Silver and Black Report

QUARTERBACK: D

Charlie Frye dropped to 7-15 as a starter. He put the Raiders behind the eight ball early in the contest with his first pass of the game. David Bowens intercepted Frye as the passer tried to get the ball to Darren McFadden on a slant. The linebacker drifted into the area Frye was locked in on and set the Browns up at Oakland’s 17-yard line before Jerome Harrison drove it in for a score to give Cleveland a 7-0 lead. His next two passes were deep balls to Chaz Schilens that were off the mark. At times Frye was decisive and handled the offense smartly. He hit Schilens on a 16-yard gain on 3^rd and 3 in the first quarter, combined with Zach Miller for a 5-yard completion on 3^rd and 3 right before the half and he used his feet to extend plays. But the turnovers thwarted too many drives and his miscues crippled the offense when they needed big plays. He ended 26/45 for 333 yards, no scores and 3 interceptions.

RUNNING BACKS & FULLBACKS: C

Michael Bush had 9 carries for 50 yards at halftime. Oakland only fed him the ball on the ground one other time in the second half for 2-yards. Bush had a decent start running for 14-yards on the Raiders third drive and gaining 12 on a 2^nd and 8 in the 2^nd quarter. But for some reason, the Raiders abandoned the rushing game and made life easier for the Cleveland defense. Darren McFadden tallied 23-yards on the ground and 55-yards receiving. Against a team that allowed 149.6 yards per game on the ground and the opponent within reach, Oakland failed to establish a run game and give Frye a more balanced attack. Gary Russell added 2 catches for 14-yards, the key one being an 11 yard toss out of the backfield when Oakland started a drive backed up against their own goal line. But the fullback blew a block at the start of the 4^th quarter that led to a Matt Roth sack.

WIDE RECEIVERS & TIGHT ENDS: C-

Zach Miller was stellar, compiling 9 receptions for 110 yards. His taunting infraction was sketchy after a remarkable 27-yard grab in the 4^th quarter. Chaz Schilens ended with 64-yards on 4 grabs. Johnnie Lee Higgins victimized Frye with two key drops and was out of sync in the passing game. His lone haul was a 33-yard pass on a double move, beating cornerback Eric Wright on Oakland’s first play of the final quarter. Louis Murphy had a key catch negated by a penalty that could’ve set Oakland with a 1^st down at Cleveland’s 2-yard line. His 3^rd and 1 reception late in the game for 6-yards was a nice snatch on a high toss.

OFFENSIVE LINE: F

This group allowed four sacks and offered very little support to the ball carries, as the Raiders ended with a feeble 88-yards rushing. Cornell Green’s holding infraction on 3rd and 4 wiped away Murphy’s 14-yard reception at the Browns 2-yard line in the 1^st quarter.  Once Langston Walker left the game, the Raiders lost their toughness. He was replaced by Chris Morris who quickly picked up a false start flag on a 3^rd and 3 and the Browns overloaded the left side of the formation on the ensuing play to rush Frye and facilitate an incompletion. Morris was later penalized for a hold and on the next play; Roth mauled him on a blitz that put the Raiders in a 2^nd and 26. Mario Henderson faced a lot of blitzes on his side of the formation and was flagged for a false start as the game wound down.

DEFENSIVE LINE: D

Harrison had a strong outing with 39-carries for 148-yards and a touchdown. For some stretches, the Raiders held up at the line of scrimmage and battled against an offense that wanted to stay on the ground most of the day. But Harrison pounded away and a few times, his offensive line was able to open up some gaping holes. Matt Shaughnessy gave a solid effort today with two tackles for losses – displaying strong backside help on one 8-yard loss. Gerard Warren continued his solid play and tallied a sack versus his old club. Richard Seymour single-handedly gave the Browns seven points with his personal foul and unsportsmanlike conduct infractions late in the 1^st half when the contest became tense. “A little light just started the whole thing,” Seymour commented. “Everybody just jumped on. Obviously, we have to keep our composure. You never want to have personal fouls on a drive, especially on a play that didn’t even happen and you get another one.”

LINEBACKERS: D

Kirk Morrison was out of position on many of Harrison’s key runs; getting caught in traffic or getting late to a meeting point with the ball carrier around the line of scrimmage. Thomas Howard had one stand out play in coverage against Evan Moore. Otherwise, it was a quiet game from this group, including Trevor Scott who was sold at times versus the run, but did not provide the rush he has in recent weeks.

