Silver and Black Report

This time it was Oakland’s pass defense that got beat, giving up 388 yards in the air to New Orleans en route to the 40-20 loss.

Brees started quickly with a deep ball down the left sideline to wideout Devery Henderson on the opening play for 37 yards, who had cornerback DeMarcus Van Dyke in coverage. But Brees wasn’t done picking on Oakland’s rookie corner. On 3rd and 10, Brees went right back at him with a pass to wide receiver Robert Meachem for an 18-yard pass to the Oakland 26-yard line.

Wideout Derek Hagan hauls in a catch before being tackled. Hagan finished with 121 on six catches.

After holding New Orleans to a 4th and 2 from Oakland’s 18-yard line, Brees attacked Van Dyke again with a completed pass to wideout Marques Colston on a slant route. New Orleans would score on a hand off to rookie running back Mark Ingram on 3rd and goal from the 1-yard line.

Oakland wideout Nick Miller misplayed the ensuing kickoff as the ball bounced off his shins and went out of bounds at the 9-yard line. It was there that Oakland starting quarterback Jason Campbell would start their first drive.

On a 3rd and 7 from their own 13-yard line, Campbell found veteran wideout Derek Hagan for a Raiders first down. Following four consecutive run plays to Oakland starting running back Michael Bush and one to backup running back Rock Cartwright, Campbell went back to the veteran. On first and 10 from the 35-yard line, Campbell completed a pass to Hagan who put on a nice move on Saints cornerback Tracy Porter allowing him to run after the catch and cap off the 11-play, 91-yard drive with a touchdown.

Brees again orchestrated the offense to a touchdown on the ensuing possession. After a balanced mix of rushing and pass plays, running back Pierre Thomas punched the ball into the end zone to give the Saints a 14-7 lead after one quarter of play.

Brees would also lead the starting offense to a Garrett Hartley field goal before exiting the game. Brees finished 15-23 for 189 while leading the offense to three scores on all three Brees-conducted drives.

Oakland’s Jason Campbell played the entire first half, leading the Raiders to two scores: the Hagan touchdown and a Sebastion Janikowski 57-yard field goal. With :55 remaining in the first half, Campbell also led the offense to the Saints 26-yard line before having a pass deflected for an interception in the end zone. Campbell finished the game 12-17 for 150 yards with one touchdown and one interception.

Oakland scored their second touchdown when their fourth round draft pick Taiwan Jones took a hand off to the right side for a 22-yard touchdown in the third quarter. The speedy Jones finished his NFL debut with 81 yards on 13 carries and one touchdown, along with 2 catches for 18 yards.

Michael Bush ran for 32 yards on five carries before exiting the game; Hagan led the Raiders in receiving with six catches for 121 yards and a touchdown; rookie wideout Denarius Moore started his second straight game and finished with three catches for 23 yards;

Oakland’s Richard Seymour, Chris Johnson, Jacoby Ford, Louis Murphy and Darren McFadden all missed the game due to injury. Oakland will look for their first preseason win in their final exhibition game at Seattle on Friday, Sept. 2.

Here’s a summary of the best and worst for the Oakland Raiders (8-8) in the 2010 season:

MVP (Offense)

Darren McFadden, RB

By far Oakland’s most valuable offensive performer with 1,664-combined yards from scrimmage. Ten times he hit paydirt with either amazing runs or impressive scampers after catching the football.

Honorable Mention:

Robert Gallery, LG: He played next to a rookie for most of the season and is the steadiest along the trenches.

MVP (Defense)

Tommy Kelly, DT

Led all AFC tackles with 7.0 sacks and was the most consistent performer along the defensive line all season.

Honorable Mention:

Nnamdi Asomugha, CB: The best cornerback in the NFL. Made the Pro Bowl, was barely tested all year and was hobbled towards the end of the season.

LVP (Least Valuable Player) – Offense

Darrius Heyward-Bey, WR

The coaches can rave about his work ethic all they want, facts are, he has poor instincts as a receiver and is headed towards bust status.

Honorable Mention:

Chaz Schilens, WR

Nine catches for 40-yards and one score for the season. Most of 2010, he was injured and/or recovering from his ailments.

LVP (Least Valuable Player) – Defense

Chris Johnson, CB

Far too often, the target of opponents with Asomugha on the other side. The beneficiary of DeAngelo Hall’s departure in 2008, cashing in on his three interceptions, 12 passes defended and a forced fumble after replacing the dumped corner.

Honorable Mention:

Thomas Howard, LB

One of the locks to clean out his locker room for good this week. Barely made it onto the field in 2010.

Best Coach:

Hue Jackson, OC

Oakland ranked 31st in offense in 2009 and scored 197-points. In 2010, they ranked 10th and ended with 410-points.

MVP Special Teams:

Jacoby Ford, KR

Exciting to watch and always electric with the football in his hands. Had comparable stats to all the top return men in the AFC and had three kickoffs for scores.

Get Back Healthy:

Trevor Scott, DE/LB

Went on injured reserve. Wherever he played, Oakland got production. A solid veteran on and off the field.

Kamerion Wimbley (96) and Trevor Scott (91) getting to Sam Bradford.

Best 1^st Year Raider (non-rookie)

Kamerion Wimbley, LB

The Raiders got a starting linebacker and nine-sacks from Wimbley in 2010. All they gave up was a third round choice.

Best 1^st Year Raider on Offense (rookie)

Jared Veldheer, LT

Yes, you can make a case for Ford, but Veldheer played more reps at a tougher position as a rookie. Now, he looks to be the Silver & Black’s left tackle for years to come.

Best 1^st Year Raider on Defense (rookie)

Lamarr Houston, DE

Five sacks and improved play as the year went on. Beats out first rounder Rolando McClain, by far.

Underrated Player of the Year

Matt Shaughnessy, DE

Seven sacks and solid edge play all year. He has the look of a defensive end that will have a long and fruitful career. And if he continues to produce those types of sack numbers, he’ll be a very rich man very soon.

