By Vince Vitale
Well here we go again but you have to start with the fact that the St. Louis Rams are 1-16 in their last 17 road games. The Rams are coming off tough back to back losses in which they were winning in the second half. The Rams have to learn to play tough mentally for 60 minutes of football. I believe the Rams main issues are still the fact that they can not run the ball inside the red zone at all and they do not have a big play receiver to make a play when they need one. Also over the last two weeks their pass defense has been torched by Troy Smith and Matt Ryan. Smith and Ryan combined for over 600 yards passing while throwing 5 touchdown passes, no interceptions and QB ratings over 100. You have to wonder if the Rams are simply starting to wear down due to their lack of depth.
The Rams must find a way to score more than 17 points per game. Denver is 30th in points allowed, and 31st against the rush. The Broncos play a 3-4 base so everything is set up for Steven Jackson to be a huge factor in this one. The only problem with Jackson is he only has 3 touchdowns while having over 1000 total yards of offense. His yards are made meaningless if he can not get into the end zone. The Broncos who are dead last in rushing have 7 rushing touchdowns and Moreno in limited play already has twice as many total touchdowns (6) as Steven Jackson. Of the Rams starting wide receivers only Brandon Gibson is averaging over 10 yards per catch (11.0). On the flip side the top four wide receivers on the Broncos are all averaging over 10 yards per catch.
The best way to attack the St. Louis Rams is through the air where they rank 19th against the pass. Last week Rams cornerbacks Justin King, Bradley Fletcher and Ron Bartell all left in the second half with apparent cramping issues. This week with the game at Invesco Field’s mile high altitude you have to worry about their conditioning fair or not. The Broncos are 4th in passing and are the first team the Rams have faced that primarily use their wide receivers. The Broncos top three receivers Brandon Lloyd, Jabar Gaffney, and Eddie Royal have combined for 150 catches for 2130 yards and 9 TDs. With Kyle Orton on pace for 4800 plus passing yards and 27 touchdowns I am very worried about the Rams secondary heading into this game.
On the ground the Broncos struggle. The Broncos are dead last in the NFL in rushing with only 75 yards per game. That plays into the strength who are 10th in the NFL against the rush. Second year running back Knowshon Moreno has looked very good over the last two weeks averaging 4.7 yards per carry, catching 10 passes and scoring two touchdowns. The Rams will need to keep Moreno from getting outside and let James Laurinaitis their leading tackler with 70 clean him up.
With a win and a Seattle loss the Rams could be in a tie for first in the NFC West after this game. However I once again can not pick the Rams to win a road game, why would I? I hope I am wrong but with three straight road games the Rams are starring at a 4-9 record if they can not change things. I think Moreno has looked great the last two weeks and will cause problems out of the backfield for the Rams. The Broncos receiving core is good and deep and they will exploit the Rams lack of secondary play. If the Rams can not get to Orton at least 5 times in this game the Broncos will put up 30+ points. The Rams should be able to move the ball but they seem to be a team that gets about 280 yards every week and 17 points no matter who they play. The Rams may play tough once again but they can not match scores with the Broncos. Even though the Broncos have lost 15 of their last 20 games I still have to pick them.
Prediction Denver Broncos 30 – St. Louis Rams 20
Go back to Rams Fan Spot
Rams 30 Redskins 16
By Vince Vitale
Well it had been almost two years since the last time I saw the St. Louis Rams win a home game at the Edward Jones Dome. As unlikely as it was the Rams beat the Dallas Cowboys 34-14 on Oct. 19th 2008. The Rams had also not won a game in September since 2006. You start to believe the team will never win, like they are snake bit. Well after the Rams coughed up a 14-0 lead again today to the Washington Redskins I am sure everyone was thinking the same thing, here we go again.
For some reason today was different. After blowing a 14-0 lead and trailing 16-14 and losing Steven Jackson somehow the Rams seemed to play even that much harder in the second half. Being faced with adversity the Rams actually rallied. After falling behind the Rams went on a 12 play 74 yard drive with Kenneth Darby scoring from 12 yards out to put the Rams back on top to stay 21-16. The Rams dominated the second half scoring on 4 of their 5 drives and outscoring the Redskins 16-3 to win 30-16. 30 points is the most scored since their win over the Cowboys in 2008.
One thing that sure is different is Sam Bradford. Statistically he did not have the greatest day ever going 23 of 37 for 235 yards with 1 TD and 1 pick but it is nice to have a leader out there. Sam Bradford is a competitor and wants to win, he is not use to losing at anything. Sam Bradford made a nice play on his touchdown pass to Daniel Fells to put the Rams up 14-0. Bradford spread the ball to 9 receivers and I have to give Pat Shurmur credit since I usually dump on him he put the Rams in some nice situations by getting the ball out of Sam’s hands. The Rams threw quick passes which you can do with Bradford being so accurate. The Redskins had no time to get to Bradford as he continually was connecting right from the snap. I would also like to say nice job to the receivers. Besides Mark Clayton catching 5 balls the Rams also completed 10 other passes to wide receivers. On the ground Kenneth Darby and Keith Toston chipped in with 71 yards after Steven Jackson left the game. The offensive line only allowed 1 sack and the Rams were also able to ground out 133 yards on the ground. Also lets give a hand to the defense who have held all three opponents to under 20 points.
