Silver and Black Report

Tyrone Wheatley, RB

In August of 1999, a day after the Miami Dolphins cut Wheatley; Oakland inked the former Michigan star and he went on to have a 936-yards rushing season with 8 touchdowns. The 1995 draft pick with the New York Giants had been a bust so far in his career and when he donned the Silver & Black, the tough runner rejuvenated his career. In 2000, he averaged 4.5 yards per carry and ran for a career best 1,046; and paired with Napoleon Kaufman, Oakland had the best running attack in the NFL. Wheatley played with Oakland through the 2004 season and then retired, achieving all his best campaigns after signing with the Raiders.

Verdict: His play helped the Raider resurgence under Jon Gruden. Whether paired with Kaufman or later with Charlie Garner, Wheatley always was a bruising complement in the Raiders run game.

Harvey Williams, RB

In 1993, Los Angeles had a putrid rushing attack. A year later, Williams, who had his carries taken away by former Raider Marcus Allen, signed a one-year deal to become the primary ball carrier for the Silver & Black. After becoming the team’s first 1,000-yard rusher since Allen back in 1985, the Raiders rewarded Williams in 1995 – when he became unrestricted free-agent – with a five year $11 million deal. “(Raiders owner) Al Davis took a gamble, and it has paid off,” said Williams.

Verdict: Williams never became a force, eventually lost his job in the line-up to Napoleon Kaufman and ended up at tight end as his career wound down. In 1997, the seldom-used Williams scored 4 touchdowns in a rout of the Chargers in front of what was a then record 65,714 fans in attendance in San Diego. “When you go out like they did and beat us in Oakland and then you’re bustin’ gums like they did, we had a lot of things we wanted to come in and prove,” said Williams.

Terry Kirby, RB/KR

In November of 2000, Oakland signed Kirby not knowing Wheatley’s prognosis due to an injury sustained. He spent two-more seasons with the club being a key cog on 3^rd downs, a pass catcher out of the backfield and a return man on special teams. At age 32, in a game against the Steelers, Kirby returned a kickoff 96-yards for a score on the first play of the 4^th quarter to keep the Raiders comfortably in front during the contest. He said during that season: “I’ve never been one to complain about doing anything. Not too many people like playing special teams, period. But it’s one of those things you have to do sometimes if you want to stay in the league.”

Verdict: Kirby was a solid role player who was vital in Oakland’s early success in the 2002 season. After being a multi-purpose rusher at other destinations, the Raiders found a niche for him as a special teams ace. “I’m just glad [Oakland] gave me the opportunity to come here and do these things, I’m thankful for that.”

Ted Washington, DT

The Raiders were coming off a 2003 campaign in which they were last in rush defense in the league. In March of 2004, the Pro-Bowl defensive tackle signed a 4-year $14 million contract with a $4 million signing bonus. At the time, the 36-year old was a four-time Pro Bowl performer and a All-Pro. “I can bring leadership, plug up the middle, free my linebackers and also make plays,” stated Washington. “With all those factors, and a team that’s on the uprise, we should have a dominant defense.”

Verdict: In the 2-seasons the mammoth tackle was with Oakland, the Silver & Black finished 22^nd (125.8 yards per) and 25^th (128.1) in rushing yards allowed per contest.

Stay tuned for upcoming installments, looking back at the Raiders history during the free-agency period. Part-four coming soon…

Look, I’m not into ranting and raving about NFL conspiracies against the Oakland Raiders.

Nor do I like to play along like many Raider fans and act like there are ulterior motives behind every decision the NFL makes whether referees on the field or off the field by league officials.

Quite frankly, that shtick is old and tired.

I can even understand Nate Kaeding being selected to the Pro Bowl. It was deserving.

He led the league with 32 field goals made. The San Diego place-kicker missed only three all season (from 41, 43 and 55 yards out) and he was first in 2009 with 146 points.

That’s impressive and praiseworthy. I don’t care about the missed field goals against the New York Jets. The Pro Bowl is an award for regular season performances. He earned that merit.

We all found out later Kaeding is not clutch – so did Charger fans. But that’s a whole different story.

But when Kaeding went down with a groin injury and could not represent the AFC in the Pro Bowl, Sebastian Janikowski should have been the choice rather than the Miami Dolphins’ Dan Carpenter.

Carpenter was chosen to replace Kaeding for the NFL’s all-star game. A horrible decision by those that elevate alternates or select replacements.

Janikowski enjoyed his best season as a pro. He beat out Carpenter in field goals made (26-to-25) and even torched him in touchbacks (17-to-7), as the Dolphin kicker had 21 more chances to kickoff in 2009.

The former 1st round pick was highly efficient missing only one kick under 49-yards while showing off his powerful left leg going 6-of-8 from 50+ yards out. Janikowski even nailed a 61-yard kick in Cleveland.

