Silver and Black Report

Here are five things on the to-do list for new Oakland Raiders head coach Dennis Allen and general manager Reggie McKenzie.

Empower Carson Palmer

The coach and general manager did that on Monday. “Carson Palmer is extremely excited about what we have going here,” Allen said. “He’s looking forward to the future and he’s excited about the opportunities here.”

McKenzie inherited the passer, but he’s by far and away the most polished quarterback Oakland has had since Rich Gannon. With a training camp and off-season conditioning under his belt this time around, he should be primed for a solid season. Just remember, he was thrown into the fire after a semi-retirement and never played a game with Darren McFadden in his backfield.

Get Rolando McClain on the right track

“I see a very talented football player. Just like a lot of things that we’ve talked about already, we’ve got to do our best to make sure we get Rolando to play at the best of his ability on every single snap,” Allen said.

There’s no questioning the middle linebacker’s mental acuity for the game. But his lack of impact plays and slow development has been frustrating for fans. Add to that his off the field issues, and the word bust begins to flash. He was seen as a sure fire prospect coming out of college, but entering his third-year, more will be expected out of him due to a new coach in place that will try to cater to his abilities.

If Allen can’t get this kid going, he’ll need a change of scenery. Oakland hopes to be the beneficiary of McClain’s arrival as a stud in this league.

Keep Darren McFadden & Michael Bush together

Stop all this trade McFadden chatter. Really! Yes, the Raiders currently have a small allotment of draft picks, but what would trading your most dynamic weapon on offensive accomplish?

You won’t get equal value, especially since he’s fragile and teams will cite his inability to play 16-games as a reason not give adequate compensation. Plus, whomever you draft with those picks may not provide the same impact that McFadden can on the 2012 team.

McFadden may never play a full complement of games, but that’s why Bush needs to remain and why both should share the load a tad more. Hue Jackson fed McFadden way too much and ultimately, we saw that Bush could handle a bigger load and not just in short yard or red zone situations.

The tandem has to stay together, as I stated here:

One big decision for Raiders McKenzie, what to do with RB Bush?

And

Cotto: Five moves to help the Oakland Raiders

Get back to basics with the defense

Good teams tackle well — Oakland hasn’t  for a very long time. The Raiders have been a sieve on defense since 2003:

2011 – 27^th in the NFL – 136.1 yds/g

2010 – 29^th in the NFL – 133.6 yds/g

2009 – 29^th in the NFL – 155.5 yds/g

2008 – 31^st in the NFL – 159.7 yds/g

2007 – 31^st in the NFL – 145.9 yds/g

2006 – 25^th in the NFL – 134.0 yds/g

2005 – 25^th in the NFL – 128.1 yds/g

2004 – 22^nd in the NFL – 125.8 yds/g

2003 – 32^nd in the NFL – 156.9 yds/g

Allen will have to simplify what he does on defense before we see all the bells and whistles. Denver players have cited his ability to simplify game plans and make every player on the defense accountable for their assignments. Building confidence in those groupings will then allow the Silver & Black to become a more fierce club and ultimately, a more aggressive one.

Boot Camp 101

Very rarely have we seen a militant camp or strenuous summers as Oakland prepared for campaigns. Now with a new head coach, a general manager that is changing the culture, Allen will have a chance to implement a tougher camp and begin instilling the discipline he preached about in his conference on Monday. The only way that you create habits is through consistency, doing the same things over and over and over,” Allen said. “Well, if you’re committing penalties, that becomes a habit. We’ve got to change those habits, all right? We’ve got to develop the proper habits so that we’re not creating those penalties on a daily basis.”

That begins in OTAs, mini-camps and training camp. Allen has that scary stare and a business like disposition. NFL insiders have said that the he wants his players to do it the right way… all the time, especially the first-time.

Oakland needed this a long time ago.

CLICK HERE FOR:

With Dennis Allen on board, these Raiders are on notice

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Aside from finding a head coach, Reggie McKenzie has a few important free-agent decisions he has to make…

One of them being, what to do with running back Michael Bush?

He’s going to be 28 in June, but with little wear and tear on his body, the ball carrier could be an enticing option for teams looking to bolster their ground game. This past year, he tallied career highs in yards, carries and yards per game, mainly filling in for an injured Darren McFadden.

