raiders may not be contenders for a few years, but after the team started to come together under Cable the future in Oakland looks brighter than it has in quite some time.

Darren McFadden didn't exactly have a season to remember, but not all rookie running backs are going to turn out like Adrian Peterson did in his first season. The one-two combo of Justin Fargas and McFadden will prove to be deadly in the near future as Fargas seemed to come into his own last season and McFadden will not be rushed into doing too much too soon.

JaMarcus Russell also seemed to have somewhat of a breakout season as well, not one like say Kurt Warner or Peyton Manning, but it has become obvious that Russell is starting to become more and more comfortable in the Raiders offense.

Needless to say, the Raiders for once have made the right decision by giving Cable a chance and the way things are looking Oakland will be poised to make some waves in the AFC in the coming years, especially if they make good use for the #10 pick in the upcoming NFL Draft.

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Al Davis in No Hurry to Fill Raiders Head Coaching Position

2009-01-07T13:59:00.000-08:00

Although Al Davis seems to always be famously quick on the trigger firing head coaches, he is not exactly taking quick action to hire a new one, but maybe that is for the best.

Davis isn't exactly in the good graces with anyone these days with his erratic and almost idiotic decision making, but I have to think he may have learned his lesson for being quick on the draw with this past decision like signing free agents DeAngelo Hall, Javon Walker and hiring a young head coach in Lane Kiffin.

It is pretty much common sense these days in professional sports that there is no such thing as instant success. Some teams get lucky by things coming together quicker than expected like the Atlanta Falcons experienced this season by gambling on rookie quarterback Matt Ryan and running back Michael Turner and having it pay off immediately, but that barely ever happens.

In the Oakland Raiders case, Al Davis tried way too hard to make a winner immediately by signing a bunch of overpriced free agents and expecting it to pay off without consequence. As everyone in the sports world knows, that didn't exactly turn out all that well as the Raiders lost a bunch of close games, fired a coach and paid a DeAngelo Hall a million per game for the eight games he played in silver and black before releasing him.

As for the the newly vacant head coaching position, interim coach Tom Cable should be the front runner for the job since he took a seemingly hopeless Raiders and turned into a team with promise going into next season.

I kind of get the feeling that some of the best available head coaches around aren't exactly going to be jumping at the chance to coach in Oakland with all the drama and a dictator like Al Davis running the show. No way in hell Mike Shanahan is going to go back to the Raiders, Bill Cowher has said he doesn't want to coach again and Eric Mangini will probably end up being the Cleveland Browns head coach.

Of course there are a ton of head coaches out there dying to get the chance to make the jump to the professional level in the NFL, but in my opinion, Cable should get the job.

Who knows what Davis is thinking or planning, but hopefully he gets some sense and doesn't make another rash decision going into 2009.

Raiders Shock Texans with Convincing Win in Week 16

2008-12-23T16:48:00.000-08:00

The season is basically over, the playoffs were never a factor and the Oakland Raiders have arguably been the one NFL franchise filled with the most drama and bad blood this season, but they looked like a team out to prove something when they convincingly beat the Houston Texans last Sunday 27-16.

An 80 yard punt return for by Johnnie Lee Higgins, JaMarcus Russell near perfect with two passing touchdowns and no picks and the team playing they way they should have played all season, the Raiders were playing for some sense of dignity in a season filled with disappointment in Week 16.

At the end of the game the Texans just looked shocked, bruised and beaten as the Raiders just had their way with they by putting up 27 points and while holding Matt Schaub and company to only 16 points.

The Texans got one rushing touchdown from Vonta Leach mid way through the first quarter, but it was all down hill from there as they had to settle for field goals three times after their only touchdown of the game. The Raiders on the other hand got their game going early with a 20 yard passing touchdown from Russell to Chaz Schilens followed by two field goals from Sebastian Janikowski to close out the first quarter.

In the second quarter the Texans seemed to get back in it as they held the Raiders from scoring and got two field goals out of Kris Brown, but it was a different story in the third as Johnnie Lee Higgins pretty much took the game over with two touchdowns of his own. One from a 29 yard pass from Russell and the other an 80 yard punt return touchdown which put the game out of reach for the Texans.

Texans quarterback Matt Schaub who has been awesome since he returned from injury was no match for the Raiders defense as they picked him off once and held him to no touchdowns while sacking him three times. Even though he didn't look it against the Raiders, I believe Schaub will be one of the best quarterbacks in the league in the near future.

Although this was a great win for the Raiders in terms of seeing what can happen when both the offense and defense are clicking, it is just a shame that they couldn't get it together earlier in the season.

NEXT RAIDERS GAME: Oakland Raiders @ Tampa Bay Bucs Sunday, Dec. 28th 10am PST

Raiders Beat Down Hated Rival Denver Broncos

2008-11-24T16:39:00.000-08:00

In what was supposed to be an easy win for the AFC West leading Denver Broncos, the Oakland Raiders had perhaps their best performance of the season as they pulled off the unlikely upset 31-10.

All season the Raiders have struggled as much as an NFL franchise can struggle. With a coaching change, a nutty dictator of an owner in Al Davis and injuries to their go to guys. Even though all this controversy and bad blood has been going on in Oakland, JaMarcus Russell and his Raiders came in Denver, where they are hated more than any Broncos opponent, and just destroyed their arch rivals.

Although their season is over unless both the San Diego Chargers and the Denver Broncos absolutely blow it to finish the season, which could happen, then the Raiders are just playing for pride.

