Reggie McKenzie could have a very young coaching staff in his first year as GM.

If reports are true, that the Oakland Raiders are considering adding Jason Tarver to their coaching staff, the Silver & Black will surely have a very youthful and raw sideline in 2012.

Tarver, 37, worked one year as the co-defensive coordinator under David Shaw at Stanford, after working for the 49ers from 2001 through 2010 as an offensive assistant.

Greg Manusky was rumored to be a candidate for the job, but he became the defensive coordinator for the Indianapolis Colts. Oakland asked permission to interview Denver linebackers coach Richard Smith and New Orleans defensive assistant Bill Johnson, but were denied on both.

Packers cornerbacks coach Joe Whitt Jr. is another name that has been bantered about, with no real indicators demonstrating he was looked at or given permission to speak to Reggie McKenzie and Dennis Allen.

Tarver served as quality control coach for San Francisco for three years before he was promoted to assistant running backs/offensive assistant coach for the 2004 season. He then became San Francisco’s outside linebacker’s coach for six seasons prior to his move to Stanford.

He is a very bright mind, who has a master’s degree in biochemistry and molecular biology. When asked why coach, especially with his vast knowledge in other areas, Tarver stated, “I really love the look on guys’ faces when you help them make a play. It’s almost better than doing it yourself. That’s what really made me want to do this.

“And then, I like to see 22 guys running around and see how it all fits together. That’s a puzzle that’s always fun. It’s a moving puzzle every single play, and you’ve got to figure it out between the plays.”

A quality control staffer in the NFL reviews a lot of film of upcoming opponents and formulates early plans of attack, dissects tendencies and reports it back to the coordinators and head coach.  Something Tarver was extremely good while learning the intricacies of coaching.

“As you are looking at things and seeing it, you learn how we attack guys. I learn that part of it by getting them data,” Tarver said. “We see everything.”

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Gerard Warren got his hands on Peyton Manning when he was a Raider.

The New York Giants were crowned Super Bowl champions, again, beating the New England Patriots 21-17 at Indianapolis.

A few former Oakland Raiders were key on both sides. SBReport.net takes a look at their performances:

Sterling Moore – Patriots – CB

Moore had three tackles, ending his solid playoff run with the Patriots. The cornerback had two passes defended, one which halted a key Giants’ drive on a 3^rd and 10. That gave Tom Brady the ball back in the 4^th quarter with a shot at extending their lead prior to New York’s go-ahead possession. Moore had a forced fumble on a play in the 1^st quarter that was negated due to a penalty.

Gerard Warren – Patriots – DT

Had one tackle and assisted on another playing as a reserve.

Dave Tollefson – Giants – DL

Played well on special teams and in varying packages along the defensive front.

Kevin Boothe – Giants – OL

In the 2^nd quarter, he had a holding penalty that washed away a converted 3^rd and 1. On the next play, on 3^rd and 11, Eli Manning tossed an incomplete pass in the direction of Mario Manningham.
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Richard Seymour and Carl Nicks went toe-to-toe on Sunday evening.

SBReport.net was in attendance all weekend in Hawaii for the pro bowl and in the press box and sidelines during the AFC’s 59-41 victory.

Four Oakland Raiders donned the red all-star jerseys during the contest.

We’ll take a look at how they fared on Sunday:

Sebastian Janikowski, PK

Janikowski finished 8/8 on extra points, earning the record for most points after touchdown in the game. He also converted on his only field goal attempt from 37-yards out. “Oh, that’s what happened?” said Janikowski, exclusively to SBReport.net in the locker room after the game, surprised he had a record in his first pro bowl appearance.

Jon Condo, LS

Condo was on both punt and kickoff coverage teams and was perfect on all of his snaps. Not one incident occurred, and the long snappers name was not mentioned with seamless snaps.

Shane Lechler, P

It must’ve been nice not to see any action as a punter. The AFC never called on Lechler, as his duties were mainly as a holder for Janikowski. “I didn’t punt today, I kind of like that,” said Lechler on the field after the game.

Richard Seymour, DT

Seymour started the game and had one tackle. After the game, he talked at length about Tommy Kelly, his new head coach Dennis Allen and what it means to be in the Pro Bowl.