Generally, clubs stay away from spending big bucks on rushers and will invest lower draft picks to find a pair of fresh legs. But Bush, whose collegiate career ended with an injury which caused him to dip in the draft, has had little tread on his tires since entering the league and could be swept off his feet with a big front-loaded contract if he is allowed to hit the free-agent waters.

At 28, teams shy away from investing in running backs, but his profile does not read like that of a running back a few years away from what is considered the tail-end of their career.

If he wants to shine and be a feature ball carrier, it won’t be in Oakland with McFadden around. If he wants big money, he could definitely seek to go elsewhere, especially if the Raiders want to compensate him like a back up.

Surely, this is Bush’s time to bank on his success and health. His injury at Louisville prevented him from earning more than what he could’ve with his first NFL deal.

So what are the options for Oakland?

They could franchise Bush, but that would cost them approximately $7.7 million in 2012. Will McKenzie think that’s an accurate price-point for him?

Oakland’s biggest area of strength is running back. Without that depth, the Silver & Black would have been dead in the water and not even in contention this past year. McFadden may never see a full 16-game schedule, so keeping that unit a deep one is imperative.

That makes Oakland’s running back grouping one of the best in the league. And if they plan on keeping the veteran Carson Palmer, with a new coaching staff coming in, it will be a lot easier for them to continue that semblance of order in the backfield and continue being a rush first, productive running team.

Palmer has not even had one game where he’s had both ball carriers healthy.

And as much as fans want to talk up the speedy Taiwan Jones, the facts are, as a rookie he didn’t show anything that warrants a bigger role and risking making your most talented unit a major question mark. Giving your veteran passer a weaker ground attack just doesn’t make sense.

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Here’s a list of Oakland Raiders that will be free agents this off-season with an explanation of their status after the 2011 season.

UFA: Unrestricted free agent; a player who has completed four or more accrued seasons and whose contract has expired.

RFA: Restricted free agent; a player who has completed three accrued seasons and whose contract has expired.

OFFENSE

• Jason Campbell QB – UFA
• Khalif Barnes T – UFA
• Kyle Boller QB – UFA
• Michael Bush RB – UFA
• Rock Cartwright RB – UFA
• Stephon Heyer OL – UFA
• T.J. Houshmanzadeh WR – UFA
• Marcel Reece FB — UFA
• Samson Satele C – UFA
• Chaz Schilens WR – UFA

DEFENSE

• Darryl Blackstock LB – UFA
• Desmond Bryant DL – RFA
• Tyvon Branch SS – UFA
• Matt Giordano – UFA
• Quentin Groves LB – UFA
• Jarvis Moss DE – UFA
• Trevor Scott DE – UFA
• Lito Sheppard – UFA

SPECIAL TEAMS

• Jon Condo LS – UFA
• Bryan McCann – UFA

OFFENSE ANALYSIS

Undoubtedly, Campbell would like to be a starter and probably feels like he can lead a team. But those chances went down the drain in Oakland when he got injured and Carson Palmer was acquired. The problem for Campbell is that there may not be many jobs for him available. Very few teams are starving for a starter. Miami may be happy with Matt Moore, or they could passer in the draft, Cleveland is going with Colt McCoy, the Chiefs may be in the market for a new face, a return to the Redskins won’t be an option and Seattle, who may look for a quarterback, may look at Vince Young, Matt Flynn or Kyle Orton. A back-up role is his destiny, but where? In Oakland where Jackson showed confidence in him prior to his injury, or elsewhere where he could sneak up on a passer that may be on shaky ground?

Keeping Bush will be imperative. Spending big bucks on running backs isn’t the norm in the NFL, but the former 4^th round pick has little wear and tear on his body, is young and versatile enough to add some pop to any club lacking a ground attack. Oakland would have been in serious trouble if not for Bush’s presence. With questions surrounding Darren McFadden’s durability, the Raiders need to keep this tandem together. A franchise tag for Bush could be an option, especially if they fear he will depart to another club that could front-load a contract for his services.

Reece is a multi-dimensional weapon, out of the backfield or split out wide as a receiver. He is a match-up nightmare that Jackson cannot afford to lose.

