GREEN BAY, Wis. — With a punishing running game, strong pass rush and perhaps the NFL’s best kicking game, the Oakland Raiders just might have the formula to challenge the Green Bay Packers’ bid for a perfect season.

That said, Raiders coach Hue Jackson knows his team will have to muster something near perfection to derail the 12-0 Packers.

“You just have to play your best game,” Jackson said. “You have to play as well as you’ve played all year. That’s why everybody’s going to take their shot at them, no doubt. It’s our opportunity now. We’re the next team up and we’re not coming in to lose. That’s for sure.”

But going into Sunday’s game at Lambeau Field, the Raiders weren’t anywhere near their best last week. Oakland is coming off an uninspiring 34-14 loss at Miami — not the kind of effort expected from a team that’s trying to claw its way into the playoffs.

The Packers are coming off a thrilling last-second victory over the Giants in New York. Now they’ve won 18 straight games, including the playoffs, the second-longest winning streak in NFL history.

Packers players continue to fend off talk of going undefeated and expect a strong effort from the Raiders.

“They’re fighting for a playoff spot right now,” Aaron Rodgers said. “They’re tied for the division lead and they know how important this game is to them. This game is important to us, too. We have an opportunity to sew up a first-round bye and to get to 6-0 at home. It’s an important game for both sides and we’ll be ready for their best shot.”

Wide receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey said the Raiders are more worried about trying to win the AFC West than they are about stopping the Packers’ winning streak.

“I (couldn’t) care less if they’re trying to go undefeated,” Heyward-Bey said. “They could be 0 and whatever, and I’m still trying to get that win. So, whatever their deal is and how they want to go about their business, is their business. I know our business is just trying to win our division.”

Oakland’s formula for beating the Packers would likely include a heavy dose of running back Michael Bush, a powerful 245-pounder. The Packers struggled to stop another big back, LeGarrette Blount, in a Nov. 20 victory over Tampa Bay.

But quarterback Carson Palmer could use a few more of his offensive playmakers back from injury.

Running back Darren McFadden has missed five straight games with a right foot injury, receiver Jacoby Ford has missed three games with a left foot injury and receiver Denarius Moore has missed two games with a right foot injury.

That has been a challenge for quarterback Carson Palmer, who’s still trying to get up to speed on the Raiders offense and trying to establish chemistry with his new teammates.

Still, Palmer can’t wait to play at Lambeau — even with temperatures dipping into the 30s this week.

“It’s my favorite place to play,” Palmer said. “I love getting a chance to go out there and play and just be in that atmosphere. It’s a great environment. It’s fun to be cold.”

The Packers have spent most of this season talking about getting better on defense, but their formula has remained pretty much the same: The Packers give up a ton of yards, especially through the air, but seem to make enough big plays to get the ball back to the offense.

“Everybody’s going to blow up certain aspects of the game that aren’t going 100 percent the way the offense is right now, which is operating on all cylinders,” Clay Matthews said. “Yeah, of course we’d love to give up less yards, less big plays, and continue to improve. And we will. I think points per game is what really matters, and the plays we’re creating. There’s still a lot left out there that we haven’t given, which we need to moving forward.”

The Raiders have 33 sacks this season, tying them for fifth-most in the NFL. They’re led by Kamerion Wimbley, who has seven sacks — including four against San Diego on Nov. 10.

They’ll have to get after Rodgers, who is in the middle of perhaps the best season by a quarterback in NFL history.

“Aaron Rodgers shows everybody love,” Lito Sheppard said. “He’s not throwing the ball 80 times to one guy. He’s throwing it to the open guy and everybody’s making plays. That’s one reason they’ve been so effective. You can’t say I’ll take away this guy or that guy.”

Rodgers says the Raiders’ secondary challenges opposing quarterbacks with lots of different looks. And as Rodgers recalls the Packers’ desperate effort to make the playoffs last year, he expects the same sort of effort from a Raiders team trying to do the same thing.

“I think that has to factor into their mindset and their preparation knowing the urgency that’s attached to that,” Rodgers said. “If you think about last year, we had to win two to get into the playoffs. There was an extra urgency and focus that went into our week of preparation. You have to factor that into how they’re going to play the game.”

If the Raiders can keep it close by keeping Rodgers off the field — or putting him into the turf — special teams could be decisive. Shane Lechler is averaging a league-best 50.8 yards per punt and kicker Sebastian Janikowski is 5 for 6 from 50-plus yards this season.

“They’re great,” Jackson said. “I wouldn’t trade our two guys for anything in the world.”

GREEN BAY, Wis. – With a punishing running game, strong pass rush and perhaps the NFL’s best kicking game, the Oakland Raiders just might have the formula to challenge the Green Bay Packers’ bid for a perfect season.

That said, Raiders coach Hue Jackson knows his team will have to muster something near perfection to derail the 12-0 Packers.

“You just have to play your best game,” Jackson said. “You have to play as well as you’ve played all year. That’s why everybody’s going to take their shot at them, no doubt. It’s our opportunity now. We’re the next team up and we’re not coming in to lose. That’s for sure.”

But going into Sunday’s game at Lambeau Field, the Raiders weren’t anywhere near their best last week. Oakland is coming off an uninspiring 34-14 loss at Miami — not the kind of effort expected from a team that’s trying to claw its way into the playoffs.

The Packers are coming off a thrilling last-second victory over the Giants in New York. Now they’ve won 18 straight games, including the playoffs, the second-longest winning streak in NFL history.

Packers players continue to fend off talk of going undefeated and expect a strong effort from the Raiders.

“They’re fighting for a playoff spot right now,” Aaron Rodgers said. “They’re tied for the division lead and they know how important this game is to them. This game is important to us, too. We have an opportunity to sew up a first-round bye and to get to 6-0 at home. It’s an important game for both sides and we’ll be ready for their best shot.”

Wide receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey said the Raiders are more worried about trying to win the AFC West than they are about stopping the Packers’ winning streak.

“I (couldn’t) care less if they’re trying to go undefeated,” Heyward-Bey said. “They could be 0 and whatever, and I’m still trying to get that win. So, whatever their deal is and how they want to go about their business, is their business. I know our business is just trying to win our division.”

