It's pretty simple. The 2012 Raiders were awful. The 2013 Raiders were awful. And the 2014 Raiders, after another full draft and $60 million to spend in the offseason, are worse than the two previous editions. If that happens under your watch, you're going to get canned. And yet here comes Pro Football Talk with a logic-challenged screed titled "Mark Davis fires the guy who really wasn't to blame." From the piece: "If Allen deserves to go, so does G.M. Reggie McKenzie. And if they bear blame for the current mess, so does the late Al Davis, who stubbornly refused to step aside from running the football operation in the latter years of his life."
The author is half right. But trying to deflect Dennis Allen's responsibility for fielding a competent team onto Al Davis (who passed away a full three years ago) is just another case of lingering Al Davis Derangement Syndrome, the symptoms of which include irrationality and frequent breakdowns in logic. Al David didn't line up two corners against a three-receiver bunch in the red zone last Sunday. Al Davis didn't lose 10 games in a row. Al Davis didn't fail to make adjustments at halftimes. Al Davis didn't look lost on the sideline. Al Davis didn't lose nine games by 20+ points in 2.25 seasons. Al Davis didn't give up two of the most egregious point totals in Raiders history within 2.25 seasons. Al Davis didn't make this team worse than last year's edition. Al Davis didn't sign veteran quarterbacks over the past two years who couldn't beat out third stringers. Al Davis didn't draft a cornerback coming off a life-threatening injury in the first round last year, followed by a guy in the second round who'd only been playing the game of football for two years. Al Davis didn't lose Rashard Jennings in free agency and replace him with Maurice Jones-Drew. Al Davis didn't lose Jared Veldheer in free agency, and then replace him with a guy who failed his physical. Al Davis didn't fail to get a true impact player with $60 million to spend in the offseason...
Do you get my drift, PFT?
There's no doubt that Al Davis put the Raiders in a hole before his death, but due to Al Davis Derangement Syndrome, some people act like Reggie and Dennis were the first GM-coach duo to ever inherit an NFL team that was in a deep hole.
As if the 0-16 Lions didn't go to the playoffs three years later. As if the 2012 Colts didn't make the playoffs with 30.1% of their adjusted cap devoted to dead money. As if the Dolphins didn't once go 11-5 right after going 1-15. As if the Chiefs didn't go 11-5 last year after going 2-14. Those are extreme examples of quick turnarounds, of course, but let's not forget that Reggie and Dennis inherited an Al Davis-led team that had gone 8-8 in its two previous seasons.
Yes, the Raiders were in a hole. Three years later, however, they appear to be in a deeper hole. After two complete drafts. After $60 million to spend. After nearly three years of Reggie and Dennis Allen having the opportunity to exert culture change and competence and consistency. Well, you could say that they've given us consistency...
So there you have it. That's why Dennis Allen was fired. And that's why Reggie McKenzie is next.
I'm not going to dignify this performance with my usual five postgame takes. One is sufficient. It still boggles my mind how the 2014 Oakland Raiders are playing worse than last year's edition, after another complete draft and a ton of money to spend in free agency. How could this team possibly get worse? That fact alone will result in a head (or more) rolling. The buck stops somewhere.
If you're Dennis Allen and you have to make your case to Mark Davis tonight, your only option is to point the finger at the general manager: Look, we lost three key starters in free agency, including our best running back, we got a bunch of older guys in free agency instead of true impact players, we don't have a true #1 running back or receiver, last year's draft was a wreck, for two straight seasons our presumed starting quarterback signings have proved to be a disaster, I had to start two third-string level quarterbacks last year, and this year my best option is a rookie quarterback, etc. He may have a point, but that still doesn't explain how this team somehow got worse after two miserable seasons, and how a defensive-minded head coach can't seem to exert any sort of competence on his defense.
Mark my words, we will have a new head coach after the bye week, and the seat under Reggie McKenzie has to be red hot. You might be able to get away with taking a full year to deconstruct a team, and you might be able to get away with minimal progress in the next year. But you can't roll out a sh**show like this the third year, not if you're Dennis Allen, and not if you're Reggie McKenzie.
Well, I think there's more on the line in London than a mere win or loss today. The Raiders really need to step up, not only to save face, but to possibly save Dennis Allen's job. If things don't go well, then it will be difficult, as the British say, to keep calm and carry on. But let's not borrow trouble. The Dolphins are an eminently beatable team, so it's time to fry the fish and wash them down with a cup of the Queen's tea. GO RAIDERS!