Denver Broncos starting safety Brian Dawkins gave SBReport.net some insight on Allen. Seymour, Janikowski and Lechler also talked after the game. To watch the video, click on this link:

RAIDERS CHAT AFTER THE PRO BOWL

Here are more images from the event:

Brandon Marshall took home the hardware, earning MVP honors with six receptions for 176-yards and a record four touchdowns in the game. The Miami Dolphins target ”You never know when you’re going to be back,” Marshall said, “and I wanted to go all out today because it could be my last Pro Bowl.”

Rookie Cam Newton ended his season with 186-yards passing, on 9-of-27, for two scores and three interceptions.

Janikowski, Condo and Lechler were inseparable all weekend.

Two hall of fame bound players sat on the bench: Ravens MLB Ray Lewis and Seymour.

Raiders DL Seymour was in pursuit in the 1st quarter.

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Sterling Moore working with the Silver & Black in the summer of 2011.

The Oakland Raiders and their 27^th ranked pass defense had no use for Sterling Moore.

Why would they need a young cornerback who saved the New England Patriots’ season on Sunday during their 23-20 home win versus the Baltimore Ravens?

Moore broke up a potentially game-winning touchdown pass to Lee Evans in the closing seconds on Sunday. Two plays later, when Billy Cundiff missed a 34-yard field goal attempt, the Patriots were headed to Super Bowl XLVI.

“I really didn’t know that I even knocked it out until after,” Moore said after the game. “I still thought he had caught the touchdown, and then I saw the ball rolling away a few feet later. I was just glad I made that play because it was over after that.”

Earlier, it appeared like he would be one of the goats of the contest when his missed tackle sprung Torrey Smith for 29-yard touchdown in the third quarter.

“Everybody was telling me, ‘We know what you can do, just put that behind you,’” Moore commented. “You gotta have a short memory. … I thought this loss was going to be on me. That was the first thing I could think of. I’m glad it worked out.”

The 21-year-old signed corner was an un-drafted free agent that signed with the Silver & Black in July, only to be cut after training camp. Moore then latched on to New England and was placed on the practice squad before playing in one game, released and signed again later in the campaign.

“Definitely gratifying, it’s a blessing to be here, especially being cut and released and having to come back,” he said. “It’s been a rollercoaster ride this season. I’m just trying to keep it on a high right now.”

The Raiders on the other hand dealt with injuries to Chris Johnson and rookie Chimdi Chekwa, who replaced the ineffective DeMarcus Van Dyke in the line-up. Lito Sheppard was brought in when the defensive backfield was thin, and ultimately, he was picked on during their collapse and Denver’s rise to the division title.

New England’s pass defense did not fare better in 2011, allowing 294-yards per game (31^st in the NFL). But since Moore has been active and getting a lot of reps, they got a two-interception (one returned for a score) performance out of him in the season finale and key contributions in the post-season.

“That was a great play by Sterling,” Tom Brady said. “These games come down to one or two plays. Our defense made a couple of critical plays. It comes down to the end.”

Moore continued, “I feel very fortunate, very blessed just to be here right now. When I was released by the Raiders, who knew that I would be picked up.”

Who knew that you would’ve played a critical role on championship Sunday, and will play such an essential part Brady and Bill Belichick’s quest for a fourth title?

Certainly not the Silver & Black.

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Dave Tollefson – Giants DL

Was shutout from the boxscore and was just a reserve during New York’s 37-20 win versus the top-seeded Packers.

Charles Woodson – Packers CB

“Anything you’ve seen through the regular season happened to us today — missed tackles, (missed) assignments, not getting to the QB. We let them throw for a bunch of yards. Everything that happened during the season happened today,” said the former Oakland cornerback. Woodson was of the goats from yesterday’s defeat.

Winston Moss – Packers Asst. HC/LB coach

Played for the Los Angeles Raiders (1991-94) and in 1993, when he led the Silver & Black in tackles on the team that advanced to the AFC Divisional playoffs, he earned the Ed Block Courage Award. All eyes now turn to Green Bay’s ouster, as there a few candidates that Reggie McKenzie can pick from to be Oakland’s next head coach.

