SB Nation - Erik Pears

Horse Tracks 9/24/09 - Brandon Marshall in lockstep?

Douglas A. Lee — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 11:46:26 -0000

DB - Week 3 - Wed: McDaniels - Broncos TV

DB - Week 3 - Wed: Marshall - Broncos TV

DP - Broncos' Marshall all kinds of happy, he insists - Mike Klis

DPP - Strong-arm tactics obsolete for the Broncos - Mike Klis
Klis points out that short passing is en vogue right now, so why does it matter that Kyle Orton doesn't walk around with a howitzer hanging from his shoulder?

DPP - Brandon Marshall speaks: he's "excited" and "comfortable" - Jeff Legwold

DPP - Kiszla: Dumervil a lesson for Marshall
Kiszla points out that Elvis is in the same boat as Brandon (excellent production, small pay, new scheme, new role) but handling it completely differently.

Y! - HOF QBs discuss current passers, rules - Jason Cole
The Greatest Ever joined Dan Marino and Joe Namath on Joe Buck's show this week

DB - Entering An Established Rivalry - Chris Gentilviso
This Sunday will mark Brian Dawkins' first game at the Black Hole, while many of his teammates will be experiencing Broncos/Raiders for the first time.

DB - No Love Lost - Gray Caldwell

AP - Broncos' Dumervil uses compact size as advantage - Pat Graham
I thought guys like Elvis and Alphonso are just too short to play in the NFL. What gives?!?!

AP - Brandon Marshall Insists He Knows Broncos' Playbook - Pat Graham

DPP - Analysis: Plans for tight ends become more clear - Lindsay Jones

DPP - Warren still feels miffed at Shanny - Lindsay Jones
Big Money thinks the Broncos could've won some titles had Shanny kept the '05 squad together.

DPP - Q&A: Broncos' defense up to grade so far - Jeff Legwold

DPP - Woody's Mailbag: Rating the Broncos' 'D'

CSG - McDaniels understands importance of beating Raiders - Frank Schwab

CSG - Broncos keep 2-0 start in perspective heading to Oakland - Frank Schwab

CSG - Broncos notes: Marshall remains patient - Frank Schwab

KDVR - Denver Broncos vs. Oakland Raiders Preview - Chris Tanaka
Tanaka predicts Denver by 14

AFC West News

SFC - Tussle probe hangs over Raiders - Scott Ostler
The Napa Police have yet to interview Tom Cable for his alleged brouhaha.

SFC - Pears to replace Gallery - David White
Old friend Erik Pears will be starting at LG on Sunday.

SFG - Raiders Silver and Black Blog : Depth chart news - David White

SFG - Raiders Silver and Black Blog : Russell on WRs, Gannon on Russell - David White
Rich Gannon is not impressed by JaMarcus The Hutt's play so far, criticizing his footwork, mechanics and lack of consistency.

OT - Receiver Walker is at loss for inactivity - Steve Corkran

OT - Huff is following Asomugha's lead - Steve Corkran

NFL - Chargers center Hardwick out eight weeks after surgery; L.T. sits

SDUT - Injuries are piling up - Kevin Acee
Hardwick is out and several others missed practice, but keep in mind that Philip Rivers always gives the Dolts a chance to win. Always.

SDUT - Dolphins and Bolts share common ground - Tod Leonard

NFP - Tavern talk: a lesson in composure - Mike Lombardi
Lombardi thinks Todd Haley needs to chill out.

KCS - Eagles’ Maclin glad that Vick is getting back on the field - Kent Babb

KCS - Chiefs notebook: KC certain about QB, while Eagles are uncertain - Adam Teicher

OT - Inman's Crystal Ball: Raiders keep it rolling with Broncos in town
Inman predicts a Raiders victory by 2

NFL News

NFL - Vick calls return "a dream come true," but will Eagles play him?

