The Official 2011 Oakland Raiders offseason thread
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Oakland Raiders season preview
By Jerry McDonald
Oakland Tribune
Posted: 09/06/2011 07:07:58 PM PDT
Updated: 09/06/2011 07:07:59 PM PDT
Playoff-bound if ...
Three reasons the Raiders make the playoffs:
Quarterback Jason Campbell gives the Raiders their first legitimate passing attack since 2002.
They finish plus-10 or better in turnover differential -- something they've done only twice since 2000 (2000 and 2002), and both times they made the AFC Championship game.
Defensive tackle Richard Seymour gives the franchise one last Hall of Fame type season, as Rod Woodson did in 2002.
Heading home early if ...
Three reasons the Raiders don't make the playoffs:
Because of free agent losses of cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha and tight end Zach Miller, the pass defense is leaky and there is no go-to receiver on third down.
With the NFC North and AFC East on tap, the lineup is much tougher than the one Raiders went 8-8 against a year ago.
A makeshift offensive line can't hold up over the long haul, with the ripple effect hurting Campbell and the running game.
The BIG question
Are the Raiders as good as Al Davis thinks they are?
Everything about the Oakland offseason suggests the owner believes this is a playoff team in waiting.
He hired Hue Jackson, who successfully rebuilt the offense, to be the head coach.
Davis was aggressive in retaining potential free agents before the lockout and made only one significant free-agent acquisition from outside the organization, tight end Kevin Boss. It's clear Davis likes the young talent on this team and believed the only reason the Raiders weren't better than 8-8 was because of former coach Tom Cable.
Through his actions, Davis is saying the Raiders are a lot closer to the team that went 6-0 in the AFC West than the 2-8 team outside it.
With some staff changes and, for the most part, the same cast of characters on the 53-man roster, Jackson is talking playoffs and Davis presumably thinks the same.
Scouting the division
Denver Broncos
(4-12, 4th place)
Newly anointed president John Elway, rather than go back to his passing roots, hired defensive-minded John Fox to take over a team that surrendered an NFL-high 29.4 points per game in 2010.
Denver dumped its 3-4 scheme for a 4-3 and will infuse the defense with three rookie starters -- the most prominent being outside linebacker Von Miller. Miller, based on his preseason, is the immediate favorite for defensive rookie of the year. With the return of top pass rusher Elvis Dumervil (17 sacks in 2009), out with a torn chest muscle last season, the Broncos are a lot tougher to block.
Efficient quarterback Kyle Orton (20 touchdown passes, nine interceptions) will throw less on a Fox-coached team, and breakout receiver Brandon Lloyd (77 receptions, 1,448 yards) will have reduced numbers as the Broncos hope to run more and play to their defense.
As for Tim Tebow, his opportunity left about the same time Denver fired Josh McDaniels.
Kansas City Chiefs
(10-6, 1st place)
One of the NFL's surprise teams in 2010, the Chiefs faded down the stretch and will be hard-pressed to repeat without a similar commitment to being smart with the ball.
The Chiefs had the NFL's top rushing attack at 164.2 yards per game, its most explosive runner in Jamal Charles (1,467 yards) and, most important, turned the ball over only 14 times all season, second fewest in the league.
Quarterback Matt Cassel was steady if not sensational, although his 27-7 touchdown pass-to-interception ratio was huge. One major downer -- second-year tight end Tony Moeaki, a reliable third-down receiver, was lost for the season with a torn ACL.
Kansas City has two key pieces in its 3-4 defense -- sack specialist Tamba Hali (141/2 last season) and free safety Eric Berry, who has the look of an annual Pro Bowler after being the No. 5 pick in the 2010 draft.
San Diego Chargers
(9-7, 2nd place)
How does a team ranked first in the NFL in total offense and total defense finish out of the playoff race?
A fluke. Well, a fluke and special teams. The Chargers had three kickoffs run back for touchdowns and had five punts blocked, contributing to a poor start they could never overcome.
