Originally published on Silver & Black Report on Oct. 11, 2013 The Oakland Raiders are coming off of a big 27-17 victory late Sunday night against the San Diego Chargers but now head to Kansas City to take on another division rival, the Kansas City Chiefs. Things don't get any easier against the Chiefs as their new regime has them unbeaten on the season at 5-0. New Chiefs head coach Andy Reid and new quarterback Alex Smith have the offense doing enough to win games while the team relies heavily on its strong defense. Smith and the passing game is only averaging 227.8 yards per game, but Chiefs running back Jamaal Charles and the Chiefs rushing attack are averaging 120.6 rushing yards per game, 12th in the NFL. The Raiders defense will need to continue their strong play with strong gap discipline as Charles is a dangerous threat that can take it the distance at any moment. Averaging 79.4 yards per game, Charles is coming off of his best game of the year where he torched the the Titans defense for 108 yards and one touchdown on 22 carries. He also added five receptions for 37 yards. The Raiders defense will also need to keep an eye on Charles out of the backfield due to his strong receiving capability. Raiders quarterback and Terrelle Pryor will have their hands full as they take on a stout Chiefs defense. The Chiefs currently rank first in the NFL with a +10 turnover margin while allowing just 11.6 points per game, also the best in the NFL. Pryor has not thrown an interception since the two he threw in week one and he will need to continue that trend against a ball-hawking Chiefs defense. Pryor needs to make sure he makes the correct reads and avoid throwing the ball to the men in red. Though it is not yet known who will be available to play running back for the Raiders, it appears that they would be capable of having a big day. The Chiefs weakest point on defense is no doubt their rush defense, as they're allowing 115.0 rushing yards per game, 21st in the NFL. On the other hand, the Chiefs are allowing only 197.8 passing yards per game, the fourth best in the NFL. Should Darren McFadden and/or Rashad Jennings be available on Sunday, expect offensive coordinator Greg Olson to look to get them going in an attempt to open up the passing attack a little. Turnovers and special teams could prove to be crucial pieces of this game and the Raiders will look to take charge in those aspects of the game. WR Jacoby Ford • Needs 38 kickoff return yards to pass George Atkinson for seventh place on the Raiders’ all-time KOR yards list. DE Lamarr Houston • Needs five sacks to enter the top 20 in Raiders team history K Sebastian Janikowski • Has now converted on 133-consecutive PAT attempts. • Needs just 79 points to reach 1,500 for his career. RB Darren McFadden • Needs 91 rushing yards to move into eighth place on the Raiders’ all-time rushing list. • Needs 5 receiving yards to eclipse 1,500 yards for his career. WR Denarius Moore • Needs 324 receiving yards to reach 2,000 for his career. QB Terrelle Pryor • Is currently third amongst all quarterbacks with 229 rushing yards. Pryor could eclipse the Raiders’ single-season mark of rushing yards by a quarterback with just 299 more yards. Rich Gannon set the mark in 2000 with 529. WR Rod Streater • Needs 188 receiving yards to reach 1,000 for his career. S Charles Woodson • Needs five interceptions to tie Ed Reed for first on the interceptions list among all active players with 61. • Needs one INT-TD to pass Rod Woodson for first on the all-time list with 12. • Needs one defensive touchdown to pass Rod Woodson and Darren Sharper for the most defensive touchdowns in NFL history with 13.
