SB Nation - Javon Walker

MHR Chalk Talk - Oakland Raiders at Denver Broncos '09

Steve Nichols — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 18:30:14 -0000

More photos » by Darron Cummings - AP

During practice this week, and under the watchful eye of Coach "Jedi" McDaniels, Broncos QB Kyle Orton practices levitating a football. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)

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I have a lot on my mind right now, and I want to touch on each issue that is rumbling around in my head.

1) The loss of Bengals receiver Chris Henry

2) The great effort by Denver in their loss in Indianapolis

3) The beating we are about to administer to the Raiders, and...

4) What is in store for the Broncos, this year and next.

Let's start with the big news of the week, the death of Chris Henry. I don't know the circumstances surrounding the death of Chris. I know there was a domestic dispute, and Chris fell out of the rear of a moving pickup truck. But that's it. I'm not interested in who was at fault, and what led up to this tragedy. Here's what I do know:

Chris was a young father. There are young children whose lives are going to be impacted by this death, and that is more crucial than anything having to do with football. My prayers are with them.

Second (and not even on the scale of importance as the loss of a human life) is the question as to how the Bengals will choose to react to this tragedy. This week the Bengals play the Chargers. As we know, the Broncos would like to see the Chargers lose as many games as possible in the final three weeks. CIN is the biggest threat left for the Chargers (the other two games are at TEN and home against WAS). Will the Bengals take this death too hard to play four quarters of football, or will they play an inspired game?

I was against SD in this game, but now I'm for Cincy. I'm sure much of the football world will be, too. Let's keep Chris's children in our prayers.

Denver is a Very Good Team

What did I want and expect from Denver this year? A record of at least 8 wins, and improved play. Well, I've received what I wanted (and expected).

Our defense is exciting to watch! Brian Dawkins is all over the field making big plays, Elvis Dumervil is looking like the sack leader of 2009, and Andre' Goodman and Renaldo Hill have held their own with Champ Bailey for for playing at an elite level. Robert Ayers and Darcel McBath look like they have secure futures with the team, and Andra Davis has silenced the naysayers that claimed he didn't belong on the same team as D.J. Williams. Denver has one of the best defenses in the League right now, and the hiring of Mike Nolan to run the defense was brilliant.
When Josh McDaniels had to determine the best way to get something in return for Jay Cutler, his options were limited. He took Kyle Orton and a few draft picks. Right now, Orton is playing much better than Cutler (many of us would have said this was even the case before the trade), and that number one pick from Chicago is looking like a real gem right now. Orton isn't flashy, but he isn't giving the ball (and ballgames) away either.
I don't like the fact that we "only" rank 12th in running the ball. Still, Knowshon Moreno is on track to go over 1,000 yards for the season (despite sharing the running load), and Correll Buckhalter averages 5.3 yards a carry. I'll take it.

It sucked losing to Indianapolis, didn't it? Well, not entirely. First of all (as our own John Bena points out), this isn't the same Broncos team of the last few years that would have been blown out. It was a tight game. Denver blew some chances in the red zone (including a missed FG, and an INT in the end zone), but the team also played for 60 minutes and did a lot of things right.

I read Ted Bartlett's excellent ST&NO article on Tuesday, and found myself nodding my head in agreement time and time again with his take on our Indy game. I'd like to copy and paste many of his thoughts here, but I'd have to use most of his article, so you might as well just click the link I provided and read the whole thing again because it is that good. Here are the highlights -

The Broncos outgained Indianapolis 357-312. They held the ball for 31:27, versus the Colts' 28:33. They won the turnover battle 3-1. The Broncos advanced into Colts territory on 8 of 12 possessions.

And now I'll just paraphrase some more thoughts from the story -

We proved that we can disrupt Manning. Andre' Goodman was brilliant. Darcel McBath may be lost to IR, but he had a heck of a game before going down to injury. In fact, he was awesome. Indy didn't have an answer for Brandon Marshall (more on this in a moment). Jabar Gaffney looked good. Robert Ayers and Elvis Dumervil looked great (despite a lack of sacks). Doom (despite a recent fanpost calling for a trade due to his lack of ability in run stopping) continues to handle run stopping and pass rushing duties like a pro.

And now about Brandon Marshall. The Broncos may be trying to sound "politicaly correct" when they say that they weren't trying to get the ball to Marshall over and over. Coach McDaniels says that Marshall happened to be open a lot, so that is where the ball went. I appreciate what the coach is saying, but he's reciting "coach speak" because he's too polite to state the cold, hard truth.

The truth is, Marshall was open some of the time, and some of the time he wasn't. But the bottom line is, nobody in the Colts secondary had even the smallest trace of ability to stop The Beast. Simply put, Marshall did a brilliant job of out-muscling, out-jumping, and outdistancing his opponents on nearly every play. The Tampa-2 remains a good defense, but it still takes mediocre cornerbacks and puts them into positions to make plays. When a good QB like Kyle Orton can dink and dunk underneath the coverage, a powerful man like Marshall can make the catches and run over lesser corners. Coach McDaniels has too much class to put it like that, but that's how it was. We kept going to the well because the well wasn't drying up, and the guys guarding the well just weren't that good.

We have beat great teams this year, and lost a close game to a probable Super Bowl contender. I feel great!

The Oakland Raiders

How bad have things gotten in Oakland? This bad (warning - strong language). When the editor of a fan blog goes this far over the top, we know that things have collapsed completely. The unfortunate linked story tells us everything we need to know about the Raiders organization. Most notably, that the fan base is disgusted with their own team.

Where to begin? Denver is saying all the right things in their press conferences (such as "Oakland is a better team than their record, and they're capable of big plays if we aren't careful"), but really, c'mon now.

As a coach, I am going to pump my team up as much as possible. Any team can beat any other team if one of those teams isn't playing at a high level. But here's the problem. This is a new Denver team, a team that plays with the "Brian Dawkins Work Ethic". We don't let up, and we play hard. The shenanigans (or Shanahanigans) of the last three or so years have ended. This team is pumped up and playing hard. I frankly can't see the Denver Broncos taking a team for granted anymore.

Here is what you need to know as we go into this game.

First, Oakland is a terrible team on offense. They are second-to-last in the following vital stats - points, yards, and pass yards. In fact, they only average 11.9 points per game. And while they rank 31st in those areas, they rank only 22nd in running the ball. Denver's defense matches up perfectly - 4th in preventing points, 3rd in preventing yards, 2nd in preventing the pass. Denver is 15th in stopping the run.

Things are so bad, that posters at S&BP are excited about the prospect of seeing their third string QB get the start!

On defense, things aren't much better. The Raiders are 26th in preventing points, 28th in stopping yards, and 30th in stopping the run. At least they are 17th in stopping the pass (which isn't saying much). Meanwhile, the Broncos are a better match on the offensive side of things, though the stats aren't great. Denver is 20th in points, 17th in yards, 18th in passing yards, and 12th in the rush. Still, Denver has a record-setting WR, a careful QB, and excellent RBs.

Do the Raiders have any hope at all? Of course they do. Everything (including home-field advantage) screams for a Broncos blowout over the Raiders, but it isn't a done deal.

