Jim Otto during pre-game festivities in Oakland.

In this two part series, SBReport.net takes a look at the nineteen Raiders that have been selected for induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton.

Jim Otto – Center – Inducted: 1980

You can call him Mr. Raider. Otto joined the newfound Raiders in 1960 and the team never saw another center along the offensive line for 15-campaigns. He was a nine-time AFL All-Star, three-time Pro Bowl selection and three-time All-Pro. Till this date, Otto still remains a presence at Raider games and works for the organization.

George Blanda – Quarterback/Kicker – Inducted: 1981

From 1967-to-1975, Blanda provided Raider fans with memorable moments. At 43, he had a remarkable streak of games that featured him tossing three touchdowns in relief of an injured Daryle Lamonica versus the Steelers, kicking a 48-yard field goal with three seconds remaining to salvage a tie against the Chiefs and against the Browns, Blanda came off the bench to toss a tying score and then kick a game winning field goal as time wound down. He had two more amazing feats; again tossing a game winning touchdown versus the Broncos in relief and booting another field goal to seal the contest versus the Chargers.

Willie Brown – Cornerback – Inducted: 1984

The defensive back has one of the most vivid moments in Super Bowl history when he intercepted Fran Tarkenton and dashed 75-yards for a score. He played for Oakland from 1967-to-1978. Brown has remained a coach for the Silver & Black and one of the most beloved figures in franchise history.

Gene Upshaw – Guard – Inducted: 1987

He played his entire 307 preseason, regular season, and post-season game career with the Raiders. A six-time Pro Bowl selection, three time All Pro and two time Super Bowl champion was a dominant guard, who later became a historic figure as executive director of the NFLPA.

Fred Biletnikoff – Wide Receiver – Inducted: 1988

"Freddy B" & Art Shell during inductions in Canton in 2006.

“Freddy B” compiled 589 passes for 8,974 yards and 76 touchdowns during his 14-year career with Oakland Raiders from1965 through 1978. He was a six-time Pro Bowl selection, six-time All Pro and MVP of Super Bowl XI.

Art Shell – Tackle – Inducted: 1989

Not many players in league history were as complete as Shell. Equally great as a run and pass blocker, Shell was selected to eight Pro Bowls and was an All Pro first team tackle three-times. His post-player career included a AFC coach of the year award in 1990, when his club tallied 12-wins and made an appearance in the championship game that season.

Ted Hendricks – Linebacker – Inducted: 1990

“The Mad Stork” donned the Silver & Black from 1975-to-1983. In 1976, he was a full-time player for the Raiders in a 3-4 defense that ranked 6th that season in sacks tallied. A four-time Super Bowl champion, Hendricks attained the nickname “Kick ‘em in the Head Ted” as a Raider.

Ted Hendricks in Oakland prior to the game versus the Browns in 2011.

Al Davis – Owner – Inducted: 1992

Davis was one of the most legendary figures in league history. As an owner, head coach, general manager and commissioner, Davis’ impact in football is widespread, on the field and off of it. No other person embodied what the Raiders were all about.

Mike Haynes – Cornerback – Inducted: 1997

Speed, range and cover abilities – Haynes was the epitome of bump and run coverage. A nine-time Pro Bow selection and a member of the leagues’ 75th anniversary team, Haynes was a Raider from 1983-1989. He tallied 18 interceptions wearing the Silver & Black.

Eric Dickerson – Running Back – Inducted: 1999

He was a Raider for one season, acquired from the Rams for fourth and eighth round picks in the 1992 draft. He rushed for 729-yards – with his lone shinning moment on the Monday Night Football stage versus the Chiefs, darting 40 yards for a score.

Part two of SBReport’s look at Raider hall of famers:

A look back at all the Raiders in the NFL Hall of Fame (pt. 2)

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Regarding Carson Palmer:

“Carson Palmer is extremely excited about what we have going here,” Dennis Allen said. “He’s looking forward to the future and he’s excited about the opportunities here.”

“[Carson is] excited, and we’re excited for him,” Reggie McKenzie stated.

ANALYSIS:

One of the more vital early decisions Allen had to make was settling in on his quarterback. Yes, this regime inherited Carson Palmer, but what they have is a passer that will make loads of money and that showed flashes of his Pro-Bowl type past right out of semi-retirement, no training camp and learning his teammates and playbook on the fly. Not to mention that he had no Darren McFadden when he took the snaps.

Palmer will be Oakland’s starting passer. Allen had to empower the quarterback now and let him know that moving forward, he’s the guy looked at to help this team take it to the next level.

