Silver and Black Report

QUARTERBACK:

Bruce Gradkowski – A

The Oakland offense looked lively again with Gradkowski under center. The underdog passer displayed his elusiveness and ability to spark the play of others with his 10-of-18 for 153 yards and 3 rushes for 16-yards. But he couldn’t finish the game, leaving at halftime with a torn meniscus ligament in his left knee and a partially torn meniscus in his right knee. “See what the MRI says tomorrow but who knows?” Gradkowski said after the game. “I don’t count myself out. You never need surgery with MCLs. I’ll do whatever I can to get healthy fast, if I can.” Some highlights included a 3^rd and 10 hook up for 15-yards to Chaz Schilens – the key play on a drive they took a 10-7 lead – a 10-yard scramble on 3^rd and 10 before the half and a 6-yard pass to Justin Fargas, improvising and getting the football to his running back as he was being tackled.

JaMarcus Russell – F

The life was drained out of the offense once he came into the game. Oakland’s play calling was effected by his insertion, they were not able to move the yard sticks and the immobile passer was sitting duck for salivating Washington defenders. Russell was sacked six times partly due to the offensive line’s ineffectiveness, but also because of his lack of pocket awareness and lumbering movements. Unlike Gradkowski, Russell could not extend plays, make something happen with his legs or formulate quick decisions. Oakland regressed to their old selves with shorter routes to Zach Miller. On his interception, Russell delivered the ball late to an open target and LaRon Landry was able to break on the ball.

RUNNING BACKS & FULLBACKS: D

Darren McFadden had a great start to the game.  He had a 43-yard reception to open Oakland’s third drive and an acrobatic 26-yard reception on a slant and go, hauling in the pass as he fell to the turf. But McFadden had only one other catch the rest of the way for 15-yards and was pedestrian with his 8 carries for 21-yards on a sloppy field. Justin Fargas had 9 carries for 21 yards and the team’s only touchdown on a 1-yard run on 4^th and goal in the second quarter.  Gary Russell had 2 carries for -2 yards, but fared better as a receiver with 22-yards on 2 grabs. Both times Russell ran the ball, he was the lone set-back after Oakland motioned McFadden as a flanker.

WIDE RECEIVERS & TIGHT ENDS: D

Zach Miller again became Russell’s security blanket on short routes and at the end; he tallied 7 receptions for 46 yards.  Miller had a 21-yard reception negated by an Schilens pass interference penalty. On 1^st and 10 at the OAK 37, Gradkowski delivered a strike to Miller after he avoided the rush moving toward the line of scrimmage, but the tight end dropped the pass near the Redskins 30-yard line.  Johnnie Lee Higgins ended with 3 catches for 35 yards; his best receptions being a 16-yard out pattern on 1^st and 10 on the last drive before halftime and a 3^rd and 3 conversion on a 10-yard slant in which he took a major hit from cornerback Carlos Rogers. Chaz Schilens had 2 receptions for 20-yards and Louis Murphy finished with 1 grab for 8 yards. Murphy gave great effort on a 28-yard sinking Gradkowski toss that appeared to be a reception, but was overturned by a booth review.

OFFENSIVE LINE: F

Robert Gallery was missed. The line got no push at the line of scrimmage and was often manhandled which led to the putrid 65-yard effort on the ground. Washington compiled 8-sacks – yes many during Russell’s stint, when he was not able to feel the pressure and react accordingly – four by rookie Brian Orakpo and two by Andre Carter who now has 10-sacks in his last nine contests.  Cooper Carlisle got infracted for a false start in the 3^rd quarter on a 2^nd and 16 and a few plays later, Russell had to face an insurmountable 3^rd and 35 because Cornell Green was flagged for being illegally down the field as Oakland tried to set up a screen.  Green was penalized again in the 4^th quarter on a 3^rd and 5 for holding.

DEFENSIVE LINE: C

Tommy Kelly was physical at times, stuffing Quinton Ganther (14 car. 50 yards 2 TD) on short yardage situations. Gerard Warren hurt Jason Campbell (16-of-28 for 222 yards and 2 TD 0 INT) on a 3^rd and 6 when he tossed him to the turf and forced an incompletion to end a drive. Greg Ellis also got pressure along with Richard Seymour, but they both got penalized for offsides. Matt Shaughnessy recorded his third sack of the season and had a tackle for a loss. The Redskins rushed for 100 yards today, 61 of those coming in the second half.

LINEBACKERS: C-

Trevor Scott continued his solid play with a sack on the second play for the Redskins and keying run stuffs early in the contest. Kirk Morrison was out of position many times, trailing his assignment when in coverage; which helped tight end Fred Davis amass 50-yards receiving and 2 touchdowns.

SECONDARY: C-

Nnamdi Asomugha had a right forearm injury, but finished the game. Stanford Routt played in his place and was quickly greeted by Santana Moss. Campbell hooked up with his speedy receiver on a nice pitch-and-catch for 28-yards against Routt.  The 15-yard pass interference penalty against Routt that aided the drive in which the Redskins went up 24-13 was a bad call by the ref. Chris Johnson almost made a stellar interception in the 4^th quarter while trying to adjust to the flight of the ball against Moss. Tyvon Branch blew some coverages against Davis and was a victim in space, but again aided solid effort versus the run with his tackling. Mike Mitchell recorded his first NFL sack on a blitz on 3^rd and 10 that resulted in a 13-yard loss. Michael Huff left in the second quarter with a stinger.

SPECIAL TEAMS: B

Shane Lechler punted six times at a 49.5 average (68 long). Sebastian Janikowski nailed a 33-yarder to give Oakland a 3-0 lead in the first quarter and a 54-yarder in the 3^rd quarter to cut the Redskins lead to 17-13. His only miss was a 66-yard effort at the end of the first half. Higgins looked more elusive than what he has all season. The Redskins tackled well on punts, as a few times, it looked like Higgins could break a few returns for substantial gains. He ended with 47 yards on 4 punt returns. Russell sparked a Raider drive with a 41-yard kickoff return. The great field position by the Raiders was aided when Fred Davis was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct after a touchdown, which had the Redskins kick off on their own 15-yard line.  Eight plays later, the Raiders took the lead 10-7. Hiram Eugene had a better game on special teams than he did in the defensive backfield.

