Silver and Black Report

The Oakland Raiders (5-4) took over sole possession of first place in the AFC West with their 24-17 road victory against the San Diego Chargers (4-5).

Michael Bush combined for 242-yards of total offense, the most by a Raider since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger and the fourth-highest total in team history.

“I’ve been through a lot coming through breaking a leg; just sitting and waiting for my turn,” Bush said after the game. “I think a lot of people doubted me because Darren is hurt … I guess because I’m not the same back as Darren. But we both complement each other and at the end of the day the job gets done.”

Denarius Moore, who made headlines earlier in the season with his great performance at Buffalo, but since has disappeared within the offense, grabbed the spotlight last night.

He became the fifth Raider rookie receiver to have at least 100-yards receiving and two scores in a game, and the first since Louis Murphy did it in 2009 versus the Steelers.

“He can be as good as he wants to be,” Carson Palmer was quoted. “The catch he made on the long fade [46 yards] was amazing. He ran some great routes, he has great hands. He has everything you need to be a successful receiver. It just depends on how great he wants to be.”

Since Palmer got under center as a starter, he’s targeted Moore 19-times. His 123-yards and 5 catches against the Chargers will surely gain him notoriety around the league.

It’s become tradition for the Raider Nation to invade San Diego, as it is affectionately called ‘Oakland South’ by the legion of Silver & Black fans that flood the road facility when the Raiders visit.

“It felt like a home game,” Bush said. “Our fans were rocking.”

The game was broadcasted nationally on the NFL Network. San Diego had their blackout lifted prior to the game.

Carson Palmer was 14-of-20 for 299-yards, two touchdowns and one interception. “I know the man, I know what he is and what we have,” coach Hue Jackson commented.

Oakland slowed their pace with the penalties. They were only infracted seven times for 45-yards.

No word yet on the extent of Jacoby Ford’s injury. After a 41-yard reception late in the first quarter, the receiver left with a foot ailment.

Kamerion Wimbley tallied four sacks. Tommy Kelly and Desmond Bryant compiled the other two for Oakland.

“I still don’t feel 100 percent,” Palmer said. “I missed a couple of balls I’d usually make.”

 

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The Oakland Raiders have a lot of decisions to make, mainly on their own players.

Oakland’s roster is full of question marks and depending on what happens with the collective bargaining agreement. With March 4^th just around the corner, we’ll look at the players that could stay, or depart.

PLAYERS LIKELY TO STAY

Richard Seymour, DL

All signs point to the Silver & Black using their franchise tag on their veteran leader on defense. He was dominating for stretches in 2010 and was the vocal presence needed on the field and in the locker room for many of their developing players. His age is a concern, and Oakland would love to strike a multi-year deal with him to free up the tag for their tight end, but keeping Seymour is imperative especially with a gang of youths along the trenches and a new coordinator coming in. The tag could cost Oakland roughly $15 million for 2011.

Stanford Routt, CB

Oakland tendered first and third round choices last year, ensuring he’ll stick around. He’s a favorite of the owner and will likely stay and battle for a starting spot.

Hiram Eugene, S/ST

Evolved into special team stand-out last year, which will keep him around. It is unlikely anyone sees him as a contributor on defense, and Oakland knows exactly what his value is.

Zach Miller, TE

He has a value in the open market and many teams need a player of his abilities. Equally adept at pass blocking and at pass catching, Miller may be wooed or enticed by the chance of earning a tad more elsewhere. But he is the Raiders player rep and genuinely likes the vibe with the team.

Langston Walker, OL

Likely to stick around because of his stability. A very smart player, Walker has a home in Silver & Black as long as Al Davis is calling the shots.

Jon Condo, ST/OL

Sebastian Janikowski and Shane Lechler will lobby for his return – that’s enough for the front office.

Sam Williams, LB/ST

Not going anywhere. A role player that understand his value to the team.

Rock Cartwright, RB/ST

Players respected the veteran. He was key on special teams and a guy that was fiery during practices and on Sunday’s.

PLAYERS ON THE FRINGE

Nnamdi Asomugha, CB

There’s no way he earns the same paycheck he has the past few years. No one will just fork that over, but he will get teams inquiring about his services with what may appear like greener pastures. If Asomugha plays nice and gives Oakland a hometown discount, the Raiders will retain him. If the All-Pro cornerback wants to win and join what may appear a perennial winner, then he will depart.

Michael Bush, RB

It’s unknown how the arrest for drunk driving will effect his courtship. One thing is for sure, he is young, has little wear and tear on his body and can be valuable to a team that is looking for a primary ball carrier. Teams shy away from throwing money at running backs, but with his versatility and youth, someone could overpay pay him the first few years of a deal and force Oakland to let him walk. Hue Jackson would love to keep the duo together, it’s up to Bush whether or not he wants to be in spotlight elsewhere.

Kamerion Wimbley, LB

One of the fine moves Oakland made prior to 2010. But with that success, a team high nine sacks, now comes the attention of other suitors.

Michael Huff, FS

Has improved his play in recent years, but far from the playmaker that was highly touted coming out of Texas.

Ricky Brown, LB

A solid backup and coverage unit contributor. In March, Oakland gave him a second round tender. He won’t earn the nearly $1.6 million he did in 2010, but he has a spot on the roster.

Samson Satele, C

Played well enough to deserve another shot at locking down a spot at center, but with Tom Cable gone, does the rest of the staff feel the same way about him?

Mario Henderson, T

Replaced by a rookie, now may get a shot to play if the owner brings him back.

LIKELY GONERS

Thomas Howard, LB

Couldn’t break the rotation and was relegated to spot duty after starting since being drafted in 2006. Time to find a new home, since he won’t crack the line-up and he likely feels that he’s more than just a reserve.

Michael Bennett, RB

If Bush is back, Bennett will depart.

Bruce Gradkowski, QB

I can’t see Oakland keeping him around. Jason Campbell was at ease once the fiery Gradkowski was on injured reserve.

Johnnie Lee Higgins, WR

Had one campaign as a dangerous punt returner. Oakland can easily replace him and his inconsistent play.

