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Archive for December, 2012
The Raider Nation’s long national nightmare is over. The Oakland Raiders announced that offensive coordinator Greg Knapp has been released along with three other coaches. Head coach Dennis Allen and general manager Reggie McKenzie now have to assemble of list of possible candidates to replace Knapp and actively try to interview as many as they can. Allen made it clear in his postseason press conference that he wouldn’t be tied to any scheme. It seems more likely that Allen will be looking for a coach that will tailor the scheme to the offensive players which likely means an Air Coryell-inspired ...
When first-year head coach Dennis Allen arrived in Oakland, the commitment to win and win fast was at an all-time high.The Raiders finished 8-8 in 2010 and 2011, and the preseason expectations coming into 2012 were filled with optimism.New general manager Reggie McKenzie wanted to implement a new culture in Oakland—a culture that did away with stupid penalties and a more disciplined style of play.After bringing in Allen to replace Hue Jackson in January, McKenzie left the changing franchise in the hands of a rookie head coach with a defensive background.The last coach in Oakland with a defensive background was ...
It had to be the Greg Knapp way or the Darren McFadden way for the Oakland Raiders going into 2013. So, Dennis Allen and the Raiders wasted little time in telling McFadden this was his team by firing the offensive coordinator, as well as three other coaches including offensive line coach Frank Pollack.Letting go of Knapp and Pollack is a sign that McFadden is going to be a fixture with the Raiders, and---depending on who the new offensive coordinator is---could be the centerpiece of the offense.  Knapp and Pollack were the architects of the zone blocking scheme---which failed miserably in 2012---and were both assistant ...
When first hired, Oakland Raiders GM Reggie McKenzie must have thrown his hands up and said, "What is all this mess?" upon learning the team's salary-cap situation. So he did what he had to do to get the Raiders under the cap, and I can commend him for that. He cut Kamerion Wimbley, Aaron Curry, Stanford Routt, Kevin Boss, John Henderson, and Chris Johnson. That's about $25 million worth of salary the Raiders have coming off the books in 2013. But, as new regimes usually do, he fixed things that weren''t broken. As we all know, fixing things that aren't broken usually ...
The Oakland Raiders opted to get a glimpse at the future by starting Terrelle Pryor in the final game of the season over Matt Leinart. The decision was made Friday by head coach Dennis Allen to start Pryor in a meaningless game against the San Diego Chargers. Pryor got his first extensive playing time as a pro, and the Raiders fell 24-21. The second-year quarterback out of Ohio State was far from great, but he also wasn’t horrible. Pryor showed the Raiders that he’s a player worth developing and that he needs more time to refine his game. Pryor had ...
On January 1, 2012, when the Oakland Raiders played the San Diego Chargers to end the 2011 NFL season, the game had significant postseason ramifications.Almost a year later, the two teams met again with absolutely nothing on the line to wrap up a forgettable 2012 season.This time, the teams were focused on their futures, and the biggest part of the Raiders' future is Terrelle Pryor.  Pryor, the last player to be drafted by Al Davis, is a great athlete who is still raw in terms of his football skills.Pryor made his first career NFL start on Sunday, and he will now have ...
The Oakland Raiders fell 24-21 to their AFC West rival San Diego Chargers in the final game of the regular season.It was a valiant comeback effort by the Silver and Black in Week 17, but one that ultimately fell short. Oakland finished the 2012 season at a disappointing 4-12.Let's take a look at the final report card and player grades for Oakland.Begin Slideshow
The key word in the title is "will" not "should" Knapp return.  If the key word was "should" Knapp return then this article would be just one word: no.  As the NFL approaches the day that has become known around the league as "Black Monday" (the Monday after the end of the regular season which is when many non-playoff teams will inform their coaches that they will be fired) the Raiders have to ponder the future of their coaching staff.Many Raider fans are hoping and praying that offensive coordinator Greg Knapp is let go by head coach Dennis Allen,GM Reggie McKenzie ...
Last year, the Oakland A's went on a run for the ages, and they almost snuck into the ALCS.The A's won their last six regular season games to stunningly capture the AL West, before rallying from down 2-0 to force Game 5 of the ALDS. They lost Game 5, but it let Oakland experience a run for the ages.However, the A's haven't done much in the offseason. They signed Hiroyuki Nakajima from Japan, but only to replace Stephen Drew. They re-signed Bartolo Colon and traded for Chris Young, but that's really been it.Oakland isn't expected to do as well in ...
The 4-11 Oakland Raiders lost their starting quarterback to injury in Week 16. With Carson Palmer out, the Raiders have to decide between Matt Leinart and Terrelle Pryor. Not a tough decision, but one the coaching staff has to make. At this stage of the season, it doesn’t matter that much who starts; neither Pryor nor Leinart can drastically alter the team’s final results. One game doesn’t make a difference and barring something like 11 sacks in a game, there aren’t going to be any major statistical shifts. A win over the San Diego Chargers on Sunday would get the ...