John Henderson & Oakland have their eyes on Dallas
The pre season finally kicks off for the Oakland Raiders (0-0) when they travel to Arlington to face the Dallas Cowboys (1-0). Dallas notched their first win in 2010 with a 16-7 tally against the Cincinnati Bengals in the Hall of Fame Game in Canton. Oakland will look at new beginnings with Jason Campbell and a slew of young defensive standouts.
OAKLAND RAIDERS
On Offense:
Jason Campbell got the highest praises within the organization this week when owner Al Davis likened him to former Raider Jim Plunkett. “I see this young Jason Campbell as a football player like I saw Jim Plunkett,” Davis said during an interview with Sirius NFL Radio. “He has everything. He was 13-0 in college at Auburn. He can throw up the field. He can run. He’s big. He’s smart.”
He continued: “I really predict great things for” Campbell, Davis said in the radio interview. “I hope he doesn’t let me down. I don’t think he will. This team has a lot of potential and a lot of great young players.”
What to Expect:
In this first glimpse of the Raiders on offense, the microscope will be on offensive coordinator Hue Jackson. No, he won’t present a full playbook for everyone to absorb across the league, but Oakland’s new play caller will try to show that this offense is more diverse and not as easy to defend. Most of that is due to stability at quarterback. So seeing more complex aerial attacks down the field in their pre-season games will be refreshing to Raider fans. Tom Cable’s main objective though will be to get the offensive line sorted, blocking well and cohesive as they approach their first regular season contest.
On Defense:
Oakland has revamped this unit with Lamarr Houston, John Henderson along the trenches, Kamerion Wimbley, Rolando McClain and Quentin Groves at linebacker and solid late draft picks in the secondary.
Stopping the run and keeping their defense balanced will be the prime objective in 2010. And Henderson is the type of player that can come in for 20-30 snaps a game and provide the bulk that has been missing since their 2002 Super Bowl run.
“I love stopping the run,” Henderson told the Contra Costa Times. “I take a lot of pride in it. That’s something we’ve got to get better at. I live for it. You can take me out on third and long. Just put me in on short yardage and all that good stuff.”
What to Expect:
Is this defense on the attack? How do the linebackers play in coverage? Can Richard Seymour, Tommy Kelly and Henderson sure up the line of scrimmage? Who steps up at Safety and becomes a playmaker? These are all questions that need to be answered. They won’t happen in this first game, but some of the reserves or players on the fringe could take a big step forward to being key contributors in 2010.
DALLAS COWBOYS
On Offense:
In his cameo last week, Tony Romo was 5-of-10 passing for 59 yards. The Cowboys want to be a tough running club with Marion Barber and dynamic down the field with their wide receivers.
But with their top rookie out of action, veteran Roy Williams (1 reception for 21 yards, last week) and break out target Miles Austin (1 reception for 16 yards vs. the Bengals) will have to generate some big plays in the coming weeks so they have a good feeling going into the regular season.
Tight end John Phillips, who tallied four catches for 60 yards last week, sustained a torn ACL in his right knee during the contest and will miss the entire regular season.
What to Expect:
Dallas will test Oakland’s batch of defenders along the line of scrimmage this week. They have one game under their belt, so getting the offensive line more reps against a Raiders unit that is seeing their first action could be in the mix. The Cowboys will probably run the ball effectively, as they’ll keep their starters in longer than Oakland will.
On Defense:
This side of the ball played well against Cincinnati, holding them to 179 total yards. In limited action, Carson Palmer was knocked around a few times and the Dallas defense looked like they were in regular season mode.
Marcus Spears will be missing for a few weeks, but teammates are optimistic about his return. “He’ll be back,” inside linebacker Bradie James said. “This gives him a chance to rest his legs and get ready for the season. We’ll need him.”
The Cowboys focus on being stout against the run. They finished fourth against the run last season, allowing 90.5 yards per game. They gave up 3.97 yards per carry, ninth-lowest average in the league.
What to Expect:
The Cowboys first team defense wants to derail any hopes for the newly installed Raiders offense. They are familiar with Jason Campbell, so it will be interesting to see how that will effect the ex-Redskins performance early in the contest.
GAME NOTES
- Oakland holds a 17-9 edge in the preseason series against Dallas; winning at home 31-10 last summer. Both clubs met on Thanksgiving Day during the 2009 regular season, a 24-7 Cowboys victory in Arlington.
- RB Darren McFadden will not play on Thursday. “Hamstrings can be tricky injuries,” he said. “I didn’t want to try to get back on it too fast. I’m just trying to make sure it’s 100 (percent) before I do.”
- Jason Witten and DajLeon Farr are the only healthy tight ends for the Cowboys. The Raider linebackers need to be tested in coverage, but Martellus Bennett will also be out.
GAME INFO
When: Thursday, August 12, 2010, 6:00 p.m. PT
Where: Cowboys Stadium, Arlington, TX
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Contact Author: Victor Cotto – SB Report Columnist
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