Monday, September 23, 2013

Broncos Gamenight Thread

So far this year, I've given each game an advance theme...

Prior to the Colts game, at which time the pundits had the Raiders getting demolished by the Colts, the theme was "you never know."

Last week, I characterized that Jaguars game as a "must win," a crucial step toward avoiding the classic Raiders letdown moment.

So far, so good, thematically speaking.

Tonight, my theme is "fight to the finish." I wouldn't bet my house on a win. But if we can avoid the predicted blowout and give the Broncos a real run for their money, victory or not, then it will be a third building block in three games.

On that note, GO RAIDERS!

38 Comments:

Blogger OakTownBlues said...

Crush em

6:15 PM  
Blogger AvantGrape said...

Does McFadden ever look up to read a block? I'm tired of this guy.

6:25 PM  
Blogger nyraider said...

Despite a couple blow coverages, Manning is better than the Raiders defense is bad.

Meanwhile, pretty unimaginative on offense.

Let's see how second half adjustments go.

7:12 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

very proud of the Raiders tonight, just keep improving every week that's all I ask for

9:28 PM  
Blogger Calico Jack said...

Despite the competitive imbalance, I'm surprisingly undeterred. Clearly the Raiders have a long way to go on our journey climbing the ladder. The character, growth, and resilience of the team will be measured by how the team performs on a week by week basis.

10:07 PM  
Blogger nyraider said...

Pryor had a decent game. He threw and secured the ball well. If not for a few drops and some questionable playcalling, he might have made it closer.

More discouraging than Manning carving up our secondary was the fact the Raiders were outplayed at the LOS on both sides of the ball.

Not sure what to make of McFadden. His running was marginal, at best; his blocking was horrible; but then he threw a TD and later dove for another TD. How can a vet RB as big as McF be so bad at protecting his QB?

D Moore had a solid game, that probably saved his job as a starter.

I expected M King to boom punts in Denver. He seemed avg.

Who else wanted DA to send Jano in for a 68-yard attempt?

It's no surprise the Raiders lost. It was expected. Hopefully, they gain from it and continue to move up the ladder.

4:46 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Allen is a wuss let Jano do his thing. When else is he going to have that golden an opportunity to break the record. Denis Allen could not inspire my dog to pooh.

12:31 PM  
Anonymous JONES said...

Jano still has a bum leg, going for that long of kick might have put him out for the rest of the year. Maybe he had to weigh that in his decision?

Booming punts to a dangerous return guy...is dangerous. Out kicking the coverage, ever heard of it?

McFaden....you wonder why he misses blocks? Have you ever heard him speak? He's not the brightest guy, the old school Raider, great athlete, but not too bright.

He loves to run into piles of linemen, does he not understand that his talent is supposed to be breaking away from the pile?...not too bright. The hole has to be big and right in front of him or else he is lost.

The makeshift Offensive line should have lost the battle up front. Donkies are the toast of the NFL (puke) and if the Raider Oline had outplayed their D-line....not likely...more talent is needed there.

D-line couldn't get to Manning....neither do all the other d-lines in the League. That bobble headed freak must be a clone, he's too good.

What I took from the game is that Donkies are damn good and could easily go to the Dance if they avoid injuries. The Raiders showed that they won't quit and will play till the end.

The coaching is too conservative at the start of games....can't waste a Qrtr on 'getting into the game' and figuring out what THEY are doing. Got to come out with guns a blazin against a team like that.

It's a loss and I am sure the players will take note how much work they need to do before they can hang with them. Good for the film study.

JONES

12:32 PM  
Anonymous JONES said...

Speaking of the bobblehead...did anyone else notice how Manning was way over the top with his head movement during his interview when ESPN would cut away to during the game? Something FISHY about that Boy, he ain't right.

JONES

12:43 PM  
Anonymous memdf said...

D line needs to stunt. did not see any of that. The one time we get to that hillbilly he fumbles. Man do I hate the dons. Dont ever forget that Fox quit as our
D coordinator 2 days before the season started in 96. Al was probably gonna fire him anyway but I still think it was a punk move on his part.

4:07 PM  
Anonymous memdf said...

D line needs to stunt. did not see any of that. The one time we get to that hillbilly he fumbles. Man do I hate the dons. Dont ever forget that Fox quit as our
D coordinator 2 days before the season started in 96. Al was probably gonna fire him anyway but I still think it was a punk move on his part.

