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Oakland Raiders notebook: Defense takes its hits after another poor showing |
A 38-26 loss on Sunday to the San Diego Chargers that knocked the Raiders out of the playoffs was in large part due to the kind of defensive failures that arose often in 2011 and probably will mean the demise of defensive coordinator Chuck Bresnahan’s job after one season. “I think Chuck knows how I feel,” Raiders coach Hue Jackson said while not commenting directly on Bresnahan’s status for next season. “I’m disappointed over there. I have been. It’s not like we haven’t had conversations. Chuck knows what I feel, and it’s not good enough.” Oakland ended the season allowing 433 points, the second most in franchise history (the Raiders gave up 442 in 1997), an average of 27.1 points per game. Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers’ three touchdown passes brought the total to 31 against the Raiders this season, the most in club history. Oakland also gave up 2,158 yards on 430 carries, an average of 5.1 yards per attempt. Defensive collapses were conspicuous in Week 2, when Buffalo scored touchdowns on five consecutive possessions in a come-from-behind win, against Denver, when the Raiders gave up 299 yards rushing and 38 points, and against Detroit on Dec. 18, with the Lions going 71 and 98 yards to win the game in the fourth quarter. “What I saw today is what I saw at different times this year,” Jackson said. “When you play defense in the NFL, you’ve got to hunt. You can’t give up 28, 29 points and expect to win games.” The Raiders gave up an average of 31.8 points in their last five games, during which they went 1-4 and went from in control of their own destiny to out of the playoffs. “I know some people are going to try to blame Chuck, some people are going to try and blame Hue, but at the end of the day, we’re the ones on the field,” free safety Michael Huff said. “Regardless of the defense that’s called, we’ve got to line up and play and execute.” Bresnahan was originally hired as defensive assistant in the offseason and eventually was elevated to coordinator. Jackson was turned down by the New York Jets when he requested to interview Jets secondary coach Dennis Thurman for the position because Thurman was under contract. It remains to be seen how the decision-making process will work and if the Raiders will hire a front-office executive with decision-making power. Jackson promised change. “I’m going to take a stronger hand in this whole team, this whole organization,” Jackson said. “There ain’t no way I’m going to feel like I feel today a year from now. I promise you that. Defensively, offensively and special teams, I ain’t feeling like this no more. This is a joke.” “That’s not why we lost today, but that is a problem on this football team,” Jackson said. “There’s some work that has to be done.” The Raiders went over the penalty-yardage mark in the first half on a personal foul by Matt Giordano, with Rock Cartwright getting a holding call on the second-half kickoff return to break the penalty record. Comment Below!. Posted in 1, Darrius Heyward-Bey, Kansas City Chiefs, Louis Murphy, Michael Huff, New York Jets, Philip Rivers, Pittsburgh Steelers, raiders-news, Rock Cartwright, San Diego Chargers, Sebastian Janikowski, Tommy Kelly | Comments Off
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Oakland Raiders miss playoffs after 38-26 loss to San Diego Chargers |
It was indistinguishable at first, rising to a crescendo as the home crowd attempted to pull something out of its team that the Raiders couldn’t manage to get out of themselves: “Denver lost, Denver lost, Denver lost … “ By that time, with about five minutes to play, the Raiders already trailed by the final score of 38-26, having been proven utterly defenseless in terms of stopping Philip Rivers and the San Diego Chargers on Sunday at O.co Coliseum. All that was left was for one final indignity as Jacoby Ford slipped and fell on an out route by the Raiders bench, with Antoine Cason getting a gift interception from quarterback Carson Palmer with 4:36 to play and the Chargers happily running out most of what remained on the clock. The Broncos (8-8) backed into the AFC West title on tiebreaking procedures, despite three consecutive losses. Denver hosts Pittsburgh in the first round of the playoffs next Sunday. The Raiders, 8-8 for the second straight season, won just one of their final five games. San Diego was also in the 8-8 logjam, but it was eliminated last week, playing