|
|
|
Thread Tools |
08-31-2014, 08:36 PM
|
#1 |
|
Rookie
|
Oakland Exodus (M15 Relocation CFM)
Last edited by Tritoch42; 08-31-2014 at 08:45 PM. |
|
|
| Advertisements - Register to remove | ||
|
|
|
08-31-2014, 09:22 PM
|
#4 |
|
Rookie
|
Re: Oakland Exodus
Raiders 2014 Season Preview Raiders Sold to California Businessman, Promises to "Build a New Team" The history of the Raiders organization and the Davis family is a long one that needs little explanation, but franchise heir Mark Davis has opted to accept the sale of the team, coming to undisclosed terms with California CEO Jackson Vandergrift to transfer ownership of the team in time the 2014 season.  A highly successful venture capitalist from a wealthy California family, Vandergrift put the entire Raiders organization on call at his opening press conference, declaring an open season on everyone from Head Coach Dennis Allen down to the lowest draft picks. No one is safe from replacement, it seems; even the team's own home is no longer a guarantee. "A football team is unique in many ways, but it's still a business at the end of the day," he said during the conference, "When you take over a new venture, you evaluate... Who's contributing, who isn't, and how you can streamline the organization for success. That could mean a new coach, a new quarterback, even a new venue if that's what it takes. But I intend to be very aggressive in reshaping this team for a successful future, whatever that entails." As a team that hasn't posted a winning season in over a decade, the Raiders are ripe for a number of changes. It only remains to be seen what directions Vandergrift will choose for those changes. Even before the sale of the team, a coaching change seemed in the cards for Oakland, and with it could come significant personnel re-investment. And following on his comments, various sources have suggested that Vandergrift was rumored to be in contact with nearby cities such as Portland, Sacramento, and Los Angeles to lobby for stadium offers and feel out potential interest. When all is said and done, this could be a transformative year for the Raiders franchise on multiple levels. Preseason Preview Entering the 2014 season, the Raiders are one of the oldest teams in the National Football League, with 13 players on the roster aged thirty or older, and many more who aren't far behind. There are a few players who are easy locks for their position, but there is also a lot of room for growth and change in the 2014 Raider lineup. Quarterback Former Texan Matt Schaub is currently at the top of the Raiders' depth chart at QB, holding down the starting position while the team tries to find a long-term solution at the position. Matt McGloin and Trent Edwards are also in the stable, but the most attention this preseason will be on Derek Carr, drafted in the second round by the Raiders and a strong candidate to replace Schaub when the time is right. Oakland has gone through many changes over the years trying to find a stable leader AT QB, and while Schaub seems the logical choice to start early on in the year, a strong showing by the second-round pick could convince Allen and Hartford to pull the trigger on him sooner rather than later. Running Back Darren McFadden and Maurice Jones-Drew form a solid dual threat in the backfield, offering a mix of power and agility that has become a highly desirable combination in a league that increasingly runs by committee. With the team's quarterback situation still in flux, McFadden and MJD will be called upon heavily to stabilize the offense and make up for what is likely to be a lackluster passing attack. Standout FB Marcel Reece is also a highly talented presence in the backfield, able to make plays in a way that is uncommon at his position. Wide Receiver The Raiders are still searching for the definitive answer to their Quarterback question, but whoever becomes the signal-caller of the future is going to need some reliable targets. While James Jones and Denarius Moore are the team's two most competent receivers at the top of the depth chart, they lack some height compared to the team's other players and the position is not a deep one overall. Look for the Raiders to try and cultivate talent at this position to ease the load of whoever ends up under center. Tight End As offensive trends evolve in the NFL, Tight End has quickly become