Raidertopia

Winning Ugly?  This was absolutely hideous.

The Raiders had no business winning this game.

A 13-10 victory at Kansas City.

But hey, it’s so much better on the winning side of a game like this.  I recall a game against Carolina last year where Delhomme had almost as bad a game as Russell did today and the Panthers won by 11.

Maybe this is a sign that things are changing.

All my fears about Russell are unfortunately looking to have validity – he’s terribly inaccurate, has little pocket presence, and stares down his intended receivers.  I think the inaccuracy is the biggest concern.  Do QBs really ever improve in that area?  Or is it innate?  You have it or you don’t?  Name one QB who improved in that area.  I hope I’m wrong, but these are real concerns.  We heard about it all through training camp and he’s looked bad these first two games.  What is he, something like 17 for 50?

Today, he missed wide open receivers on numerous occasions.  One was a potential Louis Murphy TD.  TE Miller never caught a pass and he was open several times.  How do you not complete a pass to Miller in an entire 60 minutes?  Russell was also very, very fortunate that an easy interception-for-a-TD was dropped by KC.  That could have been ball game.  Also disturbing was the fact that he wasn’t getting all that much pressure from the KC pass rush.

Heck, he was having great difficulty even completing screen passes and dump offs.

As for the rest of the offense, the running game disappeared today when they needed it most.  Though he scored the game winner, McFadden gets tripped up way too easy, whether it’s his own lineman or a defender’s hand.  What’s up with that?

166 yards to over 400.  11 first downs to 25.  21 minutes of possession to 38.  How do you win a game like that?

Thank you Michael Huff for finally playing up to your first round potential.  His two interceptions were huge.

The Raider special teams were half very good (Lechler, Jano and the kick coverage), but half scary bad.  By that I mean the return teams were just there to catch the kicks and not make mistakes.  One punt late in the game was muffed and almost lost.

More huge though, were the Chiefs ineptness.  They did things the old Raiders used to do.  They let the clock run out at the end of the half in the red zone.  They committed some bad penalties.  They dropped interceptions.  Their special teams watched punts roll into the end zone.

Lastly, why was dehydration such a factor with Raider players in 75 degree weather?

Nevertheless, a win is a win.  Just expect every team on the schedule to play at least eight in the box and dare him to throw and beat them with his arm.  It should be interesting.  I hope I’m wrong about him, but right now his name is being discussed with Ryan Leaf’s.  Not good.

First, I’ve got to say, those throwback uniforms were stellar.  Can the Raiders wear those every week?Makes those USFL-style Bronco and Patsy unis look like a joke.

Like any good Raider fan, I can’t let it go.  I’m talking about the most recent horrendous call that may have cost the Raiders a big win.  What is fuelling me know is the NFL’s attempt to justify it with the supposed rule that they applied.

First, let me say that if the defense, and especially the defensive coordinator, had done their jobs there wouldn’t be as big a controversy.  They allowed San Diego to drive 89 yards in the last 2 minutes to win.  They used the vaunted prevent defense with linebackers playing back 15 yards to allow scatback Sproles to get the ball in huge, open spaces.  What were they thinking?

Back to the rule.  Nancy Gay shows here anti-Raider bias once again with the sarcastic blog title, Sorry, Raiders Fans: Rule Book Backs Reversal of Louis Murphy TD.

No, sorry Nancy. That rule was mis-applied.

First, the rule

“A player is in possession when he is in firm grip and control of the ball inbounds. To gain possession of a loose ball that has been caught, intercepted or recovered, a player must have complete control of the ball and have both feet completely on the ground inbounds or any other part of his body, other than his hands, on the ground inbounds.

“If the player loses the ball while simultaneously touching both feet or any other part of his body to the ground or if there is any doubt that the acts were simultaneous, there is no possession. This rule applies to the field of play and in the end zone.”

Thanks for that reprint, Nancy. It seems that the “a player must have complete control of the ball and have both feet completely on the ground inbounds” part was plain to see.

So why doesn’t it stop there?

Because Nancy and the NFL are just reaching t find something….anything….to justify the bad call.

They decide they can use Note 1 of this rule:

“A player who goes to the ground in the process of attempting to secure possession of a loose ball (with or without contact by a defender) must maintain control of the ball after he touches the ground, whether in the field of play or the end zone.

