Silver And Black Pride: FanPosts

Nmandi signed and ready to roll

Bud Light — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 02:23:40 -0000

All good news out of Raider camp today as Nmandi signed his tender offer of 9.7 million and will be in camp on time. What a "true" professional. Hopefully the Raiders will do him right and get him locked up long term this year.

The Raiders told LaMont Jordan not to show up to camp, and will try to get his situation resolved soon.

Lastly Lane Kiffin believes our #1 wide out will also be ready to participate immediately after his late night Vegas affair.

Looks like everything might start coming together in 2008 !!!!

www.footballoutsiders.com

RaiderPete — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 01:48:10 -0000

Ok, so I've never done a fanpost, and if you'd asked me 10 minutes ago I would have said I never would. I'm just happier in the peanut gallery, but after a discussion with some Bronco fans over on their site I felt it was time to bring some more attention to www.footballoutsiders.com.

You might already be familiar with them, they have a post on espn.com from time to time,they release a book every year called Pro Football Prospectus (they work closely with the pro baseball prospectus people that you may or may not be aware of), and I've mentioned them here before. I think they explain themselves best, so I'll borrow their words:

Imagine two running backs who each gain three yards. Player A gains three yards under a set of circumstances where the average NFL running back gains only two yards (for example, third-and-1), it can be argued that Player A has a certain amount of value above others at his position. Likewise, if Player B gains three yards on a play where, under similar circumstances, an average NFL back would be expected to gain five yards (for example, second-and-15), it can be argued that Player B has negative value relative to others at his position.

I'll use the example of tackles. A common way to determine how good a linebacker is is by using how many tackles he gets in a year. That is a terrible way to look at things. A tackle 2 yards behind the line of scrimmage is worth light years more than a tackle 5 yards down field. But a tackle 5 yards down field on 3rd and 6 is worth light years more than a tackle 6 yards down field on 3rd and 6. Traditional stats tell you very little about actual success, a yard is not a yard is not a yard.

What football outsiders has done is pretty amazing. They've gone back to 1995 and entered every play, offense, defense and special teams, into a database and applied their success rates accordingly. Eventually what they spit out is a couple different stats, the big ones are DVOA and DYAR (recently changed from DPAR).

You'll have to visit the site and learn about them for yourselves, they're not simple things to explain. But, if you don't care or want to know a single thing about them outside of how to read them I can help. 0% is average. Anything above 0% is good for offense, bad for defense. Anything below 0% is good for defense, bad for offense. A little strange, but it makes sense if you think about it. Everything is measured in success points, negative success points means the offense went backwards (or didn't achieve what it should), which is a win for a defense. Whats good for one is bad for the other. So when you see the Patriots D ranked first with a DVOA of a large negative number it's not a typo.

Football will never be boiled down into pure stats the way baseball has, there are far too many variables. However footballoutsiders has the best stats to use for intelligent football discussions. And, beyond the stats, they have a lot of great articles, everything from breaking down teams and games to the latest waiver wire news and what not. I love the site and encourage you all to check it out.

Shockey finally wore out his welcome

theblackpearl — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 18:55:27 -0000

The NY Giants have agreed to trade Jeremy Shockey to the Saints for a 2nd and 5th rounder.

Sean Payton's persistence finally won out. The New Orleans Saints acquired Jeremy Shockey for a second- and a fifth-round draft pick in 2009, a source confirmed Monday. The Saints had been trying since February to acquire the disgruntled New York Giants tight end. First, they offered a second-round pick. Before the draft, they increased the offer to a second- and a fifth-round draft choice, but the Giants felt he was too valuable to lose until a few days before the start of their training camp.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3498795

Raider Struggles Since 2002

Raider76 — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 04:44:22 -0000

Ever since our crushing defeat in Super Bowl XXXVII against the Bucs the Raiders have not been the same. We have been on a decline since. One of the major reason I feel is our inability to build via the draft. Going into 02' season the Raiders Jerry Rice was on his 18th season, Rich Gannon his 15th, Tim Brown in his 15th and our LT Lincoln Kennedy his 10th. We still managed to go to the Super Bowl that season on old legs. Lost in all this was our inability to draft suitable backups. I have pulled out the Raiders Draft starting at 2000 the year we drafted Porter so we can see what we have done. I didn't include this years class because they have yet to go through a full season.

2000
1. Sebastian Janikowski, K, Florida State
2. Jerry Porter, WR, West Virginia
4. Junior Ioane, DT, Arizona State
5. Shane Lechler, P, Texas A&M
7a. Mondriel Fulcher, TE, Miami (Fla.)
7b. Cliffton Black, DB, S.W. Texas State

2001
1. Derrick Gibson, S, Florida State
2. Marques Tuiasosopo, QB Washington
3. DeLawrence Grant, DE, Oregon State
5. Raymond Perryman, S, Northern Arizona
6. Chris Cooper, DE, Nebraska-Omaha
7a. Derek Combs, RB, Ohio State
7b. Ken-Yon Rambo, WR, Ohio State

2002
1a. Phillip Buchanon, CB, Miami, Fla.
1b. Napoleon Harris, LB, Northwestern
2a. Langston Walker, OL, California
2b. Doug Jolley, TE, BYU
5. Kenyon Coleman, DE, UCLA
6a. Keyon Nash, DB, Albany State (Ga.)
6b. Larry Ned, RB, San Diego State
7. Ronald Curry, QB, North Carolina

2003
1a. Nnamdi Asomugha, CB, California
1b. Tyler Brayton, DE, Colorado
2. Teyo Johnson, TE, Stanford
3a. Sam Williams, DE, Fresno State
3b. Justin Fargas, RB, USC
4. Shurron Pierson, LB, South Florida
5. Doug Gabriel, WR, Central Florida
6. Dustin Rykert, T, BYU
7a. Sideeq Shabazz, S, New Mexico State
7b. Ryan Hoag, WR Gustavus Adolphus

2004
1. Robert Gallery, OT, Iowa
2. Jake Grove, C, Virginia Tech
3. Stuart Schweigert, S, Purdue
4. Carlos Francis, WR, Texas Tech
5. Johnnie Morant, WR, Syracuse
6a. Shawn Johnson, DE, Delaware
6b. Cody Spencer, LB, North Texas
7a. Courtney Anderson, TE, San Jose State

2005
1. Fabian Washington, CB, Nebraska
2. Stanford Routt, CB, Houston
3a. Andrew Walter, QB, Arizona State
3b. Kirk Morrison, LB, San Diego State
6a. Anttaj Hawthorne, DT, Wisconsin
6b. Ryan Riddle, LB, California
6c. Pete McMahon, OT, Iowa

2006
1. Michael Huff, S, Texas
2. Thomas Howard, LB, Texas-El Paso
3. Paul McQuistan, OL, Weber State
4. Darnell Bing, S, USC
6. Kevin Boothe, OL, Cornell
7a. Chris Morris, C, Michigan State
7b. Kevin McMahan, WR, Maine

2007
1. JaMarcus Russell, QB, LSU
2. Zach Miller, TE, Arizona State
3a. Quentin Moses, DE, Georgia
3b. Mario Henderson, OL, Florida State
3c. Johnnie Lee Higgins, WR, UTEP
4a. Michael Bush, RB, Louisville
4b. John Bowie, CB, Cincinnati
5a. Jay Richardson, DE, Ohio State
5b. Eric Frampton, S, Washington State
6. Oren O'Neal, FB, Arkansas State
7. Jonathan Holland, WR, Louisiana Tech

Since 2000 we have drafted 4 QB's, 9 WR's , and 9 OL.