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Originally published on Silver & Black Report on Oct. 3, 2013
After struggling to move the ball en route to a 24-14 loss last week, the Raiders (1-3) host Phillip Rivers and the Chargers (2-2) for their first of two matchups against the division-rival Chargers. The Raiders were unable to get their offense going last week against the Washington Redskins with starting quarterback Terrelle Pryor out with a concussion and Matt Flynn inserted into the starting position. Luckily for Raider Nation, the explosive Pryor looks to be healthy and ready to take charge of the Raiders offense against a Chargers defense that is allowing 349.3 yards per game. Pryor started his first NFL game of his career against the San Diego Chargers in the final week of the season last year with then-starting quarterback Carson Palmer out with an injury. Pryor displayed his athleticism throughout the game finishing with 49 rushing yards and one rushing touchdown on nine carries to go along with 13/28 passing for 150 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. But that was last year and Pryor has shown great strides in his ability to throw the ball since then. Pryor beat out Flynn for the starting job largely for his explosiveness due to his athleticism, but also because of his growth as a quarterback. Pryor will be forced to get the offense going without his starting running back Darren McFadden who has not yet returned to practice after leaving last week's game early with a hamstring injury. Pryor will instead have Rashad Jennings in the backfield. Jennings replaced McFadden last week and finished the game with 116 total yards on the day (45 rushing, 71 receiving). Jennings and Pryor should be able to find some running room against a Chargers defense 120.5 rushing yards per game. On defense, the Raiders face a tough test in Rivers and a Chargers offense that has been revitalized under the new regime in San Diego. The Chargers have been having their way with opponents largely through the air, as Rivers is averaging 299.8 passing yards per game, good for 6th in the NFL, while throwing for 11 touchdowns already. Woodson and the Raiders secondary will need to keep an eye on Chargers tight end Antonio Gates who has dominated the Raiders in past games. Gates is coming off a 10 reception, 136 yards and two touchdown performance in the Chargers 30-21 victory over the Dallas Cowboys last week. While the Chargers are only averaging 105.0 rushing yards per game, having the Raiders secondary play a strong game against Eddie Royal and the Chargers wide receivers would go a long way to slowing down their offense. Despite having forced a couple of fumbles, the Raiders defense is still looking for their first interception on the season. Woodson, Mike Jenkins and company will hope they can change that, though Rivers has only two interceptions through the first four weeks. The meeting marks the 107th matchup between the Raiders and Chargers, with Oakland leading the lifetime series 57-47-2. Milestones to watch for: WR Jacoby Ford • Needs 87 kickoff return yards to pass Doug Gabriel for 8th place and 155 yards to pass George Atkinson for seventh on the Raiders’ all-time KOR yards list. DE Lamarr Houston • Needs six sacks to enter the top 20 in Raiders team history. K Sebastian Janikowski • Has now converted on 136-consecutive PAT attempts. • Needs just 90 points to reach 1,500 for his career. WR Denarius Moore • Needs 408 receiving yards to reach 2,000 for his career. QB Terrelle Pryor • Is currently second amongst all quarterbacks with 198 rushing yards. Pryor could eclipse the Raiders’ single-season mark of rushing yards by a quarterback with just 332 more yards. Rich Gannon set the mark in 2000 with 529. WR Rod Streater • Needs 244 receiving yards to reach 1,000 for his career. S Charles Woodson • Needs six interceptions to tie Ed Reed for first on the interceptions list among all active players with 61. • Needs one INT-TD to tie Rod Woodson for first on the all-time list with 12. • Needs one defensive touchdown to tie Rod Woodson and Darren Sharper for the most defensive touchdowns in NFL history with 13. Originally published on Silver & Black Report on Sept. 27, 2013
