Coach Kiffin had the boys ready to play

[poptart]

:shakehead:


6 straight losses.

I dunno, maybe the Nation has gotten so numb that it no longer sinks in.

6 straight losses blows moth dick, and it's simply unacceptable.

Team has been getting worse rather than better.

Anyone disagree with that statement?

Far too many holes to plug, I guess.

Poor Lane.

Glancing at stats, I noticed that there are just two teams in the league with more penalties than the Oakland Raiders.

Yep, there's a NEW sheriff in town.



pffft ..........

[RaiderDestiny]

:shakehead:


6 straight losses.

I dunno, maybe the Nation has gotten so numb that it no longer sinks in.

6 straight losses blows moth dick, and it's simply unacceptable.

Team has been getting worse rather than better.

Anyone disagree with that statement?

Far too many holes to plug, I guess.

Poor Lane.

Glancing at stats, I noticed that there are just two teams in the league with more penalties than the Oakland Raiders.

Yep, there's a NEW sheriff in town.



pffft ..........


Actually, on offense I saw a lot of improvement this week. Involvement by the FB and TE. Long passes to the WR. Adjusting the game plan to Pepp's strengths instead of forcing him to use the McCown playbook. For the first time, our offense looked like an NFL offense.

Now on Defense, that is another story....

[NIPS]

Look familiar?

In a position to win the game just like the last 4 games and we couldnt get it done

mmph, mmph, mmph...

To many holes... have 2 holes on the OL and major problems on the DL

Throw the sink at Haynesworth, do whatever it takes to sign him

Trade Gallery for a 3rd rd pick...

Draft McFadden, in rd 1

Draft Frank Okam the big DT from Texas in rd 2 And pair him up with Haynesworth

Jeff Otah the Pittsburgh OT would be a good pick if we were able to get an early 3rd pick for Gallery

Move Sims to guard

[poptart]

Last I checked the head coach is responsible for every phase of the game.

O, D & ST.

The defense has regressed this year from where they were last year.

Kiff preaches accountability.

He needs a long look in the mirror.

Seriously now, he's gonna find himself out of a job here if he doesn't come up with some wins.

[Raidermania12]

No he wont. He'll atleast be here for Russell's second year at QB. But no further if he loses like this next year.

[BigTron]

Let the Dorsey vs McFadden debate rage!

[NIPS]

Last I checked the head coach is responsible for every phase of the game.

O, D & ST.

The defense has regressed this year from where they were last year.

Kiff preaches accountability.

He needs a long look in the mirror.

Seriously now, he's gonna find himself out of a job here if he doesn't come up with some wins.

This team was a fuckin mess last year and I think everybody in the organization knew this os a 2-3 year work project.

I'm courious to see the moves Lane makes after his 1st year of evaluation

I'll venture to guess some big named players get the pooch

This year is obvious that its an evalutaion year.

[hawaiianboy]

That new sheriff inherited basically the same roster that lost road games by an average of over two touchdowns...

I'm as sick of losing as anybody else, but that's still Barry Sims out there getting worked, still Schweigert out there missing tackles, still Culpepper fumbling, still the same shit run defense...


Seriously, was there another coaching prospect out there that would have made the deficiencies we have better?... The only other guy that seemed to want the job was Rob Ryan, and he hasn't shown anything in terms of making adjustments on his end of things for a very disappointing defense...


Frankly when I take an honest look at our roster, I'm amazed that we're in every game... I'm sure someone will call me a Kiffin ballwasher or something like that, but I think that's a huge step up from last years debacle when we were the butt of weekly jokes and I had very little interest in watching games by the midway point... I know ultimately a coach is judged by wins and losses, but Christ it's not like the guy inherited much to work with... I said in the offseason that being competitive was the realistic goal, now add some talent to that and we may have something...

I can tell you this, if Al fires Kiffin I'm done with it till Al kicks off... Having JaMarcus and company learn a whole new system with new terminology would be beyond retarded... and good luck finding a respectable coach that will even take the job after seeing Art and Kiff get one year apiece to turn this turd factory that's been run into the ground by poor management decsions around...

[CrossBones]

All that is true HBoly and in spite of all that is going on I'm still in Kiffin's c orner. By this time last year Art Shell was being mocked by every fan in the NFL (including Raider Fan)...

It's getting old talking about how we're in all the games in the fourth quarter but as lame as that is it's true.

I have to agree...if Kiffin takes the gas pipe after one year there is going to be very little reason to follow this team in 2008. We'd be back to the "who's gonna take this job"? I don't think I could go through another one of those off seasons anytime soon.