4:07 PM  
Blogger nyraider said...

Punts were dropping in front of the returner, so no worries about out-kicking the coverage.

No question the Broncos are a good team but they had a spot starter at LT and they are on their 3rd center, so there's nothing super human going on in Denver. Against the Raiders, Manning was good enough to make up for team weaknesses. That will be a tall order to carry through the season.

IMO, it shouldn't take long for some team to show the Broncos are only human... it could even happen within the division. Hey, maybe the Raiders on their second try.

4:16 PM  
Anonymous JONES said...

Watched again last night...once again NYR doesn't tell the truth. No, punts were not dropping in front of the P.R.'er. King was hitting them approx. 50 yrds, he had 1 go out of bounds after 45 yrds. Are you expecting a 60 yrd avg?

Team G Pnts Blk TB OOB DN In 20 FC Ret RetTD NAvg GAvg

Oakland 3 12 0 3 2 1 1 1 5 0 40.5 50.7

King has the highest G Avg in the League after 3 games.

Donkies will be the AFC favorite as long as 5head plays the way he is. He will probably continue his dominance during Reg season and then blow it in the Post season, as usual.

This week, should be a win...Redskins are in shambles...jump on them early and don't let them breathe. The slow starts have to stop, they are a killer. Facing RGIII is easier at this point, especially when they practise vs Pryor...should be no excuse other than a win.

JONES

9:47 AM  
Anonymous Derick From Section 318 said...

Inspired by guys like Take, I've started a Raider Blog of my own. Check it out! Would love for it to one day become a similar forum to this one for discussion of all things Silver & Black!

http://sportsrants.com/autumnwind/

Take, would love to hear your feedback.

3:46 PM  
Anonymous SactownRaider said...

Based on the outcome, the game was not great, but not horrible either, in my humble opinion. Because of SuperroboQB formerly known as Peyton Manning, we have to grade on a curve. We didn't do any worse than the Ravens or the Giants. In fact, points-wise we allowed less. We played well in the second half, outscoring Denver 14-10. Yes, just little moral victories, but important for a young, developing team. We have to have building blocks, walk before we run.

Speaking of running, I don't think the problem is DMAC; at least I'm not there yet. I think that our offensive line is struggling. I hope that's due more to lack of experience together and not having gelled yet, rather than just lack of talent. The Broncos werte playing fast and furiously on both offense and defense and we didn't really start to wake up till the second half. But, there was good protection for Pryor on many passing plays.

Jones is right: we need to start much faster. Again, I think that will come as the season progresses.

I was really pleased with Pryor's play and I think he is continuing to improve game to game. Very pleasantly surprised.

So, I am still optimistic. This could have been the toughest game on the schedule. We have some rocky stretches ahead, but no powerhouse like Denver. We caught them while they are red-hot, too. The key for me is how the team responds after this thumping and do we continue to progress. Or do we stagnate or regress?

8:49 PM  
Blogger Raider Take said...

Looks great, Derick, nice postgame take on the Broncos game.

And I really liked this line from your Jags postgame: "Being a Raider fan over the last 10 years means 3,650 days worth of questionable front office decisions, snarky remarks from co-workers, mean spirited press, relocation rumors, punchlines, you name it. This fan base DESERVES something positive. The Raiders beat a lesser opponent yesterday in front of a sold out crowd on a beautiful day in Oakland California, and the stadium was absolutely rocking. Let’s hope this is just the beginning."

9:01 PM  
Anonymous JONES said...

"Or do we stagnate or regress?"

I think this team is hungry and isn't going to quit so easily as in the past. They'll keep fighting, most of them are still fighting to keep a job in the NFL...if they don't, they're out. That is heavy motivation.

JONES

1:40 PM  
Anonymous JONES said...

Looks like Flynn is starting...this should be a good setup for him. I say he will play well enough to win, this is why he was brought in, QB depth. Now that Pryor is hurt, glad to have him as the Backup.

JONES

5:10 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Flynn comes off as a bit of a bitch. I sure hope Pryor is good to go Sun.
Go Raiders

6:51 PM  
Blogger AvantGrape said...

I'll never have faith in DMac. He's never been able to read a block since entering the league and he has no leg strength. He's great if you get him in the open field, but that's not good enough. He won't be a Raider next year is the bottom line.

7:30 PM  
Blogger nyraider said...