Oakland’s formula for beating the Packers would likely include a heavy dose of running back Michael Bush, a powerful 245-pounder. The Packers struggled to stop another big back, LeGarrette Blount, in a Nov. 20 victory over Tampa Bay.

But quarterback Carson Palmer could use a few more of his offensive playmakers back from injury.

Running back Darren McFadden has missed five straight games with a right foot injury, receiver Jacoby Ford has missed three games with a left foot injury and receiver Denarius Moore has missed two games with a right foot injury.

That has been a challenge for quarterback Carson Palmer, who’s still trying to get up to speed on the Raiders offence and trying to establish chemistry with his new teammates.

Still, Palmer can’t wait to play at Lambeau — even with temperatures dipping into the 30s this week.

“It’s my favourite place to play,” Palmer said. “I love getting a chance to go out there and play and just be in that atmosphere. It’s a great environment. It’s fun to be cold.”

The Packers have spent most of this season talking about getting better on defence, but their formula has remained pretty much the same: The Packers give up a ton of yards, especially through the air, but seem to make enough big plays to get the ball back to the offence.

“Everybody’s going to blow up certain aspects of the game that aren’t going 100 per cent the way the offence is right now, which is operating on all cylinders,” Clay Matthews said. “Yeah, of course we’d love to give up less yards, less big plays, and continue to improve. And we will. I think points per game is what really matters, and the plays we’re creating. There’s still a lot left out there that we haven’t given, which we need to moving forward.”

The Raiders have 33 sacks this season, tying them for fifth-most in the NFL. They’re led by Kamerion Wimbley, who has seven sacks — including four against San Diego on Nov. 10.

They’ll have to get after Rodgers, who is in the middle of perhaps the best season by a quarterback in NFL history.

“Aaron Rodgers shows everybody love,” Lito Sheppard said. “He’s not throwing the ball 80 times to one guy. He’s throwing it to the open guy and everybody’s making plays. That’s one reason they’ve been so effective. You can’t say I’ll take away this guy or that guy.”

Rodgers says the Raiders’ secondary challenges opposing quarterbacks with lots of different looks. And as Rodgers recalls the Packers’ desperate effort to make the playoffs last year, he expects the same sort of effort from a Raiders team trying to do the same thing.

“I think that has to factor into their mindset and their preparation knowing the urgency that’s attached to that,” Rodgers said. “If you think about last year, we had to win two to get into the playoffs. There was an extra urgency and focus that went into our week of preparation. You have to factor that into how they’re going to play the game.”

If the Raiders can keep it close by keeping Rodgers off the field — or putting him into the turf — special teams could be decisive. Shane Lechler is averaging a league-best 50.8 yards per punt and kicker Sebastian Janikowski is 5 for 6 from 50-plus yards this season.

“They’re great,” Jackson said. “I wouldn’t trade our two guys for anything in the world.”

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) – With a punishing running game, strong pass rush and perhaps the NFL’s best kicking game, the Oakland Raiders just might have the formula to challenge the Green Bay Packers’ bid for a perfect season.

That said, Raiders coach Hue Jackson knows his team will have to muster something near perfection to derail the 12-0 Packers.

“You just have to play your best game,” Jackson said. “You have to play as well as you’ve played all year. That’s why everybody’s going to take their shot at them, no doubt. It’s our opportunity now. We’re the next team up and we’re not coming in to lose. That’s for sure.”

But going into Sunday’s game at Lambeau Field, the Raiders weren’t anywhere near their best last week. Oakland is coming off an uninspiring 34-14 loss at Miami – not the kind of effort expected from a team that’s trying to claw its way into the playoffs.

The Packers are coming off a thrilling last-second victory over the Giants in New York. Now they’ve won 18 straight games, including the playoffs, the second-longest winning streak in NFL history.

Packers players continue to fend off talk of going undefeated and expect a strong effort from the Raiders.

“They’re fighting for a playoff spot right now,” Aaron Rodgers said. “They’re tied for the division lead and they know how important this game is to them. This game is important to us, too. We have an opportunity to sew up a first-round bye and to get to 6-0 at home. It’s an important game for both sides and we’ll be ready for their best shot.”

Wide receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey said the Raiders are more worried about trying to win the AFC West than they are about stopping the Packers’ winning streak.

“I (couldn’t) care less if they’re trying to go undefeated,” Heyward-Bey said. “They could be 0 and whatever, and I’m still trying to get that win. So, whatever their deal is and how they want to go about their business, is their business. I know our business is just trying to win our division.”

Oakland’s formula for beating the Packers would likely include a heavy dose of running back Michael Bush, a powerful 245-pounder. The Packers struggled to stop another big back, LeGarrette Blount, in a Nov. 20 victory over Tampa Bay.

But quarterback Carson Palmer could use a few more of his offensive playmakers back from injury.

Running back Darren McFadden has missed five straight games with a right foot injury, receiver Jacoby Ford has missed three games with a left foot injury and receiver Denarius Moore has missed two games with a right foot injury.

That has been a challenge for quarterback Carson Palmer, who’s still trying to get up to speed on the Raiders offense and trying to establish chemistry with his new teammates.

Still, Palmer can’t wait to play at Lambeau – even with temperatures dipping into the 30s this week.

“It’s my favorite place to play,” Palmer said. “I love getting a chance to go out there and play and just be in that atmosphere. It’s a great environment. It’s fun to be cold.”

The Packers have spent most of this season talking about getting better on defense, but their formula has remained pretty much the same: The Packers give up a ton of yards, especially through the air, but seem to make enough big plays to get the ball back to the offense.

“Everybody’s going to blow up certain aspects of the game that aren’t going 100 percent the way the offense is right now, which is operating on all cylinders,” Clay Matthews said. “Yeah, of course we’d love to give up less yards, less big plays, and continue to improve. And we will. I think points per game is what really matters, and the plays we’re creating. There’s still a lot left out there that we haven’t given, which we need to moving forward.”

The Raiders have 33 sacks this season, tying them for fifth-most in the NFL. They’re led by Kamerion Wimbley, who has seven sacks – including four against San Diego on Nov. 10.