Honorable Mention:

Rock Cartwright, RB

Fiery vocal veteran that was unsung on special teams all season.

Energizer Award:

Mike Mitchell, SS

Loves to blitz, savors landing big hits. Even if the impact isn’t grand, he’ll get up and let you know it was.

The Perfect Timing Award:

Michael Huff, FS

Was in on 77-tackles, had 4.0 sacks and 3 interceptions. A possible unrestricted free agent, Huff may look to cash in. Still inconsistent, but at least he has numbers to justify his contract demands.

Best WR who is not a WR:

Marcel Reece, FB

Looked sharper in his route running than Heyward-Bey, Louis Murphy or Johnnie Lee Higgins.

Honorable Mention:

Khalif Barnes, OL

No other Raider wide receiver was money. HA – seriously, two targets and two completions including a touchdown.

Say Farewell to…

• Bruce Gradkowski, QB: Jason Campbell belongs under center, without the fragile Gradkowski looking over his shoulder.
• Nick Miller, PR: Provides little when he actually returns a punt and doesn’t fair catch it deep in own territory. Does not look like a pro on the field.

We should see more of in 2011…

• Finding ways to get Jacoby Ford the ball in space. Bubble screens, receiver screens, end arounds and more importantly, receptions down the field, as he develops into a well-rounded receiver.
• Blitzing: Wow, when Tyvon Branch, Huff or Mitchell came in from their safety spots, Oakland did a lot of damage to opposing passers.
• The Michael Bush & McFadden combo: The Raiders need to keep that tandem together to spearhead their offense.

We should see less of in 2011…

• Blackouts – There you go fans; the Raiders just gave you a .500 season. Now fill the seats and support during home games.
• AFC West victories: It is unlikely the Raiders sweep their division again in 2011. If they do, they better take care of business outside the AFC West.
• Heyward-Bey: I know he gets paid a lot of money, was a 1^st rounder and the owner wants to see him succeed, but it will be a shame if one of the younger wide-outs get less reps because of DHB’s presence.

The Raiders will miss…

George Blanda and Jack Tatum. Oh, the players will miss Tom Cable if he’s not giving another year at the helm.

The Raiders have not missed…

JaMarcus Russell

Best Hit(s)

Rolando McClain slamming Danny Amendola and knocking out Darren Sproles.

Best Moments:

Sebastian Janikowski after nailing the game winning FG in overtime vs. Chiefs

• Raiders blocking back-to-back punts vs. the Chargers and building an early lead against their rivals. Eventually, the crowd was treated to a last second defensive stand that featured a Tyvon Branch 64-yard fumble return for a score.
• All 59-points during Oakland’s annihilation of the Broncos.
• The three-game winning streak before the bye week.
• Ford’s opening kickoff of the 2^nd half and overtime victory against the Chiefs.
• Any of McFadden’s dazzling runs, especially his 36-yard run vs. the Jaguars with 1:53 left in the game that was capped with a jolting stiff arm.
• Closing the season at Arrowhead with a victory.

Worst Moments:

• Sebastian Janikowski missing a 32-yard field goal in Arizona as time expired during the Raiders 24-23 loss versus the Cardinals.
• Failing to win back-to-back games at San Francisco, and losing to the winless 49ers, 17-9.
• Allowing 205-rushing yards to the Titans in the season opener.
• Losing two ten point leads at Jacksonville.
• Back-to-back losses, at Pittsburgh where they got dominated physically, and against Miami, which was a lackluster effort.

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Contact Author: Victor Cotto – SB Report Columnist

QUARTERBACK: B-

The Oakland Raiders and Jason Campbell had a tale of two halves. The passer was terrible in the first half going 4-of-10 for 18-yards and an interception. Campbell lofted a toss into the arms of John McGraw in the 2^nd quarter, missing Johnnie Lee Higgins badly as he stepped into the pocket. He also under threw Jacoby Ford on a flea flicker and had a tough time with receivers dropping some passes. But in the 3^rd quarter, he got into a roll with a 16-yard pass to Ford on a designed roll out and got another 15-yards on a dump off to Darren McFadden on 3^rd and 3 (Oakland’s first converted 3^rd down of the game) before hitting Khalif Barnes on a 2-yard pass to give the Silver & Black their first lead at 14-13. In the game tying drive as time expired, Campbell had a vital connection with Higgins for 12-yards on 3^rd and 11 and again threaded a tight pass to Ford for 7-yards on 2^nd and 6. His 29-yard conversion with Ford with 24-seconds remaining set-up Sebastian Janikowski’s game tying 41-yard field goal. Campbell ended 19-of-33 for 229-yards, one touchdown and one interception. More importantly, he’s 3-0 the last three weeks as the starter. “This win was probably the win that does wonders for our season,” Campbell said.

RUNNING BACKS/ FULLBACK: B

Darren McFadden grinded all-day and ended with 89-yards on 17 carries against a stout Kansas City run defense. He added another 25-yards on receptions. McFadden’s run for 34-yards and 15-yard reception set-up Barnes’ score. Michael Bush was ineffective in 5-carries for 17-yards. Marcel Reece had a small stat line, but blocking was key in the ground game, and especially protecting Campbell. Reece kept a defended off his passer at the end of the 3^rd quarter when Campbell hooked up with Brandon Myers for 13-yards. McFadden made a poor decision as a passer, trying to hit Darrius Heyward-Bey downfield in triple coverage. McFadden also fumbled deep in his own territory – leading to a Ryan Succop 43-yard field goal that gave Kansas City a 10-0 lead.

WIDE RECEIVERS/TIGHT ENDS: B

Jacoby Ford was the player of the game. He did drop a long ball on 2^nd and 7 in the 2^nd quarter against one of the best defenders in the AFC West – Brandon Flowers – but he redeemed himself with a miraculous 37-yard grab on a 3^rd and 8 in the 4^th quarter, where he was falling down and on his knees while grabbing the football. That extended a drive that ended with a 23-yard field goal by Janikowski and gave Oakland a 17-13 lead. His catch for 7-yards on Oakland’s final drive in regulation gave them life and his 29-yard haul as time expired pushed the game to overtime. Ford’s 47-yard gain in the extra period was the decisive play of the contest. It was a great individual performance by the rookie, who ended with 6-catches for 148-yards. Johnnie Lee Higgins added 26-yards on 3 catches (ran a nice route vs. Flowers that tallied 12-yards) and Brandon Myers, playing for an injured and inactive Zach Miller, tallied 20-yards on 3-grabs.