NFL - Favre believes Jets handled injury reports correctly, disputes fines

NFL - Vikings RB Peterson limited in practice with back injury

NFL - Injury-riddled Seahawks not ready to count out Hasselbeck vs. Bears

NFL - Giants DE Tuck still healing, seething after being hurt on illegal trip

NFL - Cowboys RB Barber tests injured thigh, hopes to play vs. Panthers

NFL - Texans lose starting guard Pitts for season after knee surgery

NFL - Browns RB Lewis sits out practice; status vs. Ravens unknown

NFL - Packers LT Clifton will miss at least two games with ankle injury

NFL - Jags' Dillard, Thomas likely to see more snaps with Williamson out

NFL - Bucs try to address secondary by signing S Lynch, CB Hamilton

NFL - Health concerns at safety force Packers to cut Rouse, sign Giordano

NFL - Former receiver Givens claims Titans kept knee problem secret

NFL Opinion

NFL - Patriots, Titans among six contenders trying to find their way - Bucky Brooks

NFL - Quarterbacks find it hard to have grace under pressure - Pat Kirwan
Kirwan wonders if the days of prevent defenses are gone.

PFW - Beason considered best LB in pass coverage - Mike Wilkening

NFP - NFL Notebook: Ravens are running the rock - Matt Bowen
Bowen thinks BMarsh can make an impact on the field if he works hard enough.

Y! - Reality check for first-time coaches - Charles Robinson
Robinson looks at the troubles facing some of McD's peers. Plus, a peek at how atrocious 2nd-round QBs have been over the past decade (Drew Brees being the lone exception).

NFP - Wednesday whys: Does Crabtree have alternatives? - Andrew Brandt

NFP - Running game is the answer for Cowboys - Matt Bowen
Anyone still penciling in the Cowboys as an automatic loss for the Broncos?

NFP - Diner morning news: How injuries can be fatal - Mike Lombardi
A look at the shuffle along the Packers' and Skins' O-Lines.

SI - Detroit Lions' biggest problem remains passing defense - Kerry J. Byrne

SI - Baltimore Ravens, New Orleans top NFL Power Rankings Week 3 - Don Banks

CBS - Faceoff: Patriots on run, Cutler-Orton end game, 0-2 turns?
Prisco and Judge still think the Broncos aren't very good.

ESPN - Manning not quite as great as Johnny U - John Clayton

WP - In Wilbon's World: The Wilbon Index: Top NFL Teams
Wilbon's got the Broncos at #10

NFP - The NFP Super 30 - Wes Bunting
Bunting's top junior and senior prospects for the 2010 Draft.

Previewing the Kansas City Chiefs 2009 Schedule: Week 2

Chris Thorman — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 15:49:32 -0000

OAKLAND, CA - NOVEMBER 30: Larry Johnson #27 of the Kansas City Chiefs celebrates after scoring a touchdown in the second half against the Oakland Raiders during an NFL game on November 30, 2008 at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum in Oakland, California. (Photo by Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images)

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On September 20th, the Oakland Raiders (5-11) will travel to Arrowhead Stadium to face the Kansas City Chiefs (2-14). This will be the Chiefs first AFC West opponent of the year, while Oakland will be in the middle of three straight divisional games to start off the season. They play San Diego in Week 1 and Denver in Week 3.

Last season, when the Kansas City Chiefs played the Oakland Raiders in Week 2, the fans got their first indication that something was seriously wrong with our football team. On 47 rushing attempts that day, the Raiders ran for 300 yards and 14 first downs. QB Jamarcus Russell only completed six passes on seventeen attempts. The Chiefs didn't even score until there was four minutes left in the game. And we gave up a Raider touchdown after that, making the final score 23 to 8.

Needless to say, it was a rough day to be a Chiefs fan.

But as a consolation, the Oakland Raiders 2009 off season has made it tough to be an Oakland Raider fan. It hasn't been the comedy of errors that we've seen play on in Denver but we're talking about Al Davis here. We're talking about the league's second worst run defense and an owner who has done virtually nothing to address the problem.

After the jump, we take a look at what the Raiders have done this off season to improve their team and then we'll examine how this Week 2 match up in Kansas City may go down.