It was funny looking at the scoreboard thinking if the Cardinals and Seahawks lose the St. Louis Rams will be in first place! Well baby steps first my friends as both won their games but it was a nice feeling to actually think about the NFC West race for once in a long time. Now we get to think about it all week as we get a chance to take care of business next Sunday against the Seattle Seahawks. Who knows maybe we can win two in a row, we did in 2008.
Rams 2011 Preview
In 2009, the Rams won 1 game. Rookie quarterback Sam Bradford instantly made this a better team as the Rams won 7 games and almost made the playoffs. Bradford was 354 for 590 (60.0%) for 3512 yards (6.0 YPA), 18 touchdowns and 15 interceptions. That might not sound great, but consider that he lost Mark Clayton, Donnie Avery, and Danario Alexander to major injuries from an already thin receiving corps. His 5 leading receivers were Danny Amendola, Brandon Gibson, tight end Daniel Fells, running back Steven Jackson, and Laurent Robinson.
Also, a key number there is 590, the number of pass attempts he threw. That was 3rd in the league, as a rookie. That’s also an NFL rookie record, as was his 354 completions. The only quarterback currently in the league that came even close to that total as a rookie was Peyton Manning, who threw the ball 575 times as a rookie. The Rams trusted him that much, even with a talented running back in Steven Jackson to lean on. He also set the rookie record for most consecutive passing attempts without an interception.
The Rams have spent this offseason getting Bradford better weapons to work with. They drafted Lance Kendricks in the 2nd round. He figures to be their starting tight end. They drafted Austin Pettis in the 3rd round and Greg Salas in the 4th round, two wide receivers. They also signed Mike Sims-Walker a veteran receiver. Donnie Avery is back from injury. Mark Clayton could be resigned in the next few days, though he’s not 100% coming off knee surgery. Danario Alexander is also back.
I’m really interested to see how this wide receiver thing works out in St. Louis. They currently have Mike Sims-Walker, Danario Alexander, Donnie Avery, Austin Pettis, Greg Salas, 2010 4th round pick Mardy Gilyard, Danny Amendola, Brandon Gibson, and possibly Mark Clayton. That’s 9 receivers. Most teams don’t carry more than 6. Gilyard, who is struggling with mental lapses in camp, figures to be cut, but which other 2 do you cut from that bunch?
The Rams didn’t just add a bunch of receivers for Sam Bradford. They got him a new offensive coordinator, Josh McDaniels. McDumass, er McDaniels, is a failed head coach but great with quarterbacks. He worked with Tom Brady when he was young and turned both Matt Cassel and Kyle Orton into legitimate starting quarterbacks.
Last season in Denver, Orton threw for 3653 yards in 13 games. Brandon Lloyd had 1448 receiving yards. Jabar Gaffney had 875 receiving yards. Eddie Royal had 627 receiving yards. Imagine what McDaniels can do with Bradford, a much superior talent to Orton, and his top 3 receivers (my money is on Mike Sims-Walker, Danario Alexander, and Donnie Avery).
Bradford could definitely be hoisting a Lombardi Trophy over his head sometime in the next 3 years, but first he needs to focus on making the playoffs, something he has a good chance to do in his 2nd season. The Rams don’t play in a particularly tough division, with Arizona as their only real competition for the division. San Francisco and Seattle are trying out the Alex Smith experience and the Tarvaris Jackson experience at quarterback respectively, so that automatically eliminates them from contention in the division.
While their division is easy, their schedule is far from it. Their first 3 games are against the Eagles, the Giants, who are always good in the first half of the season, and then Baltimore. They then play Washington and have a bye before going to Green Bay, Dallas, and then playing New Orleans at home. Then they go to Arizona. The 2nd half is much easier, but they still have to play Arizona, Pittsburgh, and a Cleveland team that could surprise this season. They also have to go into San Francisco and Seattle. Those teams suck, but those are still tough places to win games, especially Seattle.
Luckily, the Rams have a very balanced offense. I’ve gone into detail about their passing game, but Steven Jackson is still one of the better and most complete running backs in the league. He’s one of my favorite players because he always plays through injuries, even in 2009 when they were a 1 win team. I really hope he can win a few playoff games before his career is done.
Jackson is getting older and has dealt with injuries in the past, but he’s still only at the 1878 carry total for his career. 2200 seems to be around where running backs fall off a cliff (pan to Clinton Portis and LaDainian Tomlinson nodding), so Jackson should be safe for another season. However, the Rams did make sure they had better backups for Jackson this offseason, signing Cadillac Williams and Jerious Norwood.
Their running game should be even better with the addition of Harvey Dahl at right guard. Dahl replaces Adam Goldberg, the only real weakness on this offensive line last season. Left tackle Rodger Saffold was somehow only the 33rd pick in the 2010 draft. He stepped in instantly at left tackle and played very well, allowing 3 sacks all season. His play was so good they kept Jason Smith, the 2nd pick in 2009, on the right side.
Smith is once again on the right side, but only because Saffold is so good. Smith is an above average right tackle. Center Jason Smith is also an above average player. The weak link on the line might be Jacob Bell who was cut this offseason before agreeing to a restricted contract. Anytime Jacob Bell is your worst offensive lineman, you’re doing pretty well for yourself. Bradford was sacked a mere 34 times last season. Expect that total to be even lower in 2011 with Saffold and Smith continuing their development and the addition of Harvey Dahl.