First of all, the Raiders have players that anyone should respect. That the team doesn't play together as a team is their downfall. The Raiders have good running backs in depth, and any of them could break a good play with good blocking and poor defense by Denver. But with a 5-2 look and motivated play from Denver, I'm not sure this will be an issue.

The Raiders also have a decent defensive line, but right DE Greg Ellis is probably out for this game. A good match-up may be LDE Richard Seymour against Denver RT Tyler Polumbus.

One of the better players for Oakland is Nnamdi Asomugha, a young and very talented CB. He'll face Brandon Marshall. Even with excellent coverage, Orton has several other places to go with the ball (3 other excellent receivers, and two TEs).

Sadly, the best player on the Oakland team (in my opinion) is kicker Sebastian Janikowski. He has the power and accuracy to make just about any field goal, and the thin air in Denver only gives him better chances to score.

Denver's biggest weakness isn't players or coaches, it is injuries. Denver's primary running back is out for this game. RDE/OLB Elvis Dumervil didn't practice, and neither did SS Renaldo Hill.

So forgive me for the keys to this game sounding a bit, well, tongue in cheek. I'm being serious.

Keys to the Game

Oakland -

Forget about this game. If you want to start winning games, the change needs to come from the top. Al Davis is unable to keep his claws out of the team's football operations. He has brought in a boxer instead of a head coach, a QB who needs Jenny Craig more than Kirstie Alley does, and forces the team to play a vertical offense approach that has been outdated for decades. Throw in the terrible player moves of late (such as the Javon Walker signing), and this team isn't going to win many games. Until Al Davis is removed, the Oakland Raiders are the ~~Detroit Lions~~ Oakland Raiders of the NFL.
Pray that the Broncos take you for granted like Pittsburgh did.
Run the ball, and pray to God that Denver makes mistakes.

Denver -

Take this game seriously. The only way that you lose this game is to play against the Raiders as if the Raiders are as bad as they are. Play your own brand of football, and play hard on every down. Everything else will work out.
Limit mistakes. If you want to hand the game to Oakland, get some penalties and turnovers.
Curb the excessive celebrations. I expect a lot of great plays on offense, defense, and special teams. If you take off your helmet (I won't mention any names) or do a choreographed dance, we can get penalized. (lol)

Where do we go from here?

With a newly built team that doesn't sleep on games, I expect wins against KC and OAK at home. The game that really intrigues me is the one against Philly. I have this game circled on my calendar as an excellent game against a good team. I also see it as a prelude to the playoffs. How we play against the Eagles in an away game will tell me a lot about our postseason chances. More on that game next week.

If the Broncos can win the last three games (I'd put the odds at about 50/50) and SD loses to CIN and drops a game in TEN, I really like where the Broncos could end up. On the other hand, if DEN loses to PHI and the Ravens win out (games against CHI, PIT, and OAK), we could drop from 5th seed to 6th seed. In the end, I think Denver gets the 5th seed, regardless of the PHI game. But winning that game (along with the must-win "easy" games of OAK and KC) may prove to be critical based on what SD and BAL do.

Here's a major thought - there are four teams ahead of Denver in the playoff seedings at this point, and Denver has beaten three of them (SD, CIN, and NE). We are good enough to go far this year. We also lost to two of those teams (SD and IND). I don't think we're likely to win or even make a SB appearance. In fact, it is hard to beat any team twice (the losing team has more film that benefits them), so I think a deep playoff run is difficult.

But I wanted improvement this year, and a playoff appearance is ahead of where I thought we would be. Coach McDaniels gets an A+ for his first year.

Last year, it would have been silly to talk about playoffs this early (remember the three game losing skid?), but a new coach and a new team attitude has me believing that we will make the playoffs this year. I'm not even concerned about how far we get after that. Denver has already exceeded my expectations, and everything now is icing on the cake.

And now, for a parting shot...

I want to thank the Colts fans who visited us last week. They were friendly, smart, and active. I congratulate them on their fine victory, and for having class at our site. Well, almost all of them.

I enjoyed the following comment under my story last week...

Which is the bigger overstatement?

"Broncs have the best secondary ever assembled on one team"

OR

"Colts are facing an incredible pass rush"

Neither the secondary or the pass rush are the best in the league this year, let alone legendary. Let’s watch the game and decide which of these statements is the most absurd.

by Check Your Facts

I didn't see the comment until today. Here was my answer some moments ago...

Check YOUR facts sir.

Is it just me, or is Elvis Dumervil leading the League in sacks right now? Bailey and Dawkins not legendary players with HOF in their futures? Are you kidding me?

Denver wasn’t going to win this game (as I wrote), but your comment is very perplexing. As it turns out, we intercepted Manning three times, and hurried him through out the game.

Check your facts indeed. lol

by Steve Nichols

It is now clear which comment was most absurd. Funny, but it wasn't either of mine.

: )

Poll

Jamarcus Russell, QB of the Oakland Raiders....

Horse Tracks 12/16/09 - Broncos thin at running back and safety heading into game versus Raiders

Douglas A. Lee — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 12:29:55 -0000

DB - Shopping with the Broncos - Broncos TV

DB - Holiday Spirit Hits Store Shelves - Zach Eisendrath & Chris Gentilviso

DB - Wide Receiver Draws Wide Smiles - Zach Eisendrath & Chris Gentilviso

DPP - Broncos not yet willing to talk about playoffs - Lindsay Jones

DPP - Hurting Broncos wait to see which RBs can play - Jeff Legwold
"Correll Buckhalter left last weekend's loss at Indianapolis with an ankle injury and is not expected to play against the Raiders. LaMont Jordan has missed practice time in recent weeks with a back injury, and a battered Knowshon Moreno was moving rather gingerly after the Colts game."

DPP - Broncos' defense started too slowly vs. Colts, Peyton Manning - Jeff Legwold
"Russell, who was benched four weeks ago, was sacked six times, fumbled and threw an interception in a half of work against the Redskins on Sunday."

LTC - Happy Holliday - Brian Howell

LTC - Denver’s short-yardage woes against Colts bring RB Hillis back to mind - Brian Howell
"In the past three games, the Broncos have outscored their opponents 49-20 after halftime."

DPP - Analysis: Broncos on right path to succeed - Jeff Legwold
"It's a lot to ask for the Broncos to go from living life in the league's mediocre club, as they had done in 2006, 2007 and 2008, to cleaning house, to suddenly arriving as championship contender months later."

NYT - Doctor Who Treated Top Athletes Is Subject of Doping Inquiry
By now, you've probably heard about this guy due to his ties to Tiger. It's only mentioned briefly here, but Chris Simms (and Javon Walker) have both been treated by Dr. Galea. Folks, take a look at this guy's pictures and try to guess how old he is; the guy takes HGH. Once you find out his true age, you'll probably be a bit creeped out (as I was).

DPP - Broncos QB Simms among athletes treated by doctor who is under investigation - Mike Klis

NFP - Tavern talk: Smart decision by McDaniels - Mike Lombardi
"Most of the comments were, "Has he lost his mind? Why would he give the Colts a lead in the game?" My thought: It was brilliant and very perceptive, which is why McDaniels will win a Super Bowl in Denver."