Carpenter on the other hand missed 2 field goals under 49-yards and was a mere 1-of-2 from 50+ yards out. The only reason he ended with more total points than Janikowski was that his offense was far more productive, giving him a tally of 37-extra points as oppose to the 17 the Silver & Black kicker had this past season.

“I was real surprised,” Carpenter stated after finding out he was added to the Pro Bowl roster.

I was too!

It’s a sham that Carpenter was selected over Janikowski.

The better, more deserving kicker was screwed.

QUARTERBACK: C

JaMarcus Russell bounced back from his benching last week with a conservative and safe effort against the Chargers. When Oakland drafted him, they hoped that at this point of his career he’d be using his big arm to go vertical and deep. Today, the majority of his passes were short and non-threatening to the San Diego secondary. He opened the game with a quick 5-yard toss to Zach Miller for 5-yards. His second pass was off a play fake in which Russell overthrew Miller, who was covered by multiple defenders, and was intercepted by Antonio Cromartie. On Oakland’s second possession, he overthrew a wide-open Miller again on a 3^rd and 4, displaying poor footwork; as he never set his feet to get off a strong throw. He did the same thing in the 3^rd quarter, floating a pass to Louis Murphy – who was in double coverage – as he moved backward when releasing the football. His best pass was late in the 4^th quarter, facing a 4^th and 7, avoiding the rush in the pocket and finding Miller for 10-yards. He ended 14-of-22 for 109 yards at a measly 5.0 yards per completion. It’s agonizing watching this passing attack struggling for every yard they can tally and not being able to present a threat to opposing defensive backfields.

RUNNING BACKS & FULLBACKS: B

Justin Fargas again demonstrated great determination and fought hard to pick up every one of those 59-yards compiled this afternoon. He was able to tie the game at seven in the 2^nd quarter with a 3yard touchdown run – his first score of the season. Fargas added 3 receptions for 20-yards. Michael Bush got 7-carries for 27-yards. Early in the game it looked like he could romp through the Charger defense, but the offensive line could not sustain their blocks throughout the game and Bush’s production waned as the game went on. Luke Lawton blocked well in stints.

WIDE RECEIVERS & TIGHT ENDS: F

On 2^nd and 28 in the 4^th quarter, the Raiders receiver woes were highlighted when Johnnie Lee Higgins and Louis Murphy ran into each other at the start of the play, taking themselves out and collapsing to the turf erasing any chance of Russell having them as targets. On that play, Shawne Merriman recorded a sack. Higgins’ only catch of the game came on a 3^rd and 5 in the 3^rd quarter in which he gained 6-yards. Darrius Heyward-Bey finished with one reception for 10-yards, which came at the end of the 2^nd quarter right before they scored on a field goal to make it 21-10 Chargers. Higgins was futile in his attempt to volley a pass from Russell to Heyward-Bey on 4^th and 20 at the end of the contest – attempting a lateral before completing a catch. Murphy had a drive-killing false start on 3^rd and 8 at the start of the final quarter. Zach Miller compiled 5-receptions for 52-yards, but struggled blocking allowing Steve Gregory to blow past him for a sack on a 3^rd and 10 and was ineffective aiding the line on running downs. Brandon Myers recorded his first two receptions in the NFL.

OFFENSIVE LINE: D

Khalif Barnes was horrendous. He was flagged for a false start in the first quarter, and late in the game, and was consistently beat by an attacking Charger front-seven. Cooper Carlisle struggled inside getting any push, was infracted for a false start as well and Mario Henderson was victimized by Merriman and Shaun Phillips for a few sacks. This group looked nothing like the dominant unit that knocked around the Chargers during their first match-up.

DEFENSIVE LINE: C

The 100-rushing yards allowed were not crippling. The front-seven was able to contain LaDainian Tomlinson and Darren Sproles, but most of the day, they could not get any pressure on Philip Rivers. Matt Shaughnessy was the best performer on the defense tallying 5 tackles (most of them around or behind the line of scrimmage versus the run) and his first career sack.

LINEBACKERS: B

Jon Alston has his most active game this year with 5-tackles and solid play versus the Charger ground game. Kirk Morrison ran freely and Thomas Howard got good depth in coverage versus Antonio Gates. Their one-mix up when in zone coverage came when Morrison released Gates into the back-end of the secondary with no help for a gain of 30-yards on a 3^rd and 4.

