Silver and Black Report

This weekend, JaMarcus Russell and the Oakland Raiders (2-5) face another team having a surprising season – led by a young quarterback – as Matt Ryan and the Atlanta Falcons (4-3) fly into McAfee Coliseum for their 12^th all time meeting.

Last time both teams met on December 12, 2004, the Silver & Black were defeated 35-10, with their lone scores coming from a Sebastian Janikowski 52-yard field goal and a one-yard run by Zack Crockett. When Atlanta last visited the then Network Associates Coliseum, Oakland routed the NFC opponent 41-14.

OAKLAND RAIDERS

On Offense:

Darren McFadden has been slowed by turf toe once again, this time on his left foot, which has limited his effectiveness and kept him out of his first game last week versus the Ravens.

“You just hope it’s some kind of freak accident going out there and you get well on one foot, and then you come back and tweak the other one a little bit,” stated McFadden after not seeing action in practice on Wednesday. “You hope it’s just a freak accident and you just try to push through it like this.”

His presence was missed last week, as the Raiders managed only 35 total yards of offense in the first half, and only 47 yards on the ground for the game against a stout rush defense. And with the lack of playmakers on the roster and a deficiency in their play calling, it appeared that the offense did not have enough juice to put a scare into anyone.

What to expect:

“The first half, we just got our tails whipped at the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball,” Oakland coach Tom Cable said about the game in Baltimore. “There’s really no other way to put it.”

The offensive line, particularly the tackles, had horrible games, and with little commitment beyond this year to either Cornell Green or Kwame Harris, the Raiders could and should to start looking at other alternatives that may fare better. Mario Henderson played well in replacing Harris earlier in the season, but lost his job once the former 49er was healthy enough to get back on the field. Since, the running game has not been revved up and Russell has had less time in the pocket.

On Defense:

The secondary has played better, despite allowing big plays last week against Joe Flacco. DeAngelo Hall has settled in and leads the team in interceptions after his nightmarish debut week-1 versus the Broncos. Now, he faces his former teammates and the boisterous cornerback commented on how it will feel to face the team that dealt him away in the off-season.

“Oh yeah, I can’t wait. I cannot wait. I felt like I taught Roddy [White] a thing or two. As well as the rest of those guys. I can’t want to get out there and match up with them on game day and see if I taught him good enough. He’s obviously having a hell of a year. I text him almost every game just to tell him to keep it up, stay motivated and stay in it. I want to see him cross that water. [Make the Pro Bowl and go to Hawaii]. I think that’s the next step for him. I want to see him get paid obviously. That’s also a step that’s coming in the future.

I feel like they are my family. I’d been around them for so long. I’ve watched them mature as players and people. My kids know them. I have a lot of feelings tied up in this game.”

What to expect:

The Raiders are allowing 218.4 passing yards a game (19^th in the NFL), while the Falcons average 197.1 yards per game through the air. Oakland’s cornerbacks can match-up with Roddy White, Michael Jenkins and Harry Douglass, but whether or not the front seven can produce enough pressure to rattle Ryan will be the question.

ATLANTA FALCONS

On Offense:

Ryan is the 20^th ranked passer in the NFL (79.7 QB rating), but has shown great maturity and very good promise in his rookie season, especially after taking over at quarterback for the vilified Michael Vick.

He’s been aided by a productive ground attack, led by Michael Turner, who is third in the league with his career high 655 rushing yards and six touchdowns.

Third year pro Jerious Norwood has also provided a boost, averaging 6.3 yards per carry as Turner’s back up.

What to expect:

Oakland has allowed 162.6 yards per game in their last 5 contests. The Falcons need to establish the run early in order to give Ryan opportunities to find his weapons down the field on play action.

On Defense:

Former Raider Grady Jackson appears to be primed for game action on Sunday. If he plays, he’ll start along the defensive line with John Abraham (7 sacks), Jonathan Babineaux (7 tackles for loss) and Jamaal Anderson (2 sacks).