OFFENSIVE LINE: C+

The group allowed four sacks and only managed to help the rushers get 112-team rushing yards. But they were steady late when Campbell needed time to go down the field. Khalif Barnes hauled in his first career touchdown. Jared Veldheer had a crippling holding infraction that could’ve cost the Raiders the contest with 30 seconds remaining after Campbell hit Ford for 19-yards. Tamba Hali also beat the rookie for a sack. Robert Gallery was flagged twice and Samson Satele botched a snap that never got to Campbell’s hands.

DEFENSIVE LINE: A

The Chiefs did not break the 100-yard rushing barrier till overtime. Credit the Raiders rush defense for a solid effort against the top running club in the league. Thomas Jones averaged 1.7 yards per carry and Jamaal Charles was corralled for 53-yards. Richard Seymour was dominant (7 solo tackles), Tommy Kelly recorded a sack and Desmond Bryant had his best game as a pro with one sack and one tackle for a loss. Matt Shaughnessy continues to be steady on the edge versus the run and Lamaar Houston was one of the reasons why the Chiefs managed only 43-yards on the ground at the half, and 104 for the game. Seymour shouldve had a fumble recovery in the 2^nd quarter, but failed to maintain possession after getting his hands on the football.

LINEBACKERS: C

Rolando McClain left the game early with a hip ailment and never returned. Ricky Brown played at middle linebacker and ended with 2-solo tackles. Quentin Groves was active all game with his best play coming in overtime, limiting tight end Tony Moeaki to a 1-yard gain on 2^nd and 4. Kamerion Wimbley facilitated a holding infraction on Leonard Pope in the 2^nd quarter after getting position on the fullback. Moeaki did end up with 63-yards receiving.

SECONDARY: B

The Raiders played without Nnamdi Asomugha, so the Chiefs targeted Chris Johnson as the weak link. Johnson was flagged for a 30-yard pass interference before Verran Tucker hauled in his first NFL reception and score against the cornerback to give the Chiefs a 7-0 lead in the 2^nd quarter. Johnson’s play improved in the second half and after the coaches inserted Jeremy Ware for a few plays. Ware recorded his first NFL interception at the end of the first half in the north end zone – a key play as the Chiefs were driving and were up 10-0 with a chance to add another field goal or touchdown on 2^nd and goal. Mike Mitchell was key on the turnover, as he got his hands on the football and deflected it into the rookie’s hands. Michael Huff was in on 8-tackles and had a sack prior to Ware’s pick. Stanford Routt played well, especially in the 2^nd half. Tyvon Branch was shaken up and replaced in the line-up (concussion).

SPECIAL TEAMS: A

Ford’s days as a receiver and kick returner earned him game-ball honors. His 94-yard return for a score to open the 2^nd half ignited a dead Raider club that went into the locker room down by 10. Janikowski missed a game tying 47-yarder in the 3^rd quarter, but nailed the equalizing 41-yard attempt at the end of regulation and the game winner from 33-yards. Nick Miller could’ve been a goat in this contest with his shaky returns and fumble in the 4^th quarter that led to a Dwayne Bowe 20-yard score 5-plays later and a Chiefs 20-17 lead. Rock Cartwright was stellar on the coverage units, forcing a fumble during Javier Arenas’ kickoff return which was recovered by Hiram Eugene. Kansas City’s stellar return teams were contained. Arenas had a 41-yard return negated by a teammate’s infraction.

COACHING: B-

In the first half, Tom Cable & Hue Jackson were in over their heads. The use of challenges early on almost cost the team late, as they couldn’t review Miller’s botch return due to the coach’s decision to dispute calls early in the contest. What you had to like was the diverse play calling; Oakland debuting a few ‘wild hog’ plays with McFadden taking snaps and finding ways to get their star rusher the ball on the edges and a flea flicker. But Cable’s botched 4^th and 6 fake punt with Cartwright was dreadful and not smart considering the position on the field and how the momentum had swung after they stuffed a Arenas fake punt just a few plays earlier. That allowed the Chiefs to jump on the Raiders 7-0. Oakland awoke in the 2^nd half, and you have to credit the coaches for making the right adjustments and keeping the team alive after going into the locker room down 10-0 in front of a sell-out crowd. The Raiders played a fiery 2^nd half, took the lead, faced desperation as regulation wound down and tasted victory in overtime with two of their best players inactive, their rookie middle linebacker hurt and starting strong safety ailing. “It wasn’t the way we draw it up but it was the way it was supposed to be,” Cable said. “We hung in there, fought, hung in there, fought, got a chance, made a couple of plays, made two kicks and now we’re all happy. It’s a great job by our team of really pulling together.”

GAME NOTES

• Oakland won after being down 10-0 at the half. They tallied 15-flags for 140-penalty yards and going 3-for-12 on 3^rd downs. They also had three turnovers and allowed four sacks.
• Jacoby Ford amassed 158-yards on returns and 148-yards receiving. “It’s something I’ve been wanting to do ever since I was little,” Ford said. “I went out there, and it was a dream come true to be out there having fun making plays with those guys.”
• Oakland has won three in a row and are 3-0 against AFC West rivals.

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Contact Author: Victor Cotto – SB Report Columnist

The Oakland Raiders injury bug continues to bite, this time with WR/PR Nick Miller who injured his ankle during Friday’s practice. “He was limping when he came off the field, so we’ll see,” stated Tom Cable.

Miller, who made his first NFL reception last week, was expected to get more reps with a depleted unit that already will be without Louis Murphy and has been awaiting Chaz Schilens recovery.