a high-value position for many teams. The Raiders have starting TE David Ausberry who, while not an all-star at his position, should be more than enough to allow the Raiders to focus their attention on other positions. Offensive Line Donald Penn and Stefen Wisniewski are strong spots along the Oakland O-Line, but struggling teammates like LG Tony Bergstrom and untested young talent like RG Gabe Jackson leave plenty of questions along the front five. Talented runners need good blockers, and the Raiders should place a high priority on solidifying a strong line as the foundation for future improvements to the team. Linebacker The Raiders invested the fifth overall pick of the 2014 draft in Buffalo OLB Khalil Mack, who should provide a sorely needed upgrade to the team's weak linebacking corps. Mack will line up across from another young player in Sio Moore, with veteran Kevin Burnett lined up at MLB. Cornerback Tarell Brown is the leader of the CB group in Oakland, but it remains to be seen if the rest of that group can pick up to his pace. Carlos Rogers, with nine seasons under his belt, still hasn't reached Brown's caliber, and a young D.J. Hayden will need to show significant growth in order to claim the second CB spot for his own. If Hayden can progress quickly, the Raiders could have a strong pair of outside corners to help defend the pass. If he can't, look for the team to explore other options at this important position. Safety Free Safety Charles Woodson has sixteen years of play behind him, and is declining into the twilight years of his career. If he begins to slip too far, he could find the younger Usama Young filling his position and putting the veteran out of work. Strong Safety Tyvon Branch, however, has little competition on the team and should be a secure starter. Raiders 2014 Preseason Schedule Week 1: @ Minnesota Week 2: vs. Detroit Week 3: @ Packers Week 4: vs. Seahawks |
|
|
|
|
08-31-2014, 10:46 PM
|
#5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Rookie
|
Re: Oakland Exodus
2014: Preseason Week 1 Oakland Raiders @ Minnesota Vikings Ponder Takes the Reins in 20-13 Win  Neither team intended to play their starters for very long in the opening week of preseason football, but Matt Cassel's night was cut even shorter than expected when a sack by Raiders Safety Charles Woodson knocked him out of the game on the opening drive. A sprained achilles left Cassel spectating on the bench as Christian Ponder took things over, playing through the full four quarters on the way to downing the Raiders. Ponder completed 15 of his 19 passes for 228 yards, and capitalized on a Matt McGloin interception to score on a 32-yard pass to Jarius Wright near the end of the first half. The Vikings didn't ask Ponder to take over the game, however, focusing on their rushing attack to subdue Oakland. After Adrian Peterson posted 35 yards on 10 carries in the first quarter, third-year Running Back Joe Banyard shredded the Raiders for 123 yards on 24 carries. On top of Banyard's performance, rookie Jerrick McKinnon posted an addition 51 yards on 5 carries, including a 41-yard draw for a touchdown in the second half. Raiders QB Matt Schaub played conservatively in the first quarter, throwing 6-8 for 65 yards before passing the signal-calling duties off to McGloin. The young backup struggled throughout the second quarter, throwing for only 18 yards and going 2-8 with an interception. Derek Carr controlled most of the second-half playing time after Trent Edwards left the game with an injury early in the third quarter, and threw 5-11 for 114 yards and his team's only touchdown of the game. To be fair, however, the play was more the result of Little bouncing off multiple tacklers than stellar QB play by Carr. On the ground, McFadden and Jones-Drew both posted respectable performances, but Latavius Murray hurt his chances of retaining an elusive roster spot at his position by giving up a fumble on what could have been a scoring drive, resulting in a touchdown for the Vikings that sealed the win. The game was a close one, but a few crucial mistakes cost Oakland the win. While a few backups managed to drop their stock and put their roster spots in danger, coach Allen can at least go home happy that his starters played well in their limited showing, and that he gained some valuable insight into his potential backups.