While their offensive line is very good, their defensive line could be equally good. They filled their biggest need on the defensive line, defensive tackle, by signing Justin Bannan. Bannan is a solid player and a huge upgrade over Gary Gibson, a huge liability against the run who didn’t make up for it with consistent pass rush. Bannan plays inside next to Fred Robbins, one of the most underrated players in the league. He had 6 sacks last season and played very well against the run.
On the outside, 2008 2nd round pick Chris Long finally came into his own last season and in a huge way too. He had 8 sacks and a whopping 57 quarterback pressures. He could easily have 10+ sacks this season. He lines up across from James Hall, who inexplicably had 10.5 sacks last season after at age 33 after recording just 13.5 sacks in the previous 3 seasons.
Hall could easily decline this season, but the Rams are prepared for that. Robert Quinn, once considered a candidate for the #1 pick in 2011 before a bullshit suspension, fell to them at 14 where they quickly snatched him up. He’ll be much better in his 2nd season than he will be as a rookie because he didn’t play last season and because of the lockout, but he’ll still provide a consistent pass rush as a rookie. He also has a very high upside.
They had 43 sacks in 2010 and could have even more in 2011. The thought of having to block both Quinn and Long in 2012 and beyond should make opposing offensive coordinators shit their pants in fear. Add in Fred Robbins, and this should be a very, very good pass rush for a very, very long time.
The back 7 in their defense is a bit of a different story. James Laurinaitis is a talented player in the middle, but promising young linebacker David Vobora was inexplicably cut this offseason in favor of mediocre veteran Ben Leber. Leber will start at one outside linebacker spot, while Zac Diles, another mediocre veteran, will start on the other side.
The secondary is a little better. Bradley Fletcher and Ron Bartell both played well last season, although their amazing pass rush might have had something to do with that. All in all, the Rams ranked 11th against the pass last season. However, behind Fletcher and Ron Bartell they have next to nothing.
Justin King struggled as the nickelback last season. He’s in that spot again, but could actually be beaten out by Al Harris. Al Harris is an interesting player. He’s 36, but he’s somehow convinced the Dolphins and now the Rams to at least give him a roster spot so they can make sure he’s not Al Harris anymore. The Dolphins were disappointed and the Rams will end up disappointed as well.
The Rams big free agency signing was Quintin Mikell. He’s a very talented and underrated safety and will start at strong safety for this season. Meanwhile, two mediocre players, James Butler and Craig Dahl, will battle for the starting free safety job.
With Sam Bradford, two young bookend tackles, and two young bookend defensive ends, the Rams are set for the future at the most important positions on the field. They got to that point with smart drafting. Bradford was the #1 pick in 2010. Saffold was the #33 pick in 2010. Jason Smith was the #2 pick in 2009. Robert Quinn was the #14 pick in 2011. Chris Long was the #2 pick in 2008. Hit on 5 players drafted in the top 33, with 3 in the top 3, at the 3 most valuable positions (quarterback, left tackle, defensive end) and you set yourself up to be very good for the future.
They have talent in the receiving corps, a very good coaching staff, and very complete offensive and defensive lines. They have a good pass defense and a good running game. However, they have a brutal schedule and I’d say they’re still about a year away. Arizona sneaks into the playoffs this year over them because they have a much, much easier schedule. However, it wouldn’t surprise me in the slightest if Sam Bradford was hoisting a Lombardi Trophy in the next 3 years at some point. I love how this team is built.
Quarterback: B
Running backs: A-
Offensive line: A-
Receiving corps: C+
Run defense: B-
Pass rush: A-
Pass coverage: B
Coaching: A-
Projection: 10-6 1st in NFC West
Rams
2010 Record: 7-9
Draft Position: 14
2010 Season Recap: Click Here
Offseason Needs: Click Here
Free Agents/Team Transactions: Click Here
Draft Grades: Click Here
Key Offseason Moves: None
Rams Blogger: Vince Vitale
2010 Posts
Rams Get Hammered in the Big Easy 31-13, Rams vs. Saints Game Preview, St. Louis Rams vs. Denver Broncos Game Preview, Atlanta Falcons vs. St. Louis Rams Preview, St. Louis Rams vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers Game Preview, Rams Run Over In Detroit Motor City, Rams Move Into First Place With 20-3 Victory, Rams Vs. Seahawks Game Preview, Rams Top Redskins, 30-16, Rams vs. Redskins Game Preview, Rams Lose Again, 16-14 to Raiders, Rams/Raiders Preview, St. Louis Rams @ Oakland Raiders Injury Report, Rams Sign Darcy Johnson, LB Josh Hull Out With Torn ACL, St. Louis Rams Sign Bryan Kehl, Lack of Quality Depth Will Kill Rams, Rams Drop Balls and Game: 17-13, Cardinals vs. Rams Game Preview, St. Louis Rams 2010 Season Preview, St. Louis Rams Trade For Mark Clayton, St. Louis Rams Cut Roster To 53, St. Louis Rams Name Sam Bradford Starting QB, Bradford Leads Rams 27-21 Over Baltimore, St. Louis Rams vs. Ravens Preview, Is Sam Bradford an Elite NFL Quarterback?, Rams Beat Browns 19-17, Rams/Browns Preseason Preview, Are St. Louis Rams Getting Better, Rams O-Line Still An Issue, Rams/Vikings Season Preview, Rams Fans Will Love Mardy Gilyard, Sam Bradford Signs, Are St. Louis Rams Fans Apathetic?