Barnes was the weak-link on a very good offensive line this past season. But keeping cohesion in this group will be key. He’ll come cheap, so unless the Raiders are looking for a major upgrade, there’s no way he goes anywhere. Heyer was a serviceable back up, so unless someone showers him with a big contract or a starting role, which is unlikely, Oakland could retain his services. Satele was tough, played injured and gained the respect of Jackson throughout the campaign. That may be enough for him to be retained and keep the powerful left side in tact.

Boller will move on, especially if Campbell is retained. Terrelle Pryor will be third on the depth chart until further notice.

Houshmanzadeh or Schilens will move on. One has the full support of Palmer; the other is young and has a history of injuries, which will dampen interest league wide. If Hue Jackson thinks Houshmanzadeh has anything left in the tank, he’ll be retained.

SPECIAL TEAMS ANALYSIS

Jon Condo will be retained and paid well. Oakland tends to compensate their specialists and breaking up the dynamic kicking and long-snapping trio wouldn’t make sense. Cartwright is a emotional leader and a special teams ace. How much will they value that, especially with Hiram Eugene coming back in 2012?

DEFENSE ANALYSIS

Branch may draw enough interest league wide which could land him a contract big enough that would force Oakland to let him walk. He has youth on his side and is very versatile. The former 4^th round pick could be enticed away by a team in need of starting strong safety.

Chuck Bresnahan was a major reason why Blackstock was brought in. Good on special teams and there for depth, we’ll see if his fate is tied together with Bresnahan’s.

Groves has already mentioned the possibility of him playing elsewhere. Aaron Curry took his job and at this point, Oakland sees him as a one-way player on special teams. With Matt Shaughnessy’s return, it’s unlikely that Jarvis Moss returns, especially if they opt for other choices at end. They’ll likely pick between Moss and Trevor Scott. Scott is more versatile, but the injury he sustained in 2010 made him a non-factor in 2011. A change in defensive alignment could also sway which one stays.

Bryant has developed into a serviceable lineman in a rotation. Some team may be intrigued by his abilities, and if he gets a decent offer, the defender will depart.

Sheppard was picked up mid-season and will not be welcomed back. Especially with Michael Huff moving to cornerback and other youthful options at defensive back.

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SBReport.net will take a look at the best and worst moments for the 2011 Oakland Raiders; including top plays, standout players and performances, and a lot more…

MVP (On Offense)

Michael Bush, RB

Why Bush? If not for his 977-yards rushing, 418-receiving and eight total scores, Oakland would have been in deep trouble. Yes, Darren McFadden is their most dynamic player and a superstar-type talent, but he missed the entire second half and if not for depth at that position, the Raiders offense would have been stagnant. That’s why both need to be kept together.

Honorable Mention: Jared Veldheer, LT – He faced Jared Allen, Tamba Hali twice, Julius Peppers, Elvis Dumervil twice, Andre Carter, Cameron Wake in a season of growth and maturity into one of the better young left tackles in the league.

MVP (On Defense)

Tommy Kelly, DT

I felt he had a better overall season than Richard Seymour and got slighted in the Pro Bowl selection process. He had 7.5 sacks and was steadier game in and game out.

Honorable Mention: Tyvon Branch, SS – Improved his coverage skills greatly and continued to be stout when placed around the line of scrimmage. Now, it’s time for a payday.

MVP (Special Teams)

Sebastian Janikowski, PK

He altered the look of the offense. When other teams opt to punt, Oakland strolls out their powerful kicker. With a better defense, imagine if the Raiders offense didn’t feel the stress of going long-distances on drives with Janikowski on their side.

BEST COACH

Bob Wylie

Veldheer became an anchor and Samson Satele has proven to be reliable and durable. Stefen Wisniewski did not play like a rookie and the right side, which was a major question mark coming into the season, held their own. With a top ranked running game and very few sacks allowed, Wylie easily was Oakland’s most valuable staffer.

MOST IMPROVED (On Offense)

Darrius Heyward-Bey, WR

In a landslide… the maligned target ended with 64-receptions for 975-yards and four scores.

MOST IMPROVED (On Defense)

This award will not be given to anyone.

BEST ROOKIE

Denarius Moore, WR

A true play-maker who can stretch the field… and he was drafted in what round?

PLAYERS WHO DISAPPOINTED…

Lamarr Houston trying to amp-up the crowd vs. the Chargers.

