Silver and Black Report

#10 – The greatest WR does it again – Super Bowl XXXVII

In a contest with very little entertainment value for Raider fans, receiver Jerry Rice continued his excellence in the big game albeit in a losing effort. His 48-yard touchdown reception gave the Raiders a glimmer of hope against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, cutting their deficit to 34-21. It mainly added to his legacy, as he became the first player to haul in a touchdown pass in 4 different Super Bowls. His final tally career wise in Super Bowls – 33 catches for 589 yards and 8 scores.

#9 – Kenny King’s 80-yard Touchdown – Super Bowl XV

It was a simple dump off just away from the arms of the defender Herm Edwards. But King hauled it in and bolted for a record 80-yard score. The mark stood till 1997, but the damage it inflicted was long standing as it gave Oakland a 14-0 lead in an eventual 27-10 victory against the Philadelphia Eagles.

#8 – ‘The Assassin’ left his mark – Super Bowl XI

It was a convincing victory versus the Minnesota Vikings in Super Bowl XI. But a lot of the Raider lore and history for being tough renegades, who just dominated and placed feared into opponents was acquired by one of the most devastating hits in football history – which happened in the game’s grandest stage. Jack Tatum knocked the helmet of Vikings’ receiver Sammy White. He stood over him admiring his work in a menacing fashion…

That was the ‘Assassin’ at work.

#7 – Rod Martin’s INT parade – Super Bowl XV

Jim Plunkett won the MVP in Super Bowl XV, but it was Rod Martin’s performance that will be remembered with his Super Bowl record three-interceptions. He tallied two championship rings with the Raiders, playing a vital role with key stops as well in the Silver & Black’s win versus the Redskins in 1984.

#6 – Davis celebrates his 3^rd Title – Super Bowl XVIII

After the Raiders whipped on the Redskins, owner Al Davis boasted about the victory and proclaimed, “Not only, in my opinion, are you the greatest Raider team of all time, I think you rank with the great teams of all times to have ever played any professional sport.”

#5 – Images of Madden – Super Bowl XI

John Madden led the Silver & Black to their first title. And in that game, video captured of him being animated on the sidelines, jumping (err, I think…) for joy and being carried away by his teammates will always be cherished by Oakland’s fan-base.

#4 – Rozelle and Davis – Super Bowl XV

The Pete Rozelle and Al Davis feud was epic. The Raider owner once stated that the legendary commissioner was a man ‘who will destroy the whole league if we’re not careful,’ while also calling him a ‘phony and a fraud.’ After the Silver & Black dismantled the Eagles, Rozelle awarded the Vince Lombardi trophy to Davis, head coach Tom Flores and congratulated the Raiders for being the first wild-card team in league history to win the Super Bowl. Quite an awkward moment and one that Davis cherished immensely at the time while stating it was ‘the finest hour in the history of the Oakland Raiders.’

#3 – Jack Squirek’s INT for a score – Super Bowl XVIII

It was the perfect storm for the Silver & Black. Ray Guy had pinned the Redskins at their 12-yard line. Joe Theismann was about to run an identical screen pass that torched the Raiders a few months earlier, but Squirek sniffed it out and turned a close game into a laugher with his interception return for a touchdown right before halftime, giving Los Angeles a 21-3 lead. Marcus Allen’s run was breathtaking, but Squirek’s play was pivotal in altering the momentum in the contest.

#2 – “Old man Willie…,” – Super Bowl XI

Willie Brown’s 75-yard interception return for a touchdown is one of the most iconic images captured in Super Bowl history. His intensity jetting down the sideline towards the end zone giving the Raiders a 32-7 lead capped what was a wonderful day for the Silver & Black as they captured their first Super Bowl victory.

#1 – Marcus Allen’s 74-yard run for a TD vs. the Redskins – Super Bowl XVIII

The Hall of Fame rusher danced around the Washington defense putting the last nail in the coffin with his stellar 74-yard scamper. Allen skipped behind the line of scrimmage before turning around and finding a crease as he cut back and ran to paydirt. At that point Los Angeles led 35-9. Allen won the MVP with his 20-carries for 191 yards and 2 scores.