DB - Record-Setting Day Brings AFC Award - Gray Caldwell

DB - Marshall Named AFC Player of the Week - Broncos TV

DPP - Q&A: Playoff tiebreakers ready for use - Jeff Legwold

CSG - Broncos in good shape for wild-card berth - Frank Schwab

CBS4 - Royal Compares Marshall's Dominance To Basketball - Matthew Buettner

AFC West News

ESPN - How I See It: AFC West Stock Watch - Bill Williamson

SDUT - Bolts’ soft ground defense put to the test - Kevin Acee

SDUT - Fans not voting many Chargers to Pro Bowl - Kevin Acee

SDUT - Scouting Report: Sputtering Bengals look to regroup on Sunday - Jay Posner

SDUT - Teams choosing to take a pass on running the ball are doing just fine - Tim Sullivan

KCS - Chiefs need to sell 5,500 tickets to avoid blackout - Randy Covitz

KCS - Haley doesn’t consider Cassel among Chiefs’ shortcomings - Kent Babb

OT - Raiders sign former Buffalo Bills quarterback J.P. Losman - Steve Corkran

NFL News

Y! - Doctor makes proposal for concussion prevention - Jason Cole

NYT - The N.F.L.’s Playoff Scenarios - Judy Battista

NFL - Holmgren meets with Browns over 'czar' of football job

NFL - Cowboys' Ware feels better, optimistic about playing vs. Saints

NFL - MRI shows no significant damage to Fitzgerald's knee

NFL - Panthers’ Delhomme expected to sit Sunday

NFL - Struggling Steelers will be without Kemoeatu, Polamalu vs. Packers

NFL Opinion

NFL - Colts, Saints, Vikings look to put poor home playoff history in past - Pat Kirwan

SN - To beat Colts, Saints, foes need to follow bold formula - Vinnie Iyer

NFL - Can Manning and Brees rest on their laurels and still be MVP? - Vic Carucci

CBS - Owner Irsay is block that Colts' winning engine is built on - Clark Judge

ESPN - Saints, Colts passing depth test - Len Pasquarelli

NFP - Diner morning news: Cards still inconsistent - Mike Lombardi

SN - Fearless (and Baseless) Playoff Prognostications - Michael Tunison

NFP - One more Pro Bowl vote for Redskins’ Fletcher - Matt Bowen

SI - Alex Smith's future with Niners depends on final three games - Peter King
"Well, I'll tell you this -- if Mike Shanahan gets the (Washington) job, he's bringing Bob Slowik in as defensive coordinator, and I'm pretty sure he'll use a draft choice to pick and then develop his long-term quarterback."

SI - Michael Oher to Lions, Percy Harvin to Chiefs - Don Banks
Banks works his 2009 Draft do-over, in which he's got Denver still taking Knowshon; at 18 he's got them selecting Louis Delmas over Robert Ayers. Judging by what he's written lately about the Broncos, I'm guessing Banks thinks Ayers is a bust because he lacks statistics...

CBS - Scared straight? McNair case has negligible impact on NFL infidelity - Mike Freeman

CBS - Defensive transition taking toll, challenges ahead for Patriots - Charley Casserly

FH - Palmer Says Arm's OK, So What's the Bengals' Problem? - Dan Graziano

FH - Between the Lines: Steelers O-Line Confused by Browns - JJ Cooper

FH - Lovie Smith Is Right: Bears' Final 3 Games Are Important - Michael David Smith

FOX - How mighty Giants defense has fallen - Adam Schein
As if FOX wasn't already an obnoxious enough product, they've now enlarged their fonts and their web presentations in general. How "In your face" can they get?!?!

ESPN - Emboldened critics target Moss - Howard Bryant

NYT - The Most Unlikely Playoff Participants in N.F.L. History - Chase Stuart
Interesting, although it brings up a pair of the worst Broncos memories of all time...

NFP - The high cost of preparing prospects - Jack Bechta

NFP - What Locker’s decision means for the draft - Wes Bunting

NFP - Coaching Carousel: How colleges should do it - Robert Boland

Power Rankings, Etc.

NYT - Passer Ratings: Bad and Worse - Luis DeLoureiro

Y! - Well-rested Winfield ready for stretch run - Mike Silver

CBS - Power Rankings: Unbeatens fattening up on cupcakes - Pete Prisco

ESPN - NFL Power Rankings Week 15

FH - NFL Power Rankings, Week 15: Vacating the Throne - Chris Burke

Half Time Thread: 10-6 Steelers: The Raiders Brought Their A-Game in the First Half:

saint — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 19:38:14 -0000

Wow, Raider fans, we do have an offense...It just isn't named Darren McFadden...Or JaMarcus Russell...Or Javon Walker...Or Darius Heyward-Bey...Nope, it is named Johnie-Lee-Fargas-Miller-Gradkowski!

Bruce is having a fantastic game under Center. He is 7/9 for 86 yards and a very nice 106.5 passer rating.

Against the 3rd best run defense Justin Fargas has rushed for 42 yards on 9 carries while Darren McFadden has only 19 yards on 8 carries. McFadden is having trouble reading blocks and is definitely my 3rd option in the 2nd half. We need to use him on wheel routes, kick returns and in the slot until he learns how to read blocks.

I like the 18 rush to 10 pass ratio, this is how it needs to be.

Johnnie Lee Higgins looks like he can be the first Raider receiver to reach 100 yards this season.

Go Raiders

State of the AFC West Week 10

Sam (sdsuaztec4) — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 04:32:00 -0000

Those standings look a little strange don't they? First of all, it's kind of funny that the top two and the bottom two teams have the same records. Second of all, it's starting to resemble last year's standings more and more. For the second year in a row, it looks like the division will come down to the second match-up between the Chargers and Broncos. The game will be played in Denver this season but the momentum of the teams in certainly the same. The Chargers have won 4 in a row and the Broncos have lost 3 in a row. This season there will still be games to be played but the losing team will essentially have to win out to win the division. The Raiders and the Chiefs will actually play a big part as potential spoilers; the Broncos play the Chiefs twice and the Raiders once more. If the Broncos lose on Sunday they will have to sweep those three games and I don't expect those two teams to roll over with a big chance to play spoiler against a division opponent. The Chargers play the Chiefs once more at Qualcomm after the Broncos game which will be their last divisional game.

Click the jump to see where all the teams are at

AFC West Standings

	W	L	PF	PA
Denver	6	3	167	151
San Diego	6	3	237	202
Oakland	2	7	88	217
Kansas City	2	7	142	215

(updated 11.17.2009 at 1:16 AM PST)

Kansas City Chiefs: Things aren't getting any better for the Chiefs. As you have probably already heard, WR Dwayne Bowe was just suspended four games for testing positive for PEDs. Bowe is probably the Chiefs' best player and losing him is going to be a big blow to their already meager offense. You have to wonder if the Chiefs knew this was coming when they claimed Chris Chambers. Matt Cassel will probably have even more trouble completing passes now. But hey, at least they beat the Raiders and got their first rushing TD of the season right? It doesn't get any easier for the Chiefs as their next three games are vs. Steelers, @ San Diego, vs. Denver. Their next divisional game is @ San Diego for which there are still 7,000 tickets remaining. With both games left against Denver and one more against San Diego the Chiefs will surely try to play spoiler within the division so they still have a big chance to decide the division.