The Chargers drafted swift Ryan Mathews out of Fresno State last year to pair with heavy-legged Mike Tolbert (735 yards, 11 touchdowns), which ought to be more than enough balance for the division's top quarterback, Philip Rivers.
In a quarterback-driven league, Rivers is easily top dog in the division. He threw for 4,710 yards with 30 touchdown passes and 13 interceptions last season. San Diego's offense has scored 400 or more points in eight straight seasons, an NFL record.
Shaun Phillips, with 11 sacks last year, is the player of most concern for the opposition on a San Diego defense that doesn't have to be much better than above average.
Schedule
Sept. 12 at Denver 7:15 p.m.
Sept. 18 at Buffalo 10 a.m.
Sept. 25 N.Y. Jets 1:05 p.m.
Oct. 2 New England 1:15 p.m.
Oct. 9 at Houston 10 a.m.
Oct. 16 Cleveland 1:05 p.m.
Oct. 23 Kansas City 1:05 p.m.
Oct. 30 BYE
Nov. 6 Denver 1:05 p.m.
Nov. 10 at San Diego 5:20 p.m.
Nov. 20 at Minnesota 10 a.m.
Nov. 27 Chicago 1:05 p.m.
Dec. 4 at Miami 10 a.m.
Dec. 11 at Green Bay 10 a.m.
Dec. 18 Detroit 1:05 p.m.
Dec. 24 at Kansas City 10 a.m.
Jan. 1 San Diego 1:15 p.m.
Date to circle
SEPT. 25 VS. NEW YORK JETS: Hue Jackson's "build a bully" campaign gets a big test when the tough-guy Jets and Rex Ryan visit O.co Coliseum in the home opener. If the Raiders are 1-1 or 2-0, it's big. If Raiders are 0-2, the season is on the line.
Roster
7 Kyle Boller QB
8 Jason Campbell QB
9 Shane Lechler P
11 Sebastian Janikowski K
12 Jacoby Ford WR
17 Denarius Moore WR
18 Louis Murphy WR
20 Darren McFadden RB
22 Taiwan Jones RB
23 DeMarcus Van Dyke CB
24 Michael Huff FS
25 Rock Cartwright RB
26 Stanford Routt CB
27 Matt Giordano S
28 Joe Porter DB
29 Michael Bush RB
30 Jerome Boyd S
33 Tyvon Branch SS
34 Mike Mitchell SS
35 Chimdi Chekwa CB
37 Chris Johnson CB
45 Marcel Reece RB
52 Quentin Groves LB
55 Rolando McClain LB
56 Darryl Blackstock LB
57 Ricky Brown LB
58 Bruce Davis II LB
59 Jon Condo LS
61 Stefen Wisniewski C
64 Samson Satele C
66 Cooper Carlisle G
68 Jared Veldheer T/C
69 Khalif Barnes T
72 Joseph Barksdale T
74 Bruce Campbell G
75 Stephon Heyer T
77 Matt Shaughnessy DE
79 John Henderson DT
80 Derek Hagan WR
81 Chaz Schilens WR
82 Richard Gordon TE
83 Brandon Myers TE
85 Darrius Heyward-Bey WR
86 David Ausberry TE
87 Kevin Boss TE
89 Nick Miller WR
90 Desmond Bryant DT
91 Trevor Scott DE 92 Richard Seymour DE
93 Tommy Kelly DT
94 Jarvis Moss DE
96 Kamerion Wimbley LB
99 Lamarr Houston DE
By Jerry McDonald
Oakland Tribune
Posted: 09/06/2011 07:07:58 PM PDT
Updated: 09/06/2011 07:07:59 PM PDT
Playoff-bound if ...
Three reasons the Raiders make the playoffs:
Quarterback Jason Campbell gives the Raiders their first legitimate passing attack since 2002.
They finish plus-10 or better in turnover differential -- something they've done only twice since 2000 (2000 and 2002), and both times they made the AFC Championship game.
Defensive tackle Richard Seymour gives the franchise one last Hall of Fame type season, as Rod Woodson did in 2002.