IMO, Matt Flynn has a deer-in-the-headlights look about him. Coaches say he looks good in practice but he had a horrific pre-season.

It's amazing to think he might have at one time thrown 480 yards and six TDs in a single game, against a professional football team. It may have been a fluke. If that player exists, please stand up and make an encore.

4:39 AM  
Anonymous JONES said...

Just watched Jason Tarver PC...I like that guy, he would be the kind of coach I would want to play for. No bullshit, to the point and just get it done. His energy is nonstop and his passion is obvious...he's a keeper.

Flynn with deer in the headlights....wouldn't you have looked that way when the O-line couldn't block a sun ray?

I say the Raiders are lucky to have a quality backup and if Flynn gets protection, he will produce.

He seems to be more of a reliever type, come in off the bench, seems to play better that way. I think this Sunday sets up well for Flynn, the Defense does their job and it should be a win.

JONES

12:40 PM  
Anonymous JONES said...

Should I say the O-line AND RB's who couldn't pick up a blitz if their life depended on it.

Also, if you remember, the N.O's game, we saw Ryan blitzing on almost every down in PRESEASON. It's when Jared went down during the week with his torn bicep. The O-line was in shambles, McFaden didn't even try to pick up blitzes...yeah, it was all on Flynn...

The only thing 'horrific' is NYR's lack of any accuracy in his comments. Flynn's numbers weren't horrible, they were a bit better than Pryor's in the preseason.

I think it's better that Flynn is coming in now than if he had started the year at QB. His arm sounds like it is better, the O-line is more stable and his mindset seems better. Get behind the guy, he is the starter for the Raiders this Sunday...

JONES

12:49 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Jones first of all Pryor is starting and thank god for that because he I think you might do better at qb than Flynn lol

4:51 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hey Guys

I just saw a list on espn ranking the top 20 rookies so far this season and of course there was no Hayden. Yeah he is coming off an injury and its 3 games into the season so its kind of a bs article. But it got me thinking.

How many of you would drop Hayden right now for Star Lotulelei, Sheldon Richardson, Mingo or that bad ass Kyle Long for that matter. Your thoughts?

Go Raiders a win Sunday would be tremendous
Sandy

6:07 PM  
Blogger nyraider said...

"The only thing 'horrific' is NYR's lack of any accuracy in his comments. Flynn's numbers weren't horrible, they were a bit better than Pryor's in the preseason."

So why isn't Flynn the QB?

Besides the simple fact that stats don't mean squat, if you watched pre-season you would know that Pryor wasn't that spectacular, but good enough to unseat Flynn from the position he had been handed with a +/-$6M contract (Raiders even gave him a raise!)

Most of Flynn's passes in pre-season were dump offs, and he regularly threw low or behind his receivers.

Folks here already know that, Jones, so trying to spin it like I don't know what I'm talking about is only fueling your man crush on me (e.g., you re-watched an entire game to counter an obscure remark I made about punting... really?).

Regardless of whether or not Pryor can hold the QB position long-term, Matt Flynn will probably not be a Raider next year. Of course, that's just my inaccurate opinion.

5:12 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Right on NYC, Jones comment is hard to take seriously his positive spin on Flynn replacing Pryor is so "rose colored" it borders on ridiculous. I mean we all love the Raiders but come on Matt Flynn was a total whiff by Reggie. Not to mention he is completely uninspiring, the only thing keeping me interested in the Raiders is Pryor. Gradkowski is better than Flynn. Did you see Woodson's comments about Pryor, no one on the team could ever seriously get behind Matt Flynn.

Peace Out
Chaz in San Jose

5:53 AM  
Anonymous JONES said...

so 'chaz' is up at 5:30 am on a Saturday to back up NYR? LOL, you are becoming quite the comic NYR.

If you can't remember...DUHHHH, I pointed out why Pryor should be the starter in PRESEASON. Now it sounds like Pryor may not be able to make it on Sunday...so instead of beaking on the backup, like you did, I choose to support him.

As far as rewatching the games...I do it with all the games including Preseason. It has nothing to do with a Mancrush...that would seem to be wishful thinking on your part.

I have seen you plant many mistruths on this site NYR, I will continue to point them out...cause I luv you so much. So just leave the bullshit at the door = no problem, right Honey?

JONES

11:14 AM  
Blogger Calico Jack said...