Kiffin is going to clean house and bring in more football players. I'm just starting to wonder who is going to want to come here assuming they are worth a shit.

[Madturk]

Ryan has to be held somewhat accountable. Absolutely embarrassing defensive performance, but why should I be surprised. I figured Chester Taylor would have rolled up some yardage against this porous defense but Tavaris Jackson? Give me a fucking break.

Screw drafting skill guys until we get this mess of a DL and OL straightened out. My only consolation is I didn't get to see this abortion today.

[NIPS]

Maybe HB was right

Maybe we should switch to a 3-4

Here's the thing tho'

I'm watching the Steelers basically run a 3-4/4-3 type defense

But gotdamn

They are aggresive and Lebeau sends those cats on 3rd and long and they make the plays

Caveman blitzes like 2 times every month

It's just awful

[BigTron]

Maybe HB was right

Maybe we should switch to a 3-4

Here's the thing tho'

I'm watching the Steelers basically run a 3-4/4-3 type defense

But gotdamn

They are aggresive and Lebeau sends those cats on 3rd and long and they make the plays

Caveman blitzes like 2 times every month

It's just awful

The thing i dont like about our defense is it always looks the same. Offense's gameplan and just do what they want all day. We dont disrupt anything. If they execute they win. We make it easy on them. At least when you blitz it fucks up the plans of the offense.

[NIPS]

The thing i dont like about our defense is it always looks the same. Offense's gameplan and just do what they want all day. We dont disrupt anything. If they execute they win. We make it easy on them. At least when you blitz it fucks up the plans of the offense.

Yeah it is.. It's like a bad rap song.. same beat and riff all the way through the song... no Chorus, no bridge, no guitar solo..

It's like plain crackers or something

Can the Nips get a piece of cheese on this thing ya tight MF'er???

[Rupert]

The defensive philosophy is that we should man cover the receivers and let the front four get after the QB. Hooray! I love the strategy. Best way to play defense in my opinion.

Having said that, why don't we have a front four that gets after the QB?

We like big athletic LB's who can clean up a RB one on one. But to do that, you need a DL that keeps the OL off your LB's.

Why don't we have the front four to do that?

The strategy is clear. I love the strategy. Why haven't we gone after the guys we need to get it done?

Seriously, we could get away with having Stu out there if the front four were getting it done.

[BigTron]

The defensive philosophy is that we should man cover the receivers and let the front four get after the QB. Hooray! I love the strategy. Best way to play defense in my opinion.

Having said that, why don't we have a front four that gets after the QB?

We like big athletic LB's who can clean up a RB one on one. But to do that, you need a DL that keeps the OL off your LB's.

Why don't we have the front four to do that?

The strategy is clear. I love the strategy. Why haven't we gone after the guys we need to get it done?

Seriously, we could get away with having Stu out there if the front four were getting it done.

OK. I can go with that. So the problem is Rob Ryan AGAIN is running a defensive strategy he doesnt have roster to be successful with? We have very fast LB's and have trouble creating pressure or stoping the run... hmm maybe we should blitz more and stack the box... Rob Ryan is letteing us all down this year. Thank god he isnt the HC.

[Raidermania12]

Weird when Sims was on a roll to start off, Kiffin and cable got all the credit. Now its his fault when he falls off. Kinda selective.

[Byron2112]

Rob Ryan is letteing us all down this year. Thank god he isnt the HC.

Dude, I was just thinking about this. I fear that would have turned out a total disaster move, like Bugel or something, where we'd be starting all over again next season.

[Madturk]

New England is downright scary.

[Rupert]

OK. I can go with that. So the problem is Rob Ryan AGAIN is running a defensive strategy he doesnt have roster to be successful with? We have very fast LB's and have trouble creating pressure or stoping the run... hmm maybe we should blitz more and stack the box... Rob Ryan is letteing us all down this year. Thank god he isnt the HC.
Yeah, but I think the bigger problem is the defensive roster doesn't really resemble one that can do anything consistently well. We do the occassional run blitz and have mixed results. We do the occassional pass blitz to the same mixed results.

I think we've dropped back to less frequent blitzes to make them greater surprises. They've been more effective when we've done that. However, that has left the defense looking like bend to the point of breaking and then break anyway.

The bottom line is there are critical weaknesses in the defensive roster. The best way to fix it is to get better D-linemen.

[Rupert]

New England is downright scary.
Roughly 20 years later the Buffalo Bills have returned.

[RaiderIVlife]

Remember about a year ago when we were talking about giving our defense a nickname since, at the time anyway, it appeared to be a group that was on the cusp of being regarded as an 'elite' unit?