Kansas City Chiefs Injuries

Probable

Player	Injury Type	Injury Date
Jamaal Charles	leg	11/16/2009

Questionable

Player	Injury Type	Injury Date
Mike Vrabel	knee	11/16/2009
Dantrell Savage	ankle	11/16/2009

Out (IR / Out / Suspended / Physically unvailable)

Player	Injury Type	Injury Date
Devard Darling	knee	09/01/2009
Jarrad Page	calf	11/04/2009
Mike Goff	shoulder	11/11/2009
Jackie Battle	shoulder	10/14/2009
Colin Brown	undisclosed	09/05/2009

Oakland Raiders: So the Raiders have lost 7 straight at home against the Chiefs, no big deal right? Well, since the middle of the 2007 season, no team in the NFL has been worse than the Chiefs. On a good note, the Raiders did have a fantastic day on the ground, especially RB Michael Bush who had 119 yards on 14 carries. I still really wish the Chargers had ended up trading for him. The routine stayed the same for the Raiders; Jamarcus Russell played poorly compounded by constant drops by rookie WR Demetrius Heyward-Bey. Russell was benched again in favor of Bruce Gradkowski who played even worse. Head coach Tom Cable, who probably won't be head coach much longer, hasn't yet announced who will be his starter this Sunday. Maybe it will be Charlie Frye. Hey at least P Shane Lechler kicked for 531 yards right? Now they get to play the Bengals, Cowboys, and Steelers. Their next and last division game is week 15 against the Broncos.

Oakland Raiders Injuries

Questionable

Player	Injury Type	Injury Date
Tommy Kelly	ribs	11/16/2009

Doubtful

Player	Injury Type	Injury Date
Javon Walker	hamstring	11/16/2009

Out (IR / Out / Suspended / Physically unvailable)

Player	Injury Type	Injury Date
John Bowie	knee	09/30/2009
Oren O'Neal	ankle	10/14/2009

Denver Broncos: Mr. Hyde showed his face last Sunday when the Broncos lost to the Redskins. Losses against the Ravens and Steelers are understandable but the Redskins are really, really bad. Another thing happened on Sunday that hadn't happened in Bronco land all season, injuries. RT Ryan Harris is already out for this Sunday's game and QB Kyle Orton injured his ankle and is questionable for this Sunday's game vs the Chargers. From what I've heard and read they are basically going to play it by ear and see how much he can practice if it all. It's not out of the question that he plays after not practicing all week, they need to win this game and they know it, especially coach McDaniels. Back-up QB Chris Simms had an awful time after Orton left the game and while I'm sure he'd be better after a week of practice he certainly isn't Tom Brady. During their game on Sunday, on that fake punt, the Redskins did everything to show that a trick play was in the works. The Broncos still couldn't stop it. Clearly the Broncos have strayed pretty far from where they were after beating the Chargers. Their next division game is this Sunday against the Chargers; if they lose it will probably be too late to get back on track to win the division. I'm not sure SBNation's injury widget is very helpful....

Denver Broncos Injuries

Questionable

Player	Injury Type	Injury Date
Ryan McBean	knee	11/16/2009
Josh Barrett	hamstring	11/16/2009

Out (IR / Out / Suspended / Physically unvailable)

Player	Injury Type	Injury Date
Nick Greisen	knee	08/05/2009

San Diego Chargers: The Chargers were able to establish a running game and stop the run in one game on Sunday, which is something they will need to continue if they want to succeed going forward. Unfortunately, the run defense came at the expense of the pass defense, although that was also a function of the defensive game-plan against QB Donovan McNabb as well as the lack of a great pass rush. The Chargers had a great pass-rush over the previous games; injuries to Shawne Merriman and Shaun Phillips probably didn't help things. Hopefully they are feeling better this Sunday and getting pressure on whomever is the Broncos QB; the Broncos quick WRs can do crossing routes just as well as the Eagles WRs. If C Nick Hardwick is able to return this Sunday it will be a huge upgrade on pass and run blocking. If we get ahead early I think LT will have another big day and will soften up the Bronco's secondary when we need to pass the ball. The Broncos have given up a huge amount of rushing yards in their last 4 games and I still think the Chargers are at their best when LT is pounding the ball up the middle. After this Sunday against the Broncos, the Chargers have their last divisional game against the Chiefs, and then a game against the Browns which should be nice. As far as injuries, it looks like Jeromy Clary and Tim Dobbins will be able to play, and hopefully Travis Johnson, too, since the DL by committee thing has worked out pretty well so far.

San Diego Chargers Injuries

Questionable

Player	Injury Type	Injury Date
Travis Johnson	leg	11/16/2009
Jeromey Clary	ankle	11/16/2009
Tim Dobbins	knee	11/16/2009

Doubtful

Player	Injury Type	Injury Date
Nick Hardwick	ankle	11/16/2009
Jyles Tucker	ankle	11/16/2009

Out (IR / Out / Suspended / Physically unvailable)

Player	Injury Type	Injury Date
Ryon Bingham	arm	09/05/2009
Jamal Williams	triceps	09/19/2009
Antwan Applewhite	hamstring	10/20/2009
Brandon Hughes	knee	09/02/2009

Poll

Which team is more dysfunctional right now?

Chiefs

53 votes

Raiders

414 votes

467 votes | Poll has closed

Al Davis' Day of Reckoning Has Come:

saint — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 02:28:29 -0000

More photos » by Paul Sakuma - AP

"Hey Mo!" (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma)

Browse more photos »

On a day when the Oakland Raiders were begining to show the signs of their earlier heritage, the thing that stood out the most was a wide receiver, drafted number 7 over-all, who was selected over numerous more talented AND proven guys by an old man who has lost his mind.

There have been signs all around us, but, when Heyward-Bey let that last pass bounce off of his chest and into the Chief's arms it became clear to me that Al Davis', losing his mind, has really cost this team too much this time.

Instead of keeping the second rounder last year, it was shipped off to Atlanta for 'Angelo Hall. The one who left the "D" somewhere between Atlanta and Oakland.

Wouldn't you just know that DeSean Jackson was available when that pick was made and the Falcons ended up getting a bookend O-Lineman, Sam Baker.

What did the Raiders get? 8 Million dollars of NOTHING but Burnt Toast that smelled like the "Scrip Club" while the Falcons and Eagles have "Landed", pardon the pun, Huge pieces to their franchises.

Then, this season the Raiders drafted the laughing stock rookie wide-out of All-Time, and that was before he'd even attempted to catch a pass in the OTA's...He's gotten worse.

I mean, before the season started, you still had hope that MAYBE the Old Man had outfoxed the entire League by finding the next Cliff Branch and Jack Tatum. Perhaps the old man had one more one finger salute for the "Liars" and was two fisting the "Professional Liars"!

Now, all we see is a franchise being run into the ground with the same gusto with which it became a symbol of the NFL.