Jason Campbell will start versus the Seattle Seahawks, even though he talked up Bruce Gradkowski’s health as the week wound down. The lack of practice received was a major factor for not playing Gradkowski along with the fact that they’ll like him completely healed before he sees any action.

CB Chris Johnson will have to pass a battery of tests Saturday if he wants to see the field on Sunday after his concussion last weekend.

“Everybody is going to travel with us,” Pete Carroll said of his injured squad. “We just have to figure it out when we get to game time. We’re going to hang on to the bitter end to find out.”

Russell Okung (high ankle sprain) and defensive tackle Brandon Mebane (calf strain) have not practiced. Starting CB Kelly Jennings was out against Arizona because of a hamstring injury and has not practiced all week. Rookie Walter Thurmond has not practiced all week as a precaution after a minor concussion.

OL Chester Pitts could return from microfracture surgery on his right knee after a week of practice.

“I would love to see him play in this game,” Carroll said. “It’s about time Chester plays now. He’s going to dress in this game. We are looking forward to getting him in.”

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Contact Author: Victor Cotto – SB Report Columnist

The Seattle Seahawks (4-2) are currently leading the NFC West while the Oakland Raiders (3-4) are trying to get themselves in the mix for the AFC West. With first year coach Pete Carroll, the Silver & Blacks’ former divisional rival will try to win in Oakland for the first time in 13-years. For the Raiders, it’s the same old story; trying to put together back-to-back solid efforts. “If you show it to us and you show me what you’re capable of and you’ve been able to do it more than once, it’s expected,” Tom Cable said. “It’s called raising the bar. And when you raise the bar you’ve got to be accountable to that.”

OAKLAND RAIDERS

On Offense:

Jason Campbell experienced the lowest of the lows and the highest of the highs in consecutive weeks. After posting a 10.7 passer rating two weeks ago, his club went into Denver, tallied 59-points while he compiled two touchdowns and a 127.9 quarterback rating. This week, he shared snaps with Kyle Boller, but if he’s ready to go, Cable will tab him the starter once again. “Hey, I always prepare myself to be the starter,” Campbell said. “I’m just preparing myself to be ready.”

The biggest boost came from Darren McFadden, the third leading rusher in the AFC (557-yards). Oakland’s rush offense currently ranks third in the league.

The Raiders most reliable wide receiver – Louis Murphy – has missed practice all week and is doubtful to play on Sunday. Jacoby Ford and Johnnie Lee Higgins are expected to pick up the slack. If there ever was a time for Darrius Heyward-Bey to show why he was deserving of being selected so high in the draft a few years back, now is the time.

“Whenever you get an injury at a position, everyone has got to step it up,” Cable said. “Look for whoever goes in Louis’ place to step it up as well as the guy already in there, Darrius and those guys who have been playing, Johnnie Lee, we’ve got to get more out of everybody now.”

What to Expect:

Oakland’s 3^rd ranked rush offense versus Seattle’s 2^nd ranked rush defense – the winner of that match-up could determine the victor on Sunday. McFadden and Michael Bush need to be the focal points, as the Raiders will have little much to depend on via the air. Zach Miller can be productive, but if you have to rely on that weak crop of receivers, it could be a sputtering afternoon of Hue Jackson’s attack. Nick Miller made his first NFL catch last weekend, so he should be given a shot to make big plays.

On Defense:

“The feeling is there that this is the type of standard that we set, these are the things that we can do,” Nnamdi Asomugha stated. “But in order to completely turn the corner, we have to put together a string of wins.”

The defense will have a major part in that, facing a Seahawks defense that ranks only 28^th in total offense and is averaging 20.0 points per contest (20^th in the NFL).

Mike Mitchell has been a standout the last few weekends, and his play is earning him more reps. Chris Johnson opened the game last weekend with an interception for a score. And his confidence is oozing after the dominant performance on the road.

“Our secondary is probably one of the best in the league,” said Johnson. “We feel that if we get up and press you, do what we need to do, there aren’t too many people that can mess with us.”

What to Expect:

The Raiders feel like they can get to Matt Hasselbeck. But what they’ll face is a more rush happy Seattle after they totaled 255-yards in two weeks. Russell Okung has a high ankle sprain, their passer was sacked 5-times last week – it’s time for the Raiders to bring the blitz as they did in the 2^nd half versus San Diego.

Mike Mitchell in action versus the Chargers

SEATTLE SEAHAWKS

On Offense:

Hasselbeck has gone ten quarters without an interception. And that has been one of the keys to Seattle’s resurgence.

“In our offense and our football team, it’s about taking care of the ball,” Carroll said. “Matt is the first guy that has to do that.”

Another vital area has been the improved play of receiver Mike Williams. The former USC star had high hopes entering the league and ultimately, he landed in Oakland where many thought that that would be his last destination as a pro after a poor stint in Silver & Black. “I know Mike was not in good shape over the couple of years he wasn’t playing well,” said Carroll. “If he could ever get back to that and his nature was to really prove something, then maybe you got something here. And that’s exactly what happened. Mike has been as consistent as can be.”

Williams has 32 receptions for 348 yards and one score in six games.

What to Expect:

Marshawn Lynch and Justin Forsett have to be featured against the Raiders 28^th ranked rush defense (138.9 yards p/game). If they can pound the football all day and keep the Raiders off-balance, Hasselbeck will continue his turnover free streak and Williams, John Carlson, Deon Butler and Golden Tate could have an easier time freeing themselves against the Raiders confident defensive backfield.

On Defense:

The Seahawks’ secondary is also playing confidently. And just the like the Raiders unit, they love to come after the passer.

“We love it,” cornerback Roy Lewis said.“It’s a DBs dream to get a chance to blitz.”

Lawyer Milloy has 3-sacks, Jordan Babineaux has 1.5 and Lewis has one. “When you play extra guys it just affords you more of a multiple style and guys that can do more things,” Carroll said. “If you feel OK about your [defensive backs] rushing — which some teams don’t — then they can rush, they can drop, they can cover backs. A guy who’s on the line of scrimmage can end up being a deep defender and so you just give yourself a variety of things that you can do and interchange some parts and stuff and try to make it difficult.”