They’ll have to get after Rodgers, who is in the middle of perhaps the best season by a quarterback in NFL history.

“Aaron Rodgers shows everybody love,” Lito Sheppard said. “He’s not throwing the ball 80 times to one guy. He’s throwing it to the open guy and everybody’s making plays. That’s one reason they’ve been so effective. You can’t say I’ll take away this guy or that guy.”

Rodgers says the Raiders’ secondary challenges opposing quarterbacks with lots of different looks. And as Rodgers recalls the Packers’ desperate effort to make the playoffs last year, he expects the same sort of effort from a Raiders team trying to do the same thing.

“I think that has to factor into their mindset and their preparation knowing the urgency that’s attached to that,” Rodgers said. “If you think about last year, we had to win two to get into the playoffs. There was an extra urgency and focus that went into our week of preparation. You have to factor that into how they’re going to play the game.”

If the Raiders can keep it close by keeping Rodgers off the field – or putting him into the turf – special teams could be decisive. Shane Lechler is averaging a league-best 50.8 yards per punt and kicker Sebastian Janikowski is 5 for 6 from 50-plus yards this season.

“They’re great,” Jackson said. “I wouldn’t trade our two guys for anything in the world.”

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press.

The Oakland Raiders are heading to Florida to face the Miami Dolphins on Sunday, December 4, 2011. The Raiders have had a wild ride this season, with many challenges thrown at them, and it’s apparently not getting any easier this week.

Brandon Meyers, Oakland Raiders tight end
Wikimedia Commons

The long list of injured players seems to get longer, and yesterday linebacker Rolando McClain(notes) was arrested on four misdemeanor charges back in his hometown of Decatur, Alabama. The Raiders’ head coach, Hue Jackson, said he understood the circumstances and he still expects him to play this weekend against Miami.

Despite the injuries and challenges that Oakland faces, I still believe they’ll come out of the game with a win, though I have to admit it I’m a lot more nervous about week 13 then I was on Monday morning. We need a victory in each and every one of the last five games of the season, especially with the Denver Broncos just one game behind in the AFC West.

Here are five reasons the Raiders should still defeat the Dolphins.

Stopping Miami’s offense

Oakland’s defense did an exceptional job last Sunday against the Chicago Bears, and I believe they’ll do the same against the Dolphins. Stanford Routt(notes) is, thankfully, healthy and should be able to handle Miami’s receiver Brandon Marshall(notes).

Also key to a Raiders’ win, is stopping Reggie Bush(notes). The Miami running back is an exceptional player, but over the most recent three games he’s averaged just 3.1 yards per carry, and their rookie running back, Daniel Thomas(notes), hasn’t been able to do much of anything since he’s returned from a hamstring injury.

Carson Palmer(notes)

The Dolphins’ have are ranked 24th in the NFL for passing defense, and I believe we can look forward to Palmer throwing the long ball successfully and often against Miami on Sunday. Although it would be nice to have Denarius Moore(notes) back in the game, even if he isn’t, Palmer has first round draft pick Darrius Heyward-Bey(notes) as well as the talented Louis Murphy(notes) and Chaz Schilens(notes) on the receiving end.

Michael Bush(notes)

Oakland’s running back Michael Bush has done an amazing job this season. He’s already amassed 163 carries and 668 yards. Look for him to be another key factor in a Raiders’ win over Miami.

Revenge

The Raiders will be looking for revenge against the Dolphins, after taking a sound beating from them last year, 33-17. This adds even more fuel to the already fired up Oakland team.

Resiliency and momentum

Oakland has faced some very tough challenges this year, and their worst stumble came after quarterback Jason Campbell(notes) suffered his broken collar bone injury, and Carson Palmer was forced to come in after being in Oakland for just a few days. As soon as he got his rhythm with the team, they’ve been able to come out with a victory each time.

The Silver and Black have proven to be resilient, and they’ve also got the momentum going with three recent victories. They’ll come into Miami with confidence, ready to play a tough battle, and be in it to win.

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.

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Fan’s Look at the History Between the Miami Dolphins and the Oakland Raiders

The Oakland Raiders Get a Win at Home Against the Chicago Bears: Fan reaction

Oakland Raiders’ Fan’s Look: Hue Jackson Proving the Naysayers Wrong

Fan’s Look at Why the Oakland Raiders Will Stay on Top of the AFC West

Note: This article was written by a Yahoo! contributor. Sign up here to start publishing your own sports content.

McClain, an All American at Alabama during his junior year, moved the gun but fired a round beside the man’s ear, according to the statement. No one was shot, but police said a man who was injured in the altercation drove himself to a hospital, where he was treated and released.

McClain was released on $2,000 bond. He faces charges of assault, menacing, reckless endangerment and firing a gun inside the city limits. Another man identified as Jerradius Willingham, 23, was charged with assault and released after posting a $500 bond.

Court records weren’t immediately available to show whether McClain had hired a defense attorney.

McClain’s agent, Pat Dye Jr., did not immediately return a telephone call seeking comment

Raiders coach Hue Jackson said McClain was in Alabama for the funeral of his grandfather. Speaking before the arrest, he said McClain would play Sunday at Miami “as far as I know.”

“I can tell you we understand and know exactly what’s going on, and we feel very comfortable with our information and we don’t have any further comment at this time,” Jackson said.

McClain is the Raiders’ second-leading tackler this season after joining the team as the eighth overall pick in 2010. Although he struggled as a rookie, the 6-foot-3-inch, 255-pounder had developed into a centerpiece of Oakland’s defense this season despite being slowed by a sore left ankle.

Earlier this year McClain, the 2009 Butkus Award winner at Alabama, reported someone in Decatur shooting at his vehicle. There wasn’t any indication whether the two incidents were related.

Police said the victim, whose name was not released, suffered injuries to his head and face during a fight with Willingham. He was bleeding when officers talked to him.

“The victim told officers that following the fight, he crawled to his car,” the police statement said. “He said that when he reached his car, Rolando McClain produced a pistol and aimed it at him. He said that while he was still on the ground, McClain walked over to him and put the gun to his head.”