At a reasonable salary slot, Flynn is well suited as an NFL back-up QB.

Based on DA's comments in his Friday press conference, I'd bet Pryor is the starter this Sunday.

There is no reason to hold out Pryor on Sunday unless DA wants to be EXTRA cautionary to buy 1 more week.

Regardless, the Raiders need to cash in on home games vs. non-elite teams by winning the battles in the trenches.

12:05 PM  
Anonymous JONES said...

If Pryor plays, takes another hit to the chops, and it could be SEASON OVER for him. IN THE BEST INTEREST of the future, I say Flynn should play.

Flynn was brought in for a late draft pick and some extra money. Palmer wanted out and the Raiders needed QB depth, what else was there?

Pryor won the job, now he is hurt, let the overpaid backup play and let's see what the Offense can do under him with a steady O-line.

There is no "I want Flynn to be the QB" here, it's what is best for the team. IMO, this week, it would be best to start Flynn and let Pryor's noggin settle down. This is the perfect game for the backup to get some playing time, vs a poor D and at home.

JONES

12:40 PM  
Blogger nyraider said...

”...so instead of beaking on the backup, like you did, I choose to support him.”

What does that even mean?

I posted above that I hope Flynn pulls another 480-yard 6-TD rabbit out of his bag of tricks.

Jones, if we’re calling out truths, your endorsement of Flynn is as much or more your way of vindicating Reggie for trading for him (and paying him millions of dollars to be a backup) as it is you rooting for him. Lol.

Cheers, Sweetie!

1:08 PM  
Anonymous JONES said...

Yeah, sure, idiots like yourself keep pointing to the trade of Flynn and whining that it's the same old Raiders.

I don't need to defend McKenzie, his work speaks for itself. Only an idiot would say that McKenzie isn't doing a good job. Only an idiot would point at ONE of MANY moves by the GM, that have set this team on course for stability, as the "he can't do it" moment = YOU.

Beaking = shooting your mouth off = you have been on the Flynn deal since the 1st game of Preseason.

I have asked you many times to come up with a better scenario once Palmer said he wanted out. You haven't and you won't because you can't so STFU and sit down you know nothing wannabe. Now I'll pull down my trousers so you can kiss my ass, pucker up, Honey.

JONES

1:26 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Jones you football genius what great moves has Reggie done. Get the salary cap in order, okay he is a great accountant.

Pryor was an Al pick and don't forget it man

Chaz the Taz in Peidmont and yeah I get up early and I was also a Raider fan of many years when you were still suckling teet. So back off on the hate

4:50 PM  
Blogger Calico Jack said...

Jones,
Concussions are unfortunately a very common injury in the NFL. However, Pryor has been medically cleared by the medical staff AND the very strict NFL protocol for concussions.

I trust that DA will use sound judgment in his decision.

As far as predicting or worrying about if/when the next injury occurs in an ultra-violent sport, it is pointless.

7:02 PM  
Anonymous JONES said...

The 'win now' is pointless. If someone ( Pryor ) is a little off because of a fresh concussion...and don't tell me the NFL protocol isn't a joke that is nothing more than window dressing.....that player, especially a young, running QB, could easily sustain another because he didn't see it coming. 2 in 2 weeks and that could be it for a CAREER.

He is still raw, still not on top of everything around him...if he is still groggy, just a little, your damn right he would be ripe for another. Schools out again?

Risk his career for one game? He only got in one practice? Do the right thing, let him sit a game on the sideline. It would let him see things from a different perspective when he did come back the next week. It would help him mentally, so taking a game off is not a loss. The League is watching this situation too, they seem to think protocol might have been broken with Pryor during the game last week. Do the right thing.

JONES

7:24 PM  
Blogger nyraider said...

Where's the love, Jones? There's no need to stomp your feet and scream untruths. I have endorsed Reggie since Day 1. Matt Flynn was a gamble which, unfortunately, doesn’t look like it will pay off.

And where does it say the Raiders were compelled to sign another QB the instant Palmer left? The Raiders need to make smart decisions, not rash ones, as you suggest.

The Raiders started the season with essentially four QBs having a combined total of three NFL starts. That’s the gamble they chose. The jury is still out.

4:42 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Apparently Jones is a doctor who has examined Pryor first hand lol

8:32 AM  
Blogger Raider Take said...

Gameday thread is up.

9:26 AM  

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