Regarding penalties and his approach:

“The only way that you create habits is through consistency, doing the same things over and over and over,” Allen said. “Well, if you’re committing penalties, that becomes a habit. We’ve got to change those habits, all right? We’ve got to develop the proper habits so that we’re not creating those penalties on a daily basis.”

ANALYSIS:

This is all talk until proven otherwise. But you have to like what he’s saying. The last coach made promises of fixing the penalty issue and those attempts failed miserably.

Tallying penalties has become habitual, but so has an inability to stuff the run. Allen has many bad habits that he’ll have to break, but his militant style and disposition should be a welcomed approach. He wants things done right… the first time.

On defensive talent:

“I don’t think radical changes are what need to be made,” Allen said. “Obviously, just with all aspects of the game, you’re always going to try to upgrade your team in whatever way that you can but I do still feel like there’s a talented defense. I feel like we got enough players, both on offense and defense, that we can win a championship with.”

ANALYSIS:

Yes, a lot of that is just said because it sounds good and you want to emphasize your ultimate goal of being the best. A lot of is based on him not wanting to get on the wrong side of players early on, and I’m sure he’ll gain better perspective of the talent on the defense, or lack of thereof, as mini-camps, OTAs and the summer roll around.

There is talent on this unit. And there’s untapped potential too in quite a few young studs. But there’s also no denying that the secondary is in shambles, with or without Tyvon Branch, who is a UFA and the run defense has been one of the worst in the entire NFL since 2003.

On structure:

“This is a team effort,” McKenzie said. “When we go about getting players, work on getting a staff in here, how we’re going to do things on the football side, we’re going to do these things together. It’s not, ‘I got this, you have this.’ We’re not doing it like that. The right hand will know what the left hand is doing. We’re in this thing together.”

ANALYSIS:

The days of one man running the show are over. The G.M will help build the roster in accord with the coach, the coaches will teach and implement game plans, the players will play. There will be no outside interference from powers atop as to who plays, who is on the roster and what should be the plan of approach for the squad on a particular Sunday. In essence, the Raiders will operate like a modern football organization, finally.

On what he heard about Oakland, good or bad:

“At the end of the day, what I was really concerned with was, who are the people that are leading the organization now? The people who are leading the organization now are Mark Davis and Reggie McKenzie, and when I looked across the table at Reggie McKenzie, I knew that was a man that I believed in and that I trusted in,” Allen stated. “That was the only thing that was a concern to me, and that was what really drew me to this job.”

ANALYSIS:

Plain and simple, he wouldn’t be a candidate if Al Davis was around, and he surely wouldn’t gotten or taken the job if the old structure was still in place.

Allen wants to run his defense and call his own shots – that wouldn’t have occurred with Davis alive. Allen has complete autonomy to pick and choose what coaches he wants on or off the staff – another thing he would’ve had to deal with if Davis was alive.

This isn’t an archaic operation anymore. Allen has autonomy and will be left alone to do what he does best – coach.

On his style on defense:

“We’re going to be an aggressive, attacking style of defense,” Allen said.

“We will play with discipline. … We are going to preach fundamentals and discipline and the players are going to fall right in line.”

ANALYSIS:

Ok folks, lets get ready to hear the word ‘discipline’ another few hundred times in the coming months, because Allen made sure to state that he wanted a ‘disciplined’ club many times.

It’s back to basics for the Raiders, especially on defense. He’ll surely want to attack and he has players to make that happen…

But Oakland has to go back to square one with this new coach and prove that they can handle taking on more before he unleashes all he has to offer.

On his coaching style and play calling:

“I don’t believe the head football coach can do an effective job as the head football coach if he’s calling plays, offensively or defensively,” said Allen.

ANALYSIS:

Look, I’m not going to argue with Mike Holmgren’s success as a head coach and play caller. Or a guy like Bill Belichick, Sean Payton or Jon Gruden, who have shown in the past that they can handle it and win being play caller and coach.

But you have to like that Allen will delegate as a rookie and bring in his guys to make sure things get done the right way. Hue Jackson handled the offense and was the head man in his first year – a big mistake for him.

Allen has already impressed me by realizing that you have to have limitations – is not about knowing what you can do, it’s realizing what you can’t or shouldn’t do.

He’ll keep the pulse of the team and learn on the job. He’s a rookie head coach. Allen will go through his growing pains. But at least he won’t have so much of a burden by wanting to do it all.