Names like 'Black swarm', 'Black Death', etc. etc. were bandied about.

I'll throw in some new names:

Career Best: As in opposing offensive players break their previous best single game achievments against us.

or,

All Package & No Present: This defense is loaded with 1st day draft talent, has a well regarded coaching staff and at times, can play solid football, but in the end, whether it's team's running the rock on us consistently or the defense melting down in the 58th minute after being brilliant for the first 57 minutes, they always find a way to disapoint us in the worst way.

Wake me when JaMarcus Russell and Michael Bush see the field. At least then our conerstone (hopefully....) players will be getting some meaningful experience heading into 2008. I woke up date, missed the first half, listened to the second half - somewhat - and couldn't wait for the misery to end so that I could watch a DVD. Such is my interest level these days. I have more fun coming here talking (venting?) about this team here than I do watching them embarras themselves each week for the past 5 years.

To blame Lane Kiffin for this mess is short sighted, it's no longer worth debating IMO. Firing him would be a monumental mistake. The fact that this sorry squad is battling each and every week and the fact that players aren't having (at least in public) their annual meltdown/revolt/finger pointing/quit session, speaks volumes about the job that he's doing. A lot of the young players are starting to get priceless experience and this bodes well for next season. Let the house cleaning resume coach Kiffin. The sooner, the better.

Kudos to Justin Fargas, the player on this team that most embodies what "being a Raider" is all about.

A 3rd for Robert Gallery? I'd take it yesterday, but c'mon, is someone really going to offer a 3rd for this stiff? I don't see it happening. If it does, I'd like to see that team some prime vacation property in Fallujuah, Tikrit or Baghdad.

[jake75]

New England is downright scary.


My hope is belicheat keeps the hammer down all season and goes for the 16 -0, and in the process gets someone vital hurt. (Brady).

Who is New Englands RB?....they don't need one, thats how good they are.

I hate them.

[Madturk]

Moss with four TD's in the first half. I hate this team so much I'm beginning to like them. Sort of like drinking yourself sober.

[Byron2112]

Moss with four TD's in the first half. I hate this team so much I'm beginning to like them. Sort of like drinking yourself sober.


Dude, I laughed.... I know what you mean.

I think they call it the Helsinki syndrome.

[RaiderIVlife]

Stats and video composite of game - courtesy of NFL.com

http://www.nfl.com/gamecenter?season=2007&week=REG11&game_id=29348

Small victories:

Dante Culpepper - almost 350 yards passing. I don't care what the situation was, that is impressive in this offense. That is about 3 games of 'production' for McCown. I'm starting to wonder if he isn't the veteran backup QB that's "been there before" as the guy on our roster to pair with Russell?

Ronald Curry - 120 yds recieving. Got passed the secondary a couple of time. He averaged 30.0/per reception today. Didn't think he'd sniff a stat line like this, ever. Has struggled this season with consistency, but is still a fine #2 or #3 WR on any team.

Chris Clemons - 2 more sacks for the young pass rushing specialist. He is our sack leader with 5 (in limited snaps). We might have something here.....

[poptart]

To hell with small victories.
We got our ass smoked again.

Somewhere Art Shell is smiling.

The great Aurthuh Shell.


I hear the talk about improvement, baby steps, being competetive, etc ....
While I would, at this point, bet that Kiffin will return as head coach, I would not guarantee it.
So far he's a pretty pitiful failure.

The product looks only marginally improved over last year's, IMO.

Last year had it's share of gut-wrenching losses too, we should recall.

Week 3 - Led Cleveland and then took the pipe, lost by 3
week 8 - Lost to Dungver by 4
Week 9 - Lost to KC by 4 as Brooks threw a late pick in the end zone
Week 10 - Lost to SD in a game we might have won had not the bizarro 'illegal forward pass' fantasy ruling been jammed up our @ass
Then the last 5 weeks it totally caved in and we were not at all competetive.

I see basically the same thing this year.
We've been in some fairly close ones, and a few REAL close ones, only to lose 'em.
I could see us getting our ass TOTALLY handed to us as we near the end of our schedule.
I believe that is how it will play out.

We're not improving, IMO.
We looked like a better team early in the season.
IF we could have notched a couple o' wins it would have done wonders for us, but .... it didn't happen.

We're continually getting our shit packed, and we're STILL committing the same brain-dead penalties as last year.


.... well, and every year since the dawn of mankind.

[Abelardo]

The system as a whole is in trouble. We go nuts trying to identify the problem each week. One game is the offence, others the defence, in the beginning, it was the kicker; frequently the defensive coach, the QB all by himself is a constant... a handful of players do very stupid things each week. Asomugha turned one great play into a system disaster with a bad decision this afternoon.