When you get the chance to draft the Michael Crabtree, Jeremy Macklin or Percy Harvin's of the World, you do not take a project with hands of stone. You just don't. THEN, when you realize he can't catch, at the very least, you let a veteran, like ummm, I don't know...Javon Walker maybe!?!?...step in until the kid calms down a bit.

That is unless you just really DON'T see it. And at this point, I don't think that Mr. Davis does see reality any more. I bet, after hearing him speak, that he is still wondering WHY Cliff Branch missed that last pass.

I have often wrote, "Today is the DAY", before Raider games, and for me, yesterday was the day that I lost faith in AL's ability to run things. I'd questioned it, and have been in doubt about it for a while. Now I KNOW, it is time to get someone in here to run things. It has to be someone that Al trusts and it has to be soon, otherwise his great legacy will be forever tarnished.

Yesterday was a day of reckoning for you Mr. Davis. You have either lost your touch or have lost touch with reality. You choose.

Horse Tracks 11/13/09 - Marshall practices, McBean limited; Harris and Barrett still out; Portis ruled out for Skins

Douglas A. Lee — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 12:51:59 -0000

DB - Week 10 - Thu: McDaniels - Broncos TV

DB - Changing of the Guard - Zach Eisendrath
"There was one change to the Broncos’ Week 10 Injury Report on Thursday. After he did not practice on Wednesday, Brandon Marshall (back) was a full participant in Thursday’s practice session."

DPP - Briefs: Defense aims to make QB a pocket passer - Jeff Legwold
"With Clinton Portis not playing Sunday because of a concussion, Ladell Betts is expected to start in the Redskins' backfield despite an ankle injury. Betts was held out of practice Wednesday and Thursday."

DPP - Rookies haven't earned rave reviews - Mike Klis
"I understand why we have that word 'rookie' attached to our names," said cornerback Alphonso Smith. " 'Rookie' to me means unaware. Ignorant in a sense, because you just don't know."

DB - Keeping The Dorm Lifestyle - Chris Gentilviso
Rookies David Bruton, Chris Baker, Darcel McBath and Alphonso Smith all live in the same apartment complex. The three DBs also study film together with Renaldo Hill on Tuesdays.

DPP - Analysis: Broncos are retooling their offensive line - Jeff Legwold

DPP - Q&A: Broncos still use zone-blocking schemes - Jeff Legwold

DB - Week 10 - Thu: Bailey - Broncos TV

DPP - O-line last frontier to see change - Jeff Legwold

DPP - Spotlight on: Broncos guard Russ Hochstein - Lindsay Jones

CSG - Broncos' lineman Hochstein excited about chance to start - Frank Schwab
"Overall, I’m just excited to get out and help my team," Hochstein said. "Whatever capacity they use me, I’m happy with."

CSG - Trade involving Broncos' Bailey, Redskins' Portis still big - Frank Schwab

LTC - Heading to D.C., Broncos’ offense stalling - Brian Howell

AP - With Guarded Optimism, Broncos Switch To Hochstein - Pat Graham

AP - No Answer For No-Huddle Puts Broncos In Bind - Pat Graham

DB - Colorado Sports Hall of Fame Honors Six
Mike Shanahan and Larry Zimmer are among those honored.

NFL Results

NFL - Chicago Bears 6 at San Francisco 49ers 10
In case you weren't watching, Cutler threw FIVE picks last night. Ugh, and I picked the Bears...

Redskins News

WP - Portis officially ruled out; Smith may go on IR (updated) - Jason Reid

WP - Redskins turn to Ladell Betts - Rick Maese

WP - Rinehart, Montgomery in 'ongoing battle' - Jason Reid

USAT - Redskins' Alexander: 'We've got to go out there and play for pride' - Sean Leahy

AFC West News

SDUT - Hardwick not practicing - Kevin Acee

KCS - Chambers, Cassel try to be on the same page - Kent Babb

KCS - Chiefs notebook: Game against Raiders will be emotional for Cassel - Adam Teicher

OT - Oakland Raiders receiver Javon Walker seeking his freedom - Steve Corkran

SFC - Lechler hopes to give Baugh's record the boot - David White

NFL News

NFL - Week 10 injuries: Gates, LT fully practice for Chargers

FH - Source: Browns Player Hurt in Extra Drill - Dan Graziano

FH - Justin Gage Has Broken Bones in Back - Chris Burke

NFL - Falcons coach Smith fined $15K for melee; two 'Skins also punished

SI - NFL reaches deal to receive NCAA game footage - Don Banks

Y! - NFL shipwrecks Captain Morgan campaign - Charles Robinson
Wow, I've gotta say - this one is pretty funny. Kudos to Captain Morgan for trying...

NFL Opinion

USAT - What if the NFL sacks the salary cap? Free agents left to wonder - Jarrett Bell

ESPN - Inspired to succeed by his late mother, Indianapolis Colts TE Dallas Clark has run an unlikely route to stardom - Jeffri Chadiha

FOX - NFL Truths: Don't believe Brady-Manning hype - Jason Whitlock

NFP - Diner morning news: Why Coughlin took the blame - Mike Lombardi

NFP - Is Eagles’ Hanson a victim of labor strife? - Andrew Brandt

Y! - Cutler doesn't dodge criticism after horrific outing - Mike Silver

SI - Cutler at center of Bears' mediocre play, crisis of confidence - Ann Killion

SN - What We Learned: Cutler is falling into Bears trap - Vinnie Iyer

SI - Jeff Fisher, John Fox among NFL coaches wrongly put on hot seat - Ross Tucker
"Well, the Broncos are 6-2 and atop the AFC West, and even though they've lost their last two games, I think it is safe to say that McDaniels was a very good hire."

SI - Everything can change in a New York minute, so don't bury Giants - Don Banks

SI - Chris Johnson better NFL running back than Adrian Peterson - Kerry J. Byrne

SI - Pittsburgh Steelers want payback vs. Cincinnati Bengals - LaMarr Woodley

Midseason Stuff and Week 9 Previews

CBS - Midseason Awards: It's Peyton -- period -- for MVP - Pete Prisco

ESPN - Offensive Midseason All-Pros - Len Pasquarelli

ESPN - Defensive Midseason All-Pros - Len Pasquarelli

NFL - First-half impact from safeties cannot be ignored - Vic Carucci

FOX - 5 Questions: Brian Billick on second-half adjustments - Brian Billick

NFP - The Player's Picks: Week 10 - Matt Bowen
"Broncos 24 Redskins 7"

SN - Week 10 picks: Patriots-Colts always an instant classic - Vinnie Iyer
"Redskins 13, Broncos 10"

ESPN - John Clayton breaks down the biggest NFL games of Week 10

SI - The Peter King Challenge
"Prediction: Denver Broncos 17, Washington Redskins 15"

NYT - Brady-Manning Is No. 2 on the QB Matchups Top 10 List - John Maxymuk

NYT - Week 10 Game Probabilities - Brian Burke

Poll

How do you think the O-Line will perform with Russ Hochstein starting?

He'll be a significant improvement over Hamilton

227 votes

Hamilton will be back starting before we know it

63 votes

McXanders will have to sign someone totally new

93 votes

383 votes | Poll has closed

Oakland Raiders Offensive Update: The Receiving Core

saint — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 15:20:27 -0000

With the Bye Week upon us, I think we should take this time to reflect on the first half.Of course, with a 2-6 record there will be much to look at on the disappointing side, but, there will be a few things that we can look at on the positive side. Unfortunately NONE of those will be on the offensive side of the ball.