Police said the victim told officers “he begged McClain not to shoot him and that McClain took the gun away from his head, held it next to his ear and fired it.”

McClain was facing legal problems in Alabama before his arrest.

A University of Alabama student sued McClain in November 2010 claiming the former Crimson Tide star hit him with a car and assaulted him in 2008. Stanford Matthew Mangham filed suit in circuit court in Morgan County, where Decatur is located.

Mangham claims McClain intentionally hit him twice at an intersection on Nov. 13, 2008 and then slung Mangham to the ground, causing permanent injuries. He is seeking $75,000 plus punitive damages.

McClain’s attorneys filed documents in court denying the student’s claims.

That case is set for trial June 5.

McClain’s ankle injury forced him to miss the Raiders’ 38-24 loss to Denver on Nov. 6 when the Broncos ran for 299 yards, 118 from quarterback Tim Tebow. McClain reinjured his ankle on the first play of the second half in last week’s 25-20 win over Chicago but came back later to finish the game.

Since McClain’s return, Oakland has won three straight to take a one-game lead in the AFC West heading into Sunday’s game at Miami.

Raiders veteran running back Rock Cartwright said he intends to talk to McClain about his situation whenever the linebacker returns to the team.

“All you can do is tell them things, try to give them help, but if they don’t want to be helped, then they won’t be helped,” Cartwright said. “Once he gets back, I’ll try to put a bug in his ear and see what’s going on.”

McClain signed a $40 million, five-year contract that included $23 million in guarantees with the Raiders on July 28, 2010.

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

It’s shaping up to be a great season for the Raider Nation as the Oakland Raiders lead the AFC West and look good to continue the momentum right into Super Bowl XLVI. While I really think the 2011 season may end up being a truly great one for the team, I thought it was a good time to also look back into Raider history at some of the team’s greatest seasons, and here are my picks for the Raiders’ top five greatest seasons:

Surface of an American football ball.
Wikimedia Commons

1963 – First season with Al Davis as coach

1963 was an incredible season for the Oakland Raiders, then part of the upstart American Football League (AFL), created as its own stand-alone league, separate from the NFL. Al Davis came on-board as a coach for the 1963 season and led the Raiders to a 10-4-0 record. This is considered one of the greatest coaching accomplishments in pro football history as the Raiders went 1-13 the season before, and 2-12 in 1961.

1976 – 13-1 record and Super Bowl XI win

The Super Bowl was played in January 1977, but it was the 1976 season that took the team there. Under the leadership of super-coach John Madden, the team dominated the league, going 13-1, the best record in the NFL. I grew up in Philadelphia and remember when the Raiders beat the Philadelphia Eagles to clinch the Western Division Championship that November.

1980 – Super Bowl XV win

Living in Philly, this season’s ending was really tough as the Raiders beat the Eagles to win Super Bowl XV. John Madden was gone, replaced by Tom Flores, another great Raiders coach, who led the team to a 11-5 record. With that record, the Raiders became the first team in NFL history to have 16 consecutive winning seasons.

1983 – Super Bowl XVIII win

The 1983 season was a great one, the team had moved to Los Angeles, where they were playing in front of a new group of crazed fans. It was a season of controversy with lawsuits surrounding the move to Los Angeles, but they didn’t affect the team’s on-field play. The Raiders rolled into Super Bowl XVIII in Tampa where with the strength of QB Jim Plunkett and RB Marcus Allen, they beat the Washington Redskins 38-9.

1967 – 13-1 season

To me, this was the first year of modern football, with the AFL and NFL merged and playing together in one league. The Raiders powered through the season to finish 13-1, the best record in AFL history. When they played in Super Bowl II they were beaten by the Green Bay Packers 33-14 in a crushing loss.

Although born and raised with Eagles fans in Philadelphia, Freddy Sherman has always been a citizen of Raider Nation at heart. Since his dad got him a signed George Blanda football as child, to meeting Lyle Alzado in the 1980s, he hasn’t looked back. Follow him on twitter @thefredsherman

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DECATUR, Ala. (AP)—Oakland Raiders linebacker Rolando McClain(notes) was arrested
Thursday on misdemeanor assault, firearms and other charges after police said he
fired a gun during a fight in his Alabama hometown.

McClain, 22, held a gun beside a man’s head during an altercation and the
man begged him not to shoot, according to a statement released by Lt. John
Crouch of the Decatur Police Department.

McClain, an All American at Alabama during his junior year, moved the gun
but fired a round beside the man’s ear, according to the statement. No one was
shot, but police said a man who was injured in the altercation drove himself to
a hospital, where he was treated and released.

McClain was released on $2,000 bond. He faces charges of assault, menacing,
reckless endangerment and firing a gun inside the city limits. Another man
identified as Jerradius Willingham, 23, was charged with assault and released
after posting a $500 bond.

Court records weren’t immediately available to show whether McClain had
hired a defense attorney.

McClain’s agent, Pat Dye Jr., did not immediately return a telephone call
seeking comment

Raiders coach Hue Jackson said McClain was in Alabama for the funeral of his
grandfather. Speaking before the arrest, he said McClain would play Sunday at
Miami “as far as I know.”

“I can tell you we understand and know exactly what’s going on, and we feel
very comfortable with our information and we don’t have any further comment at
this time,” Jackson said.

McClain is the Raiders’ second-leading tackler this season after joining the
team as the eighth overall pick in 2010. Although he struggled as a rookie, the
6-foot-3-inch, 255-pounder had developed into a centerpiece of Oakland’s defense
this season despite being slowed by a sore left ankle.

Earlier this year McClain, the 2009 Butkus Award winner at Alabama, reported
someone in Decatur shooting at his vehicle. There wasn’t any indication whether
the two incidents were related.

Police said the victim, whose name was not released, suffered injuries to
his head and face during a fight with Willingham. He was bleeding when officers
talked to him.

“The victim told officers that following the fight, he crawled to his
car,” the police statement said. “He said that when he reached his car,
Rolando McClain produced a pistol and aimed it at him. He said that while he was
still on the ground, McClain walked over to him and put the gun to his head.”

Police said the victim told officers “he begged McClain not to shoot him
and that McClain took the gun away from his head, held it next to his ear and
fired it.”

