Hue Jackson working the sideline during yesterday's loss.

Oakland Raiders head coach Hue Jackson proclaimed on Monday that his team will challenge for a playoff spot and that they know that they are at fault for the quandary they are in.

“We’re not out of this thing yet. I still feel that way. This team is going to fight,” said Jackson.

He continued; “By no means are we a finished product. I think we understand that. Three weeks ago, we were 7-4, feeling pretty good about ourselves. Now all of the sudden we’ve gotten to .500. So that’s not where we want to be. But I think we understand the predicament we have put ourselves in.”

During the three-game losing streak, there has been growing animosity from the fans towards the coach and his staff.

Public enemy no. 1 has been defensive coordinator Chuck Bresnahan.

Oakland ranks 29^th in the NFL, allowing 27.3 points per game. Since the bye week, they have allowed an average of 31.7 per contest.

During this three-game losing stretch, they have allowed an average of 395 total yards per game.

The run defense has been bad; players have been out of position or placed in bad match-ups as the season has wound down – all, which have contributed to this late season slide.

At the end of last year, Al Davis was not happy with the defense and the direction John Marshall took them in the final weeks, especially when the late-owner stated that he felt that the team had enough talent to make the playoffs.

Marshall’s contract was not renewed, paving the way for Bresnahan. Davis is no longer around, so if someone is going to take the brunt of the blame if they continue to collapse, it will be the defensive coordinator.

Jackson shouldn’t have to motivate this current crop of Raiders. A playoff berth in-hand a few weeks ago – which slipped away – now just barely out of reach, should be enough incentive to get them to perform at their best in the coming weeks.

Two games, versus two rivals and two wins are what they need. Yes, help from other clubs is a must, but their performance will tell all and their desire to get in.

At the end of 2010, many veterans felt they were close enough – and when they were mathematically eliminated, it hurt. It’s going to sting a lot more this time around if they can’t sneak in.

TWITTER FAN REACTION – Will the Raiders make the post-season? Why have they faltered? (Tweet me your best responses and you could be featured on SBReport.net)

“Injuries have plagued the Raiders sprinkled with inconsistent play from offense and defense. Fix it or no playoffs!!!” – Gtwitten

“They don’t deserve to be in playoffs. But to your [question], they won’t make it. Ydays loss was a dagger. They might end up 7-9” – vshankar05

“A blind man can see why the @Raiders have lost 3 in a row. 4get injuries. It’s coaching and defense.” – TSUGoldie

“#Raiders have lost 3 in a row because of lack of discipline and lack of determination. At this rate, we lose out, no playoffs” – ZombieAlDavis

“because we have gone away from our strength witch is running the ball” – razkaz187

“#RAIDERS have lost 3 in a row due to injured offensive weapons but mainly terrible defense. No playoffs, need too much help IMO” – TonyTwoGunz

“@RAIDERS Injuries are biggest factor. Huge talent drop at many positions. No, they won’t make playoffs.” – K_Rock75

“Failing to recoqnize oppositions strengths. bad clock management,Hue is trying to do too much #Gutcheck” – HijinxNinja

“First two games both sides started off slow and dug a huge hole. Yesterday just couldnt make enough plays.” & “they have a chance to make playoffs if they beat KC But really? Raiders offense cant do much against good defenses like KC.” – NikJamIII
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As first reported by the San Francisco Chronicle, the Silver & Black are not bringing back defensive coordinator John Marshall.

Marshall has been with the club for two seasons and even though the defense was much improved, Al Davis has decided not to renew Marshall’s contract, which runs out on Tuesday.

Rob Ryan, Oakland’s defensive coordinator from 2004-to-2008, was mentioned as a possible replacement a few days ago, but the Dallas Cowboys acted quickly and snagged Rex’s brother.

Ryan interviewed with Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett and owner/general manager Jerry Jones on Friday. He had a year remaining on his deal with Cleveland, but new head coach Pat Shurmur elected to go in a different direction.

It is still expected that Hue Jackson will eventually take over as Raiders’ head coach. And reports are already circulating about staffers on his coaching unit.

Al Saunders, who worked with Jason Campbell in Washington in 2006/2007, could alleviate Jackson’s move to the top by taking on offensive coordinator duties.

Saunders has interviewed for the Raiders many times, including in 2004 when Bill Callahan was canned and in 2006 after Norv Turner was fired. In 2009, Saunders interviewed for the vacant offensive coordinator position, a Raider official confirmed.

Davis has admired Saunders in the past, as the long time play caller is a proponent of the “Air Coryell” passing game.