QB's-

Marques Tuiasosopo- Has been a career backup in Oakland and his one year with the Jet's. Never stood out in the games he got to play in.

Ronald Curry- Drafted as a QB he converted to WR to make the practice squad and he has shown flashes of greatness at times. A solid WR

Andrew Walter- Can't say he was a horrible quarterback because this kid never got a fair chance. Behind our terrible O-Line he was a punching bag for defenses. Who knows how he could've developed behind a solid O-Line.

JaMarcus Russell- He is our Franchise Quarterback. What we have in him time will tell. He has a tremendous upside but several factors play into his development. The run game and our O-line. If our run game is better than last year we can slowly bring him along.

WR's-

I will only state a few because there are too many to list.

Jerry Porter- Easily the most productive WR that we have drafted during this period. He was a strong athletic reciever who played well at times but mostly underachieved during his time with the Raiders. We'll wait to see what he does in Jacksonville.

Doug Gabriel- Had some productive years with the Raiders with 04' being his most productive. He's had two stints with the Raiders,one with the Patriots and he had signed with the Bengals on April 8, 2008. He was released by the team on May 29.

Jonathan Holland- It looks like the writing is on the wall for him. He will most likely be a practice squad player.

Johnnie Lee Higgins- The jury is still out on this kid. He had a dissapointing rookie year. Reports said he looked good at times in camp catching everything thrown to him and then next day he couldn't catch a cold. He has to prove himself this year or don't expect to see him come next season.

OL-

Robert Gallery- This guy came into the league with plenty of fanfare. He quickly proved to be a bust at the Tackle position. Part of his problem was he was inconsistent with his hand technique, he remains too upright in his stance, he's more of a catcher than a striker and that his arms are too short. He has found success at guard and with another solid year he can shed that bust label.

Paul McQuistan- Stepped up big time when Cornell Green went down. The Raiders then went three games without a sack. He is a good pickup seeing as he can play either position guard or tackle. For now he will back up Gallery or Carlisle but don't be surprised to see him take the RT spot from Green or Henderson.

Langston Walker- I was disappointed to see him leave. He was a good tackle who definately would've fit in with our new system. He is now with the Bills and part of an offensive line that allowed only 26 sacks, the fewest allowed by Buffalo since sacks became an official NFL statistic in 1982.

Jake Grove- He has not yet lived up to the expectations placed upon him as the second round pick in 2004. The knock on him is that he's athletic and gritty but lacks power. Most likely will see back up duty.

Kevin Boothe- Played in a few games for the but was cut by the start of the 07' season. He hatched on to the Giants but didn't play(at least he has a ring).

Chris Morris- Has been mostly a practice squad player who is in the mix for the C position.

Mario Henderson- Kiffin himself said this of Mario "he continues to have issues surrounding his physicality and passion for the game. 'There was a lot of ability there when we picked him,' Kiffin said of Henderson. 'There were some questions about how physical he was, about his passion for the game, for the position, so we’re trying to improve that.' Kiffin added, 'Pads will be big for Mario. Mario’s got a lot of tools but he needs to become a physical player. To play on this line, we want physical guys and so that’s where Mario is going to have to really grow.

As you can see we have not had much success in our past drafts. This is one of my reasons why the Raiders have been bad these past years. I would like to get your thoughts as to why the Raiders have struggled.

(Sorry for the spaces but I couldn't get it to work properly without them)

NFC Predictions Updated

KA1Z3R — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 15:05:12 -0000

Same deal as the AFC, but this one has the Super Bowl bundled with it.

NFC East-

1. Cowboys- Quite honestly, the Cowboys look to be the best team in the NFC this year. Romo's coming off another good season. Owens, Crayton, and a non-injured Glenn gives him an outstanding receiver corps. Barber and Jones should give Dallas a good one-two punch run attack. Witten is one of the best TE in the league. The Cowboys have a fairly solid O-Line. It'll be hard for anyone to get past it. The Boys have a fairly average D-Line and is their biggest weakness on defense. Ware, Thomas, and Ellis make up a very good LB unit. Dallas has a great secondary this year. If Jones can stay out of trouble, he could have a great turn-around season. With Newman, Jones, and Henry; the Boys will have a top-10 secondary. Hamlin's coming the best season of his career. The Cowboys are the team to beat this year. Record: 14-2

2. Giants- The Giants just barely edge the Eagles for second in the division. It'll be interesting to see which Eli the Giants get. The Eli that plays average football, or the Eli that plays amazing football in the postseason. Burress, Toomer, and Manningham should give Manning plenty of targets. The Giants had a good rushing attack last year, and look to be even better. New York has a pretty good O-line, but not great. It'll be interesting to see how the Giants pass rush will do without Strahan. Osi should be just as good this year. Kiwanuka and Pierce are pretty good LB. Madison and Ross will make up an okay corner unit. The thing that strikes me about New York's secondary, it's just good enough. Not great, just good enough to get the job done. Phillips and Knight should give the Giants some good safeties. Record: 11-5; Wild Card

3. Eagles- The Eagles will be fun to watch this year. If McNabb is healthy, the Eagles will have a very good passing game. Curtis, Brown, and Jackson will combine to form an elite group. Philadelphia has an alright O-Line. Westbrook is one of my favorite RB. I like to watch him because he can do everything. Westbrook will be an elite back if he can stay healthy. Clemons and Cole from a solid pass rush. Laws was a DT who I have seen play on many occasions. He should play well, but not great. I was checking the Eagles roster, and Spikes isn't on there anymore. Someone tell me if he got released. Samuel and Sheppard should be an outstanding corner group. Dawkins is still one of the best safeties. The Eagles season will be determined by who gets injured win. Record: 9-7; Wild Card