On guys he can depend on for advice:

“I’ve got great resources that I can count on to give me advice anytime I need it,” Allen said. “I’ve got Sean Payton, who is one of the … really a brilliant, innovative offensive coach but also an outstanding head coach. He understands exactly how to run a program and how to work with players.

“I just spent a year with John Fox, who’s really done a great job throughout his career with Carolina and then in Denver. Dan Reeves brought me into this league and gave me my first opportunity to coach in the NFL. I’ve got some great resources that I can rely on and lean on in times when I hit a situation when I need some help.”

ANALYSIS:

You got to love that. Some great names he’ll lean on…

Allen will do it his way. It won’t be the “Raider way,” or how some people want you to do it. He’ll embrace the Raider past no doubt, but it’s time to take a different plan of action.

Outlook:

“This is a new day for Oakland Raiders football,” Allen said. “We’re going to set our own goals and aspirations.”

ANALYSIS:

No disrespect to what happened in the past… and yes, the Raiders are deep in tradition and great lore. But at times, they hung on to that too much and never let fresh air into the building. With a G.M who has his back and will let him do whatever is needed to get the football team right and proper structure in place, the Raiders have a whole different outlook with this staff.

On his defensive and offensive coordinators:

“We’re exploring all our avenues as far as what we’re going to do there,” Allen said. “We are in the process right now of formulating our whole staff.”

McKenzie said, “there’s a couple of guys he wants to keep. He’s going to see who he can get and who he can’t.”

ANALYSIS:

Al Saunders did not get a bode of confidence. It’s up in the air who will Allen bring in. Saunders was a logical choice to keep continuity and a semblance of order with unit that was solid. Allen did say he wants an offense that can run the ball and attack aggressively. He’ll patter his offense, or desire his offense to look like Sean Payton’s in New Orleans. Allen said he wants an up-tempo, fast and aggressive offense. He wants to run the football ball, and be explosive in passing game. They’ll need to keep Michael Bush to stay atop the league in running the ball and have one of the better running back tandems in the NFL. As for the explosive pass attack, it starts with keeping Palmer and hoping they keep Marcel Reece, develop the young targets and use Kevin Boss more effectively in 2012.

Coaching style:

“We’re going to do a lot of different things on defense,” Allen said. “Again, we’re going to be attacking and aggressive in a bunch of different areas. I don’t really get hung up on the 4-3, 3-4 personnel. We’re going to find out what our players can do the best.”

ANALYSIS:

He wants aggressiveness, but that will only happen until the fundamental are sound and they can do the basics; stop the run, tackle well and stop tallying dumb penalties.

One things for sure, McKenzie won’t pigeon hole himself into making draft picks and the new coach won’t set his defensive schemes in stone.

FINAL OUTLOOK:

I love the hiring and stated before he got hired than Dennis Allen would be my choice. It was the right move not bringing back Hue Jackson and no longer will Raider fans have to hear what I dubbed, “Hue Talk,” a year ago when he was hired. I have the same issues with Allen as I did with Jackson, before people starting waxing poetically about the former offensive coordinator.

I stated last January that Jackson will have growing pains and that it was vastly different being a head guy, rather than a coordinator. I also felt that he benefited from a monster season by McFadden and other surprises, especially the emergence of Jacoby Ford.

Allen does not have a Champ Bailey, a Brian Dawkins or a Von Miller on this defense. And he inherits a team that has been .500 the last two years.

But what he does have now, that his predecessors did not is a front office that is stabile, a quarterback with legitimate ability and full reigns to implement what’s needed to build this team into a winner. Those things along will make him way more successful than Jackson or any other coach that has been on the sidelines with the Silver & Black since Gruden. Book it.

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(Image rights belong to Raiders.com)

This week, the Oakland Raiders officially announced the hiring of Dennis Allen to be their next head coach.

Allen, 39, becomes the 18^th coach in the organizations history, its tenth headman since thy returned to Oakland in 1995 and their seventh over the last ten seasons.

In their release, the team stated:

The Oakland Raiders will introduce Head Coach Dennis Allen on Monday, January 30, 2012 at noon.

As first reported by Kate Longworth of CSN Bay Area, terms of the deal are for four years.

Oakland, under Al Davis, operated differently than what we’ve seen early on with Reggie McKenzie, as the likes of Norv Turner, Art Shell, Tom Cable and Hue Jackson were generally given two or three-year deals when given the head coaching job.

No coach has been as successful in Oakland as Jon Gruden, who compiled a 40-28 record from 1998-2001 but left for Tampa Bay for four draft picks (first- and second-round choices in 2002, a first-round selection in ’03 and a second-rounder in ’04), along with $8 million paid over three years.

