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Raiders fans hope to see more celebrations like this today at the Coliseum when the Raiders host the Washington Redskins.(AP Photo/Keith Srakocic)

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Regular Season Week 14

Television: Fox; Blacked out locally; DirecTV: 715

Line: Redskins by 1 point

Game Day Injury Report:

Oakland Raiders
Desmond Bryant DT	Probable	Back
Samson Satele C	Questionable	Calf
Greg Ellis DE	Questionable	Knee
Darrius Heyward-Bey WR	Doubtful	Foot
Nick Miller WR	Out	Shin
Robert Gallery G	Out	Back
Jon Alston LB	IR	Concussion
Ricky Brown LB	IR	Ankle
Oren O'Neal RB	IR	Ankle

Redskins Injuries here.

SB Nation Redskins vs Raiders Preview here.

Well Raiders fans, it's week 14 of the NFL regular season and the Raiders find themselves with a 4-8 record and in a familiar position as they were three previous times this season. Three times this season the Raiders provided their fans with exhilarating upset victories over the Eagles, Bengals and the Steelers respectively, only to then follow up the next week, despite a boatload of confidence, with flat performances and disappointing losses. The Raiders to a player, including Tyvon Branch, who has been asked after each victory by SABP about maintaining the momentum week-to-week, are acutely aware of their propensity of failing to bring the necessary game in the follow up week against very beatable opponents. Today is another test against the Redskins, following maybe the best Raiders win in the last 6 years last week in upsetting the Steelers in Pittsburgh 27-24. The Raiders say they have learned from their past and will be prepared to end this Sunday with back-to-back wins for the first time this season:

"It’s kind of been our Achilles’ heel around here for a while, is you win one and then a total letdown," said punter Shane Lechler(notes), one of the only players remaining from Oakland’s AFC championship team in 2002. "We’re trying to figure out that process of how to win two, put two together and get something going here a little bit."

To that end, coach Tom Cable had signs plastered all around the locker room proclaiming Sunday as the day the Raiders finally break through. "Back-to-back wins set Raiders on path to future success! If you believe it, it will happen," the signs concluded.

The Redskins are coming in with a 3-9 record, but that record is deceiving as last week the Redskins lost  to the undefeated Saints 33-30 in overtime and have now lost three straight games by a combined total of just seven points. Washington has played six games (2-4 record) decided by three points or less this season.

For the Raiders, QB Bruce Gradkowski will be making his 4th start, much to the relief of Raider Nation. Bruce Almighty will have to deal with his patchwork offensive line after Oakland lost LG Robert Gallery for the season to a back injury. The Redskins defensive line is good, as is their overall defense, but without Albert Haynesworth, who is out of this game, the Raiders should be in a better position to run the ball with some success. Hopefully, the Raiders have finally realized they way to utilize McFadden and won't even bother trying to run him between the tackles. The Raiders will pound it with Justin Fargas, who is playing with his typical crash dummy style, but this is a game that Michael Bush must be used. With the recent success of Fargas, Bush has hardly even seen the field. This must change today and the Raiders must find ways to use the talents of all their running backs. With the running game going, then Gradkowski can then pick his spots and take to the air. Gradkowski should be able to look to the middle of the field as Washington FS LaRon Landry was torched twice for long touchdowns by the Saints when he bit on double moves. The strength of the Redskins' secondary is at cornerback and their safeties are more adept at defending the run than they are in coverage. The Raiders, with Schilens and Murphy on the perimeter will likely take some shots down the middle along with a targeting Zach Miller, who will have a match-up advantage against MLB London Fletcher, who at 5-foot-10 he is going to have a serious size disadvantage.