Kamerion Wimbley, LB – Only had seven sacks, but four of them were in one game versus the Chargers. If he’s going to be out there, Oakland needs him to be a menace pass rushing and not caught in bad match-ups with the likes of Antonio Gates.

Rolando McClain, LB – An arrest, very few impact plays at middle linebacker… if he wouldn’t had the off-field issues, it could’ve been easier to ship the talent who may need a new start elsewhere.

Lamarr Houston, DE – Only one-sack for the second year pro.

CLASSIEST RAIDERS

Quentin Groves, LB – Moved out of the starting line-up when Aaron Curry was acquired, the linebacker got on special teams and played well.

Jason Campbell, QB – At the beginning of the season, it appeared that the stars were aligned for Campbell – team on the rise, he’s at the helm playing well, at the end of a contract. Now, he may not have many options in the market to start and may have to settle on being Carson Palmer’s back up.

PLAYER MISSED THE MOST… (due to injury)

Matt Shaughnessy, DE – He has a motor, can bring the heat and is a solid edge defender. It could’ve helped.

PLAYER MISSED THE MOST… (due to departure)

Nnamdi Asomugha, CB – Boy, did that secondary need someone opposing passers feared.

PLAYER WHO NEEDS TO BE INCORPORATED MORE…

Kevin Boss, TE – They are paying him well for only 39-targets, 28 catches for 368-yards and three touchdowns. Oakland’s offense also features a very good receiving fullback (Marcel Reece) and with all the youth at receiver and rushers than can also be threats as pass-catchers, its easy to forget about Boss.

MOST OVERRATED (on offense)

Jacoby Ford, WR

Injuries slowed him, but he rarely showed any of the glimpses we saw in his rookie season.

MOST OVERRATED (on defense)

Matt Giordano, FS

Yes, he led the team with five interceptions, but many of them were in the ‘right at him’ category. Too many times he took horrible angles in run support and missed on tackles to spring running backs for bigger gains.

Honorable Mention: Stanford Routt, CB – How many times did he get flagged? Teams were not afraid to go after him – not what you want out of a top-paid cornerback.

BEST MOMENTS

Tommy Kelly, Jarvis Moss & the rest of the defense had fun bullying Mark Sanchez.

• Rallying versus the Texans on the weekend of Al Davis’ passing – On a emotional afternoon, with heavy hearts, Oakland overcame a deficit and held on late, on the game’s final play to win their first game without the legendary owner.
• Bullying the Jets in front of the ‘Black Hole’ – They ran for 234-yards, beat up Mark Sanchez and enjoyed a 34-24 victory against a top team.
• John Madden lighting up the torch – It was the Raiders first game at home without Davis, and during halftime, the coach who made his mark with the Silver & Black, lit up a cauldron during a ceremony to remember his life.
• Winning three in a row and getting to 7-4 in late November.
• The Raider fans selling out all eight home games.

WORST MOMENTS

• Al Davis Dying – It’s still unimaginable that the man synonymous with the Silver & Black will no longer be with us.
• Second-Half vs. Bills – Ryan Fitzpatrick torched Oakland, as Buffalo scored at will on every possession in the second half. One stop by the defense, and the Raiders could’ve had another win.
• Chiefs Stomping – Losing to the Chiefs is always painful for the Raiders. But getting trounced at home 28-0 was just embarrassing.
• Losing four out of their last five games to end the season, including an embarrassing collapse against the Lions and the disastrous finale versus the Chargers.

BEST PLAYS

• Janikowski’s 63-yard field goal versus Denver – Tied for the league’s longest kick and gave the Raiders a 16-3 halftime lead. Oh, Janikowski didn’t really hit it cleanly.
• Moore’s 50-yard TD catch in Buffalo – That gave Oakland a 35-31 lead late in the fourth quarter. The Bills eventually won, 38-35.
• Huff’s INT versus Houston – The free-safety sealed the game with his interception, as time expired, and with the Raiders one-man short.
• Lechler’s TD – Oakland went up 24-7 against the Browns when Shane Lechler connected with Kevin Boss for a 35-yard score, off a fake field goal.
• Heyward-Bey’s 53-yard catch to set up the game winning field goal in overtime against the Chiefs.