OAKLAND — Chaz Schilens has been practicing this week in preparation for their game against the New York Jets on Sunday. Here is video of the wide receiver along with other Raiders talking about their game this weekend, and their victory over the Philadelphia Eagles last Sunday.

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“There’s a process to get there. Someone saying we didn’t have great leadership offensively last week or whatever that is. So be it. It’s still about what goes on between the lines in our locker room and our practice field. It’s about us.” – Tom Cable

If the Oakland Raiders want to validate the work put in by their head coach and his constant reminders to the media that this team is building towards something better, they must follow up yesterday’s 13-6 victory with another solid effort next weekend against the New York Jets.

Oakland ambushed the Philadelphia Eagles; a team who traveled to the west coast thinking they could leave with an easy victory, but departed instead feeling dejected and disappointed at their effort against an embattled team.

Now the Silver & Black are flying high. One win did not cure all their ills, but this one surely derailed the notion that they were looking down the barrel of another horrific season. The Raiders brought their lunch pale and went to work – they reaped the benefits of battling for an entire contest.

“It’s a matter of whether we go out and fight to win. Today we fought to win. That’s what you take from it. They deserved to win today,” said Cable.

So what’s next? A team that has a little Raider in them, that is going through some tough times of their own.

New York suffered their third straight defeat on Sunday at home against a struggling Buffalo Bills squad. The Jets committed 14 penalties, had six turnovers, five from their rookie passer and their boastful head coach is seeing how quickly things can change when you’re the focus of the New York media.

“The character of this football team is going to show,” Rex Ryan said, looking gloomy after the Jets overtime defeat. “We will bounce back. I understand I’ve said that three weeks in a row. But I believe it.”

In their three straight losses, the Jets played valiantly against a potent Saints attack, but were exposed offensively, allowed the Dolphins to rack up yardage with their ‘Wildcat’ attack on national television and it got worse with a mistake filled effort yesterday in front of their home crowd. Things have gotten progressively worse since their 3-0 start.

Mark Sanchez is no longer the golden boy. He is facing the growing pains of being a young NFL starter and the first real adversity of his career. “I’ve played six games and we’ve lost three and two of them I would say you can blame on No.6,” Sanchez said. “It feels pretty bad.”

The anchor of their defense – nose tackle Kris Jenkins – did not finish the game with a knee injury which Ryan described as being ‘severe.’ Damien Woody, their right tackle limped off the field and the once mighty defense that made some noise in the opening weeks of the season went into yesterday’s game versus the Bills tied for last in the league in sacks, and only got one against a makeshift Buffalo line and backup quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick.

Now they have to travel to the west coast and face a Raider team that shocked the league with their play against the Eagles.

Oakland has to take advantage of this situation. The Jets are made to order. New York is allowing 350 yards per contest and 148 rushing yards per game during their three-game slide.

The Raiders are coming off their best effort of the season, have a second straight home game, and a 3-4 record going into their game against the Chargers would mean a lot to the organization and their dissatisfied fan-base.

A win would mean that this head coach is finally getting to these players. That this group really does want to play hard for Cable and are genuine in their belief that things can change in Oakland.

“I’m happy we won,” Cable said, “but, you’ve got to know, I love this team and I’m not going to change what I believe in.”

We’ll start believing that things are truly changing in Oakland if they go out next week, learn from prior mistakes, grow as a team and take advantage of the scenario presented to them.

LAST TIME THEY MET:

Oakland defeated a Brett Favre led New York Jets squad last season 16-13 in overtime, in front of the faithful ‘Black Hole.’ Justin Fargas carried the ball 28 times for 74 yards. He will mostly likely get the start next weekend after a strong performance against the Eagles. Javon Walker had 5 receptions for 75-yards and a score. The defense allowed 242 yards rushing, but applied constant pressure throughout the contest. Trevor Scott broke out with two sacks, both on key 3rd downs, and Sebastian Janikowski nailed a 57-yard field goal to win the game – the longest in franchise history.