Robert Gallery, G

With a change in philosophy along the trenches and Tom Cable’s departure, that could mark the end of Gallery’s career in Silver & Black that never materialized in the greatness that was anticipated.

Daniel Loper, OL

Plugged holes when needed, but at this point, he may find that job interesting on another club, especially if he doesn’t think he’ll have a fair shake in Oakland.

PICK AND CHOOSE

Kyle Boller or Charlie Frye, QBs

Both are undoubtedly backups. At least Frye has the respect of the organization and is looked at as a player/coach.

NOT GOING ANYWHERE DUE TO SERVICE YEARS

Desmond Bryant, DL

Came on strong in the second half of the season. A key reason why John Henderson may not be back.

Nick Miller, WR/ST

Doesn’t seem to have the pro pedigree, yet sticks around. May not make any other roster.

Marcel Reece, FB

One of the unsung heroes in 2010.

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Contact Author: Victor Cotto – SB Report Columnist

QUARTERBACK: B

Jason Campbell did not have to do much, as Oakland dominated on the ground and never were in a position in which they had to lean on their passing attack. In the 1^st quarter, on 3^rd and 11 on Oakland’s second drive, Campbell sustained a right knee injury scrambling for eight-yards. He returned after one-possession on the sideline and was a driving force on the Raiders first scoring drive. Campbell’s 20-yard scramble on 2^nd and 20 and 11-yard completion on 3^rd and 7 helped the Silver & Black take a 7-3 lead. That drive was capped with a Chaz Schilens 5-yard scoring reception. More key passes included a 3^rd and 10, 16-yard conversion to Michael Bush and slant on 2^nd and 5 to Schilens before halftime. That drive ended in a field goal, giving Oakland a 10-3 lead. Campbell ended 15-of-25 for 155-yards one touchdown and no turnovers.

RUNNING BACKS/FULL BACKS: A

Michael Bush has a knack for big games in finales. In 2008, his onslaught at Tampa Bay helped the Raiders finish the season strong. Today, he compiled 137-yards rushing on 25-carries and a score. He showed power and explosiveness today, especially on the 26-yard run that gave Oakland a 17-10 lead in the 3^rd quarter. That 9-play 75-yard drive was crippling to the Chiefs especially after they had tied the game at 10, minutes earlier. Bush also added four catches for 34-yards, including a nifty one handed grab. Marcel Reece, Rock Cartwright and Michael Bennett all saw action, but it was Bush’s show.

WIDE RECEIVERS/TIGHT ENDS: C+

The start of the game was disastrous for Oakland, when Darrius Heyward-Bey fumbled on their first offensive play. The end around was fumbled and the Chiefs took over at the Raiders 17-yard line. That helped Kansas City build their only lead of the contest, 3-0. Jacoby Ford had one catch for 35-yards and Louis Murphy tallied two receptions for 29-yards. Ford’s end around run, bouncing off defenders to get in from 10-yards out gave the Raiders a 24-10 lead. Chaz Schilens had his most productive outing with three catches for 24-yards and a score. Zach Miller ended with 31-yards receiving, but had a scary moment when he went out with an injury. When the tight end came back, Tamba Hali beat him for one of his 2.5 sacks. Brandon Myers had one catch for 7-yards.

OFFENSIVE LINE: B

The Raiders ran for 101-yards at halftime and ended with 209-total for the game. Four sacks were allowed and Campbell took some shots at times, but for the most part, they controlled the line of scrimmage against a very good run stuffing unit. Jared Veldheer had a false start in the 1^st quarter, an illegal use of hands penalty and was tormented by Hali a lot of the afternoon. Langston Walker was beat by Hali for one sack, had a two false start infractions on one drive. Samson Satele handled Glenn Dorsey and Cooper Carlisle and Robert Gallery played solid games all around in the interior.

DEFENSIVE LINE: A

Without Richard Seymour (inactive) and Matt Shaughnessy (left game with injury), Oakland applied constant pressure with their linemen. Matt Cassel was beaten to a pulp most of the day, which effected his play, ending 11-of-33 for 115-yards and two interceptions. Desmond Bryant dominated at times with 5-solo tackles, constant penetration and tallying a sack in one of his best games as a pro. Tommy Kelly again was a force and rookie Lamarr Houston had two tackles for losses and one sack. They held the Chiefs to 115-yards rushing.

LINEBACKERS: A

One of the better games all season by this unit. Rolando McClain closed out his rookie campaign with solid contributions versus the run and playing his best game in space when defending passes. Quentin Groves has had his moments in recent weeks and today, he darted across the line of scrimmage many times to stuff Jamaal Charles and Thomas Jones or to force them into other tacklers. Kamerion Wimbley put up gaudy statistics with four solo tackles, two for losses and three sacks.

SECONDARY: A

Tyvon Branch was flying to the ball all afternoon and had a sack on 3^rd and 11 to start the 4^th quarter before the game got out of hand. Stanford Routt began the rout with his 22-yard interception return for a score. He jumped in front of Dexter McCluster and walked into the end zone to give the Raiders a 31-10 lead in the final quarter. Even when Cassel got his passes off cleanly, the Oakland secondary had good coverage on the Chiefs’ targets. Michael Huff had a solid tackle on Chris Chambers on a 3^rd down that was short of the first down marker and had a interception that set up Oakland’s score to go up 24-10.

SPECIAL TEAMS: B

Sebastian Janikowski booted a 38-yard field goal and Shane Lechler had five punts averaging 46.8 per with a long of 60-yards. Hiram Eugene had one of the better special teams tackle in the game late in the 4^th quarter and Ford tallied 36-yards on two kickoffs. Nick Miller was a non-factor and on one punt, he flipped the football to Branch to no avail.

COACHING: A

Tom Cable got his team to 8-8 and swept the AFC West by defeating a playoff bound team on the road. Kansas City played all their regulars and got whooped by a motivated Raider bunch. Oakland started sloppy, and again was victorious in a contest in which they tallied ten or more penalties (10-for-77 yards). But the second half pressure they applied and dominance at the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball was the most impressive part of the win. Kansas City was held to 201-total yards of offense and were forced into two turnovers (had only 12 giveaways coming into the game). Without Seymour and Darren McFadden, Oakland made a huge statement for their embattled coach. Will he stay, or will Davis let him walk? After this win, it’s hard to imagine the Silver & Black letting him go.