As for the defensive side of the ball, Oakland will have to look elsewhere to find their new coordinator.

Darren Perry, Winston Moss, Lou Spanos & Chuck Pagano could be targets for the vacant opening.

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Contact Author: Victor Cotto – SB Report Columnist

A week ago versus the Miami Dolphins, he recorded his first career interception. This week, he was a major reason why the San Diego Chargers had only 11-yards rushing at the half and only 10 more the rest of the way. The Bolts ended with a season low 286-yards of total offense, mainly because the Raiders jumped ahead and made Norv Turner’s attack one-dimensional.

McClain had several plays where he either helped stuffed Mike Tolbert at the line of scrimmage with his mates or kept him from attaining any yardage after a catch. The highlight of the day was his hit on Darren Sproles. The diminutive rusher was knocked out the game with a concussion in the 2^nd quarter.

The hit drew the ire of Charger fans, and cheers from a large Oakland contingent at Qualcomm Stadium.

The hit did not receive a penalty and the linebacker sent his message that the middle of the field was off-limits. “He was considered a runner because the act of possession was complete; the minimum of three steps were taken,” referee John Parry said. “He was deemed to be a runner, so helmet-to-helmet contact is legal. He was not considered a defenseless player.”

OAKLAND ‘SOUTH’

Again, the stadium was covered in a sea of black, as many Raider fans flooded San Diego’s home field. “It helped out having a strong following here today,” Robert Gallery said. “We knew that, coming in here, half of this place was going to be ours. It was great to get a win.”

“The Raider Nation – they travel well,” said lineman Richard Seymour.

RELENTLESS PRESSURE

Michael Huff has three-sacks in Oakland’s last four games. The safety has four for the season and the pace he set early in the game set a tone for the remainder of the contest. Huff was dominant in the 1^st quarter, almost getting his hands on a interception on San Diego’s first drive on 2^nd and14, ultimately getting his hands on a Philip Rivers pass a few minutes later and returning it 15-yards to set Oakland up with a short field and a eventual 14-0 lead.

Oakland took notice on how effective they were in their first meeting rattling Rivers when they applied pressure. The passer still made some stellar tosses and fought hard to move the chains, but John Marshall’s bunch constant heat just wore down on the Chargers.

“You have to put pressure on him,” Seymour said, “even if it’s just guys around his feet or around his legs, just so he feels like he has to get the ball out. The defensive ends, Tommy Kelly inside, it was just a great effort from the guys up front.”

Oakland tallied 4-sacks. Tommy Kelly had one (6.5 for the season),  Lamarr Houston got to Rivers (4.0) and Kamerion Wimbley (5.5). They are now tied with the Steelers for the most sacks in the NFL (36).

Conversely, the Chargers who came into the game leading the league in that category only recorded one against the Raiders offensive line.

SIXTH-WIN

“It’s a beautiful thing, but at the same time, six wins,” Nnamdi Asomugha commented on current record. “Every other team in the league, they laugh – if they have six wins, they’re like, ‘Oh, we’re playing terrible.’

“Six wins is great for us, but we have bigger goals than six wins. We’ve got to do more than that.”

Oakland avoided an 8^th straight season with 11 or more losses with the win.  But that means little at this point for a team that is undefeated within their division (4-0), but still chasing the West leading Kansas City Chiefs (8-4). Strong safety Tyvon Branch said six wins “doesn’t say much unless we get to the playoffs.”

The Raiders have to continue to win, because the Chiefs are showing no signs of slowing down and have winnable games versus a Charger (6-6) team that was just beaten by Oakland, the Rams (6-6) and Titans (5-7) before facing the Silver & Black at Kansas City in the finale.

CHAZ-A-GO-GO

Chaz Schilens was active for the first time this season. “I have been trying to get out there, it was a huge game, so it was perfect timing,” Schilens, was quoted. The former San Diego State standout continued, “plus it was in San Diego, so that was nice.”

No stats were tallied, and the one time he was targeted, the ball was not thrown accurately enough for him to make a play. One of the few times Jason Campbell was not on the mark.

CAMPBELL – MASTERFUL

“Watching Cam Newton, I had to go back to my Auburn days and make some plays with my feet,” Jason Campbell said.

Like I stated in my Game Grades piece last night, Campbell was Gannon-esque with his mastery of the offense, poise, passing and scrambling.

“Today there was really a calmness about him,” Cable said. “I’ve felt for about three days now that he was confident and ready to go. He just did what you asked him to do.”