Raiders Season Preview
By Chris Hansen
The Raiders must do three things to turn its fortunes around. What may be very complicated to execute is quite simple to analyze.
The Raiders need to score more points, stop the run and force turnovers.
The Raiders scored just 12.3 points per game. That is not even two touchdowns. The Raiders need to add an extra touchdown and field goal per game to their average.
The weapons are in place and the Raiders have a quarterback that can accomplish the task, but Jason Campbell only mustered 16.6 points per game in Washington last season. He will need the cast around him to make plays.
Playoff teams score more than 23 points per game.
The Raiders finally made a big change in the front seven to address the issue with stopping the run. Scoring more and playing with a lead will help, but the addition of five new players to the front seven may be the golden ticket.
The Raiders draw Chris Johnson and Steven Jackson the first two weeks. In 2009, the Raiders allowed 155.5 yards per game. The goal will be holding these elite rushers around 100 yards.
Playoff teams hold rushers under 100 yards.
The Raiders had just eight interceptions in 2009 and 13 forced fumbles. This isn’t good enough. To become a top defense the Raiders will need to double their turnover output.
Playoffs teams rack up around 40 total turnovers.
Do the Raiders have the players to achieve these goals? Check out the position-by-position breakdowns to read more.
Quarterbacks
When the Raiders turned to Bruce Gradkowski in 2009, the reaction was that the Raiders could have been an eight-win team if not for the poor play of JaMarcus Russell. While that certainly would have been possible with Gradkowski starting, that doesn’t make it probable.
Gradkowski is a great leader, but his injuries and lack of raw talent will forever limit him.
The Raiders added Kyle Boller at the third quarterback this season.
The big-armed guy looked the part and may be the best third string quarterback in the league. If it wasn’t for his tendency to throw interceptions he still has the talent to start in the NFL.
The big splash was obviously the addition of Jason Campbell. Named starting quarterback before training camp, Campbell has done everything right so far and looked good this preseason. The Raiders hope his addition will rejuvenate the once proud franchise.
Campbell is the perfect fit for the Raiders offensive plans under Hue Jackson. The Raiders will try to be explosive and use the offensive weapons and speed at the skill positions. You can read more analysis on Campbell’s fit in the Hue Jackson offense here.
Running backs
Gone is Justin Fargas. The Raiders will finally turn to the young duo of Darren McFadden and Michael Bush to carry the load. The move, thought to be long overdue by many, must pay off for the Raiders.
A pedestrian run game would put added pressure on the new passing attack. Bush and McFadden are already fighting a case of the injury bug. The Raiders will need the backs to stay healthy to have any chance to turn around a poorly ranked run game.
Darren McFadden must avoid fumbles and learn to use his “chicken” legs to fight through arm tackles. McFadden has never avoided contact, but in his case, this is a bad thing. McFadden must learn how to use his speed to his advantage.
Bush need with more physicality. Considering his size, Bush shouldn’t try to run away from defenders. He is big enough and strong enough to be a bruising back, he must prepare mentally to punish the defense.
Bush must also fight the urge to take a blow when he is tired and the Raiders should get the wheels turning with Bush early and knock the defense out with McFadden’s fresh legs late.
Michael Bennett and Rock Cartwright will contribute in the event of injury. Cartwright will also be valuable on special teams.
Fullbacks
Luke Lawton is suspended and not likely to be retained when his suspension ends. A position of weakness last season will now be filled by Marcel Reece. Manase Tonga is on the practice squad in case the Raiders need another fullback.
Reece is a superior receiver and has significantly improved his blocking. The Raiders will need him to protect Jason Campbell and clear the way for the talented running backs.
Receivers
The improvement of Darrius Heyward-Bey has been much publicized, but all for nothing if he can’t produce in a meaningful game. He will be relied because of another injury to Chaz Schilens. Schilens has an injury history dating back to his college years and hasn’t been able to stay injury free long enough to fulfill his potential.
Louis Murphy will start opposite Heyward-Bey. Murphy had a superior rookie season to his counterpart, but it has been a quiet offseason for the fourth-round draft pick in 2009.
Behind this top group is rookie Jacoby Ford and veteran Johnnie Lee Higgins along with Yamon Figurs and Nick Miller.
There is no way of knowing how much production the Raiders will get from the fourth receiver this season.
The Raiders balked at several opportunities to add a veteran presence. Either the Raiders are content with the youthful group or failed to convince a veteran to join the team in an uncertain role.
There is big play ability here, but without Schilens the Raiders will have to prove they can move the chains consistently.
Tight ends
Zach Miller is destined to be one of the top tight ends in the league.
He will likely be Campbell’s favorite target and he can be the receiver to move the chains on a consistent basis. His blocking has improved each season, but it will be up to the offensive line to free from those duties.