With that being said, the Raiders made a huge statement Sunday by being the best offensive team on the gridiron in Denver. So far this season, Broncos quarterback Jay Cutler has been as impressive as you can be at that position as he consistently hooks up with up and coming wide out Brandon Marshall along with all the other talented receivers on the Broncos, but he just couldn't get the job done against a Oakland team determined to upset Mike Shanahan's boys in their house.

It was just the same old story for the Broncos in week 12 as they proved they still can't stop anyone with there pathetic defense. The Raiders just torched the Denver D, especially with the ground game. Both Darren McFadden had great games. McFadden hurt the Broncos with 2 rushing touchdowns while Justin Fargas gain all the yardage with 107 yards.

JaMarcus Russell also had a pretty decent game with one passing touchdown and 152 yards. Jay Cutler on the other hand had a nightmare of a game as he failed to throw a single touchdown and turned the football over twice, once with a fumble and another with an interception.

Although the Broncos are still in first place in the AFC West, it is painfully obvious that they still need a lot of work on the defensive side of football field. As for the Raiders, anything positive is good news in Oakland. They may be out of contention in the AFC West 3-8, but maybe they can take this win and build on it for the future.

NEXT MATCH UP WEEK 13: Kansas City Chiefs @ Oakland Raiders Sunday, Nov. 30th 1:15pm PST

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2008-11-20T00:46:00.000-08:00

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Javon Walker to Miss the Rest of the Season

2008-11-15T13:27:00.000-08:00

More bad news for the Oakland Raiders, as if it weren't bad enough with all that is going on with the Raiders this season.

Reportedly, the Oakland Raiders number one wide receiver Javon Walker will miss of the rest of the season with a ankle injury that requires surgery. The injury was sustained in the 17-6 loss to the Carolina Panthers in week 10. Javon Walker was quoted as saying:

"I'm done for the season," Walker said. "They've got to put some screws in."

Nothing, I mean absolutely nothing has gone right for the Oakland Raiders this season. First it was the firing of coach Lane Kiffin for reasons that we will probably never understand. Then it has just been loss after loss, week after week. After few promising performances, mainly against the San Diego Chargers and the Buffalo Bills, it seemed as though the Raiders were on the verge of turning the corner, but it just hasn't happen as Oakland has been plagued with injuries to key players ever since.

In the off season, Javon Walker signed a huge contract of $55 million. Walker was just one of a few huge deals made by the Raiders and Al Davis before the season began.

This season Walker has only made 15 catches for 196 yards and only one touchdown. Big chunk of money for not much production.

Panthers Get the Best of Banged Up Raiders in Week 10

2008-11-12T13:47:00.000-08:00

Some people believed that the Oakland Raiders had no chance in hell of upsetting the 6-2 Carolina Panthers in week 10, even though the Silver & Black weren't able to pull out the upset, they definitely gave Jake Delhomme and company a run for their money.

Coming into this game the Raiders were as banged up as they have been all season with both quarterback JaMarcus Russell and rookie running back Darren McFadden sitting out due to injury.

With both Russell and McFadden out of the lineup the Raiders chances were pretty slim to come out on top or even keep the game competitive, but surprisingly they did make a game of it, mostly from the defensive end of the gridiron.

The Raiders did lose this contest 17-6, but it was no easy task for the Panthers as the Raiders shut down the Carolina's air attack and kept superstar wide receiver Steve Smith from becoming a factor in this game. If Oakland came out victorious in week 10 the reason for the victory would have definitely been limiting Panthers' quarterback Jake Delhomme to only 72 yards passing and picking him off 4 times, 2 interceptions of which by Rashard Baker.

Raiders backup quarterback back Andrew Walter didn't have a career worst game like Delhomme, but his performance was far from commendable as he threw for 142 yards and 2 interceptions. Not only were his numbers terrible, but he also went down with an injury that kept him out of action late in the game.

Although Oakland was able to keep Delhomme and Steve Smith out of the game, DeAngelo Williams was another story altogether as he rushed for a game high 140 yards and a touchdown. Justin Fargas had a decent game rushing with 89 yards on 22 carries, but was completely overshadowed by the impressive performance of Williams.

Even though this turned out to be yet another loss for the Raiders in week 10, the defense showed some promise against the Carolina Panthers, lets hope that continues.
NEXT MATCH UP in WEEK 11: Oakland Raiders @ Miami Dolphins Sunday, Nov. 16th 10am PST

Andrew Walter to Start Against the Carolina Panthers

2008-11-08T15:33:00.000-08:00

It seems as though JaMarcus Russell's injury was bad enough to keep him out of Sunday's game against the 6-2 Carolina Panthers in week 10.

After JaMarcus Russell missed practice on Friday, coach Tom Cable will probably have to go with backup quarterback Andrew Walter starting behind center on Sunday.

The Raiders aren't exactly a contender in their division AFC West right now at 2-6, so the decision to rest Russell against a very good Panthers team in favor of Andrew Walter is a wise decision.

JaMarcus Russell has been bothered by tendinitis in his right knee all week long, so their franchise quarterback sitting out in week 10 didn't come as a surprise.

Rookie running back Darren McFadden may also be out of action Sunday for the third game in a row with turf toe on both feet.