4. Redskins- The Redskins are a good team, but they're the worst in the division. I was very impressed with their draft however. Campbell (or Todd Collins) has plenty of receivers with moss, Randle El, Kelly, Thomas, Davis, and Cooley. The Skins should be a very good passing team this year. Their O-line looks to be pretty good this year. Portis is getting on in years but shows no signs of slowing down. He's coming off a good year and looks to be a surprise back this season (fantasy football people may want to get him) Washington has a fairly weak D-Line, and they didn't do much to improve it. Teams will knife through it like butter. The LB really need to step up to be successful this year. Marcus Washington's coming off a 5 sack season, you may want to watch him. London Fletcher is also coming off a good year with three picks and leading the team in tackles. If they perform as well as they did last year, they should be even better. The Skins' secondary didn't perform well last year, but they have the talent to. It'll be interesting to see how they do. Stu will make them worse though. Poor tackling and average cover skills aren't good for replacing Taylor. It's up to Landry to be the head safety. Record: 7-9

NFC North-

1. Vikings- This is Minnesota's year. Peterson should be playing at an even higher level after coming off an outstanding rookie year. Unless Jackson steps his game up, or Booty beats him out for the job, the pass attack for the Vikings will be a little shaky. Jackson showed signs of being a good QB last year, but his bad games overshadowed his good games. Who knows, maybe Favre will step in. (don't count on it) Berrian won't be spectacular and Rice already he showed he's pretty average. Vikings have a pretty elite O-line. It'll be hard for teams to get a good force going against it. Minnesota's D-Line is equally good. Allen gives a good pass rush to the interior run stopping force of the Williams duo. The Vikings also have some pretty good LB. Minnesota's corners weren't very good last year. They have the potential, and it'll be interesting to see how they'll play. Williams and Sharper should combine to be a good pair safeties. Record: 11-5

2. Packers- I think Rodgers will be a good QB. Not elite, just good. He has some pretty good receivers to work with. Driver, Jennings, and Nelson make up a still-elite receiver corps. Grant is coming off a surprisingly good season. He should be even better with a full season and a great O-Line. The Packers bring a tough defense to go with this offense. KGB and Kampman are an outstanding pass rush. Barnett, Chillar, and Hawk from Green Bay's elite LB corps. The Packers' aging corners could prove a problem. Harris is still great, but Woodson ain't what he used to be. Bigby's coming off a big year. The Packers will be a little shaky this year because of Rodger, but they'll be back in the playoffs next year. Record: 8-8

3. Lions- The Lions look to be the Browns of this year in the sense that all their games will be pure shootouts. Kitna is still a pretty good QB, and now some of the pressure's being taken off of him. Kevin Smith, in my opinion, was one of the gems of the draft. I think Smith really has the potential to be great in this league. Williams, Johnson, and Furrey are still together, and are a force to be reckoned with. Of course, they're useless without a sturdy O-Line. Which I have some doubts about. They have the potential to be good, but they just can't seem to meld together. Detroit has a notoriously weak defense, and that doesn't look to change that much this year. Their D-Line is full of nobodies who haven't accomplished much of anything. They got rid of their lines two strongest members. Now that Edwards is with the Raiders and Rogers with the Browns. Sims is a pretty good LB in the league. Dizon should be a nice addition to this LB corps. Bodden is a great move by the lions to strengthen this secondary. Leigh had a good season for Cleveland. Smith is also a good addition to this secondary. Record: 7-9

Will finish later

Brett Favre

Raider76 — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 22:41:26 -0000

Brett Favre asked to be released from the Packers today. This is big news for the NFC North and the NFL. Their are several teams that need a quarterback of his caliber. Personally me being a Cal Bears fan I'm glad Brett isn't going back to the Pack because that would further stump Aaron Rodgers' development. Let's hope he gets traded quick so ESPN can stop talking about him. (They probably still will).

Let the lovefest continue

Check out the article here:

Lamont Jordan to Detroit?

Raider76 — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 18:09:20 -0000

In it's about damn time news. It looks like the Lions have shown some interest in Jordan. Hopefully with him gone we can free up space to sign Nnamdi Asomugha. Hopefully we will get a draft pick out of this. Curious to know what everyone thinks is his worth. They are trying to get a sixth or seventh rounder for him. Better to get something for him now instead of having to dump him and getting nothing in return.

LA Raiders Silver and Black Attack video

SandyT — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 18:00:41 -0000

I realize this is not a "selling" forum and in the great scheme of things, probably not on the same level as world peace or a cure for cancer, but to Raider fans everywhere it's pretty close. Someone appropriated my son's Silver and Black Attack video that he has had since 1986 (and they say nothing lasts anymore) and I would like to replace it for him. The problem is I can't find any place that sells it anymore. - not on or off the web. Does anyone have any idea about where I might find a copy? And if so, could you let me know? Thanks.

AFC Predictions Finished

KA1Z3R — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 21:32:53 -0000

I decided to post my NFL predictions for this year. I'll detail certain player expectations and what to expect from teams this season.

AFC East

1. Pats- It's no secret that the Pats will lead this division again. Until Brady leaves, we can expect this. Moss and Brady will still be amazing. But moss won't be as good as last year. Defenses have learned how to cover him, and he's at the point where age doesn't improve your game. The Patriots will have a better running attack than most think. Maroney's a legitimate back. The defense will suffer a lot this year. They're too old and the older you are, the more injury prone you are. Record: 12-4.

2. Bills- The Bills aren't pushovers. They're a fairly good team who should have won some games last year. They still have the advantage in late November and December. If Losman's their QB, they'll struggle more than if they had Edwards. I just think Trent's the better option, but we'll see once training camp rolls around. Evans is an elite receiver and Lynch will be a top-10 back. The Bills D still has some issues. They should be better from their woeful play last year, but not by much. The bills are a team to watch fro this season. Record: 8-8.