GAME NOTES

• Cable is 17-27 as head coach of the Raiders.
• Inactives for Oakland included: wide receiver Johnnie Lee Higgins, cornerback Jeremy Ware, guards Daniel Loper and Bruce Campbell, running back Darren McFadden and defensive tackle Richard Seymour.
• Jarvis Moss had one sack and three QB hits.
• Kyle Boller was in on relief again, completing his only pass for 5-yards.

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Contact Author: Victor Cotto – SB Report Columnist

QUARTERBACK: A

Dare I say, Jason Campbell was Rich Gannon-esque in his play this afternoon versus the San Diego Chargers! The Oakland Raiders passer was efficient, poised and gave the team a chance for positive plays on every snap this afternoon. Campbell on 3^rd and 7 during Oakland’s first scoring drive pump faked, was chased from behind and ran for 6-yards to set-up a 4^th and 1. On the next play, his ball handling was masterful, executing a beautiful fake handoff and then bootlegging untouched from 9-yards out to give Oakland a 7-0 lead. At the start of the next drive, he connected with his fullback after getting away from Shaun Phillips, for 11-yards. Ten plays later, Campbell increased the Raider lead to 14-0 with a touchdown lob to Jacoby Ford from 4-yards out. His legs were important; breaking containment on a 2^nd and 9 for 12-yards on another scoring drive and rushing for 9-yards on 3^rd and 7 up the gut of the Charger defense before Oakland went up 21-3. Campbell’s pocket presence was stellar and his leadership was on display when he chewed out the rookie receiver when aligned wrong and forced to use a time out. His finest play came in the 2^nd half when he adlibbed, dishing the football to Michael Bush after being pressured and almost sacked – a gain of 24-yards on 2^nd and 12. On 3^rd and 1 in the 4^th quarter, Campbell fooled the everyone with nifty ball handling, on a play action pass that ended in  Louis Murphy’s hands for 37-yards. He ended 10-of-16 for 117-yards, one score and 0 interceptions [105.5 rating]. He also ran for 37-yards.

RUNNING BACKS/FULL BACK: A

Darren McFadden was productive after a two-week hiatus. He was explosive, powerful and the game-breaker Oakland sorely missed during losses to the Steelers and Dolphins.  His fumble at the end of the first half could have proved costly, especially because the clock was ticking and Oakland could’ve ran into the halftime with all the momentum. But San Diego did not capitalize on the turnover when Nate Kaeding missed a 50-yard field goal attempt in the closing seconds of the 2^nd quarter. McFadden’s best work came in the 2^nd half; a 19-yard reception on 3^rd and 5 on the opening drive of the 3^rd quarter, a 20-yard run on the ensuing play, a 5-yard gain on 3^rd and 5 and the 7-yard run for a score to give the Silver & Black a 28-13 lead. On the pitch, he beat San Diego defenders to the edge and plowed through Eric Weddle at the goal line. McFadden ended with 97-yards on 19-carries and 3 receptions for 30-yards. Michael Bush was used perfectly today, as Oakland mixed both ball carriers to perfection. The bruising rusher tallied 95-yards on 23 carries and a score. Twice, Bush sold Campbell fakes by running into the line of scrimmage and fooling Charger defenders that though he had the ball in his hands. He picked up tough yards all afternoon and his 7-yard scamper, which featured two broken tackles, gave Oakland a 21-3 lead in the 2^nd quarter. Marcel Reece had several run busting blocks. He also had one of the game’s finer plays, hurdling over Brandon Siler on a screen that amassed 23-yards.

WIDE RECEIVERS/TIGHT ENDS: C

The Raiders did not need this grouping today. But Jacoby Ford did continue his solid play with a 4-yard touchdown grab. The play was aided by a Darrius Heyward-Bey screen on Donald Strickland to free up Ford on the fade pattern. Louis Murphy couldn’t get his feet inbounds on a 2^nd and 8 deep ball in the end zone versus Quentin Jammer. Murphy showed great effort on another deep ball that he almost tipped to himself for a completion, before hauling in a vital 37-yard grab to put away the Chargers. Chaz Schilens made his first appearance of the season but was a non-factor in the fame with one-target. Campbell missed the open Schilens on what would have been a 1^st down gain. Zach Miller continues to struggle since his injuries, tallying one catch for 5-yards. Heyward-Bey had a reverse for a second straight contest – today he compiled 13-yards.

OFFENSIVE LINE: A

The team rushed for 251-yards. That’s the most given up by San Diego all season. Jared Veldheer was dominant run blocking on the left side. He played at center when Samson Satele was hurt, but returned back to left tackle to end the contest. Oakland overpowered San Diego all afternoon and pushed around the defensive front when they needed vital yards. The Chargers led the league in sacks coming into the game and they only recorded one; a scramble by Campbell in which he slid at the line of scrimmage to prevent a major loss. The quarterback was kept clean, the running game was dominant – it was one of the better performances in years from this unit. Khalif Barnes was flagged twice, Satele had a hold on a drive Oakland had to punt and Gallery had a false start, but those infractions barely marred what was a cohesive performance. Langston Walker’s personal foul pushed Sebastian Janiwkoski out of range for a field goal attempt.

DEFENSIVE LINE: A

The Chargers managed only 11-yards rushing at halftime. They only gained another 10 the rest of the game, as Oakland took the lead and the Bolts abandoned their ground game. Regardless, the Raiders were stout early and were the more physical bunch when San Diego attempted to get Mike Tolbert going. Lamarr Houston had a pivotal play stuffing Tolbert on a 4^th and short in the 2^nd quarter and then sacking Philip Rivers on a 2^nd and 6 for a 6-yard loss. Tommy Kelly was active, manhandling Tyronne Green for sack no. 6.5 of the season. Desmond Bryant’s roughing the passer flag aided a drive that ended with a Antonio Gates 4-yard score to cut the Raiders lead, 21-13. On that scoring play, Tyvon Branch, Stevie Brown and Rolando McClain had a mix-up that, which freed up the tight end.