DeAngelo Hall Signs 1 Year Deal with Washington Redskins

2008-11-08T14:46:00.000-08:00

It didn't take long for recently cut DeAngelo Hall to find a new home in the NFL as the Washington Redskins jumped on the opportunity to upgrade their defense in an attempt to stay competitive in the toughest division in the NFL right now (NFC East) by adding Hall to their secondary.

Reportedly Hall will make about $492,000 with the Redskins to finish the season. This is a prorated price that of which he would have made with the Oakland Raiders.

Even though Hall was cut only eight games into the 2008-2009 NFL season with the Raiders, he made an unheard of $8 million in his short time in Oakland which obviously works out to about million for every game he played in a Raiders uniform.

The Redskins picked up Hall at the right time as they weren't the only team that was after the 2 time Pro Bowler after he was cut by Oakland, three other high profile NFL franchises also were interested in retaining his services. The New England Patriots, Pittsburgh Steelers and the New Orleans Saints were looking to improve their secondary as well by adding Hall.

Although being cut by the Raiders may have put a dent into Hall's confidence in his abilities, he definitely made out like a bandit by earning his $8 million and joining a contender in the NFC in the Washington Redskins.

Playing for Pride: Raiders Take on 6-2 Panthers in Week 10

2008-11-06T21:34:00.000-08:00

Well it is about that time where the playoff teams emerge and other teams except their fate. Unfortunately, the Panthers will go on to bigger and better things this season and the Raiders will be licking their wounds for the rest of the way unless a miracle happens.

The Carolina Panthers have kept relatively under the radar this season even though they have one of the best records in the NFL right now at 6-2. All the attention has been on other things like the Dallas Cowboys underachieving, a Giants team looking to repeat and a Tom Brady-less Patriots team.

Even though they are 6-2, I honestly don't know if they are for real and a Super Bowl contender. They are definitely talented with a good running game and of course possibly the best wide receiver in the game with Steve Smith, but I can't say they are a great team just yet.

As for the Raiders, they are just playing for pride as the franchise that just looks like it is going to implode if Al Davis keeps calling the shots. As if there injuries problems aren't bad enough with rookie Darren McFadden out and now JaMarcus Russell with tendinitis in his knee, Raiders releasing Hall was just ridiculous and just plain stupid.

The future of the franchise is there with McFadden and Russell, but it is definitely going to take some time to get this team in competitive game shape once again.

This game will most likely end in another Carolina victory, but if the Raiders can stop their offense and get their offense going, they might have a chance at pulling off the upset in week 10.

JaMarcus Russell Misses End of Practice Due to Tendinitis in Knee

2008-11-06T21:18:00.000-08:00

Has there been any good news to come out of Oakland this season?

Well if there has I haven't heard it. With only 2 wins so far this year, it is turning into another forgetful season for the boys in Silver & Black.

Just to put the icing on the cake, quarterback and supposed future of the franchise in quarterback JaMarcus Russell missed the end of practice Thursday due to tendinitis in his right knee. Coach Tom Cable commented on his quarterback's health:

"It's more precautionary than anything else," coach Tom Cable said. "We kind of did it just to hold him back. He did a great job today so the last eight reps weren't going to matter."

Doesn't sound too serious as Cable does expect Russell to start on Sunday against the 6-2 Carolina Panthers, but you never know with the Raiders.

Who knows, Al Davis may trade or cut him by then!

More Crazy Moves By Al Davis: DeAngelo Hall Gets Cut

2008-11-06T20:51:00.000-08:00

Not like the Oakland Raiders can really do anything to drastically improved their football team right now, but was it wise to get rid of arguably their best defensive player?

I would say no, but from the looks of it no one but Al Davis has any input on what goes on.

I just can't believe that the Raiders, or should I just start saying Al, goes out and signs this guy for an enormous amount of money($72 million for 7 years) and then cut him at the half way point during the season. What is going on?

DeAngelo Hall wasn't making his way to another Pro Bowl, but what kind of job security can you give any player or coach for that matter when they get an offer to come to the Raiders? If players and coaching candidates keep seeing other players and coaches getting the boot in Oakland for no apparent reason or time to prove themselves no one is every going to want to come play or coach for the Raiders.

Maybe there is some method to the madness behind Al Davis' dictatorship-like moves this season, but honestly, the entire football world and I don't see it.

Since being cut Hall could end up with a number of NFL franchises that are in some desperate need of a defensive presence. He would probably see some interest from the New Orleans Saints and the Denver Broncos who have had a lot of trouble on the defensive side of the football all season long.

Darren McFadden Injury Update

2008-10-27T17:57:00.000-07:00

As most of you Raiders fans already know, Darren McFadden was no-go in the loss against the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday due to turf toe.

It was pretty obvious that the Raiders really missed McFadden coming out of the backfield. Not like McFadden is having a Adrian Peterson-like rookie campaign with only one rushing touchdown and 434 total yards, but having an extra threat on the ground definitely would have improved their chances of competing with the Ravens last weekend.

More bad news for McFadden as his fullback Justin Griffith is out for the season with a torn ACL in the loss to Baltimore Sunday.

As for McFadden's turf toe (big toe on right foot), no reports of the severity have come in, but most believe he will play next Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons in Oakland.

Raiders Fullback Justin Griffith Out for the Season

2008-10-27T17:47:00.000-07:00

As if Darren McFadden being out wasn't bad enough for the Oakland Raiders running game, now fullback Justin Griffith is out for the season after suffering a torn ACL in last Sunday's loss to the Baltimore Ravens.