The Raiders defense will have to contend with the ever improving QB Jason Campbell, who, without RB Clinton Portis, lack star power in their backfield. The Redskins named this week Quintan Ganther to be their starting running back, so if the raiders can hold him in check early, they will be able to get their pass rush going and keep the pressure on Campbell. With Charles Haley Trevor Scott having a major impact now that he's been switched to the starting weak side OLB spot, look for Scott to be a menace to Campbell. However, Campbell certainly watch the film of what Big Ben did against the Raiders secondary in the 4th quarter last week, so look for Campbell to exploit the holes in the Raiders secondary (Chris Johnson/Stanford Routt) with Santana Moss. Unfortunately, the Raiders won't let Nnamdi stick to Moss like glue, so Moss will avoid Nnamdi as much as possible. Moss is an explosive receiver who leads the Redskins in receptions as well as receiving yards and receiving touchdowns. He runs good routes and has an explosive burst out of his break that allows him to gain a step on the best cover corners. 

With both defenses playing well, this could be a low scoring affair, with Lechler "the weapon" dictating field position and Janikowski and his canon left leg being the difference.

Prediction: Raiders 16 - Redskins 13

What are your thoughts and keys to today's game Raider Nation? Do you think the Raiders will finally break through and win back-to-back games for the first time this season? Let's hear your pregame thoughts and predictions.

GO R-A-I-D-E-R-S!!!!!!!!!

Russell speaks again, when he would have done himself and his future (what there is of it) good, if he would have just kept it shut.

Incredibly, these are excerpts from discussions with reporters today as provided by RaiderBeat.com:

RUSSELL BLAMES TEAMMATES FOR NOT MAKING PLAYS, WON’T TAKE PAY CUT

Managing general partner Al Davis loves backup quarterback JaMarcus Russell, there is no other way to explain his continued presence on the roster.  In his three years in Oakland Russell has been paid almost two million dollars a touchdown.  Or if you prefer to measure his success in victories, Russell has cost a little over 4.5 million per win.  But it was not his fault, just ask him.

"Uh, kind of hard because there was times where you try to get guys a chance to make plays and at the early part of the year, it wasn’t happening," Russell said when asked to grade his play this season.  "So, the quarterback job, I say he looks for more help around from everybody because he can’t do it himself. It wasn’t so well but at times it was. When we look at film, it don’t be as bad as it seems on the field always."

According to Russell it is not that quarterback Bruce Gradkowski is playing well, he is just lucky enough to be standing behind the center when everyone around him starts making plays.

"Guys are just making plays around him," Russell said. "In the Dallas game after you go out and win in Cincinnati there wasn’t plays really made the whole game, you know what I mean. Going into Pittsburgh, guys were making plays for him. That’s what a quarterback needs, his surrounding players. That’s what was going on."

Russell is due $9.45 million in salary next season and he intends on making the Raiders pay all of it.  When asked if he would rework his deal JaMarcus balked.

"Oh, no. That’s over and done with," Russell said. "I don’t even consider that as a part of it."

Considering the giant step backwards the Raiders would take anointing  Russell the starter again next season, it is hard to imagine them paying him close to ten million dollars to hold a clip board as the backup. Russell clearly has lost touch with his market value.  Russell will need to rework his contract to resemble that of a backup quarterback.  Unless there is another team out there willing to pay him like a starter he will have very little leverage he will either sign for less or be cut to sign a backup contract with another team.

Russell summed it all up as only he could,  "People going to have their opinion, and I really don’t pay too much attention to that. I worry about JaMarcus and JaMarcus only."

Greetings my fellow members of the Silver and Black Pride community! I am pleased to bring to all of you the 13th installment in the series, Talkin' With Tyvon, from Raiders starting strong safety Tyvon Branch.

After the great upset victory against the defending Super Bowl champs in Pittsburgh, Tyvon and the Raiders are exited about how they have now come together as a team and building toward the future, as you will read in his answers.

The Community is invited to pose some questions for Tyvon in the comments section and he will do his best to get as many of them answered as quickly as possible:

It is great to come home from Pittsburgh with a win. Beating the Super Bowl champs at home was a great feeling. We are starting to really gel as a team, and not let the little mistakes beat us. Offensively we are putting up some points, and as a defense, we are trying to put them in the best position to score. This week we have Washington. They are coming off a close one, and we are focused on winning two in a row. Thanks for all your support and GO RAIDERS!!!