Contact Author: Victor Cotto – SB Report Columnist

QUARTERBACK: B

Facing what could’ve been more boos and a hostile crowd with another bad performance, JaMarcus Russell (17-of-28 for 224 yards 1 TD 2 INT) gave the ‘Black Hole’ a glimmer of hope that all may not be lost. For the first time in 2009, the big-armed passer was composed, looked comfortable and decisive throughout the contest. He opened the game with a slant to Darrius Heyward-Bey that was off target and almost intercepted. Then on that same drive, he audibled on 3^rd and 10 into a safe run play and that three and out had those in attendance worried about another inept offensive outing. A couple of drives later, Russell was picked off by Asante Samuel when his pass popped out of the hands of Louis Murphy. But after the Eagles took a 3-0 lead, Russell answered with an 86-yard completion to his tight end that put Oakland up 7-3. In the 2^nd quarter, he showed off his elusiveness opting to bolt out of the pocket and gain 12-yards on a run that ended with a spin move to evade the tackler. On the ens9uing play, he connected with Zach Miller for 20-yards showing good pocket awareness and demonstrating a play fake prior to the football leaving his hand. At the end of that drive, he managed the game well on a 3^rd and 8, and eventually, the Raiders would score on that 13-play possession and go up 10-3. One of his better moments was on a 3^rd and 2, as Trent Cole tried to drag him down, he got the ball off to Tony Stewart for an 8-yard gain. But on the next play, he lobbed a ball into double coverage that was picked off by Quintin Mikell. Overall, he played within himself, made key throws late to his fullback and got some heat off his back with a win and a solid performance in leading this offense that is lacking pop at wide receiver and a offensive line that has been re-shuffled the last few weeks.

RUNNING BACKS & FULLBACKS: A

Until further notice, Justin Fargas should be the starting running back for the Silver & Black. His tough running and energy was a welcomed site to this offense. His 23 carries for 87-yards were vital in keeping the Eagles honest on defense. He chugged for physical yardage and punished defenders all afternoon. More importantly was his blocking; protecting Russell against a blitz happy defense and giving his passer that extra second to get rid of the football, specifically on Gary Russell’s big gainers where he picked up attacking linemen. Russell was elusive as the starting fullback, providing punch out of the backfield with his pass catching abilities and getting into the second level quickly to set up his blocks for Fargas. His 5-catches for 55-yards were crucial in the win. His 13-yard reception on 3^rd and 10 before the two-minute warning finished the Eagles.

WIDE RECEIVERS & TIGHT ENDS: B

If not for Zach Miller’s best game as a pro, and the solid contributions from Tony Stewart, this group would get an ‘f’ grade.  Miller blocked very well today and it showed on Fargas’ sweeps. His six-receptions for 139-yards (first career 100-yard game), will go down as the best performance by a Raider so far in 2009. Louis Murphy’s two blocks on Miller’s long touchdown run were textbook and exactly what Oakland needs to do more of on offense to get some juice back into this attack. His physical play annoyed Asante Samuel enough to draw a personal foul flag on the veteran cornerback in the 2^nd quarter. Javon Walker was active, but again was a ghost when he saw action on the field.

OFFENSIVE LINE: B

LT Mario Henderson, LG Chris Morris, C Samson Satele, RG Cooper Carlisle and RT Erik Pears played a solid game. They allowed two-sacks, but at times controlled the line of scrimmage and helped Fargas get some key yardage. The mistakes were eliminated, Morris had a false start, but no infractions or miscues wrecked any drives. On a 3^rd and 2 to open the 4^th quarter, Juqua Parker beat Pears for a sack. One of the few noticeable plays where the offensive line was at fault.