In the third quarter of the 29-10 loss to the Ravens, Griffith was hit by one of the hardest hitting linebackers in the NFL in Ray Lewis.

After the monster hit by Ray Lewis, Griffith was taken out of the game and did not return because of the season ending injury to his knee.

Raiders coach Tom Cable was quoted as saying this about his injured fullback:

"You lose a terrific person, a lot of leadership," Cable said. "He's solid as a rock. He comes to work every day. He does things to the best of his ability every opportunity he gets. Someone who's familiar with the system. You're losing quite a bit there."

Losing Griffith is a huge hit to the Raiders running game, they will now be focusing on signing another fullback to finish out the season.

Ravens Rip the Raiders Defense in Week 8

2008-10-27T17:19:00.000-07:00

Spirits were high for the Oakland Raiders coming into Baltimore to take on Ray Lewis and the Ravens in week 8, but things didn't turn out in the Raiders favor after Joe Flacco showed some versatility at quarterback as they improve to 4-3 this season after the 29-10 win over Oakland.

The Raiders just can't seem to produce anything on offense, not establishing a ground didn't help as Darren McFadden sat out, but JaMarcus Russell couldn't keep the pressure on the Ravens defense.

With 228 yards, one touchdown and one interception, Russell wasn't terrible behind center for the Raiders, but it won't be good enough to get the job done for the Raiders this season.

The raiders only gained a total of 47 yards rushing against Baltimore, that is just awful, especially for a team that depends on the running game to get victories.

The Ravens on the other hand saw there first (besides the win over the Colts) impressive offensive game this season lead by rookie quarterback Joe Flacco. The rookie was on his game Sunday, only 140 yards in the air, but that didn't matter as he contributed by rushing and believe it or not by receiving.

Backup quarterback Troy Smith came into the game for a very tricky play in which resulted in a 43 yard reception to Joe Flacco. Not only did Flacco have a key reception, but he also ran in a touchdown and threw a 70 yard touchdown to Demetrius Williams.

Although it seemed like week 7 against the New York Jets, in which resulted in a overtime victory for the Raiders, was kind of a rebirth of a team that seemed doomed this season coach Cable still has some work to do in order to keep this team in the running for a AFC West title.

Baltimore Ravens vs. Oakland Raiders Preview

2008-10-23T15:33:00.000-07:00

After a thrilling overtime win at home over Brett Favre's New York Jets last Sunday 16-13, the Oakland Raiders are gaining some much needed momentum coming into week 8 against Ray Lewis and the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium.

The Ravens started off hot this season with their defense firing on all cylinders and rookie quarterback Joe Flacco fitting in nicely even though he has a tendency to throw picks (7 INTs this season).

At 3-3 Baltimore needs to get back to their winning ways, even though they are coming off a win against Miami, to be able to catch up to the AFC North leading Pittsburgh Steelers or compete for the AFC Wildcard.

The Raiders could potentially gain some ground on the San Diego Chargers with a win over the Ravens Sunday. At 2-4 Oakland's record is by no means impressive, but with all the close games against good teams this season they are on the verge of turning the corner.

With a win over Baltimore and a San Diego loss to the New Orleans Saints, the Raiders will move into second place in the AFC West just behing arch rival Denver Broncos.

After Broncos embarrassing loss against the New England Patriots on Monday 41-7 and the injuries they have suffered over the past few weeks, the Raiders have a legitimate chance of competing for the AFC West title and making an appearance in the playoffs this season.

This game will be a battle of the backs as both teams have depended more on the running game rather than through the air. With JaMarcus Russell and Joe Flacco slowly, but surely improving, we might see a break out performance by one of these talented youngsters.

The Baltimore defense will be the key here, if they can dominate the Oakland offense and keep Darren McFadden and Justin Fargas in check, they should come away with the victory.

Although, if Russell can get the passing game going along with a decent ground game, the Ravens could be on their way to a losing record.

Janikowski Seals the Deal in Overtime Against Favre's Jets

2008-10-20T17:48:00.000-07:00

Coming into the Sunday matchup against Brett Favre's New York Jets, the Oakland Raiders were in desperate need of a win with a ugly record of 1-4.

The Jets offense has been clicking on all cylinders with Favre taking the snaps this season, so much so that Favre actually topped his personal best for touchdowns in a single game with 6 TDs in a win over the Arizona Cardinals a few weeks back.

With that being said, the Jets chances of getting the victory over a troubled Raiders franchise was looking pretty good.

Although a game full of touchdowns was expected, both team's defenses came to play Sunday. It was just a game of defensive stops as neither team could really get it going offensively.

Despite keeping Brett Favre in check throughout the game by picking him off twice with no touchdowns, Jets running back Thomas Jones had a great game with 159 yards on the ground, but failed to reach the endzone.

The game was tight all day long as both teams really struggled to get into the redzone. One of Favre's favorite targets of the past in Oakland's wide receiver Javon Walker was the only Raider to get in the endzone Sunday after an 8 yard pass from JaMarcus Russell.

With only 3 ticks remaining in the fourth quarter, Jets kicker Jay Feely kicked a 52 yard field goal to send the game into overtime with a score knotted up at 13-13.

After a couple of possession with no success for both teams in overtime, the Raiders decided to test Sebastian Janikowski's leg by attempting a record 57 yard field goal which the veteran kicker nailed with relative ease to hand the Jets and Brett Favre their third loss of the season.

