01-30-12 12:00 mid pac

Photo Thomas B. Shea / Getty Images                                                                                               DMC

Speculation runs rampant about the Oakland Raiders. Will new owner Mark Davis move the team? WIll new HC Dennis Allen go with a 3-4 D? Will Allen keep current OC Al Saunders? Will new GM Reggie McKenzie upgrade the guy who parks cars?!

Some questions may or may not get answered at todays press conference set for noon today but may have to be deciphered from the typically politically non commital double speak usually babbled at such media affairs but one question that won't be definitively answered even if asked is the fate of RB Darren McFadden.

There are several scenarios with varying degrees of probabilty but given the fact veteran Raider reporter Steve Corkran states even with a new owner and GM things have neither declined nor improved but have remained "status quo" when it comes to the media leads most to believe Oakland will play their McFadden cards close to the vest.

Heres a few scenarios we think have a higher probablity of becoming reality.

HE STAYS

Scenario one McFadden plays out his contract in Silver and Black.

Despite failing to complete and entire season in 4 yrs as a Pro ( McFadden missed the last 9 games of 2011 with a foot sprain some think is a Lisfranc injury) there is little doubt when healthy, Darren McFadden is the most complete, best running back in the National Football League.

On 6/5/2008  McFadden signed a six-year, $60 million contract. The deal contained $26 million guaranteed, including a $6.4 million "log" bonus and a second-year roster bonus of $5 million. In 2012 McFadden is slated to recieve $5.65 million, in 2013 $5,856,250, and in 2014, becomes a Free Agent. Thats if he plays out this contract with Oakland.

If he stays maybe new HC Dennis Allen can find a way to keep the 6-2, 220 lb speedster healthier by say, not bashing him up the middle as much and getting him out in space.

Just sayin'.

HE GOES

New GM Reggie McKenzie did say at his opening presser that he "likes his picks" and openly lamented the trade for Carson Palmer that cost Oakland this years 1st rounder and a possible 2nd round conditional pick the next.

Some have speculated that McFadden could be McKenzies best bargaining chip to gaining more picks to play with in the draft. Thats assuming teams are willing to risk their picks on a back so often injured.

With a trend toward passing (9 teams threw for over 4,000 yds last season) and cheaper running backs McFadden may be a harder sell than some realize especially for multiple picks.

Current speculation has DMCs trade value based around a mid 20 in the 1st round.

If Reggie thinks he can find a talent like the once or twice in a generation McFadden with that mid 20 selection hes still only getting another player as good as McFadden maybe and with a chance of an injury history too.

Staying with DMC seems like the best course of action at least through this year and by Gawd, people are going to see some matrix type stuff if Palmer and McFadden ever take the field together with Moore, Ford, Reece, Bey ect.

Thats right. We said IF...

HE RETIRES

Don't laugh.

Though McFadden was reportedly helping assistant coach RBs at this week ends Senior bowl there has been no green light or clean bill of health for the former Razorback since his injury.

We're simply saying, stranger things have happened.

If McFadden is unable to go again it leaves the Raiders in a lurch and calls in to question RB Michael Bush's status with the team.

If McKenzie is smart and wants to keep Bush (He should no matter what he does with McFadden) and McFaddens off the table, Bush theoretically becomes more valuable and is more likely to receive the franchise tag.

Of course if McFadden can no longer play it makes his trade value null and void leaving Oakland in a lurch with out trade bait or the all around best running back in the game. 

One of these scenarios seems more plausible than the others and which one we think it is may surprise you.

Whatever happens we wish Darren Mcfadden all the best and hope the new powers that be in Oakland make the right call.

01-19-11 12:00 am pac     

Someone mentioned on here McKenzie mabey sizing up the competition in how they might approach the Raiders and the rebuild.

Useful because you mine the brain trust for free and can use it against them later.

Genius if this is the case, but I've got a feeling McKenzie is letting his gut do the talking and his gut says Raider expense account mean steaky-wakey!

Either that or Davis and the Raiders have racked up a gah-jillion flyer miles goin' ta waste.

Combing the bottom of the deck for cast offs and potentials could mean a couple of things. Reggie Wedgie has balls the size of a Wall St. Banker and is ultra confident in his gift to sniff out talent or hes combing the depths for flotsam to warden over the oncoming painful rebuild.

Take your pick.

One or crazily enough BOTH of these scenarios could be the new Raider reality.

You thought things were weird with Al?

After what some have called "Cap'n Kangaroo's Happy Haunted Hullabloo press conference and All Star Jamberoo featuring: Chubby Checker, scratch that Ted, the man who ATE Chubby Checker!" (Okay, nobodies calling it that, but it was WEIRD.)