SECONDARY: C

Stanford Routt was ejected for a head-butt in the 2^nd quarter and was seen pushing Eric Steinbach a few plays before Mohamed Massaquoi’s 19-yard touchdown reception versus Chris Johnson. Johnson again had a tough time being the focal point of the opponent, beaten by Massaquoi for a 28-yard gain and getting flagged for pass interference on a 3^rd and 16 for 18-yards. Tyvon Branch was active again against the run, but he continues to have lapses in space allowing a 24-yard completion to Michael Gaines. Derek Anderson only had 17-pass attempts, but he completed eight of them for 121 yards.

SPECIAL TEAMS: B+

Sebastian Janikowski nailed a career long 61-yard field goal as time expired in the 2^nd quarter. He also booted both of his other two attempts through the uprights from 44 and 34-yards out to give the Raiders their only scores of the game. Oakland had directional kick-offs to avoid Joshua Cribbs, but it hurt them on one instance when Harrison recovered the football and went 39-yards to the Oakland 43-yard line. That field position led to a Phil Dawson 33-yard field goal, which gave the Browns a 20-9 lead. Slade Norris and Isaiah Ekejiuba had a nice stuff on Cribbs, as well as Gary Russell, who helped corral the explosive returner for 60 total yards on the day on 5 touches. The return units for Oakland continue to be abysmal and to compound the misery today, Tony Stewart was ejected after Russell’s horrific 11-yard kickoff return in the 4^th quarter.

COACHING: F

Tom Cable’s bunch again failed to notch back-to-back victories. They abandoned the run and came out with Frye firing against a team that has struggled all season stopping consistent ground attacks. The play-calling was lackluster, especially late when they attempted to run fade routes to Murphy on back-to-back plays – one which ended on a interception by Eric Wright that was overturned another on a busted play that Frye was not able to get off after penetration disrupted his short drop in the pocket. The Browns have an anemic offense as well, ranking 31^st in total yards per game entering the contest. But allowed too many big plays to help them move the chains and sustain drives. What also helped was how undisciplined the defense was, losing their composure and imploding in certain spots. Oakland tallied 13-penalties for 126-yards. Add the three turnovers, and this just proves that it does not matter who the opponent is, the Raiders are not ready to build on their recent success and go on the road and take care of business. “Some it is uncalled for stuff,” Cable said. “We’ve got to see what’s going on, but that’s 130 yards and that’s disappointing.” And that falls directly on the coaching staff, their preparation and inability to challenge these players. Another defeat next week extends their already agonizing 11 losses or more streak.

GAME NOTES:

• Inactives included: Bruce Gradkowski, Darrius Heyward-Bey, Justin Fargas, Khalif Barnes, Brandon Myers, Javon Walker and Nick Miller.
• “I didn’t give our team a very good chance to win. Turnovers trump everything,” said Frye after the game, who sustained a concussion last week and faced his former team today.
• “We’ve shown flashes of being a championship-caliber team. We’ve shown flashes of being one of those cellar-dweller type teams,” Nnamdi Asomugha said. “It’s kind of like we haven’t been able to figure out who we wanted to be. If you want to be a contender in this league, you have to have an identity.”

Contact Author:  Victor Cotto – SB Report Columnist

Fullback Luke Lawton was banned four games by the NFL yesterday after reportedly violating the league’s performance enhancing drugs policy.

The 29-year old will not be available for the Silver & Black’s next two games and the first two games of the 2010 regular season. Lawton signed as a free agent with the Raiders on 2008 and has been a member of the Bills, Jets and Colts in his 5-year career.

Lawton will be a free-agent once the season ends, so any teams that decides to sign him will have to wait for his services till at least week-three of next year.

He will lose nearly $63,000 in salary.

Reserve Marcel Reece could be activated from the practice squad, but it is more likely that Gary Russell will get most of the reps at that position.