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Contact Author: Victor Cotto – SB Report Columnist

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

PITTSBURGH, PA – I was able to sit with Oakland Raiders safety Tyvon Branch in Pittsburgh for an in depth interview with topics that included the Silver & Black’s revival, Richard Seymour’s leadership, whether or not Nnamdi Asomugha will play on Sunday and other events that have occurred in the 2010 season.

VICTOR COTTO — On concussion and being cleared:

TYVON BRANCH: Yeah, definitely, they cleared me the Monday after the game [versus Kansas City].

It was on the kickoff. I tried to dive across his body ended up catching a knee to the helmet.

COTTO — Recollections of Chiefs game and home crowd:

BRANCH: It was great. The crowd was going crazy, it was raining – bad weather – and they were still out there to support us. It was a great game.

COTTO — Touchdown at the end of the San Diego game:

BRANCH: It was crazy. It was my first NFL touchdown. It was in a big game against a team we haven’t beaten in a long time. It just made it that much sweeter.

We had confidence at the end of that game; we knew it couldn’t slip again. The defense – it was on us at the end of it.

COTTO — On John Marshall and blitzing schemes:

BRANCH: I think we are best suited for whatever John Marshall calls. We are a defense that no matter what is called, we are going to go out there and play hard. Whatever he calls, we are going to go out there and run it.

COTTO — On the Pittsburgh Steelers:

BRANCH: The older guys have definitely been echoing how important this rivalry is. Willie Brown spoke to us about it. He’s a legend in Raiders’ history. It’s an important game for us period. With the streak we are on now, with a team of their caliber – this is definitely a good game for us a big game for us. It’s kind of a must win situation for us. To prove to everyone that we are a legit team.

COTTO — On the winning streak and the team turning their fortunes:

BRANCH: [Tom] Cable’s leadership role factors into it. He’s a great leader, a great motivator and everyone is just buying in. Its different this year than in any other prior year, as far as guys buying in and believing in what we have going. Out togetherness is what is making us so good right now.

COTTO — On Richard Seymour:

BRANCH: He’s probably the biggest leader on the team. He leads vocally –  he leads by example. He goes out there; the things he does to those 300-pound linemen is crazy. He really gets guys going.

COTTO — On getting recognition around the league for being one of the better young strong safeties in the league:

BRANCH: Around the league, I really don’t care. As long as my teammates recognize the hard work and the passion I play with – that’s enough for me.

COTTO — On playing meaningful games this late in the season:

BRANCH: There’s really no pressure. This is why we play this game for – for the big games. The bigger the game the better the performance. Every time we play a new opponent, they tell us this is the biggest game of the year.

COTTO — On viewing Darren McFadden and his development:

BRANCH: I love watching DMAC run. I used to watch him, even when I was in college, watch highlights and he’s something special. The spark he gives us on offense is crazy. He can turn any play into a big play.

COTTO — On the quarterback situation:

BRANCH: We have confidence in every quarterback we have. Even if Kyle [Boller] goes out there, we have confidence in him. We have three good quarterbacks and we all rally behind them.

COTTO — Is Nnamdi Asomugha playing versus the Steelers?

BRANCH: I guess you’ll see tomorrow.

COTTO — On traveling to the east coast:

BRANCH: It’s something we can’t worry about. We just have to go out there and play. If they woke me up at 4 o’clock in the morning and said lets go play a game, I’m with it man.

COTTO — About the second half of the season:

BRANCH: We are striving; we want to end the season with a great record, great note. Hopefully to get enough wins to get us into the playoffs and take it from there.

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Contact Author: Victor Cotto – SB Report Columnist

OAKLAND RAIDERS

On Offense:

Oakland announced on Thursday that quarterback Jason Campbell would get his fourth straight start. Bruce Gradkowski continues to heal, but not enough to get on the field and lead this team at full strength. And since he’ll be the starter once he is recovered from his shoulder injury, Oakland would like to see Gradkowski get an extra week off with the bye week around the corner.

Darren McFadden has led an offensive eruption the last few weeks. He’s also proving many doubters that thought he was not a featured ball carrier or that went down easily with the football in his hands.  “A lot of people said that, but I always knew what I could do,” McFadden explained. “Running past them, running around them or through them, they’re all on the same page for me. However I can get to the next yard line.”

“We can be very explosive,” said Darrius Heyward-Bey, who is coming off his best game as a pro last weekend, posting 5 receptions for 105-yards and a score.

What to Expect:

Zach Miller has not practiced this week, but he’ll play versus the rivals. The Chiefs feature the 7^th best rush defense in the league (96.4 yds/g), but that won’t deter the Raiders from pounding the football with McFadden and Michael Bush. With a limping Miller and wide receiver unit that is unreliable, if Hue Jackson’s offense isn’t churning out yards on the ground, the point won’t come easy.