TB

SABP: Great game Tyvon, great victory in Pittsburgh, probably one of the best Raiders games in years! From the outset of the game, and certainly through the first 3 quarters, the defense played with a lot of intensity and except for a few of the big plays, really limited the potent Steelers offense. What was the game plan coming in and why do you think there was such an offensive shootout in the 4th quarter?

TB: The game plan coming in was to alleviate the big plays. I think we did a decent job of that, and we came out ahead at the end of the game. The team was focused all week, and we saw some things on film that we could go after. The 4^th quarter was a bit of a shootout because each team had felt each other out and knew what it could do. Also, when teams feels pressure they begin to play more aggressively and that allowed for more points.

SABP: Nnamdi said to the press last week that the Raiders play a "simple defense" that opposing offensive coordinators frequently exploit. However, in the Pittsburgh game it looked like there were some disguised coverages and some zone blitzes and where the Steelers had their big plays were more a result of missed tackle or blown assignment rather than scheme. Do you think that the defense (simple or not) that is being run now can be on par with the leagues other top defenses if you guys fix your tendency to give up the big plays?

TB: I think if we stick to our assignments and progress we can beat anyone. We have a lot of talent on this squad and would put ourselves up against any defense. Complex or not, it is all about execution. If we don't execute we will not win. I think you saw some good execution Sunday, and we came out with the W.

SABP: As for your game, man you were up and down. You were laying the wood and made a lot of big plays to stop gains from being much longer than they would have. But you also gave up two big pass plays in succession, although, I must admit, even Deion Sanders would have given those up, they were perfect passes. Then you went for a strip instead of a tackle and allowed the Steelers to get to the 3 yard line and eventually score. What goes through your mind when you see that you have a chance to strip the ball or make a tackle?

TB: It is always the safe bet to make the tackle. Looking back that is what I should have done. Although going after the strip when other people are close by to make the tackle is okay, making the tackle is the number one goal. Going after the strip is something that can really help out though. A big play can change a game. The game is so quick and seeing that split second opportunity to go for the strip is something that I had to do.

SABP: Man, Tyvon, you guys really snatched victory from the mean jaws of defeat. For a moment it looked like Hines Ward's push-off/facemask on CJ was going to be the difference in the game. BUT, Gradkowski would NOT be denied. What is it like to have him as a leader on this team, especially to see him guide the offense in the 4th quarter to successive touchdowns answering the Steelers scores?

TB: He is a great player and leader. Bruce has a real knowledge of the game and his passion shows on the field. Sitting on the sidelines watching him work his magic is a great feeling. It is obvious that he has a strong desire to win.

SABP: In the 3rd quarter you went to the sidelines with a bit of a limp. What happened and what was the injury?

TB: I just got dinged up a bit. All is well, and I am ready to go for this week.

SABP: The Redskins are coming to town this Sunday and this will be a perfect opportunity for the Raiders to follow up a great victory and win two consecutive games for the fist time this season. I've asked you this question before about the team dealing with "winning", but do you believe that the Raiders will have learned something from the Dallas game, (which followed a great victory over the Bengals) to be able to carry the momentum from one week to the next?

TB: We will keep going after it. The Cowboys are a great club and really brought it to us that day. We will stay focused this week and really go after Washington.

 

Thanks Tyvon and we all look forward to you and the Raiders bringing it to the Redskins on Sunday.

Regular Season Week 13

Television: CBS

Line: Steelers by 14 points

SB Nation Raiders vs Steelers Preview here.

Being a Raiders fan since the early 70's, then looking at first glance at "Oakland at Pittsburgh", I can't help but have memory lane moments of how those two great teams played each other during that decade. Two blue collar teams playing for the love of the game and leaving it all out there on the field with some of the greatest players of the game. We were fortunate to watch the Snake, Branch, Freddy, Ghost, Van Eeghen and that great offensive line to go with Sistrunk, Hendricks, Dr. Death and the Assassin to name a few. The Steelers had Bradshaw, Swann, Franco Harris, Mean Joe, L.C., Lambert and Blount. What a great rivalry! Those were teams that fans loved to hate. Now, nearly 3 decades later, the Steelers have returned to the same brand of football on their way to winning two more championships. For our Raiders, well we have those memories and the annual pleading of "wait til next year".