Regardless of what the players on the scoring side of the ball say, (Darrius Heyward-Bey from the CC Times, "I've been very solid") they have stunk, and they have stunk regularly.

As I pointed out last week, and many local columnists have also since, they are at a "Bed and Breakfast level" of scoring.

Coming into last week, they reached the Red Zone the least amount of any team in football, 9 times, 9 MEASLY times. That is two games worth for most, decent offenses, so that should put their futility into some perspective. They aren't even giving themselves a chance to score, thus, they only lead the hapless St. Louis Rams (9.6) in scoring and are tied with Cleveland at 9.8 points per game.

So, how have they arrived here? Let's start with the most glaring weakness, the receivers.

First off, they are starting two rookies that THINK they are World Beaters. I mean, just reference the DHB line above and then listen to Murphy talk about how, "They are a GREAT team", and you'll soon get the picture. In all fairness to the squad, the three receivers with the best hands have not found their ways onto the field yet this year.

Chaz and Miller should be back soon and the only reasonable explanation for Javon Walker not playing is the Marcus Allen treatment he MAY be receiving from AL Davis due to him having off-season surgery and doing it on his own without telling anyone.

The ONE bright spot in the entire receiving core is Zach Miller, without him, I shiver to think how poorly this team would play.

Zach has hauled in 28 passes for 421 yards. Murphy and Bey have combined for 21 catches for 306 yards. In fact, the entire wide receiving core has 28 catches for 373 yards. That is just downright terrible. Especially when you see that Johnnie Lee Higgins, last year's top wide-out has only 2 catches for 8 yards.

This really is disgusting and, I believe, is much worse than the time spent under Shell and Walsh, this team actually has talent on the offensive side of the ball and they are terrible. There is no excuse for NOT getting the ball to Johnnie Lee more and for sitting Javon Walker on the bench so that DHB can watch another perfectly thrown TD bounce off of his facemask.

What do you think of the Receiving core's perfromance, so far, Raider Nation?

This post was sponsored by Comcast Red Zone

Oakland Raider Scoring Offense and Red Zone-Less Performance:

saint — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 23:59:40 -0000

By now you know that Comcast Red Zone sponsors this article every week:

What you may not know is that the 2nd to last place in scoring team, Tampa Bay, is scoring 30% more points than the last place Oakland Raiders!

Here is another alarming stat: The San Diego Chargers, our Week 8 Opponent, have scored 56 Touchdowns while JaMarcus and his Merry Men have scored 12. This is over 4.5 times as many Touchdowns!!!

That is despicable and Tom Cable needs to hold himself culpable for this. He calls the plays that DON'T Score, so he wears the blame.

As far as the Red Zone scoring goes, the Raiders had their Red Zone trips last week, ahem, I mean TRIP, stopped as First Round Disappointment let a ball go threw his hands for a sure TD. Did I mention that this came with the game over and the Jets already booking their post flight dates!

Once again, this is inexcusable! Tom Cable abandons the run MUCH too soon and panics. He should know that this is a running team and he needs to run it like that. That is unless being Offensive Line Coach, Offensive Play Caller and Head Coach is too much for him!

The bottom line in this League is results, and Tom has shown Bed and Breakfast like results!

Quick Note to Tom Cable:

Sorry Tommy, I had to go there. The job you've done warrants it.

Now, get Javon Walker in the game and run the ball 2-1 this week. That is, twice as many times as you throw it. Do not abandon this and see what your defense can do, and allow JaMarcus to take his shots deep the few times a game that the defense sags and he reads it.

This entire Community thought that this was a running team for the past two years, and we hope that you begin to see this Too!

Why Favre Did It

Mitchell_M — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 11:00:23 -0000

There's no getting around it. As soon as the clock hit zero on the Monday night game between Dallas and Carolina, everyone in the NFL turned their attention to this week's showdown between Green Bay and Minnesota. Some of us have already been looking forward to this matchup, including several members of this site.

Is it because the two teams are (3-0) and (2-1)? Is it because Adrian Peterson, Greg Jennings, Jared Allen, or Charles Woodson gets another chance to shine on national television? Is it because the result of this game will help shape the outcome of what may turn out to be the toughest division in the NFL?

Of course not. It's all about Brett Favre. He's squaring off against the franchise that took a chance on him in 1992, his former coaches, his former teammates, Ted Thompson, and the entirety of Packer Nation. To quote Ron Burgundy, it's "kind of a big deal."

For every fan rooting for or against Favre on October 5th, there is a theory as to why Brett flirted with retirement in 2005, 2006, and 2007, finally decided to retire, discussed unretirement, stayed retired, then unretired, then played for the Jets, then retired, then come thisclose to unretirement, then stay retired, and finally, unretired.

Some say it's because he wants a shot at another championship, and Minnesota is the team best-equipped to get him there. Others say it's because he's really not content to stay on the farm in Mississippi; he needs to play to keep himself occupied. Others still claim that the reason is revenge; revenge against Ted Thompson, revenge against Mike McCarthy, revenge against Aaron Rodgers, and revenge against the fan base that turned on him. A small (but vocal) minority cling to the notion that Favre "just loves the game so much" that he can't bring himself to walk away.

Each of these theories has some truth to it. Yes, Favre loves the game. Yes, Minnesota is a strong team that needed a quarterback. Yes, he still gets bored on the farm when he knows he could still play. And yes, he wants to stick it to the Green Bay Packers for denying him what he wanted: his old job back.

I subscribe to a different theory, and it takes us back to Christmas of 2003. Remember this?

The 41-7 win on Monday, December 23rd, 2003 was beyond any description I am able to conjure up. We've all heard the praises, platitudes, and adulations from all corners of the sports and mainstream media. It was defining for Favre as a football player, Favre as a legend, Favre as a media figure, but most importantly, Favre as a person.

He just loves the game so damn much. His consecutive start streak, which is now the longest for any position player ever, is proof that injury, nor personal tragedy, nor poor performances will keep him from doing what he loves. But where do you think he got that love of football from?

For those of you unsure of the contents of this photo, it is indeed Irvin Favre and his young son Brett on December 25th, 1970, in their home in Kiln, Mississippi. Brett was only 14 months old. His father got him to start playing and, in my opinion, is keeping him playing. This is where it all starts.

* * *

Bonita and Irvin Favre (more commonly known as Irv) raised Brett and his three siblings in the bayou of southern Mississippi, where the boys had free reign to hunt, fish, and play sports under the watchful eyes of their parents. Once they got older, it was clear that Brett was a special athlete, even compared to his brothers. However, he enjoyed the physical side of football, and started out playing linebacker and safety.

One of the first lessons Brett learned from his father was how to overcome injury. Namely, the lesson was to barely even acknowledge you're hurt.

"Brett thinks when you get hurt, put some ice on it, you'll be all right. That was Irv's patented move right there. Broken leg? Put some ice on it, you'll be all right. Get back out there."