On Defense:

Nnamdi Asomugha’s status is uncertain with a high ankle sprain. Head coach Tom Cable stated that his star cornerback is “improving” and “starting to put weight” on the injury, but at this point it’s a long shot he plays on Sunday.

Kansas City’s pass attack is feeble, ranked last in the NFL averaging 164-yards a game. Their modus operandi is to run and work all their passes off of play action. The only team that currently ranks above the Raiders rushing the football are the Chiefs at 190 yards per contest.

“I mean, it ain’t going to be too much disguising. You know they going to run the ball. They lead the league in carries a game. You going get plenty of opportunities to have a conversation with both of ‘em,” said Tommy Kelly of Kansas City’s rushers Jamaal Charles and Thomas Jones.

What to Expect:

Oakland’s defense has been playing loose with big leads. They’ve been on the attack lately and John Marshall has done a nice job mixing up the fronts and blitzes. This week, it’s about lining up and stuffing the Chiefs rush game. Oakland will face a steady diet of Charles and Jones, and if they allow over the 127 yards they are allowing per game (26^th in the NFL), it could be a tough afternoon in the ‘Black Hole.’

On Special Teams:

John Fassel has his toughest task ahead of him this Sunday. Containing Javier Arenas and Dexter McCluster is imperative. At the same time, in a game that is expected to be very tight, Shane Lechler’s great leg could help combat the edge the Chiefs have with their terrific return teams.

KANSAS CITY CHIEFS

On Offense:

Just like Matt Hasselbeck last weekend, Matt Cassel comes into the contest versus the Raiders with a solid streak of protecting the football and playing smart football. ‘Part of my job is taking care of the football,” stated Cassel, who has not been picked off since facing the 49ers and has tossed 10 touchdowns – five to Dwayne Bowe the last three weeks. ”Up to this point so far I’ve been able to do a good job of that and hopefully that will continue. You don’t really think about that. As long as I’m doing my job and taking care of the football I think I’m putting our team in a good spot to win ball games.”

Charlie Weis has full reigns on offense, and with two productive rushers, its quite clear why Cassel has avoided any miscues as of late. “They’ve both done a good job of coming in and doing their jobs,” Chiefs guard Brian Waters said of his running backs. “It’s a big plus for us when you don’t have to change anything [in the play calling] when you change backs. Whatever we want to run, they can both do it.”

What to Expect:

Weis is probably going into this contest wanting to do what he does best – call a powerful game on the ground. But if Oakland stiffens up, he’ll have to find ways to move Cassel out of the pocket, and keep the chains moving with short tosses to Bowe and rookie Tony Moeaki. Charles and Dexter McCluster are very capable receivers out of the backfield, so screens and misdirection’s could really hurt an aggressive Raider bunch.

On Defense:

Derrick Johnson is in pro-bowl form with 44-tackles (4 for loss), 7 passes defended, one interception, one forced fumble and a score. Glenn Dorsey and linebacker Tamba Hali have also developed into productive stand outs. “[Hali] made a lot of progress,” head coach Todd Haley said. “Tamba is as hard a worker, and he’s as competitive a guy as I’ve been around. He has some real pass-rushing skill, and is developing into a 3-4 outside linebacker talent.”

A star in the making will be Eric Berry, who will experience the atmosphere in Oakland for the first time in his career. “[My teammates] told me they love playing there,” Berry said. “It’s kind of intense, I guess. I don’t know what to expect, really. I’m just going to go in there and focus on what I’ve got to get done.”

Kansas City ranks 5^th in the NFL, allowing 17.4 points per game and 16^th overall in yards allowed per game (332.7).

What to Expect:

Romeo Crennel is another component to this masterful Kansas City coaching staff. His presence has helped this defense, as players such as Brandon Flowers could be headed towards a Pro-Bowl. If Crennel can put pressure on rookie Jared Veldheer and find a way to stuff the Raiders rush attack, Kansas City will extend their winning streak on the road.

On Special Teams:

Kansas City’s speed on special teams may only be matched by the Raiders. McCluster is averaging 20.9 yards per punt return and Arenas can be a disrupter.