Last edited by Tritoch42; 09-01-2014 at 10:58 AM. |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Advertisements - Register to remove | ||
|
|
|
09-01-2014, 10:57 AM
|
#6 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Rookie
|
Re: Oakland Exodus
2014: Preseason Week 2 Detroit Lions @ Oakland Raiders Schaub Leads, Murray Redeems in Raiders Home-Opening Win  Latavius Murray, who gave up a critical fumble in Week 1, jumps into the endzone for a score. The Vikings dealt the Raiders a frustrating loss in week one of this year’s preseason, but the Raiders’ first game back at home in Oakland was a much different story. After playing just one quarter in last week’s loss to the Vikings, the Raiders’ starting group played the full first half when the team hosted Detroit on Friday night. While McGloin and Carr were struggling to find their grooves, presumed starter Matt Schaub threw for a respectable 12-16 in the first half, putting up 109 passing yards and a single TD pass to Tight End David Ausberry, who is quickly becoming one of Oakland’s preseason standouts.  Tight End David Ausberry has performed well in both games this year, making him an unexpected preseason star. The backup squad leaned heavily on the powerful leg of Sebastian Janikowski, and the kicker scored five field goals when McGloin and Carr failed to sustain critical drives. The unit did, however, avoid the costly turnovers that plagued their effort last week, and tipped the differential in their favor by intercepting David Orlovsky three times and sacking him once for a recovered fumble. Although Orlovsky seemed to find his rhythm at times late in the game, the Raiders were able to keep up the pressure with an aggressive, attacking scheme that forced mistakes and turnovers at just the right times. And while the defense gave up rushing yards by the bucketload to Minnesota last week, the squad was able to keep Detroit’s rushing attack stifled for most of the day.
Winning their preseason home opener will give the Raiders some critical momentum, but they will have a difficult task ahead of them next week when they go back on the road to face the Packers. Matt Schaub is expected to sit next week's game, as Head Coach Dennis Allen plays Matt McGloin and Derek Carr against one another in a competition for the primary backup role. Expect to see extended playing time from the backup Running Backs as well, as the team trims its roster closer to its 53-man limit for the season. Last edited by Tritoch42; 09-01-2014 at 11:01 AM. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
09-01-2014, 09:13 PM
|
#7 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Rookie
|
Re: Oakland Exodus
2014: Preseason Week 3 Oakland Raiders @ Green Bay Packers Flynn, Starks Pulverize Oakland Aaron Rodgers didn't look like himself Friday night at Lambeau, throwing a seemingly careless interception and failing to produce much on his limited drives. But thankfully for the Packers, backup QB Matt Flynn was throwing like a midseason sniper, dissecting the Raiders' struggling pass coverage while backup HB James Starks racked up 14 points on the ground for his team on the way to a commanding 34-20 victory. Meanwhile, the Raiders continued to learn lessons about their talent depth on the way to the preseason's final game and the last set of roster cuts. Previously quiet backup HB Jeremy Stewart put in a healthy night's work, running for 88 yards and showing some impressive running power, breaking tackles frequently and showing that he has the power to fight for crucial extra yardage.  Jeremy Stewart didn't see much playing time in the early preseason, but he ran impressively hard against Green Bay Friday night. Meanwhile, both Matt McGloin and Derek Carr showed why Matt Schaub remains the presumed starter, as both Quarterbacks struggled against the Packers' B-team. McGloin was able to start the game strong with an impressive touchdown pass into double coverage to Rod Streater in the first quarter, but he failed to produce any more points and threw two interceptions to close out his first-half performance. Derek Carr, for his part, completed only 8 passes himself, though he did play a more cautious game and did not turn the ball over. He matched McGloin's touchdown in the final minutes of the game, finding TE Nick Kasa on an 8-yard pass that was too little, too late for a team that couldn't put together a consistent offense at any point during the game.  TE Nick Kasa dives into the endzone late in the fourth quarter for Derek Carr's only passing touchdown of the game.
With only one week left in the preseason, it seems unlikely that Carr or McGloin will unseat Matt Schaub, and barring a midseason injury both young men should end up warming the Raiders' bench this year. The Raiders only have one week to trim their roster down to 53 players, and owner Jackson Vandergrift has promised to end the preseason with a series of dramatic announcements for the team. On top of a finalized roster announcement, it is also expected that Vandergrift will comment on the team's rumored relocation talks with Sacramento, Portland, and Los Angeles. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
|
All times are GMT -4. The time now is 03:11 AM.
|
Top -
|