OTHER NOTES

• Zach Miller has been cleared to practice, but Brandon Myers has not, as both tight ends have sustained concussions in recent weeks. Miller has felt better as the week ended and feels that he could see action soon once he passes some final tests. “I think it’s called a post-accident concussion test,” Miller said. “It’s the same test I’ve taken four times already. I’m really close. I’ve been practicing, feeling fine practicing, so everything looks good.”
• If neither could go, that leaves Tony Stewart as the lone tight end. Erik Pears could be used again as an extra blocker on the edges to assist Stewart and added some bulk to a ground game that will look to pound the ball with Michael Bush and Darren McFadden.
• The Browns got an extension till 1 p.m. Saturday to try to avoid their first local blackout since 1995. Browns’ officials would not state how many more tickets needed to be sold to prevent the game to be seen within a 75-mile radius of downtown Cleveland.
• Since 2003, Cleveland has a record of 36-74. The Raiders are 29-81 during that same span.

OAKLAND — Chaz Schilens has been practicing this week in preparation for their game against the New York Jets on Sunday. Here is video of the wide receiver along with other Raiders talking about their game this weekend, and their victory over the Philadelphia Eagles last Sunday.

video management, video solution, video streaming video management, video solution, video streaming video management, video solution, video streaming

QUARTERBACK: B

Facing what could’ve been more boos and a hostile crowd with another bad performance, JaMarcus Russell (17-of-28 for 224 yards 1 TD 2 INT) gave the ‘Black Hole’ a glimmer of hope that all may not be lost. For the first time in 2009, the big-armed passer was composed, looked comfortable and decisive throughout the contest. He opened the game with a slant to Darrius Heyward-Bey that was off target and almost intercepted. Then on that same drive, he audibled on 3^rd and 10 into a safe run play and that three and out had those in attendance worried about another inept offensive outing. A couple of drives later, Russell was picked off by Asante Samuel when his pass popped out of the hands of Louis Murphy. But after the Eagles took a 3-0 lead, Russell answered with an 86-yard completion to his tight end that put Oakland up 7-3. In the 2^nd quarter, he showed off his elusiveness opting to bolt out of the pocket and gain 12-yards on a run that ended with a spin move to evade the tackler. On the ens9uing play, he connected with Zach Miller for 20-yards showing good pocket awareness and demonstrating a play fake prior to the football leaving his hand. At the end of that drive, he managed the game well on a 3^rd and 8, and eventually, the Raiders would score on that 13-play possession and go up 10-3. One of his better moments was on a 3^rd and 2, as Trent Cole tried to drag him down, he got the ball off to Tony Stewart for an 8-yard gain. But on the next play, he lobbed a ball into double coverage that was picked off by Quintin Mikell. Overall, he played within himself, made key throws late to his fullback and got some heat off his back with a win and a solid performance in leading this offense that is lacking pop at wide receiver and a offensive line that has been re-shuffled the last few weeks.

RUNNING BACKS & FULLBACKS: A

Until further notice, Justin Fargas should be the starting running back for the Silver & Black. His tough running and energy was a welcomed site to this offense. His 23 carries for 87-yards were vital in keeping the Eagles honest on defense. He chugged for physical yardage and punished defenders all afternoon. More importantly was his blocking; protecting Russell against a blitz happy defense and giving his passer that extra second to get rid of the football, specifically on Gary Russell’s big gainers where he picked up attacking linemen. Russell was elusive as the starting fullback, providing punch out of the backfield with his pass catching abilities and getting into the second level quickly to set up his blocks for Fargas. His 5-catches for 55-yards were crucial in the win. His 13-yard reception on 3^rd and 10 before the two-minute warning finished the Eagles.

WIDE RECEIVERS & TIGHT ENDS: B

If not for Zach Miller’s best game as a pro, and the solid contributions from Tony Stewart, this group would get an ‘f’ grade.  Miller blocked very well today and it showed on Fargas’ sweeps. His six-receptions for 139-yards (first career 100-yard game), will go down as the best performance by a Raider so far in 2009. Louis Murphy’s two blocks on Miller’s long touchdown run were textbook and exactly what Oakland needs to do more of on offense to get some juice back into this attack. His physical play annoyed Asante Samuel enough to draw a personal foul flag on the veteran cornerback in the 2^nd quarter. Javon Walker was active, but again was a ghost when he saw action on the field.

OFFENSIVE LINE: B

LT Mario Henderson, LG Chris Morris, C Samson Satele, RG Cooper Carlisle and RT Erik Pears played a solid game. They allowed two-sacks, but at times controlled the line of scrimmage and helped Fargas get some key yardage. The mistakes were eliminated, Morris had a false start, but no infractions or miscues wrecked any drives. On a 3^rd and 2 to open the 4^th quarter, Juqua Parker beat Pears for a sack. One of the few noticeable plays where the offensive line was at fault.