Heading home early if ...
Three reasons the Raiders don't make the playoffs:
Because of free agent losses of cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha and tight end Zach Miller, the pass defense is leaky and there is no go-to receiver on third down.
With the NFC North and AFC East on tap, the lineup is much tougher than the one Raiders went 8-8 against a year ago.
A makeshift offensive line can't hold up over the long haul, with the ripple effect hurting Campbell and the running game.
The BIG question
Are the Raiders as good as Al Davis thinks they are?
Everything about the Oakland offseason suggests the owner believes this is a playoff team in waiting.
He hired Hue Jackson, who successfully rebuilt the offense, to be the head coach.
Davis was aggressive in retaining potential free agents before the lockout and made only one significant free-agent acquisition from outside the organization, tight end Kevin Boss. It's clear Davis likes the young talent on this team and believed the only reason the Raiders weren't better than 8-8 was because of former coach Tom Cable.
Through his actions, Davis is saying the Raiders are a lot closer to the team that went 6-0 in the AFC West than the 2-8 team outside it.
With some staff changes and, for the most part, the same cast of characters on the 53-man roster, Jackson is talking playoffs and Davis presumably thinks the same.
Scouting the division
Denver Broncos
(4-12, 4th place)
Newly anointed president John Elway, rather than go back to his passing roots, hired defensive-minded John Fox to take over a team that surrendered an NFL-high 29.4 points per game in 2010.
Denver dumped its 3-4 scheme for a 4-3 and will infuse the defense with three rookie starters -- the most prominent being outside linebacker Von Miller. Miller, based on his preseason, is the immediate favorite for defensive rookie of the year. With the return of top pass rusher Elvis Dumervil (17 sacks in 2009), out with a torn chest muscle last season, the Broncos are a lot tougher to block.
Efficient quarterback Kyle Orton (20 touchdown passes, nine interceptions) will throw less on a Fox-coached team, and breakout receiver Brandon Lloyd (77 receptions, 1,448 yards) will have reduced numbers as the Broncos hope to run more and play to their defense.
As for Tim Tebow, his opportunity left about the same time Denver fired Josh McDaniels.
Kansas City Chiefs
(10-6, 1st place)
One of the NFL's surprise teams in 2010, the Chiefs faded down the stretch and will be hard-pressed to repeat without a similar commitment to being smart with the ball.
The Chiefs had the NFL's top rushing attack at 164.2 yards per game, its most explosive runner in Jamal Charles (1,467 yards) and, most important, turned the ball over only 14 times all season, second fewest in the league.
Quarterback Matt Cassel was steady if not sensational, although his 27-7 touchdown pass-to-interception ratio was huge. One major downer -- second-year tight end Tony Moeaki, a reliable third-down receiver, was lost for the season with a torn ACL.
Kansas City has two key pieces in its 3-4 defense -- sack specialist Tamba Hali (141/2 last season) and free safety Eric Berry, who has the look of an annual Pro Bowler after being the No. 5 pick in the 2010 draft.
San Diego Chargers
(9-7, 2nd place)
How does a team ranked first in the NFL in total offense and total defense finish out of the playoff race?
A fluke. Well, a fluke and special teams. The Chargers had three kickoffs run back for touchdowns and had five punts blocked, contributing to a poor start they could never overcome.
The Chargers drafted swift Ryan Mathews out of Fresno State last year to pair with heavy-legged Mike Tolbert (735 yards, 11 touchdowns), which ought to be more than enough balance for the division's top quarterback, Philip Rivers.
In a quarterback-driven league, Rivers is easily top dog in the division. He threw for 4,710 yards with 30 touchdown passes and 13 interceptions last season. San Diego's offense has scored 400 or more points in eight straight seasons, an NFL record.
Shaun Phillips, with 11 sacks last year, is the player of most concern for the opposition on a San Diego defense that doesn't have to be much better than above average.
Schedule
Sept. 12 at Denver 7:15 p.m.