COACHING: D

Again, the Raiders failed to take advantage of a struggling opponent at home and notch a back-to-back victory. This troubling trend continued once Russell came into the game. The energy was sucked out of the offense and it appeared that the team lost any confidence it had when Gradkowski limped off the field. The play calling was simplified, the offense went back to their lackluster ways and the Redskins teed off on a passer that cannot handle a NFL playbook that is a stiff in the pocket and cannot inspire or elevate the play of others. Russell hamstrung Tom Cable’s offense and his play calling. But there is no excuses for a complete shut-down in the 2^nd half against a team that struggled recently in holding 4^th quarter leads and that entered this final quarter today with a lead for the 4^th straight contest. Oakland managed 39-yards of total net offense in the 2^nd half. At least the defense was on attack, keeping Campbell moving in the pocket and making life difficult for their targets. The Raiders had a couple of breakdowns on defense, especially when they brought the heat and had the linebackers and secondary in man-to-man, leaving Washington’s passer to scramble for some key yards. But for the most part, the effort was there and John Marshall called an aggressive game showing many fronts in trying to confuse Jim Zorn’s attack. John Fassel was flagged for a 15-yard penalty when he ran onto the field to argue with a judge.

GAME NOTES

• Russell ended 10-of-16 for 74-yards and 1 interception. He is public enemy number one in Oakland right now and he failed to live up to the comment he made just recently when he was asked what type of player he was going to be when he saw the field again; “A totally different JaMarcus – people are going to have their opinion, and I really don’t pay too much attention to that.” Today, the same JaMarcus was on exhibit.
• Tony Stewart recovered a muffed punt fumble by Antwaan Randle El in the 4^th quarter.
• Inactive players for the game included: Darrius Heyward-Bey, Khalif Barnes, Javon Walker, Nick Miller, William Joseph and Roy Scheuning. Scheuning was promoted to the 53-man roster when Robert Gallery was placed on the injured list.
• The Raiders had more penalty yards (108) than rushing yards (65).

On Sunday, the Oakland Raiders (4-8) will host the Washington Redskins (3-9). It will be the 11^th regular season meeting between both clubs with the Silver & Black holding a 8-3 edge including their victory in Super Bowl XVIII. Oakland has won four of the last five meetings including their last match-up during week-eleven of the 2005 season when Kerry Collins passed for 289-yards and the Raiders won 16-13.

OAKLAND RAIDERS

On Offense:

In three-games as a started, Bruce Gradkowski has elevated the Oakland aerial attack, which has tallied an average of 217 yards per game in that span. With Robert Gallery out for the season and the Raiders not running the ball all that well, rookie Louis Murphy emerging as a legitimate talent, Chaz Schilens back in the mix and a competent quarterback under center, its safe to say that the Oakland passing game is at its peak. They’ll get a formidable challenge from the Redskins this week who have the 5^th best pass defense in the league (190.2 per game), but in recent weeks against Dallas, Philadelphia and New Orleans – all teams in the top-10 in passing yards per game – they have allowed 819 aerial yards.

Last week in Pittsburgh, Johnnie Lee Higgins had his best game as a target in some time after Darrius Heyward-Bey was inactive due to injury. “Yeah, it was rough. You know me, I’m a fighter, I just hate sitting back and watching, I want to be out there, but I just do as I’m told,” Higgins told reporters on Friday. “I go out there and when my number is called, I go out there and I perform. Complaining won’t get you anywhere. When it’s my time to shine, I go out there and try and do it.”

What to Expect:

Samson Satele is expected to start at center with Chris Morris taking Gallery’s spot at left guard. Oakland has to have some cohesion along the trenches if they don’t want Gradkowski scrambling against a Washington defense that has tallied 28-sacks (12^th in the NFL). Short down and distances will be a key as well as other running situations in the red-zone. If Gradkowski can rally this team to another win, it will be a huge indictment on JaMarcus Russell as the Raiders usually struggle after wins and have rarely put together solid back-to-back performances during his time as a starter.

On Defense:

Greg Ellis’ knee has hindered him all week, limited his action in practice on Friday and is listed as questionable for the game. Oakland will need a lively pass rush on Sunday due to the recent activity of Jason Campbell. Yes he has four interceptions in the last three contests. But he has also tallied 284 yards passing per game during that span.

Oakland has to bring the heat as they did versus the Eagles and Bengals in order to come away with a victory at home.

One player that helps in that aspect is Richard Seymour. And this week, he stated to the Boston Herald, “I still have an impact,” when talking about his play and the decision the Patriots made to deal him before the season. “Maybe I don’t get the glory all the time, but I free up somebody else and our team gets the success. I know what I bring to the table. They wish it was that easy to replace me, but it’s not.”

Trevor Scott could be freed up this weekend, and in two games at linebacker, he has three sacks, four quarterback pressures and five tackles for losses.

“Originally when they first said it, I was kind of shocked just because I’ve never really played it before,” Scott said. “But I just took it in stride and ran with it. It was one of those things where you’re thrown into the fire, and sometimes that’s the best way to learn.”

What to Expect:

Oakland is still susceptible to big plays against the run and pass, and can allow big chunks of yardage on the ground. But they have been stout in holding teams to field goals instead of touchdowns when they get the red-zone, forcing a key turnover or getting a vital sack to push the opponents place kicker out of field goal range. If John Marshall is able to get his pass rush going, Oakland’s secondary will be able to pick some errant throws and give their upstart offense a chance at some short drives.

WASHINGTON REDSKINS

On Offense:

“We could have been 6-6 and fighting for something,” Jason Campbell stated on the team’s official Web site after throwing for a career high 367 yards and three touchdowns. “Instead we’re 3-9.”

Clinton Portis was place on injured reserve this week, so Quinton Ganther and Rock Cartwright will carry the load the rest of the way. The second year rusher out of Utah has been more productive than Cartwright in recent weeks and now will be the fourth rusher to start in the backfield for Washington in 2009.

“I’m getting the opportunity that I haven’t had to show people what I can do,” Ganther said. “I just worked harder than anybody. The longer you keep you feet in the door, the better opportunity you have.”