Darren Perry – Packers Secondary/Safeties coach

Perry coached the Raiders secondary for two years (2007-2008), aiding the development of Nnamdi Asomugha and helping the Silver & Black stay within the top-10 versus the pass in both of those campaigns. The Packers allowed 325-yards passing yesterday and were ranked last in the entire league in aerial yards per game.

Greg Knapp – Texans QB coach

Houston’s playoff run came to an abrupt end in Baltimore, as Tyler Yates went 17/35 for 184-yards, no touchdowns and three interceptions. Knapp had a tough task at the end of the years, prepping his young passer for a post-season experience after losing the team’s top two passers.

Chris Carr – Ravens CB

Chris Carr in his playing days with the Silver & Black.

Was inactive during Baltimore’s 20-13 victory versus Houston.

Chuck Pagano – Ravens defensive coordinator

Spent two campaigns with the Raiders as a defensive backs coach. In 2006, Oakland led the league in pass defense (150.8) and Asomugha had a breakout year with eight interceptions. Pagano is now the mastermind behind that stout Ravens defense.

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Thomas Howard – Bengals LB

The former 2^nd round pick out of UTEP saw post-season action in his second year with the Cincinnati Bengals. He had a very active game, leading the team with six-tackles. The Houston Texans advanced with a 31-10 win, but Howard had a nice showing.

Gibril Wilson – Bengals S

Yes, he was a Raider back in the 2008 campaign. He had very little impact during the game on Saturday.

Dave Tollefson – Giants DL

Did not play a significant role as a reserve versus the Falcons, but he did tally 5.0 sacks this season.

John Fox – Broncos HC

His team stunned the Steelers on the first play of overtime, as the AFC West champs advance to face the New England Patriots. Fox was a one time assistant with the Silver & Black in Los Angeles.

Aaron Kromer – Saints OL coach

Was a vital coach for the Raiders in 2002 during their run to the Super Bowl.  The Saints are sending three linemen to the Pro Bowl this year.

Terry Robiskie – Falcons WR coach

Served with the Los Angeles Raiders in 1982 where he coached with the team for 12 seasons. Now, he has Roddy White and Julio Jones to mentor in Atlanta.

Greg Knapp – Texans QB coach

Was the offensive coordinator with the Raiders in 2007-2008. Knapp has done a great job with many injuries at quarterback for Houston and a rookie passer currently under center.

OTHER NOTES

Al Davis wanted JaMarcus Russell; Lane Kiffin wanted the man dubbed “Megatron.” In February of 2009, when Davis reflected on those days, he stated, “Someone the other day said we had to go get a receiver. We should’ve drafted Calvin Johnson instead of JaMarcus Russell. But [Detroit Lions] record was 0-16 last year with Calvin Johnson.”

Johnson, in his team’s first playoff appearance since 1999, caught two touchdown passes and tallied 211-yards.

The Raiders were 7-4 heading into December and the Broncos were floundering around .500 when Tim Tebow began his charge to an AFC West crown. Yesterday, Tebow posted 316-yards passing, two touchdowns throwing the football and one rushing with a rating of 125.6 during the Broncos 29-23 overtime victory. It was the first extra period NFL post-season game with the new rules. It took all but one play to end the contest after Tebow hung the most yards passing the Steelers allowed all campaign.

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The Raiders were disappointed after yesterday's disastrous end to the season.

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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Hue Jackson did not get the job done in his first season as coach of the Oakland Raiders.

An 8-8 season is unacceptable this campaign, especially after Al Davis set a benchmark in 2010. A .500 record was not good enough for Tom Cable to be retained, so it surely shouldn’t be acceptable for Jackson now.

In late November, Oakland was 7-4 and appeared in control of the AFC West. This after failing to set themselves apart from their rivals with a three game home-stretch that ended in losses to the Chiefs and Broncos.

But at three-games over even and sitting atop the division things were looking good. Ultimately they lost four of their last five games and flamed out.

The team that was advertised as a bully to be, got punked. And this one is squarely on the coach that talked the talked but couldn’t walk the walk.

Jackson said all year, “trust me,” that he would get the penalty issues fixed. That did not happen. Oakland set the mark for infractions in a season and a lot of them were of the undisciplined and bone-headed variety, either pre-snap or post-snap, which looks bad on the man in charge.

