Five Postgame Takes
1. I can't figure out the ho-hum attitude that some fans seem to have toward Terrelle Pryor right now. What have you been watching? Have you seen anything this electric lately in a Raiders uniform? Sure, he ultimately blew it in Indy, but without him we're not even in that game. Then, on Sunday, he manages the game and avoids mistakes, and his mere presence as a running threat blows holes open for Darren McFadden. He's got a ways to go, but he's certainly made things interesting. And before you pick apart his stats, who does he have to throw to? Any one see any hall-of-fame receivers on this roster?
2. When McFadden starts rolling downhill, and when he feels like it, he looks really good. Angry and vicious.
3. Anyone missing Richard Seymour, Tommy Kelly, Michael Huff or Rolando McClain right about now? Didn't think so. Our defense might not be a powerhouse at this point, but you can't call them overpaid and overdrafted. And it looks to me like they're playing with more purpose, more energy and more violence than any Raiders defense in recent memory.
4. Just chew on this for a second: "On February 17, 2011, Richard Seymour agreed to a two year, $30 million contract extension with the Raiders, making him the highest paid defensive player in the NFL." As of right now, two weeks into the 2013 season, Richard Seymour is an unsigned free agent. Say goodbye to craziness.
5. Meanwhile, Charles Woodson's one-year deal is worth a maximum of $4.3 million and includes a $700,000 signing bonus. The same Charles Woodson who saved the day with a jaw-dropping leap to horsecollar MJD short of the goal line on Sunday. Say hello to value.
2. When McFadden starts rolling downhill, and when he feels like it, he looks really good. Angry and vicious.
3. Anyone missing Richard Seymour, Tommy Kelly, Michael Huff or Rolando McClain right about now? Didn't think so. Our defense might not be a powerhouse at this point, but you can't call them overpaid and overdrafted. And it looks to me like they're playing with more purpose, more energy and more violence than any Raiders defense in recent memory.
4. Just chew on this for a second: "On February 17, 2011, Richard Seymour agreed to a two year, $30 million contract extension with the Raiders, making him the highest paid defensive player in the NFL." As of right now, two weeks into the 2013 season, Richard Seymour is an unsigned free agent. Say goodbye to craziness.
5. Meanwhile, Charles Woodson's one-year deal is worth a maximum of $4.3 million and includes a $700,000 signing bonus. The same Charles Woodson who saved the day with a jaw-dropping leap to horsecollar MJD short of the goal line on Sunday. Say hello to value.
posted by Raider Take at 9:29 PM
33 Comments:
I believe Raider fans are in a pinch me moment.
Maybe this should be a case study in how sports fans react to record losing for years, poorly run Org and 1 owner that ran everything in 50 years. Will it ever happen again? Not in Major pro sports, IMO.
People don't want to jump at anything right now out of chance of looking foolish. If the Raiders continue to look better than expected and show it over time...I think fans are ready to explode at the seams if it shows itself/team/Pryor to be a REAL DEAL. Hundred times bitten...of course the Nation is shy.
JONES
I know it has only been 2 games and there is a huge hill to climb but I think ...
if Pryor continues to grow in his football acumen, continues to be a threat the D must honor, there is a very good chance that this team can climb the competitive ladder.
Think about it ... on any given offensive play when $hit breaks down, there is a legitimate chance for Pryor to make a play. Mind you, not just any play but a play that can take the sails (and wind) out of a D.
Very excited about Pyror but to be the long term answer he is going to have to show that he will eventually be able to drop back and throw the ball 30 times a game on occasion. Games like this Denver one coming up may need that. I am slightly worried he can develop that ability. Regardless, he has definitely made the season worth watching.
Thanks
Leslie
Seymour's veteran contribution: stupid personal foul penalties.
Woodson's veteran contribution: flying around the field making jaw-dropping defensive plays.
Good leaders lead by example.
