2010 Record: 8-8
2010 Rankings:
Total Offense – 10
Passing Offense – 23
Rushing Offense – 2
Scoring Offense – 6
Total Defense – 11
Pass Defense – 2
Rush Defense – 29
Scoring Defense – 20
Offense
Questions on the offensive line, receivers that can’t catch, and a mediocre quarterback isn’t usually the recipe for success. However, their offense is buoyed on Darren McFadden and Michael Bush, who shouldered the load with over 2400 yards from scrimmage last year. As long as Al Davis is calling the shots in the front office, the Raiders will still build their team on speed and pretty much nothing else, which means they’ll have receivers that don’t run good routes and don’t have good hands but can run a 4.2 40-yard dash.
Defense
The departure of CB Nnamdi Asomugha will be a huge blow to the team that finished 2nd in the league in pass defense. The Raiders were also 3rd in the league in sacks with 3 guys having 7 or more sacks. Even though they generate a lot of pressure, the Raiders front 7 is weak against the run. They were gashed for 150+ yards 7 times last season.
Intangibles
The Raiders became the first team in NFL history to win all of their division games and miss the playoffs last year. McFadden has injury issues but Bush is a capable back in his absence. If the running game doesn’t put up a bunch of yards, it’ll be a long year watching Jason Campbell throw, but he is a LOT better than what they had before (Jamarcus Russell).
If the Raiders were a Beer, they would be:
Milwaukee’s Best
Known to you college kids and frat boys as “Beast”, it’s popular at college parties and among young drinkers because, well, it’s cheap. But once you grow up and realize that beer doesn’t have to make you grimace when you drink it, you move on to a more adult beer. Or you stay an adolescent forever and wind up wearing halloween costumes on weekend that aren’t halloween. Your decision.
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