What to Expect:

Oakland’s secondary will be tested by Santana Moss (49 rec. 642-yards 3 TD), Antwaan Randle El (40 rec. 458-yards), Fred Davis (32 rec. 319 yards 3 TD) and Devin Thomas (23 rec. 287 yards 3 TD). Chris Johnson has been picked on playing opposite Nnamdi Asomugha and far too often, second year pro Tyvon Branch and the rest of the Raiders secondary have been caught out of position on big plays. Many times, Oakland’s rush defense has allowed unknowns to have big games at running back starting for injured starters. If Ganther is given his shot consistently, he could have a career day.

On Defense:

Defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth will miss his third game with a sprained right ankle.

Also, cornerback DeAngelo Hall will be out with a sprained right knee, as he will miss out on a opportunity to play against his former teammates During his eight-game stint by the Bay Area, Hall was torched and tormented by double moves and was a whipping boy of the fans after being traded and signed to an extension prior to the 2008 campaign.

“Al Davis told me it salary cap issues,” Hall said. “Coach Cable actually made the statement that they had somebody better behind me. So I kind of took a little offense to that, but I don’t have any hard feelings toward Coach Cable, the organization. It was a great, great, great time for me there, the short period of time that I was there.”

“DeAngelo’s a play-maker,” ex-corner mate Asomugha stated. “He wants to be free to go out and make plays and do what he does best. When you come here, you have to understand that you’re going to be in man-to-man 90 percent of the game. It was definitely something he wasn’t used to. It took some adjusting for him, and he never really got that full chance to adjust to that change.”

GAME NOTES

• In Washington’s first seven contest, they allowed an average of 17.6 points and 283 yards per game. In the past five, foes have amassed 23 points and 352 yards of offense per outing.
• Andre Carter has eight sacks in his last eight contests.
• Gallery’s spot on the roster could be occupied by Roy Schuening, who is able to play center and is currently on the practice squad.

KEY MATCH-UPS

Can the Raiders passing attack continue to move it downfield?

The 4^th quarter versus the Steelers was explosive. If they can continue that output, they’ll be able to make life easier for a running game that has been disappointing and could use a boost from Darren McFadden.

Will the Raiders’ run defense get plowed?

This is the type of game where the Shonn Greene’s, the Jamaal Charles’ and Bernard Scott’s go wild on Oakland’s run defense. Campbell has been throwing it for big yards, the Raiders can allow big yards via the pass, and if Ganther rolls, there will be a lot of booing in the Black Hole.

PREDICTION

Raiders 26 – Redskins 19

TV & RADIO

The game will be televised on FOX with Dick Stockton providing play-by-play and Charles Davis handling color analysis. If sold out per NFL blackout rules, the game will air in the Bay Area on KTVU Channel 2 and in Sacramento on KXTV Channel 40. 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 was cited from the Official Oakland Raiders Web Site)

GAME INFO

Sunday, December 13, 2009, 4:05 p.m. ET | Oakland Alameda County Coliseum, OAK, CA

Home Team: Oakland Raiders (4-8) Home: 2-4 Road: 2-4

Road Team: Washington Redskins (3-9) Home: 3-3 Road: 0-6

LINE: Raiders are a 1-point underdog

Contact Author: Victor Cotto – SB Report Columnist

QUARTERBACK: A

Bruce Gradkowski had the best statistical game for any Raider passer in a long time. His poise was stellar along with his ability to extend plays and make clutch throws in key spots. Oakland would have never won this game with JaMarcus Russell at the helm. Early on, Gradkowski missed an open Louis Murphy on a 3^rd and 3 that would’ve led to a big gain. But he bounced back from that on the next drive hitting Johnnie Lee Higgins on a 22-yard pass on 3^rd and 14 – the key play on a possession that ended with a field goal to cut the Pittsburgh lead to 10-6. Gradkowski ended the first half 7-of-9 for 86 yards. He opened the 2^nd half with a nice sidearm delivery to Zach Miller for 10-yards on a 3^rd and 8, and in the 4^th quarter, he moved the chains on a 3^rd and 3 scrambling for 8-yards. Oakland’s passer could’ve had at least 30-more yards rushing if not for infractions that negated some nice runs. He made a strong throw to Chaz Schilens for 17-yards with a lineman bearing down on him for a score that made it 13-10 with 8:21 remaining. The 75-yard bomb to Murphy was vital giving the Raiders a 20-17 lead with 5:28 left in the game. Then his passes to Higgins for 17-yards, Todd Watkins for 12-yards on 3^rd and 10, and Murphy for 19-yards marched the Silver & Black down the field as time expired. His final throw, an 11-yard game-winning touchdown pass to Murphy to cap the frantic 4^th quarter became the best moment for Oakland in 2009. His final numbers: 20/33 for 308 yards and 3 touchdowns.

RUNNING BACKS & FULLBACKS: C+

Justin Fargas led the team with 15 carries for 63-yards. He kept the Steelers’ defense honest, but was not a major factor in Oakland moving the ball when they needed it most. Darren McFadden had a key run on 3^rd and 2 in the final quarter, darting for 6-yards on a pitch near the end of a drive in which the Raiders took the lead. He ended with 9 rushes for 25 yards. Michael Bush was a non-factor with one-carry for one yard and making a cameo as a passer on a toss in which he overthrew a wide-open Schilens. Luke Lawton was flagged for a false start to start a drive deep in their own territory.

WIDE RECEIVERS & TIGHT ENDS: A

The receivers had their best game of the season, without the presence of rookie Darrius Heyward-Bey – out with a foot injury. Murphy shined when it mattered most with 4-catches for 128 yards and two touchdowns. He had his best game as a pro and could’ve had another big gainer after beating William Gay on a slant and go route on the first play of the 2^nd quarter, but Gradkowski overthrew him. He torched Ike Taylor for the 75-yard touchdown and tiptoed his way into the end zone the last 5-yards. Higgins made his first sizeable contribution to this team in 2009. He had 4 receptions for 63-yards. Schilens also keyed the huge 4^th quarter with his scoring grab; ending the game with 45-yards on 3 catches. Zach Miller continued his solid play with 43 yards receiving.