GAME NOTES

• “At least the parking lot atmosphere has been consistent over 11 years, and I expect it to be the same on Sunday,” Brian Waters said, reminiscing about past Chiefs teams being pelted by batteries when in Oakland. “If you’ve been there enough, you know to stay out of the end zone during warmup if you don’t want your mother talked about in a vulgar manner.”
• The Raiders have won three straight versus AFC West opponents.
• Oakland’s last home win versus the Chiefs was on Dec. 28, 2002 – a 24-0 victory during a muddy contest.
• “This game means a lot, and there’s a striking similarity between the teams in how they got there,” former Raiders and Chiefs quarterback Rich Gannon stated this week. “In the past, when these teams are both good, whoever comes out of these games have won the AFC West.”
• Thomas Howard will be active and play on special teams.
• “It’s fun to be involved in a week where a game means so much,’’ Shane Lechler commented “ It’s been a long time since we’ve done that. Anytime you got to play a team twice in one season, when you play them the first time it’s always important because it’s probably going to reflect on how you’re going to perform against them the second time.”

KEY MATCH-UPS

KC’s coaching staff vs. OAK’s Staff

Weis, Crennel & Haley against Jackson, Marshall & Cable; who adjusts, who schemes and prepared the best for this match-up?

Which one is Special?

It’s inevitable that there will be a vital special teams moment on Sunday.

Bush/McFadden vs. Charles/Jones

The duo with the better production will have their team victorious.

PREDICTION

Raiders 26 – Chiefs 20

Oakland needs this win more. At home, heading into the bye week, if they can secure a third straight victory, it will make for an interesting race as the season winds down.

GAME INFO

Sunday, November 7, 2010 4:15 p.m. ET | Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum, OAK, CA

Home Team: Oakland Raiders (4-4) Home: 3-1  Road: 1-3

Road Team: Kansas City Chiefs (5-2) Home: 4-0 Road: 1-3

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Contact Author: Victor Cotto – SB Report Columnist

QUARTERBACK: A

Jason Campbell again was at the helm of an Oakland Raiders offense that is rolling right now. He savvy using his legs to avoid pressure and incoming Seattle defenders, while managing the game with efficient decisions. Campbell;s value when up in the eyes of Raider fans when he had a solid block on Lawyer Milloy during Jacoby Ford’s reverse. Some of his best tosses included; 12-yard toss to Darrius Heyward-Bey in the 2^nd quarter on an out to the far sideline and Marcel Reece’s 30-yard touchdown reception, where he threaded the football between two defenders for a 10-0 lead. He even got an antsy Seahawks’ defense to jump offsides on play with his cadence. Campbell’s final stats: 15-of-27 for 310-yards, 2 touchdowns and a passer rating of 120.9.

RUNNING BACKS & FULLBACKS: A

Darren McFadden continues to perform at an elite level. Oakland didn’t feature him early, but he got rolling in the 2^nd quarter with a dump off in which he broke tackles and weaved for 13-yards. He started the second half with a 49-yard run that would’ve been a score if not for a last ditch effort from behind by cornerback Kennard Cox. At the end of the 3^rd quarter he had another burst for 20-yards before a 11-yard reception in which he stiff armed a defender and bulldozed his way near the goal line. McFadden finished with 111-yards rushing on 21-carries and 2 catches for 24-yards. Michael Bush was involved in one of the day’s weirdest plays. On a 3^rd and 9, Bush wound up with a 55-yard gain, as the football landed into hands after it was intended for Heyward-Bey and was batted by Ford. Bush averaged 5.7 yards per carry, totaling 51-yards rushing. Marcel Reece has been an unsung here in recent weeks, and he continued his solid play with a career best day. The fullback tallied 90-yards on 3 receptions and a score along with 32-yards on the ground. His score on 4^th and 1 from 30-yards out put the Raiders up 10-0. His screen for 51-yards on 2^nd and 11 was demoralizing for Seattle, even though Oakland failed to score on that drive when Sebastian Janikowski missed a 45-yard field goal attempt.

WIDE RECEIVERS & TIGHT ENDS: B

Heyward-Bey had his best game as a pro. The performance is significant because of the injuries to Louis Murphy and Chaz Schilens. It was imperative for the second year pro to have a solid effort with the unit being decimated and featuring reserves that otherwise wouldn’t be on the field for extended periods. What was impressive was his technique and fundamentals as evidenced by how he freed himself at the line of scrimmage on a slant for 7-yards in the 1^st quarter and his release, route running and play making on the 69-yard completion that increased the Raider lead to 23-0. Heyward-Bey finished with 105-yards on 5-catches and 30-more yards on a reverse. Jacoby Ford continues to display toughness, delivering a blow at the end of his 11-yard carry and hauling in a 9-yard catch on 3^rd and 6 that was high and coming back into the contest after being shaken up on that play. Zach Miller was quiet with one grab for 8 yards.