Oakland Raiders Take On Favre and the New Look Jets

2008-10-15T16:08:00.000-07:00

The story of the season (and the off season) thus far has been Brett Favre in a New York Jets uniform.

At the beginning of the NFL season seeing Brett Favre in a different shade of green was just weird and a little unsettling, especially for Green Bay Packers fans. After five games so far, Favre has been nothing short of amazing!

N0t only has Favre gotten the Jets been in the playoff mix at 3-2, but he has also has a new personal best to tack onto an already extremely successful career with an unheard of 6 touchdown passes in one game.

With Favre playing like only Favre can, the Raiders will have their hands full this weekend when the New York Jets come to town.

Although many are saying that the Jets will walk away with a relatively easy victory in Oakland on Sunday, I think the score will be a lot closer than predicted.

Even though the Jets are supporting an over .500 record at 3-2, they still have trouble stopping people and have only won games because their offense can keep putting points on the board.

If JaMarcus Russell can keep the Raiders offense on the field while keeping Favre off the field, Oakland might have some success Sunday against New York. The key is getting stops on Favre's offense and having the football when the last second ticks off the clock.

If not, Favre will have another field day and throw for another 2, 3 maybe 4 touchdowns on the Raiders weak secondary.

Can the Raiders Save Their Season?

2008-10-15T13:46:00.000-07:00

Coming into this season the Oakland Raiders looked pretty damn good on paper (personal wise), but after four disappointing losses (especially against San Diego and Buffalo) and Lane Kiffin getting the boot, the Raiders season is turning into the same old story once again.

Although their record is no where near impressive (1-4), after the five games the Raiders have played thus far there are a few positive notes that shouldn't be overlooked.

One, the Raiders are about to turn it around. It may seem hard to believe at 1-4, but it is true! JaMarcus Russell looks ready to be the leader of this team and is almost playing up to expectations, this time next season it is a good possibility that the kid might be one of the top quarterbacks in the league.

Second, Al Davis has officially been labeled a crazy bastard! I know all of us Raiders fans have known this for quite some time, but now the world knows after his very public Crucifixion of Lane Kiffin press conference. With the football world finally seeing how far gone Davis really is, the Raiders have a legitimate chance of forcing him out of the organization. Remember, I just said a chance, I know Davis won't leave without a fight.

With Davis out of the picture the Raiders will actually have an opportunity to get a good coach in there with some power to make things happen and get this franchise headed back into the right direction again.

Lastly, Darren McFadden. I know McFadden has shown us next to nothing thus far this season, but the potential for a break out performance is right around the corner. If he starts making things happen, the Raiders might be able to start winning some games this season.

The future is promising, even though the team needs some work.

Will the Raiders save their season? Probably not, but the chances of improving from season and actually having good young nucleus going into the future is looking pretty damn good!

Hello Darren McFadden, Goodbye Dominic Rhodes

2008-04-28T23:45:00.000-07:00

Just when you thought the Oakland Raiders backfield was jammed packed and just plain ridiculous, they go and make a move to give the team some relief and Darren McFadden a promise of playing time.

Thank God! That was the first thing I thought when I saw this headline, if it wasn't enough for the Raiders to get bashed because they selected running back even though they had more than enough already (but how could you pass on the best player in the draft?), they go and make another move to be praised for.

Most sports enthusiats think that Al Davis and anyone occiated with the Oakland Raiders is crazy and they may be right, but one thing that can't be denied is the Raiders are trying to build a winner and getting Darren McFadden and dropping some useless baggage like Dominic Rhodes a step, no, a leap in the right direction!

2008 Oakland Raiders Schedule

2008-04-17T17:01:00.000-07:00

The schedule for the Oakland Raiders has been officially announced and here it is (looking pretty good for the Raidernation!):

WEEK 1: Monday Night Football, September 8th DENVER BRONCOS (in Oakland) 7:15pm PST

WEEK 2: Sunday, September 14th @ KANSAS CITY CHIEFS 10am PST

WEEK 3: Sunday, September 21st @ BUFFALO BILLS 10am PST

WEEK 4: Sunday, September 28th SAN DIEGO CHARGERS (in Oakland) 1pm PST

WEEK 5: BYE WEEK

WEEK 6: Sunday, October 12th @ NEW ORLEANS SAINTS 10am PST

WEEK 7: Sunday, October 19th NEW YORK JETS 1:15pm PST

WEEK 8: Sunday, October 26th @ BALTIMORE RAVENS 10am PST

WEEK 9: Sunday, November 2nd ATLANTA FALCONS (in Oakland) 1:15pm PST

WEEK 10: Sunday, November 9th CAROLINA PANTHERS (in Oakland) 1:05pm PST

WEEK 11: Sunday, November 16th @ MIAMI DOLPHINS 10am PST

WEEK 12: Sunday, November 23rd @ DENVER BRONCOS 1:05pm PST

WEEK 13: Sunday, November 30th KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (in Oakland) 1:15pm PST

WEEK 14: Thursday, December 4th @ SAN DIEGO CHARGERS 4:15pm PST

WEEK 15: Sunday, December 14th NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (in Oakland) 1:15pm PST

WEEK 16: Sunday, December 21th HOUSTON TEXANS 1:05pm PST

WEEK 17: Sunday, December 28th @ TAMPA BAY BUCS 10am PST

Will the Raiders Pick Darren McFadden with Their #4 Draft Pick?

2008-04-10T17:32:00.000-07:00

In a move that makes all Oakland Raiders fans extremely happy, running back phenom from Arkansas Darren McFadden has officially visited with the Lane Kiffin and the Raiders coaching staff!