OFFENSIVE LINE: B-

Samson Satele was injured, did not return to the line-up and was replaced by Chris Morris. Robert Gallery injured his back and was replaced by Langston Walker. Oakland as a team ran for 109-yards – a win considering that Pittsburgh is the toughest team in the league statistically to run against. They allowed only 2-sacks, keeping Gradkowski’s jersey clean for most of the day, but the passer’s legs were the main reason Oakland was able to extend plays. Mario Henderson was flagged for a hold on a Gradkowski 20-yard scramble.

DEFENSIVE LINE: B-

Yes, they allowed 132-yards on the ground. But the defensive line was stout during some stretches and if you take away Rashard Mendenhall’s 60-yard scamper, the run defense would’ve had one of their best games of the season. They missed Greg Ellis’ pass rushing abilities, but they were able to keep Ben Roethlisberger moving out of the pocket. Pittsburgh’s passer is always dangerous on the run and he showed at times what he could do when improvising. A key play for this unit was a 4^th and 1 with their backs to the end zone at the 5-yard line, stuffing Big Ben on a sneak and keeping vital Pittsburgh points off the scoreboard. Richard Seymour was flagged for an illegal hands to the face.

LINEBACKERS: B

Trevor Scott recorded the Raiders only sack of the game. Kirk Morrison finished with 7-tackles. Thomas Howard played decently in his first start as a strong-side linebacker. At times, this unit was late on their assignment on shallower routes when they were in zones, but overall, they played well enough to keep the integrity of the defense on run and pass plays near the line of scrimmage. Scott’s sack was imperative on 3^rd and 6 at the end of the 3^rd quarter, as it was a 9-yard loss for the Steelers and forced Jeff Reed into a 53-yard field goal attempt  that he missed, keeping another three-points off the board for Pittsburgh.

SECONDARY: C-

Santonio Holmes had a career game (8 rec. 149 yards 1 TD). And far too often, this group either had a blown tackle or a missed assignment. Chris Johnson almost had an interception on a 3^rd and 11 early in the contest. On Holmes score, Tyvon Branch and Johnson were beat on the corner route. The previous play, Branch was beaten by Hines Ward for 27-yards on a post pattern. Branch (11 tackles) was taken advantage of in coverage, but was at his best as the last line of defense on run pays and around the line of scrimmage. Johnson had a case for a illegal hands to the face/facemask penalty on Hines Ward during his 11-yard scoring reception that made it 24-20 Pittsburgh with 3:32 remaining. Michael Huff broke up several plays with big hits as the ball approached the intended receiver. Hiram Eugene’s first interception of the season was a stellar grab in the end zone as time expired in the first half. That was the only turnover in the game and it was another play that kept points off the board for the Steelers. Roethlisberger’s throw to Holmes for 57-yards in the 4^th quarter was precise and over the head of Stanford Routt – Branch made the touchdown saving tackle.

SPECIAL TEAMS: C-

Stefan Logan’s 83-yard kickoff return to open the game startled the Raiders. But Oakland’s defense kept the Steelers out of the end zone. Logan had another solid return later in the game for 37-yards to set-up a Pittsburgh possession at their own 40. Sebastian Janikowski nailed both of his field goal attempts (48 and 43 yards) in a tough outdoor stadium to kick in. Shane Lechler had 6-punts, averaging 46.8 per. Gary Russell had one of his better games with 72-yards worth of kickoff returns.

COACHING: B

Tom Cable got a little mischievous in opening the playbook. Bush’s halfback pass was on a 3^rd and 8 – a risky play – considering the field position they had. Ultimately they scored on that drive, but not the player you want passing the ball against a defense that likes to bring pressure. In their opening drive of the second half, Cable called for more trickery on a hand off to McFadden, which he lateral back to Gradkowski and wound up losing 16-yards. The passing plays called were aided by Gradkowski’s improvising, but Cable did make the right calls during that scoring outburst in the final quarter. Something he would have never been able to relay to Russell if he was in the game. The Raiders scored 21-points in the 4^th quarter – a stunning development considering their woes on offense late in games. And after disheartening drives by the home team, Oakland answered with big plays of their own – a credit to the coaching staff keeping the morale of this team up in a tough stadium to play in, on a cold day versus a team playing for their playoff lives. John Marshall’s bunch blitzed today from all the levels of their defense and gave the Steelers’ offense all they could handle. The defense played a solid game into the 2^nd half until the madness begun and both teams started exploding in the waning moments.

For the 18^th time in regular season play, the Oakland Raiders (3-8) will face the Pittsburgh Steelers (6-5). In their storied history, the Silver & Black hold a 9-8 advantage, but during the post-season, each team has notched three victories in six meetings. Oakland is trying to avoid a seventh straight 11 or more loss season while the Steelers are trying to hang on to their playoff lives as the campaign winds down.

OAKLAND RAIDERS

On Offense:

Bruce Gradkowski is at the helm for the Raiders again and will face a team he’s had a miserable time against. He has a 50% completion percentage no touchdowns, five interceptions and a rating of 20.3 against the Steelers in two career starts. Last December, he took aim at Pittsburgh as a member of the Browns and had a dreadful day. “Going up against a great defense and not really knowing your own offense, it was quite an experience against a team that was on fire and headed to the Super Bowl,” Gradkowski stated this week.

It’s also a homecoming for him, as Gradkowski starred at Seton-La Salle Catholic High School from 1997-to-2000 in the Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League (WPIAL). “My family, my cousins, they’re die-hard Steeler fans. Last year when I was with the Browns it was hard for then,” Gradkowski said. “They wore neutral colors but I think being with the Raiders this past year and getting to know these guys and being with this team, I know I’ll have the family behind me on this one.”

What to Expect:

The Steelers statistically have the best run defense in the league (74.9 yards per game). So it will be a tough task for Oakland to establish Justin Fargas and Darren McFadden on the ground. Michael Bush appears to be in the doghouse, which leads you to believe that the Raiders will put the game on the hands of Gradkowski. Oakland needs to stay close, so the passer must keep the mistakes to a minimum and protection must be at a premium. Pittsburgh’s defense has been faulty in the 4^th quarter of games and the secondary without Troy Polamalu could be exposed. Problem is, will Oakland ever get a complete game from their targets?

On Defense:

Trevor Scott has found his way into the starting line-up as the weak side linebacker. Thomas Howard will move to the strong side of the formation for the first time in his career after Scott played well on Thanksgiving Day. “It will give us a chance to have what we want in terms of coverage and what we want vs. the run,” said Tom Cable.

