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Archive for November, 2015
The Oakland Raiders’ three-game skid reinforces an unfriendly reminder about overall team growth in the NFL: It’s seldom a smooth process. The coaching staff and players cannot look back at missed opportunities, but they should move forward with anecdotal lessons. Before turning the page to the Tennessee Titans, it’s important to investigate where the offense broke down and where the defense excelled against the Detroit Lions on Sunday. Three developing talents, who helped propel the Raiders' potent offense, contributed to the clunky execution on Sunday. Aside from the final drive, Oakland's interior defense harassed and pounced on the Lions in the backfield. We’ll discuss Sunday’s ...
The Oakland Raiders’ high-powered offense transitioned into a choppy, bumbling and conservative attack, lacking the explosiveness to exploit any NFL defense on Sunday. Oakland accumulated a season low in passing yards (164) against the Detroit Lions, dropping its passing offense to No. 11 in the league. Quarterback Derek Carr doesn’t resemble the same accurate, strong-armed pocket passer compared to his play following the Week 6 bye. In the previous two outings, running back Latavius Murray has accumulated a mere 76 yards on 25 carries. What’s the solution to digging the offense out of a rut? Variety. The Raiders’ new and improved offense went stale pretty ...
Here’s where the Oakland Raiders obtain intangible growth—through struggle, hard lessons and poor performances. Logically, the hunger to improve sits in the belly of those who need it most. It’s often said that wins provide the best cover-up for inadequacies in the NFL. The Raiders have lost three consecutive games in different fashion: one close shootout, one contest with a late-game letdown and one, most recently, poor performance from start to finish. Now, it’s time to find answers to the inefficiencies that crept below the surface of an improved roster. In addition to seeking solutions, Oakland must also reinvent its offensive schemes. Opposing defenses ...
As the Oakland Raiders developed hope for the future, two things became apparent staples in most games until recently: The run defense would hold ball-carriers under 100 rushing yards, and the passing offense would put up points in bunches. Those strengths, along with the Raiders' playoff hopes, took a critical hit during Sunday's 18-13 loss to the Detroit Lions. Oakland has allowed an average of 189 rushing yards per game in the last three contests and failed to stop the worst rushing attack in the league on Sunday. The Lions maintained possession for the final seven-and-a-half minutes of the game thanks to their ...
The Oakland Raiders dropped their third consecutive game due to mental errors and several paper cuts inflicted by the Detroit Lions on Sunday in Detroit. It’s impossible to pinpoint one particular play that turned the tide in this contest, but it’s important to look at poor execution, specifically on the offensive side of the ball. The Raiders started off sluggish, resembling an out-of-sync offense going three-and-out against the league’s No. 25 defense in yards allowed. Oakland’s high-powered offense failed to reach field-goal range and put a big doughnut on the scoreboard going into halftime, down 9-0.  For Oakland, the second half started with some ...
The Oakland Raiders’ personnel decisions have heightened the stakes for one player on the Detroit Lions roster.  Defensive lineman C.J. Wilson felt a proverbial "slap in the face" after the Raiders decided to release him earlier this month, per Detroit Free Press writer Carlos Monarrez. Big 300-pound linemen have feelings too, and Wilson will do everything in his power to best his former team. Wilson said: I'm taking this as a personal game. It's like my Super Bowl. I take pride in getting ready this week. Everything matters, from practice to the way I watch my film this week.It's not every year ...
The Oakland Raiders see the heavy blow coming and still get punched in the mouth. When comparing an NFL matchup to a boxing match, the Raiders defense knows the opponents’ strengths, takes the punches but fails to rise up off the mat.  In the previous two outings, Oakland has been knocked out by the expected effective jab or the right hook we all saw coming. Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown and Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson are the most effective offensive weapons on those respective rosters, we all knew it, yet defensive coordinator Ken Norton Jr. failed to come up with ...
The Oakland Raiders cannot buy into this week’s role as an overwhelming favorite over the Detroit Lions. Bleacher Report’s Chris Simms picked the Lions as one of his five teams guaranteed to lose. Of course, it makes for an interesting segment, but the Raiders must play this game knowing their Wild Card hopes hang in the balance.  Sure, the Lions (2-7) resemble a team out of sorts after cleaning house two weeks ago, per ESPN’s Michael Rothstein, but they’re not surrendering the entire season. Detroit upset the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field in Week 10—that outcome should grab Oakland’s attention. Furthermore, a ...
The Oakland Athletics are to sign free-agent left-handed pitcher Rich Hill to a one-year, $6 million contract, pending a physical, per Jane Lee of MLB.com.      Hill, an 11-year veteran, started four games for the Boston Red Sox in 2015 and was 2-1 with a 1.55 ERA. Most impressively, he had 36 strikeouts and just five walks in 29 innings. He pitched in relief with the Red Sox, Cleveland Indians, Los Angeles Angels and New York Yankees from 2010-14 but is 26-23 in 74 career starts. Hill has pitched for six teams in his career—seven if you count two stops in Boston—and ...
Oakland Raiders head coach Jack Del Rio said, “there are always positives” during Monday’s press conference. He didn’t—and probably shouldn’t—discuss the poor game plan put together against the Minnesota Vikings in Week 10. This week’s stock report provides a twist on the normal "stock up, stock down" on players. Players are expected to execute the game plan, but a flawed strategy hinders any chance of success on the field. The final score (30-14) looks better than the actual details on film. Vikings tight end Kyle Rudolph dropped a wide-open touchdown that should’ve put his team up 14-0 to start the game. Oakland took ...