3. Jets- The Jets aren't vastly improved from last year. Whoever their QB is will have plenty of weapons with Bubba Franks, Sam Baker, Coles, and Cotchery. If the O-line plays good, they'll be a fierce pass attack. Jones is still a good back, and I think he'll do slightly better this year. The Jets lost a key defensive player in Vilma, and that will hurt a bit. But they got Gholston, so they should be a slightly improved pass rush. The Jets will only be slightly better this year. Record: 6-10

4. Dolphins- The Fins are still far from winning this division, and will probably still be a high draft team. If McCown starts, they'll be awful, if Henne starts, they'll be better. Long will add a good leader to this weak O-Line. Other than Ginn, (and maybe Booker, someone said he's not on roster anymore) they have no good receivers at all. Ronnie Brown's still a great back. He'll give them a decent run attack if he's healthy. their defense is also in a slump. Taylor won't make this entire defense like everyone seems to think. Porter is still elite and will be a force. Their secondary is below average at best. This team isn't very improved. Record: 3-13

AFC North-

1. Steelers- The Steelers are still the best team in this division. But they'll face a tough Browns team for the lead. Either way, they'll make the playoffs. Big Ben is still a little shaky leaving me to think the 06 win over him wasn't a fluke. Ward is aging, but is still elite. Holmes is a great #2 option and Sweed will strengthen this group even more. Medenhall and Parker will form a very good RB corps that will give Pittsburgh a sturdy run offense. This team didn't do much to improve their woeful O-line. I think they'll still be a weak group, but not as bad as last year. Pittsburgh is still one of the toughest defensive teams out there. They have one of the best front sevens out there. The pressure it creates masks the lack luster CB. If Polamalu isn't injured, he'll remain one of the best safeties out there. Record: 12-4.

2. Browns- Cleveland looks to be one of the most dynamic teams this year. Their offense is loaded with talent. Anderson will have another great year behind a solid O-Line and great receivers like Winslow, Jurevicius, Edwards, and Stallworth. Lewis isn't the back he once was and will continue his steady decline this year. Cleveland ranks as one of my top offenses (8th.) Defensively, they're improved form their weak group last year. Rogers is an elite DT and adds a good run stopper in a division loaded with good backs. The Browns have a fairly solid LB unit. McGinest is still a pretty good LB. Unfortunately, their secondary is fairly average. Record: 11-5; Wild Card

3. Bengals- The Bengals are one of the top offenses I've seen. T.J. and Johnson are still great receivers for Palmer. Rudi Johnson is a great back who will thrive behind this O-line. Look for the Bengals to remain a top-10 offense. The Bengals improved their awful defense. Pat Sims was one of the top DT in the draft and Rivers was the best OLB. These two will make a big impact on this D. Odom give this team a great pass rusher. Joesph and O' Neal are underrated corners whom I think are great. The Bengals are going to be better than last year. Record: 8-8

4. Ravens- The Ravens are still a struggling team. With uncertainty at QB, this team is in for a long season. The receiving options are decent with Clayton and Heap. McGahee is a good back, but he's quickly losing his edge. So enters Ray Rice. A great rookie back who brings a lot to the table. Their O-Line lost a great player in Ogden. The Ravens will still have a woeful offense. On defense, Baltimore has the same problems as the Patriots. Too much age. Lewis and Reed should still be good, but the rest of the players are going to be run over by the youthful talent on the other teams in the division. McAllister is still a good corner and I think he'll manage a good season. Baltimore is going south right now. Record: 4-12

AFC South-

1. Colts- The Colts are still the best team in the south. Manning will still have Wayne and Harrison. Gonzales had a good rookie season and Clark is still one of the best receiving ends out there. Addai isn't this amazing rusher everyone thinks he is. To me this RB stands for receiving back. That's why they got Mike Hart in the steal of the draft. Hart will add the rushing element this team needs. Indianapolis still has probably the best O-line in the NFL. Barring injury, Freeney will have a good season. The Colts have a decent LB corps. Their secondary is pretty good. Sanders is still the leader of group. He's still one of the best safeties I've seen. Bethea is almost as good. The Colts are still one of the dominant teams out there. Record: 13-3

2. Jaguars- Jacksonville is a team to watch for this year. Taylor and Jones-Drew are still an elite tandem. Garrard should be just as good as last year. He has plenty of weapons, but all are average or slightly above. The Jags O-line is very good, especially with the run. The Jags defense will still be as elite as ever this year. Paul Spicer and Harvey will combine to be a fairly good pass rush. The loss of Stroud will be a major factor. Henderson is still there and is still a force. Jacksonville's LB corps is fairly solid, but not fantastic. Mathis is still an lite corner in my mind, despite a rather weak season. The rest of the Jags' corners are fairly average. They get the job done, but aren't really flashy. Reggie Nelson had a great season last year and looks to be even better this year. Record: 11-5; Wild Card

3. Titans- I still think the Titans are better than the Texans. Vince had a shaky year but should be better this year. gage and Williams still look to be the starters this year. Alge Crumpler gives him another weapon, and a good one at that. Crumpler is a great red zone threat and blocker. White will be a great back this year and someone that will be fun to watch. Chris Johnson will add some relief and a good backup. Haynesworth will still be an elite DT this season. Kearse and Vanden Bosch give an outstanding edge rush. Tennessee has some of the best LB in the game. Running on the Titans is going to be very difficult. Their secondary will be pushed around by the elite receivers in the division. Record: 8-8

4. Texans- I just don't think the Texans have been very improved from last year. Schaub is an okay QB, but not great. Andre Johnson, barring injury, will have an amazing year. Unfortunately, they lack a quality receiver to line up beside him. Green is quickly losing talent, but Slaton will help with that. Slaton is a good refresher back who can do a lot of things. Houston had one of the vest O-Lines last year. But I just don't think it'll be as good as last year. They have a young front seven with some great potential. Their LB are a solid group. Okoye should have an even better year than his stellar rookie year. Houston's secondary is just as weak as Tennessee's. They'll have some problems this year. Record: 7-9

AFC West-

1. Chargers- San Diego is still the best team in this division. Rivers finally has plenty of receivers to throw to. Chambers and Jackson give him a good starting cast. Gates is the best TE in the league and is still a major threat. This is probably where LT will start to peak. After this year, his numbers should start to go down. The Chargers have one of the best O-lines you can find. Teams will have trouble getting any pressure, and will be dealing with a lot of pressure. San Diego also has one the best front sevens in the league. Merriman is still a big force and is still doing his "Lights Out" dance. They still possess a good secondary. I don't think Cromartie will quite the numbers he had last season, but he'll still be a great corner. I think the Chargers and colts are the teams to beat this season. Record: 13-3.