What to expect:

It’s all about stuffing McFadden and Bush. Oakland’s attack cannot sustain unproductive play from either rusher and depend on Campbell with his weak crop of targets.

GAME NOTES

• LT Russell Okung is a long shot to play (ankle). DE Chris Clemons and G Ben Hamilton were given time off this week from practice. DT Brandon Mebane (calf) and CB Kelly Jennings (hamstring) are expected to see action during Thursday’s practice.
• “This place is notorious,” Pete Carroll said of the Coliseum. “They have a great following.”
• The Raiders have scored 19 touchdowns in 2010 (8 rushing, 8 receiving, 3 defensive). In 2009, they only tallied 17.

KEY MATCH-UPS

Raiders ground attack vs. Seahawks’ run defense

McFadden is playing like an All-Pro. If he has a huge game, Oakland will reach .500.

Jeremy Bates vs. John Marshall

The Raider defense is at their best with Mitchell in the line-up and when they bring the heat. Can Bates counter that with some big plays?

PREDICTION

Seahawks 26 – Raiders 17

Oakland’s lack of pop at wide receiver will hinder them when Seattle stacks the front to stop their ground attack. Plus, how can you expect Cable’s bunch to put together a rare streak when it rarely happens…?

GAME INFO

Sunday, October 31, 2010 4:15 p.m. ET | Oakland Coliseum, OAK, CA

Home Team: Oakland Raiders (3-4) Home: 2-1  Road: 1-3

Road Team: Seattle Seahawks (4-2) Home: 3-0 Road: 1-2

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Contact Author: Victor Cotto – SB Report Columnist

QUARTERBACKS: A

Jason Campbell turned it around after posting miserable numbers for the Oakland Raiders last week. He was an efficient 12-of-20 for 204-yards and 2-scores (127.9 QB rating). Campbell started the contest with a 9-yard slant to Louis Murphy. Later on the opening drive, he used his legs to pick up 15-yards on a 3^rd and 10 and a few plays later, he found a wide open Zach Miller for 43-yards for a score. Campbell’s feet kept plays alive all afternoon. He made sound decisions; electing to take off when necessary, extending plays by breaking the pocket and tossing the football away the few times Oakland could not tally yards against a soft Denver defense. The elusive passer scampered for a touchdown on 3^rd and goal in the 1^st quarter, but the play was negated due to an infraction on Jacoby Ford. For the first time in 2010, Campbell looked comfortable in the pocket, demonstrating good presence as evidenced by his sliding away from pressure and giving his targets some extra time to get open. Kyle Boller came in during garbage time and rushed for 11-yards.

RUNNING BACKS/FULLBACKS: A

Darren McFadden had his best game as a pro. He showed no signs of distress, ran as hard as he did prior to his hamstring injury and was explosive every time he touched the football. It started with a swing pass on the Raiders second drive for 12-yards. Then on their third possession, he ripped a 43-yard gain before capping the 9-play 57-yard drive with a screen on 3^rd and goal that tallied 19-yards and had Oakland up 31-0. McFadden bowled over Renaldo Hill and plowed through Denver defenders all afternoon. His burst was on display on the 57-yard scoring run that elevated the score to 52-14. McFadden ended with four touchdowns (3 rushing, 1 receiving) and 196-total yards. “You love to go out there and have a big game and coming against a rival it’s even better,” said McFadden. Michael Bush added a workmanlike 15-carries for 52-yards and a score. Marcel Reece also got in on the action with 39-yards on 7 carries. He scored on 4^th and goal to make the score 45-14 in the 3^rd quarter and fully extended himself to grab a 19-yard toss to extend that drive.

WIDE RECEIVERS/TIGHT ENDS: A

Not much burden fell on the shoulders of the wide receivers. But they played well when the spotlight was on them. Nick Miller posted his first career reception, a beautiful 32-yard grab on the sideline in which he showed great athleticism and good body control to stay inbounds. Louis Murphy helped Campbell by coming back to the scrambling quarterback on a 20-yard reception. But Murphy was sidelined with an injured and Darrius Heyward-Bey was in the locker room due to illness. Jacoby Ford had 2-receptions for 15-yards; one a  9-yard reception versus Champ Bailey on a 3^rd and 6 and a screen in which he nearly hit paydirt. His two reverses amassed 29-yards, and in both instances, he showed toughness ending the run delivering a blow to the tackler. Zach Miller led all targets with 65-yards receiving.

OFFENSIVE LINE: A

This was the offensive line’s best performance of the season. Rookie Jared Veldheer started at left tackle and delivered some of the better blocks of the campaign, springing McFadden loose for big carries. He also tallied 3 false start penalties, but that could be overlooked due to his inexperience and solid blocking throughout the contest. Plus, he performed well at center as well when Samson Satele was sidelined with a concussion. Cooper Carlisle was dominant at right guard and Langston Walker finished the game strong after missing a few plays with an upper extremity injury. They allowed two-sacks, but Campbell many times had more then enough time to scan the field and work out of the pocket to extend plays. The Raiders ran for 328-yards – credit the line for being a major part of that.

DEFENSIVE LINE: A

Oakland played from in front all day. And that helped this line play loosely without fear of Denver trying to keep them off-balance. The Broncos are one of the worst rush offenses in the NFL, and today once they were down 21-0 in the opening minutes, it was clear that Josh McDaniels’ game plan had to go out the window. Tommy Kelly was dominant with a sack (2.5 for the season) and stout run stuffing. Richard Seymour also tallied a sack (2.5 for the season) and Trevor Scott who went back to defensive end, continued to provide pressure. Denver had 38-yards rushing at the half and 75 for the game.