DEFENSIVE LINE: A

At times, this group was suffocating. Richard Seymour looked great against all-pro tackle Jason Peters. But once he left with an injury, Seymour dominated his match-up and tallied two-sacks and four-solo tackles, including one stop behind the line of scrimmage in which he timed the snap and got to LeSean McCoy before he could even get started. Trevor Scott seems to have a knack to have multiple sack games in raider wins. Last year, he had his coming out party versus the Jets, and today, he compiled two-sacks on Philadelphia’s first two possessions. Jay Richardson’s sack for a loss of 13-yards came on a 2^nd and 2. The rush defense allowed no yards in the first half and the Eagles ended with a lackluster 67-yards on the ground. It forced Donovan McNabb to drop back to pass 46-times, which helped the Raiders tally 6-sacks in the game.

LINEBACKERS: B

Thomas Howard had his best game of the season. He recorded a sack and was key in coverage versus Brent Celek. On one of the finer individual plays this afternoon, Howard dissected a screen pass to Brian Westbrook and nailed the versatile rusher for no gain. Kirk Morrison was in on 11-tackles and was stout versus the run. Philadelphia was 2-of-16 on 3^rd downs; and when you play against Westbrook who is a multi-dimensional threat, credit has to be given to the linebackers for keying on him and keeping him under wraps.

SECONDARY: A

Stanford Routt came on strong when the Raiders needed him most. Nnamdi Asomugha got hurt, entered briefly, but Routt ended playing on his side of the field the rest of the game when the all-pro cornerback could not finish the contest. Routt had an interception return for a touchdown nullified on a questionable pass interference infraction, blanketed DeSean Jackson on key plays in the 2^nd half and ran in stride with Jeremy Maclin to ground an Eagles pass attack that can be very tough to stop. Chris Johnson had his ups and downs; torched by Jackson on a 51-yard completion, but providing the hardest hit of the afternoon on Leonard Weaver on a 3^rd and 10 for no gain as time expired in the final quarter. Tyvon Branch tackled well, was on his assignments in help coverage and on man-to-man match-ups versus Celek.

SPECIAL TEAMS: A

They contained Jackson – who is deadly – on punt returns. Shane Lechler 51.1 yards per punt and Sebastian Janikowski was 2-for-2, converting field goals of 29 and 46 yards. Johnnie Lee Higgins continues to be passive on punt returns. On one return, he lost control of the football before recovering his own fumble.

COACHING: B+

Tom Cable got the best out of his club facing a team that was flying high on offense and that had a chance to move a game from being atop the NFC East. The game plan on defense was to attack McNabb and keep him uneasy in the pocket. And that worked, with an uncharacteristic number of blitzes by John Marshall’s defense. That helped cause havoc whenever McNabb dropped back to throw and gave the secondary a break in trying to cover down the field man-to-man throughout he entire contest. The offense still struggled at times, with a couple of three-and-outs, adding to their league leading total of 26, but he tried to be creative and attack especially on a 4^th and 1 when he called a play action with Russell that could have gone for a first down if his passer would have hit Russell on a shallower route or if he would have zipped the ball to a wide open Murphy. The reverse run to Heyward-Bey in the red zone was not a good call considering the defense they were playing and the position of the field they were in. Oakland did not fold after turnovers and played inspired football in front of a home crowd that booed them off the field their last home game.

AFTER THE GAME

• “It’s a matter of whether we go out and fight to win,” said Tom Cable after the game. “Today we fought to win.”
• “That was pretty sweet,” commented JaMarcus Russell after the victory. “Whether we were up or down; good or bad play, we found a way to keep fighting. And as an offense, that’s what we need to get us going.”

Contact Author: Victor Cotto – SB Report Columnist

Gary Russell, who led the Oakland Raiders in rushing during the pre-season (28 carries for 155 yards and 3 scores) will see action on Sunday versus the Philadelphia Eagles at fullback. Oren O’Neal was ineffective, fell into the doghouse, was waived when Langston Walker signed this week and Luke Lawton is doubtful to play with an ankle injury.

At first glance, Russell is not your typical looking fullback. At 5’11” and 215 pounds, the 23-year old will have to use his quickness to hit holes and pave lanes for Raider running backs. That may be a welcomed sight after seeing the slow trotting O’Neal have his difficulties all season. Oakland has to worry about his use on passing downs, and if they are smart, they will avoid using him as a key protector when JaMarcus Russell drops back to pass versus a blitz happy Eagles defense.