LINEBACKERS: B

Rolando McClain’s performance was probably the best of his rookie season. He ended with 7-solo tackles, but more importantly, he was on his assignments versus Tolbert out of the backfield, limiting him to one reception for no gain and shadowing other threats around the line of scrimmage. His physical presence was felt when he cleanly knocked Darren Sproles out of the game with a vicious hit after a 7-yard reception. Kamerion Wimbley was consistently chasing down Rivers, finally getting to the passer for a sack in the 4^th quarter.

SECONDARY: B

Stanford Routt was targeted at one point, so Rivers took advantage of the Raiders cornerback for a few plays in the 2^nd half while working on Seyi Ajirotutu and Malcom Floyd. But otherwise, the defensive backfield fared well against a passer that lit them up for over 400-yards in their first meeting. Rivers ended 23-of-39 for 280 yards, but because of the constant pressure applied, the Raiders’ secondary could get their hands on some tosses. Michael Huff was dominant in the 1^st quarter, recording a sack and an interception. Rookie Stevie Brown landed a big hit on Gates and batted away a potential score on 3^rd and 12 at the end of the 3^rd quarter versus Floyd. Mike Mitchell did an admirable job against Gates, but was stronger as a run defender around the line of scrimmage.

SPECIAL TEAMS: A

Oakland again took advantage of a miscue on special teams when Sproles muffed a Shane Lechler punt in the 1^st quarter (recovered by Hiram Eugene). Lechler did not have much length on his punts, but he did place three inside the 20-yard line. Johnnie Lee Higgins was reliable on punt returns, recording 16-yards on one and Rock Cartwright fielded a short kickoff and tallied 28-yards on the return. Travis Goethel had a solid tackle on Sproles early in the game and Mitchell continues to be an energizer on that unit. Ford had a 28-yard return negated by a Ricky Brown holding penalty.

COACHING: A

The win was the most impressive for the Raiders this season for many reasons. San Diego had an 18-0 record in December since 2006, along with a current four game wining streak and a 7-year winning stretch versus Oakland at Qualcomm. Hue Jackson was masterful in his play calling at times; whether calling a bootleg run that fooled many for a score and that his players sold perfectly, a play action toss that again fooled the cameramen and Chargers for a 37-yard gain or perfectly called screens that consistently hurt a blitzing team that could not get to Campbell all afternoon. Oakland executed perfectly at times on offense and had sustained drives that led to an impressive 38:39 versus 21:21 time of possession advantage. John Marshall applied pressure consistently via blitzes from his linebackers and/or members of the secondary. They were well designed and had Rivers running all afternoon. Even with 13-penalties for 105-yards (Chargers only infracted 3-for-19 yards), Oakland had control of the game and clamped down when needed. Tom Cable has this bunch believing and a performance like this, after losing back-to-back games, on the road, in December, goes a long way in selling the owner why he’s the right man for the job. The defense could attack a one-dimensional Chargers attack once they went up 21-3. Norv Turner then put the game on Rivers’ shoulder and the rest is history. Campbell was poised all day and owned the offense that Jackson put together for this contest.

GAME NOTES:

• The Raiders are 4-0 in AFC West for the first time since 1990.
• Oakland swept the Chargers for the first time since 2001. The Raiders last win in San Diego was in 2002, when a Rich Gannon led Silver & Black won 27-7.
• Cornerback Walter McFadden, running back Michael Bennett, cornerback Chris Johnson, linebacker Bruce Davis, guards Daniel Loper and Bruce Campbell and wide receiver Nick Miller were inactive.
• Oakland rushed 52-times for 4.8 yards per carry.

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Contact Author: Victor Cotto – SB Report Columnist

It’s the tale of two teams when the Oakland Raiders (5-6) face the San Diego Chargers (6-5). The Bolts are riding high, averaging 33.3 points per game and looking to grab the division during their four game winning streak. Oakland on the other hand has lost two in a row since entering the bye week with a three-game winning streak. “It seems like everything is going wrong right now,” safety Tyvon Branch said last weekend’s loss to Miami. “We haven’t been clicking.”

“We’ve got a group of resilient guys, that really play together and really believe in one another,” San Diego quarterback Philip Rivers said. “We’re right here in the hunt.”

OAKLAND RAIDERS

On Offense:

Oakland’s needs to get back to basics on offense; establishing the run with Darren McFadden and finding their tight end Zach Miller in the passing game.

McFadden has 18 carries for 16-yards during the team’s current two-game slide. “I’m doing pretty good, just working to get the offense back on track and keep pushing forward,” McFadden said Thursday.

Part of Oakland’s inability to run the football as they did prior to the bye week is that their falling behind in games and defenses are dictating the pace of the contest. “That’s one of the things we’ve been working on, trying to stay away from, is falling behind,” McFadden commented. “That’s what’s been happening to us – you fall behind, then you know you have to throw the ball.”

Miller has been absent from the attack, tallying 5 receptions for 23-yards the last 5-games.

What to Expect:

The Chargers rank 3^rd in the NFL at stuffing the run. So it won’t get any easier for the Raiders to re-establish McFadden’s dominant presence. They will have to and stick to it often and early if Jason Campbell plans to succeed getting the ball down the field. Expect Hue Jackson to force feed McFadden on runs and screens to soften up the Chargers defense. “We’ve got to get back re-establishing who he is and what he brings to the table and why,” said Cable about McFadden.

On Defense:

The rush defense is a major concern. In Pittsburgh, the Steelers averaged 4.9 yards per carry for a tally of 162-yards. On Sunday, the Miami Dolphins ran the ball 49-times and amassed 186-yards rushing, this after allowing an average of 75.3 yards per contest during their three-game winning streak.

On Wednesday, Tom Cable spoke about the defensive line rotation and whether any of the players can play tackle and end, stating: “You know, the one guy that can do that is Desmond Bryant. He can play inside and then move outside to spell you. But I would say, maybe in nickel, you might see Lamarr Houston go inside. We’ve done that a little bit. But really, to answer your question, no, I don’t see those guys moving in there very much.”