1. The way we lost was so typical. With a potential win on the line, just yards away from shocking the NFL and ending that ridiculous East Coast losing streak, Denarius Moore clearly takes his eyes off the ball, and it bounces right off his chest into the arms of an awaiting defender. 2. Perhaps my favorite part of the game was Derek Carr appearing to bark loudly at Moore for taking his eyes off the ball. Good for Carr, that bodes well for his leadership abilities. 3. In the preseason, I noted that we don't have a #1 at running back or receiver. That chicken has come home to roost on Reggie's shoulder. Meanwhile, Rashard Jennings yesterday racked up 175 yards and a TD on a bad Giants offense against the team that slaughtered us last week. Now, I'm not saying he would produce similar numbers on the Raiders, but there is no doubt that he was our best back last year, and he would be this year as well. We have taken a step backward at running back, and it shows. 4. I'm already sick of the excuse of: "Well, they're playing a rookie quarterback, this comes with the territory." No. Matt Schaub was brought in to precisely avoid that type of scenario, and Matt McGloin has starting experience as well. We were told that Matt Schaub didn't lose the job, but rather that Carr earned it, and that Carr gave us the best chance to win.There was no injury that forced Carr into a starting role, like what happened yesterday with Bortles and Bridgewater. The "rookie quarterback" is not a viable excuse in Oakland. 5. All that said, this was a much better effort. The Clown Car was parked, and a tough assignment on the road was met with competitive performance. A decent offense would have won that game for us. Right now, we don't have a single playmaker. The stakes in London are racheting upward, and some jobs could be on the line.
Well, this isn't going to be much of a take. The Raiders have a chance to surprise us all with a competitive effort today. By 1 p.m. Pacific time, we'll know if there's a glimmer of hope, or if we're further lurching into oblivion. Bang your takes here as the game progresses.
Here's some gasoline on the fire that you may have missed... In this piece by Steve Corkran, Jared Veldheer has this to say about his departure from the Raiders: "The
whole time, the understanding was that something was going to happen,
there was something that was going to be done," Veldheer said. "But then
nothing ended up happening. There wasn't any back and forth that kind
of let me know where I stood."
Here's more:
As they prepare to play the 49ers on Sunday, Carson Palmer, Jared Veldheer and Matt Shaughnessy are far away from the disaster they believe began with the dismissal of Hue Jackson as coach.
"Guys
loved playing for Hue," Palmer said. "Hue was a great head coach.
Unfortunately, they decided that it was time for him to go, and a number
of our guys that had been there awhile."
However, it's worth reminding Palmer and the others that if they loved playing for Hue so much, why did they go out with such a whimper in 2011, losing four out of five to close the season? On that note, Just Blog Baby has this rebuttal to all of the Hue love.
There are really two points to discuss in Corkran's piece. The first is whether or not it was a mistake to fire Hue Jackson. I do believe that the players liked and responded to him on some level, but he really prepared his own walking papers at the end of 2011 with all of his blather and power grabbing. It would have been interesting if he'd checked his ego and stuck around, I doubt it could have been worse than what we've got with Dennis Allen, and it might have been much better. But it's all water under the bridge. The other point is the one made by Veldheer, and it's more troubling and relevant to our current season. I suspect that there's some fire to that smoke. We lost Veldheer, Jennings and Houston in fairly rapid succession during free agency. To me, that suggests some sort of operational or communication shortcoming, as Veldheer suggested. If you are trying to figure out how this team might possibly be worse than last year's edition (and so far, it's looking that way), then our free agency losses are probably a good place to start. What do you think?
For the sake of Dennis Allen's job security, the one thing the Raiders couldn't do this year was get worse. Yet, based on the first two weeks of the season (as well as the tea leaves of the preseason), it seems like that's exactly what they've done. It's one thing to take a step back from eight wins to four wins in your first year when the ship has already run aground. It's even another thing to still only win four games in your second year amid varying excuses (some valid, some not) and the promise that things will get better.
But after yet another full draft and a free agency period flush with cash, and with another year of experience under the coaching belt, and with ample time logged at the helm for exerting culture change...if, after all that, the team gets worse on the field?
Well, that's when the axe will fall, and it will fall sooner rather than later if something doesn't change very soon in the on-field performance of the 2014 Oakland Raiders.
Merely matching last year's efforts would be a dubious distinction and worthy of a pink slip by year's end. But actually taking a step back? Well, that's when a bye-bye can be expected during the bye week.
If that happens, the seat under GM Reggie McKenzie is going to get awfully hot as well.
To date, the main complaint from the Raider Nation and owner Mark Davis is that the progress has been painfully slow under DA's and Reggie's watch.
