Tag: Miami Dolphins

Raiders activate former 2nd round WR Week 11 vs Dolphins

For the first time since signing Terrace Marshall to the practice squad, he will be active Sunday vs the Dolphins.

For the first time since Terrace Marshall was signed to the Raiders practice squad three weeks ago, he’s getting called up to action.

The former round two pick by the Panthers in the 2021 draft played three seasons in Carolina, appearing in 36 games with 16 starts.

The 6-2, 200-pounder has 64 career catches for 767 yards and one touchdown. His best season was in 2022 when he caught 28 passes for 490 yards (17.5 yards per catch) and a touchdown.

But after a down year, he was released in the final roster cuts last August. He caught on with the 49ers on their practice squad but was released again last week and scooped up by the Raiders, who could certainly use some help at receiver.

With Davante Adams traded to New York, the Raiders have not been able to suitably fill his role in the offense. Jakobi Meyers has stepped up as the team’s top receiver, but in the five weeks since the trade, Tre Tucker has just nine catches for 85 yards.

Additionally, the Raiders activated C Will Putnam with Andre James OUT with an ankle injury and the offensive line depleted.

Raiders officially activate TE Michael Mayer from NFI ahead of Week 11 matchup with Dolphins

Tight end Michael Mayer is ready to go for the Raiders as they prepare to face the Dolphins for week 11.

It’s official; Michael Mayer is back. The 2023 second round pick had been on the Non-Football Illness list the past four weeks and hadn’t played since Week three. And today the team officially activated him, making him available for their week 11 game Sunday in Miami.

Earlier this week head coach Antonio Pierce had expressed his excitement that ‘Big Mike” had returned to practice. On Friday, he added that Mayer was “trending up” in terms of the likelihood he would play this week.

“He’ss always been a part of the plan first and foremost,” Pierce continued. “But obviously with losing people through injuries or trades, I think there’s obviously an opportunity there for him. But really, I think just getting him back to par with our team, obviously new offensive coordinator there with Scott Turner and just getting back in the fold, you want to be smart with it. You want to be smart. But obviously Mike is a big part of our plans this year, this week and the future. So, the more we can get him involved, the better.”

Those plans were to deploy a lot of two-tight end sets alongside top pick rookie Brock Bowers. And while Bowers had put up record numbers this season, Mayer had just four catches for 21 yards before leaving the team for personal reasons.

The Raiders are hoping he’s back and ready to go for the latter half of the season, starting with the Dolphins on Sunday.

In a corresponding move, the Raiders waived WR Alex Bachman.

Raiders to field 6th different starting OL of the season Week 11 vs Dolphins

When the Raiders take the field against the Dolphins week 11, they will have their sixth different starting offensive line combination.

Sunday when the Raiders take the field on offense against the Dolphins in Miami, the offensive line will be almost completely unrecognizable from the one that took the field at the start of the season. Heck, it won’t even resemble the one that took the field for their last game.

Injuries along with poor play from the initial starters has completely transformed the Raiders offensive line. This week they will field their whopping sixth different starting offensive line combination this season.

From left to right, the starting five will be LT Kolton Miller, LG Dylan Parham, C Jackson Powers-Johnson, RG Jordan Meredith, and RT DJ Glaze.

The only position on the line with the same starter from the season opener is left tackle Kolton Miller.

Cody Whitehair started the season at left guard — he’s OUT for this game. Andre James started the season at center — he’s OUT for this game.
Dylan Parham started the season at right guard — he got injured and then supplanted as the starter by Jordan Meredith.
Thayer Munford started the season at right tackle — he got injured and then supplanted as the starter by rookie DJ Glaze.

Here is what the starting lineup has looked like for each game this season:

Week LT LG C RG RT
1 Miller Whitehair James Parham Munford
2 Miller Peat James Parham Munford
3 Miller Whitehair James Parham Munford
4 Miller P-Johnson James Parham Glaze
5 Miller P-Johnson James Parham Glaze
6 Miller P-Johnson James Parham Glaze
7 Miller P-Johnson James Meredith Glaze
8 Miller P-Johnson James Meredith Glaze
9 Miller Whitehair P-Johnson Meredith Glaze
11 Miller Parham P-Johnson Meredith Glaze

“At the end of the day, it’s kind of been like our whole season. Next man up, right? Next man up,” head coach Antonio Pierce said of the shuffling line.