Take,
Like your postgame talking points. All five 'takes' are reasons why I no longer have to feel chronically depressed during football season. We are no longer a national football league laughingstock. Leave the bad attitudes, and dumb a$$ players to the likes of the Jets and, yes, the Patriots (Hernandez??).
As fans of a perennial loser of a team (10 years seemed like forever), we've forgotten how to act when our team is making positive strides toward legitimacy. Maybe this is why we are making a controversy out of one the more exciting and good players to come along in recent years, Terrelle Pryor. He is grabbing positive headlines and chat all over the country, but generating a heated battle of words among some within the Raider Nation. He is OUR starting QB, is doing a credible job, raising team spirits, making plays more often than not, learning and growing week by week. He is not perfect but he doesn't need to be right now--we are not in the title race yet. What is the problem? It's not like we have Joe Montana sitting on the bench waiting to take his place.
I think the coaches know far more than any of the armchair qbs on the various talk boards. I trust that they are starting Terrelle Pryor right now because he gives the team the best shot at making plays and winning. That's good enough for me! I will not second guess these guys because they know way more than I do about assessing talent and what is best for the team.
Trading a 1st round pick for Seymour was a headscratcher from Day 1. There was never ROI, and it turned out to be one of several deals around that time that made the Raiders look foolish and the Patriots look genius.
Turning the page, McKenzie appears to have done very well with very limited resources. Whether by choice or necessity, he's employed the infamous George Costanza "opposite" approach (relative to have Al Davis ran the organization). So far it's working pretty well.
And I agree, there's nothing ho hum about TP. He's fun to watch. Any "letdown" in the last game is merely relative to the first game, in which he carried the team.
I like the notion some fans have that the Raiders might have been holding back (staying vanilla) last week just to secure the win, and the real show will be played out this week. Not sure that's the way things work, but I'll bite.
relative to "how" Davis ran the org.
SacTown, you are spot on.
This is the only blog of any sort that I frequest, I haven't the time nor the desire to look elsewhere. Take's takes are the reason. There is a breath of reality in his posting. I have "looked" at a few others, years ago, but really just a bunch of people getting off on their love affair man-crush with the Alzado era, thinking somehow that is normal, mature and relevant. I respect the man who sees a chump he loves and calls him out. It makes him better, or at least it should. With the team blown up, slackers cut, and new captains and deck hands in place, befoe you know it, the fear will be nack in the house. But, be patient. The baby is still relearning the walk. Chill, observe, and enjoy. Take, thank you for accenting our season. I appreciate your endurance.
...but Pryor is underrated. That is for sure. By week 6 or 7, then we'll have a solid take, but yeah, he has a great attitude, and he's sharp.
"...but Pryor is underrated. That is for sure. By week 6 or 7, then we'll have a solid take, but yeah, he has a great attitude, and he's sharp."
Looks like you've done a 180 in the last few days.
What happened with your finite certainty that we don't have our QB on the 2013 roster?
Yep! Sit-Watch-Evaluate-and Assess over time.
This is a reasonable approach to a QB with 3 NFL starts.
Thanks, OTB. "Endurance" is a badge of honor we all share. It's been a tough eight years since I started this blog prior to the 2005 season (Norv! Zack Crockett! Doug Gabriel!). Yet here we are, still bickering, still rooting, and still smiling.
Take,
I was very excited about Pryor. But after watching him play, I must admit, I"m a little down on him.
Game one vs Colts. OK. he kept us in it.
But 2 picks, and a red zone sack did Raiders in.
Game 2 vs Jags, you say Pryor avoided mistakes.
But really, he fumbled twice, and was lucky they were recovered by Raiders.
Right now, I see a young QB, who can run great, but throws eratically.
Can he get better ? Sure. Will he get better ? We'll see.
What I'm most excited about in the coming Monday Night game against the Doncos; is our ability to run the ball and chew time off the clock.
We can do that and keep PM off the field, we will have a shot at winning.