Defensive end Greg Ellis was very limited all week in practice and is listed as doubtful for the contest Sunday. “[Ellis] made some improvement but has slowed down. So we’ll see,” Cable commented today.

What to Expect:

After getting torched by Tony Romo last week, Oakland’s secondary has to have a bounce back effort against the 8^th ranked pass attack in the league. Chris Johnson has been victimized way too often on big plays down the field and Nnamdi Asomugha had a tough time with Miles Austin, especially on shallower routes. More man-to-man coverage should be in play this week for the Raiders, as it appeared that many of their problems were due to blown assignments when they dropped back in zone.

PITTSBURGH STEELERS

On Offense:

All signs to Ben Roethlisberger starting at quarterback on Sunday. “Ben hasn’t experienced any resurface of any discomfort from his concussion since Friday,” head coach Mike Tomlin said earlier in the week. “All indications are…ultimately play in the game on Sunday.”

Offensive coordinator Bruce Arians has been critiqued, especially since the Steelers have ditched their traditional run first mentality and have gone to a pass heavy attack, Many blame that for the defense giving up leads late in games and the inconsistency in 2009. Against Cincinnati and Kansas City, they combined for 82-passes and only 49 run plays. As for possibly running some Wildcat plays for last week’s starting passer Dennis Dixon, Arians stated, “He’s an extremely good talent as far as speed, and when a play breaks down and he can improvise, that’s when he’ll be dangerous,” and he continued; “But if you start designing runs for a quarterback, especially one of his stature, he’s going to get broken in half.”

What to Expect:

If there was ever a contest the Steelers would get their rush game going, it will have to be on Sunday with worries about Big Ben taking hits and facing a soft defense that allows 161.1 ground yards per game. And with Thomas Howard lining up on the strong side, tight end Heath Miller and the rest of the line could have a fun day pushing around that side of the Raider formation.

On Defense:

Dick LeBeau’s unit has taken some heat also, especially after their loss to the Baltimore Ravens. “We didn’t get off the field on critical downs,” linebacker LaMarr Woodley was quoted. “We can’t give up the big home-run hits, the passes down the field, long runs. We have to eliminate those problems.

“We knew what kind of player [Dixon] was. He put enough points on the board to give us a chance to win. We just allowed their offense to move the ball down the field on us.”

The Ravens stacked up 393 total yards of offense last week. But facing a Raider team with lesser talent could be just what the doctor ordered.

What to Expect:

It’s time for LeBeau to bring ‘Blitzburgh’ back in this contest. Gradkowski can be pressured into mistakes and the Raider wide receivers have not been able to consistently help their quarterback with big plays down the field. James Harrison (10-sacks) and Lawrence Timmons (6-sacks) can add to their stats if they constantly bring the heat.

GAME NOTES

• Rashard Mendenhall has rushed for 739 yards since being catapulted into the starting unit in week-four.
• Mike Tomlin stated, “We will not go gently. We are going to unleash hell here in December. Because we have to.” Cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha stated after hearing Tomlin’s comments: “They’re used to winning, so when you lose three games or something like that, it’s the biggest deal in the world. They said everybody’s got hell to pay the next (few) weeks. They’re making a big deal about this.”
• When will the Raiders start using more of McFadden in wildcat formations? It’s obvious they don’t feel he’s an every down ball carrier, and they want to incorporate him into the passing attack, but he was a star in Arkansas with his multi-dimensional skill set out of that formation and in the NFL, many times have found a way to get consistent yardage out of that set.
• Running back Justin Fargas (stinger), linebacker Isaiah Ekejiuba (knee) and linebacker David Nixon (illness) are listed as probable.

KEY MATCH-UPS

Gradkowski vs. Pittsburgh’s pressure

If the Oakland quarterback can make the right decisions, use his feet to neutralize the pressure and get the ball to his targets quickly, it will help moving the chains and sustaining drives. Gradkowski has to avoid another dreadful outing versus Pittsburgh, or this will be a blowout.

Pittsburgh’s ground game vs. Oakland’s Front-Seven

Howard is not adept at his new position, Pittsburgh needs to establish their ground game and keep Roethlisberger healthy. If Oakland can’t keep the Steelers’ running backs in check this could get ugly.

PREDICTION

Steelers 26 – Raiders 6

TV & RADIO

The game will be televised on CBS with Greg Gumbel providing play-by-play and former NFL player and Pro Football Hall of Famer Dan Dierdorf handling color analysis. The game will air in the Bay Area on KPIX Channel 5 and in Sacramento on KOVR Channel 13. 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, December 6, 2009, 1:00 p.m. ET | Heinz Field, Pitt. PA

Road Team: Oakland Raiders (3-8) Home: 2-4 Road: 1-4

Home Team: Pittsburgh Steelers (6-5) Home: 4-1 Road: 2-4

LINE: Raiders are 14.5-point underdogs

Contact Author: Victor Cotto – SB Report Columnist

QUARTERBACK: C-

Bruce Gradkowski ended the game 18-of-35 for 200 yards one touchdown and no interceptions. Many times, he had to get rid of the football under the gun, which affected his accuracy. On back-to-back plays to open the game – on 2^nd and 6 and 3^rd and 6 – he was not able to set up his feet or release the ball cleanly to keep the drive alive. A few times, Oakland attempted to stretch the field and Gradkowski stated after the game, “There were plays there to be made downfield and I didn’t make them.”

His elusiveness helped the Raiders on their scoring drive and in total; Gradkowski’s feet helped him tally 30-yards rushing. Oakland’s passer misfired on plays that could have been converted which would have moved the chains.

RUNNING BACKS & FULLBACKS: B

Justin Fargas’ first half was superb. He ran hard and gained big chunks, compiling most of his team leading 63-yards rushing. Darren McFadden finished the game with 6 carries for 23 yards, but he was mostly used as a receiver, getting split out wide in one-to-one match-ups with the Cowboys’ cornerbacks. On 2^nd and 5 on the Raiders’ first drive, he hauled in a quick slant for 16-yards. McFadden had 4 catches for 43-yards.