Brandon Myers is another receiving option, but he has had trouble holding onto the ball during preseason. He isn’t great blocking and will be used primarily to give Zach Miller rest when needed.
The Raiders lack a blocking specialist at tight end and will use offensive tackle Erik Pears to fill that role on short yardage and goal line situations.
Offensive Line
Tom Cable isn’t concerned about his offensive line, but it easily the group with the most question marks. Perhaps one of the most vital groups to the success of an offense and this offensive line has a lot to prove.
Mario Henderson was well below average left tackle last season. He will retain his job after being pushed by rookie Jared Veldheer in training camp. Henderson’s biggest problem is playing consistently. Jason Campbell will not be able to improve this offense on his back or in the training room. Henderson must be better.
Cable insists Henderson’s ills are easily corrected, but the Raiders wanted Russell Okung or Trent Williams in April’s draft. The Raiders know Henderson needs to take a leap or take a hike.
Robert Gallery returns from injury and is one winning season away from a Pro Bowl. He physically dominated Richard Seymour in one-on-one drills in training camp and pushes the pile in the running game. Henderson should benefit from a healthy Gallery to his right. The entire offensive line was better when Gallery played in 2009.
Rookie Jared Veldheer gets the start at center over Samson Satele. The coaching staff has been waiting for things to click for Satele, but his time may have run out. Satele will now only be an option if Veldheer falters.
Veldheer was impressive this preseason at center and tackle. Besides a few blown line calls and rookie mistakes against Julius Peppers, Veldheer was a significant improvement over Satele in the run game and better at holding his ground against the pass.
Will Veldheer’s height be a blessing or a curse? He will become the tallest starting center in NFL history standing 6’7″ tall. He can physically match nose tackles, but may also have trouble with their lower center of gravity. Can he make the proper line calls? He may receive help from the veterans around him. One concern could be the hurry-up, with only enough time for Veldheer to make the call.
Veldheer’s work ethic and attitude will be conducive to success. He is a gym rat and if the Raiders can get the same dedication in the film room you have a potential star in the making.
Cooper Carlisle will start at right guard. His play dropped off in
2009 after a solid 2008 campaign. The Raiders hope Carlisle isn’t starting a trend since Bruce Campbell may not be ready to start until 2011.
Langston Walker returned to the Raiders and started towards the end of 2009. He played remarkably well down the stretch and wasn’t challenged during the offseason. While unspectacular pass blocking, Walker is an above average run blocker.
Backups Khalif Barnes, Erik Pears, Daniel Loper and Samson Satele will fill in as needed.
Loper was the lone surprise to make the roster. He played extremely well at left guard during the preseason, physically dominating just about every player he was matched up against. The competition was inferior, but he did enough to become the primary backup guard.
Defensive line
Matt Shaughnessy may be the next young defensive star. He recorded four sacks during his rookie year and enters 2010 as a starter after only starting two games in 2009.
Joining Shaughnessy is Richard Seymour, the Pro Bowl defensive lineman, who shifted from defensive end to defensive tackle. Seymour may still occasionally play end in certain situations. Seymour needs to be more physically dominant to justify the 2011 first-round draft pick surrendered to acquire him. He may slide over to defensive end in certain situations.
Tommy Kelly enters the season 35 pounds lighter. He has retained his starting position despite strong opposition from Desmond Bryant and John Henderson. Kelly takes a lot of heat for the contract he signed, but hasn’t been horrible. Losing weight should help him change some minds this season.
The Raiders signed Jay Alford, formerly of the New York Giants. He will be reunited with his defensive line coach Mike Waufle.
Bryant and Henderson will be on the field at times to spell the others. Keeping the big guys up front fresh is an underrated asset.
The Raiders will almost certainly use all the defensive lineman at their disposal.
Doing so should keep the line fresh, which could play a factor in the Raiders ability to stop the run.
The Raiders haven’t ranked higher than 22nd since 2002, when the team ranked third against the run. An improved offense will help, but the Raiders need to stop the run in order ascend and become a top five defense.
Rookie Lamarr Houston figures to start at left defensive end with Trevor Scott coming in on passing downs to apply added pressure to the quarterback. Houston figures to be a stout defensive end capable of plugging the run without sacrificing too much against the pass. The Raiders have a luxury in Scott who excels against the pass and can fill any voids in the pass rush.
Scott’s role remains cloudy, perhaps intentionally. Wimbley and Groves could also see time as rush ends.
If the Raiders execute along the defensive line, this unit could develop into one of the top groups in the NFL.
Linebackers
The Raiders started the rebuild with consensus can’t miss middle linebacker Roland McClain. While this label will make many fans nervous, it’s McClain’s work ethic that can make the difference between a bust and star.
McClain may have already learned a valuable lesson from preseason from playing too tentative. Perhaps catching up to the NFL speed will not be as easy as he thought? When he does put his pads on a player he packs quite the punch. Don’t expect him to make the same mistake twice.
His first test is one of the toughest in the league, Chris Johnson. The second is nearly as tough, Steven Jackson.
The Raiders will be counting on McClain to justify his draft status as soon as they take the field on Sunday in Nashville.