Rookie tight end Brandon Myers, who lined up at fullback in big packages during the summer, could see action back there as well.

Defensive end Greg Ellis missed practice again late in the week, which could cut into his time on the field on Sunday. The first year Raider had his knee drained on Monday and was very outspoken this week with the media stating, “The mood we’re going to be in or should be in, right now we’re kind of the laughingstock of the NFL,” on Thursday. “This isn’t anything new. Teams have been that way before. New England wasn’t always winning Super Bowls and Dallas wasn’t always the team they are. So, it goes in cycles. When you’re in that down cycle, you got to fight and claw to get back out of it and that’s what we’re doing here right now in Oakland.”

Ricky Brown will wear a cast on his right ankle for a few weeks before doctors decide whether or not they opt for surgery. If surgery is needed, Brown will be lost for the season.

Wide receiver Chaz Schilens is listed as questionable and will be a game time decision. Tom Cable stated that Javon Walker would be active. It will be the first time he sees game action since week-two.

Contact Author: Victor Cotto – SB Report Columnist

The Oakland Raiders (1-3) travel east to face the New York Giants (4-0) on Sunday. This will be the eleventh time they will meet during the regular season with Oakland having a 7-3 edge dating back to their first contest in 1973. In their last meeting, the Giants went into Oakland and beat the Silver & Black 30-21 on December 31, 2005.

OAKLAND RAIDERS

On Offense:

It’s time to rev up the running game if you are the Raiders. Currently, they rank 28^th in the league in rushing, a surprise considering that was the lone aspect of this club that any prognosticator expected to be productive prior to the season beginning being the only position on the roster with considerable depth. For the next few weeks they will be without Darren McFadden (meniscus), so Justin Fargas and Michael Bush will carry the load. But it must start from the trenches, and since their game versus San Diego, the Raiders have lost any toughness and chemistry on the offensive line.

“It can go two ways,” starting left tackle Mario Henderson said this week, looking ahead to the Giants. “We can go out there and embarrass ourselves or go out there and make a name for ourselves. It’s a good opportunity for us.”

Chris Morris, who may start at left guard state, “That’s how we will measure ourselves, going up against the best. If we can put up a good game like we plan on doing it will be good for us.”

What to Expect:

The Giants defensive line can bring the heat. And their rush defense is stout. With Oakland re-shuffling their line and trying to find a way to get back a respectable ground game, it spells trouble for Tom Cable’s bunch. JaMarcus Russell will face intense pressure and there won’t be many run lanes for Fargas and Bush. New York’s defense is a prideful bunch and with their offensive leader possibly sidelined, they will make sure Oakland’s offense continues their woes, as they’ve averaged 7.3 points per game in their last three contests.

On Defense:

Oakland’s front-seven must be primed to face a tough ground game. Tommy Kelly, Gerard Warren, Richard Seymour and Greg Ellis must hold their ground and improve on the 146.3 yards allowed rushing per game so far in 2009.

“You don’t get to see 270-pound backs running that fast, but I mean he’s human so if you hit him around his beak a couple of times, he’ll slow down,’’ Tommy Kelly stated about Brandon Jacobs.

What to Expect:

The Raiders will stack the line of scrimmage in trying to slow down the Giants running backs. But they cannot allow their receivers to exploit the secondary in man-to-man coverage, as Chris Johnson has given up big yardage opposite Nnamdi Asomugha and the Giants receivers are having a solid start to 2009. If they can slow down the duo at running back for the Giants, they must attack whoever is at quarterback with their four down linemen and get there with consistency to have any shot at staying close late.

On Special Teams:

The play of the coverage units has fallen dramatically since last season; and the team returned the same components to a steady group in 2008. Oakland ranks 29th in punt returns, 32nd in kick coverage and 31st in kick returns.

Justin Miller was cut again this week, replaced by running back Gary Russell due to the injury to McFadden. Russell may see time returning kickoffs, as the combination of Louis Rankin, Jonathan Holland and Miller has been non-threats to opponents.

NEW YORK GIANTS

On Offense:

Much of the talk this week surrounded the health of starting quarterback Eli Manning. On Thursday, head coach Tom Coughlin did not predict whether or not his starter would play on Sunday after sustaining a heel injury last week, while back-up David Carr has taken snaps with the first team leading up to the game.