The future the Raiders is looking brighter and brighter with each passing day especially since it is looking more and more possible that Darren McFadden will be wearing silver and black next season.

With the #4 pick in the NFL Draft Raiders coach Lane Kiffin and company want to either grab Jake Long, the OT from Michgan or McFadden. Personally, I am hoping that McFadden falls to the number 4 spot and the Raiders go after him because I believe he is the only running back in the 2008 NFL draft that has the potential to be the next Adrian Peterson and make an immediate impact for the Raiders.

I don't know if you all agree with me and don't think that Justin Fargas will be just fine as the starting running back, but I got a feeling about this kid, he could be big, especially with JaMarcus Russell taking the snaps and creating a potent offense.

Oakland Raiders 2008 Regular Season Opponents

2008-04-04T16:58:00.000-07:00

Well, besides the Monday Night Football match up against their arch rival Denver Broncos on September 8th, the Raiders 2008 regular season schedule hasn't been officially announced just yet, but we do know who they will be playing this season.

I guess this is good and bad news for Raiders fans, the good news is that the Raiders opponents aren't very good (at least compared to last season) and that could be very favorable to the Raiders in terms of getting into the playoffs, but there aren't many teams that will be that entertaining to watch.

Here are the Oakland Raiders 2008 opponents:

New Orleans Saints: If these guys play anything like last season and Reggie Bush still turns out to be a bust then expect the Raiders to roll over the Saints, that is if JaMarcus Russell gets the offense clickin' and Hall dominates on the defensive side of the ball.

Atlanta Falcons: I don't think I really have to say anything about these guys, they were just awful last year without Michael Vick and they haven't exactly gone out tried to improve their roster so far, but there is still a lot of off season left, so you never know.

Carolina Panthers: Every single season, the Panthers seem to be Super Bowl favorites, until they hit about Week 2 where they fall flat on their face, but with a healthy Jake Delhome and Steve Smith they will always be dangerous.

Tampa Bay Bucs: You can never count out a team coached by Jon Gruden, but you can't ignore the absolute meltdown at the end of last season. Who knows how many years Jeff Garcia and Joey Galloway have left in them, but when they are on their game, they are hard to stop!

Miami Dolphins: They will still be the laughing stock of the NFL, but I don't think they are only going to win one game this time around.

New York Jets: Should be an easy win for the Raiders as the Jets really don't look like they are going to be a good team anytime soon, especially with Chad Pennington taking the snaps.

Baltimore Ravens: The Ravens will be the biggest question mark this season because it will be the first time in a long time without coach Brian Billick who has made the Ravens primarily a defensive squad and maybe (if they have any sense) they will try and change it up a bit, so it could either result in another dominant AFC team or it will blow up in their face.

Houston Texans: I actually like the Texans, I think they are a very balanced team with young players and looking to break into the NFL's elite, not like the Pats or Colts, but a playoff contender. This will be a tuff match up for the Raiders.

Buffalo Bills: At one point last season I thought the Bills were going to turn the corner and start winning some games, but they just fell apart and I don't see anything different this season, should be an easy W for the silver and black.

New England Patriots: For the first time since the dreaded snow game where the Patriots stole the game in one of the worst calls in NFL history, the Raiders and Patriots will be a game worth watching without a predictable outcome. I am not saying the Raiders are going to win, but they will give the Pats a run for their money.

AFC WEST

San Diego Chargers: God I hate these guys, especially after last season watching LT punk ass on the sidelines and not even attempting to get back in the game or support his teammates. They will still be a tuff team to be, but I guarantee you won't see LT light up the Raiders D for 4 TDs again.

Kansas City Chiefs: This team rests solely on the shoulders of running back Larry Johnson (who killed me in fantasy football last year), if he is healthy and playing like he did two seasons ago, then the Chiefs won't be an easy W.

Denver Broncos: Honestly, I think Mike Shanahan's reign in Denver is over after this season because I don't see any bright spots besides Jay Culter in his roster, but the NFL can be very unpredictable so anything is possible.

2008 Prediction

With these opponents not exactly being the cream of the crop in the NFL, the Raiders improving their roster on seemingly a daily basis and the very real possibility of getting Darren McFadden in the 2008 NFL Draft I think the Raiders have a good chance of going 10-6. A bold prediction, I know, but I think they will be able to pull it off!

NFL Pre-Season: 49ers Will Be the Raiders First Victim

2008-04-04T16:32:00.000-07:00

The Oakland Raiders pre-season opponents have been officially announced, some of the times of the games are still in question (TBA), but the 4 teams that they will face have already been determined.

As usual the Raiders will play 4 pre-season games and here are there victims in order:

San Francisco 49ers (time and date TBA)

Tennessee Titans (at Tennessee), August 16th 5:00pm PST on FOX

Arizona Cardinals (TBA)

Seattle Seahawks (at Seattle), August 29th (time TBA)

Not extremely compelling games, but it will be nice to see some of the new Raiders like DeAngelo Hall and Javon Walker get in on a few plays.

What is it Like to Work for the Infamous Al Davis Coach Lane Kiffin?

2008-04-01T15:45:00.000-07:00

It is no secret that this off season there was reportedly a target on Lane Kiffin's back with Raiders owner Al Davis' finger on the trigger, but seemingly (hope I am not talking too soon), things have cooled down for the second year coach out of USC.