The problem with this part of the rule is that it does NOT apply here. Murphy had total control going to the ground (both feet, a hip) and even controlled the ball until the tail end of his time ON the ground, when he started to get up to celebrate.  The snapshot above shows Murphy with the ball secured AFTER two feet, a hip, and even an elbow touched the ground.  In the video freeze frame, you can see his left hand starting to push himself back up to get to his feet and celebrate, where I admit, he then lets the ball slip out of his hands…well after the play is completed, using plain common sense.

And what constitutes the end of a play, anyway?

Total stillness?

Louis Murphy said it best and the way most reasonable humans saw it:

“They told me I had two feet and my rear end was down,” Murphy said. “Honestly, when I fell, I was pushing myself to celebrate. I didn’t think I ever lost control of the ball.”

And whatever happened to undisputable video evidence needed to overturn a call? They were in that booth so long, Raider fans just knew it was going to be bad news. If it was so undisputable for those inept zebras, why were they searching so long? I say searching because they were probably searching the rule book for something to validate their scheme.

Want to hear the most hilarious quote?

Referee Carl Cheffers said in an interview after the game that the ruling was “pretty clear-cut.”

No surprise that the idiots (Florio, Mortenson) over at PFT and ESPN are backing the NFL’s ludicrous reading of the “rule”.

The NFL and their rules are a joke. They’re going to ruin a great game.

Halftime thoughts….

Wonder how the NFL is going to spin the horrendous call (a reversal on instant replay, no less!) that took a TD away from rookie Louis Murphy.  Inexcusable.  Really makes you wonder about those idiots.

Don’t worry, Louis, you’ll have plenty more in the future.

This game just better not come down to 4 points.

Have to say I like how this team looks.  Need to work on getting the ball to the WRs, but run game looks very good….and Richard Seymour is a difference maker.  Period.

This game should not be tied. Not even close.

After the second preseason game, it appeared that run D is the Raiders’ biggest problem.  The 49ers absolutely manhandled them throughout the game.  Even the first team defense was horrid as their rookie 3rd rounder had about 130 yards in a quarter and a half.

I don’t know if the soluution is as simple as Zennie Abraham says, but I hope so.  It must be fixed before the season starts and the Raiders face San Diego and Kansas City or those games are already lost.

And as I watch the first half of what they say is the most important, third preseason game, the problem seems to be all over the defense as New Orleans passed at will throughout and had three long TD drives (so far).

Granted, New Orleans has a great offense that mixes it up really well, but the Raiders showed no improvement in run defense, had very little pressure on the QB, covered downfield poorly, and did not tackle well.  Plus, the Saints were missing their top 2 running backs, including Reggie Bush.

Some specific things I didn’t like, on both sides of the ball:

• I thought the Raiders finally unloaded Tyler Brayton?  Trevor Scott looks like his twin and looks weak.  He gets swallowed up by the LT when he rushes and misses tackles way too often.  He had a chance to tackle a back at the 5 on one of the Saints drives andjust rolled off him, allowing him to score.  Why did they give away Derrick Burgess again? The homer Raider announcing team were talking him up during the game, totally oblivious to what was going on down on the field.
• Why doesn’t a veteran offensive tackle know that he’s lining up too far off the line of scrimmage.  Talking about RT Cornell Green, who did the exact same thing last week.
• Louis Murphy needs to work on securing the ball after the catch. Seriously!
• Stanford Routt looked shakey and there were too many guys running around wide open back there.  Where’s this Mitchell guy that’s supposed to intimidate people from crossing the middle?
• The linebackers looked pedestrian.  Ricky Brown?  John Alston?  Are these guys anything more than special teamers or 3rd stringers anywhere else?  You’re telling me there wasn’t a LB free agent available that could help? Brown managed to get called for defensive holding on a play where he blitzed and was stonewalled (surprise) by the running back.
• Tackling was atrocious.

On the bright side, undrafted free agent DT Desmond Bryant from Harvard looks great!  He’s big,  pushes the pocket back, and shows some tenacity. Terdell Sands better get an injury soon or he’s as good as gone.

The defensive meltdown is not only bad for them, but bad because the offense didn’t get much work in between those drives and they need it.  Jamarcus needs it.  The rookie wide receivers need it.  Frankly, the whole offense needs it.

At least the defense is getting work.

So much for seeing more of Michael Bush.  He got the start and I think he had one carry in the first half.

31-0 at the half.

1 rushing yard.

Outgained 344-60.

Outfirst-downed 19-3.

Hopefully not a sign of things to come, like another opening week embarassment on national TV.