Starting strong safety Lawyer Milloy put a hit on Philadelphia tight end LJ Smith last week in which he was penalized for unnecessary roughness, but as of today, no suspension has been announced.

What to expect:

Abraham can have a field day with Harris. The speedy end can be menace, and if the Raiders don’t help out in pass protection, Russell could be in trouble. Oakland will try to move the mobile Russell out of the pocket, especially since their best blocking fullback is lost for the season. So how Atlanta adjusts and whether or not they bring heat with their linebackers will be key on how they defend the young passer.

GAME NOTES

 

• Jaamal Anderson will look to record a sack in three consecutive games when he faces Cornell Green this week.
• DE Derrick Burgess (triceps strain), LBs Ricky Brown (groin) and Jon Alston, and S Gibril Wilson (toe) were held outt of practice on Thursday.
• Wide receiver Ronald Curry talked earlier in the week regarding his demotion. “It’s like the team gave up on me. You go from playing to getting one or two snaps a game, the decision is being made. I’m going to go out there and continue to work at practice, work at games and once the season’s over, the picture’s pretty clear.”

KEY MATCH-UPS

Turner vs. Run D

Thomas Howard felt after the game in Baltimore that the Raiders weren’t doing to bad versus opposing ground games. The facts are, they’ve been bad and if it continues this week, against a very explosive rusher, the Raiders offense will be playing catch-up all day.

Harris and Green vs. Abraham and Anderson

The Raider tackles need to play better. And if they continue to struggle, Cable will have to consider making line changes next week.

PREDICTION

Falcons 23 – Raiders 19

TV & RADIO

The game will be televised on FOX with Matt Vasgersian providing play-by-play and former NFL performer J.C. Pearson handling color analysis. If sold out per NFL blackout rules, the game will air locally on KTVU Channel 2. The game will also air in Sacramento on KXTL Channel 40 as well as on KCVU Channel 30 in Chico/Redding, KCBA Channel 35 in Monterey, KVBU Channel 29 in Eureka and KMPH Channel 26 in Fresno. The game will air on Raiders Radio originating on KSFO 560 AM, the Silver and Black Flagship for the multi-state Radio Network. Greg Papa and former Raiders player, assistant and head coach Tom Flores will man the booth for the 11th straight year. The radio pregame show and postgame show will feature Raider Legends George Atkinson and David Humm along with KGO’s Rich Walcoff. (Broadcast information found on the official Raiders Web Site)

GAME INFO

Home Team: Oakland Raiders (2-5) Home: 1-2 Road: 1-3

Road Team: Atlanta Falcons (4-3) Home: 3-0 Road: 1-3

When and Where: Sunday, November 2, 2008, 1:15 p.m. PT | Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum, Oakland, CA

GET RUSSELL READY FOR MORE ACTION

JaMarcus Russell took his first real beating at the pro level. And what better team to do it than the physical Baltimore Ravens, led by Ray Lewis and the alleged ‘bounty’ hunter, Terrell Suggs.

Even through the tough afternoon, Russell found ways to get back up and complete some tosses with relative ease that many passers around the league can’t even dream about. His 60-yard bomb to Chaz Schilens was a thing of beauty. And getting the ball to Zach Miller on a couple of occasions with Raven defenders draped on him showed the type of moxie that this team will need out of their passer to legitimately call him the ‘franchise.’

“But today … you just keep on fighting,” stated Russell after the Raiders 29-10 drubbing. “Myself, I’m not gonna let ‘em stop me until I can’t throw it anymore. So no matter what it is – a hit or whatever – I’m just gonna keep punching, punching, until I get what I want, as far as in life as well as football.”

This Raider team, who is looking straight down the barrel of another losing season, has to find a silver lining. And that should be the continued development of Russell.

“You have to grow up fast. I think in certain situations, you become better. It’s tough out there, man. I promise. I mean, you can see,” said last year’s first overall pick.