2. Raiders- The Raiders are finally picking themselves off the bottom of the division. Russell has more receivers than last year's awful cast to work with. If Walker stays injury-free, he'll be primed for a good year. Curry and Carter are underrated threats who will get some good numbers this season. Griffith and RB are good receivers underneath. Miller is emerging as one of the best young TE you can find. The RB corps will place in the top-5 with this O-Line and the talent it possesses. Unfortunately, this O-Line has a lot of question marks in pass protection. Oakland has an okay D-Line. They should fair well against the pass, but the run is still questionable at best. The Law Firm will have great numbers with QB avoiding Hall and Asomugha. Oakland has an outstanding secondary and should place in the top-10. Record: 9-7

3. Broncos- Denver has lost some of it's edge. Cutler is still a good QB, but he doesn't have a dominant receiver to work with. Marshall will be above average at best, while Royal will put up average numbers. Graham is a good TE and Denver's O-line is very talented. Losing Henry was big, and now they lack a good RB. Zone blocking still needs a talented back to be a big weapon. Their defense is facing some issues. There's not many dominant players on it. D.J Williams had a good season and should be even better this year. Newly added Boss Bailey will add some speed to the LB. Bailey and Bly are great corners, that is man-to-man corners. As zone corners, they're fairly lacking. McCree adds much needed talent to their safeties. Lynch ain't what he used to be, and isn't guaranteed to be starter. This light the flame that Lynch to step his game up, or fill his spot with young players with a lot of potential. Record: 6-10

4. Chiefs- The Chiefs are going nowhere fast. They did an excellent job in the draft, but the rookies won't have an impact for 3 or 4 years. While there are questions as to who the starter will be at QB, the team is being built around Croyle. He showed some potential but was fairly unimpressive. Gonzales is still an elite TE, and Bowe will be even better this year, but they're pointless if Croyle doesn't have the time to throw to them. Albert won't solidify this line by himself. There is some talent on this line, but it's still in need of improvement. Larry Johnson is still one of the best backs you can find, but until this line gets better, he won't put up numbers like he did in 06. With Allen gone, Kansas City lacks an edge rush. So enters Dorsey. If he can stay healthy, he'll be a dangerous weapon for this defense. Donnie Edwards is a great LB and is the leader of this defense. Surtain isn't what he once was, he's getting old. So enters Flowers. I think Flowers can come in and put up numbers very quickly. Don't underestimate Surtain and Flowers this year. The LB corps still needs some work, as does the D-Line. Record: 4-12.

AFC Seeds:

1. Chargers-13-3

2. Colts-13-3

3. Patriots-12-4

4. Steelers-12-4

5. Jaguars-11-5

6. Browns-11-5

AFC Playoff Bracket:

Wild Card Round:

Game 1: Jaguars vs. Steelers

Yes for the second year in a row. Both of these smashmouth football teams will be in for a long game. Big Ben will have trouble with so much pressure in his face. The Jags' run game will have some difficulty getting through the Steelers' front seven. Overall, the Steelers are the better team in my book. But they have difficulty playing the Jags and lose this game in a close one. Ben will force too many mistakes sealing Jacksonville's 27-23 victory.

Game 2: Patriots vs. Browns

Both teams bring amazing passing games and weak secondaries to the table. This is going to be a very high scoring game. Brady and Moss will hook up several times, but a halftime adjustment by the Browns messes with their connections. Anderson's weapons should have no trouble getting through the Pats' senior citizen squad. The Pats have a slightly better offense, but the Browns defense is the superior of the two by a long shot. The Browns win with a score of 42-33.

Divisional Round:

Game 1: Jaguars vs. Chargers

The Chargers' front seven will have their hands full with the Jaguars. As will the Jags' with the Chargers. Expect a low scoring game. The Chargers have a more complete offense and defense. But the Jags are great at whipping out wins out of nowhere. Jacksonville will have virtually no passing game with their average receivers. The Chargers however, will pass effectively. Barring injury, this game is the Chargers with a score of 24-17.

Game 2: Browns vs. Colts

This is virtually the same thing as the Pats game except for one key factor. The Colts' D is young. Cleveland will have a rough game with the Colts pass rush. The Colts offense won't be a walk in the park either. I think this is another shootout. But ultimately, the Colts have the better defense and win this game with a score of 38-24.

AFC Championship Game:

Game 1: Chargers vs. Colts

This is going to be the best game of the playoffs. A repeat of last year's division round, only I don't think Harrison will make as many mistakes as last year. The Chargers secondary will struggle against the Colts healthy receiver corps. Same can be said for Indianapolis. Neither teams' running attack will get very much yardage. These teams are very evenly matched but the Colts are off to the Super Bowl once more after winning 27-17.

I've decided to put the NFC in a separate post. Hope you've had fun. Until then, bye!

Chris Henry Pros and Cons

KA1Z3R — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 15:05:35 -0000

punisher and I have been going back and forth about the Chris Henry to the Raiders possibility. I personally don't want it, but there are good things about the move if were to happen. Just to make sure we're all clear, CHRIS HENRY HAS NOT SIGNED WITH THE RAIDERS AND THIS IS JUST TO SEE IF IT WOULD BE A GOOD MOVE OR NOT.

Pros:

Henry is a good speed threat very similar to Carter. He would be a great playmaker on the roster and solid backup should one of our injury prone receivers go down. He's used to playing third fiddle, so he won't be demanding significant play time. As punisher pointed out, we could sign him to the minimum salary because no teams are really interested. He'd rather make some money this year, than none at all. Apparently the charges against him are no longer an issue, so he shouldn't be suspended this year. He adds good competition to the receiving corps (even though there's plenty already) Henry would give us another good option giving us a loaded receiving corps similar to last year's Pats. We could use him as a returner, adding a much needed fire in the camp battle.

Cons:

We have enough character issues on roster as is. Walker just went through an episode, Hall has yet to reassure me that he won't be a distraction, and then there's Henry should he sign on. Having so many troubled players on roster, never ends well. There's the chance that Henry wants big money this year and may not want just the minimum. In this case, the deal can't be done because we still need to sign Asomugha and the rookies who make it through camp. As I previously mentioned, Henry is a great speed threat like Carter, but he struggles catching the ball at times. He's been inconsistent his whole career with hauling the passes in. Using him as a returner makes the Branch drafting useless.

So I guess, that the Henry pros out beat the cons, but I personally don't think we should. Sign Nnamdi long-term first. Then if you have enough leftover (of course after releasing Jordan) go right ahead. I actually think signing Thurman would be better (but I think he already signed somewhere, tell me if I'm wrong). Thurman would solidify the LB corps.

Waiting for training camp,

KA1Z3R

Raiders Fantasy Depth Chart Summary

NYCowboy — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 16:30:05 -0000

The Oakland Raiders have a few new bodies dressed in silver and black this season, including the most intriguing player for this season's drafts.

OAKLAND RAIDERS FANTASY DEPTH CHART

Key:
PTR = Position Tier Rank. This is the tier level where the player should be slotted in drafts,
1 = Elite Player
2 = Solid performer
3 = Backend starter/Bench fill-in
4 = Roster filler or long term prospect
0 = No value
ITR = In The Rotation
PB = Position Battle
S = Starter

QB                                    PTR
JaMarcus Russell - S            3
Andrew Walter                    0
Summary: Russell has the physical attributes to be a multi-threat fantasy player at 6-6, 255 lbs. He showed flashes of why he was the #1 overall pick in limited time last season, but he should be drafted only after you've secured a more proven quarterback.

