Official 2012 Oakland Raiders

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corinthian

Just Win Baby!!!
Feb 23, 2006
5,704
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3rd ID
By Steve Corkran
Monday, October 8th, 2012 at 3:09 pm in Oakland Raiders.

The Raiders are tied for last in the league in terms of turnovers on defense. Perhaps most glaring, the Raiders are one of only two teams without an interception this season.
Hence, there is what strong safety Tyvon Branch calls an added emphasis on getting that turned around. In a hurry.
The Raiders forced four fumbles, and recovered three, their first four games. Even so, that’s not the rate of return coach Dennis Allen and defensive coordinator Jason Tarver want on their investment.
Never mind that the Raiders played against three veteran quarterbacks their first three games — Philip Rivers, Ben Roethlisberger and Peyton Manning, Allen and the players said. It’s incumbent upon the Raiders to force the issue.
“We call them takeaways, which means that we control them,” Allen said. “It’s not like the offense gives us the ball. We go out and take it away from them. So, yeah, there’s things that we can do.”
Branch said it’s as simple as tackling better on plays in which the quarterbacks checks down the ball and thereby forcing longer passes in traffic.
“Once we start tackling better, they got to start making high-risk throws in order to accomplish what they want to accomplish,” Branch said. “So, football’s crazy. Once they start coming, they’re going to come in bunches.”
Turnovers come as a result of defense played at a fevered pitch, Allen said.
“We got to have 11 people flying around to the football, flying around like their hair’s on fire,” Allen said. “And that’s the way you play defensive football. It’s been that way since the beginning of time, and it won’t change.”
Free safety Michael Huff envisioned the Raiders defense being a top-five unit that imposed its will on opposing offenses. Part of playing that style of defense, naturally, would result in numerous turnovers.
The realization that the Raiders are without an interception through four games is something Huff has difficult grasping.
“I wouldn’t have believed it,” Huff said. “Even based off preseason, you could just see, it was a great defense when we play our defense. And for us not to have any picks and only a few sacks just boggles (the mind).”

– The bye week afforded Allen and his coaching staff added time to evaluate the roster and the first four regular-season games.
Allen had this to say about what he gleaned from the process:
“Obviously, there’s things that we can do better as a coaching staff to put our players in a little bit better position,” Allen said. “At the end of the day, it comes down to players going out and executing and making the plays they get the opportunity to make.
“We’re all in this thing together and we’re continuing … This will be a constant thing, it is in the NFL. You never rest. You keep looking for ways to improve. Last week was a good week for us to kind of look at ourselves and what we’re doing and how we can do it a little bit better.
Allen said it was nice to be able to step away from the hustle and bustle of the season and see things from a fresh perspective.
In short, he said he learned some things about his team, as well as reinforced already formed opinions on some things.
“The season moves fast,” Allen said. “Sometimes you think you see something, and it’s not exactly the way you saw it. When you get a little bit of time to sit back and look at it, spend a little bit of time looking at it, it opens your eyes to a few different things. We looked at a lot of different areas from what we were doing well and what we have to improve on. We’ll move forward from there.”
Defensive end Lamarr Houston honed in on one aspect of his game during the bye week.
“As a D-line, we need to apply more pressure to the quarterback and we need to make more of an impact in the games,” Houston said. “That’s basically what I really was focusing on, because we’ve been pretty good in the run game, and we also need to improve on third downs, that’s a part of rushing the passer.”

– Wide receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey has passed all his concussion-related tests, as mandated by the league, and been cleared for full contact, Allen said.
Heyward-Bey looked at full strength in practice today, running multiple routes at full speed and doing everything asked of the other wide receivers.
Therefore, it’s likely that he will make his return Sunday against the Falcons. He last played in a game Sept. 23, when he was knocked from the game with a helmet-to-helmet hit from Steelers safety Ryan Mundy.

– Linebacker Aaron Curry is eligible to come off the physically unable to perform list Oct. 16. Once he practices for the first time, a 21-day window begins for the Raiders to decide how to proceed.
Here’s what the rule states:
“At any time during that period, the club can restore the player to the active/inactive list. If the player is not restored to the active/inactive list on the day after the conclusion of the 21-day period, and the club elects to carry the player on reserve/PUP or reserve/non-football injury, the player shall not be permitted to play in any games and is not allowed to practice or participate in team or individual drills during the remainder of the season (including postseason).”
Rookie Miles Burris has filled in for Curry the first four games at weak-side linebacker. If Curry is healthy enough to be activated, Allen has to decide how best to use Curry.
Curry missed all of training camp and some of the offseason workouts because of sore knees. It’s a stretch to envision Curry getting into football shape in a short amount of time, but he certainly could reach that point during the 21-day window.
Curry declined an interview for the second time in recent weeks. He said he isn’t allowed to speak with the media as long as he’s on the physically unable to perform list.
Allen said he’s eager to see where Curry is at when he returns next week.
“He has made some progress,” Allen said. “It’s different when you’re doing your rehab work as opposed to when you’re actually out there playing football. It will be a great deal for us to get him out here, get him working some football, running around and doing some football movement and really getting back into the swing of what we’re doing defensively because it’s been a while since he’s gotten an opportunity to participate.”
Curry missed some of the offseason workouts and all of training camp.