BEST INDIVIDUAL PERFORMANCES

• Wimbley’s sack parade vs. the Chargers.
• Carson Palmer’s 14-20 for 299 and 2 scores against the Chargers.
• McFadden’s 171-yards rushing vs. the Jets.
• Michael Bush’s record breaking night against San Diego.
• Janikowski’s six field goals vs. the Bears.

BEST PASS BY A NON-QB

Shane Lechler’s TD to Kevin Boss.

WORST PASSES BY A QB

How many did Kyle Boller attempt vs. the Chiefs?

MID-SEASON ACQUISITION THAT WILL STICK AROUND…

Aaron Curry

MID-SEASON ACQUISITIONS THAT WILL NOT STICK AROUND…

Lito Sheppard

BEST QUOTE

“I’m watching [the] History Channel and Fox Sports Soccer.” – Tommy Kelly after being eliminated and asked if he would watch the playoffs.

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Hue Jackson had his final Monday press conference after their tough home defeat at the hands of the San Diego Chargers. Instead of preparing for a playoff contest, the Oakland Raiders were cleaning out their lockers and wrapping up their 2011 campaign at the headquarters.

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

On his message to the team on their way out:

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

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

Looking back at missed chances:

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

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

On Chuck Bresnahan’s defense:

“It’s unacceptable.”

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

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

On possible general manager hiring:

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

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

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

On Carson Palmer and Jason Campbell’s future:

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

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

On Darren McFadden’s injury and the effect:

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

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

On Tyvon Branch’s possible free-agency:

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

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With a 38-26 loss to the San Diego Chargers on Sunday, the Oakland Raiders finished 8-8 for the second year in a row, and failed to reach the playoffs for the first time since 2002.

Instead, the Denver Broncos benefit from the Raiders loss as they will be going to the postseason representing the AFC West because of a divisional record tie breaker.

The Raiders were unable to find the success they achieved when they took on the Chargers in week 10, when they beat the Chargers 24-17.

In front of a sold-out crowd at O.co Coliseum, the Raiders were able to orchestrate the first scoring drive after safety Matt Giordano intercepted Chargers quarterback Phillip Rivers at the 5 yard line.

On 3rd and three from the three yard line, Carson Palmer found wide receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey in the corner of the end zone to put the Raiders up 7-0. Heyward-Bey finished the game with nine receptions for 130 yards, and a touchdown.

The Chargers were able to respond when Rivers found his athletic tight end Antonio Gates for a 38-yard touchdown catch that tied the game at 7-7.

Already down 14-10, the Raiders special teams struggled as they saw Chargers return man Richard Goodman return Sebastian Janikowski’s kickoff 105 yards back for a touchdwon, giving them the 21-10 lead.

Oakland was able to cut the Chargers lead to just one score early in the fourth quarter when Palmer found Kevin Boss for 22-yard touchdown, to bring the score to 31-26.

But much like the rest of the season, Oakland’s defense could not get the big stop when they needed it most to keep their season alive. With a little under seven minutes remaining in the game, Rivers found his wide receiver Malcom Floyd for a 43 yard touchdown and increase the Chargers lead to 38-26.

The 12-point lead proved to be too much for the Raiders to overcome as on the next drive Palmer threw an interception on the Chargers 20 yard line, essentially icing the game and ending the Raiders season.

The 8-8 record this season matches the Raiders record last year, but this time the Raiders could have made the playoffs with just one more win.

Palmer finished the game 28/43 for 417 yards, two touchdowns and one interception; running back Michael Bush proved to be ineffective, finishing with 19 carries for only 66 yards.

 

Because of the Raiders loss, the Broncos make the postseason and will take on the Pittsburgh Steelers in the first round of playoffs.

I know, I know…

The season just ended, the Oakland Raiders just missed making the post-season, “can we hold off the off-season talk to later,” will be what some of you are thinking. But here are five sure-fire ways to get the Silver & Black on track for the 2012 campaign:

RE-SIGN MICHAEL BUSH

I don’t get this whole, “trade Bush,” or “trade McFadden,” emotional banter from fans. That’s an area of strength for the Raiders and if not for that depth, Oakland would have been dead in the water and not even in contention this past year.

Darren McFadden may never see a full 16-game schedule, but that pairing, with Michael Bush as his back up, should be in tact in 2012. Bush can be franchised, and Oakland will likely do that if they can’t come to terms with him on a multi-year deal.