WIDE RECEIVERS & TIGHT ENDS: D

Zach Miller recorded 5 grabs for 73-yards in the dual between two of the top tight ends in the NFL. Miller on national television demonstrated he ranks right up there with Jason Witten (5 rec. 107 yards) and was one of the few bright spots for the Oakland offense. Chaz Schilens outstretched on a 3^rd and 4 on the game’s third drive but could not haul in a make able reception. On the Raiders next possession, he ran a sloppy slant that the defender broke up on a 3^rd and 4. Schilens ended with 2 receptions for 32-yards. Darrius Heyward-Bey finally hauled iin his first professional touchdown. “I tried to help the cause with that play,” Heyward-Bey commented, “but when you lose, it’s all that matters. You want to win at the end.” The rookie had a nice block on McFadden’s best run of the game – a sweep for 12-yards.

OFFENSIVE LINE: D

Right tackle Cornell Green left the game for a few plays with an injury and was replaced by Langston Walker. He eventually went back into the game. Cooper Carlisle’s holding penalty thwarted any movement on Oakland’s second drive. The front looked good early in opening holes for their rushers, but did very little at times to keep Gradkowski’s pocket clean or his passing lanes paved. They allowed three sacks.

DEFENSIVE LINE: F

Dallas ran up 195 rushing yards against this defense. It all headed downhill after Tashard Choice’s 66-yard run to open their third drive in the 1^st quarter. To the defenses credit, they did hold the Cowboys to a field goal on that drive. But on the very next Dallas possession, Felix Jones erupted on a 46-yard scamper for a score. “What is Rule No. 1 in Pop Warner?” nose tackle Gerard Warren pose to reporters after the game. “Stop the run.”

LINEBACKERS: C

Trevor Scott had a stellar game at weak side linebacker. Due to injuries on this unit, Oakland mixed it up placing the defensive end in coverage situations and giving him the opportunity to use his instincts in space. Scott could’ve had an interception on a 3^rd and 9 in which Tony Romo carelessly tossed the football away,  on a 2^nd and 13, he dissected a screen and closed in on the pass catcher for a 4-yard loss and he ended with two-sacks when he pass rushed. “A few days ago they said they wanted me to start at (Will) this game so I was like, `all right, let’s run with it,’ ” Scott was quoted. “If it’s an opportunity to get on the field, so be it. Some guys don’t feel comfortable in a two-point stance, so if they stick with it, great.”  Sam Williams was beat a few times by Witten.

SECONDARY: F

Miles Austin torched this unit for 7 receptions, 145 yards and 1 touchdown. Nnamdi Asomugha was the victim a few times on man-to-man coverage. Michael Huff started the game nicely on a 3^rd and 24, breaking up a pass intended for Roy Williams and then on the next Cowboy possession on 2^nd and 9, jarring a pass out of Austin’s grasp with a solid hit. Romo had a field day with his 18 completions for 309 yards. Tyvon Branch had a beat on a deflected ball that could’ve been an interception for a touchdown, but Trevor Scott gave chase as well and both took each other out on the play.

SPECIAL TEAMS: B

The anemic return units continued with their struggles. Gary Russell did very little to add some pop to the kickoff returns as Oakland looked for a change of pace after trying Jonathan Holland in that spot for a few games. Shane Lechler punted nine-times for a 54.8 average. His season average is now 51.9 – keeping him ahead of Sammy Baugh’s single season record.

COACHING: D

On defense, it was nice to see the Raiders pressure from the linebacker spot and John Marshall mixing up the formations and disguising the coverages. But many times, the attacks along the line of scrimmage led to big plays due to the Raiders being out of position.  Not too much praise though can be given especially after Dallas racked up 494 total yards of offense. Tom Cable has altered his game plan and feels more confident with Gradkowski at the helm of the offense. The Raiders are mixing up more passing a play, but at times, that has taken away from their bread and butter – running the football.

GAME NOTES

• Jon Alston was placed on injured reserve, ending his season, after suffering two concussions in four weeks. Rookie Slade Norris was activated in his place after spending the majority of the season on the practice squad.
• CB John Bowie, forever linked as the player selected with a 4^th round pick acquired from the Patriots in the Randy Moss trade, was waived this week. His final stats with the Raiders – 2 tackles.
• Greg Ellis did not finish the contest due to swelling in his knee. “I don’t know what happened. I just know swelling, a lot of pressure, going down my leg, going down my knee down my shin and my calf. I don’t know if I did something during the game,’’ Ellis stated. “It started off swelling some but that’s to be expected coming off the scope but when we started playing, it was just killing me.”

Contact Author: Victor Cotto – SB Report Columnist

Bitter AFC Wet rivals meet again on Sunday when the Kansas City Chiefs (1-7) face the Oakland Raiders (2-6). During their week-two meeting, the Silver & Black pulled out a 13-10-road victory despite being dominated in total yardage (409-166) and time of possession (38:39- 21:21). Both clubs have had a lot off the field concerns and they will fight to avoid being the cellar dwellers of the division.

OAKLAND RAIDERS

On Offense:

Is Chaz Schilens finally seeing football action on Sunday? We’ll have to wait and see, but so far, all indications point to the 24-year old making his debut in 2009. “It’s feeling better, It’s not worse,” stated the wide out who has been inactive since breaking a bone in his foot back in the summer.

“I don’t know if it will be for right now, but I kind of just go to go and do what I can,” he continued when asked if his injury is completely healed.

Darren McFadden is set to return to the running back rotation. He has practiced with the team this week. And on Sunday, McFadden will face an opponent he has racked up 212 rushing yards, 79 yards receiving and 2 scores against in three career games.

What to Expect:

Kansas City is allowing 136.3 rushing yards per game. Oakland must run the football to have any success in this game. Getting McFadden back will help the diversity of this offense, but pounding the football with Justin Fargas will help them move the chains. If Schilens does play, expect Oakland to go with more three-receiver formations. The health of many of these players should help Tom Cable’s lackluster play calling.

On Defense:

Struggling cornerback Chris Johnson is highly optimistic regarding Oakland’s second half. “If you really want to look at it, you can go 8-0 and you might end up 10-6,” Johnson said yesterday. “There’s a possible way you can actually do it.”

The Raider cornerback may be kept busy this week with Matt Cassel coming off a 23-for-39 performance, with 262 yards, 2 touchdowns and no interceptions. Johnson has the bull’s eye on his jersey being the second part of the tandem with Nnamdi Asomugha.