Lane Kiffin compiled a 5-15 regular season record.

Bill Callahan (2002-2003) was fired one year after taking the Raiders to Super Bowl XXXVII. In his second season, the team turned on him in the midst of its 4-12 season, and Davis felt Callahan had lost control of the players.

Here’s a list of Raider coaches in their history and their records:

• Eddie Erdelatz (1960-1961) 6-10 in the regular season
• Marty Feldman (1961-1962) 2-15 in the regular season
• Red Conkright (1962) 1-8 in the regular season
• Al Davis (1963-1965) 23-16-3 in the regular season
• John Rauch (1966-1968) 33-8-1 in the regular season (2-2 in the playoffs)
• John Madden (1969-1978) 103-32-7 in the regular season (9-7 in the playoffs)
• Tom Flores (1979-1987) 83-53 in the regular season (8-3 in the playoffs)
• Mike Shanahan (1988-1989) 8-12 in the regular season
• Art Shell (1989-1994) 54-38 in the regular season (2-3 in the playoffs)
• Mike White (1995-1996) 15-17 in the regular season
• Joe Bugel (1997) 4-12 in the regular season
• Jon Gruden (1998-2001) 38-26 in the regular season (2-2 in the playoffs)
• Bill Callahan (2002-2003) 15-17 in the regular season (2-1 in the payoffs)
• Norv Turner (2004-2005) 9-23 in the regular season
• Art Shell (2006) 2-14 in the regular season
• Lane Kiffin (2007-2008) 5-15 in the regular season
• Tom Cable (2008-2010) 17-27 in the regular season
• Hue Jackson (2011) 8-8 in the regular season

In January of 2010, SBReport published:

The Oakland Raiders: A carousel of coaches

That capsule highlighted the constant change with the Silver & Black and the circumstances around those hirings/firings, along with speculation regarding the likes of Sean Payton and Steve Sarkisian.

While in Hawaii for the Pro Bowl, Shane Lechler talked about his new coach,  who he has known since 1994. “He’s a pay-attention-to detail guy,” Lechler told CSNCalifornia.com. “I’m not saying we haven’t had that here before, but D.A.’s going to take it to another level.”

It’s not the first time that the all-world punter has been boisterous about head coaching happenings in Oakland. In January of 2011, he had this to say about Al Davis decision to let Cable walk: “I just looked at my wife. I can go through another head coach. It’s not fun.”

He continued, “I think this is going to be a huge set back for us, to tell you the truth. Tom was good and how he handled the whole dealing with Al [Davis] and all that situation. He was one of the better coaches I’ve had that can handle that part of it and not let part of it bother the football team. And that’s what I enjoyed about him.”

“Yes I do respect him,” said Lechler then of Jackson taking over. “Whether he can call plays and pull off the whole head coaching deal and deal with Al Davis on the side, I don’t know, that’s a lot on somebody’s plate.”

Tom Cable in one of his final contests with the Silver & Black on Nov. 28, 2010.

With the hiring, Allen also marks the first defensive-minded head coach since the late Davis hired Madden to replace Rauch in 1969.

Since, Flores and every other coach until Jackson had offensive pedigrees and a background as either a play caller or an offensive line staffer.

In a video on CSNBayarea.com, the new Raider coach stated, “I think they are an outstanding organization and it will be an honor to be able to work for them.”

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Allen met with Raiders general manager Reggie McKenzie for a second interview today in Mobile, Ala. and quickly let the Broncos know that he would no longer be their defensive coordinator after accepting McKenzie’s offer.

Allen becomes the 18th head coach in franchise history, and the eighth since the 2001 season.

With the hiring, Allen also marks the first defensive-minded head coach since the late Al Davis hired John Madden to replace John Rauch in 1969.

Now, Allen must get started immediately and decide on who he wants to hire as assistant coaches to work under him. McKenzie has stated that his new head coach will have the power to hire his own staff. Currently, offensive coordinator Al Saunders is the only assistant coach still under contract with the Raiders.

For more information regarding Dennis Allen’s coaching history, CLICK HERE.

Al Davis, who was synonymous with the Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders died at 82. Since, the Silver & Black have lit an eternal flame in his honor at every home. SBReport.net was there every weekend covering the Raiders and capturing images of past greats who were honored to light the torch.