“There’s an issue there in terms of getting the right rotation now because of really only having the two [ends]. We’ll see what we can get done with Jarvis Moss this week in terms of preparation, if we can get him as part of that rotation.”

What to Expect:

Oakland allowed 506-total yards – 415 in the air – in their first meeting, and that was with a healthy Nnamdi Asomugha. They got to Philip Rivers at the end of that contest by blitzing and throwing off his timing with his targets. John Marshall has to rev it up again and bring heat to avoid another day where the Chargers march up –and-down the field. If Oakland’s can’t get to Rivers and slow down their rushers, it will be a blowout.

On Special Teams:

Jacoby Ford was named the AFC Special Teams Player of the Month for November. The rookie averaged 245 all-purpose yards and scored three touchdowns. Ford, the Raiders’ fourth round pick in 2010 out of Clemson, tallied 439 yards with a 29.3-yard average on 15 kickoff returns and two touchdowns. Cable said, “That’s a tremendous deal for our team. Obviously he has made a couple of big plays but he’s growing and he’s showing up more and more with each game. Hopefully we can do it again in December.”

What to Expect:

Oakland benefited from blocked punts after consecutive Charger possessions that directly led to points in their first meeting. San Diego is aware of those protection issues, so Oakland cannot expect those type of game altering plays this time around.

SAN DIEGO CHARGERS

On Offense:

Rivers could be the league’s most valuable player, and the Raiders know it. “Who’s playing better than Phil?,’’ Tommy Kelly said .“I mean Phil is doing his thing, to me he’s the MVP because everybody around him that got hurt, and he’s still carrying his team. To me, that’s a leader right there. He done put the team on his shoulders and came up big.’’

San Diego’s franchise passer has thrown for 1,018 yards and 10 of his 23 touchdowns the last four games. The 431 yards he tallied at Oakland in October where the third-most in his career.

Mike Tolbert has carried for 214-yards and two scores the last two games and rookie Ryan Matthews could be back in the mix, as he’s practiced with the club this week.

What to Expect:

Norv Turner wants more balance. So don’t expect Rivers to chuck the ball around 42-times as he did in their first meeting. Tolbert is rolling and he praised his blockers, specifically Kris Dielman, Nick Hardwick and Louis Vasquez, stating, “[the offensive line] want to go downhill and want to block and want to pound on the people in front of them.” If San Diego is balanced, they’ll toy with the Raider defense.

On Defense:

“We still have a long way to go,” Chargers safety Eric Weddle. “But we are playing good.”

San Diego ranks first in the league in yards allowed per game (273.6), second in passing yards allowed (186.4) and 3^rd in rushing yards allowed (81.1).

Shaun Phillips has compiled 10.0 sacks, Kevin Burnett leads the team in tackles (60), has 5-sacks and 2 interceptions in 2010.

“We have 11 guys out there all working together, and I don’t think we’re reliant any more on one guy than another,” linebacker Stephen Cooper said after practice Wednesday. “We have feature players on this defense, but they don’t worry about individual accolades or seeing their name in a headline. We’re all about team defense, statistics and, most importantly, wins.”

Opponents have converted just 28 percent of their third downs during their winning streak, and only 4-of-24 in the last two games.

What to Expect:

San Diego is focused on one thing only; making the Raiders one-dimensional. And that will start with stuffing McFadden and putting the onus on Jason Campbell. If Oakland is sitting on 3^rd and longs, the Chargers will continue their dominance.

GAME NOTES

• Since 2006, the Chargers are 18-0 in December. Oakland last won at San Diego seven years ago.
• The Raiders lead the series, 55-44-2, in the regular season.
• Both teams feel like they can win the division. The Raiders remaining opponents’ record is 28-27. Chiefs’ opponents are 24-31 and remaining Chargers foes are 21-34.
• J.T. O’Sullivan was observed during the Raiders practice on Thursday. It appears that he’ll be the third string passer this weekend behind Campbell and Kyle Boller. Oakland had not officially released any news about his signing.

PREDICTION

Chargers 31 – Raiders 16

BROADCAST INFORMATION (cited from the official Raiders web site)

TELEVISION: The game will be televised on CBS with Jim Nantz providing play-by-play and former NFL player Dan Fouts handling color analysis.  The game will air in the Bay Area on KPIX Channel 5 and in Sacramento on KOVR Channel 13.The game also airs on KHSL in Chico, KION in Monterey and KJEO in Fresno. RADIO: Greg Papa and Tom Flores will call the game live on Raiders Radio Network originating on KITS LIVE 105.3 FM and KFRC 1550 AM, with pre and post-game analysis on KFRC. Papa and Raiders two-time Super Bowl winning head coach Flores will man the booth for the 13th straight year. The radio pregame and postgame shows will feature Raider Legends George Atkinson and David Humm as well as local veteran radio personalities Bruce Magowan and Jason Ross.

GAME INFO

Sunday, December 5, 2010 4:05 p.m. ET | Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego, CA

Home Team: San Diego Chargers (6-5) Home: 4-1  Road: 2-4

Road Team: Oakland Raiders (5-6) Home: 4-2 Road: 1-4

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Contact Author: Victor Cotto – SB Report Columnist

OAKLAND, CA – The Oakland Raiders showed life on defense to start the 4^th quarter with a Desmond Bryant sack on 3^rd and 4 from the Miami 47-yard line.

On the ensuing play, Rock Cartwright busted through the line of scrimmage and nearly got his hands on a punt.

Bruce Gradkowski on the next play again under threw rookie Jacoby Ford on a deep toss, but the receiver made a spectacular catch, snatching the ball away from Chris Clemons at its highest point and coming down hard on the turf with a 52-yard gain.

The Raiders drive ended with a Sebastian Janikowski field goal from 30-yards out to cut the Dolphins’ lead, 23-17.

Miami answered with an efficient drive that started with Ronnie Brown runs for 5 and 8 yards. Then, Brown broke a Nnamdi Asomugha tackle and scampered for 5-yards before Brian Hartline beat the star cornerback for the Raiders for an 8-yard gain. Chad Henne a few plays later connected with Davone Bess for 29-yards, beating Walter McFadden again.