The Raiders (1-2) return to Oakland to host the Washington Redskins (0-3) with hopes of adding another win to their record and pull to a .500 column. Oakland is coming off a 37-21 loss to the Denver Broncos on Monday Night Football in which Peyton Manning and the Broncos offense tore apart the Raiders defense. The defense will need to play improved football this week and work on shutting down Redskins running back Alfred Morris and quarterback Robert Griffin III. Morris is currently 8th in the NFL in rushing with 225 yards and Redskins head coach Mike Shanahan knows that getting Morris going is key to the redskins success. The Raiders are currently allowing 108.3 yards per game on the ground. Though Griffin III has not been running the ball much after suffering a torn ACL in the playoffs last season, he has been airing the ball out and has thrown for over 300 yards in each of the Redskins' first three games. Griffin III has only rushed for 62 yards on the season but the Raiders know he is always a threat to run. In order to keep Griffin from beating them on the ground, the Raiders linebackers and defensive linemen will need to maintain their gaps and stay active in pursuing the young Redskins quarterback until the whistle blows. It appears the offense would be poised for a big day going up against a Redskins defense that 488.0 yards per game, worst in the league after three games. Looking like they may be without starting quarterback Terrelle Pryor, the Raiders hope to get running back Darren McFadden back on track after rushing for just nine yards on 12 carries. McFadden is facing a Redskins defense that is allowing 155.0 rushing yards a game, third worst in the NFL. Though McFadden was able to get going in the home-opener, rushing for 129 yards, he is averaging just 62 yards per game during his contract season. Getting McFadden going will help relieve some pressure on Matt Flynn, who appears to be starting in place of Pryor after the young quarterback sustained a concussion late in last week's game. Flynn was named the starting quarterback heading into the offseason but a strong offseason stringed together with an added spark by Pryor gave the athletic quarterback the nod come opening week. The Raiders make-shift offensive line will need to find a way to get their less mobile quarterback Flynn some time. A key match-up is veteran offensive right tackle Tony Pashos up against Ryan Kerrigan, who leads the Redskins with three sacks. The job doesn't get any easier on the other side of the offensive line for Khalif Barnes, who will be playing left tackle. Barnes will be lining up against Brian Orakpo, who had four sacks the last time the Redskins played the Raiders, his rookie season. Orakpo only has one sack on the season thus far. The matchup will mark the 12th time the two teams have met in the regular season, with the Raiders holding a 7-4 advantage. The Redskins won the last meeting 34-13 in 2009. Milestones to watch for: LS Jon Condo • With one more consecutive games played, Condo will reach 100-consecutive games played. Condo has not missed a game since the streak began, in Week 1 of the 2007 season. WR Jacoby Ford • Needs 112 kickoff return yards to pass Doug Gabriel for 8th place and 155 yards to pass George Atkinson for seventh on the Raiders’ all-time KOR yards list. K Sebastian Janikowski • Has now converted on 134-consecutive PAT attempts. • Needs just 90 points to reach 1,500 for his career. RB Rashad Jennings • Needs 22 rushing yards to reach 1,000 for his career. He currently stands at 978. RB Darren McFadden • Needs 120 rushing yards to move into eighth place on the Raiders’ all-tme rushing list. • Needs one rushing TD to tie No. 10 Michael Bush (21, 2008-11) on the franchise’s career list, three to tie No. 9 Marv Hubbard (22, 1969-75) and five to tie No. 8 Charlie Smith (24, 1968-74). McFadden enters the game with 20. • Needs 5 receiving yards to eclipse 1,500 yards for his career. WR Denarius Moore • Needs 474 receiving yards to reach 2,000 for his career. QB Terrelle Pryor • Currently leads all quarterbacks with 198 rushing yards. Pryor could eclipse the Raiders’ single-season mark of rushing yards by a quarterback with just 332 more yards. Rich Gannon set the mark in 2000 with 529. DB Charles Woodson • Needs six interceptions to tie Ed Reed for first on the interceptions list among all active players with 61. • Needs one INT-TD to tie Rod Woodson for first on the all-time list with 12. • Needs one defensive touchdown to tie Rod Woodson and Darren Sharper for the most defensive touchdowns in NFL history with 13. Originally published on Silver & Black Report on Sept. 18, 2013 The Oakland Raiders (1-1) will head to Sports Authority Field at Mile High to take on the Denver Broncos (2-0) on Monday Night Football (5:25 p.m. PST on ESPN) in their first primetime game of the season. The Raiders head to Denver after winning their home opener against the Jacksonville Jaguars to pull even at 1-1 on the season, while the Broncos are coming off two dominating victories against the Baltimore Ravens and New York Giants. Oakland will look to continue to build on a strong week rushing the ball as running back Darren McFadden was able to get going last week, finishing with 129 rushing yards and one touchdown. Quarterback Terrelle Pryor also added 50 yards of his own. Only problem with that theory is that the Broncos have allowed just 40.5 yards per game, good enough for best in the league in this young season. Pryor will have to keep an eye on the Broncos' linebackers and make the right decision when