LINEBACKERS: A

Roland McClain was beat out of the backfield by Spencer Larsen on a 29-yard gain and he had responsibilities against Knowshon Moreno in the 2^nd quarter when the Bronco rusher hauled in a 7-yard touchdown pass. But he was more active in the 2^nd half, sharing a sack with Trevor Scott and clogging up lanes versus the run. Kamerion Wimbley got his third sack of the season and almost got another one on 2^nd and 8 when Kyle Orton and fumbled into the hands of Tyvon Branch. Quentin Groves started and immediately impacted the game stuffing Moreno for no gain after receiving a toss from Tim Tebow.

SECONDARY: A

Mike Mitchell was the standout on defense. He led the team with 5-tackles, most of them crushing hits at the line of scrimmage in run support. Mitchell also defended a pass and forced a fumble. Chris Johnson contributed to making this game a laugher early on when he jumped a Jabar Gaffney route and picked off Orton for a 30-yard interception return for a score. That was Denver’s first offensive play and it put them behind 14-0. Stanford Routt almost recorded an interception in the 4^th quarter and played a key role in Demaryius Thomas’ fumble that led to a 21-0 Oakland lead. Nnamdi Asomugha did not break a sweat this afternoon and Tyvon Branch played well in coverage, also recovering a fumble. Michael Huff had his best game in 2010. “When you win a game, it’s like, ‘OK, we won, let’s go onto the next one.’ Now, this one, it’s like, ‘We won and we won convincingly. Let’s let this build into a momentum swing for us,” Asomugha said.

SPECIAL TEAMS: A

Sebastian Janikowski was kept busy kicking off today. He boomed nearly every kickoff into the end zone and tallied 11-points; a 31-yard field goal conversion and 8 extra points. Shane Lechler demonstrated his touch, landing two balls inside the 20, one in the 4^th quarter that was downed by Hiram Eugene at the 1-yard line. Nick Miller had 6 punt returns for 47-yards.

COACHING: A

This was a day in which Tom Cable could stand on the sideline proud of the job his staff did. His club was confident and prepared to land every punch. Denver never countered and the Raiders delivered a knockout blow in the 1^st quarter with their dominance. “I expected this to be a street fight,” Cable said. “It started like that and we made sure it didn’t go any further.” The annihilation was steady throughout the day. Hue Jackson was masterful in his play calling and for the first time, Raider fans saw what the coordinator could do with both of his prized rushers healthy. The defense, which could play loose, was steady in their attack especially the secondary that latched themselves onto Denver targets all afternoon. No turnovers and even though they tallied 10-penalties, the Raiders had everything going on this historic afternoon. Cable challenged the Thomas fumble in the 1^st quarter and won. He also pressed all the right buttons and got his club to play the most complete game by a Raider team since 2002.

GAME NOTES

• Raiders had 328 yards rushing, third most in team history. The all-time record was 356 – the evening that Bo Jackson gained 221 vs. Seattle.
• At halftime, Oakland led in total yards: 275-122. They tallied 17 first downs, while Denver only managed 5. In San Francisco last week, the Silver & Black finished the contest with 179 total yards and 10-first downs.
• The 59-points marks the most points for the Silver Black since they beat the Titans 52-25 on Sept. 29, 2002 and the most in team history. The 38-points at the half was also the most in team history.

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Contact Author: Victor Cotto – SB Report Columnist

Nick Miller returning a punt vs. the Chargers

The Oakland Raiders debuted Nick Miller yesterday on punt returns. His 46-yard return was a jump-starting play that will allow him to keep the job for another week. “Yeah, it was caught on the 10-yard line, the guy was right in my face, made him miss and the basically just set up the next little move and off from there,’’ Miller commented today. “I just kind of reacted. Felt good.”

John Henderson is weeks away from seeing any action, but he did state that his foot is feeling better. “I feel good. I want to play. But I’m listening to the doc,’’ the hefty defensive tackle said.

Jason Campbell played well in relief, but there are no signs this early in the week about who will start when they face the San Francisco 49ers. “That’s the coaches’ decision. My goal is to keep preparing each and every week and keep getting ready and play my game,’’ Campbell was quoted.

Chris Johnson had one of the underrated plays of the afternoon. The cornerback darted in the Philip Rivers and prevented a Charger player from getting to the loose ball. “That was my intention to keep the ball free, because I seen him trying to pick it up,’’ Johnson said. “I could have actually tried to get it myself, but there was only me and Tyvon [Branch] around it and the offensive lineman, so my thing was, like we did last year with Cincinnati, go for the guy and knock him out of the way and let my guy get it, and it worked out.’’

Rolando McClain continues to be brief with the media. When asked about the win, he stated, “Good game. No comment.’’

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell was in attendance to watch the Raiders snap their streak.

He answered many questions that surround the Raiders, the teams in the Bay area and other happenings around the league:

“I think we have a stadium issue in all the California cities, including San Diego , where we’re trying to get solutions for those stadiums, those cities and those teams. We’ve got to work hard to find the right kind of solution that will work for the community and for the team.” – about the stadium situation in OAK and SF.

The NFL commissioner had a good seat while in Oakland

“I was down there with fans and there’s no shortage for passion here, that’s for sure. We just need to get more fans and get more fans in the stadium. That’s something we’re being challenged with throughout the country but clearly it’s an issue here.” – on the attendance at the Coliseum.

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QUARTERBACK:

Bruce Gradkowski – D

The fiery starter ended the contest 1-of-7 for 14-yards and a rating of 39.6. His lone positive was the first play from scrimmage when he connected with Zach Miller for 14-yards. Gradkowski was inaccurate all day, as evidenced by missing Darrius Heyward-Bey on a 2^nd and 4 and missing Johnnie Lee Higgins on a 3^rd and 6 in the 3^rd quarter. At that point, the tough passer attempted to spark the offense as he’s done in the past after going into the locker room for treatment for a shoulder injury. Shaun Phillips whacked Gradkowski at the end of the 1^st quarter on a play that was eventually ruled incomplete after the officials initially ruled it a fumble on the field.

