Tag: Raiders

A guide to the AFC Sixth Seed

It comes down to the Titans, Steelers, and Raiders.

There’s on real playoff spot open in the AFC. Every other team is fighting for seeding. The Patriots win and they lock up the bye. The Patriots lose and the Chiefs win, that two seed goes to Kansas City. The Chiefs lose and the Texans win then Houston gets the three seed. The point is that every single one of those teams is safe. Even the Buffalo Bills are safe. The six seed in the AFC is not obvious. There are three teams fighting for one spot.  Here, we’ll rank their chances as well as which team would be the best team to make the playoffs. We’ll go worst to first.

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Raiders TE Foster Moreau out for season with knee injury

Foster Moreau’s rookie season is over after he suffered a knee injury.

On the first drive of the third quarter, the Raiders lost momentum and their drive stalled just inside Titans’ territory. More importantly, they lost their promising rookie tight end for the season.

Monday, Jon Gruden announced that Foster Moreau’s season is over. The fourth-round pick will miss the rest of the season with a knee injury.

Any time there’s a knee injury like this, especially this late in the season, the worry is that it is serious enough to put next season in doubt as well. Gruden doesn’t think that is the case.

“I don’t think so. Knowing Foster, I don’t believe it will be anything that will keep him out of next year,” said Gruden. “I’m not going to make any predictions. It’s a tough injury, he’s got a lot of rehab ahead and can’t compliment the job he did enough. He came in here as a rookie and played good football for us. He’ll be a big part of the Raiders’ future.”

Moreau suffered the knee injury on a catch during that drive in the third quarter. He was on the sideline where the knee injury happened and was slow to get up. He hobbled over, wincing to the trainer’s table where they examined his knee. Shortly thereafter they ruled him out for the rest of the game.

After the game, Gruden said the injury could potentially be season-ending. Monday he confirmed that early fear.

Moreau caught a touchdown pass earlier in the game, his fifth of the season. He had 21 catches on 25 targets for 174 yards as a rookie. Those numbers aren’t going to turn a lot of heads, but he proved he was a lot more than the supposed blocking tight end he was expected to be.

That leaves Darren Waller and Derek Carrier as the team’s tight ends. Cole Wick was added to the practice squad last week. There are three games remaining this season.

Raiders Week 14 snap counts vs. Titans: How shakeup at WR worked out

The Raiders changed things up at wide receiver, but the impact was minimal.

Last week, Raiders coach Jon Gruden said he would be shaking things up at wide receiver due to a lack of production at the position. The big move was to cut Trevor Davis, who the team had acquired in a midseason trade with the Packers. His absence, as well as that of the injured Hunter Renfrow, would open up opportunities for some of the young receivers on the team to step up.

Starting the game and leading the team in snaps were Tyrell Williams (52) and Zay Jones (53). Williams finished with three catches for 35 yards. Jones had just one catch for 5 yards on three targets.

Third in snaps behind Williams and Jones was Keelan Doss with 28 (44%). He hauled in three catches on three targets for 26 yards.

Getting the start along with Wiliams and Jones was Rico Gafford in his first game since being called up from the practice squad two weeks ago. The speedy receiver figured to take the snaps vacated by Trevor Davis. Gafford would play 12 snaps (9%) with one catch for a wide-open 49-yard touchdown.

Marcell Ateman saw two snaps (3%) to round out the unit.

The shakeup didn’t really change much. The Gafford touchdown catch was a nice moment, but outside of that, the group didn’t produce a whole lot. The rest of them had a combined seven catches for 66 yards.