for nothing except pride and the joy of taking out a division rival Sunday. “To say I’m pissed off is an understatement,” Raiders coach Hue Jackson said, a term he used nine times during his postgame news conference. “It didn’t look like a football team that was hungry enough to go out and win the AFC West title.” Rivers and the San Diego offense looked nothing like the unit that was roughed up by the Raiders on Nov. 10, when Oakland registered six sacks and prevailed 24-17. The Raiders barely laid a hand on Rivers, who completed 19 of 26 passes for 310 yards, three touchdowns and one interception against an Oakland secondary that put up only slightly more resistance than a group of cardboard cutouts. Matt Giordano intercepted a deep Rivers heave on San Diego’s first possession, but the Raiders gave ground the rest of the day. The Chargers, who never punted, also rushed for 153 yards on 31 carries, including a 1-yard touchdown run by Mike Tolbert. San Diego also had a 105-yard kickoff return by Richard Goodman, the first kick return touchdown surrendered by the Raiders in 28 games. That turned a 14-10 Chargers lead into 21-10 advantage and was a play Jackson thought gave a huge momentum boost to the Chargers. The Raiders actually outgained the Chargers with 520 yards of offense led by Palmer’s 28-for-43, 417-yard performance that included TD passes of 3 yards to Darrius Heyward-Bey and 22 yards to Kevin Boss. But twice in the red zone the Raiders stalled, with Sebastian Janikowski kicking field goals of 27 and 32 yards to go along with others of 52 and 43 yards. In the end, the Raiders were left to ponder how they came up empty with their season on the line. The Raiders chose not to disclose out-of-town scores on the scoreboard to the 58,721 fans, but strong safety Tyvon Branch said players learned of Denver’s loss from fans who began chanting of the Broncos’ defeat. “Words can’t describe how disappointed we are,” Branch said. “We had everything set up for us. We had a roller-coaster season and a chance to get in the big tournament, and we blew it.” If Goodman’s kickoff return served as a big surge of momentum, the Raiders defense let another a potential game-breaking sequence get away after Palmer’s touchdown pass to Boss got Oakland within 31-26 with 9:37 left. Boss was hit in the back of the head by Steve Gregory, giving the tight end a concussion and the Chargers a personal foul. Janikowski, kicking off from midfield, lofted a pooch kick that was mishandled by Goodman, who then scrambled back into the end zone. The Raiders nearly had a safety, with Goodman barely getting the ball to the half-yard line. A safety would have cut the deficit to 31-28, and San Diego would have been kicking off to the Raiders. Instead, Rivers immediately got San Diego out of trouble with a 19-yard strike to Malcom Floyd (seven catches, 127 yards) and in less than three minutes had San Diego in the end zone on a 43-yard pass to Floyd — a 99-yard drive in four plays. “If you can’t stop a team with everything on the line, you don’t deserve to be a playoff team,” defensive tackle Richard Seymour said. “And we didn’t get it done. So this one hurts.” Jackson had talked up the Chargers as a formidable opponent all week, even if they were out of the playoff race. He was left wondering if his team had relaxed after the early Giordano interception and a 95-yard touchdown drive on the Raiders’ first possession. “Maybe we thought it was going to be easy,” Jackson said. “I knew it wasn’t going to be easy.” Said Chargers coach Norv Turner: “That makes it even more special, the fact that we finished and played well and beat a good team that was fighting to get into the playoffs.” INSIDE Trade for Carson Palmer doesn’t live up to the hype. PAGE 6 Defensive shortcomings could cost Chuck Bresnahan. PAGE 6 AFC West crown comes down to wire. PAGE 6 Leave your comments on the news below. Posted in 1, Darrius Heyward-Bey, Jacoby Ford, Malcom Floyd, Norv Turner, Philip Rivers, raiders-news, Richard Seymour, San Diego Chargers, Sebastian Janikowski, Tyvon Branch | Comments Off
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Oakland Raiders Score Update: Playoff Hopes In Jeopardy, Trail 24-16 To Chargers |