Now for today's game, we have a Steelers team that is smarting following three straight losses and is on the verge of falling out of the playoff picture, going against the Raiders who had 10 days to prepare following their short-week-ill-prepared-Thanksgiving Day-loss to the Cowboys. At 3-8, the Raiders are reduced to the spoiler roll and can definitely deliver a blow to the Steelers today if they were able to pull off an upset. But will the Raiders with the extra time be any more prepared for this game then they were for Dallas? That's hard to believe when you here the "peaches and cream" comments from Tom Cable compared to Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin's, "We will unleash hell" . Nor when you read the very detailed call out from Nnamdi about the "simplicity" of the Raiders defense.

This game will feature the return of "Big Ben" Roethlisberger who suffered a concussion two weeks ago and it is widely known that he is prone to taking a lot of hits. The Steelers however, did not allow a sack last week with Dennis Dixon at QB. The Steelers' offensive line is weakest at center and gets progressively better at the tackles. Also, Roethlisberger is extremely difficult to get on the ground. One player who can cause Pittsburgh and Big Ben some problems is Richard Seymour, who has not lost a step and can line up anywhere on the defensive front. Trevor Scott, now replacing Thomas Howard at the weak side spot could also be a problem. Also, expect the Steelers to run the hell out of the ball behind Rashard Mendenhall until the Raiders can prove they can stop him.

For the Raiders offense, who knows what to expect? They supposedly will try to "establish the run" again, but if they fall behind that plan is quickly abandoned. No one runs on the Steelers. Well, the Ravens did a nice job on the ground last Sunday night, but overall, this defense gives very little room to run, and the Raiders don't have Ray Rice. With the extra time to prepare for this game and the extra work put in by Gradkowski and the receivers during practice to work on timing, you would hope that they can get Bruce enough time to connect to some of his receivers. The line will have to protect well as they no doubt will be facing immediate and constant Steelers blitz.

What are your expectations for today's game Raider Nation? What Raiders player if any, will standout?

Greetings my fellow members of the Silver and Black Pride community! I am pleased to bring to all of you the 12th installment in the series, Talkin' With Tyvon, from Raiders starting strong safety Tyvon Branch.

This week's installment is the short-week Thanksgiving edition as Tyvon answered some question following the Raiders victory against the Bengals and in his preparation for the Cowboys on Thursday. 

The Community is invited to pose some questions for Tyvon in the comments section and he will do his best to get as many of them answered as quickly as possible:

Hello Raider Fans!!! It was a good weekend to be a Raider. We have to carry it over into this Thursday's game at Dallas. Happy Thanksgiving as well....I am assuming this game will be available to all of Raider Nation-so cheer hard. The Cowboys are coming in hot, so it should be a great matchup. Although this was a short week, we had an opportunity to rest up a bit and watch some film, and I feel we are ready to go. I doubt I have time to answer questions before the game, but go ahead and post them and I will do my best.....GO RAIDERS!!!!

TB

SABP: Congratulations to you and the team for a great victory against the Bengals. It seemed that there was an extra amount of emotion and energy with the defense on Sunday. Was that in part due to the fact that the offense was able to move the ball around with some consistency led by a highly energized Gradkowski?

TB: As a team, we felt we had a great control on the game. The crowd was in it the whole time and that really got us pumped. Getting down early is hard on a team, but this week we were right there and it helped.

SABP: You once again led the team in tackles and were all over the field in multiple sets and coverage's. On the play in the 2nd quarter where you blitzed Cason Palmer and forced the fumble, can you describe for us what went into that play and how it developed?

