OAKLAND, CA – For the Oakland Raiders, cornerback Jeremy Ware, running back Michael Bennett, cornerback Chris Johnson, guard Daniel Loper, wide receivers Chaz Schilens and Nick Miller and linebacker Jarvis Moss will be inactive.
Kyle Boller will be the third string quarterback.
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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 2nd 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 3rd 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 3rd and 3 (Oakland’s first converted 3rd 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 3rd and 11 and again threaded a tight pass to Ford for 7-yards on 2nd 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 3rd 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 2nd and 7 in the 2nd 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 3rd and 8 in the 4th 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 2nd 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 2nd and 4. Kamerion Wimbley facilitated a holding infraction on Leonard Pope in the 2nd 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 2nd 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 2nd 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 2nd 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 2nd half ignited a dead Raider club that went into the locker room down by 10. Janikowski missed a game tying 47-yarder in the 3rd 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 4th 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 4th 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 2nd 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 2nd 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
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Contact Author: Victor Cotto – SB Report Columnist
According to various reports, the Oakland Raiders inked their seventh round selection from April’s draft, Jeremy Ware.
The 215th overall pick played cornerback at Michigan State and posted a 4.36 40-yard dash time during pre-draft workouts. “Oakland’s coaches indicated they really liked my speed, my ability to tackle in the open field and my ability to play man-to-man coverage,” Ware said after he was picked by the Silver & Black.
He originally enrolled at South Carolina in 2005 where he was red-shirted before transferring to the Spartans in 2006. Ware missed most of 2007 with a shoulder injury, but then played in 12 games the following campaign.
Ware was awarded the President’s Award for Perseverance his final year in Michigan State.
Terms of the deal have been reported to be for four years including a $62,000 signing bonus.
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Contact Author: Victor Cotto – SB Report Columnist
JEREMY WARE
After a stellar pro day at Michigan State, Jeremy Ware impressed the Oakland Raiders enough that they used a 7th round choice on the speedy defender. His 4.37 seconds 40-yard dash put Ware on the map earlier in the spring, as he felt that the Silver & Black could be a landing spot. “Oakland’s coaches indicated they really like me speed, my ability to tackle in the open field and my ability to play man-to-man coverage,” Ware said after the draft.
As a senior, he appeared in all 13 contests, starting 12, garnering honorable mention All-Big Ten by coaches after posting a career high in tackles (52) and two sacks.
He originally enrolled at South Carolina in 2005 where he was red-shirted before transferring to the Spartans in 2006. Ware missed most of 2007 with a shoulder injury, but then played in 12 games the following campaign.
Ware was awarded the President’s Award for Perseverance his final year in Michigan State.
NEW YORK – The Oakland Raiders were one of the busiest teams in the NFL during draft weekend. Al Davis revamped his club with his selections and trades, trying to turn around a seven-year span of ineptness. SBReport.net was live at the draft covering the entire happening and now we’ll take a look at the selections and give you the pros and cons for every pick the Silver & Black made during the three-day event.
Tom Cable stated, “When [the offensive tackles] came off the board, the next biggest priority based on the value of the player was Rolando.” The Raiders have struggled with stopping the run for many years and have needed some pop in the middle of their defense. McClain provides toughness, leadership and a hard-working mentality needed to turn the defense into a more aggressive bunch.
PROS: Prototypical middle linebacker that is a winner. He has an infectious personality, so if the Raiders take on his attributes, this could be their best first round selection in a very long time.
CONS: I don’t see any. If he fails on the next level, it won’t be for lack of effort or skill.
Oakland got great value with this selection and added a much-needed powerful defender along the trenches as they pinpointed their front-seven as a big concern. They needed to do this year’s ago. In the 2010 draft, with the first two selections, Oakland may have just changed the outlook of the defense. Houston will be a menace on the edge with his rush abilities.