OFFENSIVE LINE: A

This group has been stellar in recent weeks. Oakland compiled 239-rushing yards. The offensive line wins at the point of attack consistently and making life easier for Raider ball carriers. Jared Veldheer is settling in at left tackle. He got flagged for another false start today, his 6^th of the season, good for most in the league, but Oakland will take minor dips in play as long as he provides the type of strength he’s given them the last two weeks. Robert Gallery was flagged twice, but his aggressiveness, agility and steadiness was needed on the left side. On one play, he manhandled a Seattle defender till the whistle. Former Raider Chris Clemons took exception, shoving Gallery – a incident that received a unnecessary roughness flag and gave Oakland a first down on 3^rd and 12. Khalif Barnes checked in as a eligible target in the first quarter and caught a 6-yard toss. Of note should be their pass protection. At times this afternoon, Campbell had all day to throw and scan the field.

DEFENSIVE LINE: A

Seattle was shutdown on the ground. They managed only 3-yards rushing at the half, and 47 for the game. Marshawn Lynch was dominated, caged for 7-yards on 9 carries (0.8 yards per carry). This group tallied five of the eight Oakland sacks. Matt Shaughnessy added two to his now team leading total of 6 for the campaign. Richard Seymour tallied two sacks on Ben Hamilton and rookie Lamarr Houston had one. Houston was at his best this year versus the run, along with Desmond Bryant.

LINEBACKERS: A

Kamerion Wimbley had two sacks (5 for the season) and was consistently around the ball. Rolando McClain had one of his best performances, mainly because of his play picking up Justin Forsett out of the backfield. The rookie middle linebacker almost jumped one of his routes, batting the incoming pass away for an incompletion. Quentin Groves also was steady, helping in run support and adding to Lynch’s frustration in the afternoon.

SECONDARY: A

Matt Hasselbeck was held to 160-yards passing, and his interception was the first in 13-quarters. Tyvon Branch got that pick when Stanford Routt tipped away a pass that Golden Tate attempted to catch, but the ball popped into the air as he tried to come down with the reception into the hands of the Raider safety. Branch was stellar with 8 tackles, one sack and the interception. Michael Huff was solid as well, as he recorded a pick that was negated due to an illegal contact flag on Routt. Routt was flagged also for pas interference going against Deon Butler – a 31-yard gain for Seattle. Huff took over at cornerback late when the Raiders best defender went down with an apparent ankle injury. Nnamdi Asomugha was writhing in pain when he landed awkward on his right foot defending Tate. He was helped off the field and his status will be updated after an MRI and further evaluation. Mike Mitchell again was fiery and was a menace around the line of scrimmage. Cornerback Jeremy Ware was targeted by Hasselbeck – Butler had him beat on one play but the ball was out of his reach and he held his ground on a jump ball. Mike Williams came into the contest as one of the hottest wide receivers in the league, but Oakland frustrated him into miscues, including a drop near the goal line that was emphasized with a Stevie Brown hit.

SPECIAL TEAMS: C

Sebastian Janikowski added 15-points to his league leading total. He converted 4-out-of-5 field goals with a long of 49-yards. Shane Lechler ended with a 54.6 punt average with a long of 60-yards. Nick Miller was reckless at times fielding punts and capped of his second week of extended play with 29-yards on 6-attempts. Stevie Brown, Rock Cartwright and Mitchell were solid in coverage units. Leon Washington, who broke his leg in October of 2009 in Oakland, came back strong with 195-total yards on special teams.

COACHING: A

Tom Cable had his team ready to play. Not only did they notch a back-to-back victory for the first time since the end of the 2008 season, but they did it in convincing fashion by totaling over 500-yards of offense for a consecutive weekend. The defense almost pitched a shutout, playing with great tenacity and swarming around the line of scrimmage all day. Hue Jackson’s play calling was gutsy, going to Reece on 4^th and 1 on a slant and feeding Heyward-Bey in key spots. They kept Seattle off-balance at times and stayed consistent in controlling the clock (36:04 time of possession). Seattle did not get their first 3^rd down conversion till late in the 2^nd half, as they finished 1-16 for the day. Yes, Oakland had 11 penalties, but none were in key spots, as was the case with the Seahawks, who shot themselves on the foot all day. John Marshall did not waver in pressuring Hasselbeck and for the first time in awhile, the club managed to thoroughly dominate a ground attack and put together consecutive weeks of dominating football. Oakland has outscored their opponents 92-17 the last two weeks.

GAME NOTES

• Oakland (4-4) as at .500 for the first time this late in the season since 2002.
• Olindo Mare missed his first two field goals of the season (ending a 30 consecutive make streak).

