Tag: Raider Nation

5 Reasons for Optimism for Raiders Week 7 vs Rams

It may seem like every team the Raiders face is in better shape than them. But that isn’t always the case. In fact, the Raiders actually have a better record than their next opponent. The Raiders are at 2-4 on the season, while the Rams are 1-4. So, …

It may seem like every team the Raiders face is in better shape than them. But that isn’t always the case. In fact, the Raiders actually have a better record than their next opponent. The Raiders are at 2-4 on the season, while the Rams are 1-4. So, while there are certainly causes for concern, you probably don’t have to look too far to find some reasons for optimism. Here’s a few.

Each week since Crosby missed his first career game, he has looked better and better. Last week in the loss to the Steelers, he was racking up the pressures and only Justin Fields’s supreme athleticism and quick decisions kept him from getting blown up by Crosby. Matt Stafford is not nearly that fleet of foot and is more likely to stay in the pocket than Fields was, opening up the possibility of Crosby getting home a few times.

These days the closest the Raiders have to a number one receiver would appear to be Bowers. He had nine catches last week and leads the team in targets (46), receptions (37) and yards (384). He leads the league in receiving among tight ends, and has him on pace to surpass 1000 yards on the season. Not to mention when he gets the ball his hands, he is among the league leaders in yards after catch. The Raiders will continue to feed him so long as defenses fail to stop it.

Currently the Raiders have the second worst rushing offense in the league. But this week they will go against the very worst run defense, so maybe they can get something going? The Raiders had the worst rush offense while Zamir W/hite was the feature back, so his potential return doesn’t necessarily mean a whole lot. But it can only help to have one more healthy back in the stable along with Alexander Mattison whose four combined touchdowns leads the team.

Looking at the kind of points the Rams have given up had me doing a double take. They have given up at least 24 points in all five games this season. Even the win. And they gave up 41 points to the Rams. The Raiders, on the other hand, have only scored more than 24 points once this season (26). So, maybe the Rams defense is bad enough that the Raiders offense can actually put some points on the board.

SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles. Raiders’ home away from home. In fact, when they play the Chargers in LA, they get their best crowd of the season. Rams fans represent better than the Chargers, but even still, LA is Raiders country. And for that reason, the crowd is expected to be about 60-40 in favor of the Raiders. Which is about what you get at Allegiant on a good day. That should help the Raiders feel more welcome as well as keep down the noise when they’re on offense.

Davante Adams pens thank you letter to Raider Nation

Adams says goodbye to the Raiders with a thank you to his teammates, coaches, ownership, and Raider Nation.

Just three games into his third season in Las Vegas, Davante Adams’ time with the Raiders is done. The All Pro receiver requested a trade a couple weeks ago and yesterday got his wish. He was sent to the Jets for a conditional third round pick.

Adams joined the Raiders in part to play for the team for which he grew up a fan, and in part to play with his college QB Derek Carr. The latter reunion ended before their first season together was done. The former is now over as well with him being sent to New York for another reunion — joining his former Packers QB Aaron Rodgers.

Today Adams posted a goodbye letter on his instagram page to his teammates and Raider Nation.

Adams’s time was a rocky one. Mostly through situations out of his control. He was named an All Pro his first season playing with Derek Carr. Then the Raiders failed to suitably replace Carr, signing Jimmy Garoppolo and Brian Hoyer and drafting Aidan O’Connell in the fourth round.

The Raiders dysfunction and Adams’s frustrations were put on display for the world to see on the Netflix series Receiver. Along with some pretty sure signs he was looking to leave and rejoin his buddy Aaron in New York.

In the end, Adams got to check the box that he wear a Raiders uniform while still getting to go off and chase a ring and try to cement a Hall of Fame career.

Raider Nation reacts to interim HC Antonio Pierce passionate opening press conference

Raider Nation reacts to interim HC Antonio Pierce passionate opening press conference

Wednesday, 15 hours after the team announced the firing of head coach Josh McDaniels and GM Dave Ziegler, the two men stepping up to fill their shoes stepped in front of the media to make statements and answer questions.

Antonio Pierce in particular came in hot, firing off quotable, inspirational words that would have any player wanting to play for him. And the fans were into it as well.