“The fire that burns brightest in the Raiders organization is the will to win.” — Al Davis

October 16, 2011 – In their first game at home since his passing, the Raiders took on the Cleveland Browns. Legendary coach John Madden was the first to ignite the cauldron in Davis’ honor. Madden is still the franchise leader in wins, compiling a 103-32-7 regular season record, winning Super Bowl XI and never having a losing campaign for the Raiders.

October 23, 2011 – Jim Otto a week later was given the honor of lighting the flame. From 1960-to-1974, the center cemented his legacy with the Silver & Black. He was a nine-time AFL All-Star selection, three time Pro Bowl pick and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility in 1980. If there was a great that could be dubbed “Mr. Raider,” it would be Otto.

November 6, 2011 – Freddy Biletnikoff lit the eternal flame in pre-game ceremonies on the weekend Oakland faced the Broncos. The former wide-receiver debuted in 1965 for Oakland and at the end of his career, he had six All-Pro selections, numerous team records, a Super Bowl championship (XI) and a Super Bowl MVP.

November 27, 2011 – It was Jim Plunkett’s turn prior to the game against the Bears. The passer joined the Raiders in 1978 serving as a reserve before an injury propelled him to the forefront. Then during the 1980 season, Plunkett’s career took off, winning comeback player of the year and leading the Raiders to two Super Bowl victories (XV, XVIII).

December 18, 2011 – Before Oakland faced the Detroit Lions; Clem Daniels was given the honor of lighting the flame. In 1961, Daniels was traded to the Raiders, where he spent seven years and was an AFL all-star in ’63, ’64, ’65, ’66 and ’67.

January 1, 2012 – Mark Davis, Al’s son, rung in the New Year by being the last person to light the flame during the 2011 campaign. It was poetic to see the son light the fire the burned the brightest on the season’s final day, as Oakland now embarks in a new era of football without the maverick.

“Three months ago on Oct. 8, 2011 at 3 a.m. I received a phone call from Dr. General Hilliard that my father had passed away. It was a sad day for the Raider Nation and all of the players, coaches and fans who have worn the famed silver and black over the last 48 years.” – Mark Davis, on Tuesday, January 10, 2012.

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That one-man cleaning crew is Reggie McKenzie, and he was introduced today as general manager of the Silver and Black.

His first order of business was to relieve Hue Jackson of his duties as head coach.

Was it the right move?

If McKenzie wants complete power and control over his roster… if McKenzie wants to put a stamp on this club and bring in a new era of Raider football – yes, it was absolutely the correct move.

“Number. one, I want my guy. Everything is based on performance,” McKenzie said. “But I go with my gut a lot, so when it’s time to make the final call, my gut is going to tell me one thing. When I met, interviewed, with Mr. Davis, Mark told me the general manager would have the power to hire and fire the coach. Recently I let him know that I would like to move on from coach Jackson and began my search for a new coach — and he was OK with that.”

That sign shows the shift of power structure in the organization. No longer will an owner be the end all, be all. There is a general manager now, who has a sense of what modern day football operations looks like and more importantly, will make the decisions based on what the team needs, in cohesion with the coach, who then in turn will be allowed to run whatever is needed to get wins.

It’s not strictly about the vertical game anymore. It’s just not about getting players who run the fastest or look good in pads, or that may have a highly decorated past.

“The legacy of the Raiders is steeped in tradition but with all things there comes a time when change is necessary and for the Raiders, that time is now,” McKenzie said. “The Raiders organization, with respect and deference to all its tradition and history, is about to embark on a new era.”

What fans have wanted for a long time…

Change, a new sense of hope and not being stuck on traditions – embracing the past yes, but getting a sense of forward movement… the Raiders now have that.

Jackson tried to move Oakland forward, but at this point, he’s just collateral damage… a necessary casualty that just shows how much the organization has changed since the passing of Al Davis.

The outgoing coach took over a team that Tom Cable got back to respectability. Jackson could not go any further, and regardless of injuries or what other unfortunate circumstances he had, with McKenzie’s grasp of power came at an unfortunate time for him.

So here we are…

McKenzie has begun search for a new head coach. Mark Davis has released all control of the football side to one man. And just like Al Davis would’ve done, McKenzie will do it his way.

A COMPLETE ANALYSIS OF THE PRESS CONFERENCE WITH QUOTES AND PICTURES FROM ALAMEDA COMING SOON TO SBREPORT.NET!

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From Packers.com

The Oakland Raiders will reportedly hire Reggie McKenzie to be their general manager.