SECONDARY: D

Rivers orchestrated a solid passing attack and finished with 249 passing yards. Vincent Jackson tortured Chris Johnson and Stanford Routt, as he tallied 103 yards and a score on 8 receptions. Malcolm Floyd out jumped Michael Huff on San Diego’s first play, a pass that gained 53-yards and set Tomlinson up for a 6-yard touchdown scamper on the next play. Floyd tormented Johnson, as he drew a flag in the first half on the Raider defensive back for illegal contact. Johnson’s second interception of the season came off a bobbled Rivers pass. That turnover helped the Silver & Black tie the game at 7. Tyvon Branch was very good at times covering Gates and helping in run support. But Jackson consistently beat the Raiders; gaining 20-yards on a 3^rd and 7, 14-yards on a 3^rd and 9 and scoring on a 3^rd and 4. Rivers challenged Nnamdi Asomugha once, as he completed a difficult 3^rd and 10 pass to Chris Chambers for 20-yards with the receiver looking into the sun and blanketed by the All-Pro cornerback.

SPECIAL TEAMS: A

Jonathan Holland had his best game returning this season. He compiled 145 yards on kickoffs, but none were more important than the 60-yards he acquired to set-up the Oakland offense at the San Diego 37-yard line before the end of the half.  Branch was stellar containing Sproles on punt returns. Sebastian Janikowski was 3-for-3, nailing field goals from 48, 41 and 28-yards. Sam Williams got penetration when attacking a punt, just barely grazed the football, but was not able to affect the flight of the punt enough to help Oakland. Sproles had a 39-yard return and was chased down from behind by rookie Mike Mitchell.

COACHING: C

Tom Cable is trying to ease Russell through his tough times. He has simplified the offense a lot, but at this point there is no scary aspect to this passing attack nor is there any chance of this team coming back when they are down in games or have to go the length of the field in a short time. When Oakland started their drive at the 4:38 mark of the 4^th quarter down by 8, you just got the feeling that there was no way they could move the chains down the field 74-yards for a chance at the upset. A few times on 3^rd downs, Oakland elected to run the ball with Fargas instead of letting their pricey passer find a way to get a first down. Unlike Russell, Rivers and the Chargers can get big chunks of yardage and find a way to convert when they are facing long down and distances. John Marshall’s secondary was torched and Norv Turner’s play calling at times had Oakland off-balance.

GAME NOTES

• Tomlinson scored twice, increasing his total to 25 against the Raiders. The Hall of Fame bound rusher has scored three touchdowns against the Silver & Black and none against any other opponent this season.
• Russell was sacked five times, twice by Shaun Phillips who increased his career total against the Raiders to 11.5. Merriman tallied his first two sacks of the campaign.
• Oakland has lost 13 straight games to San Diego.

Contact Author: Victor Cotto – SB Report Columnist

The Oakland Raiders (2-5) will try to pull off an upset on Sunday and avoid a 13^th straight loss at the hands of the San Diego Chargers (3-3) before they hit the bye week. It will be the 100^th meeting between both clubs, with the Silver & Black holding a 54-43-2 advantage since they began play in 1960. Both teams faced in the season opener and San Diego pulled off a 24-20 victory with a late rally on Monday Night Football.

OAKLAND RAIDERS

On Offense:

Some things have changed; others have not for Oakland since their last meeting with the Chargers. The Silver & Black ran for 148-yards that evening while manhandling the front-seven of the San Diego defense. Oakland has not been able to duplicate that feat since, as the offensive line has gone through some changes and Justin Fargas is now the starting rusher.

Robert Gallery will not return until after the bye week, Darren McFadden may begin to start running next week and Chaz Schilens, who missed practice on Thursday, is listed as doubtful and not likely to play, making his new target date for seeing action in two weeks.

Oakland’s best receiver in 2009 has been Louis Murphy. And against the Chargers, the rookie had 4-catches for 87-yards and a score. But he couldn’t finish practice on Thursday with a sore hip and he won’t be at full strength for Sunday when he plays.

What to Expect:

San Diego has allowed 137.7 rushing yards per game (28^th in the NFL) so far in 2009. But can Oakland mimic their performance from week-one when they ran the ball down the Chargers’ throats? Tom Cable will go with Mario Henderson (LT), Chris Morris (LG), Samson Satele (C), Cooper Carlisle (RG) and Khalif Barnes (RT) for a second straight week. That group will not intimidate the Chargers nor will they push around a defense that is steadily improving. Fargas is tough and will grind out yardage, but it won’t be enough to carry an offense that ranks last in the NFL in total yards per game and last in passing productivity.

On Defense:

After allowing 316 rushing yards to the Jets, the Chargers will try to take advantage of a Raider run defense that is currently allowing 169.7 ground yards per game. “Just keep your butt in that chair, and everything will be fine,” stated Tom Cable, explaining that his defensive has not been disciplined in their responsibilities. “It’s up to each man to do that, and we didn’t do a very good job of it.”