Bush is at a young enough age, and he does not have any wear and tear on his treads, which will make him a lucrative option for team’s in need of a bolstering to their ground attack. If Oakland keeps him, it will ensure they have the best backfield in the league. Carson Palmer has yet to have both to his disposal. Imagine what Oakland could do then?

And as much as fans want to talk up Taiwan Jones, the facts are, as rookie he didn’t show anything that warrants a bigger role and risking making your most talented unit a major question mark and giving your veteran passer a weaker ground attack. It just doesn’t make sense.

HIRE A G.M.

Way better coaches with hall of fame pedigree failed at handling both general manager and coaching duties. Hue Jackson clearly is not ready for both and had a tough first year at one capacity.

He needs to stay in touch with the pulse of the team more and handle the offense. By giving him a personnel staffer who can deal with contracts, player acquisitions and the draft, in accord with what Jackson wants to see on the field, it will only make life easier for him and maybe translate to him being a better manager on the field.

Reggie McKenzie & Elliot Wolf (Packers), Eric DeCosta (Ravens), Tom Gamble (49ers) and Les Snead (Falcons) are names that have been bantered about, as Ron Wolf and Ken Herock will be advising Mark Davis throughout the process.

FIRE CHUCK BRESNAHAN

The defense was not able to get a key stop in the second half versus the Bills – a key early loss. Oakland was trounced in the second half versus the Broncos – a loss that ultimately helped their demise and kept them out of the post-season. The Detroit Lions put together a heart-breaking comeback in the final minutes at Oakland, throttling Bresnahan’s bunch in the process.

In his second stint back with the Raiders, Bresnahan failed and his defense was horrendous. There’s too much talent on that unit for them to be one of the worst in run defense, total yards allowed and points per game. The Raiders allowed a franchise-worst 31 TD passes this season as well.

With Steve Spagnuolo possible on the outs in St. Louis, Jack Del Rio out there and other possible candidates available, it will be in Oakland’s best interest if they part ways with Bresnahan and bring in a new voice with fresher ideas to teach a unit that has a lot of talent.

TRADE JACOBY FORD

Denarius Moore had a solid rookie campaign and can potentially be a starter. Jacoby Ford and Moore are similar talents, but unlike Moore, Ford may be developing a little bit of a diva syndrome which may be rubbing some the wrong way in Oakland.

Ford showed to be a dynamic special teams returner and demonstrated a knack for big plays as a pass catcher. But this year, Oakland’s receiving unit evolved, and with Moore coming along, Ford may become expendable. True he makes very little money and you can’t have enough talented targets for Palmer.

But he’s shown to have the injury bug too, and if you can replenish some more draft selections (Oakland has traded many of them away recently) with a talented player, maybe they should look into it. He isn’t owed much money, so he’ll be a very attractive chip and one that could bring back some needed compensation.

DRAFT DEFENSE… AND MORE DEFENSE

Oakland will have to find ways to make their linebacking unit a tad more versatile, especially with talents that can play in space and in coverage.

An infusion of skill at cornerback will also be needed, as they sorely missed Nnamdi Asomugha this season and Stanford Routt showed not to be a top-tier cover guy in this league. Teams were not afraid to go after him and anyone else Oakland lined up in front of opposing wide receivers. Richard Seymour and Tommy Kelly are not getting any younger, and John Henderson is on his last legs.

It doesn’t help either that Rolando McClain has not made the impact many expected when he came out of college.

The defense ultimately failed the Raiders in 2011. A few stops here and there, and they would have been a playoff team. Now, it’s time to add to this unit with some top tier talent and not projects.

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In seven career games versus the San Diego Chargers, Michael Bush has amassed 490-yards rushing (4.3) and four touchdowns, including his record breaking 242-yards from scrimmage performance earlier in this season.

Norv Turner and San Diego’s defense is well aware of the rusher’s prowess and his importance to Oakland’s offense.

“[Bush] is a big, physical guy. He’s a downhill runner,” Turner said. “What’s happened with us the last two times we’ve played them, they’ve gotten ahead in the game and he’s gotten an awful lot of carries. Two of his biggest plays the last time we played him came on screens.”