running the read-option offense to find some running room for himself and McFadden. Should Oakland find the ability to rush the ball, it would help the offense sustain long, time-consuming drives. The greater the amount of time the Raiders hold on to the ball, the better. Keeping the ball out of Denver quarterback Peyton Manning's hands as much as possible would be defensively beneficial. The more than likely future NFL Hall-of-Fame inductee Manning is playing some of his best football of his career this season at the age of 37. Manning has gotten off to a hot start and has averaged 384.5 yards per game on 67.1 percent throwing with nine touchdowns and no interception through the first two weeks. The Raiders secondary had a much improved week last week against a rather inept Jacksonville offense, but they will be certainly put to a test this week. The Broncos feature three solid wide receivers with Demaryius Thomas, Eric Decker, and Manning's newest weapon, Wes Welker. There's no question Oakland's secondary will have their hands full, especially with starting strong safety Tyvon Branch out with an ankle injury. Oakland's pass defense is currently ranked sixth in the NFL, giving up just 180.5 yards per game, but they haven't faced a passing attack like Denver yet. Though he is probably the most difficult to surprise in the NFL, the Raiders will look to apply pressure on Manning in an attempt to force a mistake or come away with the sack. The Raiders have surprised with the pass rush, racking up nine sacks in the first two games after having just 25 sacks all last season. One way they have been able to do this is with blitzes coming out of the secondary. Raiders defensive backs have five of the nine sacks, the most sacks in the league by defensive backs. Cornerback Tracy Porter has 1.5, as does safety Usama Young, who will see an increase in playing time with Branch out. The Raiders will likely look to attack the left side of the Broncos offensive line where they are without Pro Bowl starting left tackle Ryan Clady to Lisfranc. Clady is a three-time Pro Bowl tackle that has started all 85 games of his career since being drafted 12th-overall. The two teams hold plenty of connections as Raiders head coach Dennis Allen worked as the Broncos defensive coordinator the year before filling the Raiders coaching vacancy. Current Raiders cornerback Tracy Porter (2012) and defensive end Jason Hunter (2010-2012) both previously played for the Broncos. On the other sideline, current Broncos head coach John Fox was the Raiders defensive coordinator from 1994-1995 and Broncos quarterbacks coach Greg Knapp was Raiders offensive coordinator just last season under Allen before being let go at the end of the year. Milestones to lookout for:
Originally published on Silver & Black Report on Sept. 13, 2013 After suffering a late-game loss to the Indianapolis Colts, the Raiders (0-1) return to Oakland to host the Jacksonville Jaguars (0-1) for their home-opener. Oakland is currently six-point favorites in Las Vegas, but as everyone knows, anything can happen on any given Sunday. With that said, lets take a look at some key matchups the Raiders will have to win in order pull off their first victory of the 2013 NFL season. Terrelle Pryor vs. Jacksonville Defense Pryor was able to show his athleticism as a dual threat against the Colts by throwing for 217 yards while rushing for 112 yards on the ground. In fact, Pryor's 112 rushing yards is currently good enough for second in the NFL behind Philadelphia's Lesean McCoy. It will be interesting to see if the Jaguars make sure to keep a man "spying" on Pryor at all times, leaving one less defender in coverage. If the Jaguars do decide to keep more men in the box, Pryor will be forced to beat the defense in the air and must find a way to limit any turnovers. Pryor threw two interceptions last week. Darren McFadden vs. Jacksonville Defense If the Raiders can get McFadden going it will be greatly beneficial for the offense and also ease Pryor's efforts. McFadden had just 48 yards on 17 carries last week in Indianapolis, but did score on a goal-line touchdown. McFadden getting hot will take some pressure off of Pryor and especially help on the read-option play if Pryor is able to hand the ball off to McFadden and have him bust a big one. With this ability, the defense will have a hard time containing both Pryor and McFadden. Raiders defensive line vs Jacksonville offensive line Oakland was able to find a pass rush in Indianapolis and would love to build on their four-sack performance against the Colts. With starting quarterback Blaine Gabbert out due to injury, Chad Henne gets the nod for the start for the Jaguars. Raiders defensive end Lamarr Houston and company will look to apply pressure and possibly force Henne to turn the ball over and give the Raiders extra possessions. Raiders defense vs. Maurice Jones-Drew With wide receiver