At this point; its time to unleash his boundless talent. Yes, the running game is the backbone of this lowly attack and there isn’t much at wide receiver to compliment Russell’s great abilities. But why hold him back in his second year because of the team’s inability to find adequate targets? Why play conservative football because you are afraid of what he may not be able to do?

It’s time for the Raiders to stop babying Russell. He showed he’s a big boy, standing up to a rugged Ravens and getting back up to keep plugging away.

“To fight for my team. Just to show them that I’m capable. When you show toughness like that, it brings back up your level of play.”

TALKING TO HOWARD

I spoke to Thomas Howard after the game, and he didn’t seem to worried about the rush defense, especially after allowing 242 yards versus the Jets last week, and 192 yesterday against the Ravens.

“I don’t think the Jets ran for that many yards against us last week. I mean they only scored, what, 10-points against us last week. If that. I don’t know how many they had tonight…

But I felt we did pretty well against the run. The pass is what hurt us. A couple of big pass plays; one to [Williams] and the one to Flacco.”

Reality is, the Raiders have struggled against the run. A continuing theme from recent years, when they consistently ranked at the bottom of the NFL in that category. This after emphasizing all year the importance of Gibril Wilson’s acquisition and moving Tommy Kelly back to tackle.

As for that trick play where Joe Flacco was able to haul in a 43-yard pass from Troy Smith, Howard stated, “They made a god play. That’s Cam Cameron. He does trickery type stuff like that. We saw that when he was in Miami. We saw that a ton when he was in San Diego.”

“We had coverage on it, and it was a great play. I’m really surprised by Flacco; that he can run as well as he can.”

GRIFFITH DONE FOR THE YEAR

Oakland announced on Monday that fullback Justin Griffith will need season ending surgery on his right knee.

He tore the ACL in the third quarter yesterday and the managed to score on a 2-yard touchdown toss. “You lose a terrific person, a lot of leadership,” coach Tom Cable said. “He’s solid as a rock. He comes to work every day. He does things to the best of his ability every opportunity he gets. Someone who’s familiar with the system. You’re losing quite a bit there.”

This is the second fullback the Silver & Black has lost this season. During the pre-season, the bruising Oren O’Neal also went down with a knee injury. The only remaining fullback on the roster is the seldom-used Luke Lawton.

Although Griffith is not a focal point of the offense, his steady presence and knowledge of Cable’s zone blocking scheme has helped others on the roster improve the Raider rush offense the last two seasons. More adept at pass catching and not really known for typical punishing blocking at fullback, Griffith has compiled 35-receptions for 250 yards and 2 scores since becoming a Raider.

BALTIMORE, MD – Before the game, the Oakland Raiders announced that rookie running back Darren McFadden would be inactive. They also designated WR Todd Watkins, CB Rashad Baker, LB Jon Alston, DE Derrick Burgess, T James Marten and C John Wade as players not available to take the field.

Kalimba Edwards started once again in place of Burgess.

1^st Quarter

Both teams went three and out in their opening possessions. The Raiders drive was thwarted on 2^nd and 9 when Terrell Suggs sacked JaMarcus Russell for a loss of 13.

In their second drive, the Raiders fell victim to another sack, which led to 2-points for the Ravens. Russell was dropped in the end zone on 3^rd and 7 by linebacker Jameel McClain after both tackles; Cornell Green and Kwame Harris were beaten badly by the Baltimore pressure.

After the free-kick by Shane Lechler, the Ravens could not generate any rhythm with their passing game, as Joe Flacco started 1-of-6 for 6 yards in their first two drives. Baltimore attempted their version of the ‘wildcat’ formation with back-up quarterback Troy Smith. The former Ohio State star faked a hand off and ran for 3 yard son 1^st and 10, but the drive would end two plays later with a Flacco incompletion intended to leading receiver Derrick Mason.

Oakland’s third drive was a dud, as Justin Fargas carried the ball three times before they punted.

The defensive contest got physical on Baltimore’s ensuing drive, when Flacco overthrew a wide open Willis McGahee on a seam pattern, but safety Gibril Wilson was able to lay a solid hit on the running back at the end of the play.