Who knows though? If properly disciplined and with the right mix of ball players and raw physical talent who can tell what can be achieved.

Bigger turn arounds have happened...

The course Oakland seems on  now is one of rebuild, that much is clear but how far we don't know and frankly, judging by the sheer volume of McKenzie's ever expanding "short list", neither does he.

It's always a wild ride following the Raiders and the 2012-2013 off, pre, regular and hopefully post season, promises no more stability than when Mr. Davis himself presided iron hand over his now rapidly morphing Silver and Black Empire.

Its pretty clear Mr. McKenzie has taken the helm and will bring the ship about 180.

That likely means drastic change. How drastic?

Reminded of the phrase:

"It became necessary to destroy the village in order to save it."

Infamously uttered by an American Major after the destruction of the Vietnamese Village of Ben-Tre.

Or, to paraphrase from the Nick Nolte / Eddie Murphy Comedy / Shoot em' up 48 Hours:

"Theres a new Sheriff in town. And his name be Reggie McKenzie..."

This new Sheriff is going to either fix all that has ailed Oakland lo' these long decades or prove, in the long run, that everyone elses way of doing things is no better than Al's and whole hell of a lot less entertaining and or infuriating.

01-16-12 9:36 am pac
              
Photo Kirby Lee / US Presswire                                                                                     GM Reggie McKenzie


There are two camps here at RNS headquarters and in the Raider Nation, those who love the decision to lay Al's infuriating Raider blue print to rest and those who are sad to see the end of an era.

Both sides will probably not like suffering through yet another rebuild.

The Raiders have always been one of the hardest organizations to comprehend because you never ever knew what they were going to do and their strength one season became their biggest weakness the next.

New GM Reggie McKenzie plans to bring stability to the Raiders by...destabilizing it.

At least in the beginning.

HC Hue Jackson was the first of many victims to come. It will be interesting to see how deep the blood purge goes but if some reporters are correct and this is a deeply personal move by a scorned son to destroy his fathers life work and legacy, the cuts could be deep indeed.

Though he arranged for several Raiders past to meet with and photo op Reggie McKenzie at his inagural presser, odds are some of those present that day may likely not be welcome at the facility next season.

Or at least not as much.

From what Reggie has said and from whom he shall interview, drastic change could be under way by the bay.

If McKenzie builds "Packers West" and guts the team, professional estimates suggest a 2 to 5 year window before the team could be competetive again.

That seems like a long time but if McKenzie guts the team to rebuild through the draft and or switches to a West Coast offense and a 3-4 defense some of those estimates seem generous but again, you never know.

A massive rebuild seems to be on order but whether its needed or not is another matter. Oakland was one game away from a Division title. Granted, it was a weak Division but loyal Oakland fans have been long suffering while waitng for a return to post season prominence.

Now, they could be facing more frustrating seasons on the outside looking in.

Funny thing is, when Mr. Davis passed, he'd assembled one of his most talented Raider rosters ever. Injuries, bad coaching and other factors derailed them but finally, they were a dangerous, competive unit. So why not keep this crew together, add a few missing peices and try for the title?

Mark Davis decided which direction he was taking the team long before the season ended without regard to fan base, his fathers legacy or the fact hes shopping for a new stadium the Raiders need to have "yesterday".

It would be an easier sell if his team was in the play offs or at least competitive.

A rebuild could hamper that especially since McKenzie has made it clear he "likes his picks" and bitched quite openly about the Carson Palmer trade, yet another reason McKenzie's selection and rebuild could mean a long road. Not neccessarily because Hue traded away the picks but because of what Reginald might do to try to re-claim them.

If the purge to make over Oakland to Reggie's liking goes the way we think it will players like Darren McFadden, Darrius Heyward Bey, Rolando McClain, Bruce Campbell even Carson Palmer and Richard Seymour could all be on the block.

McKenzie is a guy who likes to build through the draft and develop players.

No word on the length of McKenzie's contract but Davis Jr. has made it clear this is a long term deal and Mac has full authority and carte blanc to do whatever he wants.

This could work out in the long run and the Raiders will always have die hard fans but ultimately the utter destruction of all things Raider and more painful losing seasons in the interim could be more than many can bear.

Its already been 8 long, terrible years.

Mark and Mac could care less. The new era begins and it begins now.

For better, or for worse.

01-05-12 5:05 pm pac   

Photo / Getty Images                                                                                                            HC Hue Jackson

Surprise, surprise. Guess who else misses Mr. Davis?

With the long time Raider lightning rod and favorite punching bag out of the picture finally the medias short lived celebration has now turned to frustration.

Reporting on Oakland was easy when Davis was alive.

Call him a tyrant, ego maniac, irresponsible, mention penalties and...done.

Story turned in, on to write another ode to Tom Brady.