Read the full depth chart article here at The Fantasy Sports Forum

Walter/Tuiasosopo: Which is better?

KA1Z3R — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 14:28:43 -0000

A lot of people have said that the backup QB spot is still a need. Others say that it's not that big of a deal. I agree with those that say it's a need. Both Walter and Tui have had troubled careers, but as Kiffin says, "everyone has a fresh start". So just which of these two is better qualified to be Russell's backup?

1. Awareness- QB's have to be aware of everything that's going on during a play. They have to know who's open, where's the pressure, are the blockers doing their jobs, where's the go to guy, so on and so forth. Both lack this. Walter may only appear that way. The 06 line is going to be major factor as we continue. That line never gave him a chance to ask all the questions and get the throw off. But at times, Walter just had his eyes on one spot the entire play, even on the rare occasions he could have thrown it. Tui however, also has difficulty. He never asks the questions and just throws it out there. This had lead all of his interceptions in the past. Kiffin says he's getting better in this aspect, so I'll trust him. I give this to Tui. Kiff says he's getting better and Walter, from Jerry McDonald's reports, is having a lot of difficulty here.

2. Mobility- In this system, you have to be mobile. No exceptions. Walter lacks mobility. In fact, he has almost none. But mobility has two meanings in the NFL. Mobility means the ability to run for a gain, and to move around in the backfield to avoid the rush. Walter fairs better in the second meaning, but Tui is still superior. Tui is even faster than Russell, in my opinion. But in many instances, he just runs without even trying to pass. Tui wins this category as well.

3. Arm Strength- This is what Walter was drafted for. To bring a strong arm to the team back in the Collins days. I think he has the second strongest arm on roster. Tui has a fairly good arm, but no where near as good as Walter's. Walter gets his first win.

4. Accuracy- Both QB have some difficulty here. But Walter often just threw it away more than throwing to an actual receiver. Tui can throw quick short passes (what Russell's been working on in camp) Walter has surprisingly good accuracy on deep passes. He just needs to learn how to throw those quick short passes. This is about a tie. But I'll give this to Walter.

5. Decision Making- There couldn't be a worse category for these two. Both have had very bad careers in the ways of INT. Walter had less time to make his decisions than Tui. But Tui was always trying to run the ball on every play. But as I previously stated, Tui's been working on this in OTAs. Walter probably is pretty good in this area, it's just I have no proof of it. 3 TD to 13 INT aren't goo numbers. But then again, you have to blame that O-line once again. Unfortunately, until I see proof, Marques wins another one.

6. System fit- Look, we need a QB who can rollout effectively, and make some plays with his feet. Tui wins here. But we need a QB who can make deep passes with some short and medium ability. Walter takes the cake here. We need a QB who can make quick decisions that don't lead to turnovers. Both are bad, but Tui is better. Tui gets this section.

So overall, Marques Tuiasosopo is the more qualified backup with a 4-2 score. But I think Walter is the better QB overall. If we traded him to team in need of a backup. We could get a decent pick for him. If this team has a more solid O-Line than we have, and better receiver talent than Walter had in 06; Walter could be a good QB in the league in a couple of years. If the Ravens didn't already have plenty of QB, he could wind up a good player there. I think Walter will be traded next offseason, and Tui will get the permanent backup spot. But if we sign say Culpepper, Dilfer, or Rattay (who I hear has been signed to a team already, someone get back to me on that) they would get the backup spot. Until then, cheers to Tuiasosopo.

Patriot Ineptitude buoyed by terrible call

raiduz77 — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 15:34:22 -0000

I remember where I was...........AT THE GAME with my son. He had his white Jerry Rice jersey on and I had a black Charles Woodson jersey on. Some coward Pats fan had poured some hot chocolate on the back of my son's jersey during the game (we didn't notice until the game was over) and he was lucky that we didn't know about it until after the game because I'm sure that my son had a Jack Tatum type hit in him for the coward if he'd been caught. Anyway..........to all of the recently (geologically speaking) just climbed out from under their wet rock pats fans ( who have all seemed to have crawled back under their wet rocks since the GIANTS win), look at the first Super Bowl win for the Pats. I think the Raiders would have to attain about 15 more years of ineptitude to reach the standard of ineptitude attained by the Pats of having been in the league some 40 years before winning the title.

Signed A RAIDER FAN FOR LIFE

raiduz77

Morrison/Howard: Just which is better?

KA1Z3R — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 14:26:26 -0000

Happy July 4th. to all. Today I jump-start a new series detailing different positions and players to decide, just which is better. Today I look at my favorite and third favorite players MLB Kirk Morrison and OLB Thomas Howard, respectively, to see what's the difference between the two, and which is better.

1. Size: You wouldn't believe it, but Howard is taller than Morrison. 6 ft 3 versus 6 ft 2. Both weigh the same at 240. In theory, Howard's height advantage gives him a slight edge in coverage. But really, this doesn't answer either of our questions.

2. Speed: Howard's the faster in my book. If he's able to keep up with D-Mac, than he's fast, especially for a LB. This will help in pass protection and chasing run plays. Howard's speed has got him 2 defensive touchdowns. Morrison is still fast for a LB, but Howard is superior in this category.

3. Strength: I give this one to Morrison. He's forced more fumbles (2 to 0) and has made more tackles for each year they've been together. Morrison has been regarded as one of the best sure tacklers at LB in the league.

4. Coverage: Both of these LB are some of the best sideline to sideline LB in the NFL. Both have six INT in their two year duo. But Howard met Morrison's six in just one season. In their two year tenure, Morrison's had 15 passes defended, while Howard's had 13. It's hard to tell which is better. I decided to give this to Howard because of the six INT in one year and his two defensive touchdowns on INT returns in one year. However, this was very close.

5. Run Stopping: Like I said before, Morrison is stronger, and the more fundamental tackler. But Howard has some speed on his side to make plays in the back field. however, Morrison has more tackles and forced fumbles in the two year togetherness. Another close one.

6. Pass Rush: Howard may be the faster man, but Morrison has more sacks (two to one) This mainly because Howard's the better cover man which leaves Morrison to rush the passer. So really, Howard hasn't had much chance to do much pass rushing. Unfortunately, Morrison gets this category.

Well that finishes it up. After counting it up, the count is three categories to three. But, I think the size one was a little silly, so Morrison wins. I counted the stats based on their two years of being together. So anything from Morrison's rookie year are meaningless. Both are formidable, but like I said, Morrison is the leader of the Law Firm.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY - BIG AL!!