He continuously stressed the importance of improving the defense and getting better play out of them… and that never happened.

Every week, he protected his players and rarely put the onus on the men donning the jerseys…

Yet this weekend, after the Chargers toyed with their playoff chances and kept them from reaching the post-season, he had this to say:

“At some point in time as a group of men, you go win the game.

He continued, “You can say whatever you want about coaches. You win the game. Here’s your time to make some plays. We didn’t get them stopped and we didn’t make enough plays.”

Oakland never made enough plays and rarely this year did they show the grit needed to reach the Super Bowl tourney.

Whether it was the penalties, the undisciplined play, the collapses on defense…

It all falls on the coach. Especially when the coach wanted to become the west-coast version of Rex Ryan with his proclamations of this team becoming an AFC threat.

Last year, a 6-0 divisional record was not good enough to make the playoffs. When they got mathematically eliminated in 2010, it gave the club more incentive to be better and use that as a stepping-stone. That was the first step.

On their second step, they tripped and fell. Oakland’s eight wins this year are not a badge of honor, nor do they come with a sense of forward momentum. Their eight wins this year are looked at with disappointment, as they should have been better.

Injuries were a major factor down the stretch, but then again, they were also the beneficiary of adding a high-caliber passer at mid-season after their starter went down – a very rare occurrence in the league.

And even when their best talent on offense was lost for the season, it was from an area strength they were able to dig through and continue to plug away.

Jackson should feel the heat after year one. Will he from the organization? Probably not. But that should not make him immune from the critique he will right deserve from the fans and media.

To lose at home the way they did on Sunday, with a playoff berth on the line was condemning.

And nothing the coach says can spin it…

In the word of Jackson, “trust me when I say this.”

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Richard Seymour and the Raiders need one more win and some help for a division crown.

It’s all come down to this for the Oakland Raiders (8-7)…

A victory versus the San Diego Chargers (7-8) and a loss for the Denver Broncos (8-7), and they’ll be AFC West champions.

The Kansas City Chiefs (6-9) will have to go on the road and notch their fourth win away from Arrowhead against Tim Tebow for Oakland to have their first division title since 2002.

Just weeks ago, Oakland was atop the division – sitting pretty. But a three-game losing streak and Tebow’s miraculous run catapulted the Broncos to first-place. Denver has lost two in a row and Oakland pulled out an overtime victory on Saturday to give them a shot at making the post-season.

Hue Jackson said after the game at Kansas City: “I keep telling you people that his team is not going to quit. We are not perfect, I understand that. But we are a group of men that will fight and keep playing and they’ll play it out to the end.”

They’ll have to continue to fight to extend their current three-game winning streak against the Chargers. Oakland swept Norv Turner’s team in 2010 and won at San Diego November 10, 24-17.

They’ve done it without Darren McFadden and Jacoby Ford. Denver’s late slide could open the door for a division crown. The defense has buckled that last few weeks when trying to put away games, but they remain alive.

Oakland can also win a wild card if they win and get help from the Baltimore Ravens, who face the Cincinnati Bengals on the last weekend of the regular season.

The Raiders could be a 4^th seed as division champs and face either the Pittsburgh Steelers or the Ravens at the O.co Coliseum. It’s foreseeable that either road team could be favorites on the road, as neither is a favorable match-up for the Silver & Black.

If by chance Oakland gets the 6^th seed, they could face the Houston Texans, in a rematch of their week-five meeting. The Raiders defeated the Texans 25-20, on the weekend Al Davis passed away.

With their injuries, lack of post-season experience and Oakland’s late season scamper to get in, it may be the opportune time to pick them off. A loss against the Titans would give Houston a three-game losing streak going into the playoffs. And with a victory already at that site, Oakland could be more of a threat in that position than at home against a physical Ravens club with a shifty, dynamic rusher (Ray Rice) and a stout defense, or a veteran Steeler club that can win at any venue with their clutch quarterback and physical defense.

Oakland was hurt last year when they went 6-0 within their division and missed making the playoffs, needing a lot of help to get in and losing key games down the stretch.

“It’s just tough because all through training camp, we knew that we had a team that could win the (AFC) West, make the playoffs and compete,” Michael Huff said in December of 2010. “I guess we’re not going to get the chance.”