Hue Jackson is known to pull rabbits out of his hat, but Eric Weddle simplified Oakland’s attack and hit on an important aspect for them.

“They’re going to run the football. They’re going to take shots up the field. It’s pretty simple,” Weddle stated. “They’ll be successful if they win on first down and get into second or third-and-manageable.

“Carson’s an elite quarterback. He has his ups and downs, but he can make all the throws. When he’s protected he can sling it around. We didn’t play particularly well last time, 24 points, but we gave up too many big plays. They ran the ball efficiently so we have to go out and play great. It’s got to be a team effort to go out and win in Oakland with a lot riding on the line for them.”

Jacoby Ford said he is ready to go on Sunday. So is Michael Huff.

“I’ll be out there,” Ford said. “If I practice this much this week and I’m not out there, I’d be mad. I’ll be out there, though.”

If he plays, it will be as a receiver, as Oakland will not gamble with Ford as a kick returner. Bryan McCann has done well enough to maintain that job and limit any risks with Ford.

Al Saunders stated, “Well, [Ford] has practiced and we are excited to see that. He is a very talented young man with great speed and he adds another dimension when he is able to be there. He has done a nice job this week. He hasn’t practiced fully, but he has been worked in and is very, very good at what he has done so we are excited about the possibility of him making a contribution.”

John Henderson will not play, and unless Oakland gets into the deep playoff run, don’t expect the veteran back on the field this season.

Saunders on the playoffs:

“You know what, that is funny because somebody asked me just before practice, what are the scenarios of the wild card? And in all honesty, I really don’t know. I just know that we have to win. And I know having been in this league for 30 years, you can’t control anything other than what you do. And all of our focus and all our attention and all of our energy has to be spent on what we need to do against the San Diego Chargers. And then after the game, the chips will fall where they may, but I really don’t know, and I don’t look at those things, it is wasted energy. We have got enough to worry about what is going to happen over there on Sunday at 1:00.”

NOTES

• There is a lot of speculation surrounding the Chargers and whether it will be Norv Turner’s final game with the organization. As a Raider, Turner’s tenure ended after a 9-23 overall record and 1-11 divisional record, including a 0-6 mark against the west in 2005.
• “This is a rival. They hate us and we hate them, and they want to spoil our playoff run,” said Michael Huff.
• Weddle: “I love playing on the road, especially at Oakland.”

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In just a few hours, it will be 2012…

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

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

JANUARY

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

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

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

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

Best: Oakland hires Hue Jackson.

Worst: Just litigate, baby.

Worst: Shane Lechler rips into the owner.

FEBRUARY

Best: Raiders re-sign Kamerion Wimbley.

Best: Stanford Routt signs an extension.

Best: Rod Woodson is hired to coach the secondary.

Worst: Michael Bush was arrested for drunk driving.

Worst: Oakland brings back Chuck Bresnahan.

MARCH

Worst: Donovan McNabb to Oakland trade rumors.

Worst: The NFL lockout.

APRIL

Best: Raiders draft Stefen Wisniewski. More here.

Worst: Louis Murphy arrested for…

AUGUST

Worst: Shooting after 49ers-Raiders game.

SEPTEMBER

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

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

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

OCTOBER

Worst: The passing of Al Davis.

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

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

Worst: Matt Shaughnessy heads to the I.R.

Best: Carson Palmer is acquired.

NOVEMBER

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

Worst: Injuries begin to mount.

DECEMBER

Worst: Rolando McClain arrested.

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

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

MORE…

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Best & Worst: Oakland Raiders at the Bye Week

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

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It’s a must-win game on Sunday for the Oakland Raiders (8-7) when the rivals San Diego Chargers (7-8) invade the O.co Coliseum. With a win and some help, the Silver & Black could either be a division winner, or a wild-card participant in the post-season. Either way, Oakland has to win and finish with an above .500 record for the first time since the 2002 season for a chance at the playoffs. “You have to embrace these moments because they don’t come around too often. You want to play your best football in the biggest games. As a competitor, you have to want that, but you have to enjoy it. It’s a fun time,” said Richard Seymour.

OAKLAND RAIDERS

On Offense:

Oakland has to continue the trend of pounding Michael Bush at the Chargers. In seven career games versus San Diego, Bush has amassed 490-yards rushing (4.3) and four touchdowns, including his record breaking 242-yards from scrimmage performance earlier in the season.