Although the Kiffin hasn't been canned just yet, it didn't stop some reporters from asking a question that everyone pretty much knows the answer to, but no coach for the Raiders from years past would dare spill the beans about, "Describe working for Al Davis?".

All Raiders fans know, not assume, that Al Davis will ride you as hard as possible to get the Raiders back to title contenders and take certain liberties controlling the team that the head coach should be doing, but gets pushed aside.

Well, when Kiffin was asked this question he responded by saying, "I need a sip of water", while crackin' up a little bit (at least he has a sense of humor about it).

Chuckles aside, Kiffin said, "It's very unique, He's an owner who is very hands-on, prides himself on his knowledge of football. It's not the easiest job. I know people have left because of that. Al is very demanding. At the same time, he is someone who has done a lot of things in this league — coach, (AFL) commissioner, owner — and has a lot of knowledge."

I think I am really starting to like this cat! He knows that Al Davis is a bit of an ass when it comes to running the team, but he still sticks with the game plan and from the looks of the roster so far and we still have about 5 months of tweaking it, signing more players and possibly making some deals, it is looking like a good possibility that the Raiders will be a force to be reckoned with in the AFC West.

He is no Jon Gruden (by far my favorite Raider coach), but I think he will start to get on the good side of all Raider fans next season.

Monday Night Football: First Game of the 2008 Season Oakland Raiders vs Denver Broncos

2008-04-01T00:17:00.000-07:00

Yeah baby! It looks like the NFL football season is going to start out with a rivalry clash for the Oakland Raiders as they will take on the hated Denver Broncos at McAfee Stadium September 8th, 7:15pm PST on Monday Night Football!

It seems like wide receiver Javon Walker's career in silver and black will begin with a chance to get back at Mike Shanahan and company on MNF at home, if he has a good game, he will be off to a great start with all Raiders fans instantly.

The actual beginning of the season starts Thursday, Sept. 4th with the Washington Redskins taking on Eli Manning and the Super Bowl champion New York Giants, followed by his big brother Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts going up against Chicago Bears as the first game on the following Sunday.

Signs of Change in Oakland: Raiders Sign DE Kalimba Edwards

2008-03-31T23:53:00.000-07:00

In an attempt to improve the Raiders struggling pass rush, Oakland has gone out and signed Defensive End Kalimba Edwards to a 2 year deal reportedly worth about $5 million.

It is becoming more and more obvious that the great Al Davis is really getting sick of losing and is willing to pay the price to make some much needed improvements to a young Raiders team.

One thing I am starting to wonder is whether the signing of Kalimba Edwards is an indication of who they are planning to take in the 2008 NFL draft because we know they aren't going to take a quarterback (please don't waste it on Matt Ryan) and DE Chris Long will probably be long gone (no pun intended) by the time the fourth pick comes around, lets just hope they go with Darren McFadden.

If you can't tell from prior posts, that is definitely what I am hoping (praying) for!

Raiders Sign Center John Wade

2008-03-31T23:41:00.000-07:00

Not a huge free agent signing for the Oakland Raiders, but I guess it is worth knowing who is possibly going to be snapping the ball the JaMarcus Russell.

On Monday, the Raiders went out and signed 10 year veteran center John Wade, the terms of the deal have not been reported, but Wade wearing silver and black next season is a guarantee. Will he get playing time is another story, Wade will have to beat out Jake Grove to get the starting spot in place of last year's center Jeremy Newberry

Long Hair No More: NFL Owners to Vote on New Rule

2008-03-27T16:35:00.000-07:00

In a drastic and somewhat ridiculous move, the NFL may decide that players can no longer have long hair, but don't blame the NFL completely as it is the Raiders arch rival Kansas City Chiefs who are pushing for the rule to pass.

The main reason that the Chiefs are behind the passing of this rule is that they were penalized 15 yards when their superstar running back Larry Johnson tackled probably the most famous long haired player in the NFL Pittsburgh Steelers' Troy Polamalu by the hair, Ouch!.

Now I guess I can understand, but wouldn't you say that the players like Polamalu, Jaguars running back Maurice Jones-Drew or the Raiders Robert Gallery grow their hair at their own risk? I know I would have long hair if I were playing in the NFL, just the possibly of someone taking me down by my locks makes me cringe.

Now the rule will not force the players to cut their hair, but keep their long hair in their helmet and not something that a tackler can get his hands on.

Well, this isn't NFL just yet, but the NFL owners are having a meeting some time next week to discuss rule changes and put it to a vote.

DAMN, THAT IS BRUTAL!

2008 NFL Draft: Who Will the Raiders Take in the 1st Round?

2008-03-24T14:28:00.000-07:00

Well, we go from the #1 pick last year quarterback JaMarcus Russell to the #4 pick this year.

Honestly, I was hoping that we wouldn't be talking about the draft again this season, but go figure, here we are again, but the good thing is there is some serious talent in this draft that could really help out the Raiders if they choose wisely.

For instance, there might be another Adrian Peterson like running back on the table for the Oakland Raiders when their pick comes around (doubtful, but possible) in Arkansas phenom, Darren McFadden.

Since the Raiders haven't really had a feature running back since the days of Marcus Allen and Bo Jackson, I would say it is about damn time that they go get one! Don't get me wrong, personally, I like Justin Fargas, but if I had to chose between McFadden and little Fargas, you believe believe I am going for Darren baby!