McClain was facing legal problems in Alabama before his arrest.

A University of Alabama student sued McClain in November 2010 claiming the
former Crimson Tide star hit him with a car and assaulted him in 2008. Stanford
Matthew Mangham filed suit in circuit court in Morgan County, where Decatur is
located.

Mangham claims McClain intentionally hit him twice at an intersection on
Nov. 13, 2008 and then slung Mangham to the ground, causing permanent injuries.
He is seeking $75,000 plus punitive damages.

McClain’s attorneys filed documents in court denying the student’s claims.

That case is set for trial June 5.

McClain’s ankle injury forced him to miss the Raiders’ 38-24 loss to Denver
on Nov. 6 when the Broncos ran for 299 yards, 118 from quarterback Tim Tebow(notes).
McClain reinjured his ankle on the first play of the second half in last week’s
25-20 win over Chicago but came back later to finish the game.

Since McClain’s return, Oakland has won three straight to take a one-game
lead in the AFC West heading into Sunday’s game at Miami.

Raiders veteran running back Rock Cartwright(notes) said he intends to talk to
McClain about his situation whenever the linebacker returns to the team.

“All you can do is tell them things, try to give them help, but if they
don’t want to be helped, then they won’t be helped,” Cartwright said. “Once he
gets back, I’ll try to put a bug in his ear and see what’s going on.”

McClain signed a $40 million, five-year contract that included $23 million
in guarantees with the Raiders on July 28, 2010.

In Week 12 of the NFL season, the Oakland Raiders beat the Chicago Bears, 25-20. Most of the reason for the Raiders success in the game went to kicker Sebastian Janikowski(notes), who kicked a team-record six field goals, and Shane Lechler(notes), who booted an 80-yard punt and finished the game with a 54.6 average and three punts inside the 20.

After the game, everyone raved about the Raiders’ special teams and quarterback Carson Palmer said, “There’s not many punter-kicker combinations in the league … there can’t be a better one.”

I don’t know if there is a better one but I would put the Dallas Cowboys’ kickers up against the Raiders any day.

Rookie kicker Dan Bailey(notes) has connected on 27-of-28 (96-percent) field goal attempts this season, has not missed a kick since Week 2, and has hit 26 in a row heading into Week 13 and Arizona. He is also a perfect 27-of-27 on PATs. He is as clutch as anyone in the league as well. He hit the game winning field goal in Washington after the Redskins kicker missed his and then hit a game winning field goal as time expired against Miami the next week.

Janikowski, on the other hand, has hit 22-of-24 (91-percent) field goals on the season while remaining perfect on PAT attempts with 26-of-26. Over his career, Janikowski has hit 79-percent of his field goal tries. While he has one of the strongest legs in the NFL, he has never been the most consistent of kickers in his career.

While Bailey is just getting started, he has a long way to go to get to Janikowski’s level of respect, but he is off to a good start. Besides, as for that Raiders’ record six field goals from Sunday, Bailey accomplished that in his third game in the NFL.

Lechler, on the other hand, is considered one of the best punters in the NFL. He ranks first in the league in average yards with 51.5 while pinning 17 kicks inside the 20. On the other hand, Mat McBriar(notes) averages only 46.2 yards a punt with 12 inside the 20. Yes, Lechler is the best in the NFL but is he that much better than McBriar?

Lechler has a 12 year career where he averaged 47.5 yards a punt with 291 pinned inside the 20. McBriar has only been going for eight years, with an average of 45.5 yards a punt and 166 pinned inside the 20.

I consider a kicker to be more important than the punter but I feel that McBriar is one of the best in the NFL, so at this time, I’d put Dallas up against Oakland when it comes to a solid special teams duo any day of the week. I’m very happy with Bailey and McBriar right now and wouldn’t trade either of them.

Author Shawn S. Lealos has followed the Dallas Cowboys since he was a child, his favorite players range from Roger Staubach and Tony Dorsett to the Triplets of the 90s. Through the great years of the ’90s and the hard times of the ’80s, Shawn never turned his back on America’s Team.

Source: CBSSports

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ALAMEDA, Calif. — The Oakland Raiders head into the final month
of the season in a most unusual place after an eight-year stretch
of disappointment and losses.

They stand alone in first place in the AFC West.

Oakland (7-4) has a one-game lead on Tim Tebow and the Denver
Broncos after beating the Chicago Bears 25-20 Sunday. So instead of
preparing to play out the string on another failed season, the
Raiders head into December with legitimate hopes of winning the
division and making it to the playoffs for the first time since
winning the 2002 AFC championship.

While most of the players in Oakland have little understanding
of what it takes to win meaningful late-season games or of going to
the playoffs, there are a few veterans ready to dole out
advice.

‘Seize the opportunity,” said defensive tackle Richard Seymour,
who won three Super Bowl titles in New England. ‘You’d rather play
in games like this where every play is meaningful rather than a
game where the stands aren’t filled. It’s so much more fun for
everybody. It’s a game that we’re playing. It’s not life or death.
… The bigger the game the more exciting and more fun it is.”

Next up for the Raiders is a trip to Miami on Sunday to play the
improving Dolphins (3-8). That will be followed by a high-profile
game in Green Bay that has already been moved into the national
doubleheader window to give it more exposure.

That’s a far cry from recent years when the Raiders went through
an NFL-worst stretch of seven straight seasons of at least 11
losses.

‘It’s something new around here and we’re going to try and keep
it that way,” defensive end Lamarr Houston said.

The Raiders solved a few nagging issues in the win against the
Bears with the defense limiting Matt Forte to 59 yards rushing and
84 yards from scrimmage — 55 yards below his league-leading
average coming into the game.

Oakland also committed only six penalties for 44 yards and no
personal fouls after averaging more than 10 penalties a game coming
into the week.

Seymour credits the change to players paying more attention to
detail with so much at stake at this point in the season.

‘Everyone realizes the opportunity that we have,” Seymour said.
‘You don’t want to be the guy that squandered it away. Just trying
to play smarter and still play aggressively.”

The Raiders also were able to win on a day that the running game
was held to 73 yards on 27 carries and big-play threats Darren
McFadden, Jacoby Ford and Denarius Moore were all sidelined by
injuries.

