Oakland Raiders strong in the backfield

January 22, 1:53 AMOakland Raiders ExaminerPatrick Patterson

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With the holes and problems around the Oakland Raiders roster, there is one position that is by far a position of strength and that is running back. The Raiders have two young and talented halfbacks, along with a veteran warhorse. They also have a strong young fullback who has shown that he could open holes for the Raiders halfbacks, as well as a receiving fullback.

Having the trio of talented backs gives the Raiders depth in case of injury as was shown during the '08 campaign. They also have different running styles, which means that they compliment each other well, which in turn adds diversity to the Raiders running attack. Combining the talents of the three make the Raiders running game real threat.

Justin Fargas:

Fargas is the veteran of the Raiders running corps. He is not a flashy back, but he runs hard and makes defenders pay for bringing him down. He is not the big play threat, but he finds a hole and bursts through it for positive yards on every carry. He is also strong at blocking, and is used in pass protection. His receiving skills are the worst of the three. He is the grinder of the bunch, as he can get the positive yardage to keep the offense on the field and wind the clock.

Darren McFadden:

McFadden is the explosive home run threat of the trio. He has blazing speed. However, his skills are best utulized on outside runs and in the passing game where he gets the ball in space, and can use his speed to get downfield in a hurry. On runs through the middle he has shown a tendency to get caught in the backfield. He lacked much of his explosiveness due to lingering turf toe issues through his rookie season, so his full talent has not been realized.

Michael Bush:

Bush runs like a brama bull. He is the strongest of the three, and deceptively fast. He had a huge game against the Buccaneers to end the season, as well as a strong game aginst Kansas City. Bush is also a very good receiver out of the backfield. Him and Mcfadden will make a vicious one two punch for years to come in Silver and Black.

Oren O'Neal:

O'Neal was a sixth round pick in 2007 who turned heads with his strong blcoking style. His talent is knocking defenders out of the way so that the halfbacks can break off yardage. He lost the 2008 campaign to an injury in the penultimate preseason game. He will be back stronger in 09, which will help the Raiders running game immensely.

Justin Griffith:

Whilst O'Neal is the powerful blocker, Griffith is more of a receiver and runner from the fullback position. He was lost for the season in the Ravens game, but will liekly be back next season.

Luke Lawton:

Lawton was a fill-in once O'Neal and Griffith went down. He will likely not be on the roster next season.

The key for the Raiders success in running the ball is to use their backs in a way that best relfects their talents. Mix and match, as well as use multiple back sets. The Raiders had Bush throw a few half-back passes, and used McFadden in their "Wildcat" formation, which is a start. Hopefully, the next offensive coordinator sees that he can have a diverse attack using this talent, and formulates ways to maximize these diverse skills.

SEE ALSO:

• Fargas key to Raiders rushing attack
• Raiders not rushing success
• Raiders need to build a team on offense

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