Justin Blackmon still out due to his suspension, Bay Area native Maurice Jones-Drew will likely be the centerpiece for the Jaguars' offense. MJD will no doubt be looking to impress in front of his hometown crowd after getting injured against the Raiders last season. Not to mention it being a contract year for him. The Raiders linebacking corps will need to do a good job of maintaining their gaps to not allow Jones-Drew to gain too many yards. Nick Roach and the linebackers will also have to keep an eye out for screens and any other play that gives Jones-Drew the opportunity to have the ball in the open field. Stopping MJD will go a long way in stopping the Jaguars' offense. Tracy Porter vs Jaguars receivers New Raiders cornerback Tracy Porter struggled in last week's game while covering Colts' wide receiver Reggie Wayne. Porter gave up six receptions for 72 yards and one touchdown in the first half alone. Porter will need to play better this week or else Henne will target him primarily as Andrew Luck did last week. Granted, we don't know how the rest of the secondary will play but Porter playing well will help in shutting down a Jaguars passing attack that threw for only 107 yards last week. With Porter and the corners playing well, the Raiders could put their safeties into the box more often allowing more assistance in stopping Jones-Drew and the Jaguars' rushing attack. Originally published on SBReport.net on Dec. 22, 2012
Oakland heads to Carolina to take on the Panthers after defeating the Kansas City Chiefs 15-0 last Sunday to earn their first victory since October. The Raiders hope to put together a win streak to finish up the season but will have to do so on the road, starting with the Carolina Panthers. Carolina will prove to be a tough test as they feature a valuable asset in quarterback Cam Newton, who is a big play waiting to happen on every play. The former Heisman Trophy Award winner possesses freakish athletic ability that allows him to take off running at any moment. At 6-foot-5, 245 pounds, Newton is a tough tackle for anyone on the defensive side of the ball. Newton, who set new rookie records for passing yards (4,051) and rushing yards (706) last season, has rushed for 647 yards and seven touchdowns to go along with 3,451 passing yards and 18 passing touchdowns. Newton is currently the Panthers leading rusher with his 647 yards over DeAngelo Williams and the running back corps. The Raiders will need to find a way to contain Newton in order to slow down the Panthers offense that is coming off two games in which they have averaged 30.5 points against the Falcons and Chargers. Michael Huff and the Raiders secondary will be going up against a familiar face in wide receiver Louis Murphy. Murphy played for the Raiders three seasons after being drafted in the fourth round by Al Davis, accumulating 90 receptions for 1,371 yards and six touchdowns. Murphy was traded in the offseason to the Panthers in exchange for a draft pick. The fourth-year wide receiver, who was friends with Newton during their time at the University of Florida, has hauled in 21 receptions for 274 yards and one touchdown. Murphy isn’t the only that will be seeing familiar faces in the game on Sunday. Raiders running back Mike Goodson played his first two seasons in the league for the Carolina Panthers before being traded to the Raiders in the offseason for offensive lineman Bruce Campbell. Goodson has quietly put together good numbers when he has seen the field, fighting injuries and sitting behind Darren McFadden for most of the year. There’s no doubt that Goodson’s 6.7 yards per carry should warrant more playing time for the young running back. The Raiders will need to get McFadden and their running game going to help ease the passing game. McFadden rushed for his third 100-yard game of the season against the Chiefs last week. Quarterback Terrelle Pryor is expected to see some more playing time after seeing the field for the first time in his NFL career last week. Pryor was on the field for one series that included just three plays, two handoffs and one incomplete pass. It still remains to be seen how much time Pryor will get against an underrated Panthers secondary that is allowing just 217.7 yards per game, 10th best in the league. The coaching staff has expressed the desire to use the remaining games of the season in order to help evaluate some of their younger players. Oakland continues on the road to finish the season as they head into San Diego to take on the Chargers to finish out the season. Originally published on SBReport.net on Dec. 14, 2012