TheRaiderWay — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 13:56:53 -0000

It's Al Davis's 79th birthday and I and I'm sure all of Raider Nation send our best wishes for a great birthday with many, many more to come. And thank you Al for doing your best to give us a 2008 team that we should all be excited about. It's time now for the Raiders to return to their years of glory and Al you are making it happen!

GO RAIDERS!!!

Underrated Wild Cards

KA1Z3R — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 14:12:30 -0000

Coming into the 08 season, we have some big name players. Teams know these people and will get a gameplan going on how to stop/get past them. But there's some hidden gems on the roster that teams might not give as much credit as they deserve.

1. Drew Carter- Carter has really been labeled average by fans and the league, but he's going to be one of our "secret weapons". He has a lot of speed and has really shown signs of greatness in OTA. Carter catches nicely and can get a lot of separation on the players he's matched up against. I don't think that there's many nickel corners out there who will matchup very well with him. The only one that I can think of is Routt, and he only has to go up against him in practice. I'm very excited about the Carter signing.

2. Justin Fargas- Everyone's probably saying, "what?" But it's true. I can even tell it by how much we don't speak of him. It's always Bush and McFadden. True it may be because they're exciting and new, but it's because they bring diffrent things to the table. Teams are going to be planning for the McFadden-Bush switch-er-roo. This will lead them to neglect Fargas. Many teams and fans think of him as more of a second-stringer, but he has starter talent. Fargas isn't as fast as Mcfadden, but he's seasoned and we know what to expect of him. Justin can break some tackles and make some moves. Justin's still my favorite back, and I still think the most formidable.

3. Justin Griffith- Griffith is a great fullback, but how often do teams plan for fullbacks unless it's Neal or the retired Strong. However, Griffith is a very good receiving fullback, and very underrated. Justin is an above average blocker (who's talents will be needed a lot) He does well catching passes underneath and out of the backfield similar to Miller and Bush/McFadden will this season. With opposing defenses dealing with our "stretch-the-field receivers", Griffith can make a lot of big plays on short passes. Look for Griffith to be a key part of this year's offense.

4. Michael Huff- Huff's always been underrated because he was out of position. But like he was pegged as bad by the league because of Stu, leading all to believe that all of our safeties were bad. Huff was and will be good. He's very fast and can tackle nicely. He'll see plenty of action with teams avoiding Hall and Nnamdi. I would expect him to get 6 or 7 interception.

5. Jay Richardson- Our opponents will be occupied with Burgess and Spires, they'll see Richardson as a minor threat. But he's working hard to develop a pass rush and is a proven run stopper. Kiffin says he's getting better everyday. I think Jay could develop into a great end. I expect him to end the season with 4 sacks, because Kiff will probably still use him on mostly run plays with limited action on pass downs.

6. Gerrard Warren- Everyone says he needs to be released, but Warren's my favorite DT on roster. He plays well against the run and showed his potential as a pass rusher last season finishing with 6 sacks and one safety. True he has some character problems, but I think that once the season starts, he should be fine. Teams will be preparing more for Kelly and Sands (if he's any good), leaving Warren to assert himself. Don't be surprised if Warren ends up taking Sands's job.

Waiting for preseason to roll around. 39 days left!

Madden 09 Ratings

Beastusmaximus — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 01:46:42 -0000

My Boi Kirk Morrison!!

The player ratings for 09 are out!!! I know some of you oldtimers are not that excited but every true madden fan "squiels" when hearing the new rosters are out

here are Da Rayduzz!!!

http://sports.ign.com/madden09/raiders.html

This are the highest ratings I've seen for the Raiders in recent memory, on paper we look like an above .500 team. Sadly Shane Lechler is still the highest rated Raider

Here the rest of the league if you are interested

http://ps3.ign.com/articles/882/882456p1.html

Interesting notes: Devin Hester is still at a Godly 100 speed rating and the Broncos are rated way worse than us

Raiders Opposition: Balitmore Ravens/Houston Texans FINISHED!

KA1Z3R — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 16:56:47 -0000

Well it's time to end the series with a double-header featuring both the Ravens and the Texans. I'll start off with the Ravens. Baltimore really tanked last season. In their second game against the Browns, they didn't manage a first down until late in the third. Almost every Baltimore game was a low-scorer. The Ravens are in the same predicament as the Patriots, their defense is extremely old. In fact, the Ravens have the oldest defense in the NFL. Hopefully we'll take advantage of this.

Offense: Like I said the Ravens are old. But they do still possess some talent. Their D-Line is full of some rather lack luster players. Ngata and Gregg still have skills against the run. As for the DE, they all had a shaky season. It's hard to tell how they'll be this season. We should dominate with quick outside runs. Lewis and Suggs are getting old but are still the leaders of this defense. They are serious threats. We could either avoid them, or run it right at them to wear them out. Both can also be forces in the pass rush. We may need an extra blocker to keep them in check. The Ravens have a great CB tandem in McAllister and Rolle. Both had bad seasons last year, but I think they'll be primed for a better one this year. Hopefully our speedy receivers will beat them out. However, our speedy receivers have to face off with former Raider, Fabian Washington. Washington will match our receivers step for step and will cause us some headaches. There's still one more major threat on this defense, Ed Reed. Reed's younger than most of the other defenders, and he had a good season last year with 7 INT. Our TE will have trouble getting open and if he doubles the receivers, then we're in for a wild ride. I think McFadden could have a good game, but the passing attack could have some trouble.

Defense: Our defense should fair better than our offense. Baltimore has a QB battle on their hands. Boller didn't do so hot last year, Smith showed signs of potential, and Flacco was a sleeper at QB in the draft. It's hard to tell who'll take the job, but all three are very similar. All of them are mobile and have strong arms. The Ravens have a good receiver in Derrik Mason. They also have veteran TE Todd Heap. our safeties need to watch him carefully. With Ogden retired, the Ravens O-Line has lost it's best player. But it's still a fairly solid unit. Couple this with two great RB in McGahee and Ray Rice, and the Ravens look to have a solid running attack. I think Rice will be very good at the NFL level and is great for splitting time with Willis and filling in for him if he gets injured. Our LB are key to stopping the run. I think the Raven backs can get past the D-Line most of the time because of RB talent, so our LB need to be alert. Their WR talent is lacking compared to our secondary, so we can beat this pass attack with ease.

Game: Raiders-17 Ravens-10. I think we have a chance, but I'm surprisingly a bit iffy. It depends on whether or not the Raven's defense plays like it did in 06 or 07.

Now on to Houston. The Texans had their best season in history last year going 8-8 making the AFC South the only division without a team with a losing record. The Texans struggled with injury a lot last year on offense. The Texans still have some talent on roster.