“It’s a new day. It’s a new chapter. It’s a new era. It’s a new mindset. What is that mindset? It’s that of the Raider pride. The Commitment to Excellence. And making sure our alumni, our fanbase, and Raider Nation are proud of what they see on the field. What does that look like? Tough, passionate, effort, energy, and enthusiasm that you see when we all watch our kids and these young men who are now pro athletes played with they they all were in Pop Warner. Having that love for the game. We’re on the same page, Champ and myself. Our staff is connected, we had a great team meeting this morning. Everybody was steely-eyed and focused. We walked in with a smile on our face. The synergy, the energy in this building, the personality of our players will reflect on who we are as Raiders.

“We’re tired of losing. It’s not a good feeling. We’re a production based business. We’re about competition, being competitive and playing with an edge and a swag and a certain confidence every time we walk out that damn tunnel that everybody that is watching on TV can see the product that we’re putting out there is something to be proud of.”

“I’ve been fortunate. From playing at a high level. Went all the way back to my roots and coached at Long Beach Poly High School as a head coach there. Was at the New York Giants in 2017 and then college for four years. And I had opportunities and go to other organizations and I decide not to. The short story, the matter of fact is I grew up in Compton California. I was born a Raider. I was born with the Raiders rolling in the coliseum in LA. I was rolling NWA talking Straight Outta Compton, rocking Raider hats. So, when the opportunity came to work with Pat Graham and Josh and Dave, I jumped on it. So, that’s what set me up for this. I was born this way.”

“I’m relying on our leaders to lead. I’m coming in here with the game plan. This is the picture we’re trying to paint. But they’ve got to carry it throughout. The best teams that I’ve ever been on as a player or as a coach, player ran. Player ran, bottom line. Davante knows what it is. Maxx Crosby knows what it is. Robert Spillane knows what it is. Our captains and leaders know what it takes. They’ve got to go out there and do it, and they’ve got to carry that message to make sure that resonates and we block out all of this outside noise, because we’re going to get some over the next 72-plus hours. And it’s us against the world. That’s our mentality right now, us against the world, Raider nation against everybody else.”

“[Offensive coordinator] Bo [Hardegree] went in here today, the offense, I spoke with those gentlemen. They know exactly the task and the plan going forward and what kind of offense we want to portray. Now, are you going to sit there and rip up the whole playbook? No. But you better go to your key guys. I’m not a fool. I’m a player. Remember I was a player before I was a coach. Player ran business.”

 

Derek Carr calls Raiders visiting Chargers ‘another home game’

Derek Carr on Raiders visiting Chargers “You always looked at it as another home game and that was no disrespect, it’s just a fact.

This week is the Raiders annual trip to Southern California to face the Chargers. And thus it’s the annual home-away-from-home game with the Raiders visiting their old stomping grounds where they still have a large fan contingent.

When it was San Diego, plenty of Raiders fan holdovers from the old LA Raiders days would make the trip a couple hours south to see their team play. And a few seasons ago, the Chargers came to them. In the process alienating much of the Chargers fan base and moving closer to those Raiders fans who used to make up at least half the crowd for Chargers games. Now it’s overwhelmingly Raiders fans.

“In my past, before playing in SoFi last year with no fans, whether it was in Los Angeles at that soccer stadium or in Qualcomm in San Diego, it was another home game,” said Carr of traveling to face the Chargers. “You always looked at it as another home game and that was no disrespect, it’s just a fact. The way you practice, the way you meet, it felt like a home game. And I fully expect Raider Nation to take over the majority of the stadium again, they usually do in my time. Before I was here, that’s what everyone would talk about. CWood (Charles Woodson) would say ‘hey, when we go down there it’s another home game’ and I fully expect that this time.”

If this were a player for any other team, these would be bulletin board words. But there’s simply no way anyone can argue the facts here. As Carr said it’s no disrespect, it’s just a fact.

Chargers fans in San Diego were loyal to their home team. And against most any other team, it wouldn’t have been a major issue. That was more about the SoCal Raiders fans than it was Chargers fans. Now, since the Chargers stupidly moved in with the Rams in LA, it’s equal parts Raider Nation presence and Chargers fan apathy.

Attending the games in LA since the Chargers arrived has been…something. It would be sad if the Chargers hadn’t brought this on themselves. Leaving San Diego to go to a city where they aren’t even the second favorite NFL team.

The game day environment seems like it’s trying so hard to be taken seriously and it just comes off as cute. Like pat-on-the-head cute. While the stands fill up with Black jerseys with a smattering of blue. Making the job of the camera guy looking for Chargers fans to put on the Jumbotron a challenging one.