“You just hate that we keep changing all these pieces along the offensive line, because at some point, you’d like just to have five guys there, continuity, chemistry. That’s really the glue to our team, when you can have that. So something we’re working on consistently.”

On one hand, it’s hard to gain any consistency of play without continuity. On the other hand, finding the best five is important and at least two of these guys was replaced by someone who outplayed them.

It’s very possible this lineup is the best five the Raiders have. Parham moves back to left guard where he had played the past two seasons and Andre James didn’t do much to keep Rimington Award Winner Powers-Johnson from getting his shot to take the job. And thus far, JPJ has looked the part.

As for depth, the Raiders may need to dig into their practice squad for that.

Raiders vs Dolphins final injury report: Latest updates, news for Week 11

All the latest updates and news on Raiders injury report ahead of a Week 11 game vs. Dolphins.

Friday’s final injury report gave us some clarity on just whose chances of playing on Sunday when the Raiders take on the Dolphins in Miami went up or down.

Raiders, Dolphins injury report

TE Harrison Bryant injury update

After returning to practice Thursday, Bryant (ankle) was missing again on Friday and has been officially ruled OUT for Sunday’s game.

TE Michael Mayer update

Mayer is coming off the Non-Football Illness list. Antonio Pierce said he’s trending toward playing, but wanted to be careful with him. He’s officially Questionable and with Bryant OUT, they could certainly use Mayer in this one.

C Andre James injury update

James (ankle) has officially been ruled OUT. Jackson Powers-Johnson has been named the starting center for week 11,

CB Nate Hobbs injury update

Hobbs was carted off the field in Cincinnati just before the bye with an ankle injury. He has officially been ruled OUT. Raiders figure to start Darnay Holmes in his place.

G Cody Whitehair injury update

Whitehair also went down with an ankle injury in Cincinnati. He has been officially ruled OUT for the game. He will be replaced by former starting right guard Dylan Parham who was the team’s starting left guard the previous two seasons.

Dolphins offense reminds Raiders HC Antonio Pierce of Greatest Show on Turf

Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce drew a strong comparison between the Dolphins offense and that of the Rams ‘Greatest Show on Turf’.

Much has been made this week about the sheer speed the Dolphins possess on offense. With the likes Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle, Raheem Mostert, and De’Von Achane, they have elite speed. Or as Raiders DC Patrick Graham put it ‘they can run-run‘.

Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce played in the league for nine years from 2001-09. And when he was asked Friday what offense the Dolphins offense reminds him of, he made a strong comparison.

“The Rams. On the turf,” Pierce said referencing the St Louis Rams’ Greatest Show on Turf offense. “Like that was real. When they were rolling with Kurt Warner and [Tory] Holt and [Isaac] Bruce and Marshall Faulk. Even later on down the road, didn’t even matter if it was on grass, they were fast. Like it was on you right now. The speed is legit. You can’t mimic it. We’re doing the best we can in practice.

“But the good part about it like I said, we went against these guys last year and really felt the speed of Hill and Waddle and those guys over there. So we understand that, and we respect it. But at the at the end of the day, with speed you have put hands on them, right? Physicality needs to show up.”

It’s one thing to have to deal with great speed at receiver where the defense lines up their fastest players. It’s another thing to then also have to account for the running backs coming out of the backfield as well as making plays in the passing game.

De’Von Achane leads the team in rushing (457) and yards from scrimmage (774). He’s a legit game breaker whose career has been mired by injuries, including when the Raiders faced the Dolphins last season.

“Just dynamic. Everything’s explosive. Everything’s a big gain,” Pierce said of Achane. “Everything’s an explosive gain in the run game, the pass game, route-running. I think, obviously you look at the size, you think a smaller guy, but he runs like a big boy. He runs behind his pads, does a good job. He gets on you fast, and the arm tackles is not going to work with a player like this. You have to chest him up. You have to just put the body blows on him to slow him down throughout the game.”