The Raiders woes on offensive continued with Michael Bush at running back, as he was not able to generate any yardage when he was inserted.

Baltimore got a jolt from the special teams when Jim Leonhard ran back a punt 46 yards to the Oakland 17 yard line. There, the Ravens again utilized Smith as a rusher from the quarterback spot, as he carried the ball 8 yards to set up a 3^rd and 1.

Score: Ravens 2 – Raiders 0

The Raider offense was conservative in the 1^st quarter. When did they attempt a pass, the tackles were manhandled and that led to the sack and safety. Oakland had a total -2 yards for the quarter and was 0-4 on 3^rd down conversions. Fargas had 8 carries for 16 yards. Le’Ron McClain led the Ravens with 19 yards on the ground.

2^nd Quarter

McGahee scored on the quarter’s second play from one yard out to give the Ravens a 9-0 lead.

It looked like the Raiders would respond when Russell hit Javon Walker on a 15-yard pass on 2^nd and 10. Then, Russell connected with Bush for 9 yards. But a few plays later, Russell overthrew his target and Frank Walker intercepted the pass and the Ravens started their drive at their own 3-yard line.

There, Baltimore marched 9 plays for 97 yards, elapsing 4:09. McGahee ran the ball early on the drive, and then Flacco, who had all day to find a wide open Demetrius Williams, was able to find his target all alone down the field for a 70 yard touchdown which gave the Ravens a 16-0 lead.

Oakland’s offense continued to hibernate, going three and out after Fargas’ runs of 3 and 1 yard and a Russell to Chaz Schilens completion for 7 yards on 3^rd and 8.

Baltimore added to their lead right before the half, driving 11 plays for 61 yards, taking up 5:09. The possession started shaky for the Ravens, as they had a Flacco to Mason 32 yard gain negated by a Chris Chester holding penalty. But then Ray Rice converts a 3^rd and 12 after he shook middle linebacker Kirk Morrison and gained 14 yards. Troy Smith came on again in a wildcat formation, running an option play in which he picked up 2 yards and then pitched it to Rice who took it another 19 yards. A few plays later, Matt Stover converted on a 38 yard field goal.

Score: Ravens 19 – Raiders 0

Oakland’s offense was non-existent. With no threat of a passing game, the Ravens stacked the line of scrimmage and stuffed anything on the ground. Oakland missed the dynamic Darren McFadden, as they had no one in the passing game that feared the Ravens secondary. The conservative play calling did not help. Oakland had a lowly 35 total yards of offense in the first half. The Ravens compiled 221 total yards, 125 on the ground led by Rice’s 53 yards on 4 carries.

Interesting stat: Oakland had an average start of drives at their own 16 yard line, while the Ravens started at their own 35 yard line on average.

3^rd Quarter

Flacco scrambled out of the pocket on Baltimore’s first 3^rd down of the second half, picking up 13 yards on 3^rd and 8. A few plays later, the Ravens punted to Johnnie Lee Higgins, as the Raiders also had DeAngelo Hall back in return formation.

Oakland finally got on the board, as the Russell aired it out to begin the half. After Ray Lewis almost intercepted a pass intended for Zach Miller, Russell found Chaz Schilens on a bomb for 60 yards to the Baltimore 9 yard line. Former Raider Fabian Washington was on the coverage of the perfectly thrown toss that hit Schilens in stride.

The six-play 66-yard drive was capped by a Sebastian Janikowski 22 yard field goal that made the game 19-3.

Baltimore responded with an 11-play 62-yard drive that ended in a Stover 30 yard field good.

The drive was highlighted by a trick play in which Flacco handed off to Troy Smith, and then the rookie passer sprinted into a route and Smith was able to find him 43 yards down the field, blowing past a chasing Ricky Brown. At that point, Baltimore was up comfortably 22-3, controlling the game with their 323 total yards and 8-14 third down efficiency, while leading in time of possession 27:14 as oppose to Oakland’s 14:28.