What to Expect:

The Chiefs offensive line has allowed 30 sacks this season (31^st in the NFL). Richard Seymour, Tommy Kelly and the rest of the front-seven has to be on attack mode. John Marshall’s unit had a field day against the Eagles by blitzing and confusing the Philadelphia offensive line. Greg Ellis will continue his recovery from knee and shoulder surgery, so Trevor Scott and rookie Matt Shaughnessy should get ample opportunities to stake their claim to more reps along the defensive line.

KANSAS CITY CHIEFS

On Offense:

The Chiefs parted ways with Larry Johnson, but now must find a replacement for one of the weakest ground attacks in the league.

Kansas City is averaging a pedestrian 96.1 yards per game and are the only team in the league not to tally a rushing score so far in 2009. Jamaal Charles and Kolby Smith are two options. But neither was impressive against Jacksonville last week.

In his first career start, Smith ran for 150 yards on 31 carries with 2 touchdowns against the Silver & Black on November 25, 2007.

What to Expect:

The Raider rush defense is allowing 161 yards per game. Just what the doctor ordered for the Chiefs. It won’t be easy after the lost of Mike Goff (RG), but Oakland struggles against teams that commit to run the football against them and Smith’s shiftiness could be effective versus a Raider team that can be undisciplined and can get sloppy in their tackling.

On Defense:

Kansas City corralled the Raiders ground game in their first match-up, allowing a measly 67-yards. They would sign up for similar results right now, especially if they could place the game in the hands of JaMarcus Russell.

Their 30^th ranked defense has many holes. But can scheme overcome many of their deficiencies and force Russell into miscues?

The front-seven tallied one sack last week, so more pressure will be needed. Tamba Hali has only three-sacks in 2009, and no other defender on this roster has more than one-sack.

What to Expect:

Starting cornerbacks Brandon Flowers and Brandon Carr cannot let the Raiders’ young targets gain confidence early in this game. They must play physical at the line of scrimmage and harass them all afternoon. Russell’s accuracy has been off all year. So the Chief secondary has to be ready to pounce on his mistakes and keep Oakland’s wide receivers from getting any touches.

GAME NOTES

• This will be the 99^th meeting between both teams. The Chiefs hold a 51-45-2 advantage in the regular season. Oakland has been victorious in three of the last four meetings.
• WR Nick Miller and LB Ricky Brown were inactive during practice on Wednesday.
• Chris Chambers, who faced the Raiders a few weeks ago as a member of the San Diego Chargers is now a Chief. Chambers recorded 3 receptions for 70 yards and 2 scores last week in his debut in Kansas City, this after Tom Cable stated he had no interest in the target due to the talent he possessed on the roster.

KEY MATCH-UPS

Chambers & Dwayne Bowe vs. Asomugha & Johnson

Cassel will look to have another solid game against Oakland and a consecutive week with productive numbers. Now that he has a second target teams have to focus on, it will open up the passing game for the Chiefs.

Which Run D breaks down?

Both teams can allow big chunks on the ground. McFadden’s memorable moments have been against the Chiefs and KC would love to get something going on the ground as to relive the pressure off Cassel’s shoulders.

PREDICTION

Raiders 19 – Chiefs 16

TV & RADIO

The game will be televised on CBS with Gus Johnson providing play-by-play and former NFL player Steve Tasker handling color analysis. If sold out per NFL blackout rules, the game will air in the Bay Area on KPIX Channel 5. The game will also air in Sacramento on KOVR Channel 13. 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 Raiders web site)

GAME INFO

Sunday, November 15, 2009, 1:05 p.m. PT | Oakland Alameda County Coliseum, CA

Road Team: Kansas City Chiefs (1-7) Home: 0-4 Road: 1-3

Home Team: Oakland Raiders (2-6) Home: 1-3 Road: 1-3

Point Spread: Raiders -2 (favored)

Contact Author: Victor Cotto – SB Report Columnist

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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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

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. – The Oakland Raiders went three-and-out on the first drive of the second half. Oakland punted and the Giants got going on offense at their own 48-yard line after a personal foul penalty (horse collar tackle) on Trevor Scott.

On the Giants first play, Ahmad Bradshaw ripped a 24-yard run, giving him 106-yards for the game on 9 carries. A few plays later on 3^rd and 10, Oakland would force an incompletion, but Trevor Scott roughed up David Carr and a 15-yard infraction was called on the Raiders’ defensive end. Some time after that, Carr scampered into the end zone from 12-yards out for a commanding 38-7 New York lead.

On the ensuing drive, the Raiders faced a 2^nd and 8 when JaMarcus Russell scrambled and started his throwing motion, but the football was jarred loose on the sack by Mathias Kiwanuka and recovered by Antonio Pierce at the Oakland 22-yard line. Tom Cable challenged, but the official call was upheld.

The Giants were not able to get a first down, but the good field position set up a Lawrence Tynes 33-yard field goal that extended the Giants lead to 41-7.

Michael Bush got some of the workload on the next drive with runs of 6, 3 and 3 yards. But Oakland’s possession was thwarted when Justin Tuck recorded his second sack of the day, an 8-yard loss on 1^st and 10. Oakland eventually punted a few plays later after not converting a 3^rd and 14.

Score: Giants 41 – Raiders 7

Contact Author: Victor Cotto – SB Report.net Columnist

QUARTERBACK – C-

JaMarcus Russell’s accuracy problems were on display on Monday night. On a few occasions, he overthrew or sailed passes that were nowhere near his intended targets. The hefty passer was 8-of-18 in the first half for 111 yards, one interception and a 41.7 rating. Some of his highlights include; an 11-yard pass to Zach Miller on 3^rd and 7, and on the Raiders second drive, Russell scanned the field after play-action, finding Miller for 30 yards. He even showed some out of pocket awareness, rolling away from pressure at times to rid himself of the football and running for 4-yards on a 3^rd and 3. Russell ended 12-of-30 for 208 yards, 1 touchdown and 2 interceptions. The offense was stagnant because of his wild throws at times, but to his credit, on 4^th and 14 with over 2 minutes remaining in the game, he hit his rookie target for a clutch 57-yard touchdown pass that gave the Raiders a 20-17 lead.