But Carson Palmer threw for 304 yards — his third time in four
starts with at least 299 — as the Raiders won for just the second
time in their past 22 games when they rushed for fewer than 75
yards.

‘At the end of the day I think we’re growing all across this
football team,” coach Hue Jackson said. ‘What we need to do is
still put a complete game together where we’re playing from the
first snap to the last snap and when we do that we’ve got a chance
to be a scary group of players.”

The Raiders were in contention a year ago, but knew they needed
help to end their playoff drought. They ended up losing a crucial
road game in Jacksonville and Kansas City kept winning and Oakland
finished 8-8, two games behind the Chiefs.

Now they only need to worry about their own games, knowing if
they keep winning the Broncos won’t be able to catch them.

‘It’s a good feeling for us to be able to be in first place and
not have to look, ‘Oh, hopefully somebody loses,’ Or, ‘Get this win
and hopefully this team loses,’” receiver Louis Murphy said. ‘It’s
good to be in control of our own destiny.”

Notes: The only injury from the game was LB Rolando McClain, who
tweaked his sprained left ankle but returned to action. … RB
Darren McFadden did a light workout on the practice field without a
protective boot on his sprained right foot. He has not played since
injuring the foot in the first quarter against Kansas City on Oct.
23. ‘I think that was huge,” Jackson said. ‘I think that’s a step
in the right direction.” … WR Jacoby Ford said he is making
progress to return from his sprained left foot that he hurt in San
Diego on Nov. 10 but does not know when he will be able to
practice.

The Oakland Raiders are sitting on top of the AFC West, but the Denver Broncos are right on their heels at just a game back. What will happen over the next three games? Will the Silver and Black be able to stay in first place alone?

Oakland Raiders fan.
Broken Sphere/Wikimedia Commons

The last time I predicted the Raiders three upcoming games, I said they’d come out at 6-4, with a win against the Broncos and a loss against the Chargers. Fortunately, they did come out with two out of three, but it was a loss to the Broncos and a win over the Chargers.

I definitely did not expect Denver to improve as much as they have with Tim Tebow(notes), and I’m pretty sure they’re doing it just to torture me. Okay, kidding aside, let’s hope for the Donkeys to slide backwards a little in December. Even if they don’t, I still believe the Raiders will hold on to first place in the AFC West.

Raiders at Dolphins: Week 13

The Raiders will face the Miami Dolphins on Sunday, December 4. The Dolphins have a record of 3-8, but they aren’t playing as bad as their record would indicate. On Thanksgiving Day they battled it out with the Dallas Cowboys in Texas and lost 20-19, but they outplayed them for most of the game. The Sunday before, they defeated the Bills 35-8, and the weekend before that they won against the Redskins.

If Oakland comes in expecting a tough fight and continues with the progress they’ve made on defense and holding down penalties, this should still be a victory for the Silver and Black. We’ll then leave Miami with an 8-4 record.

Raiders at Packers: Week 14

Next we have the all important game, that at the start of the season, I had predicted a loss. I may be going out on a limb, but I believe the Raiders could be the first team to defeat Green Bay this season. It looks like one of the best running backs in the NFL, Darren McFadden(notes), will return to the field for this game, and both Denarius Moore(notes) and Jacoby Ford(notes) should be healthy for week 14 as well.

Call me crazy, but it’s teams like the Raiders who could have a better chance at giving the undefeated Packers their first loss. Green Bay could be in for a surprise, and we’d be looking at a 9-4 record by the time it’s over.

Lions at Raiders: Week 15

This is the first time this season, I’ve felt that Oakland has a real chance at winning all three of their upcoming games. In the second to last home game, the Detroit Lions will come to the O.co Coliseum to battle it out with the Raiders. The Lions are currently 7-4, but they’ve dropped three of their last five games.

Detroit looked like a winning team early, but in their last three games, but they were only able to pull out a win against the Carolina Panthers who have a record of 3-8. Where Oakland seems to have the forward momentum, Detroit is fading away. In front of the home crowd, they could improve to 10-4, before they face their two AFC West rivals, the Chiefs and the Chargers in the final two games of the season.

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’ Fan’s Look: Monday Update – Campbell Throwing, McFadden Working Out

The Oakland Raiders Get a Win at Home Against the Chicago Bears: Fan reaction

Oakland Raiders’ Fan’s Look: Hue Jackson Proving the Naysayers Wrong

Fan’s Look at Why the Oakland Raiders Will Stay on Top of the AFC West

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Note: The opinions expressed here are my takes on each player’s individual matchup. As always, use your best judgment and conduct your own research on who to start or bench each week. You know your individual team and/or league situation better than anyone else.

Carson Palmer(notes), QB

Despite averaging 18.60 fantasy points in his last three games, Palmer faces an uphill battle this week against the Chicago Bears due to the injuries facing the team’s wide receivers. Chicago is giving up 17.31 fantasy points per game to quarterbacks this season but I cannot anticipate huge numbers this week. His only stable receiving options would be to either the running back or tight end.

Michael Bush(notes), RB

With Bush averaging 22.00 fantasy points per game over the last four weeks, he is quickly becoming one of the top running backs in fantasy football late in the season. Bush will have the majority of the Oakland Raiders’ offense on his shoulders this week with the receiving options so deeply depleted. Darren McFadden(notes) is expected to miss another week leaving the duties to him. Despite a tough Chicago defense, expect Bush to have a very big week.

T.J. Houshmandzadeh(notes), WR

He will see action due to injuries to Jacoby Ford(notes), Denarius Moore(notes), and Darrius Heyward-Bey(notes). Regardless, I strongly recommend avoiding all Oakland wide receivers this week.

Chaz Schilens(notes), WR

See Houshmandzadeh, however Schilens has the most potential of the two based upon this season’s performance. Schilens is the only other wide receiver other than Moore with more than one touchdown this season. He has two.

Kevin Boss(notes), TE

While only averaging 4.80 fantasy points per game, Boss has the opportunity to really step up this week against the Bears. Chicago is allowing 11.74 fantasy points per game to tight ends this season and Palmer has very limited receiving options available to him. Like Bush, expect Boss to have a surprisingly good game this week.