Not getting a shot this year would hurt twice as much due to squandering opportunities and getting a shot at it on the final week of the season. With Davis’ passing and the lofty and boisterous expectations of their head coach, an 8-8 finish this time around or no playoffs, even with the injuries they have withstood and happenings in 2011, would be a major disappointment.

It was Jackson who wanted to build a bully. It was Jackson who took over a team that already had reached .500 last season. It was Jackson who planted that seed in his player’s minds that they were playoff ready. Can they actually get in now?

They had a three-game home stretch versus the Browns, Chiefs and Broncos, with a bye sandwiched in, and failed to get separation. After losing their starting passer for the year with an injury, they picked up Carson Palmer to salvage the season and possibly carry them further. They would have been stuck with Kyle Boller otherwise, a move that really changed their season and that many other teams either wouldn’t be able to make, or wouldn’t pull off – a rarity in this league to pick-up a passer of that magnitude within a season.

Pick-ups like Aaron Curry and Bryan McCann have worked. Having depth at running back helped, as any other team that would’ve lost their most dynamic presence on offense, could’ve been crippled. But Oakland had a suitable back up at their area of strength.

They lost a very good edge rusher for the year, but again, at a unit where depth is not a concern.

People could point to Campbell’s injury, Davis’ death and other happenings as major reasons why they could’ve folded. But in fact, they have had just as many opportunities placed on their laps and been given second and third chances to get back into the post-season.

One week from now, they’ll either be kicking themselves for not taking making a stop at Buffalo, tanking it at home against the Chiefs, Broncos and on the road at Miami and squandering a late lead versus the Lions, or preparing for a wild-card playoff game, their first since January 12, 2002, when they defeated the Jets 38-24, before falling the following weekend during the infamous ‘Tuck Rule’ contest.
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Hue Jackson looked like he needed answers after loss to Lions.

It’s been a tough couple of weeks for Hue Jackson.

The Oakland Raiders have dropped three in a row, the AFC West crown has slipped away and slowly quickly getting out of reach and now, fans are starting to grow inpatient with the play of many aspects of this club.

Jackson’s decision making is in the forefront, especially after a one-point defeat in which he bypassed to put points on the board early in the contest. A 42-yard field goal attempt wasn’t what Jackson wanted…

He wanted a touchdown and when the play failed, who would’ve known how crucial those three points were going to be?

“You have to take that shot,” Jackson said. “It looked … and the guy was wide open. If you’re going to do it, it’s good to do it early in the game so it doesn’t determine the outcome of the game. Obviously, every play now will get questioned that is the reason why we did or didn’t win, but we’re going to stay aggressive. We took a shot there. I thought we had a good chance at it but we didn’t hit it. We came up short.”

Later in the game, Jackson secure in the way his team was playing, sent Sebastian Janikowski out for the point-after, rather than attempting to extend the lead to two-touchdowns.

“I never question coach,” said Carson Palmer. “He knows what he’s doing. It’s easy to say, Monday morning quarterback, to look back and say, should’ve done this, should’ve done that, or second guess things. We thought after that, offensively, we’d just stay on the field and the game’s over. And we didn’t stay on the field.”

Early in the season, Jackson said ‘trust me’ we’ll get these penalties issues fixed. That has not happened. He reinforced that all season, along with the team’s ability to bounce back… and that hasn’t happened. He tried to convince others that his run defense will clamp down and that they team would close games out better. That hasn’t happened.

Two games are remaining, and right now, the Raiders look in disarray. The first year head coach does look like a rookie. Moreover, he looks like a coach who can’t find answers.

They had a three-game home stretch earlier in the year; against the Browns, Chiefs and Broncos, sandwiched with a bye, and failed to distance themselves. A three-game winning streak has been followed by three defeats, at the most crucial time of the campaign.

“I’m not going to let this team continue to slide like this,” Jackson commented. “There’s no way. That’s not who I am, that’s not who they’re going to be. I mean a lot of people didn’t think we were going to show up today and we did. Right now, I’m a .500 football coach at 7-7 and that’s not who I am.”

Yes Hue, that’s who you are…

That’s what the team is – so what’s next?