McKenzie first joined the Green Bay Packers in 1994 as a pro personnel assistant and was promoted to director of pro personnel in 1997. McKenzie’s tenure, Green Bay has captured seven division titles, three conference championships and Super Bowls XXXI and XLV.

He served for 10-years as director of football operations.

Ron Wolf, an executive for the Raiders, then in Los Angeles, selected McKenzie in the 10th-round out of the University of Tennessee. He spent four years with the Silver & Black as a player.

“Reggie’s a tremendous evaluator,” Wolf told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel on Wednesday. “He can tell you who can play and who can’t play. That’s what it’s all about. Some can write reports but can’t tell you who can play. Whatever that is, he has that. He has a feel.”

On Wednesday, he interviewed for the job, and now appears ready to take over a team that was managed by Al Davis till his death this past season.

His first order of business will be to fix the defense and bring in staffers that can help a group that ranked 29^th in the league, allowed a franchise record 31 touchdown passes and the third most points (433) in team history.

It’s apparent that Oakland wanted someone in the front-office to handle the draft, free-agency and trades, rather than let coach Hue Jackson make all the final decisions.

After Davis’ passing, Jackson appeared to have a lot of power, brokering deals for Aaron Curry and Carson Palmer, which left the Raiders with a depleted upcoming draft class.

At the time, Jackson said of the Palmer transaction, “the greatest trade in football.”

Here’s a current look at what the Raiders have to work with in the 2012 draft and free-agents:

Current look at the Raiders 2012 Draft selections

Oakland Raiders Free-Agent Tracker & Analysis

McKenzie was a candidate for a front-office job with the Houston Texans when then Packers general manger Ted Thompson called him “a very talented young man.”

He was also a finalist for the job at Atlanta in 2008 and in 2007 with the Titans.

Both Ron Wolf and Ken Herock recommended McKenzie to Davis prior to his death as a potential heir apparent to the owner who once had his hands all over the Silver & Black.

Wolf and Herock, along with John Madden, have advised Mark Davis and Raiders executive Amy Trask throughout the process.

“I would hope the organization understands that I have a pretty good idea of where we need to go,” Jackson said when asked about  a potential new executive coming into office. “If not, then I shouldn’t be sitting where I’m sitting. I think I know exactly what this team needs and how they need to do it.”

There’s no denying McKenzie’s success with the Packers. His fingerprints are all over their roster full of great draft selections and free-agent signings since he began working there. Superlatives are thrown around when his name comes up in conversations.

Now, he has full control of an organization that was once controlled by one man from top-to-bottom since the early ‘60s.

ANALYSIS:

McKenzie is the perfect man for the job. Who better to run this team than a talent who has been given verbal accolades by some of the best executives the league has ever seen? McKenzie has the pedigree and résumé for the job. For years, many Raider fans yearned for a top-notch personnel man to make new-age football decisions for their organization. Now is that time. And in true Raider-fashion, there were no color lines and they stayed true to hiring a man with ties to their storied-franchise. Will Jackson co-exist with McKenzie? Time will tell…

For one thing, McKenzie will surely step in knowing that Jackson’s ultimate fate will be tied to the success or failure the team has with Carson Palmer under center.

McKenzie has to live with that. He’ll have to surround that passer and his coach with better personnel and improve that defense on the sidelines and on the field.

No longer will Jackson have the autonomy he had months ago to add who he wants. Ultimately that will either make him a better coach, or leave him out of a job if those decisions during the 2011 season come back to haunt him.

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A local radio station in Oakland reported that coordinator Chuck Bresnahan; linebackers coach Greg Biekert and secondary coaches Rod Woodson and Kevin Ross have been released of their duties.

Hue Jackson stated that decisions regarding anyone on his staff would be made very soon.

With all the issues on defense, it’s safe to say that the Silver & Black will make changes on their staff…

But whom and when are questions that we’ll have to wait for.

In the past, Oakland has been known to take their time disseminating information about changes or non-changes along their staff, especially when rumors begin to circulate. With Al Davis’ passing, will things remain the same?

As I tweeted earlier tonight, Bresnahan, Biekert and Woodson were Davis’ choices. He was always faithful to past staffers and former players, which is one reason why those hirings were made.

You can easily deduce all of them could be on the hot seat right now.