Jason Campbell – B

Now we have a quarterback controversy for the Oakland Raiders. Campbell was 13-of-18 for 159-yards and one touchdown. His start was a little shaky with a near interception on a 2^nd and 8 by Antoine Cason. On the next play, Campbell scrambled out of bound on a 3^rd and 8. You even thought that Campbell might not have been ready for this relief appearance after he dumped a pass into the turf on a 2^nd and 14, when a Charger defender blew up his screen. But late in the 3^rd quarter, he conducted a 12-play 97-yard drive that ended in 1-yard touchdown toss to Miller, cutting the Chargers lead to 24-22. On that drive, Campbell hit Marcel Reece on a long toss that was ruled out of bounds, connected with Louis Murphy for a 58-yard gain and then capped of the possession by buying time for his tight end to get loose in the end zone. On the drive that Oakland took 28-27 lead late in the 4^th quarter, Campbell hit Miller for 9-yards on 2^nd and 9, tallied 13-more yards on a pass on 3^rd and 11 and then smoothly hooked up with Brandon Myers for 12-yards on a vital 4^th and 1. Gradkowski is fiery, undoubtedly gives life to this unit, but if he’s not healthy, those intangibles do not masquerade the deficiencies he has as a passer. If Gradkowski is not fully healed, Campbell has to be Oakland’s starter. “It definitely meant a lot, just seeing the guys on the sideline, how hard they were fighting,” said Campbell. “The one thing I said was, ‘You didn’t give up.’ And guys said maybe in years past they would have tucked it in, but this time they didn’t.”

RUNNING BACKS/FULL BACKS: B

Michael Bush had a workmanlike 26-carries for 104-yards. His touchdown run gave the Raiders the lead for good in the 4^th quarter and his 3 receptions for 31-yards helped move the chains and keep the Chargers’ linebackers at bay. Marcel Reece had another solid effort with 2-catches for 7-yards. He could’ve added a big gainer, but was nonchalant in his attempt to get both feet down near the sideline. The referees rightfully upheld the call and did not give Reece the reception, as there was no conclusive evidence showing that he indeed made that catch.

WIDE RECEIVERS/TIGHT END: C

Again this week, this grade was elevated by the exceptional play of Zach Miller. The wide receivers were non-existent, as Louis Murphy was the lone member of that unit to record any statistics. Myers’ only grab was a key 4^th down 12-yard catch. Miller held his own with 6-receptions for 62-yards. With Antonio Gates on the other side, Miller demonstrated that he is one of the elite tight ends in the league with key grabs on 3^rd down and fighting for every yard he amassed this afternoon. Jacoby Ford saved a possession with his fumble recovery after Miller got first down yardage with his catch.

OFFENSIVE LINE: C-

Oakland ran for 111-yards (3.7 per carry), The trenches allowed three sacks, but held up as the game wound down. It even looked like they wore down a fatigued Chargers front seven in the second half. Jared Veldheer and Mario Henderson again played the left tackle shuffle. Daniel Loper was flagged for a personal foul, but on a 3^rd and 6, he smartly pounced on a loose football and tried to roll forward for a 1^st down – ultimately gaining 5-yards on the play. Oakland’s line showed their toughness on a 4^th and 1 where Bush ran for 9-yards, but in other spots they were stonewalled on short distances. Khalif Barnes saw action at left guard when Loper went out and was flagged on a 3^rd and 2 for a false start.

DEFENSIVE LINE: B-

The maligned run defense held San Diego to 37-rushing yards at the half, and 91-yards total for the game. Richard Seymour dominated along the interior for much of the game, stuffing runs that came his way, chasing down ball carriers and making himself a nuisance when Philip Rivers dropped back to pass. Seymour’s tip at the line of scrimmage on 3^rd and 7 to end a San Diego drive in the 3^rd quarter gave Oakland momentum. Matt Shaughnessy was the unsung hero on this unit with his 2-tackles for losses and a sack. When Shaughnessy got to Rivers on a 2^nd and 7 and stripped him of the football, Oakland was hanging on and keeping the Chargers out of the end zone – San Diego’s second turnover in their red-zone of the contest. His edge control on runs was stellar at times.

LINEBACKERS: B-

Kamerion Wimbley was active as a cover-guy and a pass rusher. Yes, he did get beat by Gates for 23-yards on the opening play of San Diego’s drive that ended in a Mike Tolbert 4-yard run. But, when Oakland needed pressure, he was one of the linebackers that consistently got into the backfield, stuffing Legedu Naanee on an end around and drawing a holding flag on Brandyn Dombrowski at the end of the 2^nd quarter. Rolando McClain tallied 5-tackles and was far better in keeping running backs in front of him as they came out of the backfield. San Diego had far more success in the 1^st half hitting their rushers with short tosses than in the 2^nd half. Trevor Scott, starting his first game at linebacker in 2010, was strong versus the run and steady all afternoon on the weak side. Ricky Brown forced a fumble in the 1^st quarter near the goal line when San Diego was about to get into the end zone. His play thwarted an 11-play drive with Oakland up 12-0.

SECONDARY: D-

FS Hiram Eugene scores on special teams

Rivers torched this group for 431-yards on 27-of-42 completions and a rating of 114.3. His fearless attack was exceptional throughout the day, even going after Nnamdi Asomugha and succeeding, connecting with Malcolm Floyd on a 3^rd and 15 for 34-yards, as the Oakland cornerback also was tagged on the play for pass interference and again on another 15-yard route. “They did a good job of bringing some pressure and we tried to do some stuff to handle it, tried to get another completion or two to give ourselves the position to kick it, and they were able to make the plays to keep it out of the end zone, keep us from getting to where we needed to be,” Rivers said. Stanford Routt was Rivers’ target all day. Routt got burned on Floyd’s 55-yard grab and his 41-yard touchdown, which gave San Diego a 24-15 lead. Michael Huff struggled helping out deep on several plays, as wells as Tyvon Branch. Chris Johnson was given a chance to play against Gates on several occasions. Johnson was beaten by Floyd for 36-yards and was flagged 11-yards for a pass interference as time expired before the game clinching turnover. He was also flagged earlier for the same infraction on a 3^rd and 8. Mike Mitchell deserves a game-ball for the constant pressure he provided as a blitzer and the fine performance on Gates in the 4^th quarter.  Mitchell batted a Rivers toss away on a 3^rd and 5 intended for Gates. Routt had an interception ripped out of his hands by Patrick Crayton and had good coverage deep on Buster Davis on San Diego’s last drive. Branch’s fumble recovery and 64-yard dash to paydirt sealed Oakland’s victory. Huff needs to be credited on that play for getting to Rivers and forcing the turnover. “I knew I had to beat the one on one,” Huff said. “I had to beat Sproles. I did that and just got a hand up and luckily I hit his arm. Once I saw Tyvon running I knew he wasn’t going to get caught, so I started celebrating.” This group struggled in pass coverage all day against a top-notch passer, but ultimately, they played better when Oakland needed it most.