But now, with the progress yielding to apparent regress, we are on the brink of yet another regime change in Alameda.
1. The more things change, the more they stay the same, so fire up the Clown Car! I have also included a screenshot from Arian Foster's first-quarter touchdown romp. Look at the Clown Car, look at the screenshot, and let me know if you notice any resemblance. 2. This isn't just a matter of being 0-2. It's how we got here, with a weak effort against the Jets, and a beatdown by the not-so-mighty Texans in our home opener. We are clearly bad in all phases of the game right now. At this point, it's looking like we'll be lucky to win four games. 3. What is it about the Raiders that turns a perfectly competent #2 receiver from the Packers like James Jones into a bumbling, careless double-fumble offender? Alameda is like the Bermuda Triangle, where fundamentals go to die. 4. Derek Carr will likely be fine. I think he has the ability and mindset to be a cornerstone quarterback. But he's been thrown into an awful situation. He's like the lone beacon blinking through the dirty fog of a vast wasteland. He deserves better. 5. I said it before, but it bears repeating: No matter what situation Reggie and DA walked into three years ago, there's simply no excuse for a lack of improved performance after three years of (alleged) culture change, two full drafts and a free agency period with tons of money to spend. So either things will improve, or we'll be watching the end of the Reggie-DA era in slow motion as the season progresses.
Here's the thing...The reason the Raider Nation is (justifiably) freaking out right now is that the Raiders are showing little indication of on-field improvement in 2014 compared to 2013 and 2012.
That may change, hopefully starting today, but that's where things stand right now for anyone who has eyeballs. Now, here's the other thing...No matter what situation Reggie and DA walked into three years ago, there's simply no excuse for a lack of improved performance after three years of (alleged) culture change, two full drafts and a free agency period with tons of money to spend.
So either things will improve, or we'll be watching the end of the Reggie-DA era in slow motion as the season progresses.
That, amigos, is where we stand right now, and time is getting short.
So here come the Texans and J.J. Watt for the first home game of the season. It's time for the Raiders to step up and give the Nation a glimmer of hope that this team is better that it has looked so far. GO RAIDERS!
1. In my pregame take, I noted that this was no time to be conservative, and that the Jets' secondary was considered "depleted" going into the game. But as Steve Corkran noted after the game, "The surprise came in how little offensive coordinator Greg Olson called for rookie quarterback Derek Carr to throw downfield. Just about every pass until real late in the game called for Carr to get rid of the ball in a hurry, near the line of scrimmage and without risk of being sacked or hit. In other words, just the opposite of what Carr did so well against the Seattle Seahawks, even if much of that came against the Seahawks backup defense." 2. Look, we were flush with $$$ during the offseason. So now you tell me where we made a substantive positional improvement during free agency with all that money. Reggie has had
three years figure out a way to stock our skill positions, and we still
don't have a legitimate #1 running back or receiver. DMac and MJD (combined 26 yards) looked
like two guys on downslope, which is what they are. Streater, Moore
and Jones are okay, but come on, none of them are true #1 receivers. Jones was brought in to help set the pace, yet he started the game on the bench behind Moore. Who's minding the skill position store for this team? 3. Therefore, Derek Carr can't be faulted for what happened. today. The playcalling was questionable, the protection was inconsistent, and his support was limited. I just hope that he keeps his chin up, particularly if we keep trotting him out into greasefires like this one. Don't kid yourself, the score looks close on paper, but the game didn't pass the eyeball test. We looked awful. 4. Our defense was a train wreck. No pressure on the QB, receivers left wide open, the dreaded "big play" on the Chris Ivory run. Different year, same ol' Raiders "defense." 5. I am this close to revving up the Clown Car on this game. But somehow, some way, we technically kept it close, so I'll keep it parked for now.
Rex Ryan is going to reach into his extensive bag of defensive tricks to try to rattle Derek Carr early. The goal should be to rattle him back with quick strikes and even long bombs if necessary, to keep the Jets from stacking the box and succeeding at the blitz. The secondary is the Jets' weak spot on defense right now.
All that said, we have to be careful. We need to establish the run, and make sure that we're not so aggressive with the pass that Carr is baited into careless early picks. The Jets' DBs may not be world beaters, but neither are our receivers.The worst thing would be for Carr's psyche to be shaken early in this game.
Here's the thing: careful and conservative may be related, but they are two different things. We'll know if the Raiders are playing conservatively, or carefully.
One other thing: We need to prove that we can tackle on defense. The era of bad angles and pansy tackling leading to big plays just has to stop. This Jets' offense isn't special. It can be shut down, and the Raiders can do it.