2008 Season Snapshot

The 2008 Oakland Raiders finished the season ranked 29th in both points and yards gained per game, 32nd in passing yards and 10th in rushing yards per game. Their defense didn't fare much better over the long haul. Oakland finished 2008 24th in points allowed; 27th in yards allowed; 10th in passing yards allowed; and finally 31st in rushing yards allowed.

Where the Raiders excelled was rushing the football. They rushed for more than 150 yards in five contests and went over 100 yards rushing in nine games total last year. The rushing combo of Michael Bush, Darren McFadden and Justin Fargas was a potent one, as the team split carries mainly between those three players and amassed nearly 2,000 yards rushing for the season.

With Jamarcus Russell throwing the football last year, the Raiders were absolutely terrible in the passing game. Russell passed for over 200 yards only three times and passed under 150 yards a game nine times.

Much like the Chiefs did, the Raiders got killed in the running game last year on defense. The Raiders gave up over 2,500 yards rushing on the ground and had a middle of the season stretch where nearly every team destroyed Oakland on the ground.

2009 Off Season Roster Moves

Veteran Signings: QB Jeff Garcia, RB Gary Russell, FB Lorenzo Neal, OT Khalif Barnes, OT Erik Pears, G Marcus Johnson, C Samson Satele, DE Greg Ellis, DT Ryan Boschetti, S Keith Davis.

Draft Picks: WR Darrius Heyward-Bey, SS Michael Mitchell, DE Matt Shaughnessy, WR Louis Murphy, OLB Slade Norris, DE Stryker Sulak, TE Brandon Myers.

Offseason Losses: FB Justin Griffith, WR Ronald Curry, WR Drew Carter, WR Ashley Lelie, OT Kwame Harris, C Jake Grove, DE Kalimba Edwards, OLB Robert Thomas, SS Gibril Wilson, S Rashad Baker.

While Al Davis continues this off season to sign guys with serious knee problems, let's go straight to the source of Raiders fandom over at Silver and Black Pride to get their thoughts on the team's first round pick, WR Darrius Heyward-Bey:

40 YARD DASH TIMES ARE NOT EVERYTHING

This is why we will never win until al davis goes away. if you want fast guys there’s plenty of skiny sprinters in the olympics. WE ARE THE WORST RUN ORG IN THE NFL.

Even if he turns out to be descent picking him at 7 is terrible imo. We could have grabbed a 4th rounder and traded down a dozen spots to snag him. Bah being a Raiders fan on draft day is rough.

So, without going into too much more detail, Raiders fans are quite upset with Al Davis not properly addressing the team's needs through the draft. Through the draft, Oakland did bolster what is quickly becoming one of the best secondaries in the NFL. Despite being a reach, second round pick S Michael Mitchell is highly talented. Top corner Nnamdi Asomugha makes #2 CB Chris Johnson's job that much easier as well.

The team did address part of their offensive line needs through free agency by adding OT Khalif Barnes. As you can see though, the Raiders did pretty much nothing to address that terrible defensive line. Al Davis, at it again.

Darren McFadden #20 of the Oakland Raiders carries the ball as Derrick Johnson #56 of the Kansas City Chiefs defends during the first half of the game on September 14, 2008 at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

Why the Chiefs Will Win

It was clear last season that teams knew what to do against the Raiders - run the football. And with Al Davis doing virtually nothing to fix that problem this off season, the Chiefs' best chance to beat the Raiders in Week 2 is to pound, pound the football. Larry Johnson and Jamaal Charles are going to have to combine for at least thirty rushing attempts this game to ensure a Chiefs win. It would make no sense not to attack the Raiders biggest weak point.

Couple that terrible run defense with what will hopefully be an improved and more efficient passing game with Matt Cassel leading the way and the Chiefs should definitley have the Raiders' number on defense. If the team can't produce yards and points against this Raider defense in Week 2, it's going to feel a lot like last season's Week 2 loss in Oakland - demoralizing, depressing and a sad indication of things to come in KC.