Russell got going on the ensuing drive, hitting Miller on a 31-yard gain and Schilens on a 9-yard toss. And on 3rd and 1, as he was getting pressured, Russell lofted a pass to Miller, as he made a leaping grab for 25 yards to the Baltimore 4 yard line.

A Bush carry for 2 yards near the goal line set up a 2nd and goal from the 2, where Russell dumped it off to Justin Griffith, and as he was flipped over on the tackle, the fullback was able to break the plane of the goal line for the Raiders first touchdown of the game.

Oakland was down 22-10 after the 6-play 69-yard drive that took up 2:42 off the clock.

Score: Ravens 22 – Raiders 10

The Raiders opened up the offense in the third quarter and it paid off. They needed to generate more out of their passing game, as the Ravens were primed for anything on the ground. Russell made some nice throws, but their change of approach after halftime was too little too late due to the lead the Ravens built up. The defense was not generating enough pressure on Flacco and they never put the rookie passer in tight situations.

Stats:

• Oakland: 30 yards rushing after three quarters.
• Total plays: Baltimore 54 – Oakland 33
• Time of possession: Baltimore 27:50 Raiders 17:10
• Raiders: 2-of-8 on 3^rd down conversions

4^th Quarter

The quarter began much like it had gone all day for the Raiders on offense, with a three and out and a punt that gave the Ravens the ball at their 39-yard line. Russell missed on a pass to Miller, Bush carried the football for 2-yards and on 3^rd and 8, Higgins fell on yard short of a first down.

Oakland was given life when McGahee fumbled on the ensuing drive and DeAngelo Hall recovered the football at the Baltimore 44-yard line.

Russell escaped pressure and scrambled on the first play of the drive for 13 yards and Bush gained 2 yards on a run the following play. But a delay of game penalty on 3^rd and 8, a sack by Haloti Ngata on the ensuing 3^rd and 13 and a harmless incompletion on 4^th and 21 ended any Raider threat.

The Ravens put the finishing touches on the Raiders when they began to hit Russell late in the game. Russell attempted four pass attempts and got pressure on every play as the contest wound down. On 4^th and 10 from the Baltimore 20, Jarret Johnson sacked Russell, giving the ball back to Flacco and the offense deep in Raider territory.

Flacco scored on a 12 yard run with 3:35 remaining after taking over on a short field, extending the Raven lead to 29-10.

Oakland was lackluster on offense today, and with no McFadden, it appeared that they had no pop in their attack. The Ravens stout defense took advantage of the Raiders inadequacies on offense and continued their solid play. They neutralized the Raiders with their stout run defense and pounded the football with all of their rushers. Flacco was never put in pressure situations, as Rob Ryan’s defense did not put up the type of effort needed to win on the road. Especially against a team that has been one dimensional themselves in 2008.

Game score: Ravens 29 – Raiders 10

BALTIMORE, MD – The Baltimore Ravens disseminated a press released this morning in regards to the controversy involving linebacker Terrell Suggs, and the alleged bounty on Steelers rookie running back Rashard Mendenhall.

Suggs asked the team to issue this statement:

“I’ve got to set the record straight about what I said about so-called bounties. I tried to explain this on Wednesday, but it keeps coming back up.

“We, the players, don’t pay each other to take another player out of the game. And you know coaches don’t do that. As I said before, we prepare to stop the other team’s best players every week. Those are the players who can beat you with big plays. For example, we’ve focused all this week on stopping the Raiders’ running backs. We’ve focused on them in practice and in meetings. They are marked men by our defense – we have to know where they are on every play, and we can’t let them get rolling on Sunday.”

The release ended, “I hope that clears this up.”

BALTIMORE, MD — It’s no secret what the Baltimore Ravens game plan will be this afternoon when they face the Oakland Raiders.

Run the ball often and productively and hope to keep rookie quarterback Joe Flacco out of situations that the Raiders defense can take advantage of. Last time the Ravens faced the Raiders in 2006, they compiled 138 yards on the ground. Last week, Oakland struggled mightily against the Jets, a team that enjoyed their best rushing effort of 2008.