Kamerion Wimbley will play the strong-side linebacker position. This is something new for him, but he will also be able to rush the passer. The AFC North was glad they didn’t have to game plan around him. That is the type of player you want on your team. The question is if Wimbley can cover a tight end. He did a solid job in preseason, but time will tell.
Quentin Groves appears to have secured the starting weak-side linebacker position. The only explanation is he excelled in pass coverage and Thomas Howard and Scott didn’t. He played well this preseason and appears to have done more than just make the team.
Thomas Howard is a high priced backup, but quality depth. The Raiders know exactly what Howard can do and can’t do. Ricky Brown will be a backup. Makes a few plays, but also gets beat in the pass and run game far too often to be trust worthy.
Rookie Travis Goethel will have the greatest impact on special teams initially.
Cornerbacks
Any analysis of the Raiders secondary starts with Nnamdi Asomugha. He is one of, if not the, best cornerback in the NFL. The Raiders may finally let Asomugha shadow the top receiver and they will likely let him come down and play in the slot. The Raiders want to use Asomugha to be a disruptive force in the secondary. Opposing quarterbacks may be pulling their hair out if Asomugha’s supporting cast can hold their own.
Stanford Routt won the job opposite Asomugha. Routt has always been more effective playing outside as opposed to the slot nickel cornerback. He must be better than Chris Johnson was a year ago. In many ways, Routt won the job by default. Chris Johnson was burned repeatedly during the preseason by guys that probably didn’t even make the team.
Don’t be surprised when Jeremy Ware is the nickel back and Chris Johnson is riding the pine. Johnson will be another overpriced free agent signee not giving the Raiders their monies worth, but you must put the best players on the field.
If it wasn’t for Ware, we might be talking more about Walter McFadden. An injury derailed his final preseason game, but he performed well as a cover cornerback. He isn’t the most physical guy and he had made multiple mistakes on special teams during the preseason, but he is a solid cover corner for a rookie and he should only grow from here.
Safeties
Tyvon Branch is a budding star. He lead the league in tackles at the position. The Raiders hope he will have to spend less time making tackles and will have more time to make plays. He will also whiff the occasional tackle, but he makes the vast majority. Further development could land Branch in the Pro Bowl.
Michael Huff isn’t a very good tackler. Everyone knows Huff is a tackling liability. He is however, a pretty good deep safety. He can cover and has range. Unspectacular, but a solid player surrounded by good ones.
Hiram Eugene and Mike Mitchell are the backups. These guys have situational roles and will play special teams, an underrated skill in the NFL.
Mitchell may be used as an extra box safety when the situation calls for it.
Special Teams Players
Shane Lechler is the best punter in the league. Maybe in NFL history. Sebastian Janikowski is becoming a very accurate kicker, with the strongest leg in the NFL. Condo hasn’t had a bad snap in two years.
The problem with the Raiders special teams is the coverage units. Now that the Raiders have a finalized roster, the coaching staff can finalize the special teams units. Let’s hope it helps, the coverage units were terrible during the preseason.
Raiders Preview 2011
After losing the Super Bowl in 2003, the Raiders endured 7 straight seasons of 11 losses or more. Last year, they rose to 8-8. This year, I’m projecting a regression for several reasons. First, they lost a significant part of their team in free agency. Nnamdi Asomugha was their best player, hands down. He’s gone. Zach Miller was their best offensive player, hands down. He’s gone. Robert Gallery was their best offensive lineman, hands down. He’s gone.
On top of that, they rewarded Kamerion Wimbley and Michael Huff with giant deals after career seasons. It’s very possible both of them don’t try as hard this season as they did last season. It’s normally a bad sign when a player conveniently has a career season in his contract year, especially when they haven’t been living up to their potential to that point in their career.
They also gave Richard Seymour a big contract. He’s known for being lazy after signing big deals and he’s 32 in October anyway. Also, they have another new Head Coach. Not only is this bad for continuity’s sake, but Tom Cable was the only Raider coach since 2002 to win more than 5 games. Of course it’s a bad thing that he’s gone.
The Raiders have their best quarterback since making the Super Bowl in Jason Campbell, though that isn’t saying much. Campbell is a fairly mediocre signal caller who will never be anything more than adequate in this league, but after Andrew Walter, Aaron Brooks, and JaMarcus Russell, adequate is like future Hall of Famer to Raiders fans.
On the offensive line, the Raiders could start as many as 4 players with one year or less or experience, and I don’t think they’ll start fewer than 3 such players. 2010 3rd round pick Jared Veldheer will start at left tackle. Veldheer struggled as a rookie, but he was a rookie, but he was playing out of position for most of the season. 2010 4th round pick Bruce Campbell will attempt to beat out mediocre veteran Roy Schuening at left guard. Campbell played a mere 10 snaps as a rookie last year, so he’s an unknown commodity.
Rookie 2nd round pick Stefen Wisniewski will start at center, while rookie 3rd round pick Joseph Barksdale is expected to start at right tackle. The only experienced player on the offensive line could be Cooper Carlisle, who sucks. Basically, this line isn’t going to be that great. They’re very inexperienced coming out of a lockout shortened offseason and they lost their best offensive lineman, Robert Gallery. They also lost Tom Cable, their Head Coach who worked very closely with the offensive line and had a positive impact.