The lack of a decent Oakland passing attack will also help the Chiefs win this game. Jamarcus Russell still hasn't impressed really anyone and the addition of WR Darrius Heyward-Bey hasn't exactly put the Raiders over the top in the receiving talent category. If you take a look at the Raiders roster, tell me who exactly besides Heyward-Bey is Russell going to throw to? Javon Walker? TE Zach Miller should see an increase in his production this year. He may end up being Oakland's most reliable target.

Why the Raiders Will Win

By far the biggest reason the Oakland Raiders were able to win one of their two games against the Chiefs last year was their ability to run the football. The Raiders may have been 31st in the NFL in rushing yards allowed but the Chiefs were 30th (and not far behind Oakland's average). The Raiders will be looking to do what the Chiefs will be looking to do against them - run the football all day long.

Quarterback Tyler Thigpen #4 of the Kansas City Chiefs is sacked by Derrick Burgess #56 of the Oakland Raiders during the first half of the game on Saptember 14, 2008 at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

I'll admit it. A new defensive scheme with hopeful but unproven younger guys makes me scared against Darren McFadden, Michael Bush and Justin Fargas. Those three destroyed the Chiefs last year in Week 2 and there really isn't a whole lot, besides the addition of Tyson Jackson, that makes me think the Chiefs will have solved their rushing problems by Week 2.

Also, I know I'm not in the minority when I emphasize how much different this offense is going to look without Tony Gonzalez. I really have no idea what to expect without TG lining up for the Chiefs. I suspect that the loss of TG is going to hurt much more than any of us really want to admit right now. We'll be finding out very early in the season, and especially during Week 2, just how well the Chiefs are going to function without the Hall of Fame tight end.

Finally, the Raiders have a big edge on special teams. Sebastian Janikowski will continue to be a top notch kicker, even if the last few seasons haven't reflected that. Shane Lechler is the NFL's best punter. Plus, Oakland has two great return men in Justin Miller and Johnnie Lee Higgins. Miller returned two kickoffs for TDs last year and Higgins took three punt returns all the way back for scores. One big return by either one of those guys, resulting in a field goal or a touchdown, could be the difference in what I predict is going to be a close game.

My Prediction

I hate admitting this but the Chiefs and Raiders are pretty close in talent level right now. Things could easily change if say our rush defense gels quickly in 2009 but for right now, these two teams are pretty even.

I don't believe that either one of these team's defenses are going to be markedly improved by Week 2. With that said, I'm not predicting a shootout either. Both secondaries could be considered team strengths, which will limit both team's relatively weak passing games. I predict a sloppy game that is decided by one or two defensive breakdowns that result in points for the opposing offense. Looking at last year's Chiefs/Raiders point totals, I predict a 20 to 17 Chiefs win. The Arrowhead Advantage pulls the Chiefs through in a close divisional game.

More...

Previewing Week 1: Baltimore Ravens

Broncos Annouce Several Roster Moves, More To Come

John Bena — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 18:41:43 -0000

The Denver Broncos on Wednesday placed linebacker Boss Bailey (left knee) and quarterback Patrick Ramsey (right elbow) on their reserve/injured list, Head Coach Mike Shanahan announced. Both injuries occurred during the Broncos' game at New England on Monday night.

The club also on Wednesday placed tackle Erik Pears (appendectomy) on its reserve/non-football illness list and announced that defensive tackle Steven Harris has been released from its practice squad.

Bailey, a sixth-year linebacker in his first season with the Broncos, started all seven games for Denver this year and ranks fourth on the team with 43 tackles (32 solo) while adding one fumble recovery. He joined the Broncos as an unrestricted free agent on March 6 after spending his first five professional seasons with Detroit.

Ramsey, a seventh-year quarterback in his second season with the Broncos, saw his only action of the year in Denver's game at New England on Monday, completing 2-of-3 passes for 19 yards. He joined the Broncos as a free agent on March 19, 2007, after seeing time with the Jets (2006) and Redskins (2002-05).

Pears, a third-year tackle in his third season with the Broncos, has been inactive for all seven games this season. A 16-game starter for Denver at right tackle in 2007, Pears entered the NFL with the Broncos as a college free agent from Colorado State University on May 12, 2005.