And with the Raiders allowing 136.2 yards per game on the ground so far this season, there is no doubt that Willis McGahee (293 yards rushing), Le’Ron McClain (281 yards) and Ray Rice (121 yards) will be primed to attack the Oakland front seven.

The Ravens have the 7^th best rushing attack in the league. That is the fuel to an offense that ranks 25^th overall in passing. Sounds familiar? Yeah, just like the Raiders, they depend heavily on their offensive line to pave lanes for their trio of rushers. And both have young passers that still don’t appear ready to shoulder the burden of an offense quite yet.

In this game, the Raiders need to show that the addition of Gibril Wilson will make a difference the rest of the way. That moving Tommy Kelly to tackle and using the rotation of Terdell Sands and Gerard Warren will help slow down opposing ground games. That their secondary is good enough to leave out on a island in coverage as their front seven attempts to build a brick wall at the line of scrimmage.

If they can’t; expect another road loss, another pounding on the ground and yet another missed opportunity to prove that the moves they made in the off-season are the right ones as they move towards the midpoint of the campaign.

NOTE

Last time McGahee faced the Raiders, he was held to 50 yards on 16 carries on October 23, 2005. The then Buffalo Bill was coming off career best 143 yards rushing effort a week prior, and after stating the week leading to the game that he was the best rusher in the league. 

Like the Oakland Raiders (2-4), the Baltimore Ravens (3-3) put a stop to their three game losing streak last weekend. Both clubs feel better about themselves in regards to their divisional positioning due to the weakness of both the AFC West and North.

Both teams last met in Baltimore in 2006, when the Ravens sacked Andrew Walter six times en route to a 28-6 shellacking. The Ravens have won four of the last five meetings, including a victory in the AFC championship game in 2000, and hold a 4-1 advantage in the series since their first contest in 1996.

OAKLAND RAIDERS

On Offense:

This week will be a huge test for the offensive coaching staff; its offensive line and the trio of ball carriers that have helped the Raiders attain the 5^th best rush attack in the league. The Ravens are the leagues best rush defense, allowing 67.2 yards per game, allowing a measly 2.8 yards per carry.

Oakland was able to get by last weekend without a consistent ground game, but considering they are on the road and the passing game is still erratic, establishing a steady chain moving attack with Justin Fargas, Darren McFadden and Michael Bush is imperative.

If that fails, you can’t expect JaMarcus Russell to shoulder the burden of the offense, even though strides were made last weekend when Oakland finally decided to open the playbook in overtime and allow him to find Zach Miller and Javon Walker down the field.

“They get to the ball and they look forward to 11 guys on defense making plays,” Russell was quoted today regarding the Ravens. “They fly around that ball, man. They get around the ball. It’s just something we have to be ready for and go out there and know it’s going to be a dogfight.”

What to Expect:

The Ravens are very stout in pass coverage as well, so expecting Russell to have a solid effort on the road against an aggressive bunch is quite unfair. But the Raiders must sustain an attack and use all three of their rushers effectively to keep the Ravens off-balance and moving backward. McFadden now, more than ever, needs to be the multi-purpose threat that he was when he was in Arkansas. Whether as a decoy or a main target, the Raiders must put him in varying formations so the Ravens can account for his presence on the field.

On Defense:

Rob Ryan’s defense was flying high after Sunday, stopping the Jets on three overtime drives before winning the game. And the defensive coordinator talked about how glad he was to see the team fight and respond to criticism that they taken over the last few weeks, especially after blowing leads late in games. “As much [expletive] as our unit has taken….”, said Ryan.

“But we take a lot of [expletive] in the press and everywhere else and its great to see our guys fight like hell and help us win the game.”

Rookie Trevor Scott was a key to that win, and his two sacks, both on 3^rd downs to kill drives, helped ease the loss of Derrick Burgess, who sat for a second consecutive game.