“It is such a basic thing and, obviously, we need to do a better job in practice,” commented defensive lineman Richard Seymour. “Maybe we make practice live (tackling).”

In the season opener, Oakland held the Chargers to 77 yards rushing (21 in the first half), with physical play, disciplined gap control and linebackers and safeties that jolted through San Diego’s blocking schemes.

What to Expect:

San Diego is ranked 31^st in the league rushing the football. But they have a player known to have career games against the Silver & Black and a shifty rusher that can add to the tackling woes of the lackluster defense. The Raiders need to keep that San Diego tandem at running back controlled. If not, it will be another blowout defeat.

SAN DIEGO CHARGERS

On Offense:

The Chargers have had a tough time running the football. But the cure for their running woes may be the Silver & Black. LaDainian Tomlinson has made a career of torturing the Raiders and is a week removed from having his best outing of the season, when he tallied season high 23-carries for 71-yards against the Kansas City Chiefs.

Meanwhile, the San Diego passing attack is one of the best in the league. Led by Philip Rivers (1,787 passing yards, 59.2 completion %, 96.1 QB rating, 10 TD and only 3 INT), the Chargers are moving the ball at will via the pass and have a wide array of targets to his disposal.

Vincent Jackson (29 rec. 561 yards 4 TD), Antonio Gates (34 rec. 474 yards 2 TD), Darren Sproles (19 rec. 259 yards 2 TD) and Malcom Floyd (9 rec. 187 yards 1 TD) can all break games open along with veteran Chris Chambers.

What to Expect:

San Diego will get their 100+-yards against the Raiders on the ground. But they’ll also mix it up and take advantage of Chris Johnson’s struggles. The Raider cornerback gives up a lot of big plays and has been the weak link in the secondary. The safeties also can be exposed, and when you have one of the best tight ends in the league, its safe to say that getting targets open in the secondary will be an easy task for the Chargers.

On Defense:

San Diego ranks 21^st in points allowed per game (23.8), 28^th in rushing yards allowed (137.7) and 11^th in passing yards allowed per contest (194.7).

The secondary has been re-shuffled in recent weeks and after a solid performance against the Chiefs, defensive coordinator Ron Rivera seems to be happy in the direction they are going. “I think it is a little more physical than it used to be,” Rivera said of the defensive backfield. “There’s a different presence when you have a physical safety. Kevin Ellison is an aggressive, physical guy who brings something extra to what we want to do defensively.”

And what’s the key the rest of the year for this unit?

“Pressure on the quarterback,” cornerback Quentin Jammer said. “We’ve always been a pressure team, and getting back to that has allowed us to play better as a secondary. We got pressure last week and covered well. One game doesn’t mean much on its own, but it is something to build on.”

What to Expect:

The Chargers have looked at what the Jets did to the Raiders and will try to bring the heat with their front-seven. There is no fear of the inaccurate JaMarcus Russell hitting his un-productive targets. So letting Shaun Phillips run wild (2-sacks last week) and un-leashing Shawne Merriman will be on the agenda for the Chargers.

GAME NOTES

• “We know we let one slip away the first game and we don’t want that to happen again,” Zach Miller said of their Monday night match-up week-one “I think we were so physical up front, we were able to get the push on the offensive line and open up holes and then that opened up the play-action game. Once we were hitting the play-action they were complementing each other really well. I think that was a key part.”
• Phillips has 9.5 career sacks versus Oakland.
• Shane Lechler’s 45.0 net punting average is way above his NFL record for a season (41.2). His 52.2 average is currently higher than the league record for a year set in 1940 by Sammy Baugh (51.4)

KEY MATCH-UPS

Which team is able to run the football more consistently?

If the Raiders can, they’ll stay in this game. If they can’t, it will be another blowout defeat. San Diego may not need a strong ground game to win this contest. But if they rush for over 100-yards, chances are, this won’t be a close game going into the 4^th quarter.

Michael Huff and Tyvon Branch vs. Gates

The San Diego offense is at its best when they have the best tight end in the league producing at a high level. Oakland has athletes that can stay with him, but can they slow him down enough to ground a powerful aerial attack?

Which unit is Special?

Sproles can be a dynamic return man. Oakland has missed all the productivity that Johnnie Lee Higgins provided last season. Which one can give their respective team great field position, or points off returns?

