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Archive for September, 2015
Oakland Raiders head coach Jack Del Rio must keep this developing team grounded in preparation for the Chicago Bears in Week 4. It’s funny what two wins can do for a franchise typically struggling right out of the gate. ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith and Skip Bayless spoke favorably about the overall direction of the Raiders on First Take. Wide receiver Amari Cooper appeared on the NFL Network to speak about the team’s early strides. According to Football Outsiders, the Raiders' chances of making the playoffs have improved by 16.8 percent since Week 1. Bleacher Report’s experts have all picked the Raiders to win ...
The Oakland Raiders are 2-1, and they're feeling good.Gamblers are feeling good about them, too.For the first time in 27 games, the Raiders are favored, as reported by ESPN.com's Bill Williamson. They are two-point favorites in their Week 4 matchup against the Bears in Chicago. The last time the Raiders were favored, they were trounced 49-20 by the Philadelphia Eagles in 2013.[ESPN]Read more Oakland Raiders news on BleacherReport.com
The Oakland Raiders’ Week 4 stock report features the versatile, the unproven and the inactive players from a Week 3 matchup with the Cleveland Browns. A few players have stepped into lead roles and delivered the goods in their last outing. In contrast, a couple of players didn’t show up on the field via coaches’ decision. Quarterback Derek Carr and edge-rusher Khalil Mack earn honorable mentions this week. Both players continue to perform at a high level and made significant contributions to the Raiders’ Week 3 win. We’ll discuss some of the players who transitioned from backup roles into starting positions as question ...
Justine Siegal made MLB history Tuesday, as the Oakland Athletics announced she would serve as a guest instructor for their Instructional League club, making her the first woman to coach in big league history. "It's a dream come true," Siegal said, per Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle. "The A's are a first-class organization, and it will be an honor to wear their uniform." Siegal, 40, has completed the Major League Scouting Bureau school and has her Ph.D. in sport and exercise psychology. Her duties will include "a little bit of everything," ranging from hitting infield practice to offering her knowledge in meetings, according to ...
The Oakland Raiders defense registered five sacks after two weeks of false alarms for opposing quarterbacks. Defensive coordinator Ken Norton Jr. unleashed his pass-rushers and positioned a variety of linebackers to tee off on Cleveland Browns quarterback Josh McCown. CSNBayArea.com reporter Scott Bair made note of the transformation in base alignment via Twitter: The entire AFC West division uses some form of the 3-4 alignment with premier defensive playmakers positioned on the edges. As an early proponent of the 3-4 alignment in Oakland, it's refreshing to see Norton blend in the design to spark his defense. For the Raiders, the alternative alignment fits their ...
Oakland Raiders wide receiver Amari Cooper is off to a historically fast start, with his 290 receiving yards good for third-most by a rookie in NFL history through the first three games of a season, according to Pro-Football-Reference.com (via Josh Dubow of the Associated Press). Despite catching just five passes for 47 yards in his Week 1 debut against the Cincinnati Bengals, the No. 4 overall draft pick trails only Anquan Boldin (378) and Louis Lipps (337) for most receiving yards by a rookie through Week 3. Cooper broke out in a 37-33 Week 2 home win over the Baltimore Ravens, catching seven ...
The Oakland Raiders' 27-20 win over the Cleveland Browns Sunday provided an awe-inspiring takeaway, some interesting developments and some breakthroughs. The contest started off one-sided in favor of the Raiders, but the defense allowed the Browns to climb out of a 17-point deficit in the second half. Both of Oakland's coordinators made changes on their side of the ball to earn the victory. Those changes brought a lot of hope and a little bit of controversy. At the conclusion of a win that broke an 11-game road losing streak, most Raiders fans couldn’t care less about the how and why. After all, the mantra ...
The Oakland Raiders didn’t display a flawless performance in their 27-20 Week 3 triumph over the Cleveland Browns on Sunday, but they managed to lift a road jinx that plagued this team for nearly two years. Oakland won its last road game against the Houston Texans in Week 11 of the 2013 season. After 11 consecutive road losses, the Raiders earned a well-deserved victory in Cleveland to start a winning streak of their own. The Raiders’ Week 2 win triggered some smiling faces, but veterans such as wide receiver Michael Crabtree and defensive end Justin Tuck remained composed with little emotion attached to the ...
The Oakland Raiders entered their Week 3 contest with all types of unfavorable streaks and snapped quite of few of those losing habits in a win over the Cleveland Browns. The Raiders hadn’t won consecutive games since 2012. They hadn’t won on the road since 2013. Finally, they hadn’t held a winning record since their Week 16 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs in 2011. All those streaks have been erased, and it’s starting to look like a new chapter for the Jack Del Rio regime. Oakland picked up right where it left off in Week 2, but left enough space for the ...
The kids are all right in Oakland. In a potential glimpse of the Raiders' future, quarterback Derek Carr, running back Latavius Murray and wideout Amari Cooper posted huge numbers against the Cleveland Browns.  Of the three, Carr probably has the least fantasy relevance. Despite posting excellent numbers the past two weeks, it's hard to imagine the 24-year-old cracking QB1 status given the deep nature of the position this year. If Oakland continues to throw the ball with regularity, then Carr may sneak into the high-end QB2 conversation, but for now he's a player who should only be rostered in deeper leagues.   ...