– Allen said the Raiders did not work out any free agents last week. However, there’s the “potential” to do so this week.
He added that the starting lineup figures to look much as it did when the Raiders last played a game.
“I wouldn’t expect just a bunch of wholesale changes,” Allen said. “We’ve put a lot of time into the guys out there that we have on the field. We’re going to continue to evaluate that as we go through and whatever lineup changes we feel like are necessary to maybe give us a boost and help us maybe play a little bit better, we’ll make those changes.”
Hope curry can make it back onto the field
 

corinthian

Just Win Baby!!!
Feb 23, 2006
5,704
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3rd ID
Oakland Raiders notebook: Andre Carter expected to help struggling pass rush
By Jerry McDonald jmcdonald[USER=64637]@BAYAREA[/USER]newsgroup.com
Posted: 10/12/2012 08:04:27 PM PDT
Updated: 10/12/2012 09:29:35 PM PDT

ALAMEDA -- Chances are Andre Carter will get a chance to upgrade the Raiders pass rush Sunday, but he doesn't look at it as if he's a mercenary hired to take out Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan.
Rather, Carter sees his contribution as blending in with the group and generating pressure through interaction with his teammates on the defensive line.

"It's definitely about winning your matchup, but at the same time we have to figure out a way to work together,'' Carter said. "We're communicating a lot more, we have to make sure we're in synch and just go.
"You need to know where the quarterback is going to be. Is he 7 yards deep? Nine yards deep? Is he a pocket passer? Good defensive linemen that know how to pass rush, that's what they study.''

It was Carter's cerebral approach, as well as 76 career sacks, that appealed to a Raiders team looking to bolster a pass rush which has just three sacks in four games. General manager Reggie McKenzie has bypassed other 30-something unrestricted free agents.
With Carter, and the influence he could have both in terms of skill and knowledge, the
Raiders were willing to make an exception.

Defensive coordinator Jason Tarver said Carter helps in two ways -- having someone to compete with sharpens the group, and his depth of knowledge in terms of pass rush techniques can be relayed to teammates.

Ryan, the NFL's second-ranked passer, threw 52 times in last Sunday's 24-17 win against
the Washington Redskins and was sacked only once. Seven of the 12 sacks against Ryan came the previous week in a 30-28 win against the Carolina Panthers.

Raiders coach Dennis Allen said he expects Carter to be active and be part of the defensive line rotation. Carter spent some time working with the first team during drills and said after practice he has worked on both sides.

Wednesday, Carter had his first padded practice since last season, when he had 10 sacks for the New England Patriots before a torn quadriceps in Week 15ended his season.
"I felt like a new kid in school,'' Carter said. "It's all great. I felt like I haven't lost a step.''

With Denarius Moore having played five games and Darrius Heyward-Bey scheduled to start after coming off a concussion on Sept. 23, quarterback Carson Palmer will have both of his starting wide receivers available and at something approaching full strength.

Heyward-Bey has earned rave practice reviews and the hope is he'll show no ill effects from the blow from the Pittsburgh Steelers' Ryan Mundy which knocked him unconscious.

"That's a tough deal any player's got to go through when you take a big hit like that, but he's taken a couple of hits in practice this week and he's bounced right back,'' offensive coordinator Greg Knapp said. "I'm feeling confident he'll be fine.''

Heyward-Bey conceded getting jostled in practice is different than what he'll face against the Atlanta secondary, but is confident he'll be fine.

"I'm not really worried about it,'' Heyward-Bey said. "Everybody who plays football wants to get that first hit in, and you go from there. When it happens, it happens, and you move on to the next play.''

Defensive tackle Tommy Kelly returned to practice Friday after missing Thursday with a foot injury and is listed as questionable. Allen expects him to face the Falcons.
Cornerback Shawntae Spencer (foot), tackle Khalif Barnes (groin) and tight end Richard Gordon (hamstring) were officially ruled out and there is no timetable for their return.
Hopefully carter can have some good effect on the pass rush. our horrible secondary needs all the help they can get
 

P.E.

Sicc OG
Feb 24, 2003
1,977
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we just gained a half game on every team in the division. Our team from last year would have taken the division this year easily. such a goddamn shame.

broncos got a healthy peyton manning, but he just don't got it anymore. he's healthy and playing well enough so that the donks won't replace him or get a high draft pick, perfect!

dolts still got norv

kc just sucks, I wonder if they really believe that brady quinn is going to save them, lol



anyway, enough shit talk. here's a good article on why the zone blocking scheme hasn't been working. seems like there is a chance things could get turned around as the season goes along. it'll be too late by then anyway though. even if it does start working, it was still a bullshit move to fix an offense that wasn't broken. saunders was the offensive coordinator last year and there's no good reason why he still shouldn't be.