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Contact Author: Victor Cotto – SB Report Columnist

OAKLAND RAIDERS

On Offense:

Oakland expected to get two key cogs back in action. Robert Gallery looks to be a go on Sunday at left guard. His hamstring has been healthy enough for him to practice, which will put Daniel Loper back on the bench.

Darren McFadden on the other hand has not tested his hamstring completely and because of that, and the solid performance last week by Michael Bush; don’t expect the speedy running back to be rushed back onto the field. “Right now, I’m still feeling it,” McFadden said. “I haven’t just gone out there and tried to go 100 percent all the way.”

“I am taking my time with it,” McFadden said. “You just try to tell yourself you just want to go out and try to coast, don’t hit a burst until you feel like you can all the way.”

Jason Campbell will start over an injured Bruce Gradkowski. “There is some improvement with Bruce, but unless he can work (today), we kind of know where we’re heading with it,” Raiders coach Tom Cable said yesterday.

What to Expect:

If Oakland’s wide receivers are ever going to show up, it will be this week against the 49ers. San Francisco is allowing 227.6 passing yards a game (21^st in the NFL), and the Raiders need to start diversifying their attack. In their last two-games, Silver & Black quarterbacks have completed 38 passes, but only six to wide receivers. San Francisco will stack the box in order to force the Raiders into stretching the field. If Oakland cannot move the chains with their aerial attack, they won’t be able to come away with a road win.

On Defense:

The Raiders were torched last week by a pass happy Chargers’ attack. The only time Philip Rivers was uneasy in the pocket and his passes were errant was when John Marshall got blitz happy. Michael Huff was named AFC Defensive Player of the week on the strength of his blitz and forced fumble that led to the game-clinching touchdown.

“It’s the direct correlation of why we won on Sunday,” Cable said about the Raiders more aggressive nature last Sunday which led to vital turnovers.

Mike Mitchell held his own versus Antonio Gates, which impressed the defensive staff enough to give the young safety more assignments this weekend against 49ers tight end Vernon Davis.

What to Expect:

The 49ers have struggled on the ground, averaging 77.8 yards per game (30^th in the NFL). Oakland should expect a heavy dosage of Frank Gore. If they can contain the 49ers’ rusher and collapse the pocket as consistently as they did against the Chargers in the 4^th quarter, we’ll see more turnovers and what could be their best showing on defense in 2010.

On Special Teams:

Oakland’s special teams single-handedly kept them alive in the first half last t week. It’s rare to see one blocked punt in a game, but Oakland tallied two on consecutive punt downs for their opponent. John Fassel’s kick return unit has also  played well since the insertion of Jacoby Ford as a kick returner.

SAN FRANCISCO 49ers

Marcel Reece making a play during pre-season action versus the 49ers

On Offense:

“I think it’s evolving,” offensive coordinator Mike Johnson said of the 49er offense. “I think that as that game got going the other day, it started getting into a rhythm and a comfort zone of what we want to become. Overall, I think we’re making improvements in some areas.”

Alex Smith may be facing his last days as a 49er starter if the woes continue. But that won’t stop him from playing aggressively. He wants to “cut it loose” per a statement on Wednesday, but in a controlled fashion.

“You can’t lose your level headedness,” Smith said. “The emotions of the game go up and down, and as a quarterback, I think you have to be the guy that is always steadying the ship.”

“When I look at Alex, I’m convinced that there’s something there that I feel that he can be a good quarterback,” head coach Mike Singletary said. “But it’s up to him. You’re always a work in progress, but at some point in time you have to grab hold of it and really come to that point to where you know, and everybody else around you, that this guy has arrived.”

What to Expect:

For the 49ers, it’s about getting the ball into the hands of their best players. So the emphasis will be on getting Gore going and attacking downfield with Vernon Davis. “I’m a big fan of Alex Smith,” said Davis, who has compiled 313 receiving yards. “He’s talented. He makes mistakes. His thing is he definitely has to learn from them. We don’t have time to play around and just make careless mistakes. We’ve got to go.”

On Defense:

“It’s felt like a whole season already, considering that we haven’t won a game,” linebacker Patrick Willis stated this week. “It makes the days feel long, it makes the weeks feel long. In reality, we’re 0-5, that’s what it is. Reality, too, is that we have a chance to get this right.”

Defensive coordinator Greg Manusky likes the match-up he has against Oakland’s rotating left tackles. “I think so with the guys that they have. Each week you go into a game plan and you’re trying to attack whoever you got to attack. They’re still good players”

“They’re a little bit different. I’m not going to go into their similarities or what’s different about them, but there is a little bit of difference between both of them. You’ve got to play them a little bit different based upon what we’ve seen on film.” Manusky continued.

