(AP Photo/Marcio Sanchez)
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As the Oakland Raiders break training camp and make preparations to get on their home practice field in Alameda and enter the final stages of preparing for the regular season, it is time to look into the crystal ball and make predictions for the coming season.
- The Oakland Raiders will be among the leaders in team rushing. Justin Fargas boldly predicted that the trio of himself, Michael Bush, and Darren McFadden will each get 1000 yards. That won't happen, but they will combine for over 2000 yards rushing.
- Zach Miller will once again lead the Raiders in receptions. The wide receivers numbers will have much better production than in 2008. However, this will force teams to leave the talented tight end in single coverage and he will feast. Miller will get his first Pro Bowl bid.
- Once again, Nnamdi Asomugha will get thrown on sparingly at best. He will give up less than ten catches, with no touchdowns allowed. He will be All-Pro yet again.
- JaMarcus Russell will be efficient, but he won't have gaudy numbers. With the running game hitting on all cylinders, he won't need to have great numbers. He will have a completion percentage in the mid fifties and about 2300 yards. (800-850 yards of that will be caught by Miller.)
- Javon Walker will play in eight games before he gets hurt again. It won't be his knee re-injured, but he will be hurt again.
- Kirk Morrison will again lead the team in tackles, but he will again be under the microscope.
- The Raiders will continue their struggle against the run. However, this will be eclipsed by the offensive success as teams will be forced to throw.
- Darrius Heyward-Bey will have a more successful season numbers wise than Michael Crabtree.
- Tom Cable will not be fired after the season.
- The Raiders will have less than ten losses for the first time since 2002.
For more info: Check out RaiderNews.com for the latest on the Oakland Raiders.
You can also find Patrick Patterson on Thoughts from the Dark Side.
Thank you to Cal Bears Examiner, Rob Calonge, for his excellent team coverage of Training Camp.
Comments
WOOOOHHOOO!!! Let's hope we have less than 10!!!!!
Yeah Yeah Yeah! The West Side Pirate said all this before the preseason even started. Get some orginal material, ideas and a Hair Cut.
Rob, I hope you are right. The run defense is going to cause serious problems against good teams. The pass offense might be improved enough to beat a few bad teams. The Raiders need to score early and often to have a chance.
Oneeye should just worry about himself. Patrick looks cool, like a real Raider fan! Don't be jealous because you are bald. Raider fans are non conformists. Thats how we like it! 9 and 7 wildcard birth baby!!!!!!!!
This sounds pretty good, except the Javon Walker injury....don't want that.
J-Russ is already looking pretty good this year. I think of this as his second season, Qb's usually make that big leap forward in their third season. Maybe a wild card this year, but definetly deep in the playoffs next year. Oh, and one eye you should stop talking sh%$ before Patrick goes Cable on you and we have to call you no eye.
I hope you are right with #7. Morrision needs to be under a microcope. He says he models his game after Ray Lewis. I like Morrision but he doesn't remind anybody of Ray Lewis.
Nice storyu! I think much of the nation is cautiously optimistic.
Thanks!
Expect Russell to throw more this season and be more efficient. That being the case it's doubtful you will see the drop off you are predicting in his production (2,300 yards). He threw for more than 2,400 yards last year and that was before he developed on field chemistry with Shchillens and Higgins. This year they're both back, as is Walker, who was just developing into his go-to receiver (see the Jets game) when he suffered a season-ending injury. I'll be disappointed if Russell doesn't throw for more than 3,000 yards, if only because I think they'll go to the air more often.
Overall I think that was a nice read, well done. One thing bugs me though. "He will have a completion percentage in the mid fifties and about 2300 yards. (800-850 yards of that will be caught by Miller.)" That is more than 300 yards shy of last years mark and you are expecting Zach to go for 25 to 75 yards more than he did last year. In the same breath you say that the receivers will have better stats. Now Darren only had 285 yards receiving last year. It would be safe to assume he will surpass those totals, but instead lets pencil him hin for 285 yards. Now Bush was 19 for 162. I think those totals are about a third of what I expect Bush to have given the opportunity that should present itself. So for arguments sake, lets just give him the same thing McFadden had last year. 285. 850+285+285=1,420. Subtract that from your predicted 2,300 gives you 880. Chad,Javon, and Johnnie combined for 788 last year. It seems to me that you are predicting a 92yrd increase for our 3 Main WRs.
I think 2,750 sounds about right. Anything much less and I would consider this a step backwards for JR.
I think 2,750 sounds about right. Anything much less and I would consider this a step backwards for JR.
My Prediction: Jamarcus will continue to fail in the red zone, he's not mobile and not a quick set QB - thus the offense will be less than great. The team will have another losing year and as is always the case, Mr. Davis will draft some athete that is unproven but has alot of speed or just possible ptential as a playuer. Derrick Gibson, Buchanon, Napolean Harris, Fabian Washington, Michael Huff - all 1st round picks. Clearly, Davis no longer is great, good or even marginal at what he does. Sadly, I predict another losing year.
I don't get why people think Morrisson is the problem. He didn't play the other night and the 49ers devoured the defense against the run. Does anyone seriously watch these games? I watch them on my DVR and go back and watch plays in slo-mo. Morrison is aggressive and shoots toward the ball. Brown plays like a real linebacker too, finding the play and going to it. It's Howard who sucks. He takes blockers on standing up and gets pushed backward. When the play is away from him, he thinks he has to run to the other side of the field and get the tackle. Well, if the play does continue away, he usually gets in on it. But when it cuts back, he's already way overpursued and leaves a gashing alley for huge yards and the Safety has to make the play 10 yards deep. LB's are supposed to scrape and wait for the cutback on plays away. Howard blows! And our DT's are capable of being great but they only try occasionally. Ellis is solid. Scott is weak against the run, getting swallowed up
Nice read, agree, agree, agree...
RAIDER-405, I think you nailed it!!
Rooney, only one nation dude... RAIDER NATION!!!!
We've endured six years of losses (ive been a raider fan since '82) my support has never wained, thats because I think, that we have had success and beleive we will also in the future.
Al will taste this before his time comes, and The raiders are a year and a good draft from being really competitve.
It's all in the coaching and after wholesale changes in that department we'll see if the ship has changed tack.
Jamarcus russell gets press on here after its suggested he'll throw for 2750 yards. I'll wager on 3000 plus, so shoot me down for that.
The offensive line must give him time to throw,if the running game(Bush)gets going then why not use Mcfadden on dump outs outside of the tackles, swings etc. Both in the game together.
Darius ? or crabtree ? I'll take someone every day who turns up and tries, he's got talent, speed and the right mentality.
All we need is a run stuffing nose to force opposing offenses to run outside of the gut, we then get more time on offense. go raiders.
Are you kidding me? As long as we keep running the "Al Davis" defense - and what we saw tonight - the "Al Davis" offense, we have no chance.
We have tons of talent but tonight we saw one of the least prepared teams in the NFL get destroyed by one of the better prepared teams - the Saints.
Mike Brown and Al should go bowling.
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