Read More: Carson Palmer (QB – OAK), Antonio Gates (TE – SDC), Philip Rivers (QB – SDC), Sebastian Janikowski (K – OAK), Mike Tolbert (FB – SDC), Darrius Heyward-Bey (WR – OAK), Louis Murphy (WR – OAK), Richard Goodman (WR – SDC), Curtis Brinkley (RB – SDC), San Diego Chargers, Oakland Raiders The Oakland Raiders had a great shot to get to the playoffs if they could get some help from the Kansas City Chargers. They’re getting that help, but they’re hardly helping themselves. After Oakland punted the football, Philip Rivers went right back to work, connected with Antonio Gates for 37 yards and Malcolm Floyd for 16 yards. Nice rushes by Curtis Brinkley helped set up a Mike Tolbert one yard touchdown rush to put San Diego up 14-7. Oakland drove right back down the field with Carson Palmer connected with Louis Murphy and Darrius Heyward-Bey to help set up a Sebastian Janikowski 52 yard field goal, but San Diego came right back with a Richard Goodman 105 yard kickoff return to put them up 21-10. The teams traded field goals to end the first half thanks to solid passing by both Palmer and Rivers, and another quick Oakland drive with a huge Palmer pass to start the second half helped put more points on the board thanks to Janikowski. The Raiders would win the AFC West if they win and the Denver Broncos lose–which they are currently doing to the Kansas City Chiefs. To discuss the game with Raiders fans, go to Silver and Black Pride. To check out the game with Chargers fans, head to Bolts from the Blue. That’s all for today. Posted in 1, Darrius Heyward-Bey, Kansas City Chiefs, Louis Murphy, Oakland Raiders, Philip Rivers, raiders-news, San Diego Chargers, Sebastian Janikowski | Comments Off
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Oakland Raiders Injury Update: Darren McFadden, Jacoby Ford Could Play This Week, According To Reports |
By Bill Hanstock – Contributor
The Oakland Raiders head into their final week of the 2011 season with playoff hopes on the line. They’ll need to pull out all the stops to ensure a win over the visiting San Diego Chargers. Follow , and Like SB Nation Bay Area on Facebook. Dec 25, 2011 – The Oakland Raiders have a lot riding on their final game of the 2011 NFL season. They have a chance at capturing the AFC West in Week 17 as they host the San Diego Chargers. A win on Sunday combined with a loss by the Denver Broncos would seal the deal and get the Raiders into the postseason. Wins by both teams would result in the Broncos being crowned the West champs due to tiebreak rules. There is no guarantee that the Broncos will be handed a loss by the visiting Kansas City Chiefs, but without a Raiders win over the Chargers, the result of the Broncos/Chiefs game will be a moot point. To that end, the Raiders could use the assistance of two key players. Running back Darren McFadden has been out since November 4 with a foot injury. The Raiders have, up to this point, been very cautious about not bringing their star rusher back before he is ready. Wide receiver Jacoby Ford also has a foot injury, being listed as week to week since December 9. On Sunday, Raiders beat reporter Steve Corkran of the Contra Costa Times made the following suggestion that perhaps Oakland would be willing to pull out all the stops in order to ensure a win next week: This is purely speculation on Corkran’s part, of course, but consider that Corkran is a significant and respected beat writer for the team. He, of all people, would be careful to throw around idle speculation without something substantial to back up his hunch. Michael Bush has been filling in for McFadden during McFadden’s time away with injury. Bush has been doing a very fine job, but if McFadden were available to play at close to 100 percent, he would be a valuable asset in the game against the Chargers. Likewise, while Darrius Heyward-Bey and Denarius Moore have been outstanding receivers for the Raiders, it would not hurt to have an extra wideout available for Carson Palmer to target. Defensive back Michael Huff, also mentioned in the tweet, has been out since November 10 with an ankle injury and is currently listed as week to week. Help in the secondary would be much appreciated as the Raiders will need to contain quarterback Philip Rivers, who is the main offensive weapon for the San Diego squad. It will be interesting to see if anything comes of Corkran’s hunch. For all news and information regarding the Oakland Raiders, please visit Silver and Black Pride. Read More: Carson Palmer (QB – OAK), Philip Rivers (QB – SDC), Michael Huff (FS – OAK), Michael Bush (RB – OAK), Darren McFadden (RB – OAK), Darrius Heyward-Bey (WR – OAK), Jacoby Ford (WR – OAK), Denarius Moore (WR – OAK), San Diego Chargers, Oakland Raiders, Kansas City Chiefs, Denver Broncos Follow , and Like SB Nation Bay Area on Facebook. Do you like this story?