DEFENSIVE LINE: A

At times, this group was suffocating. Richard Seymour looked great against all-pro tackle Jason Peters. But once he left with an injury, Seymour dominated his match-up and tallied two-sacks and four-solo tackles, including one stop behind the line of scrimmage in which he timed the snap and got to LeSean McCoy before he could even get started. Trevor Scott seems to have a knack to have multiple sack games in raider wins. Last year, he had his coming out party versus the Jets, and today, he compiled two-sacks on Philadelphia’s first two possessions. Jay Richardson’s sack for a loss of 13-yards came on a 2^nd and 2. The rush defense allowed no yards in the first half and the Eagles ended with a lackluster 67-yards on the ground. It forced Donovan McNabb to drop back to pass 46-times, which helped the Raiders tally 6-sacks in the game.

LINEBACKERS: B

Thomas Howard had his best game of the season. He recorded a sack and was key in coverage versus Brent Celek. On one of the finer individual plays this afternoon, Howard dissected a screen pass to Brian Westbrook and nailed the versatile rusher for no gain. Kirk Morrison was in on 11-tackles and was stout versus the run. Philadelphia was 2-of-16 on 3^rd downs; and when you play against Westbrook who is a multi-dimensional threat, credit has to be given to the linebackers for keying on him and keeping him under wraps.

SECONDARY: A

Stanford Routt came on strong when the Raiders needed him most. Nnamdi Asomugha got hurt, entered briefly, but Routt ended playing on his side of the field the rest of the game when the all-pro cornerback could not finish the contest. Routt had an interception return for a touchdown nullified on a questionable pass interference infraction, blanketed DeSean Jackson on key plays in the 2^nd half and ran in stride with Jeremy Maclin to ground an Eagles pass attack that can be very tough to stop. Chris Johnson had his ups and downs; torched by Jackson on a 51-yard completion, but providing the hardest hit of the afternoon on Leonard Weaver on a 3^rd and 10 for no gain as time expired in the final quarter. Tyvon Branch tackled well, was on his assignments in help coverage and on man-to-man match-ups versus Celek.

SPECIAL TEAMS: A

They contained Jackson – who is deadly – on punt returns. Shane Lechler 51.1 yards per punt and Sebastian Janikowski was 2-for-2, converting field goals of 29 and 46 yards. Johnnie Lee Higgins continues to be passive on punt returns. On one return, he lost control of the football before recovering his own fumble.

COACHING: B+

Tom Cable got the best out of his club facing a team that was flying high on offense and that had a chance to move a game from being atop the NFC East. The game plan on defense was to attack McNabb and keep him uneasy in the pocket. And that worked, with an uncharacteristic number of blitzes by John Marshall’s defense. That helped cause havoc whenever McNabb dropped back to throw and gave the secondary a break in trying to cover down the field man-to-man throughout he entire contest. The offense still struggled at times, with a couple of three-and-outs, adding to their league leading total of 26, but he tried to be creative and attack especially on a 4^th and 1 when he called a play action with Russell that could have gone for a first down if his passer would have hit Russell on a shallower route or if he would have zipped the ball to a wide open Murphy. The reverse run to Heyward-Bey in the red zone was not a good call considering the defense they were playing and the position of the field they were in. Oakland did not fold after turnovers and played inspired football in front of a home crowd that booed them off the field their last home game.

AFTER THE GAME

• “It’s a matter of whether we go out and fight to win,” said Tom Cable after the game. “Today we fought to win.”
• “That was pretty sweet,” commented JaMarcus Russell after the victory. “Whether we were up or down; good or bad play, we found a way to keep fighting. And as an offense, that’s what we need to get us going.”

Contact Author: Victor Cotto – SB Report Columnist

The Oakland Raiders (1-4) will face the Philadelphia Eagles (3-1) on Sunday at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum. The Silver & Black are in the midst of a three-game losing streak and have been outscored 96-16 during that span. This game will mark the 11^th time both clubs have met in their history with the Eagles leading the regular season series 5-4, and the Raiders winning their lone playoff meeting, a 27-10 victory in Super Bowl XV.