That’s your Holt, Bruce, and Faulk comps right there. Tua Tagovailoa is a far cry from Kurt Warner, but with those weapons he may not have to be.

Will Nate Hobbs play this week? Injury updates for Raiders CB

TEAMA POSITION PLAYER NAME (ex Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa) is dealing with a [BLANK] injury. Here are the latest updates.

Sunday the Raiders have a tough test in Miami against a Dolphins team with some serious speed and talent on offense. They need all hands on deck. But it appears one of their top defenders may not be available to them.

CB Nate Hobbs injury update

Hobbs went out with an ankle injury against the Bengals before the Bye and was carted off the field. He hasn’t practiced this week at all and head coach Antonio Pierce said he is doubtful to play in the game.

UPDATE: Hobbs has officially been ruled OUT for the game.

Cornerback depth chart

The next man up at slot receiver will be Darnay Holmes who the Raiders signed off waivers just prior to the start of the season.

“Darnay is obviously familiar with the scheme. I’m familiar with him from way back in the day. He’s done a good job of just getting acclimated on special teams and obviously defensively he had a bigger role last week. If Nate is not able to go, that role will be covered.”

Holmes was a fourth round pick by the Giants back in 2020 out of UCLA and spent the past four seasons in New York, appearing in 63 games with 11 starts.

Pierce is likely familiar with Holmes having coached High School ball at Long Beach Poly while Holmes attended Calabasas High and then from coaching in the Pac-12 at Arizona State while Holmes was at UCLA.

Christian Wilkins is helping Raiders even without playing Week 11 vs Dolphins

Raiders DT Christian Wilkins is on IR, and thus won’t play vs the Dolphins, but his intel on his former team could prove very beneficial.

Don’t let the 3-6 record fool you. The Dolphins team is very good. And the Raiders will have to use every advantage they can if they hope to pull out a win.

One advantage they will not have on the field with them is Christian Wilkins. The Pro Bowl DT is currently on injured reserve. But just because he can’t take the field, doesn’t mean he isn’t helping them.

When the Raiders take the field in Miami, they will be facing a team full of former Wilkins’ teammates playing for a staff of former Wilkins’ coaches. And they plan to get every bit of intel on the orange and aqua Wilkins can provide.

“Absolutely. We’re in the business of gathering information,” said Raiders DC Patrick Graham. “Christian [Wilkins], he’s a smart football player, he picks up on tendencies well. So, absolutely getting information from him.”

Wilkins was a first round pick by the Dolphins and spent the first five years of his career in Miami. The last four lining up across from Tua Tagovailoa in practice every day and the last two under head coach Mike McDaniel. So, he knows a thing or two about their strengths, weaknesses, and tendencies.

Certainly facing former players on other teams is nothing new. It happens every week practically. Sometimes it is quite beneficial. This could be one of those times.

‘They can run run’: Raiders DC discusses preparing for Dolphins speed on offense

The Raiders know they will be dealing with serious speed vs the Dolphins week 11. They will set out to keep from getting burnt.

This season, the Raiders have seen a lot of opposing teams run away with games. With their trip to Miami this week, they will be trying to stop the Dolphins players from literally running away from them.

“One, you’ve got to be able to find a way to match up with their speed,” said Raiders DC Patrick Graham. “Whether it’s staying on top, whether it’s to run with them, you’ve got to figure out a way. There’s true speed out there on the field at a number of positions.”

The main focus in terms of speed will be wide receivers Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle. Both of whom are established burners who are electric with or without the ball in their hands.

For the Raiders, it will be hoping that they have enough speed on defense to match up with them.

“There’s several guys that we got on the defense that can run,” Graham continued. “Now, I’m not saying I want to line up and do a foot race with anybody from Miami. These guys can run run. When I say true speed I mean true speed out there on the field. And it’s not limited to [Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle].