PREDICTION

Chargers 27 – Raiders 10

TV & RADIO

The game will be televised on CBS with Dick Enberg providing play-by-play and former NFL player and Pro Football Hall of Famer Dan Fouts handling color analysis. The game will air in the Bay Area on KPIX Channel 5. The game will also air in Sacramento on KOVR Channel 13 as well as on KHSL in Chico, KION in Monterey and KJEO in Fresno. 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 official Oakland Raiders web site)

GAME INFO

Sunday, November 1, 2009, 1:05 p.m. PT | Qualcomm Stadium, SD, CA

Road Team: Oakland Raiders (2-5) Home: 1-3 Road: 1-2

Home Team: San Diego Chargers (3-3) Home: 1-2 Road: 2-1

Point Spread: Oakland 16 point underdogs

Contact Author: Victor Cotto – SB Report Columnist

Oakland Raiders head coach Tom Cable addressed the media this morning and updated the status of a few players. He stated that, “ Nick Miller is making some progress….”

He also mentioned receiver Chaz Schilens, who was expected to play against the Jets but suffered a late setback. “Schilens, we’ll see, he’s still pretty sore today,” stated Cable.

Cable informed the media that running back Darren McFadden and offensive linemen Robert Gallery and Cornell Green are improving and that he’ll know Wednesday or Thursday at the latest for their status next weekend against the San Diego Chargers.

In a look back at yesterday’s loss, Cable stated, “We had a number of errors, misalignments on defense. Fifteen missed tackles on defense. Offensively, we turned the ball over three times early in the football game and I thought two out of the three, we really could’ve done something about it, and didn’t.”

When asked whether he felt sure that JaMarcus Russell gave the team the best chance to win versus the Chargers, Cable answered, “Sure I am.”

“He is a strong young man, and I applaud him for that. You want to keep him that way,” Cable commented about the benching on Sunday. “I think he’s trying to bear it, and be strong with it.”

“He’ll learn form this and he’ll grow.”

Cable stated towards the end of the session that, “There’s a lot of football left. I still know that this team is going to succeed this year. To what degree, that will be decided in the next 9 weeks, 10 weeks.” He continued, “the biggest issue for us right now is making sure we take care of each other and this football team.”

The physical play of the Raiders on both sides of the ball

Oakland set the tone early with their powerful ground game. After the 1^st quarter, they had a dominating 81-yards rushing. On the other side of the ball, San Diego was only able to produce 9-yards on the ground. Tom Cable’s offensive line pushed aside the Charger’s front seven in the first half, which allowed Darren McFadden and Michael Bush to combine for 105 yards at intermission. Mario Henderson mauled Shawne Merriman at times; Robert Gallery, Chris Morris and Cooper Carlisle shoved aside any Charger opposite them and Cornell Green played over his head on occasion. Oakland’s defense also flexed their muscle with hard-hitting and relentless pressure. Tyvon Branch looked every part of a strong safety when around the line of scrimmage, Richard Seymour, Greg Ellis and Trevor Scott brought the heat and Tommy Kelly and Gerard Warren actually looked stout in the trenches. Oakland has not played with this physical nature in a long time. Did they wear down as the game ended? The linebackers getting depth in their coverages late and John Marshall hitting the brake pedal as time expired was disappointing, but overall, San Diego will feel the effects of the brute play of the Raiders this morning.

VERDICT: GOOD

The new acquisitions on the defensive line

Greg Ellis and Richard Seymour tallied all three Raider sacks. Seymour played every position along the front-four, was disruptive, and his utilization drove San Diego’s offense nuts. His play appeared to have elevated the performance of others and solidified a line that was in desperate need of a force in the interior. Ellis was the steady veteran he always is. Whether on run defense or chasing Philip Rivers down, Ellis provided more than what Derrick Burgess had in his last two campaigns in Silver & Black.

VERDICT: GOOD

JaMarcus Russell’s up and down night

At times, Russell hindered the offense, missing wide-open targets and looking like the passer still in development. Other times, he looked poised, steady and like a quarterback evolving. His 57-yard bomb to Louis Murphy in the 4^th quarter was clutch, especially after his accuracy struggles and missing a few plays on that same drive after a sneak in which he hurt himself. Ultimately, he has to make more positives plays to help this team perform at a higher level. The touchdown to Murphy, which the referees overruled, was a nice flash.

VERDICT: TIE

Darren McFadden getting his touches

Oakland has to continue to feature this dynamic talent. He is a scary weapon that can provide some moments of excitement. The Raiders used him well on runs, splitting out as a wide receiver and motioning him all over the formation. More screens to the speedster should be mixed into the game plan. There is no denying that he can run the ball between the tackles as well, as he can handle the pounding with his chiseled frame. Ball security is an issue, but until further notice, he should be the main ball carrier on this offense.

VERDICT: GOOD

Special Teams, not so special

Last year, the Raiders played well on coverage units. In the opener, they allowed momentum-swinging plays to the diminutive Darren Sproles. After Oakland took a 7-0 lead, on the ensuing kick, Sproles busted a 66-yard return. Then when they took a 10-7 lead, Sproles replied with a 59-yard burst.