OAKLAND RAIDERS

On Offense:

The Raiders just keep on getting worse by the week on offense. Tom Cable for weeks has said that they are working hard, getting better and trying to move in the right direction, but they have lost by 20, 23 and 37 in consecutive weeks. The team ranks 31^st in scoring (9.8 per game), 28^th in rushing (83.0 yards per game), 32^nd in passing (108.6 yards per game) and 31^st in 3^rd down conversion rates (25%). They are last in the league in time of possession as well, all signs of a grounded rush attack and a passing game that is non-existent.

With the offensive line also re-shuffled the last few games, Oakland must get back to basics versus the Eagles and run the ball with Michael Bush and Justin Fargas.

Oakland brought back Langston Walker on Wednesday after a few seasons away from the club. They re-signed him to try to sure up the right side of the line, but that may not happen this week. Ironically, Walker was on the 2006 Raiders; the worst scoring team in franchise history, but that team may be ousted from the top of the record books by this current crop.

“Hopefully I can come in and help this team at some point,” Walker said.

What to Expect:

So far, it appears that Chaz Schilens may be seeing action on Sunday. “He looked good in what he did so we’ll see,” Tom Cable stated on Wednesday after practice. His return alone will not be the cure for this offense. But at this point, any injection of energy will be welcomed to this gloomy bunch. Oakland will try to run often against the Eagles in hopes of loosening a unit that can bring the heat (13 sacks) and likes to put quarterbacks in third and long situations. JaMarcus Russell can’t carry this offense, his wide receivers are not very good and his tight end is their lone threat. So they need big games on the ground the rest of the year if they expect to win any games. If Schilens is on the field, the best they can hope is that he can make plays, push back the rookie targets down the depth chart to lesser roles and that his presence frees up Zach Miller for Russell to make plays.

On Defense:

Jon Alston will replace Ricky Brown in the starting line-up on Sunday after the starting strong side linebacker injured his ankle last week versus the Giants.

But that is the least of the Raiders worries right now, as their rush defense is allowing 185 yards per game during their three-game losing streak. After a promising week-one versus the Chargers, Oakland’s defense has gotten worse and looking like the team that has been poorest against the run since 2003. The addition of Richard Seymour was supposed to fix some of the issues they had along the trenches, but that has not been the case lately.

With losses piling up and the performances getting worse, its hard for some on this team not to go into panic or give up mood since they have seen this play out the same way for many years. “I think as a professional you have to be able to, whether a good play happened or a bad play, you have to move on to the next,” Seymour commented. “We can’t move forward looking to our rearview mirror. I think that’s going to help us being able to put things behind us and move forward.

What to Expect:

The Raiders just don’t have enough firepower on either side of the ball. And pride alone many not be enough when you face a team like the Eagles who can put up points in bunches. Oakland does not always play with pride, and this is why facing a team like the Eagles with players that are dynamic on offense could be too much to handle. Philadelphia is getting in a groove with their quarterback, a rookie wide receiver who made his mark last week, a multi-dimensional rusher and a back-up passer that has made a play or two in this league with his arm, and more dangerously, his feet.

PHILADELPHIA EAGLES

On Offense:

The Eagles got Donovan McNabb back last week and he threw for 264 yards and three touchdowns; demonstrating that all is well since hurting his ribs in the season opener.

Philadelphia will lean on running backs LeSean McCoy and Brian Westbrook this week, as both have combined for 296 yards rushing this season and two scores on the ground. The tandem has caught 8 passes each for 101 yards, displaying the diversity of this Eagles attack.

DeSean Jackson (13 receptions 260 yards 2 touchdowns), Jeremy Maclin (12 rec. 187 yards 2 TD) and Jason Avant (11 rec. 123 yards 1 TD) round out McNabb’s options at wide receiver. But the team’s leading target has been Brent Celek with 26 grabs for 303 yards and two scores.

What to Expect:

The offensive line, featuring tackles Winston Justice and Jason Peters, should manhandle the Raiders front four. The Eagles will be able to run the ball and confuse Oakland with their wide array of screens, misdirection plays and any trickery they have in their playbook. Jackson has 6 carries for 48 yards this season and Michael Vick, who saw action in the 4^th quarter last week, could be used in some plays to exploit an aggressive Raider defensive line.