Sept. 18 at Buffalo 10 a.m.
Sept. 25 N.Y. Jets 1:05 p.m.
Oct. 2 New England 1:15 p.m.
Oct. 9 at Houston 10 a.m.
Oct. 16 Cleveland 1:05 p.m.
Oct. 23 Kansas City 1:05 p.m.
Oct. 30 BYE
Nov. 6 Denver 1:05 p.m.
Nov. 10 at San Diego 5:20 p.m.
Nov. 20 at Minnesota 10 a.m.
Nov. 27 Chicago 1:05 p.m.
Dec. 4 at Miami 10 a.m.
Dec. 11 at Green Bay 10 a.m.
Dec. 18 Detroit 1:05 p.m.
Dec. 24 at Kansas City 10 a.m.
Jan. 1 San Diego 1:15 p.m.
Date to circle
SEPT. 25 VS. NEW YORK JETS: Hue Jackson's "build a bully" campaign gets a big test when the tough-guy Jets and Rex Ryan visit O.co Coliseum in the home opener. If the Raiders are 1-1 or 2-0, it's big. If Raiders are 0-2, the season is on the line.
Roster
7 Kyle Boller QB
8 Jason Campbell QB
9 Shane Lechler P
11 Sebastian Janikowski K
12 Jacoby Ford WR
17 Denarius Moore WR
18 Louis Murphy WR
20 Darren McFadden RB
22 Taiwan Jones RB
23 DeMarcus Van Dyke CB
24 Michael Huff FS
25 Rock Cartwright RB
26 Stanford Routt CB
27 Matt Giordano S
28 Joe Porter DB
29 Michael Bush RB
30 Jerome Boyd S
33 Tyvon Branch SS
34 Mike Mitchell SS
35 Chimdi Chekwa CB
37 Chris Johnson CB
45 Marcel Reece RB
52 Quentin Groves LB
55 Rolando McClain LB
56 Darryl Blackstock LB
57 Ricky Brown LB
58 Bruce Davis II LB
59 Jon Condo LS
61 Stefen Wisniewski C
64 Samson Satele C
66 Cooper Carlisle G
68 Jared Veldheer T/C
69 Khalif Barnes T
72 Joseph Barksdale T
74 Bruce Campbell G
75 Stephon Heyer T
77 Matt Shaughnessy DE
79 John Henderson DT
80 Derek Hagan WR
81 Chaz Schilens WR
82 Richard Gordon TE
83 Brandon Myers TE
85 Darrius Heyward-Bey WR
86 David Ausberry TE
87 Kevin Boss TE
89 Nick Miller WR
90 Desmond Bryant DT
91 Trevor Scott DE 92 Richard Seymour DE
93 Tommy Kelly DT
94 Jarvis Moss DE
96 Kamerion Wimbley LB
99 Lamarr Houston DE
Before the preseason, based upon how easily we handled Denver twice last year.... I was extremely confident we would leave with the win...
now... I'm still picking us to win, but not quite as confident as I was
as long as we can establish the run game we should win... Denver is not a great run stopping team (like the Raiders) and last year we pummeled them on the ground. Looking for us to do it again on Monday night
with the being said, Kyle Orton can be an above average QB at times, and if we can't get pressure on him, and our secondary starts fuckin up.... it could be a long night for my team
now... I'm still picking us to win, but not quite as confident as I was
as long as we can establish the run game we should win... Denver is not a great run stopping team (like the Raiders) and last year we pummeled them on the ground. Looking for us to do it again on Monday night
with the being said, Kyle Orton can be an above average QB at times, and if we can't get pressure on him, and our secondary starts fuckin up.... it could be a long night for my team
Only reason im not hella confident about the Denver game is cuz its in Denver and its week 1. We have a history of not playing so well in week 1 also with the exception of that San Diego game 2 years ago, we actually played like a playoff team in that game. Mcfadden is good they chose not to play him in the last preseason game. Only injuries is Boss and Murphy i think, dont see anyone else listed besides dude thats out for the year