Isolating factors won't take the Raiders nowhere. They need to rethink his approach to the game. If Kiffins gonna turn the tide, he needs complete control. He will mess up some things indeed, but it's the only way we have to know if it's gonna work. Right now the improvement is only a moral victory. And that's the worrying concept: We're supposedly better and we're still getting the same amount of games. It has been different with every coach, the only constant is the losses. Don't forget Joe Bugel and Mike White were also more or less competitive, still lost hundreds of games.

The question must be: Can we measure the improvement only considering the games won?

We shouldn't expect nothing good until 2009 or 2010. Next year Kiffin will mold the team a little more. So maybe 5 or 6 wins should be natural. Russell will be still learning, and he looks like he ain't a fast learner. Once Russell get his experience, Bush gels as the legitimate starter, and we replace the inepts we have on the roster, only then there can be wins, and it's not for sure.

[CrossBones]

Somewhere Art Shell is smiling.Indeed he is. Indeed he is.

The great Aurthuh Shell.Ugh.

[poptart]

It's a good post, Abelardo.

Aso's bonehead move was SO typical of the loser mentality that has seemingly permanently infested this organization.

Winning teams, winning players don't make such incredibly BAD decisions.


The system as a whole is in trouble. We go nuts trying to identify the problem each week. One game is the offence, others the defence, in the beginning, it was the kicker; frequently the defensive coach, the QB all by himself is a constant... a handful of players do very stupid things each week.

That's it.
Every week it's a new hole in the bottom of the boat.
I'm just EXTREMELY frustrated with the state of affairs right now.

I don't think shitcanning Kiffin is an answer to the problem, but it could happen.
I don't think Al has any choice right now but to HOPE that Kiffin can get a handle on things and make some strides NEXT season.
Blowing things up again just doesn't seem like a realistic move to make.
But with Al you just never know.

About the 5 or 6 wins next season, I believe we should have seen that happen THIS year.

Early in the season the team seemed to be playing with more poise, togetherness, purpose, and attitude.
The last month or so, it's spun entirely out of control.
This is on Kiffin, IMO.
He's the head man and he has to be accountable.
Penalties out the ass, bonehead plays, poor tackling, etc...

Our schedule has been fairly soft, and I gotta believe a coach who was doing a good job with our personnel would have us at at least 4-5.

Just my opinion.

Yeah, I know, if the ball bounced right we could, would, should .... have that record.


Yeah, and if my aunt had a pair .......

[Jack's sore libido]

Last week they threw up a stat that the Raiders' offensive line led the league in penalties by like 12.

And today they had another 6 (5 accepted).

When the offense is constantly having to go 15 or 20 yards for a first down, you just aren't going to win many games.

This team is its own worst enemy on offense.

[poptart]

No doubt about that, Jack.

That sort of goes to the point Abelardo made about folks across the board fuggin' up week in and week out.

We're lacking some offensive talent, for sure, but what we are really lacking is offensive leadership, and specifically from the QB position.
It's been sorely lacking ever since Rich Gannon went down.

The kind of braindead penalties and missed assignments didn't fly when Rich was QBing because he was running around barking at people, pointing fingers, etc.

People knew that they had to have their shit together or Rich would be calling them out.
A team needs that sort of leadership on offense, and specifically from the QB position.
We need for Russell to develop into that kind of leader.
And he doesn't have to be as vocal as Gannon was, but guys just have to want to gravitate toward him.
But Russell won't be that guy next year.
It'll take some time to grow into it.
So I wish to see a couple of veteran 'character' players brought in on offfense in the off-season, as a steadying influence.
O-line and WR in particular.

We don't have jack shit right now on offense.

[SoCalRaider]

To hell with small victories.
We got our ass smoked again.

This wasn't nearly as bad as some of our other losses... but at the same time it seems every time we take a step forward (offense rallies behind DC), we manage to take 2 steps back (defense didn't even show up)...






While I would, at this point, bet that Kiffin will return as head coach, I would not guarantee it.
So far he's a pretty pitiful failure.

When the only team in the league worse than you is 0-10... nobody's job is safe except Al's....




I could see us getting our ass TOTALLY handed to us as we near the end of our schedule.
I believe that is how it will play out.


Agreed. If I had to pinpoint the one December game that nukes the season... it'll be the Green Bay game. Class of the NFC, Lambeau in December, homefield advantage on the line.... they really could beat us by 70.




We're continually getting our shit packed, and we're STILL committing the same brain-dead penalties as last year.

That pretty much sums it all up for me.