What I don't want to see is an over-excitement to try and blitz on the blindside now that Clady is out for the season. I don't want PM to tear us apart because we are over-zealous in our blitz. I think we are better served to blitz up the middle, where he can't move out of the pocket, and hit him in the chops! Force him to make mistakes. Force him to try and make throws into double/triple teams! Put DJ in the slot to punch Welker at the line, don't give him a "cushion." Use the Safeties to cover Thomas and Decker. Pressure PM with Sio Moore blitzing up the middle, and hitting his grill! Time to put the mythical Doncos to sleep.
JUST WIN, BABY!
...my point was just that, Calico... Underrated, but I think our next big QB cpuld come over time. I hope I am wrong, and we gotta give our gut a time out every so often. :)
OTB,
The point I was making about TP2 and our QB situation is that we simply don't know at this juncture in time.
I think it is fair to say that many Raider fans, myself included, have been VERY pleasantly surprised by what TP2 has show in 3 total NFL starts.
The big thing with me is that although he still has a steep learning curve about his overall craft, he already is demonstrating some of the qualities and intangibles to have a legit shot to be a very good #1 QB.
TP2 has shown on the field and in interviews that he gets it -- he knows he has to continue to work hard, become a better leader, make better decisions, but most importantly, that he is accountable for his performance.
...yep, I get you, and that's where the Gut just doesn't help much... so far, so good, and that is good enough for me.
R.I.P. AL, but man, I somehow think if you were still in the big chair, we'd be going after Sanchez... Yikes! X)
@ SactownRaider,
I like your faith in the coach, but that's been in short supply in recent years - for good reason.
I remember watching games in past regimes, seeing the Raiders hold a team on 1st down, and thinking "they'll give up an easy slant pass for a 1st down when 3rd down rolls around" and shaking my head when it happened. Over and over. If I can call the defensive lapse two plays ahead, why didn't our coaching?
These days things are little different. I feel more like that moment when Gruden was coaching and I realized I had no idea what play the Raiders were about to run on 2nd and 6. It's a good feeling.
But I'm still not expecting a lot of wins. I'll settle for some professional looking ball this year
PS
Somehow the Chiefs managed a 3-0 start after replacing their GM, HC and QB... and probably lots of smaller pieces.
Improbable but not impossible.
I think the Chiefs are a different story, they had pieces in place with ordinary cap space. Raiders had to redo the roster twice in 2 years and it still ain't close to a finished product. Much different circumstances.
JONES
Spoke with a friend at our Saturday Morning Men's Fellowship at Saddleback Church, talking about Monday game upcoming (we watch it on a massive screen at a venue on campus without commercials, truly awesome!) and he knows Terrrelle Pyor's kin going way back... this kid has very strong roots and I think that's what I might see in him. Leadership skills that accent his playing skills, which is an opposite to past picks like Russell, Marinovich, you know... Let this kid marinate in the pocket for a few seasons, and he could just be the guy who brings the bling ring as early as 2016. There Is reason for Hope!
Don't know if it is true or not, but a rumor is going around that Mike Huff has been benched in Baltimore. That didn't take long, if it's true. Anyone heard of what Kelly is doing? How bout any of the other castoffs?
Raiders are more talented now, IMO, than they have been in the last 10 years with over 40 mill strapping them. This is another very good sign.
JONES
Mr. Jones, yes sir. Best sign ever.
While I wasn't sorry to see Huff let go, I can't be down on him. Huff was a solid player coming out of Texans. IMO, the Raiders made a sound decision drafting him (#7 I think). But Huff was never put in a position to succeed. He was mostly left on an island as a single-deep safety, on a bad defense with bad coaching and bad players around him. The time he spent with the Raiders he seemed to carry himself as a pro, much like Asomugha.
That aside, I believe the Raiders have demonstrated more cohession with the current defensive unit than we seen in a long time.