The rivalry between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Oakland Raiders has lasted 107 hard-fought, heated games thus far. Sunday will be the 108th when the Chiefs take the field against the Raiders, who have dropped their last six contests. That last win for the Raiders? A 26-16 road win against the Chiefs on Oct. 28. Head coach Dennis Allen hopes his team can find the same fate on Sunday to get his team back into the win column in front of their final game in front of the Raider Nation at home. Much to Allen’s viewing displeasure, the Chiefs have had similar success on the road in the rivalry as of late, posting a 8-2 record over their last 10 trips to Oakland. Kansas City is coming off of a tough couple of weeks following the well-documented tragedy that hit the Chiefs organization on Dec. 1. Oakland is coming off an extended week after facing the Broncos on Thursday Night Football last week and hopes that the added preparation time will get his team back on the winning side of the outcome. The Raiders defense will need to find a way to contain running back Jamaal Charles the same way they did during their last matchup. Charles finished with just five carries for four yards. Charles is capable of running the distance on any play and is the leading rusher in the AFC with 1,220 rushing yards on the season. Kansas City will likely lean on Charles and the rushing attack even more with wide receiver Dewayne Bowe out with a rib injury. Oakland’s defense will have to maintain gap control in order to keep from letting Charles getting into the secondary and making guys miss. Brady Quinn gets the start again for the Chiefs after the Raiders knocked him out of their previous contest, putting Matt Cassel in the game. Quinn finished just 2/4 for one yard and one interception before leaving the game early on Oct. 28. The (lack of) rushing attack has been a big part of the demise of the Raiders offense this year. In fact, the Raiders have reached 100-yards rushing three times all season, and just once since the Raiders last took on the Chiefs over a month ago. That was also Darren McFadden’s last 100-yard rushing day. McFadden hopes to find similar running room against the Chiefs this week after rushing for 114 yards last contest between the two rivals. If the rushing attack can get going some it would be beneficial in slowing down the Chiefs pass rush that features linebackers Tamba Hali and Justin Houston. The Chiefs have 31 sacks on the season, good enough for tenth in the NFL. Hali and Houston have combined for 18 of the 31 sacks. The Raiders offensive line will have to find a way to contain Hail and Houston to give Carson Palmer adequate time to throw the ball and keep him off his back. The wide receiving corps will also have to fix their repeated mistakes such as drops and running wrong routes. Denarius Moore has continued to not be on the same page with Palmer and has even caught a case of the drops that have recently re-found fellow wideout Darrius Heyward-Bey. Palmer won’t have former Raiders cornerback Stanford Routt on the other side of the ball this time around as he was released by the Chiefs earlier this season. Palmer and the offense continuously picked on Routt, earning big plays and penalties on him last contest. There’s a chance Terrelle Pryor could see his first NFL regular-season playing time come Sunday, should their be the right opportunity to insert him. Allen stated after the Broncos game that there had been a package for Pryor but the right moment had not shown up yet. It remains to be seen how much playing time Rolando McClain will receive, should he even be active after coming off of a coach-instilled two-game suspension. Allen has already stated that McClain is coming back as the backup middle linebacker to Omar Gaither. This will be the Raiders last chance to give the home crowd a win as they head out on the road to finish their struggling 2012 season. Originally published on SBReport.net on Nov. 30, 2012
The Raiders hosted the Cleveland Browns last season in their first home game since the passing of longtime owner Al Davis, just eight days after. Just one season later, the Browns come into Oakland after a week that saw an altercation between Raiders head coach Dennis Allen and linebacker Rolando McClain that resulted in a two-game suspension for the linebacker. Browns running back Trent Richardson told local media that McClain was one of his “idols” while attending the University of Alabama but will now face a defense that will feature Omar Gaither at the middle linebacker position. All this in addition to the fact that the Raiders have given up an average of over 42 points per game over their current four-game losing streak. With both teams at 3-8, the Raiders begin a three-game home stand in hopes of finding something to build on in the offseason. The Browns feature a rookie quarterback in Brandon Weeden along with a bruising rookie running back in Richardson. The Raiders have struggled with their tackling as of late and things certainly won’t be easier with Richardson in the backfield for Cleveland. Richardson has rushed for 755 yards and six touchdowns this season heading into the game. It appears that Weeden will