Enough of this offseason nonsense, I can’t take it anymore. Give me some football. The NFL talks about dropping preseason games in exchange for regular season games, but what they really need to do is start the preseason right after the NBA playoffs. Right now the sports world is dead. As far as the good sports anyway, I mean sure you can watch golf, NASCAR, or tennis, but who wants that? Nobody, that’s who!
I say start tomorrow, what in the world are we waiting for? What’s the sense of going through OTA’s and Mini-camps just to give the players a month off afterword? To heck with that, I have to work through this ridiculous heat and I want my football on Sundays!
No more of the blogs sites having to make up stories to fill in the dead zone of the NFL. I’m tired of writing it and you’re all tired of reading it. I’m sending out a petition to the readers of this blog. If you want an earlier NFL season start then sign your name below and we’ll take this straight to the league.
I’m excited to see the new and improved Raiders offense in action. I’m on the edge of my seat now. But you know when you sit in a seat for too long and it starts to become uncomfortable. Yeah that’s what this is becoming.
Don’t get me wrong, there are some great articles out there right now. Here’s what I recommend:
- NFL.com Live Chat with Louis Murphy
- Bo Jackson on Al Davis and some more from Louis Murphy
- Raiders Reclamation: Kamerion Wimbley
- http://blog.al.com/mike-herndon/2010/07/russells_plight_a_wake-up_call_for_nfl.html
Just a few of my recommended Raider reads while we wait the long wait before training camp. The next three weeks might be the longest three weeks of my life. During that time the only news to report will probably be the signing of rookies who we at TFDS have covered end to end, flipped over and covered again backwards, and ended up at the same conclusion we began with: It’s a pretty good class.
A good class that you can tell is going to be good before they even play a ball game in the NFL. How can you go wrong with McClain? Unless he suffers a bad injury, knock on wood.
On defense, maybe you can find a weakness at the CB spot. Some question whether Chris Johnson is man enough for the second starting job. I think he was great at the end of 2008 and I also think he showed signs of life in the 2009 season. Most of his stats were right where they should be. Along with Nnamdi Asomugha, Johnson helped establish one of the best run support and tackling CB tandems in the NFL in 2009.
Remember, Hines Ward cheated on this play!
I don’t doubt the number two CB on the squad, where my concern lies is with the third CB. Giving Stanford Routt a 1st and 3rd round F.A. tender was ridiculous. This is a guy who I thought would be cut, released, or traded for a late round draft pick . But, behind him there is only more concern, two rookies bring up the rear with Walter McFadden and Jeremy Ware. Maybe Joey Thomas is your impactful third CB; on second thought, maybe not.
I hope the Raiders will continue to develop the three-safety set they started to establish last season with Mike Mitchell lining up like a nickel cornerback. They were able to get good pressure that way. “Missle” Mitchell also has excellent range on the field and can read plays fairly well.
John Marshall’s “Elephant” scheme should really take hold this year with the addition of all the new linebackers. Last year’s starters Kirk Morrison, Thomas Howard, and Ricky Brown are creeping closer to being memories of tougher times for the Raiders. Perhaps Howard and Brown can still make an impact, however Browns injury history suggests he might not even make the final 53. Surely he would be better than on special teams than Sam Williams, but hey maybe not. Bottom line: somebody has got to go.
Howard is a viable back-up if not a decent starter. After a huge season in 2006, he sort of fell off in 2009. Losing his starting position as well as having his lowest tackle total ever.
Like its counterpart, the offense has been flipped, twisted, turned over, and re-examined thoroughly by everyone from anywhere who even mildly covers the NFL. The big question: Is Jason Campbell better than JaMarcus Russell? Can he win more than 7 games in his first 25 starts for the Raiders?
Maybe, but maybe not; the real big question for me is which offensive line do the Raiders have? The one from 2007 that was sixth in the league on the ground, the one from 2008 that was tenth, or the one from last year which was absolutely putrid?
How much will it help to have a quarterback who gets his footwork right? There are still so many questions about the offensive line. Clearly it would be wishful thinking to contemplate the two rookie tackles that were recently signed to have an immediate impact. Yet, you still have to wonder how they would perform if they are forced into action due to injuries.
I can’t wait anymore; I am restless and uncomfortable and I’m tired of writing things that nobody wants to read! Just start the season already!
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