- Clark Henegen, childhood friend

This lesson is still prevalent in today's NFL, especially with the recently-fined New York Jets, who failed to mention Favre on their injury reports in 2008 when he had a torn bicep. Favre has gone on the record as saying that the fines were "unfair", but acknowledges that he should have been on the injury report. But isn't a big part of Favre's Iron Man persona overcoming injury?

Of course, the obvious example of this occurred during a 2004 game against the New York Giants. William Joseph, a 6'5", 315 defensive tackle, came through on a pass play and crushed Favre to the ground, resulting in a concussion. Three plays later, on fourth down and without consulting the team doctors, Favre came back into the game, waved off the punt unit, and threw a 28-yard touchdown pass to Javon Walker. Favre did not return after that series.

Once he got to high school, Irv (the head coach) put him at quarterback, following the footsteps of his older brother Scott. This drew ire and claims of nepotism from other parents, but Irv's reasons were far simpler: the coach's son was the most dependable to show up to practice.

"Irvin got flak about that. People said, 'He's the head coach. He's just making his kids the quarterbacks.' He'd talk to me about it and say, 'You know, the reason I do this is because I know they're going to be at practice. They ain't got no choice.' There was a lot of logic to that."

- Rocky Gaudin, Hancock North Central High School assistant coach

While he manned the offense from under center, Brett wasn't able to show off the arm that would one day make him famous. Irv stayed true to Bear Bryant's "Wishbone" offense, which didn't call for passes unless absolutely necessary. As a result, Brett rarely passed more than a handful of times in any given game.

But he was always learning from his coach. He was always learning from his father.

* * *

Much has been made of Brett's erratic and sometimes irresponsible behavior between graduating high school in 1986 and being traded to the Packers in 1992. There was the Tulane game during his freshman year, where Favre began the day with a wicked hangover, vomiting numerous times during pre-game warm-ups. He and his roommate thought they would be red-shirting their freshman year, so made the most of it the night before the third game of the season. In a surprise move, the coaching staff called on Favre to come into the game after halftime.

"All five offensive linemen were fifth-year seniors and now you've got this young idiot quarterback," Ryals said. "He was hung over. Sick. They all knew he got drunk the night before."

- Chris Ryals, roommate at Southern Miss

Nevertheless, the one-time seventh-string quarterback for Southern Mississippi started the second half and threw two touchdowns in a come-from-behind victory. He started every game he was available for afterwards.

There was the car accident before Favre's senior year. On July 14th, 1990, Brett lost control of his car, which flipped three times and crashed into a tree. Favre suffered a concussion, cracked vertebrae, numerous lacerations, and three weeks later needed 30 inches of his small intestine removed. Despite these near-fatal injuries, Favre was able to continue playing football and started against ranked Alabama, who Southern Miss upset for the victory.

"You can call it a miracle or a legend or whatever you want to, I just know that on that day, Brett Favre was larger than life."

- Gene Stallings, Alabama head coach

There was the 1991 NFL Draft, where Favre fell out of the first round and was selected by the Atlanta Falcons at the 33rd overall selection. Favre showed immense promise and possessed incredible talent, but that was offset by his rebellion against Jerry Glanville's clubhouse policies.

According to an Atlanta Journal-Constitution story, Glanville had four rules: 1) Be on time. 2) Prepare all week to play. 3) Spill your guts on the field. 4) Only accept victory.

"If he'd [Favre] have got to 3 and 4, he'd have been fine," Glanville once told the paper. "But you had to get past 1 and 2."

Favre's behavior was immature and unprofessional. He stayed out late, he showed up late and fell asleep in meetings. As he [Favre] once said, "I'm sure I didn't help my cause by trying to drink up Atlanta."

Tom Silverstein, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Then, of course, was the 1992 trade from Atlanta to Green Bay, Favre's rise to stardom, and the eventual revelation of Favre's dependence upon Vicodin, a powerful painkiller, to cope with his nagging injuries. Combined with his drinking habits, Favre's personal life was a mess. It took a seizure and not one, but two ultimatums between 1996 and 1999 from his wife Deanna for him to get his life together.

With Deanna standing by his side in May of 1996, Favre told the world he had been playing MVP-caliber football while addicted to painkillers, and checked himself into a rehabilitation clinic.

Deanna had also issued an ultimatum: Clean up, or she was gone.

And while Favre beat the Vicodin addiction, he was drinking heavily. Once again, his wife Deanna, pregnant with their second child, issued another ultimatum to Favre in 1999 after having called a divorce attorney: Quit drinking, or she was gone.

- Lori Nickel, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Favre's success against these personal demons are admirable no matter what team you support. He stood to lose everything he had built up, his career, his livelihood, his relationships, and even his life, and he responded by scaling all obstacles. That fortitude is a part of what makes Favre the national figure he is today.

* * *

But where was Irv throughout these troubling episodes? Why would the father who instilled the toughness, the courage, and the love of the sport into his son sit idly by while Brett flirted with disaster time and time again?

As it turns out, Irv was always watching from afar. He constantly followed everything Brett did, both good and bad. And whenever things took a turn for the worse, Irv was there to give support of the less forgiving variety.

"Oh, they fussed and feuded at times, like all sons and fathers do. Irv, who watched Brett battle an addiction to painkillers, often took the tough-love approach...The old coach would come out in Irvin, and he would say some stuff that would make Brett say, 'Dad, this isn't high school anymore.'"

-Jon Saraceno, USA Today

That was the style of fatherhood that Irv chose. He guided his sons closely until they were old enough, and then let them live their own lives and make their own mistakes. He didn't see the value in hovering or constant check-ups; he wanted his boys to learn the hard way so that they remembered the lessons they learned.

But when things got to be too much, Irv was there. Like any father, he made himself available to make sure that everything got settled down and back to normal. When Favre got drunk with a college buddy the night before a big game, Irv wasn't there, because he didn't need to be. When Favre was convulsing on a hospital bed as his daughter watched in horror, Irv was one of the first ones to help Brett back up.

And after Favre had turned his life around, Irv was always there as Brett's most trusted advisor. Sure, the lines between the father-son and coach-player dynamics got blurred, and there were more than a few arguments. But Irv was always around to give Brett the perspective and wisdom he needed to make the right choice.

* * *

Then Irv had his accident, and Favre had his Oakland game. In spite of his tremendous loss, Favre came through for the Packers in the game he and his father loved so much. But he was in his mid-30's and nearing the threshold where NFL players lose their skills to age. Practice was becoming more of a chore each day. His wife and daughters wanted him around more. The family was set financially. What was keeping him in the league?

Part of it was his love for the game. Another part was his desire to go out like Elway did: on top of his teammates' shoulders with the Lombardi Trophy in his grip. But there was a lot of conflict between his desires and his doubts. Sure, he wanted to keep playing, but was that more important than everything else around him?

One of Favre's defining characteristics is his childlike approach to the game. Whether he's tackling a teammate to the ground after a score, trick-or-treating at his coach's house, or throwing snowballs during a blizzard, his youthful exuberance has endeared him to thousands of people across the country.