Monday will be a real test.
so i got into this "discussion" on twitter with this dude about dmac not being able to run against one of the top teams in the nfl. that he'd have to prove himself. a so-called writer (i don't know what paper or organization he belongs to) "vic cotto" even chimed in and said that dmac has a 5.8 avg vs. the donks. the other dude "reverend jim" called me names and basically put me down. so i basically replied that if he had some research before he embarrassed himself he would have found that the year dmac was drafted in 2008 the donks have been pretty crappy. their record during those years that josh mcdaniel coaching them was 11-27 (something like that) iow, a pretty crappy team. that team is much different now. dmac didn't get any yards vs. indy. did he get yards vs. Jax? heck yeah, he ran all over them. but what kind of team is Jax? a pretty crappy one. now this vic cotto says dmac has a 5.8 yard avg vs. the donks. well, any RB worth their salt can get 5.8 against a bad team like that. my point is that was then. this is now. the donks are "considered" one of the top teams in the nfl. i'm not saying that the raiders are gonna roll-over and forfeit "just because" they're the broncos. i simply pointed out that yards won't come easy against their defense as easily as it did against Jax. so i invited him to discuss this "civilly" here in raider take. and this is what he said:
"@TheReverend69: @cottovic HAHAHAHAHAHAHA... that BLOG IS GARBAGE! I just read some of the dumbest shit EVER. #RaiderNation, eat your own"
oh there's more:
"@TheReverend69: @cottovic
That is the shittiest BLOG I have ever seen. Fan blogs are dime a dozen & rarely good... that is on awful spectrum"
there are some really classless people out there!
Angelic Raider
He must have read the blog when PantyRaider was going crazy. We are more like brothers now, who from time to time want to punch each other. I will be going to the Monday Night Game this year (5 out of the last 6 at Mile High)so wish me luck.
MNF will be a great test for the Raiders especially our rushing offense. If the game is going to be competitive, it will be because the Raiders run the ball effectively, chew up the clock on long drives, keep Manning curbed on the pine, and keep their D fresh.
The wild card in the mix is Pryor. If you watched the game vs. Indy, you realize how deflating and fatiguing it is for the D to be running around trying to catch Pryor.
meant 'keep our D fresh'!
Scorpio, man ain't that the truth. On this upcoming match vs. Broncs... It's not unwinnable. At all. If Pryor can work the signals and make some adjustments in this wall of sound, and yeah, if the rock can be run, it'll be up to the DB's. And, as always, not to wish another man harm... this is football, so, before the league makes it illegal for a QB to be tsckled at all, let's hope full advantage is taken and Manning is retired by the end of the 1st quarter. He's an old man and should be off the field! ;)
Who knows? That's why we actually play the games. So many things can affect the outcome, things can turn out unexpectedly either way. What I want to see is a continuation of what has already happened: our team growing, getting better, learning to communicate with each other, more cohesion, smart play-calling, no dumb penalties or mistakes--tough passionate football!
They say there are no moral victories, but if most of the above comes to pass, then I will feel my team has emerged victorious. Of course, if we actually WIN, then I will be ecstatic. But even a win does not always equal progress, depending on how it is earned.
It's a long season and I don't want to get too geeked out over an early expected loss or an unexpected win. But if the team plays very well, on the national stage, that will be very satisfying. This is a process. I think the team is in good hands, and this will be a test of that. If they lose, how do they bounce back? Did they improve and play better than the first two games? If they win, do they stay focused on next week's game?
@Storminator--Agreed. I think Olsen, Tarver and Allen are far more clever than they get credit. It just takes time to get the pieces, and then get the pieces working together smoothly. Of course, their hands aren't tied behind their backs, as in years past.
Sactown, that was the mother of all takes. Bingo. Passion rules the game. Go the distance, Rocky-style, and the victory is there... imagine the confidence for the next few games coming up, I mean, KC is no slouch, gonna need momentom that bypasses mere points scored. Trench warfare. Commit to excellence. I'll be watching this game on a screen the size of a doublewide in surround with a bunch of BroncHeads..... Some heads are gonna roll.
...hoping the Bronco's are primed for a letdown!
Go Raiders!!
Gamenight thread is up!
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