VERDICT: BAD

John Marshall’s debut

For the most part, good, but the first year defensive coordinator inexplicably dropped his linebackers deep into coverage, allowing key yards late in the 4^th quarter to Sproles out of the backfield. Oakland forced a turnover in the 1^st half after the Chargers drove deep in their territory, a fumble by LaDainian Tomlinson; his first in 993 touches. The front-seven played physical and was disciplined. But the breakdown late could have been prevented scheme wise after the Raiders punished the Chargers all night.

VERDICT: TIE

NOTE: Game Grades will be posted soon…

Contact Author: Victor Cotto – SB Report Columnist

Monday September 14, 2009
DeMarcus Davis, Staff Writer SBREPORT.NET

Oakland, CA - The Raiders began the game on offense and looked extremely solid running the ball; marching down field 47 yards in 7 plays. RB Darren McFadden was a one-man beast and the solid drive saving play of TE Zack Miller was fabulous and timely. The only thing wrong with the opening drive was the fact that JaMarcus Russell threw an interception intended for WR Louis Murphy. The silver lining was that the ball was only minimally returned.

The Raider defense showed hat it too was ready for the bright lights b forcing San Diego to go 3-and-out on its initial offensive stand. A shocking feat considering San Diego’s offensive firepower.

Oakland’s offense got a chance to make amends for the abruptly ended drive last time around. Once again, the Raiders shoved the ball down the teeth of the Charger defense and put their collective hearts in the Raiders’ back pocket! TE Zack Miller showed it was indeed ‘Miller Time’ with a HUGH 30-yard completion. The Raiders would punctuate this long drive with a 4-yard touchdown run by RB Michael Bush; allowing Oakland to strike first blood wit a score of 7-0.

After a big 66-yard kick off return by San Diego’s Darren Sproles, the Chargers threatened to tie the game…that is until OAKLAND RAIDER Richard Seymour sacked Phillip Rivers. Welcome to Oakland Big Hommie! Then, the other wheel fell off the Chargers bus on the drive when San Diego’s all-world running back LaDanian Tomlinson fumbled deep into Raiders’ territory. Actually, that fumble was Tomlinson’s first since October 27, 2006.

Oakland’s offense made modest gains and kept their drive alive with a Charger penalty, but Darren McFadden would give the ball back to San Diego after being stripped. This time, the Chargers would not miss-fire; The Bolts would even things up on a 1-yard Tomlinson touchdown run making it 7-7.

Later on, the Raiders once again got deep into Charger territory, but not without JaMarcus Russell having thrown a near interception. Russell would regain composure and threw what appeared to be a touchdown pass to WR Louis Murphy. Upon review, (inside of the last 2 minutes of the 2nd quarter), it was ruled that Murphy failed to maintain possession as it appeared the ball had squirted free underneath him after he hit the ground. The Raiders would have to settle for a Sebastian Janikowski to put Oakland back on top 10-7.
After another huge kick return by Darren Sproles, the Chargers got even with a field goal try of their own making it 10-10 at halftime.

Had it not been for poor Raider special teams coverage, the Charges could have been scoreless as they only gained 74 TOTAL YARDS with 21 of those yards coming on the ground!

With San Diego receiving to start the 3rd quarter, Phillip Rivers got his team into aide territory when Oakland’s Michael Huff picked off Rivers on a pass intended for TE Antonio Gates.

JaMarcus Russell was off the mark with his passes; lending to the Raiders being forced to punt the ball away. Oakland would continue to play Russian roulette with the Chargers by going 3-and-out 3 consecutive times. On the 4th pull of the trigger, Russell would connect with a wide open Zack Miller for 25 yards. Doing much better on this drive, Russell still couldn’t lead his guys back into the endzone and settled for a field goal to go back on top 13-10 just inside of the 4th quarter.

Raiders defense bent, and bent, and bent, then finally broke as they could not get off the field on 3rd down and gave San Diego chance after chance until Phillip Rivers found WR Vincent Jackson at the near side corner of the endzone. CB Nnamdi Asomugha was defending on the play, but got spun around allowing Jackson the tiny window he needed to put San Diego up 17-13 with about 7-1/2 minutes left in the game.

At the 6:18 mark, QB JaMarcus Russell left the game with seemed like a hyper-extended left knee. Backup Bruce Gradkowski kept things going long enough until Russell came back to the game.

Then, after having been backed up by a penalty, Russell found his groove when he found a wide open sprinting Louis Murphy deep into the endzone to give the Raiders the lead 20-17 to a raucous sold out Oakland crowd.

But then again…you know it’s coming. With under 2 minutes left in the game, and after a nice open field tackle of the kick returner on the Chargers’ 11-yard line by WR Todd Watkins, someone decided to play off the receivers and drop the linebackers; allowing San Diego’s Sproles to come out of the backfield and continuously burn Oakland up the middle. The Chargers went all of the 89 yards to score a touchdown; thus ripping the hearts out of each and every Raider player and Raider fan making the final score 24-20 San Diego.