At running back, the Raiders have a two headed attack of Darren McFadden and Michael Bush. However, McFadden has a history of injury problems so he’s no guarantee. If he’s hurt, Bush would be the lead back and rookie 4th round pick Taiwan Jones would see an increase in carries. Overall, their running game should be worse this season than last season because I don’t trust McFadden to stay healthy once again. This is also another area where losing Robert Gallery hurts.
Tight end Zach Miller was their best offensive player. He’s gone, replaced with Kevin Boss. Boss is a nice player, a good blocker, and a big end zone target, but he’s not Zach Miller. They are expected to go to more two-tight end sets this season which means Brandon Myers will see a lot of the field. Receiver is an interesting position. Jacoby Ford is their most talented receiver and he closed 2010 well, but he’s hurt and will probably miss all of training camp and the preseason.
The first string receivers are currently Ford and Darrius Heyward Bey, who is only still starting because they spent the 7th overall pick on him in 2009 and don’t want to admit defeat. DHB has a mere 35 catches in 2 seasons. Louis Murphy, a 3rd year receiver who is a solid #2, should play in the slot, but he too has injury problems right now. Chaz Schilens is an intriguing player as their 4th receiver, as is rookie Denarius Moore, currently listed as their 5th receiver. Moore has been a training camp wonder.
Defensively, they will really, really miss Nnamdi Asomugha and not just in coverage, in pass rush. The Raiders had 47 sacks last year, but no one had double figure sacks. Kamerion Wimbley led the way with 9. Tommy Kelly and Matt Shaughnessy had 7. Richard Seymour had 5.5. LaMarr Houston had 5. They don’t have a legitimate #1 pass rusher, yet they were able to get a lot of sacks. How is this possible? Asomugha’s coverage led to many “coverage sacks” meaning sacks that only happened because the quarterback had to spend so much time looking for an open receiver. Expect their pass rush to suffer without Asomugha.
I’m also expecting down years from both Seymour and Wimbley. Both just got paid and Seymour is 32 in October. That will also hurt their pass rush. They had 47 sacks in 2010. It wouldn’t surprise me if they had somewhere around 35 next season.
On the defensive line, Richard Seymour starts at tackle next to Tommy Kelly. 2nd year end LaMarr Houston plays on the left side, while Matt Shaughnessy mans the right side. 2nd year middle linebacker Rolando McClain is very talented and, while I’m predicting a down year from Kamerion Wimbley, he should still be an above average strong side linebacker. The weak side is the hole right now. Quentin Groves is starting there, though the Raiders are trying to sign Lofa Tatupu in free agency.
While Asomugha’s loss will hurt the pass rush, it will especially hurt the secondary. The Raiders ranked 19th against the pass last year, in terms of yards per attempt. That was in spite of Asomugha and a strong pass rush. That number should be a lot worse without Nnamdi. Stanford Routt, who got 5.5 million dollar less over 5 years than Nnamdi did in Philadelphia because Al Davis is a moron, will be the #1 cornerback for them this season. Routt only allowed a 42.4% completion rate, but he allowed 4 touchdowns to 1 interception and committed 11 penalties. He’ll find life much harder as a #1 cornerback, as opposed to a #2.
Chris Johnson is going to be the #2 cornerback because rookies DeMarcus Van Dyke and Chimdi Chekwa aren’t ready. Johnson is not a very good cornerback either. There’s a reason why they ranked so low against the pass even with Nnamdi and a high number of sacks. At free safety, Michael Huff was probably just playing for a new contract and will likely revert back to his pre-2010 self now that he got paid. He should be an average, maybe above average safety.
Meanwhile, strong safety Tyvon Branch had the worst quarterback rating against of any qualified defensive back in the league last year. He allowed 7 touchdowns to one interception and a completion percentage of 74.3% with an average of over 14 yards per completion. He’s not nearly good enough against the run to make up for that.
I hope Raider fans enjoyed their one season of adequacy because this year looks like it’s going to be more of the same inadequacy that they’re used to. They lost three key players in free agency and resigned guys who had break out years in their contract year to long term deals, which means we could see inferior play from those guys this season. On top of that, they have a new head coach, a very young offensive line, a very young group of receivers, an injury prone #1 running back, and a quarterback who doesn’t do anything special.
Another unfortunate stat for the Raiders. Since 2002, 10 teams have gone 6-0 in their division, as the Raiders did last season. Of those 10 teams, 8 of them finished with a worse record the next season for a combined 35 fewer wins. The two teams with better records both finished just 1 game better.
Quarterback: C-
Running backs: A-
Receiving corps: C
Offensive line: D
Run defense: C
Pass rush: B-
Pass coverage: C-
Coaching: C
Projection: 4-12 4th in AFC West
Raiders Needs 2012
Cornerback
The Raiders have cut Stanford Routt for salary cap reasons. Meanwhile, Lito Sheppard is a mediocre free agent. Are DeMarcus Van Dyke and Chimdi Chewka (3rd and 4th round picks in 2011) ready to take over as the starters in 2012? Well, they might have to be. The Raiders don’t have a pick in the first 4 rounds nor do they have any cap space.
Nose Tackle
The Raiders are expected to start using some more 3-4 next season. New Head Coach Dennis Allen said he was open to either scheme and then hired a defensive coordinator from Stanford, who runs a 3-4. However, they don’t have anyone signed that can be a 3-4 nose tackle. Given their lack of draft picks and cap space, they may have to resign John Henderson for this role, but he’s a 33 year old declining and injury prone player.