But the notion that "he's just a kid out there" reaches further than just for three hours on an autumn Sunday. This big kid lost his role model, confidant, and most avid supporter nearly thirty-three years to the day after receiving the best Christmas present he'd ever gotten: a tiny helmet and an unmarked jersey. He decided to play against Oakland on that Monday night as a tribute to his father. He said that Irv would have wanted him to play.

"I knew that my dad would have wanted me to play. I love him so much and I love this game. It's meant a great deal to me, to my dad, to my family, and I didn't expect this kind of performance. But I know he was watching tonight."

- Brett Favre, 12/23/03

Now, I have never lost a parent, so I have no idea what it feels like. But I do know that most children go to their mother or father for advice they're faced with a tough choice. I have, and still do. Brett lost that opportunity far sooner than anyone expected, and when he seriously contemplated retirement for the first time in 2005, he couldn't consult his most trusted advisor.

The last piece of advice he took from his father is the same motivation he used on December 23^rd, 2003. I think that the idea that "Dad would've wanted me to play" stuck with him for far longer than just one Monday Night Football game. No matter how long he thought about it or how many people he consulted, one final question helped shape his football-related decisions: What would Irv want him to do?

I wouldn't go so far to say that this one question dominated his decision-making process in 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, or 2009. But I find it hard to believe that Favre didn't want to play for Big Irv. Other athletes have played and succeeded after losing their fathers. Michael Jordan did, and won three championships. Tiger Woods did, and won the 2006 Open. Favre is still looking for his next title, one he can dedicate to Dad.

* * *

So why did Favre do it? Why did he leave Green Bay for New York, then New York for Minnesota, and endure the aftermath that follows him to this day? There's a ton of reasons why, and I don't know which one is right. But what I do know is this: Favre played that Monday Night game for his father. Who's to say he kept coming back to the NFL for any other reason?

Oakland Raiders Gameday Preview

TheRaiderWay — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 13:07:15 -0000

Oakland at Kansas City

Regular Season Week 2

Oakland Raiders at Kansas City Chiefs

Where:Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, MO

When: 10:00 a.m. PDT

2009 Records: Raiders (0-1), Chiefs (0-1)

Head Coaches: Tom Cable (Raiders) and Todd Haley (Chiefs)

Raiders Radio: Listen live on KSFO 560 AM

Television: CBS; Channel: 5 Channel: 13 Channel: 46

Line: Raiders by 1.5 points

Week 2 of the NFL regular season is upon us and the Oakland Raiders find themselves on the road facing their bitter divisional rival, the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead. Since 1960 with the AFL days, these two rivals have been going at each other with the Chiefs holding a 51-44-2 edge in regular season. It's Raider week in Kansas City and once again the NFL has scheduled the Raiders to play in KC for the Chiefs home opener.

Raider Nation will be hoping for a repeat of last season's week two match-up between the Raiders and Chiefs, where the Raiders rolled up an incredible 300 yard rushing. the Raiders completely dominated that game coming away with a 23-8 victory.

Both the Raiders and the Chiefs were victims of a little bad luck last week and need to prove they can play a full 4 quarters this weekend. The Raiders fell short against the San Diego thanks to a last minute touchdown drive against the Raiders soft "prevent" defense, while the Chiefs could not keep pace in the final minutes against the Ravens as they lost 38-24. The Charger game was a definite learning experience for the whole team and they seem to have realized that they have play the last 2 minutes the same way they play the first minutes and finish the game. The Raiders are coming off of a short week and will be going into noisy Arrowhead, but since it's the chiefs and a divisional game, expect the Raiders to be fired up and ready.

Raiders on offense:

The Raiders deviated from their game plan last week when they abandoned early success running the ball and started passing more.That mistake won't happen today as the Raiders are going to have to run the ball and if the Raiders can establish the run early and often, then they can control the game. With McFadden starting and Bush there pounding it between the tackles, there is no reason to believe that the Raiders won't have similar results on the ground as last season's game.

If he can create any sort of separation, then the activation of Javon Walker will bring much needed experience to the Raiders receiving corps, which will take some of the burden of the two starting rookies. Look for the Chiefs to key on Louis Murphy who is no longer under the radar and if Darrius Heyward-Bey is over his first game jitters, he will look to get his first catch of the season. Zach Miller will continue to be a top target. Ravens TE Todd Heap absolutely exploited the Chiefs coverage underneath, so you know the Raiders made note of that and Russell's favorite target Zach Miller will be licking his chops at his chances today. When the Raiders are in need of a passing first down, you know and the Chiefs know that it will be Miller time and they won't be able to stop it.

Raiders on defense:

We all witnesses what Richard Seymour's impact was to the Raiders defense. Now with a full week of practice under his belt, expect Seymour and the rest of the Raiders defense to play aggressive and with same intensity as last week. With Tony Gonzales gone, the Raiders can really concentrate on putting the pressure on either Matt Cassell or Brodie Croyle, whichever of them ends up starting. This is the week that John Marshall needs to take the restraints off of Thomas Howard so that he can spend most of his time in the Chiefs backfield.

This may be the game that Nnamdi finally challenged. Chiefs head coach Haley has stated that wide receiver Dwayne Bowe will be used a lot and that he will go right at Nnamdi. This should be a great match-up, but if the Raiders bring the pressure, then this is a battle that Nnamdi will win.

Chiefs on offense:

Still no word on whether Matt Cassell will be making his Chiefs debut. If not, then it will be Brodie Croyle, who last week completed 16 of 24 passes for 177 yards and two touchdowns against the Ravens.The Chiefs promise to use Bowe and go at Nnamdi, but before doing that they will need to get their running game going with Larry Johnson and Jamal Charles. With the Raiders' defensive line now being huge and with their speedy linebackers, the Chiefs may find the running game to be tough going and have to resort to the passing game instead.

Chiefs on defense:

As expected, the Chiefs transition to the 3-4 defense has been slow going as that defense gave up a whopping 501 total yards. They are hoping to have highly-touted corner back Brandon Flowers back to help that defense out and safety Mike Brown is fitting in well, but they will need to have a lot more than that to stop the Raider running game. The noise of Arrowhead will play a factor which could give the Chiefs an extra jump, but the Raiders have been there before and are surely accounting for that in their game plan. The Chiefs will no doubt try to bring the pressure to JaMarcus, but it is unlikely that they will have a solution for Zach Miller.

Key Match-ups:

Raiders running game vs the Chiefs defense
Dwayne Bowe vs Nnamdi Asomugha
LT - Branden Albert vs Richard Seymour

Notes: Johnnie Lee Higgins is listed as questionable and if he plays it will only be as a punt returner. If not, then the Raiders have suited up Javon Walker to handle the punt return duties. Head to head match-ups are a great thing, but for the Raiders to leave Arrowhead with a victory, they are going to have to avoid the stupid penalties and turnovers.

Update: According to NFL Network, Chiefs QB Matt Cassell will get the start today.

Enjoy the game Raider Nation. GO R-A-I-D-E-R-S!!!

Poll

Pregame Poll: When the game is over, the Raiders offense will have rushed for?

less than 100 yards

9 votes

between 100 - 150 yards

20 votes

between 150 - 250 yards

74 votes

more than 250 yards

12 votes

115 votes | Poll has closed