This kid had arguably the best combine outing as everyone from teams around the NFL absolutely fell in love with this kid even more than they had before the combine, so it is almost a forgone conclusion that he will go #1, but you never know, as every year, there seems to be big names that fall far in the draft for no apparent reason (Matt Leinart, Brady Quinn). It would be nice to see McFadden and Russell running the show though.

The Raiders obviously shouldn't be shopping for a QB with Russell taking the snaps so Boston College's Matt Ryan is out of the picture, which leaves a few other players as possible picks for the Silver and Black like Raiders legend Howie Long's kid, Chris Long who played DE for Virginia or Glen Dorsey, DT from LSU, maybe even Vernon Gholston, DE out of the Ohio State.

All and all, the Raiders will be much improved from last year's squad, but lets hope some how, some way the Raiders end up with Darren McFadden, that way the NFL playoffs will be a realistic possibility.

DARREN McFADDEN HIGHLIGHTS

JaMarcus Russell Gets a Decent Wide Receiver: Raiders Sign Free Agent Javon Walker

2008-03-18T17:00:00.000-07:00

What would you do with $55 million dollars? Now what would you do with $55 mill if you were trying to make a championship contender football in the NFL?

If you said sign free agent wide receiver Javon Walker, then you must be able to read Al Davis' mind (scary place).

Well, if I had to make moves to improve the Raiders and I had that much money at my disposal, I probably wouldn't go after a player that sat out half of last season with my arch rival (Denver Broncos) which he produced absolutely squat for, but I guess Al Davis is just being Al Davis.

I am not going to say picking up Javon Walker was a bad idea because it wasn't, but paying him that much is just asking for trouble.

Although this cat is now insanely rich, I think he could definitely be what the Raiders are looking for on offense because when he was with the Green Bay Packers, he was Brett Favre's favorite target and an explosive down field threat which is JaMarcus' specialty.

Lets keep are fingers crossed and hope that Russell and Walker click because if they do, the Raiders will have a potent offense once again!

Raiders Defense Gets a Big Boost: Sign DB DeAngelo Hall to 7 Year Contract

2008-03-18T16:43:00.000-07:00

It looks as though Al Davis and company are finally going after top of the line talent this off season, from improving the offense to getting the defense back to top form.

On Tuesday, the Raiders made a bold move (officially) trading off a 2nd round pick for veteran (somewhat vet, 4 years pro) 2 time All Pro DeAngelo Hall from the Atlanta "God we miss Vick" Falcons.

Pretty damn good move if you ask as Hall has been known to dominate some of the NFL's best wide receivers, but Hall didn't come without a big price tag costing the Oakland Raiders $70 million over 7 years. Once again bold move, I don't know if this guy is worth $70 mill, but if he wants to stick around to get the full amount, he better damn well produce or he will get knocked out by the ironfist of Al Davis.

Lane Kiffin On His Way Out?

2008-01-25T22:44:00.000-08:00

It seems that the infamous owner of the Oakland Raiders, Al Davis, has asked first year head coach Lane Kiffin to step down as the silver and black's head coach.

Rumors? Complete BS? Probably, maybe, but with Al Davis' previous antics, I wouldn't doubt that he would do something this drastic, this quick.

I love the Raiders through and through, but I can't help but hate this guy who has absolutely no faith in anyone unless they stick by his moto of "Just win baby!".

How are you supposed to make a winner in the NFL if every year, regardless of their progress, you fire the head coach? It just doesn't make any sense to me. Start having some faith people, have a heart you cold bastard or else we will never have in Oakland again, anytime soon that is.

Super Bowl 42: NY Giants Against the Undefeated New England Patriots

2008-01-25T01:39:00.000-08:00

Instial prediction: embarrassing blowout by Tom Brady and company

Possible out come: Eli Manning is unstoppable and the Giants make history in Arizona

Who knows what will happen on February 3rd, if anything is for certain on Super Bowl Sundays of the past, it is that anything can and will happen, but you would have to be a fool not to think that the Patriots don't have a the edge in this contest.

Eli Manning has played great to finish the regular season and leading his team as the underdog past arguably the two best teams in the NFC this season in Brett Favre's Green Bay Packers and Tony Romo's Dallas Cowboys, but do the New York Giants have what it takes to make history on February 3rd?

My answer is: I doubt it. The only problem with my answer is that I would have said that the Dallas Cowboys would have rolled over them (I even put money on it and I don't really bet that much) and I was certain that the Packers would destroy the Giants, but once again I was proven wrong.

All I know is that NFL history will be made in Super Bowl 42 regardless of the out come, either we see what might go down as the best NFL team in history with the New England Patriots winning yet another Super Bowl title or we see Eli and his boys prevent perfection and become one of the most remembered underdogs of our time.

First Post and First Look Into Next Season for the Silver and Black

2008-01-07T02:44:00.000-08:00

I know, I know, Randy Moss blew up in New England, but before we all start hating lets think to the future of Raiders football which is looking pretty bright behind the arm of JaMarcus Russell.

Once again, I know, his first pass was an interception, but you got to give it to the kid, he still looks good and unlike all the other mobile quarterbacks in the NFL (Vince Young, Alex Smith, Donovan McNabb) this kid can throw the football a mile and then some!

This is my first post on this blog, so I just wanted to start out with something small and get some conversation going, so if you ever disagree, agree or just want to make a point of your own, feel free to make a comment on any posts I publish! Hope to hear from all you crazy ass Raiders fans!! Raidernation4Life!!