Been a while since I posted, but did want to comment on the last 2 preseason games (I'll save my JaMarcus opinion for my next post). Other than the eventual outcome (I basically consider the 49ers game a "win" based on the stats and the non-call on the pass interference in the end zone), both games had striking similarities:
1. The starting offensive line play was excellent. No sacks given up, and minimal penalties. They also opened a ton of running lanes for whichever back was blasting through them.
2. QB play was decent, but not great. Someone is seriously going to have to step up in the Rams game to make a statement for the upcoming season.
3. Offensive playcalling was fresh and well-suited to our personnel. As a college football fan, I've seen a ton of U$C games in the past few years. Those short patterns where the QB gets the ball and throws it to our receiver (who basically just turns in place), allowing the WR to run with it is right out of U$C's playbook Short, controlled patterns in a west coastish system allow for few mistakes and force the defense to play in very tight. Was very impressed with a few of those drives in the 49ers game... long, controlled efforts.
4. Receivers were dropping balls left and right. I sense the end for Whitted in this offense. Even though he was interfered with at the end of the 9ers game, the ball still hit him square in the hands. My guess on the receiving corps is as follows: Porter, Curry, Gabriel, Williams, Higgins, Madsen (if you don't qualify him as a TE). I'm satisfied with that group.
I liked how Kiffen treated these games truly as preseason contests (basically glorified scrimmages). Putting Fredrickson in at the end of the 49ers game instead of an iced Jano showed that he wasn't in the game to win, but to see how the position battles worked out. I only wished Echemandu got a few more carries last Saturday. Hopefully we'll see more of him on Friday.
So far, so good. I think we'll surprise a lot of people on offense this year.
Thursday, August 23, 2007
Monday, July 30, 2007
Sick of reading about "72 sacks allowed"
As someone who attended every Raiders home game last year (and all but 2 since they Returned to Oaktown), and watched every game on TV last season, I'm really sick and tired of the media harping on the woefulness of the Raiders' offensive line. There's a time when a statistic is a statistic (the baseball home run record for example... uh, perhaps not a good example. Heh.), and a time when statistics just don't show the entire truth. "72 sacks" is one of those misleading stats.
I know what you're thinking before you think it. Yes, our line was horrible last year (Gallery in particular was getting blown off the line in nearly every game), but not all those sacks can be directly attributed to poor line play. A fair number of those sacks were caused by Andrew Walter running out of bounds on the sideline without throwing the ball into the 4th row. (I wish the stat gurus at NFL.com would be accurate on tracking this.) Sadly, when a QB runs out of bounds short of the line of scrimmage, it's considered a "sack". Walter was so green last year that he probably didn't realize that once he was outside of the pocket, he could just chuck the ball out of bounds to avoid taking a loss. That's one of the critical mistakes a rookie QB can make (what Walter was, essentially, last year).
You wouldn't have seen Gannon, Hoss, or probably even the reviled Collins make that mistake because of their experience. It just goes to show that even our line play may have been bad, it really wasn't that bad. With the addition of Cooper Carlisle and another year under McQuistan and Boothe, we should cut the "72 sacks" figure in half or so.
I know what you're thinking before you think it. Yes, our line was horrible last year (Gallery in particular was getting blown off the line in nearly every game), but not all those sacks can be directly attributed to poor line play. A fair number of those sacks were caused by Andrew Walter running out of bounds on the sideline without throwing the ball into the 4th row. (I wish the stat gurus at NFL.com would be accurate on tracking this.) Sadly, when a QB runs out of bounds short of the line of scrimmage, it's considered a "sack". Walter was so green last year that he probably didn't realize that once he was outside of the pocket, he could just chuck the ball out of bounds to avoid taking a loss. That's one of the critical mistakes a rookie QB can make (what Walter was, essentially, last year).
You wouldn't have seen Gannon, Hoss, or probably even the reviled Collins make that mistake because of their experience. It just goes to show that even our line play may have been bad, it really wasn't that bad. With the addition of Cooper Carlisle and another year under McQuistan and Boothe, we should cut the "72 sacks" figure in half or so.
Friday, July 27, 2007
Desperately seeking Peninsula sports bars!
The East Bay has Ricky's (of course), the Sports Edition Bar (at the Hilton off Hegenberger), and even the Golden Bear in Oakland. What does the Peninsula have for the Loyal Raider Fan?
Bupkis.
It's a wasteland over here. And while most Peninsula sports bars won't kick you out for wearing The Colors, you'll sure get some dirty looks (at least) from the 9er-loving folks that inhabit the West Bay.
So, I put this forth... if you know a bar on the Peninsula (north of Mountain View, south of Millbrae), be it biker bar, dive shack, cardboard box, whatever, let me know. Away games just aren't the same without the comforting chant of Rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrraaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaiders!
Bupkis.
It's a wasteland over here. And while most Peninsula sports bars won't kick you out for wearing The Colors, you'll sure get some dirty looks (at least) from the 9er-loving folks that inhabit the West Bay.
So, I put this forth... if you know a bar on the Peninsula (north of Mountain View, south of Millbrae), be it biker bar, dive shack, cardboard box, whatever, let me know. Away games just aren't the same without the comforting chant of Rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrraaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaiders!
Latest moves a bit surprising
While releasing Jarod Cooper wasn't too much of a shock (a 4-game suspension for a special teams player = cut city), the slash and burn mentality on Darnell Bing and Courtney Anderson was a bit more surprising. Granted, our secondary is jam-packed with safeties (even with Cooper and Bing gone, we still have a whopping 7), but considering Kiffin is a USC guy, I thought Bing would get more of a chance. Guess with the Darius signing, Coach did the right thing and let Darnell try to catch on to another team (the hated 9ers) early in the process.
And, while Anderson wasn't the best blocker in the world, he did have some decent hands (when someone could get him the ball). This really opens up the door for 2nd round pick Zach Miller and perhaps last year's surprise John Madsen to come in and really make the TE a part of the passing game (which it really hasn't been since the Return to Oakland™ — please don't talk to me about the Rickey DUDley days. Ugh.).
The release of Treu was surprising only because of his longevity with the team. His salary cap figure was just too high to keep around a spot-duty specialist.
It defintely seems that Big Al is giving Kiffin a lot of leash to put together his team. That should pay serious dividends, giving the veterans the impression that no one is safe.
And, while Anderson wasn't the best blocker in the world, he did have some decent hands (when someone could get him the ball). This really opens up the door for 2nd round pick Zach Miller and perhaps last year's surprise John Madsen to come in and really make the TE a part of the passing game (which it really hasn't been since the Return to Oakland™ — please don't talk to me about the Rickey DUDley days. Ugh.).
The release of Treu was surprising only because of his longevity with the team. His salary cap figure was just too high to keep around a spot-duty specialist.
It defintely seems that Big Al is giving Kiffin a lot of leash to put together his team. That should pay serious dividends, giving the veterans the impression that no one is safe.
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