“That kid has a lot of talent. And he’s getting better. Keith [Millard] is doing a hell of a job with him. The kid is a like a sponge. He listens to Keith, and learns from him, and I think he’s going to keep on getting better and better”, stated Ryan on Wednesday.

What to Expect:

Burgess is still uncertain for Sunday, but with Scott’s emergence, it gives the Raiders flexibility due to Kalimba Edwards solid play lately and the steadiness of Jay Richardson on the right side. Oakland has racked up 16 sacks this season, and with the Ravens starting a young passer, it will be interesting to see how much heat the front seven can generate in order to confuse and facilitate some mistakes out of Joe Flacco.

BALTIMORE RAVENS

On Offense:

The Ravens pegged Joe Flacco the starter at the onset of the season and have never looked back.

The rookie has only thrown 2 touchdowns and 7 interceptions, and has put up a poor 68.8 passer rating so far, but he is aided by a rushing attack which is ranked 7^th in the league, led by the trio of Willis McGahee (293 yards rushing), Le’Ron McClain (281 yards) and Ray Rice (121 yards).

Derrick Mason is enjoying a fine start to his campaign, compiling 418 yards on 33 receptions and one score so far.

“I’m sure Oakland is going to be cranked up to stop that running game, so we’ve got to find a way to run it against them, and to throw it and to run the screen game and to protect the quarterback and all the things we have to do,” said first-year coach John Harbaugh on the Ravens’ official Web site.

What to Expect:

Oakland is allowing 136.2 yards per game rushing. Their secondary at this point must feel confident after holding Brett Favre to 197 yards passing. So the Ravens must pound away with their rushers if they want to move the chains and keep Flacco from facing a Raider pass rush that has gotten better since the start of the season. When they do pass, the key will be how they utilize Todd Heap and whether or not he can get loose against either Michael Huff or any of the linebackers the Raiders decide to blanket him with.

On Defense:

The Raiders have targeted Terrell Suggs as a major playmaker on the Ravens defense, especially after earning AFC defensive player of the week honors. “He’s got that great intangible that all good defensive players have: He’s going to get his hands on you and is not going to stay blocked,” said Tom Cable. “He’s a tremendous pass rusher, he really is a very good football player, kind of a complete football player.

But they have to realize that linebackers Ray Lewis and Bart Scott can also be disruptive forces in the front seven.

Haloti Ngata (LDE), Justin Bannan (NT) and Trevor Pryce (RDE) anchor a defensive line that has been very good versus the run so far in 2008.

Former Raider Fabian Washington is playing at LCB, but last week, had Frank Walker as a corner mate after the benching of regular starter Chris McAlister.

What to Expect:

Russell doesn’t have much experience facing 3-4 schemes. And with the veteran leadership the Ravens have and their style of play, if they can slow down Fargas, McFadden and Bush, they will be able to force the young Raider passer into many mistakes.

GAME NOTES

 

• The Ravens have not allowed a 100-yard rusher in 25 straight games. The longest current such streak in the NFL.
• Gerard Warren sat out of practice on Wednesday, but is expected to start in Sunday.
• The Raiders signed LB Robert Thomas this week and placed TE Ben Troupe on injured reserve.

KEY MATCH-UPS

Ryan vs. Ryan

Rex will face Rob, as both defensive coordinators would like to impress their sibling with an onslaught against their opponent. I expect this game to be a defensive battle, and the brother who implements the best attack and has their players in the best situations to succeed will prevail.

Who will succeed more on the ground?

Both teams have shown they can run the football. But the Ravens defense is far better equipped to handle the Raiders effort on the ground.