Now, writers who've never really had to follow Oakland or know much of anything other than what they've made up or cobbled off of lame stat sites are desperately searching for what to write about and more importantly, who to hate.

HC Hue Jackson drew ire and venom from hack journalists including Faux sports and other media outlets claiming Jackson is drunk with power and out of control leaving front office managment plotting a coup.

Heres a sample of Adam Schien's outrageous excuse of an article:

"Jackson has become a power hungry, irresponsible head coach and football czar who has set the Oakland Raiders back for a few years. Jackson’s ego ruined the 2011 season for Oakland. For the betterment of the Raiders, Jackson must be stopped."

http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/Oakland-Raiders-coach-Hue-Jackson-power-mad-Indianapolis-Colts-Bill-Polian-shocker-Schein-9-010312

Hmm, sounds oddly familiar doesn't it?

Nevermind the fact Hue's a rookie Coach and Davis' son Mark OWNS the team. A team that is run by people like Mark and Amy Trask, not a rookie Head Coach.

Did Hue have say in personnel and team decsions last year? Yes he did. Was he in charge of the Raiders after Al's death?

No he was not.

Would Hue like some input on personnel this off season?

Wouldn't ANY Head Coach?

Sure.

Did Hue "lie" to the media all year about taking responsiblity and then shat on his team when the season ended?

Yes.

Did his team deserve it?

You watched that Defense give up 90 yd drives, late leads and lose games time and again didn't you?

All head coaches, Assistants, players, towel boys ect. lie to the media. Or rather they spout politically correct blandishments at the media.

Example:

Media: When will Darren McFadden be back?

Coach Jackson: Oh, hes done for the season. We'll be damn lucky if he doesn't need surgery so I mean, pretty much teams can stop wasting hours of valuable prep time accounting for him, studying film of him and focus on our now suddenly 2 dimensional attack.

Should make it alot easier for teams to shut down our offense.

Next?

Can you imagine?

Get a grip.

Get a clue.

Hue did the same song and dance they ALL do except because hes Coach of the Raiders, his credibility and integrity are now suspect not only with the media according to them, but with his players, his co-workers, his management, the fans, his children, baby Jesus on and on.

In all fairness the ever excellent Jerry MacDonald did point out the fact Coaches are often less then forth coming but he is in the minority when it comes to genuine journalism. 

Truth is, Hue wanted DC Chuck Bresnahan fired. You can bet that much is true, but according to some media types its because hes power mad.

According to us its because Oakland joined this year’s Tampa Bay team as two of the four teams to allow at least 30 TD passes and 5.0 yards per carry in a season, a distinction achieved previously by only the 1950 Baltimore Colts and 1952 Dallas Texans. The Raiders also became the sixth team since the 1970 merger to allow at least 2,000 yards rushing and 4,000 yards passing in a season.

One of the worst Defensive seasons in League history.

But no, its Hue, power mad liar. Thats what many of them are more comfortable with.

Someone in Oakland has to be the manical, tyranical dictator drving the ship onto the rocks.

Right?!

So, is Hue Jackson a pathological liar and ego manic who is out of control?

Probably not.

The media just can't figure out yet who to hate now that Al is gone.

01-04-12 11:00 am pac                      
Photo / AP                                                                                                                LG/C Stefan Wisniewski

An article came out today laying the blame for the collapse of Oaklands run game in the back half of the season on rookie LG Stefan Wisniewski.

Okay...

While its feasible teams did their homework and figured out how to attack Wizzer or that he got tired in the second half of games, the more likely culprit for Oaklands run game collapse was its lack of Raider speed.

With RBs Darren McFadden and Taiwan Jones out Oakland had no outside run game to attack the edges of the D.

Without WRs Jacoby Ford and Denarius Moore to stretch the field opposing defenses could load the box and key on RB Michael Bush who lacked the speed to attack the edge on sweeps and outside runs.

Sure, Bey, Schilens and Murphy all have sub 4.4 speed but none of them are as reliable a deep threat as 2nd yr man Ford or rookie WR Moore.

Losing them hurt the run game.

Another factor not named Wisniewski in Oaklands stalled ground game was Center Samson Satele.

We speculated in pre season Wizzer was a bust at Center because Satele wasn't even supposed to be on the team this year.

Once Gallery left for Seattle Oakland struggled to fill his Left Guard position.

7 yr vet Daniel Loper was given a shot but fell short and was eventually dropped from the team.

2nd yr adonis Bruce Campbell injured his knee in an off season non football incident and was slated to take over at RG for Cooper Carlisle. Campbell was not a candiate for the LG spot because he was so green as an O lineman.

Campbell played a total of 18 games in College at Maryland and was a project from the start.