Sebastian Janikowski(notes), K

Averaging 9.70 fantasy points per game, Janikowski is a solid kicking option on any fantasy team. He is no longer listed on the Raiders’ injury report increasing my confidence he is back to 100 percent health. Even while still considered “healing” he gave a 9.00 fantasy point performance against the Minnesota Vikings last week and looks to have a favorable matchup against the Bears this week. Chicago is giving up just 7.80 fantasy points per game to kickers this season however.

Defense

Averaging 6.80 fantasy points per game it would appear the Raiders’ team defense would be sitting somewhere it the middle of the pack and not all that desirable due to the fact the Bears are giving up only 6.30 fantasy points per game to team defense. I believe this is a more favorable matchup than it lets on due to the Oakland averaging 13.00 fantasy points per game in their last two games and that they will be facing a new and inexperienced Chicago Bears quarterback in Caleb Hanie(notes).

Sources:

All data provided by Yahoo! Sports Fantasy Football

Paul Rados is an avid fantasy football participant and a Featured Contributor for the Yahoo! Contributor Network. Follow him on Twitter @PSRados or leave him a message on Facebook. For a complete look at his freelance work please visit his Blog.

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Jackson talked to league officials on Monday, a day after he said calls against his team in a 27-21 win at Minnesota were unfair, complained that he could not get explanations of calls from referee Jerome Boger’s crew and said he didn’t “even know what football is right now” with the way some personal fouls were called.

“Obviously after yesterday I’ve probably reached my boiling point,” Jackson said Monday.

After spending most of his first season as Raiders coach refusing to criticize officials publicly, Jackson snapped after the latest game that included four personal fouls, including three on one touchdown drive by Minnesota in the first quarter.

“All I ask is that when people deal with our football team, that it’s done fairly,” Jackson said. “Now across the league everyone says everything is fair, and I’m not saying that it’s not. But yesterday it was one game that I felt very uncomfortable with what had happened. I was able to address it today. I said what I said yesterday and felt very strongly about and still feel strongly about it today. But I’m going to move on from that because that does me no good, our football team no good.”

Jackson said he did not expect to get fined for his comments and the league would address the complaints publicly. NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said coaches can call head of officiating Carl Johnson for explanations of any calls and that the league looked forward to answering Jackson’s questions.

The latest penalty spree started on a first quarter drive when defensive tackle Tommy Kelly was called for a blow to quarterback Christian Ponder’s head on a sack that would have forced a punt. Linebacker Aaron Curry then received 15 yards for what the officials called roughing a defenseless receiver on a completion to Kyle Rudolph and safety Tyvon Branch was whistled for a facemask on Percy Harvin.

Defensive lineman Desmond Bryant was later called for unnecessary roughness in the fourth quarter.

The Raiders have already committed 17 defensive personal fouls this season — more than double the total of 29 teams and the most in the league since the Chiefs had 19 in 1998.

“The thing about it is football is a game full of personal fouls,” said Curry, who has three in just five games with Oakland. “They’re all personal. It all depends on whether a referee decides to throw his flag or not. Every hit we make, they’re all borderline.”

Oakland finished the game with 12 penalties for 117 yards. That keeps the Raiders on a record-setting pace. At this rate, Oakland would finish the season with 164 penalties for 1,427 yards — surpassing the totals of 158 for 1,304 yards by Kansas City in 1998.

Jackson vowed at the beginning of the season to solve the penalty woes. He has had officials at most practices to try to curtail the infractions and the players have instituted fines for some penalties. They’re still happening, so now Jackson is taking a different tack.

“At the end of the day, we still need to get better at doing what we do, but on top of that I just want to make sure that just because we do need to get better in some areas people aren’t saying, ‘OK, let’s have a great day throwing this flag today because there’s the Raiders out here,’” Jackson said. “I think it’s been addressed and we’ll go forward.”

In years past, penalties played a role in the Raiders’ struggles. Oakland has committed at least 100 penalties every year since 2000, including during a run of eight straight seasons without a winning record.

So far, the Raiders (6-4) have been able to overcome the penalties and are in first place in the AFC West.

“We’ve got better players than we had in the past,” Kelly said. “I’ve been around here eight years so I pretty much know what we’ve had in this locker room and we have better players. But we’re also making the job a lot harder than we have to. We say that to ourselves a lot on the sideline. But in the end all you’ve got to do is win the game.”

Notes: K Sebastian Janikowski is still hampered by an injured left hamstring and had a 49-yard FG attempt blocked. … WR Darrius Heyward-Bey was feeling better a day after being carted off the field with his neck stabilized after a scary collision with Minnesota linebacker E.J. Henderson. … Jackson said he would not know the status of running back Darren McFadden and receiver Jacoby Ford until later in the week. Both players have been sidelined by a sprained foot.

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

ALAMEDA, Calif. (AP)—For a franchise known for its propensity to commit
penalties, the Oakland Raiders are reaching new highs—or maybe it is lows—
this season.

And that has coach Hue Jackson fuming—not just at the guilty players but
also at the referees.

Jackson talked to league officials on Monday, a day after he said calls
against his team in a 27-21 win at Minnesota were unfair, complained that he
could not get explanations of calls from referee Jerome Boger’s crew and said he
didn’t “even know what football is right now” with the way some personal fouls
were called.

“Obviously after yesterday I’ve probably reached my boiling point,”
Jackson said Monday.

After spending most of his first season as Raiders coach refusing to
criticize officials publicly, Jackson snapped after the latest game that
included four personal fouls, including three on one touchdown drive by
Minnesota in the first quarter.

“All I ask is that when people deal with our football team, that it’s done
fairly,” Jackson said. “Now across the league everyone says everything is
fair, and I’m not saying that it’s not. But yesterday it was one game that I
felt very uncomfortable with what had happened. I was able to address it today.
I said what I said yesterday and felt very strongly about and still feel
strongly about it today. But I’m going to move on from that because that does me
no good, our football team no good.”

Jackson said he did not expect to get fined for his comments and the league
would address the complaints publicly. NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said coaches
can call head of officiating Carl Johnson(notes) for explanations of any calls and that
the league looked forward to answering Jackson’s questions.