Overall, the team played very well and was , especially on defense and the 1st quarter run game. The two real areas of real concern were the poor special teams coverage and the quarterback play of JaMarcus Russell where he went 12-for-30 and earned a passer rating of 47.6. Too many 3-and-outs and grossly errand passes. The kit gloves are off and JaMarcus must step it up.

Once again, the Oakland Raiders kickoff their regular season under the lights of Monday Night Football as they take on the rival San Diego Chargers on September 14 at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum.

The game marks the start of the Silver & Black’s 50^th season in professional football and the 99^th meeting between both clubs. Oakland has a 54-42-2 lead in those match-ups, with a 36-24-1 record overall during Monday night contests.

OAKLAND RAIDERS

On Offense:

The Raiders made the right move when selecting Darren McFadden as their starter for the home opener. His versatility running and catching the football and explosiveness adds more to the offense than what Justin Fargas and Michael Bush provide.

Tom Cable stated that the second year rusher would carry the ‘bulk’ of the load on Monday night.

Fargas did not practice late in the week “because we’re going to need him,” said Cable. His hamstring has not healed sufficiently, so that means that Bush will be the second option at running back.

Chaz Schilens also did not practice, but is expected to begin practicing soon with a chance that he may see his first game action in week-3 versus the Denver Broncos.

What to expect:

If Oakland has any shot of the upset victory, they will need big plays from McFadden and a steady ground game. The offensive line must control the line of scrimmage and when JaMarcus Russell drops back to pass, he has to have enough time to find his rookie targets; Louis Murphy and first round selection Darrius Heyward-Bey. There will be a time during the game where Russell will need to convert long third downs and move the ball down the field. How will the line react? How will Russell perform? And will the weak wide receiving corps find a way to make big plays? Oakland will not be able to answer all of those questions with positives.

On Defense:

Richard Seymour will play; so that is a big plus for the Silver & Black. But the Chargers will put their rush defense to the test immediately.

Enter John Marshall, who has stressed the need for more pressure via blitzes and has gone to basics in terms of plugging gaps along the front-four and sure tackling by the linebackers and safeties.

Cable has seen some positives in recent games versus the Chargers, commenting, “When you look back at those games we were able to stay in, keep the defense off the field, keep them fresher if you will. And I thought we played with a little more intensity and violence on defense. I’ve gone back and looked at those so I can understand what he’s getting at.”

What to expect:

The Chargers will attack the Raiders’ run defense and their new acquisition. Norv Turner wants to re-establish their toughness on the ground and if they can do that, then they’ll be able to play-action and keep the Raiders’ defense off-balance. San Diego will target cornerbacks Stanford Routt and Chris Johnson and starting strong safety Tyvon Branch.

On Special Teams:

Rookie Mike Mitchell will be limited to the coverage teams after injuries kept him in the inactive during pre-season games in the summer. “I’ll get my opportunities when they come,” Mitchell said. “It is frustrating, but I’ll get my chances.”

“I think his development … is coming along rapidly,” Cable said. “Even though he wasn’t out here, he was studying and getting a lot of film work in.”

SAN DIEGO CHARGERS

On Offense:

What better way for LaDainian Tomlinson to have a bounce back season than to face the team he has tormented throughout his career?

Despite Tomlinson’s struggles in 2008, he torched the Raiders for 197 rushing yards in two meetings and the Chargers continued their recent dominance extending their streak of wins to 11-games against the Silver & Black.

“I’m certainly not thinking that I’m going to put up another season like I did last year, especially if I’m healthy,” Tomlinson said.  “Just having a chance to be healthy again is what I’m most grateful for.  I’m happy to be on a team that has a shot at winning a championship.”

What to expect:

Tomlinson and Darren Sproles will present a lot of match-up problems for the Raiders. They will form one of the better running tandems in the league in 2009, and with their ability to catch the ball out of the backfield, Oakland will struggle keeping both corralled all night.

Philip Rivers has two reliable targets in Vincent Jackson and Antonio Gates. When Turner sends in the call to stretch the field with both, Rivers will have an easy time picking apart a Raider secondary that will struggle at the safety positions.

On Defense:

Shawne Merriman has not seen action in a year. And when he hits the field on Monday night, the disruptive linebacker will provide a jolt to a Charger defense that missed his fiery play in 2008.