His lack of experience and the fact he played Tackle and not Guard in College meant he was not a candidate for Gallery's old post.

Interestingly enough, mid way through the season Campbell announced he was moving back to training for his old postion of Offensive Tackle instead of the Guard slot former Coach Tom Cable had pegged him with.

It was felt back then Campbell would be aging Lineman Cooper Carlisle replacement.

With Guard a serious concern and the chips falling this way Oakland caved and called Satele who was frankly surprised to hear from them.

Satele, at 300 lbs is the smallest C in the League and was origibally brought over from Miami to play in Oaklands then Zone Blocking Scheme.

Satele struggled against 3-4 NTs even when healthy, which he never was.

To his credit (and too often Oaklands disadvantage) Satele warriored his way through and played despite the dings.

We doubt he'll be back next season (his contract is up) and we expect Wisniewski to be his heir apparent.

This bodes better for Oakland and Wisniewski.

Now, we'll just have find some more Guards...

12-30-11 2:36 am pac             

Photo Mike Roemer / AP                                                        Raider Safeties Mike Mitchell & Michael Huff

"You have Drew Brees breaking Dan Marino's single-season record for yards passing. You have Tom Brady just 190 yards behind him and you have Aaron Rodgers with 45 touchdown passes.

How do you stop these guys? Or at least slow them down?

"You have to beat up their receivers," one NFC personnel director said. "These quarterbacks are too good now. They will eat you alive if you play zone against them and let their receivers find the open spots. They are too smart. You have to mug their outside players, not let them get into their routes as easy as they can against zone."

This quote from Pete Prisco's excellent article: "After Further Review: Disrupting receivers key to dealing with air elite" proves a serious point and a major flaw in Oaklands 2011 defensive calls.

The astue may have noticed alot more Zone defense since Mr.Davis passed and that it has exposed the Raiders at a time when they should be excelling and ahead of the curve, in man coverage.

Thats what they were built for. Thats what they've ALWAYS been built for. 

Man coverage is what Davis' whole philosophy and D design has been.

With Cornerbacks handcuffed after 5 yds Oaklands jam at the LOS, man coverage scheme has finally come into vouge at the precise time Chuck Bresnahan is dismatling it.

And it shows.

Former Raider Pro Bowl CB Nnamdi Asomugha struggled in Philly when exposed by Zone defense but came around when their 1st yr D coordinator finally listened to media and let Nam-Nam do more of what he does best, play man coverage.

Now, before we tar and feather Bresnahan, in all fairness, his strategy does not seem without consideration.

1st of all, Oaklands man up, ballsy approach to stopping the pass is great, if you can field the talent to do it and consistently beat the other teams players. Injuries make that impossible.

Bresnahan was faced immediately with an injury to rookie DB Chimdi Chekwa on the first blocking drill of the first post strike practice.

Signed to a new multi-year deal Safety Hiram Eugene was expected to be a major congtributor to the Raider rotation and Special Teams but dislocated his hip ala Bo Jackson and was forced to under go season ending surgery.

S Mike Mitchell had surprise knee surgery in pre season and missed several regular season games.

The good news there is Oakland found a diamond in the rough when forced to re-sign practice squad veteran "Butch Coolidge" or as his family knows him, Matt Giordano.

Hes been a bright spot in an other wise bleak landscape.

The carnage continued...

CB Chris Johnson suffered his worst game ever against Buffalo and pre season surgery for a groin injury became infected and saw him miss basically the entire season.

After the tragic murder of his sister and shooting of his Mother Johnson finally pulled the plug on his season and perhaps, his career.

On and on the injuries came. Huff's ankle, Demarcus Van Dyke's hamstring. Oakland was forced to scour the waiver wire and once veteran Lito Sheppard passed a physical the Raiders had some sort of stability and help.

Given the injury situation, lack of cohesiveness as a unit and rookie participants its clear why DC Chuck Bresnahan may have chosen to play "easier" Zone coverage to theoretically help those unfamiliar / inexperienced DBs but that experiment has failed time and time again.

Against Houston.

Against Denver.

Against Detroit and last week against Kansas City.

Just because its logical and makes sense doesn't mean its going to work and it hasn't.

Now of course there were mitigating facors on offense that put more pressure on the D but thats another matter. What matters right now is that Bresnahan has the makings of exactly what he needs. A rare secondary hand picked to play the type of football needed to do what few others can even attempt:

Play the type of man coverage that has a chance to stop the NFLs elite passing offenses. 

Especially late in the game or in crucial situations.

Late game Zone coverage has allowed teams to post points, mount comebacks and steal games all season long.

Its time to stop and implement the Defense Al designed all those years ago. A design so revolutionary, the League has finally caught up to it.

And now, when its relevant again?

We're not playing it.

At least not when it counts.