RUNNING BACKS – B+

Darren McFadden almost showed his whole repertoire. The speedster had 17 carries for 68 yards; running with power between the tackles, showing his burst through lanes and to the edges and even laying some vicious blocks. His fumble in the 2^nd quarter led to a San Diego touchdown. Michael Bush scored the game’s first touchdown and ended with 55-yards rushing. The product out of Louisville keyed a big play on Oakland’s second quarter scoring drive. On 3^rd and 10, Bush picked up a blitzing linebacker, allowing Russell to connect with Louis Murphy for 15-yards on 3^rd and 10. Six plays later, Oakland took a 10-7 lead.

WIDE RECEIVERS & TIGHT ENDS – C

If not for Louis Murphy and Zach Miller, this would be an ‘F’ grade. Miller was in pro-bowl form, tallying 96-yards on 6 receptions. Murphy was shafted out of his 2^nd quarter touchdown. But he bounced back to finish with 87-yards on 4 grabs. His touchdown late in the game would have been one of the more memorable moments in recent Raiders history if not for the collapse of the defense. Darrius Heyward-Bey was non-existent. The first-round draft choice dropped a nice gainer on a 1^st and 10 after the Chargers tied the game at 7. His speed down the field did facilitate an illegal contact infraction on Quentin Jammer on 3^rd and 10, who locked in on the receiver throughout the route. Heyward-Bey is clearly not ready to contribute on a consistent basis. Tony Stewart’s 13-yard reception showed some fight after making the grab, hitting the turf and picking up extra yardage. Johnnie Lee Higgins dropped what would have been a 1^st down on a 3^rd and 14 play, but he was clobbered and could not hold on to the pass. His 19-yard run on a reverse was a highlight, especially with Russell getting out in front to block for him.

OFFENSIVE LINE – B+

For three quarters, the Raiders mauled the San Diego front-seven. Mario Henderson, Robert Gallery. Chris Morris, Cooper Carlisle and Cornell Green were assertive, faster and more explosive at the point of attack, and played with a physical nature not seen in years along the trenches. But in the 4^th quarter, they couldn’t sustain their dominance and the production on the ground dropped off substantially in the second half. Green was flagged for a false start in the opening drive, then again in the 4^th quarter on a 3^rd and 4, and then a holding infraction a few plays later on 1^st and 10. Carlisle played his best game as a Raider and Henderson made a nice first impression as the teams left tackle.

DEFENSIVE LINE – A-

Richard Seymour aligned himself all over the line of scrimmage and was a disruptor on all night recording 2-sacks in his debut. Greg Ellis, another acquisition this off-season, also notched a sack and played equally as well versus the run and when chasing down Philip Rivers. He stripped LaDainian Tomlinson on a 3^rd and 8 deep in their own territory, as Oakland stopped the Chargers in the red-zone after the big kickoff by Sproles. The run defense looked nothing like the abysmal group of recent past. They 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. Gerard Warren was steady all evening, while Tommy Kelly has flashes of total control in his game. Trevor Scott had a non-stop motor all night, and surprisingly, defended the run very well, a glaring deficit in his game all pre-season. The front-four was able to put pressure by themselves, allowing John Marshall to drop his linebackers in coverage; a move that ultimately hurt them as the game wound down.

LINEBACKERS – C-

Thomas Howard was the best performer of the night on this unit. On consecutive plays in the 4th quarter, he darted across the line of scrimmage to tackle Darren Sproles for a 3-yard loss, then lined-up in front of him out wide and clobbered the little rusher on a screen to force an incomplete. Ricky Brown had his ups and downs, but shined in the first half in run defense. Inexplicably, this got too much depth in coverage late in the game, allowing the Chargers to pick up chunks of yardage on their march to the game-winning drive.

SECONDARY – B+

Nnamdi Asomugha was stellar all evening, showing off his tackling abilities in run support and blanketing the field, as rarely did Rivers attack the pro-bowler. One of the few times he did, Asomugha was beat by Vincent Jackson on a 15-yard pass for a score. Asomugha had late help from Stanford Routt on the play. Chris Johnson had his moments; mauling Sproles on a dump off on a 2^nd and 12 in the first half and jumping underneath a slant route and almost getting a pick. But with Asomugha on the other side, Rivers attacked the riskier cornerback and got most of his 252-yards on him and safety Tyvon Branch. Branch was exceptional tackling around the line of scrimmage and to his credit, did an admirable job against one of the better pass catching tight ends in the NFL. But Antonio Gates did amass 83-yards on 5 receptions and when San Diego was successful moving the ball, it was when they attacked everyone in the secondary not named Asomugha. Michael Huff had a fumble recovery, handled Gates on a few tosses that went incomplete and on a 3^rd and 3 as San Diego moved into field goal range, the safety recorded an interception of a deflection. Even Hiram Eugene got in on the act, showing toughness on a few tackles and holding his own in deep coverage. This group helped a lot in run defense.

SPECIAL TEAMS – D-

Sproles had some momentum swinging returns, as he finished with 170 yards on kickoffs. Trevor Scott looked lively on the coverage units, as well as Todd Watkins and the rookie Mike Mitchell who had a nice stop in the second half on a punt. Louis Rankin was a non-threat on kickoffs and Higgins was quiet. Shane Lechler had a solid punting game (48.8) and Sebastian Janikowski booted both of his field goal attempts cleanly.

COACHING – A-

Tom Cable and his staff did a wonderful job preparing for the Chargers, playing it safe throughout the game, corralling the team as needed, opening up the playbook at times and ultimately getting this club primed for the opener. Cable made the right call on that 4^th and 14 touchdown to Murphy, as they got San Diego crossed up on the play, and changing the pace of the stagnant game with the reverse to Higgins. On the 3^rd and 5 prior to the nullified Murphy score, Cable called a time out, composed the team and ran a nice play that should have been a score if not for the referees overrule. John Marshall should have stayed in attack mode late in the game, as Oakland was more imposing and physical than the Chargers throughout the game. Schematically, dropping back the linebackers and giving Sproles and Rivers the shorter routes was their undoing. Nonetheless, this coaching staff did a nice job. They weren’t at fault for Russell’s wildness and the team not being able to sustain their physical play over four quarters.

Contact Author: Victor Cotto – SB Report Columnist