PREDICTION

Ravens 16 – Raiders 13

TV & RADIO

The game will be televised on CBS with Ian Eagle providing play-by-play and former NFL performer Solomon Wilcots handling color analysis. The game will air locally on KPIX Channel 5. The game will also air in Sacramento on KOVR Channel 13 as well as on KHSL in Chico, KION in Monterey and KJEO in Fresno. The game will air on Raiders Radio originating on KSFO 560 AM, the Silver and Black Flagship for the multi-state Radio Network. Greg Papa and former Raiders player, assistant and head coach Tom Flores will man the booth for the 11th straight year. The radio pregame show and postgame show will feature Raider Legends George Atkinson and David Humm along with KGO’s Rich Walcoff. (Programming information found on the official Raiders Web Site)

GAME INFO

Home Team: Baltimore Ravens (3-3) Home: 2-1 Road: 1-2

Road Team: Oakland Raiders (2-4) Home: 1-2 Road: 1-2

When and Where: Sunday, October 26, 2008, 10:00 a.m. PT | M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore, MD

The Oakland Raiders clipped the New York Jets’ wings this past Sunday and stunned many around the NFL with a gutty 16-13 overtime victory.

But what many didn’t see or know about were the pre-game happenings that the organization set-up for the team in hopes of motivating, re-directing and inspiring the current crop of players donning the Silver & Black.

Owner Al Davis flew in over 100 Raider legends for a weekend celebration honoring the late Gene Upshaw. One of those legends, former linebacker, Phil Villapiano, talked exclusively to SBReport.net to let us in on the events that occurred and the remembrance of Raider lore.

SB Report: What was the process like this weekend, setting up the events and getting all you greats out to Oakland?

PV: [An employee of the Raiders contacted me and informed us that] Mr. Davis would like to have me come out for the Gene Upshaw celebration. Not a memorial, it was a celebration. And there was going to be 100 or so Raiders there.

It has become customary for the Raider owner to take care of those that played for him, giving back to this former players and recognizing their achievements of the past, which has always been something Davis acknowledges. “Mr. Davis flew everyone in. We had a big party on Saturday night”, said Villapiano.

“It was a beautiful thing.”

Villapiano, who was part of the Raiders Super Bowl XI winning club, even got a chance to get on the field with the team. He commented, “It felt just like the old days.”

And prior to the contest, the boisterous great addressed the team along with other past greats to give insight on what it means to play football as a Raider.

“Kenny Stabler, Ray Chester and myself; Willie Brown. Coach Cable invited us. And Tom was a big Raider fan.”

He continued, “He felt like there’s a little disconnect where these guys really need to understand a little more about the Raiders.”

“Ken Stabler talked a lot about the 70’s teams and the make up of the guys. Ray Chester got up and talked about toughness.”

The Raiders responded with a gritty win. And with such a young team with many key players still in development, Villapiano observed a club that may not be far from turning the page on one of their worst eras in team history.

“There was no quit in those guys. And if they do that every week, this team is going to do something. This is a good football team. A good young football team. When you are good and young, and can get on a roll, you can be unstoppable.”

Villapiano was able to loosen up the team as well by addressing their franchise passer, and giving him some advice.

“I welcomed JaMarcus Russell to the team…

But I asked him if he forgot, how to run the football. The team all started cracking up and I said, ‘Jamarcus…you are such a weapon. ‘”

In all, the fleet of old Raiders parading around the locker room and throughout the weekend just reinforced the motto ‘Once a Raider, always a Raider”, while for week, it injected the 2008 Raiders with some pride and passion.

“I enjoyed every second of being with those players”, stated Villapiano.

And he felt that this team has what it takes to move forward, but he emphasized the reason why some of those teams of the past had such great accountability and leadership.

“These guys are pretty motivated. These guys are tremendous football players. But they don’t have a George Blanda, or a Jim Otto on your team, or a Gene Upshaw. These guys have been around many years. They made it very easy to understand how to be a Raider.”

This is my interview with the always outspoken Thomas Howard and what took place before today’s game…

Thomas Howard exclusive audio

I spoke with Jay Richardson after the Jets game to find out from him what he took from having directly spoken several former Raider greats and about game planning for Brett Favre…

Jay Richardson exclusive audio

On Trevor Scott’s biggest NFL game where he recorded two sacks on the Quarterback legend Brett Favre, I had the opportunity to speak with him as he spoke about his game play and what motivated him…

Trevor Scott exclusive audio