“I am sure he wants to play really bad, probably as bad as I want to play,” Carr said of Manning. “It’s the same for every competitor, every guy who wants to be on the field. Everybody gets hurt. We’re down a lot of guys now and I think everyone on the side wants to be out there to help the team.”

What to Expect:

Whether Manning plays or not, it won’t change what the Giants want to accomplish on Sunday. Their personality on offense is based on a tough ground game, and this may be the game to get back to being a dominant rushing unit. The Giants are averaging 145.5 yards per game rushing, but Jacobs is averaging almost 2 yards less per carry from his stats a year ago. Jacobs (288 yards rushing) and Ahmad Bradshaw (265 yards rushing) could combine for 200 yards rushing this weekend.

On Defense:

The Giants rank 19^th in rush defense (117.3), 1^st in pass defense (115.0) and 6^th in points allowed per contest (16.0)

All those numbers don’t bode well for a Raiders offense that cannot move the chains consistently or put points on the boards. Russell is struggling and is the worst starting quarterback in the league statistically, and he’s facing a team that can bring pressure with their down linemen and has covered well so far in 2009.

Linemen Justin Tuck (2.5 sacks) and Osi Umenyiora (2.0 sacks) are a quarterbacks worst nightmare, and either can line up anywhere along the formation.

What to Expect:

Antonio Pierce is the leader on defense, and his ability to dissect what offenses are trying to do and help his teammates get in the right position are invaluable traits. Oakland does not run an elaborate offensive scheme, so the Giants can just line up and play physical football. That is not in Oakland’s personality, so it will be tough for the Raiders to match New York’s intensity or style of play.

GAME NOTES

• The Giants are coming off a three-game road trip and will play in front of their home crowd for the first time since week-one. They have not begun a season 5-0 since 1990.
• Michael Bush will start at running back. He stated this week, “You want to be that man.”
• Chaz Schilens did not practice and will most likely miss another week of action. Nick Miller will be inactive and won’t be ready for at least another two-weeks. Zach Miller missed practice on Thursday, but is expected to play. Hiram Eugene finished practice and is on schedule to be activated this week.

KEY MATCH-UPS

Steve Smith vs. Nnamdi Asomugha/Chris Johnson

Smith is leading the NFL in receptions (34), yards (411) and touchdowns (4). The 24-year old is establishing himself as New York’s ‘go to guy’ and if he goes up against the best cornerback in football, it could be the best match-up of the entire weekend anywhere. Against Johnson, Smith could wiggle his way for big gains as he is a precise route runner.

RT Kareem McKenzie, RG Chris Snee, C Shaun O’hara, LG Rich Seubert and LT David Diehl vs. The Raiders front seven

That Giants’ offensive line may be the best in the league. Add FB Madison Hedgecock to that load and Oakland’s defense may be facing the toughest bunch they’ll see all year.

Can JaMarcus Russell play mistake free and make a big play or two…or three?

If by some chance Oakland is close in the 4^th quarter, they will need their QB to play over his head. They will need big plays out of him to stay close and pull an upset.

PREDICTION

Giants 29 – Raiders 3

TV & RADIO

The game will be televised on CBS with Greg Gumbel providing play-by-play and former NFL player and Pro Football Hall of Famer Dan Dierdorf handling color analysis. The game will air locally on KPIX Channel 5. The game will also air in Sacramento on KOVR Channel 13 as well as on KHSL in Chico, KION in Monterey and KJEO in Fresno. The game will air on Raiders Radio originating on KSFO 560 AM, the Silver and Black’s Flagship for the multi-state Radio Network. Greg Papa and former Raiders player, assistant and head coach Tom Flores will man the booth for the 12th straight year. The radio pregame show and postgame show will feature Raider Legends George Atkinson and David Humm along with KSFO’s Rich Walcoff. (Broadcast information cited from the official Raiders web site)

GAME INFO

Sunday, October 11, 2009, 1 p.m. ET | Giants Stadium, NJ

Home Team: New York Giants (4-0) Home: 1-0 Road: 3-0

Road Team: Oakland Raiders (1-3) Home: 0-2 Road: 1-1

Point Spread: Raiders are 14.5 underdogs

Contact Author: Victor Cotto – SB Report Columnist