If you like reading our blog, remember to bookmark it. Posted in 1, Darren McFadden, Darrius Heyward-Bey, Jacoby Ford, Kansas City Chiefs, Michael Huff, Oakland Raiders, Philip Rivers, raiders-news, San Diego Chargers | Comments Off
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Top Five Highlights from the Oakland Raiders Defeat of the Kansas City Chiefs: Fan’s Take |
Oakland Raider fans are probably still smiling this morning after the team’s win on Christmas Eve yesterday. The Silver and Black have kept their playoff hopes alive, while the Kansas City Chiefs were eliminated, and the Denver Broncos’ revered quarterback, Tim Tebow, has crumbled over their last two outings. The San Diego Chargers lost to the Detroit Lions on Saturday as well, leaving the Raiders the only team to give their fans their most desired gift this Christmas. 
Denarius Moore On Christmas morning, I thought it might be fun to take a look at the most exciting plays of the game that helped lead to Oakland’s ultimate victory over the Chiefs, 16-13. First play The game got off to a great start with defensive back Bryan McCann returning the opening kick off for 91-yards, setting up the first field goal kick of the day for Sebastian Janikowski. Our awesome kicker easily kicked the 28-yard field goal through the uprights, putting the Raiders up 3-0. Matt Giordano interception Safety Matt Giordano has been exceptional this season, and on Saturday, his interception on the Chiefs’ Kyle Orton proved to be pivotal in the Raiders win. Giordano picked him off in the end zone and returned the ball for 62 yards. Denarius Moore touchdown catch Wide receiver Denarius Moore has really made a name for himself this year, and is quickly becoming a favorite for many fans throughout Raider Nation. I think we’re all grateful he was able to recover from his foot injury and get back on the field last week. In the third quarter against Kansas City, he pulled in a 61-yard long bomb thrown by Carson Palmer for a touchdown, giving the Raiders a 10-3 lead over the Chiefs. Richard Seymour blocked field goal Defensive tackle Richard Seymour was another pivotal player in the Oakland win. Seymour blocked two field goals, and his second saved the game for the Raiders. It came in the final seconds of regulation, forcing the game into overtime. Carson Palmer to Darrius Heyward-Bey The play that set up the winning field goal kick by Sebastian Janikowski came when wide receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey caught an amazing 53-yard catch thrown by Palmer. Of course, our incredible kicker easily made the 36-yard field goal kick giving the Raiders the victory in overtime. I hope everyone that’s a part of the Silver and Black gets some well-deserved time with their friends and family on this Christmas Day, and tomorrow we can begin to look forward to a Raiders win over the San Diego Chargers to start 2012 off just right! K.C. Dermody grew up in the Bay Area of California, and has been an Oakland Raiders fan from the time she could walk. She has continued her loyalty to the team through its many ups and downs over the decades, and has been privileged to meet several of her favorite players, including famed quarterback, Jim Plunkett . Follow her at www.facebook.com/KCDermodyWriter or on Twitter @kcdermody. More from this contributor: Oakland Raiders Give Fans the Best Christmas Present: A Defeat of the Kansas City Chiefs – Fan’s Take Christmas Eve Game, Raiders and Chiefs: Fan’s Look at Injury Updates and Last Year’s Battles Fan’s Look at the Heated Rivalry Between the Oakland Raiders and Kansas City Chiefs Oakland Raiders’ Kicker Sebastian Janikowski Named Special Teams Player of the Week: Fan Reaction Note: This article was written by a Yahoo! contributor. Sign up here to start publishing your own sports content. Leave any suggestions in the comment box. Posted in 1, Darrius Heyward-Bey, Detroit Lions, Kansas City Chiefs, Kyle Orton, Oakland Raiders, raiders-news, Richard Seymour, San Diego Chargers, Sebastian Janikowski, Tim Tebow | Comments Off
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