Zone Blocking: The Anti-McFadden | The Rookie Scouting Portfolio
yup,..and hue should of gotten one more season!..hue would of been using pryor in wildcat schemes and shit,making it fun,throwing off defenses,and having palmer throwing all over the field,getting in the players faces talking shit, and demanding respect,i just dont see why reggie let him go so easy or at least consider him as an OC coach,man!....... knapp is krapp!
 

corinthian

Just Win Baby!!!
Feb 23, 2006
5,704
1,257
113
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3rd ID
I can see why reggie would want to bring in his own guy(not that I agree with it), but dennis allen clearly made bad decisions putting together his coaching staff. for all we know, maybe hue is right and it wasn't reggie, but mark davis that wanted him gone.
 
Props: Tony

corinthian

Just Win Baby!!!
Feb 23, 2006
5,704
1,257
113
41
3rd ID
i would rather lose and get a higher draft pick then go a mediocre 8-8 7-9 or6-10. fuck it might as well go to for top 5 pick if we aint making the playoffs lol
our division and conference ain't that good. the afc west or a wildcard spot could be had with 7-9, 8-8 record. if sd loses tonight, then they're 3-3 and so are the donks. we' ain't that far out yet and there are too many horrible teams that will take up those top 5 picks anyway.



Burris supplants McClain in nickel package
Raiders coach Dennis Allen talked about making a few “tweaks” during the bye week. One of those changes manifested itself in rookie linebacker Miles Burris supplanting Rolando McClain on certain downs.
In the first four games, Burris was the linebacker coming off the field whenever the Raiders went with an extra defensive back in their so-called nickel package. McClain became that guy Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons.
McClain’s snaps dropped from 73 against the Broncos on Sept. 30 to 17 against the Falcons on Sunday.
By comparison, Burris played 27 of the 77 snaps against the Broncos and all 55 against the Falcons.
Allen said he doesn’t foresee getting away from this alignment, given how well Burris played against the Falcons.
“Every week, we’re going to evaluate and see where we’re at,” Allen said, “but he did enough (Sunday) in the game to earn the right to be back out there again in nickel situations.”
The Raiders selected McClain in the first round of the 2010 NFL draft. He has started 34 of 37 games since he arrived as the projected linchpin for the Raiders defense.
McClain has come under fire from fans for his lack of consistency as an impact player. In Burris, Allen sees a young player who gets better each game.
“He’s not a repeat mistake offender,” Allen said. “He makes the corrections, he understands football and concepts and he’s able to make adjustments and get things corrected. As long as he continues to do that, he’ll continue to improve.”

– The Raiders remain convinced that it’s only a matter of time before running back Darren McFadden breaks out of his season-long slump.
On Sunday, McFadden rushed for 70 yards on 27 carries (2.6-yard average) – he had a 21-yard run negated by a holding penalty. He stands at 271 yards (3.2) through five games.
By comparison, McFadden rushed for 519 yards on 91 carries (5.7) through the first five games last season.
“I was pleased with the way that he ran the ball,” Allen said. “He ran the ball extremely hard. There are still a lot of adjustments that we’ve got to make and some things we have to do because there’s still meat left on the bone there.

– Weak-side linebacker Aaron Curry is slated to practice Wednesday for the first time since he was placed on the physically unable to perform list at the start of training camp with sore knees.
The Raiders have a 21-day window to take a look at Curry and decide how to proceed.
They can activate Curry and place him on their 53-man roster at any point during the three-week window. Once the window closes, Curry has to be activated, waived or placed on season-ending injured reserve.
Allen said Curry’s health isn’t in question so much; it’s more a concern about his being in football shape. Curry hasn’t practiced since June, and he has not played in a game of any kind since last season.
“He’s used this time to kind of prepare for all positions at the linebacker position,” Allen said. “We’ve got a plan in place for him to be able to potentially play in any of those three spots.”

– Recently signed defensive end Andre Carter played mostly right end in his Raiders debut Sunday and participated in 24 of the team’s 55 defensive plays.
Carter assisted on only one tackle in his first game since joining the Raiders on Sept. 26.
“He did some good things but, also, he’s still a little bit rusty,” Allen said. “So, every day that he gets an opportunity to get out there and practice and every game that he gets a chance to get out there, he’ll get better and better. But his presence, his veteran leadership, is good for our team.”
if curry can make it back from his injury, mcclain might hit the bench. he's getting outplayed by a late round rookie.
 
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Cut-Throat

Bob Pimp MOBBEN!!!
Apr 25, 2002
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Props: Tony

Tony

Sicc OG
May 15, 2002
13,165
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Lol, you a fool for that! Couldn't fix the highlights though, ain't no fixin' that. It is what it is.... Raiders!
 
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