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Archive for October, 2015
The better passing attack will provide an edge in the Oakland Raiders’ Week 8 matchup with the New York Jets. Both teams field a top-five run defense playing at full strength. Jets defensive end Sheldon Richardson will play in his third game since serving a four-game suspension. Raiders defensive tackle Justin Ellis practiced the entire week and expects to play Sunday.   Raiders’ Pass Attack Hurdles  Anyone who believes that wide receiver Amari Cooper doesn’t play a huge role in this game should refer to the first six games: For Oakland, there’s no measurement for Cooper’s crucial role in every contest. Second-year wideout Seth Roberts ...
The marquee matchup on Sunday between Oakland Raiders wide receiver Amari Cooper and New York Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis becomes a potential battle in itself. Theoretically, Jets head coach Todd Bowles may not choose to cover Cooper in a one-on-one scheme. Nonetheless, it couldn't hurt Oakland to challenge one of the best cornerbacks in the league by using film study. Before delving into Revis’ weaknesses, let’s take a look at the tale of the tape: *Note: One interception returned for a touchdown. There are impressive numbers on both sides that jump off the screen. Many analysts talk about fighting for 50/50 balls in the air. Revis ...
Thursday's NFL-sponsored town hall meeting in Oakland discussing whether the Oakland Raiders would move to Los Angeles received an unexpected visitor: team owner Mark Davis. According to a report from CBS San Francisco, Davis made his surprise appearance and stressed that he is “still committed to keeping his team in Oakland.” In addition to Davis, Mayor Libby Schaaf and NFL representatives were in attendance, and fans were given the opportunity to voice their concerns, questions and opinions about the Raiders’ potential move to Los Angeles. Sam Farmer of the Los Angeles Times noted Davis was popular at the event: Despite the warm welcome, the ...
Don't look now, but the Oakland Raiders aren't a punchline anymore. No, really. They aren't. For most of the past decade, there hasn't been a more floundering, directionless team in the National Football League than the Raiders. But in 2015, under the direction of first-year head coach Jack Del Rio and with young playmakers on both sides of the ball, with a win over the New York Jets at home in Week 8 the Raiders could take a big step toward—and I can't believe I'm saying this—the playoffs. After dismantling the Chargers in San Diego in a game that wasn't as close as ...
The Oakland Raiders continue to turn heads as an improved team. The upcoming challenge against a winning ballclub brings an early playoff vibe to their Week 8 matchup.  The New York Jets and Raiders have plenty of ties and similarities, which makes this battle between two second-place teams an intriguing contest.  Wild-card implications creep into the narrative with undefeated division leaders ahead of both clubs. In the draft, the Raiders seemed torn between wide receiver Amari Cooper and defensive lineman Leonard Williams. Oakland obviously chose the wideout with the No. 4 overall pick, and the Jets selected Williams, who was arguably the best ...
Oakland Raiders wide receiver Amari Cooper topped 100 receiving yards for the third time this year in Sunday's 37-29 win over the San Diego Chargers, making him the first rookie since Mike Ditka in 1961 to hit the 100-yard mark in three of his team's first six games of the season, per Elias Sports Bureau (via ESPN Stats & Info).  Cooper, the third overall pick in the 2015 NFL draft, had his finest performance to date in Week 7, catching five passes for 133 yards and a touchdown despite drawing just six targets. He was especially dominant in the second quarter, first ...
On a rare occasion, this week’s Oakland Raiders stock report contains very few negatives. The Raiders dominated the San Diego Chargers for 45 minutes in Week 7. Oakland's defense seemed complacent for the final quarter, which falls on defensive coordinator Ken Norton Jr. Nonetheless, his stock remains even due to his stellar game plan to keep the Chargers out of the end zone for three quarters. Two reserves made key contributions on offense, and two defensive players helped set the tone for a physical and disruptive play style against the Chargers' passing attack. One particular player who’s criticized for every miscue finally shows ...
It’s okay, Oakland Raiders, there’s no such thing as running up the score on your opponent. Blowout wins show dominance and the relentless desire to bury the opposition for a decisive victory. That’s the mindset of a team with a killer instinct on a mission to establish supremacy. If the Raiders want to break away from that, “they’re just a year away” tag, it’s time stop winning and start dominating. In a postgame press conference, quarterback Derek Carr and head coach Jack Del Rio made reference to the most recent fourth-quarter letdown as something to clean up going forward: Carr’s closing comments paraphrase the ...
On Sunday, the Oakland Raiders played their unofficial ninth home game of the season and emerged victorious in a close but not so close contest. As expected, fan loyalty at Qualcomm Stadium seemed split down the middle. One prominent Raider even admitted to using crowd control during the game. But whether the fans played a role in it or not, Oakland jumped on the San Diego Chargers from the first whistle. However, despite 45 minutes of pure dominance on both sides of the ball by the Silver and Black, the Chargers found a way to add a dramatic spin to the end ...
The Oakland Raiders' young offense took another step in the direction of gaining respect from media outlets, analysts and opposing defenses during Sunday's 37-29 road win over the San Diego Chargers. The Raiders' youthful core, featuring quarterback Derek Carr, running back Latavius Murray and wide receiver Amari Cooper, continues to produce at a steady pace: The trio hasn’t attracted league-wide attention as a threat, but general manager Reggie McKenzie has planted the seeds for a blooming offense that is averaging 24 points per game in 2015. On Sunday, the Chargers found out how quickly the Raiders offense can light up the scoreboard.   Commitment to ...