get the start despite coming off of a concussion. Weeden has thrown for 2,456 yards, 12 touchdowns and 13 interceptions in his rookie year, while completing only 55.9 percent of his passes. The Raiders will need to find a way to stop wide receivers Josh Gordon and Greg Little to slow down the passing game as they are two wide receivers that are capable of producing a big play against a struggling secondary. Oakland defensive line needs to find a way to apply pressure on Weeden and try to force a mistake to give Carson Palmer and the Raiders offense extra possessions. It was during the Browns game last season that Raiders quarterback Jason Campbell went down with a broken collarbone that evnetually prompted Hue Jackson and the Raiders to trade for Carson Palmer. During the eight seasons Palmer was with the Cincinnati Bengals, Palmer posted a 9-3 record against the Browns while throwing for 2,834 yards and 25 touchdowns in the 12 games played. This year, Palmer faces a defensive backfield that features former first-round pick Joe Haden and veteran cornerback Sheldon Brown. The Raiders will need to get their wide receivers involved more than they did last week should they find a way to succeed through the air. In particular, offensive coordinator Greg Knapp needs to incorporate Denarius Moore frequently as he has struggled the last couple of games despite hauling in a touchdown last week with his only catch of the afternoon. Both Mike Goodson and Darren McFadden returned to practice this week from their high-ankle sprains but it still remains to be seen how much time each of them will be on the field. Expect utility back Marcel Reece to continue to see a heavy workload with the two other running backs’ health still in question. To make the week more interesting, the game is expected to be played during stormy weather that should feature strong winds and heavy rain in Oakland. The Raiders must come away with the win in order to snap their four-game losing streak, the longest the team has had since the 2008 season. Injury report: RAIDERS Out: Jack Crawford (toe), Rolando McClain (team suspension), Richard Seymour (knee/hamstring) Questionable: Mike Goodson (ankle), Darren McFadden (ankle) Probable: Tyvon Branch (neck), Carson Palmer (right thumb), Marcel Reece (hamstring/quadricep) BROWNS Out: Dimitri Patterson (ankle), Ray Ventrone (calf), Usama Young (head) Questionable: Joshua Cribbs (shoulder/chest), Eric Hagg (illness) Probable: Johnson Bademosi (hip/shin), Jordan Cameron (groin), Trent Richardson (chest/rib/finger), Frostee Rucker (shoulder/finger), Alex Smith (chest/ribs), Brandon Weeden (head), T.J. Ward (knee) Originally published on SBReport.net on Nov. 23, 2012
The Oakland Raiders head into Cincinnati as quarterback Carson Palmer looks to redeem himself against his former team. Palmer was acquired by the Raiders during last season for a 2012 first round draft pick in addition to what turned out to be a 2013 second round draft when former head coach Hue Jackson saw his starting quarterback, Jason Campbell, go down to injury. To make things more interesting, Jackson was fired by new general manager Reggie McKenzie at the end of the year and rejoined the Bengals as secondary coach and assistant special teams coach. Following the death of the late Al Davis, it was Jackson that made the trade for Palmer in hopes of reaching the playoffs. Even with the reunion on the line, Palmer and the Raiders would likely enjoy a win for the mere fact it would end a three-game losing streak in which the Raiders have given up 135 points. Meanwhile, the Bengals seem to have resurrected their season with back-to-back wins following a four-game losing streak that dropped them to 3-5 midway through the season. Palmer’s successor in Cincinnati, Andy Dalton, has quickly adjusted to the NFL and become one of the league’s up-and-coming quarterbacks as he made the Pro Bowl as a rookie last season. The young quarterback has increased his completion percentage this season (64.2 percent as opposed to 58.1) and already has the same amount of touchdowns as he did through all of last season (20). It would certainly make it easier to slow down Dalton if they can limit the play of A.J. Green. Coming into the league as a rookie last year with Dalton, Green quickly emerged as a favorite target of Dalton’s and has made numerous big plays in his short career. Like Dalton, Green is on pace to exceed his Pro Bowl rookie season. Green already has 64 receptions (65 in 2011) for 911 yards (1,057 yards in 2011) and 10 touchdowns (seven in 2011). It will no doubt be a tough task for a Raiders secondary that ranks 24th in the NFL while allowing 253.2 yards per game. The Bengals have struggled to get the running game going (103.2 yards per game) luckily for the Raiders. Though the Raiders have struggled mightily against the run as of late, giving up 169 yards per game on the ground during