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Here are some tidbits from Jackson’s talk with the media:

On his message to the team on their way out:

“That as a Raider, you’re expected to win. And 8-8 is not where we want to be and I don’t want to use the old coaches’ cliché — you look at the wins you possibly could have won, and you didn’t. To me, that’s just…you’re setting yourself up again to be able to say, hey look, if we did this, we’d be here, you did that, you’d be there. You didn’t. At the end of the day, you didn’t win those games. We got what we earned. We’re 8-8, we’re a .500 football team for the second year in a row and, that’s disappointing. But the guys that come back here, that get ready for the off-season program, they’re going to buy in…all the way to what it is that we’re selling. Because we’re going to win a championship here, and that’s what I told them. And if you don’t feel comfortable at the way I think you’ve got to buy in, then maybe this is not the right place for you.”

ANALYSIS: Good to hear Jackson admit that this was a disappointment, because he was the first one to talk up his club early in the season, saying they would become bullies and that they had untapped potential. Eight wins again equates to a disappointing season, especially when they were at 7-4 in late November.

Looking back at missed chances:

“I mean, I can go all the way back to Buffalo, I can go back to Denver here, I can go back to the Detroit game. I can go back to the game yesterday. And where we had opportunities and we didn’t make the most of them.”

ANALYSIS: Those three particular games, I talked about being integral losses that could have shifted the outcome within the division. Coincidentally, all three were games that either defense never made a stand late or collapsed entirely.

On Chuck Bresnahan’s defense:

“It’s unacceptable.”

ANALYSIS: You now he wasn’t going to say much. If Al Davis were around, he would’ve never blasted his players publicly, or he would’ve heard from the man in-charge. Like Davis though, I don’t think the Raiders will ever feel obligated to make moves just because of public backlash, or because of what the perceived timing of it should be. In Oakland, things have always been done at their own pace. This is black Monday around the league, if things were a tad different and that defense was really “unacceptable,” the front office should’ve made a move. So now we wait… for an announcement, or no announcement because Bresnahan is under contract.

He added about staff changes: “Well, I haven’t sat through it all, but obviously I’m going to meet with everybody here soon and we’re going to go from there.”

On possible general manager hiring:

“But I would hope that as the head coach of this football team I would hope that the organization understands that I have a pretty good idea of where we need to go. Because if not, then I shouldn’t be where I’m sitting. So at the end of the day, I think I have a pretty good idea now that I’ve been through this for a year, and have done it, be it coaching, be it all kind of sort of different hats and duties, dealing with you all, and everybody, I think I know exactly what this team needs to do and how they need to do it. That’s the fun part of it.”

ANALYSIS: Jackson is already posturing and positioning himself for whoever comes in. I’m sure he would like help and a staffer to deal with the contracts and other vital behind the scene things needed to be in personnel, but he wants some sort of power and depending on whom Oakland selects, it could shift the balance of powers. I’m sure he wants to be involved in the process to ensure he can have a working relationship with the general manager, and maybe even have some influence on them.

Jackson added: “I don’t know that. But I don’t think it’d be awkward. I’m pretty comfortable with who I am and what I am. I’m not gonna get caught up in who we hire and who we bring in here. I know how that works. I know when people mention that, ‘well, if they hire a GM then he’s gonna want to bring in his own head coach.’ And hey, if that’s what Mark decided to do, that’s his right. I don’t think that that’s the case, but that is his right. But at the end of the day, whoever comes here, I think it’s gonna be somebody who wants to share the same vision as a I do, which is winning a championship, which is getting the organization back to being better than average. Because we should be, and we can be.”

On Carson Palmer and Jason Campbell’s future:

“I think, obviously, he has some strong characteristics throwing the ball. I mean, he’s proven that. I think he’s disproved all the issues with his arm. I don’t think anybody can bring those subjects up anymore. I think that Carson needs a strong off-season, with his teammates, with the players, training camp and then let’s see what he can be then. Am I tied to him? Well, I made the decision, so I guess I am. You know? He’s one of our quarterbacks. But by no means do I say, hey, Jason Campbell doesn’t haven’t an opportunity to be here, too. That decision has not been made. I have a strong feeling about Jason Campbell, and I think you guys all know that. I mean, my doing that, I know everybody sees it as maybe it was a slap to Jason. It wasn’t. I owe this team the best opportunity to win, and this organization the best opportunity to win. That’s why I did what I did. And at the end of the day, I’m not gonna run from that.”

ANALYSIS: Jackson’s tenure will be defined by how the Palmer trade works out – they are tied at the hip. There’s no denying that. As for Campbell, it would be ideal to keep him, as he’ll be the perfect back-up; he has strong work ethic, knows the system and has cohesion with the unit. Problem is, does he still think he can be a starter elsewhere, and would he accepted a demotion and lesser money than what he think he could make. There aren’t many starting openings in the NFL, so anywhere he goes, he’ll surely be a backup who may have a shot with a passer on a short leash. But otherwise, with Kyle Orton out there, Vince Young and now Matt Flynn, who could be a hot name; Campbell may not be a commodity in the open market.