What to Expect:

The 49ers will try to rattle Jason Campbell and allow their cornerbacks to match-up against the erratic Raider wide receivers. Zach Miller is their main concern, as evidenced by Manusky’s comments: “We’ll put two guys on him. That’s what we’re going to do. He’s a good football player. We’ll try to get the best guys on him and try and cover him up.”

GAME NOTES

• Frank Gore needs 49-rushing yards to pas Ken Willard for third place on the 49ers all-time rushing list.
• Oakland is 4-2 all time at San Francisco.
• The 49ers rank worst in the NFL with a -10-turnover differential.
• LB Quentin Groves, WR Johnnie Lee Higgins and CB Jeremy Ware have been limited in practice this week. DT John Henderson (foot) will be out as well as WR Chaz Schilens (knee).

PREDICTION

Raiders 29 – 49ers 20

GAME INFO

Sunday, October 17, 2010 4:05 p.m. ET | Candlestick Park, San Francisco, CA

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

Home Team: San Francisco 49ers (0-5) Home: 0-2 Road: 0-3

BROADCAST INFORMATION (Cited from the official Oakland Raiders web site)

The game will be televised on CBS with Bill Macatee providing play-by-play and former Raiders QB Rich Gannon 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. Greg Papa and Tom Flores will call the game on the Raiders Radio Network. The game will air 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.

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Contact Author: Victor Cotto – SB Report Columnist

Mike Mitchell played well as the game wound down, at one point blanketing Chargers’ tight end Antonio Gates. Earlier in the contest, he recovered a fumble and on Tyvon Branch’s game clinching defensive touchdown, Mitchell was in on the action as well.

“I really want to prove myself to people. I really want to prove myself to my teammates,’’ Mitchell said. “This was an opportunity to go against one of the best tight ends and football and shut him down. I thought I did a great job – he only got one catch off me.’’

Daniel Loper recovered a Jason Campbell fumble and smartly rolled forward on the turf in order to pick up a first down. The alert play by the starting left guard was key, as it led to a 4^th and 1 in which Michael Bush converted.

“Right before the play, and a lot of third downs we communicate in the huddle, that’s third-and-4, third-and-5,’’ Loper commented after the game. “I saw he got hit and the ball got stripped out, we only needed a couple of yards, and no one was around, so just get as many as you can.’’

John Marshall turned up the blitz late in the game. Philip Rivers was getting antsy in the pocket and rushed some throws in the 4^th quarter after he felt comfortable in the pocket all day against a non-threatening Raiders front-seven. “We blitzed like five times in a row,’’ safety Michael Huff said. “They got the first couple of plays against a zone. After that we knew all they needed was a field goal so we just dialed up the pressure four or five times in a row and made the play.’’

The constant pressure as time wound down led to 64-yard touchdown score by Branch. “It’s crazy that I’m getting glory for the play. I had nothing to do with it. I just ran to the ball. Huff made a nice play, I just picked it up and scored,” stated Branch.

If you are a Raider fan, when was the last time you can say your club was the lone team in the AFC West to win a ball game? Yesterday, The Denver Broncos lost 31-17 at Baltimore and the Kansas City Chiefs were knocked off by the Colts 19-9.

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Contact Author: Victor Cotto – SB Report Columnist

Bush is a “game time decision” per Tom Cable, but its likely they know at this point whether or not he can go or not. And if ball security is a major concern, there is no way Oakland takes any chances on the road with a player that may cough up the ball in crucial spots.

Most likely in the inactive list for the Raiders on Sunday will be: Chaz Schilens (knee), Walter McFadden (knee) and Travis Goethel (lower back).

Left guard Robert Gallery talked up what he’s seen with this new edition of the Silver & Black: “We have new pieces around us and a quarterback that knows the system and gets rid of the ball. There is a new lease on this offense. We’re the same guys and if sacks are given up, it’s on us. But we have to go out and be good.”

Defensive coordinator John Marshall stated that linebacker Thomas Howard will be in specialized packages, such as a “big nickel,” and special teams.

Special teams coordinator John Fassell on Yamon Figurs:

“I was with him his rookie season in Baltimore. He scored three times. (actually twice on returns). He’s a light, fast guy, and if he gets a crease then he’s somebody that has the speed that can score for you. So that’s exciting. I think that’s what he can bring for us as a dual punt returner and kickoff returner. And then he’s got his things he’s got to work on, but to me as a cover team, you’ve got to be a little bit concerned about his ability because of the speed.”

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Contact Author: Victor Cotto – SB Report Columnist