PROS: He does well in pursuit and is relentless. Pairing him with Richard Seymour could only mean good things for the Silver & Black.
CONS: Houston is not a speedy rusher like a Derrick Burgess was for them, but he’ll be more of a versatile end with his ability to defend the corners against the run. If that’s a con, then the Raiders don’t have much to worry about.
This was a surprise. The offensive lineman has all the vitals to become a productive NFL player. But coming from a small school (Hillsdale) always has its stigma. Veldheer said prior to the draft, “I’m getting a little anxious. I really want to know where I’m going. I’ve been told that I’m probably a solid three (third-round pick) and maybe two and could possibly go four.” He was a solid 3rd rounder and now the Raiders have to develop him into a pro caliber lineman.
PROS: Is very smart, has all the tools to have a long career and could be the sleeper in this draft for the Silver & Black.
CONS: He’ll need a lot of coaching and development to gain the technique and strategies needed to succeed. Oakland is known for instability on the sidelines and if they can stabilize the environment around him and keep the staff in tact, then they can groom Veldheer. He’ll have a good start to his career with Cable as his mentor.
After all the talk prior to the draft about the Raiders taking the ‘workout warrior,’ Campbell fell onto their laps in the 4th round. He is a better athlete than football player, but considering where they selected him; Oakland made a right decision to take a chance on the physical specimen.
PROS: Has an incredible body to work with and extremely talented athletic gifts.
CONS: Has poor instincts and is more of a project than Veldheer because of his poor technique. Campbell will need to work long hours on all aspects of his game to become a starter in the NFL.
Well, they are the Raiders – so a track star had to be chosen. Ford is a lightning rod who won 18-straight races in the 60 and 100-meters in the NCAA. Oakland could have utilized this selection more wisely, but instead when with a guy that can entertain them in camp in sprints against Darrius Heyward-Bey.
PROS: He can run away from anyone in the league. Will give the Raiders options in camp on special teams as a returner.
CONS: Does not change directions well, has questionable hands and when you combine both together, that does not make for a reliable option on offense.
It’s not a draft until the Raiders select a cornerback. But at least with McFadden, they get a ball-hawk, who showed good playmaking instincts in college, and that turned turnovers into touchdowns. Solid value, but if he makes the team, he’ll be buried behind Nnamdi Asomugha and Chris Johnson. In a few years, he could be an integral part of a secondary, especially since offenses in the NFL are now pass happy and like to spread out defenses.
PROS: Has shown he understands what opponents want to do in the passing game and has a skill in getting his hands on the ball.
CONS: Not physical and will have to get stronger in order to be a legitimate corner at the next level.
The 6’2, 240 pound linebacker was a three-year starter for the Sun Devils. Oakland has a lot of linebackers, but they chose a solid one who can project as a special teamer early on in his career. He may not make the club, but at the Silver & Black selected a player that is a hard-nosed defender, has solid work ethic and will compete for a roster spot.
PROS: Good character linebacker that played a lot in college.
CONS: Not an area of need at this point, especially when they have a plethora of linebackers on the roster and enough specialist to fill the special teams squad.
Speed, speed and more speed…
The Michigan State cornerback and his 4.36 40-yard time will likely be camp fodder in a crowded Raiders secondary. As with Ford, it will be interesting to see how many side-bets go on in training camp as to who is the fastest Raider on the roster, along with Heyward-Bey.
PROS: You just can’t learn speed.
CONS: Offers little else and if he plans to make the club, he better show a lot of playmaking ability as a corner or the ability to torch the special teams coverage units.
Unlike Ware, Brown has solid size at 6’0, 210 pounds. He is more adept at stopping the run and using his size to bother targets, but he is too much of a project to contribute immediately.
PROS: Has attributes that can translate to the NFL. Moved all over the field as a collegiate, so he has knowledge of being in varying spots on the defense.
CONS: Needs to find a niche and grow at one spot. Problem is, he may not have enough time to do so.