Seven plays later, Dan Carpenter nailed a 25-yard field goal to give the Dolphins a 26-17 lead with 4:03 remaining.

After a blown up screen, Gradkowski connected with Louis Murphy for 17 yards. On 2^nd and 10, Ford recorded 6-yards on a catch and on 3^rd and 4, Ford was unable to haul in a errant Gradkowski pass.

Facing a 4^th and 4 from the 46-yard line, Oakland’s woes on offense all afternoon came to an end with a poorly tossed ball by Gradkowski to Johnnie Lee Higgins that could’ve kept the drive alive.

Ricky Williams scampered for a 45-yard touchdown with 3:12 remaining to end any hope of a Raiders comeback. Miami led 33-17.

The Dolphins at that point had racked up 475-yards of total offense and 24 first downs. They were 9-of-18 on 3rd downs and owned the edge in time of possession.

FINAL SCORE: Dolphins 33 – Raiders 17

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Contact Author: Victor Cotto – SB Report Columnist

QUARTERBACK: B-

The Oakland Raiders and Jason Campbell had a tale of two halves. The passer was terrible in the first half going 4-of-10 for 18-yards and an interception. Campbell lofted a toss into the arms of John McGraw in the 2^nd quarter, missing Johnnie Lee Higgins badly as he stepped into the pocket. He also under threw Jacoby Ford on a flea flicker and had a tough time with receivers dropping some passes. But in the 3^rd quarter, he got into a roll with a 16-yard pass to Ford on a designed roll out and got another 15-yards on a dump off to Darren McFadden on 3^rd and 3 (Oakland’s first converted 3^rd down of the game) before hitting Khalif Barnes on a 2-yard pass to give the Silver & Black their first lead at 14-13. In the game tying drive as time expired, Campbell had a vital connection with Higgins for 12-yards on 3^rd and 11 and again threaded a tight pass to Ford for 7-yards on 2^nd and 6. His 29-yard conversion with Ford with 24-seconds remaining set-up Sebastian Janikowski’s game tying 41-yard field goal. Campbell ended 19-of-33 for 229-yards, one touchdown and one interception. More importantly, he’s 3-0 the last three weeks as the starter. “This win was probably the win that does wonders for our season,” Campbell said.

RUNNING BACKS/ FULLBACK: B

Darren McFadden grinded all-day and ended with 89-yards on 17 carries against a stout Kansas City run defense. He added another 25-yards on receptions. McFadden’s run for 34-yards and 15-yard reception set-up Barnes’ score. Michael Bush was ineffective in 5-carries for 17-yards. Marcel Reece had a small stat line, but blocking was key in the ground game, and especially protecting Campbell. Reece kept a defended off his passer at the end of the 3^rd quarter when Campbell hooked up with Brandon Myers for 13-yards. McFadden made a poor decision as a passer, trying to hit Darrius Heyward-Bey downfield in triple coverage. McFadden also fumbled deep in his own territory – leading to a Ryan Succop 43-yard field goal that gave Kansas City a 10-0 lead.

WIDE RECEIVERS/TIGHT ENDS: B

Jacoby Ford was the player of the game. He did drop a long ball on 2^nd and 7 in the 2^nd quarter against one of the best defenders in the AFC West – Brandon Flowers – but he redeemed himself with a miraculous 37-yard grab on a 3^rd and 8 in the 4^th quarter, where he was falling down and on his knees while grabbing the football. That extended a drive that ended with a 23-yard field goal by Janikowski and gave Oakland a 17-13 lead. His catch for 7-yards on Oakland’s final drive in regulation gave them life and his 29-yard haul as time expired pushed the game to overtime. Ford’s 47-yard gain in the extra period was the decisive play of the contest. It was a great individual performance by the rookie, who ended with 6-catches for 148-yards. Johnnie Lee Higgins added 26-yards on 3 catches (ran a nice route vs. Flowers that tallied 12-yards) and Brandon Myers, playing for an injured and inactive Zach Miller, tallied 20-yards on 3-grabs.

OFFENSIVE LINE: C+

The group allowed four sacks and only managed to help the rushers get 112-team rushing yards. But they were steady late when Campbell needed time to go down the field. Khalif Barnes hauled in his first career touchdown. Jared Veldheer had a crippling holding infraction that could’ve cost the Raiders the contest with 30 seconds remaining after Campbell hit Ford for 19-yards. Tamba Hali also beat the rookie for a sack. Robert Gallery was flagged twice and Samson Satele botched a snap that never got to Campbell’s hands.

DEFENSIVE LINE: A

The Chiefs did not break the 100-yard rushing barrier till overtime. Credit the Raiders rush defense for a solid effort against the top running club in the league. Thomas Jones averaged 1.7 yards per carry and Jamaal Charles was corralled for 53-yards. Richard Seymour was dominant (7 solo tackles), Tommy Kelly recorded a sack and Desmond Bryant had his best game as a pro with one sack and one tackle for a loss. Matt Shaughnessy continues to be steady on the edge versus the run and Lamaar Houston was one of the reasons why the Chiefs managed only 43-yards on the ground at the half, and 104 for the game. Seymour shouldve had a fumble recovery in the 2^nd quarter, but failed to maintain possession after getting his hands on the football.

LINEBACKERS: C

Rolando McClain left the game early with a hip ailment and never returned. Ricky Brown played at middle linebacker and ended with 2-solo tackles. Quentin Groves was active all game with his best play coming in overtime, limiting tight end Tony Moeaki to a 1-yard gain on 2^nd and 4. Kamerion Wimbley facilitated a holding infraction on Leonard Pope in the 2^nd quarter after getting position on the fullback. Moeaki did end up with 63-yards receiving.