“We’ve been doing a good job sticking to it and not getting behind where we have to turn to pass situations,” stated the running back.

Oakland has to play from in-front and pound away at the Chargers front-seven in hopes of demoralizing them but more importantly, keeping the attack balanced against a defense that has 13-sacks in their last four games.

On Defense:

Chuck Bresnahan’s unit is under scrutiny, but they’ll get back safety Michael Huff and may have a motivated Tommy Kelly, who was bypassed on the Pro-Bowl selection process.

“[Huff] gives you another outstanding competitor and another outstanding football player,” Bresnahan was quoted this week. “We’ll see where he’s at and judge it as the week goes on.”

Oakland’s secondary will likely be under a lot of pressure with Norv Turner possibly coaching his last game in San Diego and Philip Rivers wanting to go out with gun’s blazing.

The Raiders need to get a heavy pass rush and contain tight end Antonio Gates.

In 17 games versus Oakland, Gates has compiled 69-catches for 934-yards and nine touchdowns. That duty will likely go to Mike Mitchell.

Kamerion Wimbley had four sacks earlier in the season at San Diego, but has only tallied three others the entire campaign. The Chargers have been forced into seven turnovers in their last three games against Oakland, mainly due to the pressure placed on Rivers.

SAN DIEGO CHARGERS

On Offense:

Rivers has always been a closer, and nothing demonstrates that more than his 25-3 record as a starter in December.

Despite throwing a career high 19 interceptions, he was selected to the Pro Bowl roster. And with talk of Turner’s possible demise, he’s motivated to end the season strong.

“I think it is evident what I feel about [Turner],” Rivers said. “It has been an unusual year and a rough year. Hopefully everybody here, coaches included, will be able to gear up and go back at it next year.”

Rivers has thrown for 4,314 yards and is just the fourth quarterback in NFL history with four straight seasons over 4,000 yards. With one more touchdown pass, Rivers will become just the sixth quarterback in league history with at least 25 touchdown passes in four straight seasons.

On Defense:

Shaun Phillips has been a Raider-killer in his career, compiling 11.5 sacks and three forced fumbles in 13-games against Oakland.

But it was Eric Weddle who made headlines this week, not just for his Pro Bowl nod, but his desire to keep the Silver & Black out of the playoffs.

“I don’t want the Raiders to go,” said Weddle, who is tied for the NFL lead with seven interceptions. “We have control over at least one more game, and who can go. “We’re going to try our hardest to spoil their postseason and keep them out of it.”

The Chargers have struggled with spread-offenses, so it will be interesting to see if Oakland puts the game on Palmer’s abilities, or do they try to re-establish a ground presence?

GAME NOTES

• “Everybody in the locker room wants to win and wants to win now,” Shane Lechler said about the team’s playoff hopes. “My situation is, hopefully I get to see this thing go full circle. I had it great when I first got here. … Just to see it go full circle would be good.”
• Carson Palmer on the importance of Sunday’s game: “These types of games, especially when you get to play them at home. These types of games are why you do what you do in February, March, April, May when nobody is watching. It’s why you stay up late at night watching film. This is why you do that, to be prepared. … This is a big moment for this team and our fans.”
• Darren McFadden will be out.
• For the first time in 16-years, all eight home games have been sold out.
• DE Trevor Scott was named this year’s Ed Block Courage Award winner.
• “I don’t know what the penalty thing is,” Tommy Kelly on Oakland’s record breaking penalty pace. “Coach stresses it, defensive coordinator stresses it, D-line coach stresses it.”
• Jacoby Ford will play on Sunday. Taiwain Jones practiced, but could be a game-time decision.

KEY MATCHUPS

Rivers vs. Oakland’s Pass Rush/Secondary

It’s been a strange season for the fiery passer, who will miss the playoffs but go to Hawaii in a few weeks. He’s into the rivalry and a huge statistical game versus a rival and keeping them out of the playoffs will be his motivation on Sunday.

Bush-whacked

San Diego was mauled by the Oakland offensive line in their first meeting. It will be in the Raiders best interest to start the game by establishing themselves on the ground and keep pounding on a defense that may want to go home early for the winter.

PREDICTION

Raiders 30 – Chargers 16
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