On Darren McFadden’s injury and the effect:

“You have always put everything into the evaluation. Darren is under contract and all those things will take care of themselves. But it has taught me that you always have to have – whether it be at the quarterback position, the running back position of the receiver position — a very capable No. 2. And obviously Michael Bush was.”

ANALYSIS: Easily shows that the Raiders don’t plan on letting Bush walk away – nor they shouldn’t.

On Tyvon Branch’s possible free-agency:

“Very, because I think he’s one of the young, talented players on our team. I think he has a bright future ahead of himself. Any guy that’s back there that we deem, the organization deems, is a Raider and that plays the way we want them to play, we want to get under contract and get back here in a uniform. He’s definitely one of those guys.”

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In just a few hours, it will be 2012…

SBReport.net turns the page on another year by looking at the best and the worst in Raider-Land in 2011. The Oakland Raiders did not reach the playoffs in 2011, but hope remains for 2012, as they’ll play the San Diego Chargers on Sunday on the first day of a new year.

Here’s a look at the best and the worst:

JANUARY

Worst: The Decatur police department responded to shots fired at Rolando McClain’s vehicle.

Best: Oakland hired Steve Wisniewski to aide Bob Wylie along  the offensive line.

Best: Al Davis had an informal session with local media after the announcement of Hue Jackson as a head-coach, which can be heard here.

Best: More audio from Davis regarding his new coach, and his old coach.

Best: Oakland hires Hue Jackson.

Worst: Just litigate, baby.

Worst: Shane Lechler rips into the owner.

FEBRUARY

Best: Raiders re-sign Kamerion Wimbley.

Best: Stanford Routt signs an extension.

Best: Rod Woodson is hired to coach the secondary.

Worst: Michael Bush was arrested for drunk driving.

Worst: Oakland brings back Chuck Bresnahan.

MARCH

Worst: Donovan McNabb to Oakland trade rumors.

Worst: The NFL lockout.

APRIL

Best: Raiders draft Stefen Wisniewski. More here.

Worst: Louis Murphy arrested for…

AUGUST

Worst: Shooting after 49ers-Raiders game.

SEPTEMBER

Best: Sebastian Janikowski blasts a 63-yard FG in Oakland’s win at Denver.

Worst: Oakland cannot get a second half stop in Buffalo…lose on the road.

Best: The Raiders bully the Jets… and Ryan’s defense.

OCTOBER

Worst: The passing of Al Davis.

Best: Oakland wins on the road at Houston on the weekend of Davis’ death.

Worst: Get humiliated at home versus the Chiefs and lose Darren McFadden due to injury.

Worst: Matt Shaughnessy heads to the I.R.

Best: Carson Palmer is acquired.

NOVEMBER

Best: The Raiders win three in a row versus the Chargers, Vikings and Bears to take the AFC West lead.

Worst: Injuries begin to mount.

DECEMBER

Worst: Rolando McClain arrested.

Best: Raiders beat Kansas City 16-13 in OT to keep their playoff hopes alive.

Worst: Lose three in a row and fall behind the Denver Broncos in the AFC West race.

MORE…

Best coach — Bob Wylie, offensive line: He has one of the better young left sides in the entire NFL. They haven’t been as dominant late as they were at the start of the season, but this unit overall has been very surprising.

Best player — Darren McFadden, RB: Oakland’s most electrifying talent. The offenses’ complexity changes when he’s in there.

Best acquisition — Carson Palmer, QB: It saved the season… imagine of Kyle Boller had to go the rest of the way after Jason Campbell went down?

Best acquisiton pt. 2 — Aaron Curry, LB: Just plays like a Raider.

Best Rookie — Denarius Moore, WR: He has the knack for the big plays (i.e. vs. San Diego, at Buffalo et.)

Best Win — At Houston: Emotional weekend, facing a offensive power-house… Oakland got the job done.

Worst loss – 28-27 vs. Detroit: What a collapse!

Worst play – Calvin Johnson was covered by who on that final drive?

Here is a look at the best and worst of the Raiders at the bye week this season:

Best & Worst: Oakland Raiders at the Bye Week

SBReport.net will wrap-up the season with more ‘best and worst’ moments when Oakland’s campaign comes to an end… so stay tuned. From everyone at SBReport and Raiderfans.net — Happy New Year!

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