Merriman has made news off the field recently, issuing a statement regarding his arrest on allegations of assault and false imprisonment. He stated:

“Earlier (Friday) I learned that after a thorough review of the investigation, the San Diego District Attorney’s office has closed the case involving me. I want to express my appreciation and gratitude to the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department and the District Attorney’s office for carefully reviewing the evidence and not rushing to judgment on these serious allegations. I also appreciate the objectiveness expressed by the San Diego Chargers ownership and management, my teammates, my friends and especially all the fans. I look forward to continuing to stay focused on my career goals: a great season of football and the success of the San Diego Chargers.”

What to expect:

Larry English will spell Merriman at times and inside linebacker Kevin Burnett will start opposite Stephen Cooper.

San Diego will try to force the Raiders into long down and distance situations early in the game to rattle and pressure JaMarcus Russell into mistakes. If the offense scores early and often and the defense are playing in front all day, Oakland’s offensive line will get a heavy dose of blitzes.

GAME NOTES:

• Oakland has been outscored 104-35 in their last three regular season openers. In their last three Monday night games, the Silver & Black have been trampled by the Chargers 27-0, Seattle 16-0 and the Broncos 41-14.
• The Raiders sold out their opener, so the game will be televised locally after they were given an extension to avoid a local blackout. They have sold out 18 of their last 24 contests at home.

KEY MATCH-UPS

Oakland DTs vs. RG Louis Vasquez

The rookie won the right guard spot for the Chargers. He weighs well over 300 pounds and if Oakland cannot win this battle in the trenches, they’ll have a long night.

Raider wide receivers vs. the Chargers secondary

Even if Oakland is able to run the ball, they’ll need their young targets to play well. Javon Walker will be inactive, so the Raiders will be very thin at wide receiver.

PREDICTION

Chargers 27 – Raiders 17

Oakland will keep it close in the first half. McFadden and Bush will have some success rushing the football, but San Diego will play from in front which will force Russell to shoulder the burden in the second half. The Raider wide receivers are not ready for primetime and when the Chargers bring the heat, Russell’s offensive line may not be able to keep him upright. Oakland will allow over 130 yards on the ground. Marshall’s new attacking defense will get to Rivers a few times. But the fiery Charger passer will find his wide array of targets for a couple of touchdown passes.

TV & RADIO

This week’s game will be televised nationally on ESPN, with Mike Greenberg handling play-by-play, and former NFL players Mike Golic and Steve Young as color analysts. Michele Tafoya will handle sideline reporting duties. If sold out per NFL blackout rules, the game will also be broadcast in the Bay Area on over-the air station KPIX Channel 5. The game will air on ESPN International in 180 countries and in Spanish on ESPN Deportes. The game will air on Raiders Radio originating on KSFO 560 AM, the Silver and Black 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 KGO’s Rich Walcoff. In addition, Westwood One/CBS Radio will air the game nationally with Kevin Harlan and former NFL quarterbacks Warren Moon and Mark Malone handling announcing duties. (Broadcast information cited from official Raiders web site)

GAME INFO

Monday, September 14, 2009, 7:15 p.m. PT | Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum

Home Team: Oakland Raiders (0-0) Home: 0-0 Road: 0-0

Road Team: San Diego Chargers (0-0) Home: 0-0 Road: 0-0

Contact Author: Victor Cotto – SB Report Columnist

Recently acquired lineman Richard Seymour ended his sit-out and was primed to join the Oakland Raiders on Saturday a week after being traded from the New England Patriots for a 2011 first round draft choice.

There was much speculation whether or not the soon to be 30 year old hybrid lineman wanted to be a member of the Silver & Black, but reports indicate that his personal issues involved relocating his family.

“When you get blindsided, you should take a moment to gather your thoughts. I have a lot of personal issues more pressing than football,” Seymour stated to Ron Borges of the Boston Herald in his first comments since the trade.

Former teammate Vince Wilfork stated, “Personally, Seymour is a good friend. I wish him all the best. He knows it’s a business, and so he’s willing to move on.”

Oakland is enthused about having their newest acquisition for their Monday night opener versus the San Diego Chargers after several days of uncertainty and the prospect of an unhappy Seymour.

“It is a morale boost,” cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha said. “I think guys are pretty excited to have him because guys know what he’s done in the past.”

Seymour is expected to help the Raiders leaky run defense, add versatility to the front-four and provide better leadership to a defensive line that has been one of the league’s worst for some time now.

Can you expect him to play at his typical pro-bowl level on Monday?

Maybe.

Seymour has always played very well in big games, has a knack of performing when the lights are on and even though he has missed valuable time that could have been used to adapt to the scheme and practice with his new mates, the 6-6 310 pound lineman will become the team’s best defender in the trenches as soon as he dons Oakland’s jersey.

“I didn’t demand anything to go there,” he said. “I’m happy to go there, and I told them that. But me and my family have never been separated. This was a difficult transition.”

Contact Author: Victor Cotto – SB Report Columnist

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