SPECIAL TEAMS: A

This is the group that helped Oakland build an early lead and kept them in the contest in the first half. Rock Cartwright was phenomenal with his block punt at the start of the contest that gave the Silver & Black a quick 2-0 lead. On the very next play, he wisely let the free kick bounce out of bound so Oakland can start their possession at midfield. Cartwright was in on numerous coverage tackles, helping to keep Darren Sproles in check for the entire afternoon. Nick Miller finally debuted on special teams; tallying 46-yards on his lone punt return. Brandon Myers blocked Oakland’s second punt, which bounced into the hands of Hiram Eugene at the five-yard line before he ran into the end zone to give the Raiders a 12-0 lead. John Fassel must have observed something this week in San Diego’s protection schemes that Oakland can take advantage of. Myers and Cartwright both bolted across the line of scrimmage from the same position for both blocks. Sebastian Janikowski was 2/2 with a long from 50-yards out and Shane Lechler averaged 52.8 yards per punt.

COACHING: B

Tom Cable had his group fighting till the end. The biggest tactical change Oakland had was late in the contest when it appeared that they blitzed Rivers on almost every down. After San Diego’s passer ripped apart the Raiders secondary all afternoon, John Marshall put him on the run in the 4^th quarter and got him to rush a few of his throws. The constant pressure in the final quarter ultimately led to the game’s biggest play. Hue Jackson had a nice mix of run and pass. Credit needs to be given, especially since his wide receivers have been silent and overwhelmed. Oakland became more efficient as the game wound down on 3^rd downs and the two 4^th down conversions were key. The 12-flags for 85-yards need to be fixed, but when you force three turnovers and get huge plays on special teams, it masquerades a lot of the faults this club had all afternoon. Fassel was outstanding in preparing his unit to play.

OTHER NOTES

• Sunday was the first time Oakland blocked two punts in a game since November 21, 1976 at Philadelphia.
• At the half, Oakland was completely dominated in the box score. San Diego had tallied 322-yards of total offense while Oakland had a diminutive 93-yards. San Diego had 17-first downs at the half, while Oakland had 4. Time of possession was also disparaging, with the Chargers leading that 20:59 to Oakland’s 9:01.
• Malcolm Floyd had a career game, posting 213-receiving yards on 8-catches and a score.
• Rivers  19-yard toss to Gates for a score was a laser that was snagged by the all-world tight end while two Raider defenders converged on him.
• Sam Williams penalty for running into the kicker on a 4^th and 2 in the second quarter revived a drive that ended in a Tolbert 4-yard touchdown run.
• Oakland’s win snaps a 13-game losing streak to San Diego, dating back to 9/28/2003. “That’s a heck of a team, and it’s been nemesis for a number of years, obviously dating back to 2003,” coach Tom Cable said. “They’ve been the champ. And if you ever want to be that, you’ve got to beat the champ. So it’s just a good win.”

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Contact Author: Victor Cotto – SB Report Columnist

For the Oakland Raiders, running backs Darren McFadden and Michael Bennett, linebackers Travis Goethel and Thomas Howard, offensive lineman Robert Gallery, defensive tackle John Henderson and wide receiver Chaz Schilens will be inactive in today’s contest versus the San Diego Chargers.

Oakland has designated all three of their passers active; Bruce Gradkowski, Jason Campbell and Kyle Boller. Boller has usually been inactive, as the team’s third stringer, but it appears that the Silver & Black may be concerned about their starter’s health and whether or not he can get through today’s game.

Per Paul Gutierrez’s twitter prior to the contest, wide receiver Nick Miller “will make his debut today, returning punts for the Raiders.”

For the Chargers, SS Darrell Stuckey, CB Fred Bennett, SS Tyrone Carter, LB Larry English, LB Brandon Siler, G Louis Vasquez and DE Vaughn Martin will not see action.

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Could Nick Miller see action soon as KR?

One position that will have a quick benching if there is not improved play  for the Oakland Raiders will be at kick returner.

Yamon Figurs fumbled the opening kickoff on Sunday versus the Titans and was shaky this pre-season, misplaying a punt against Seattle.

“It’s something that we’ve got to work on, we have to harp with him. A light, fast guy could have ball security issues when he gets into traffic and gets hit hard by some of those core linebackers that might be covering kicks,” said special teams coach John Fassel prior to the start of the campaign about Figurs.

And after his debut against Tennessee, Figurs stated, “The guy who hit it, he put his helmet right on the ball.”

“It was a good hit.”

Oakland suffered an outage in 2009 with feeble kickoff and punt return units.

This season, they have plenty of options if we see continued faulty play in that area.

So Figurs will be under the gun, especially if he’s given the assignment again this week against the St. Louis Rams.

Johnny Lee Higgins – who excited Raider fans two seasons ago with explosive punt returns – could be an option to unseat Figurs. Nick Miller, who Oakland was high on in 2009 and secured him away on the inactive list practically the whole campaign, is another alternative waiting his turn.

And then there is the speedy rookie Jacoby Ford.

The offensive line was a mess against the Titans. But some cohesion is needed there, delaying any changes for some time on that unit.

It’s easier to plug in different return men, hoping to catch a spark.

So Figurs better sure up his play and increase his production, or fall behind in the depth chart to salivating options.

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Contact Author: Victor Cotto – SB Report Columnist