Offense: The Texans were the 24th. defense last year. But they do have some good players on the D-Line. Amobi Okoye had a good rookie season and Mario Williams finished with 14 sacks. An extra blocker wouldn't hurt here. However, Williams didn't do so well in 06 so it's hard to tell what kind of season he'll have. The Texans look to have one of the best LB corps next year with both Ryans and Greenwood coming off good seasons, and the new addition of Rosevelt Colvin will improve the group in the ways of pass protection. It's going to be hard to get a run attack going against this group. Luckily, Houston lacks much at CB. Robinson has had a slew of bad seasons, and there's not much else beside him. Russell is set for a good game here. Houston's safeties bring little to the pass protection table, but almost every safety on their roster forced a fumble. The passing attack will win us this game on offense, and the run game looks to have their work cut out for them.

Defense: Houston's offense is pretty good when healthy. Andre Johnson's still one of the NFL's best young receivers and Matt Schaub looked good when healthy. Amazingly, the Texans gave up only 22 sacks last year. I really hope the D-Line shows up with their game faces on. Other than Johnson, Houston lacks receiver talent. We should be able to take advantage of that. Owen Daniels is a very underrated TE who can catch very well and is a solid blocker. If Daniels gets free, we could have a real problem on our hands. Ahman Green is really old, and is really starting to show in his injuries and play quality. But the Texans drafted a RB who I've had the pleasure of watching several times; Steve Slaton. He's fast, athletic, and can break some tackles. The Texans really got a steal in the draft. However, this game is late in the season. I'm sure Green will have been injured by then, and I don't think Slaton can carry the full load. Even with Dayne. As long as we monitor Daniels and Johnson, force pressure, and don't let Slaton rip off big runs, we'll be fine.

Game: Raiders-23 Texans-13

Well that raps it up, thanks for everyone's support.

Special thanks go out to Laoren, who's a regular contributor and almost always the first to comment. I'd also like to thank everyone who read the series and those who encouraged me to keep it going. Peace out to the Nation.

Next on the KA1Z3R hit list, I await training camp and preseason to finally finish the Raiders Breakdown series of the final roster.

Raiders Opposition: New England Patriots

KA1Z3R — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 20:32:23 -0000

Well it's time for the New England Patriots. They went undefeated last year in the regular season, but later in the season they had some close calls. I think this game could be closer than most think.

Offense: It's no secret that the Pats defense is old. Very old. But they still have some real studs. Especially at D-Line and LB. Vince Wilfork is a good DT and Richard Seymour is still one of the elite DE out there; despite a crummy season last year. Ty Warren had a good season last year as well. We could use an extra TE to help with the line. Rookie Jerod Mayo will add a nice element to veterans Mike Vrabel and Tedy Bruschi. Bruschi is really starting to slow down a bit. I don't think he's the elite LB he once was. Vrabel however is still one of the best out there. But like I said, they're starting to slow down. I think our backs are fast enough to get past them. With both Asante Samuel and Randall Gay gone, the Pats don't have a dominant corner. Terrence Wheatly should be a fairly good corner. But I think we might get a passing attack going. Rodney Harrison and Tank Williams will most likely be the starting safeties. Williams has started to decline while Harrison is still doing alright. Harrison is getting very old and is not what he used to be. Miller should be able to get past him. Hopefully our young speedy offense will beat there aging battle-hardened defense.

Defense: We all know what the Pats did on offense last year. However, Moss didn't fair well against more elite corners (good for us) If our LB and safeties help out with him, we should be fine. Welker can't be taken lightly. He led the team in receptions and is a serious threat. Ben Watson is one of best receiving TE. Huff has to stick to him or he can get big yards underneath. Same goes for third-down RB Kevin Faulk. He was used as more of a receiving threat. This Pats O-line is one of the best I've ever seen. But they surprisingly don't fare well against the blitz. If we use a blitz, and Burgess is healthy, we could beat this line just as the Giants did. We can't deny that the Pats can run the ball effectively. Maroney can make some big plays. If Kelly and the LB watch for the run, he should be less of a threat. In the redzone, we have to watch for the Vrabel trick. If Vrabel lines up with the offense, we have to be ready for Brady to pass to him. Now I know, a lot of you are going to look back at my Giants comment. You'll say our D-Line isn't as good as their's. Well, you make a good point. But if we use a decent pass rusher like Warren at DT, and use both Burgess and Spires, we may have something like it.

Game: Raiders-24 Patriots-36

I'm currently debating on whether or not to do a double-header to finish the series with the Ravens and Texans both in one post, or do it separately. Only time will tell.

In case you all are wondering if I think the Pats will go undefeated again, I don't think so. I think the Pats will go 12-4. Teams are keying on how to beat them and that defense is just so old.

Raiders Opposition: Miami Dolphins

KA1Z3R — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 21:03:55 -0000

The Dolphins had a lot of problems last year, and they haven't really done much to improve. I still question why they got rid of Chris Chambers (one of their best players). The Dolphins should be just as much of a cakewalk as they were last year.

Offense: I'll hand it to the Dolphins, they look to have a decent D-Line. With Phillip Merling (a very good DE who I think was a steal in the second) and Jason Taylor (if he stays around) the fins could have a good edge rush. Vonnie holiday is ok at DT, but not great. The Dolphins really lack a good DT. If we run it up the middle and watch Taylor, this D-Line shouldn't give much of a threat. Other than Porter, the Dolphins lack a solid LB. The run game should be explosive. What's more, the passing game should be just as good. All of the Dolphins' would be nickel corners for other teams. Miami's safeties are all average or below. Our offense is going to run rough-shod over them.

Defense: Miami is in the middle of a heated QB battle. McClown showed some ability in Oakland, Beck held the fort last year, and Henne was one of the best QB in the draft last year. I honestly think Henne has a good shot. Both Beck and McClown were problematic last year. Henne is fresh and talented. Other than Long and Smiley, Miami's O-Line is a tad weak. Our edge rush should have an easy game. Long's good, but I don't think he's this year's Joe Thomas. Ronnie Brown is still a great back. We can't lolly-gag around when playing the run. As long as our linebackers are alert and not thinking of this as a guaranteed win, we'll be fine. They rarely ever do this anyway, just saying. With the departure of Chambers, the Dolphins are lacking at receiver. They still have Booker and they picked up Wilford form the Jags. Both are average and aren't big threats no matter who Miami has at QB. There is however, Ted Ginn Jr. He had a pretty good season and shouldn't be taken lightly. He's a speed threat and should be covered by Hall (as he's faster). As long as Brown and Ginn is taken into account, we're fine.

Game: Raiders-38 Dolphins-10. Big-time blowout.

We finish up the AFC East next with the Pats.