The latest penalty spree started on a first quarter drive when defensive
tackle Tommy Kelly(notes) was called for a blow to quarterback Christian Ponder’s(notes) head
on a sack that would have forced a punt. Linebacker Aaron Curry(notes) then received 15
yards for what the officials called roughing a defenseless receiver on a
completion to Kyle Rudolph(notes) and safety Tyvon Branch(notes) was whistled for a facemask
on Percy Harvin(notes).

Defensive lineman Desmond Bryant(notes) was later called for unnecessary roughness
in the fourth quarter.

The Raiders have already committed 17 defensive personal fouls this season—
more than double the total of 29 teams and the most in the league since the
Chiefs had 19 in 1998.

“The thing about it is football is a game full of personal fouls,” said
Curry, who has three in just five games with Oakland. “They’re all personal. It
all depends on whether a referee decides to throw his flag or not. Every hit we
make, they’re all borderline.”

Oakland finished the game with 12 penalties for 117 yards. That keeps the
Raiders on a record-setting pace. At this rate, Oakland would finish the season
with 164 penalties for 1,427 yards—surpassing the totals of 158 for 1,304
yards by Kansas City in 1998.

Jackson vowed at the beginning of the season to solve the penalty woes. He
has had officials at most practices to try to curtail the infractions and the
players have instituted fines for some penalties. They’re still happening, so
now Jackson is taking a different tack.

“At the end of the day, we still need to get better at doing what we do,
but on top of that I just want to make sure that just because we do need to get
better in some areas people aren’t saying, `OK, let’s have a great day throwing
this flag today because there’s the Raiders out here,”’ Jackson said. “I think
it’s been addressed and we’ll go forward.”

In years past, penalties played a role in the Raiders’ struggles. Oakland
has committed at least 100 penalties every year since 2000, including during a
run of eight straight seasons without a winning record.

So far, the Raiders (6-4) have been able to overcome the penalties and are
in first place in the AFC West.

“We’ve got better players than we had in the past,” Kelly said. “I’ve
been around here eight years so I pretty much know what we’ve had in this locker
room and we have better players. But we’re also making the job a lot harder than
we have to. We say that to ourselves a lot on the sideline. But in the end all
you’ve got to do is win the game.”

Notes: K Sebastian Janikowski(notes) is still hampered by an injured left hamstring
and had a 49-yard FG attempt blocked. … WR Darrius Heyward-Bey(notes) was feeling
better a day after being carted off the field with his neck stabilized after a
scary collision with Minnesota linebacker E.J. Henderson(notes). … Jackson said he
would not know the status of running back Darren McFadden(notes) and receiver Jacoby
Ford(notes) until later in the week. Both players have been sidelined by a sprained
foot.

ALAMEDA, Calif. — Oakland Raiders running back Darren McFadden and wide receiver Jacoby Ford missed practice Monday, leaving both questionable for this weekend’s game in Minnesota.

McFadden continues to make progress from the mid-foot sprain that has kept him out of the Raiders’ past two games but has yet to resume full workouts. Ford is wearing a protective walking boot after injuring his foot in last Thursday’s win over San Diego.

Neither player even attended Oakland’s first practice since a two-day break, and coach Hue Jackson declined to say what the chances were for McFadden or Ford being available for Sunday’s game at Minnesota.

“We have a team of doctors that handle that,” Jackson said. “They’re normally going to tell me when a guy can play and I trust their judgment and what they do. Nobody’s been ruled out as of now, so we’ll go through the week and see where we’re at.”

The way backups Michael Bush and Denarius Moore played in Oakland’s 24-17 win over the Chargers, it might not matter much.

Bush ran for a season-high 157 yards and a touchdown and had another 85 yards in receptions. The 242 yards from scrimmage were the most by a Raiders player since Bo Jackson had 235 against Seattle on Nov. 30, 1987, and the fourth-most in franchise history.

Moore nearly outdid him.

The rookie receiver from Tennessee caught seven passes for 143 yards and two touchdowns and repeatedly gouged San Diego’s secondary for big gains. Included in Moore’s night was a remarkable 46-yarder that he caught with his fingertips wrapped around the point on the ball after the pass from quarterback Carson Palmer sailed over Moore’s head.

That win, coupled with Denver beating Kansas City on Sunday, gave Oakland sole possession of first place in the AFC West. It’s the first time since 2002 that the Raiders have had the outright division lead this late in the season.

Jackson has had to juggle his lineup most of the year due to players being hurt.

In addition to McFadden and Ford, quarterback Jason Campbell, center Samson Satele, fullback Marcel Reece, tight end Kevin Boss and reserve wide receiver Louis Murphy have all missed playing time as a result of injuries.

McFadden has not practiced since getting hurt against Kansas City on Oct. 23. He limped through the locker room with the aid of crutches and his right foot in a boot the following day and has made slow progress since.

“I know we’re getting closer to getting him back out here,” Jackson said. “I know he’s working his tail off. When I saw him this morning he looked good. Until we get closer later on in the week and we know exactly where he is, I don’t want to speculate.”

Ford, who doubles as Oakland’s kick returner, went down with a similar foot injury against San Diego on Thursday. He was scheduled to undergo an MRI over the weekend but the results were not yet available.

Moore, who filled in on offense when Ford got hurt, will also replace him on special teams if the second-year wide receiver is unable to play against Minnesota.

“We’re going to know more as we move through the week,” Jackson said. “By [Tuesday] when we really start laying all the foundation for a game plan, I have to know who has a possibility of playing, at least.”

Even without two of its best offensive players, Oakland still had little problem moving the ball and scoring against San Diego, thanks to big nights from Bush and Moore.

It was the type of night that would have made late Raiders owner Al Davis proud, seeing two of his lower-round draft picks flourish despite playing in backup roles most of the season.

“We have a whole bunch of talent on the offense and defense, where if one goes down we have another to step in and take his place,” Moore said Monday. “We all have faith in our teammates.”

Three defensive starters were also absent from practice: defensive tackle Richard Seymour, safety Michael Huff and cornerback DeMarcus Van Dyke.