Rush Linebacker
In the 3-4, Kamerion Wimbley would be a natural fit as a rush linebacker, but he’s refused to restructure his contract so the Raiders can get under the cap so he could be cut or traded. Meanwhile, they don’t really have anyone who can clearly play the other rush linebacker position. Matt Shaughnessy is not a good fit and will probably play solely in 4-3 base packages or be traded.
Guard
Right guard Cooper Carlisle is 35 and needs to be upgraded. Meanwhile, left guard Stefen Wisniewski is expected to move to center next season. That leaves them with Bruce Campbell, an unproven 2010 4th round pick, at guard. They need help here.
Offensive Tackle
Khalif Barnes was pretty bad last year and is now a free agent. Joseph Barksdale was their 3rd round pick in 2011, but they may want to bring in a veteran to compete with him just in case he’s not ready.
Safety
Tyvon Branch is one of the better safeties in the league, but can the Raiders resign him with their cap situation the way it is? If they can’t, 2009 2nd round pick Michael Mitchell, who has struggled to this point in his career, might have to start at safety.
Middle Linebacker
In their 3-4, Aaron Curry is expected to move inside with Rolando McClain, but more depth could be had. Curry is far from a proven commodity. That’s why he was so easily had in a trade from Seattle, though he wasn’t awful down the stretch.
Running Back
Michael Bush is a free agent. He wants a starting job and the Raiders have even considered trading Darren McFadden (more talented, but more injury prone) and making Bush the starter. However, unless that happens, Bush is gone so they need another power compliment back to take over in case McFadden isn’t healthy in 2012. Taiwan Jones is too small.
Raiders Moves 2011
() FA Rank
QB Bruce Gradkowski
QB Kyle Boller- resigned 1 year 1.25 million
QB Charlie Frye
RB Michael Bush
RB Rock Cartwright
RB Michael Bennett- resigned 1 year 850K
FB Marcel Reece
WR Johnnie Lee Higgins
WR Nick Miller
TE Zach Miller (#21)
In 4 seasons, Zach Miller has caught 226 balls for 2712 yards and 12 scores. Not bad considering how terrible Oakland’s quarterbacks have been in those 4 years. He’s one of the best young tight ends in the game.
OT Langston Walker
OT Mario Henderson
OT Khalif Barnes
G Robert Gallery
G Daniel Loper- resigned 2 years 4.2 million
C Samson Satele
DT Richard Seymour (#34)- resigned 2 years 30 million
He was once one of the best defensive linemen in the game but at 31, he’s not the same player anymore. He’s still an above average one and has experience in both a 3-4 and a 4-3.
DT John Henderson- resigned 2 years 8 million
DT Desmond Bryant (exclusive rights)
OLB Kamerion Wimbley (#22)- franchised
OLB Thomas Howard
OLB Jarvis Moss
OLB Ricky Brown
OLB Sam Williams
CB Nnamdi Asomugha (#3)
Asomugha has been the Raiders best player for about a decade. Unfortunately, the Raiders decided to spend all their money on Richard Seymour, Kamerion Wimbley, and Stanford Routt (WTF?) so Asomugha could very well have a new team next season. The Eagles and the Ravens are the most likely destinations, but he could have a dozen suitors.
CB Stanford Routt- resigned 3 years 31.5 million 20 million guaranteed
S Michael Huff
S Hiram Eugene- resigned 4 years 10.25 million
Offseason moves:
Resigned Daniel Loper
Resigned Michael Bennett
Resigned Kyle Boller
Resigned Hiram Eugene
Resigned John Henderson
Franchised Kamerion Wimbley
Raiders Kamerion Wimbley
I guess the Raiders kind of backed themselves into this corner when they slapped a 11.3 million dollar franchise tag on him before the lockout, but there’s no way in hell Kamerion Wimbley is worth 48 million over 5 years with 29 million guaranteed. He’s a nice player, but he’s not an elite pass rusher or anything and last year was his first good season since his rookie year, just in time for a contract year. Pretty good timing by him. Wimbley had 15.5 sacks in his previous 3 seasons combined before putting up 9 last year. It’s beyond insane that the Raiders gave Stanford Routt 3 years 31.5 million with 20 million guaranteed, Richard Seymour 2 years 30 million with 22.5 million guaranteed, and now Kamerion Wimbley 5 years 48 million with 29 million guaranteed, but they couldn’t resign Nnamdi Asomugha.
Grade: F
Raiders Draft Visits
DT Armond Armstead (USC)
OT Steven Baker (East Carolina)
S Jordan Bernstine (Iowa)
CB Conroy Black (Utah)
OLB Sammy Brown (Houston)
DE Kaelin Burnett (Nevada)
WR Derek Carrier (Beloit)
DT Josh Chapman (Alabama)
RB Derrick Coleman (UCLA)
DE Claude Davis (South Florida)
S Tony Dye (UCLA)
DE Tim Fugger (Vanderbilt)
WR Devin Goda (Slippery Rock)
CB Chris Greenwood (Albion)
OLB Alex Hoffman-Ellis (Washington State)
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