“So, for us as a defensive staff, we’ve got to figure out the best way to deploy the defense and try to keep this speed under control a little bit. Take away the space, staying on top, things of that nature. Jakorian [Bennett] in terms of Jakorian and Jack [Jones]. All of our defensive backs. We got guys that can run too, so it’s going to be a fun game in terms of just being able to challenge ourselves. I think that’s the big thing for the players. It’s a good challenge.”

When Graham mentions that the Dolphins’ speed is not limited to Hill and Waddle, he is thinking primarily of running back De’Von Achane and Raheem Mostert. And you could throw QB Tua Tagovailoa in there as well.

In other words, the Dolphins have many different ways they can beat you.

Al Davis was all about speed on both sides of the ball. But the classic Raiders were also all about hard nosed football. For the Raiders, if they can’t match their speed, they must outplay them in physicality.

“One thing Flo (Brian Flores) used to always say ‘You can’t ever forget about the physicality of this game,” Graham continued. “I don’t care how fast it looks, how much they try to make it — whether it’s run and shoot, whether it’s whatever they want to call the different offenses — NFL football is a physical game, especially as you start to move into November and you’re starting to ramp up into after Thanksgiving. You can’t ever forget the physicality of the game.”

So, it will be important for the Raiders to remind the Dolphins this is a physical game. However they need to do that.

Watch: Cameras catch Cooper Kupp’s postgame chat with Jalen Ramsey

Cameras caught a cool moment between Cooper Kupp and Jalen Ramsey after Rams-Dolphins on Monday night

Cooper Kupp and Jalen Ramsey were teammates for three and a half seasons in Los Angeles, winning a Super Bowl together as members of the Rams. Monday night was Ramsey’s first game against his former team, returning to the place where he won a ring with Kupp less than three years ago.

It was Ramsey’s Dolphins who came away with the 23-15 win over the Rams and after the game, the two All-Pros caught up on the field. Kupp and Ramsey shared a cool moment, which was caught by cameras and posted by the Rams on social media.

Ramsey thanked Kupp for sending him some of his Dodo Coffee Co. coffee and wished him well the rest of the way.

“What’s up, brother? How you doing? Thank you for the coffee, my shorty loves it,” Ramsey said.

Kupp told Ramsey that he’s “playing great ball” and wished him “a great rest of the year.”

2 teams stand between the Broncos and the NFL playoffs

Broncos fans should root against the Bengals and Colts over the next eight weeks.

As we enter the final stretch of the 2024 NFL season, the Denver Broncos (5-5) are in position to make the playoffs for the first time since 2015.

Each conference sends four division winners and three wild card seeds to the postseason each fall. Right now, the Broncos are the AFC’s seventh seed, which would make them the conference’s third and final wild-card berth in 2024.

Denver is extremely unlikely to catch the Kansas City Chiefs (9-0) in the AFC West, but the Broncos could secure a wild card spot with a few key victories. If we assume the teams ranked above Denver will stay above them, the Broncos will have two key teams below them to fend off.

The Indianapolis Colts (4-6) are currently the No. 8 seed. Indy is on a three-game losing streak and they just made a quarterback change, so the Colts don’t appear to be Denver’s biggest threat. The Broncos will host Indy in Week 15.

Right below the Colts are the Cincinnati Bengals (4-6), and they are probably the biggest threat to Denver’s playoff hopes. The Broncos will go on the road to face the Bengals in Cincinnati in Week 17. That game could have massive playoff implications.

As things stand now, the Bengals and Colts are the two teams standing between Denver and the postseason. If the Broncos win those matchups, the team should be positioned to make the playoffs.

The Miami Dolphins (3-6) also aren’t dead yet, but they have a big hole to try to climb out of, and they aren’t on Denver’s schedule. The New York Jets (3-7) will also attempt to get back into the mix, but the Broncos already have a head-to-head tiebreaker victory over the Jets.

So the two key teams that Denver fans should be rooting against over the next eight weeks are the Bengals and Colts. If Cincy and Indy trip up and the Broncos keep up their current pace, Denver will make the NFL playoffs this fall.

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