SECONDARY: B

The Raiders played without Nnamdi Asomugha, so the Chiefs targeted Chris Johnson as the weak link. Johnson was flagged for a 30-yard pass interference before Verran Tucker hauled in his first NFL reception and score against the cornerback to give the Chiefs a 7-0 lead in the 2^nd quarter. Johnson’s play improved in the second half and after the coaches inserted Jeremy Ware for a few plays. Ware recorded his first NFL interception at the end of the first half in the north end zone – a key play as the Chiefs were driving and were up 10-0 with a chance to add another field goal or touchdown on 2^nd and goal. Mike Mitchell was key on the turnover, as he got his hands on the football and deflected it into the rookie’s hands. Michael Huff was in on 8-tackles and had a sack prior to Ware’s pick. Stanford Routt played well, especially in the 2^nd half. Tyvon Branch was shaken up and replaced in the line-up (concussion).

SPECIAL TEAMS: A

Ford’s days as a receiver and kick returner earned him game-ball honors. His 94-yard return for a score to open the 2^nd half ignited a dead Raider club that went into the locker room down by 10. Janikowski missed a game tying 47-yarder in the 3^rd quarter, but nailed the equalizing 41-yard attempt at the end of regulation and the game winner from 33-yards. Nick Miller could’ve been a goat in this contest with his shaky returns and fumble in the 4^th quarter that led to a Dwayne Bowe 20-yard score 5-plays later and a Chiefs 20-17 lead. Rock Cartwright was stellar on the coverage units, forcing a fumble during Javier Arenas’ kickoff return which was recovered by Hiram Eugene. Kansas City’s stellar return teams were contained. Arenas had a 41-yard return negated by a teammate’s infraction.

COACHING: B-

In the first half, Tom Cable & Hue Jackson were in over their heads. The use of challenges early on almost cost the team late, as they couldn’t review Miller’s botch return due to the coach’s decision to dispute calls early in the contest. What you had to like was the diverse play calling; Oakland debuting a few ‘wild hog’ plays with McFadden taking snaps and finding ways to get their star rusher the ball on the edges and a flea flicker. But Cable’s botched 4^th and 6 fake punt with Cartwright was dreadful and not smart considering the position on the field and how the momentum had swung after they stuffed a Arenas fake punt just a few plays earlier. That allowed the Chiefs to jump on the Raiders 7-0. Oakland awoke in the 2^nd half, and you have to credit the coaches for making the right adjustments and keeping the team alive after going into the locker room down 10-0 in front of a sell-out crowd. The Raiders played a fiery 2^nd half, took the lead, faced desperation as regulation wound down and tasted victory in overtime with two of their best players inactive, their rookie middle linebacker hurt and starting strong safety ailing. “It wasn’t the way we draw it up but it was the way it was supposed to be,” Cable said. “We hung in there, fought, hung in there, fought, got a chance, made a couple of plays, made two kicks and now we’re all happy. It’s a great job by our team of really pulling together.”

GAME NOTES

• Oakland won after being down 10-0 at the half. They tallied 15-flags for 140-penalty yards and going 3-for-12 on 3^rd downs. They also had three turnovers and allowed four sacks.
• Jacoby Ford amassed 158-yards on returns and 148-yards receiving. “It’s something I’ve been wanting to do ever since I was little,” Ford said. “I went out there, and it was a dream come true to be out there having fun making plays with those guys.”
• Oakland has won three in a row and are 3-0 against AFC West rivals.

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Contact Author: Victor Cotto – SB Report Columnist

QUARTERBACK

Jason Campbell – C-

The offense was all but dead when Campbell was under center. He was inaccurate at times and looked flustered behind an offensive line that was shaky. Campbell ended 8-of-15 for 87-yards and one interception. In Oakland’s second drive, Campbell missed Darrius Heyward-Bey deep and could’ve put more air under the toss, but his best pass of the game came a play later to Louis Murphy for 28-yards. On Oakland’s third drive, he had a solid 19-yard dump off to Marcel Reece and on the ensuing play, Campbell converted a 3^rd and 1 with a hook-up to Zach Miller for 15-yards. His final pass of the game was off a pump fake, attempting to force it into Murphy on a overthrown long ball.

Bruce Gradkowski – A

The offense was injected life when Gradkowski entered. He immediately went to work with a 6-yard hitch to Heyward-Bey and a 3^rd and 3 conversion to last year’s first round draft choice for 6-yards. A few plays later, Gradkowski connected with Murphy on a seam pattern for 26-yards and at the end of the 8-play drive, Oakland had cut into the Rams lead, 7-6. Gradkowski’s squad scored on his first drives. Heyward-Bey opened Oakland’s second drive of the 2^nd half with a 16-yard catch after a Gradkowski bootleg. Then, the feisty passer showed his grit on a 4-yard scramble near the goal line which he received a major hit from a Rams defender. On 3^rd and goal, Murphy hauled in a touchdown after Gradkowski recognized the blitz and got the ball out quick to his wide receiver.

RUNNING BACKS/FULLBACKS – A

The ‘A’ grade falls on Darren McFadden’s shoulders. For the first time in his career, the former Arkansas star looked like a feature running back that can carry the load. McFadden showed burst to the edges, ran hard between the tackles and finished off runs by initiating contact with defenders. He was workmanlike with 20-carries in the 2^nd half for 107-yards, ending the contest with a career high 30-carries for 145-yards.

Marcel Reece ended with 3 carries for 9-yards. As a target, he hauled in 2-receptions for 21-yards.

WIDE RECEIVERS/TIGHT ENDS – B

Heyward-Bey showed maturation as a football player against the Rams. Hue Jackson called his number often on short and deep routes. His ability to get open on short to intermediate patterns allowed him to have his best game as a pro. On his first catch, he came back to the pass for 6-yards on a 2^nd and 6. On a few deep attempts in the first half, Campbell either overthrew or was inaccurate in trying to connect with the speedster. DHB converted a 3^rd and 3 with a 6-yard grab in the 2^nd half and later, hauled in a hitch, made a defender miss and bolted up the field for a gain of 33. In the 4^th quarter, he climbed the ladder for 13-yards on a high toss. DHB’s 6-catches for 80-yards are a promising start. Louis Murphy ended with 91-yards and a score. He was tough, drew a couple of penalties on opposing cornerbacks and a unnecessary roughness infraction on Craig Dahl. On the opening drive of the 4^th quarter, Murphy gained 14-yards on a 3^rd and 3. Zach Miller compiled 49-yards on 3-catches. His only blip was a drop on 2^nd and 10 late in the contest that could have gone for 1^st down yardage and placed the ball deep in Rams territory. As a blocker, he was solid once again, except for a 4^th and inches at the start of the contest, in which Chris Long blew him away.