TB: We had a blitz on there and I came free and it happened that I got there at the right time. Plays similar to that develop so quick and it is important to read run or pass and then find the ball. On a pure safety blitz such as that, you only have a split second to make that play.

SABP: The previous two Raiders victories were followed by blowout losses the next week even though the team was excited and motivated. What will you and the team do differently this time to try and take that momentum from Sunday and bring it to Dallas?

TB: Well this being a short week might help. We did not have too much time to think about much except Dallas. Hopefully getting back out there will allow us to execute and come home with a W.

SABP: You and the team have a very short week this week being on the road with a Thanksgiving Day game in Dallas. What will you and the team do differently this week, as far as preparation, compared to a normal week with a Sunday game?

TB: We will go straight into preparing for Dallas, and not have the usual time off. We have a longer week next week so that will give us an extra day to recover. The short week should not adversely affect us, we are football players and this is what we love to do. We just have to be ready for all of their offensive weapons.


Thanks Tyvon, Happy Thanksgiving and good luck against the Cowboys.

Regular Season Week 12

Television: CBS

Line: Cowboys by 13.5  points

SB Nation Raiders vs Cowboys Preview here.

First of all, I would like to extend my best wishes to the whole Silver And Black Pride community for a Happy Thanksgiving Day! Nothing better then Turkey Day football and now we have it with our Raiders!

For the Raiders and their fans, there was not much time to revel in last Sunday's upset victory over the Bengals at the Coliseum with the Raiders having to play on the road against the Cowboys on a short week for Thanksgiving Day.

The Raiders will be hoping to take their momentum from last Sunday's win on the road to Dallas along with the pumped-up and energized QB Bruce Gradkowski leading the way. It is very important for this team to make a positive showing against Dallas, not just because it is a nationally televised game, but because the followup games that came after the previous two Raiders victories resulted in blowout losses. With the Dallas team showing some vulnerabilities and the Raiders now playing with a new sense of purpose under Gradkowski, a win for the Raiders in Dallas is achievable.

Cowboys QB Tony Romo will play, but he is banged up and if the Raiders can get to him with consistent pressure then the Raiders have a chance to create some turnovers and stay with the Cowboys. The good news for the Raiders is that defensive lineman Richard Seymour's aching back has improved enough for him to play. That, coupled with former Cowboys defensive end Greg Ellis, who is fired up and going to prove that Dallas made a mistake by releasing him in the offseason. The Raiders on defense are well aware of their tendency to give up game changing big plays and the Dallas offense is surely capable of the big play, so the Raiders will have to step up their effort to avoid giving up the big plays in Dallas. While Dallas has been installed as 14 point favorites against the Oakland, the Raiders do seem to own Dallas head coach Wade Phillips, who is just 1-6 in his career against the Raiders.

Now that the Raiders offense is in the competent hands of Gradkowski, they should be able to produce a much more balanced attack. While Gradkowski can manage the game with some precision passing, the Raiders really need to plan and execute a solid running game, especially to nullify the strong Cowboys defensive line. This is all the more important when you consider that Cornell Green will be starting at right tackle on the road in a noisy stadium, where his penchant for false starts or giving up a big sack are all too frequent. If the Raiders can design a good plan for utilizing Bush, Fargas and McFadden, then they will be able to neutralize the Cowboys pass rush and be able to let Grads make the smart passing plays.The Raiders will need to get at least 150 yards on the ground to be able to dictate the flow of this game. They need to not fall behind early or else it will be a long day trying to play catchup football in Dallas.

Alright Raider Nation, we're all set for our Turkey Day feast, what are you thoughts on today's game and what are your Raider keys to victory?

GO R-A-I-D-E-R-S!!!

Cincinnati with a 14-7 lead over the Raiders at the half.

The Raiders are in the game and need to keep the momentum going on offense as they get the ball first to start the 2nd halg

GO R-A-I-D-E-R-S!!!

Bengals are in Oakland taking on the Raiders with Bruce Gradkowski taking over the starting QB spot.

Let's Go R-A-I-D-E-R-S!!!