On Defense:

Philadelphia’s pass defense currently ranks 4^th in the league allowing 171.5 yards per game. The vertically impaired Raiders will not challenge that facet of their defensive unit.

So their rush defense (ranked 13^th) should expect a heavy workload their way. Leading tacklers, linebackers Akeem Jordan and Omar Gaither and safety Quintin Mikell will try to blockade the Raiders rush attack.

Defensive end Trent Cole leads the team with 4-sacks, while his bookend Darren Howard has 2. Cole likes blowouts, and he stated this after last week’s win commenting, “I don’t ever want to have a close game.”

“That’s the worst, having a close game. We want to be on top all the time. We want to go out there and win and have no problems. We want to have a smooth, clean game, get on top and pull away as far as we can and don’t let up.”

What to Expect:

This team may have a shot at putting away this game early and enjoying another easy victory. The Eagles will stack the line of scrimmage, pressure Russell at any point they can and keep the Raiders in 3^rd and long situations. The secondary is not afraid of their wide receivers and their aggressiveness may pay off with turnovers.

GAME NOTES

• Although they never played together while at California, DeSean Jackson and Nnamdi Asomugha, good friends, will be matched-up several times on Sunday. “He’s a great player,” Jackson said this week. “I respect him, but I still have to do my job and go out there and get open as a wide receiver. I know him personally, so we’ll go out there and we’ll see how it goes.”  ”I know DeSean very well,” Asomugha said. “We’re both from the Los Angeles area. We keep in contact here and there and I’ve known him since Cal because I was out here. I’m very happy for him. I’m very impressed with the way he plays. He’s a playmaker.”Jackson is a threat on special teams, and the Raiders have been lackluster there too this season. The speedy Eagle has a touchdown already on a punt return, so Oakland will have to be at their best even though they have allowed the most punt return yards in the league so far in 2009.
• The Raiders waived fullback Oren O’Neal when they signed Walker this week. If he goes unclaimed, O’Neal will return to the Raiders on injured reserve.
• Oakland failed to sell out the game 72-hours prior to the contest, so the game will be blacked out. It’s the Raiders second consecutive blackout and 71^st since the team returned to Oakland in 1995.

KEY MATCH-UPS

How to contain DeSean Jackson?

The Eagles can line him up anywhere, use him as a ball carrier, a receiver and with Oakland most likely punting often again this weekend, his exploits as a returner will be on display.

Westbrook and McCoy vs. The Raiders Front-Seven

If the Eagles run for big yardage with that tandem, they’ll coast to an easy victory.

Fight or Flight?

Will Oakland fight till the end in front of their home crowd? Or will they play lackadaisical football again and fold if the Eagles jump out to an early lead? The Raiders must play from in front and get the crowd into the game.

PREDICTION

Eagles 27 – Raiders 10

TV & RADIO

The game will be televised on FOX with Sam Rosen providing play-by-play and former NFL player Tim Ryan handling color analysis. If sold out per NFL blackout rules, the game will air in the Bay Area on KTVU Channel 2. The game will air on Raiders Radio originating on KSFO 560 AM, the Silver and Black’s Flagship for the multi-state Radio Network. Greg Papa and former Raiders player, assistant and head coach Tom Flores will man the booth for the 12th straight year. The radio pregame show and postgame show will feature Raider Legends George Atkinson and David Humm along with KSFO’s Rich Walcoff. (Broadcast information cited from the Oakland Raiders official web site)

GAME INFO

Sunday, October 18, 2009, 1:05 p.m. PT | Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum, OAK

Home Team: Oakland Raiders (1-4) Home: 0-2 Road: 1-2

Road Team: Philadelphia Eagles (3-1) Home: 2-1 Road: 1-0

Point Spread: Raiders are 14½-point underdogs

Contact Author: Victor Cotto – SB Report Columnist