OFFENSIVE LINE – C-

The musical chairs played all day by Tom Cable were detrimental to the cohesiveness of the unit. Mario Henderson and Jared Veldheer took turns at left tackle – with the rookie getting the best results, although there is still nothing to brag about at that position. During short yardage situations (4^th and 1 run with Reece and 3^rd and 1 loss of 3 yards by McFadden), the line got no push and was slow at the point of attack. But some credit has to be given, because the team did tally 173-ground yards. Veldheer was flagged for holding to start a drive in the 1^st quarter and on a 3^rd and 6, he was bulldozed by a blitzing safety, as he played too high technique wise, which forced Campbell to scramble. He also had a false start on a 3^rd and long late in the contest. Cooper Carlisle had a key penalty – false start – on a 3^rd and 5. At center, Samson Satele held on to this job for a few weeks, although he had a holding infraction on a 3^rd and 6 that negated an 8-yard completion to Miller. Khalif Barnes was used as an extra lineman/eligible receiver for added bulk on several plays.

DEFENSIVE LINE – B

Without Richard Seymour, this grouping stayed tough throughout the contest. Desmond Bryant, who started next to Tommy Kelly had his best game since entering the league. The defense allowed 8-yards rushing in the second half after allowing 67 in the first half. Steven Jackson was a non-factor, especially since he’s a bruising runner that likes to wear down opponents. Rookie Lamarr Houston’s sack on 3^rd and goal early in the game pushed back the Rams 13-yards, which pushed back Josh Brown for his 36-yard field goal attempt that was wide right. Tommy Kelly was flagged a couple of times.

LINEBACKERS – B

Rolando McClain had a miserable first half. He missed assignments out of the backfield, was victimized in coverage and missed key tackles that sprung Jackson for some productive plays. But in the 2^nd half, McClain was far more aggressive and in control. He was flagged for unnecessary roughness when body slamming Danny Amendola, which eventually led to a Rams score, but the toughness was appreciated by teammates and fans. Kamerion Wimbley continued his solid play with a sack, 2 tackles for losses and constant pressure on Sam Bradford. Thomas Howard made a cameo late in the game on 3^rd down and played well in coverage.

SECONDARY – B

The defensive backs played press coverage and suffocated St. Louis’ targets. With no threats over the top and the constant pressure put on by John Marshall’s front-seven, the secondary played freely and aggressively. Stanford Routt played very well in the second half, breaking up a slant and recording his first interception of the campaign on a jump ball against Laurent Robinson. Michael Huff’s tackling was exceptional. The starting free-safety also jumped routes, almost picking off Bradford, but the referees instead flagged him for pass interference. Huff and Tyvon Branch were used as blitzers early, with Branch tallying a sack on 3^rd and 15 to end the Rams opening drive.

SPECIAL TEAMS – B

The tackling on the coverage units was as good as it has been in recent years. Quentin Groves, Stevie Brown and Huff all had highlight stuffs. Johnnie Lee Higgins was solid with 54-yards of punt return yards, setting Oakland up deep in Rams territory with his first opportunity. Higgins also was alert in the 2^nd half when the ball was illegally touched by a teammate and it took a fortuitist bounce into his hands. Jacoby Ford compiled 61-yards on kickoff returns. Sebastian Janikowski was 3-of-4, booting field goals of 38, 41 and 22 yards, while missing one from 46. Shane Lechler placed 2 of his 3 punts inside the 20-yard line.

COACHING – B

Cable made the smart move going to Gradkowski. “(I) made the switch at halftime at quarterback, basically to just give the team a lift, felt like we needed to change up a little bit and my job is to win games and do whatever it takes to do that,” said the head coach. The offensive line shuffle has to stop and short yardage play calling needs to be improved. Hue Jackson catered to Gradkowski’s strengths in the second half; shortening routes, calling plays that did not require the passer to hold on to the ball for long periods and keeping a better pace to the offense. John Marshall was aggressive and the constant hits on Bradford took their toll on the rookie. Bradford was poised, compose and his coaches made all the right moves combating the Raider pressure with quick tosses and screens early in the game. But as Oakland battered Bradford, he lost his accuracy as evidenced by his 5-of-14 second half after opening the contest 9-of-11 for 119-yards and 1 TD.

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Contact Author: Victor Cotto – SB Report Columnist

Oakland Raiders defensive lineman Richard Seymour will be a game time decision today versus the St. Louis Rams.

If Seymour is active, the Raiders plan to use him on a limited basis. “He’s done this before,’’ Tom Cable stated about Seymour’s limited work week. “He’s so attentive in meetings and all that, he’s played enough, so he’s got a pretty good idea of what’s going on. It’s just a matter of health.’’

The Raiders will limit his snaps if they decide to activate their best defender along the trenches.

If Seymour is inactive, expect Desmond Bryant to be in the rotation after being inactive week-one versus the Titans.

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Contact Author: Victor Cotto – SB Report Columnist

At this point, Michael Bush is listed as questionable for Sunday’s game versus the Tennessee Titans. As stated a few days earlier on SBReport, Chaz Schilens, Walter McFadden and Travis Goethel will sit the contest out.

Bush and defensive lineman Desmond Bryant will be re-evaluated on Sunday morning. I can’t imagine Bush playing if there is any hint of him not being able to secure the ball or be used as a threat out of the backfield. It would hinder the Raiders offense and give an advantage to the Titans defense, knowing they’ll have a limited and impaired player to defend.

Michael Bennett would be the better alternative, with his speed, shiftiness and pass catching ability.

The weather for the game appears California-like. Tennessee has elected to go with their road white jerseys, which will force the Raiders to go with their home black threads.

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Contact Author: Victor Cotto – SB Report Columnist