their three-game win streak. Palmer and the wide receiving corps will have to have a big day in order to alleviate a Raiders rushing attack that has struggled and is still missing Darren McFadden and Mike Goodson due to high-ankle injuries. Reece will get the start again after finding some open running room against a porous Saints defense last week. Reece rushed for 103 yards on 19 carries against New Orleans, just the third time the Raiders have had a 100-yard rusher this season. The Oakland offensive line will have to play better to prevent Palmer from being hit and to give him enough time to let his receivers run their routes. Oakland’s offensive line has allowed 48 quarterback hits on Palmer while they take on an aggressive Bengals defense that has 31 sacks this season, good enough for the third most in the NFL thus far. Though they failed to sellout to avoid a television blackout, Paul Brown Stadium is expected to feature a hostile crowd that remembers the Carson Palmer Era well that ended in his retirement after demanding a trade. Be sure to follow along with SBReport.net as members of the site are live in Cincinnati covering the game! Originally published on SBReport.net on Nov. 16, 2012
The Oakland Raiders take on another tough team as they face the New Orleans Saints and their explosive offense on Sunday at O.Co Coliseum. Oakland is coming off of back-to-back losses while the Saints are coming off back-to-back wins that include handing the Atlanta Falcons their first loss of the season. A week after giving up 341 yards and three passing touchdowns to the Baltimore Ravens, the Raiders will have to face arguably one of the best passing attacks led by quarterback Drew Brees. The six-time Pro Bowl quarterback has led the Saints offense to a league-second best 303.9 passing yards per game. Oakland’s pass defense, which is ranked 24th in the league, will need to have a good day to slow down the Saints passing attack. With so many weapons, it will be tough for Ron Bartell and the secondary to cover all of them. The Raiders safeties will have to be aware of Saints explosive tight end Jimmy Graham. While their passing game is explosive, the Saints offense lacks much of a running game though it has been given a boost by Chris Ivory. Ivory is averaging 7.1 yards per carry since being given a chance in New Orleans due to the loss of Darren Sproles. The Saints are averaging just 88.4 yards per game this season, but is averaging 144 yards per game over the last two weeks since Sproles left with a broken hand. With the Saints scoring 27.7 points per game (seventh in the NFL), the Oakland Raiders offense will need to be clicking on all cylinders to keep the Raiders in the game. The Saints provide the fourth worst scoring defense in the league, just one better than the Raiders. The game is expected to be a shootout as two of the bottom five defenses will be featured. It appears that it will be fullback Marcel Reece and running backs Taiwan Jones and Jeremy Stewart that will get the bulk of the rushing carries with running backs Darren McFadden and Mike Goodson still out with high-ankle sprains. The Raiders once again are going up a porous rush defense that is ranked last in the NFL while giving up 162.0 yards per game. The Raider offensive line will have to find a way to open up holes for the running back corps, something they’ve been limited at throughout the season so far. Quarterback Carson Palmer can be expected to have a big day going up against a Saints defense that is second worse is pass defense, giving up 307.3 yards per game. With wide receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey questionable on the injury report, Denarius Moore and undrafted rookie Rod Streater will need to have a big game and get open for Palmer to find. There’s no question that the absence of Heyward-Bey will likely increase the opportunities for Reece to bring in some receptions as he has the past couple of weeks. The possible return of right tackle Khalif Barnes may bring a much-needed boost to an offensive line that has struggled this season. Barnes may be able to help stabilize the pass rush while open up holes in the rushing attack. The Raiders would love to get back into the win column as they head into Cincinnati next week to take on a tough Bengals team with an explosive passing game of their own. INJURY REPORT RAIDERS Out: Mike Goodson (ankle), Darren McFadden (ankle), Richard Seymour (knee, hamstring) Questionable: Tyvon Branch (neck), Darrius Heyward-Bey (hamstring) Probable: Khalif Barnes (groin), Matt Giordano (concussion), Richard Gordon (hamstring), Sebastian Janikowski (left groin), Brandon Myers (shoulder/concussion), Marcel Reece (hamstring) SAINTS Out: Zach Strief (groin), Junior Galette (ankle), Corey White (knee) Questionable: Darren Sproles (hand) Probable: Courtney Roby (shoulder) |
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