. . Offense . Defense . Special Tms
Player Pos Num Pct Num Pct Num Pct
Gabe Jackson G 63 100% 0 0% 3 11%
Richie Incognito G 63 100% 0 0% 3 11%
Kolton Miller T 63 100% 0 0% 3 11%
Brandon Parker T 63 100% 0 0% 3 11%
Derek Carr QB 63 100% 0 0% 0 0%
Rodney Hudson C 63 100% 0 0% 0 0%
Darren Waller TE 61 97% 0 0% 0 0%
Zay Jones WR 53 84% 0 0% 0 0%
Tyrell Williams WR 52 83% 0 0% 0 0%
DeAndre Washington RB 40 63% 0 0% 0 0%
Keelan Doss WR 28 44% 0 0% 0 0%
Foster Moreau TE 26 41% 0 0% 8 29%
Jalen Richard RB 24 38% 0 0% 9 32%
Rico Gafford WR 12 19% 0 0% 0 0%
Derek Carrier TE 8 13% 0 0% 21 75%
Alec Ingold FB 8 13% 0 0% 13 46%
Marcell Ateman WR 2 3% 0 0% 9 32%
Denzelle Good G 1 2% 0 0% 3 11%
Erik Harris SS 0 0% 62 100% 11 39%
Tahir Whitehead LB 0 0% 62 100% 0 0%
Daryl Worley CB 0 0% 60 97% 10 36%
Trayvon Mullen CB 0 0% 59 95% 4 14%
D.J. Swearinger SS 0 0% 51 82% 0 0%
Maxx Crosby DE 0 0% 41 66% 9 32%
Johnathan Hankins DT 0 0% 38 61% 7 25%
P.J. Hall DT 0 0% 37 60% 0 0%
Maurice Hurst DT 0 0% 36 58% 7 25%
Marquel Lee LB 0 0% 33 53% 23 82%
Dion Jordan DE 0 0% 32 52% 9 32%
Clelin Ferrell DE 0 0% 29 47% 7 25%
Lamarcus Joyner FS 0 0% 29 47% 0 0%
Nicholas Morrow LB 0 0% 26 42% 20 71%
Josh Mauro DE 0 0% 21 34% 7 25%
Preston Brown LB 0 0% 17 27% 0 0%
William Compton LB 0 0% 16 26% 16 57%
Benson Mayowa DE 0 0% 13 21% 0 0%
Curtis Riley FS 0 0% 11 18% 21 75%
Nevin Lawson CB 0 0% 9 15% 21 75%
Dallin Leavitt SS 0 0% 0 0% 18 64%
Keisean Nixon CB 0 0% 0 0% 17 61%
Trent Sieg LS 0 0% 0 0% 8 29%
A.J. Cole P 0 0% 0 0% 8 29%
Daniel Carlson K 0 0% 0 0% 7 25%
David Sharpe T 0 0% 0 0% 3 11

Antonio Brown: Unemployed WR issues another apology on Instagram

Antonio Brown wants back in the NFL badly.

Shortly after being cut by the Patriots after he had sexual assault allegations levied against him, Brown tweeted that he’d never be playing in the NFL again.

Fast forward a few months later and Brown is still out of work and looking for a new job in the league. Brown is apologizing again for his behavior in his previous stints with the Raiders and Patriots and asking for a second chance at football.

He posted his latest apology on Instagram saying he “never once” meant to make anyone feel like he was ungrateful for the “opportunity to play the game I love.”

View this post on Instagram

First and foremost, I’d like to apologize to my family, friends and anyone who I offended. I never once meant to make anyone feel like I wasn’t thankful and appreciative of the opportunity that I was afforded to play the game I love. I’ve worked hard over the years to earn a chance to compete in the greatest game on earth. Over the years I was met with challenges and I can honestly say I didn’t handle those challenges in the manner that I should have. Over the past few weeks I’ve had the opportunity to think about everything that’s transpired and I am deeply sorry to all who I’ve offended. While my behavior was inexcusable, sometimes when people are coming at you with false information and allegations, we handle ourselves in ways that we sometimes regret. I do take full responsibility for my actions and I’m working everyday to repair what I broke. I do know that if I’m ever given the opportunity to play the game that I love, I’m going to work extremely hard to show the world how much I appreciate another chance. To the organizations that I offended, I offer my sincere apology to you and my hope is that you forgive me and help me move on from this minor setback. I look forward to competing and helping a team reach their goals.

A post shared by Boomin (@ab) on

That post was a follow up on one from the day before where he posted a picture of him and Tom Brady saying “Miss you big bro.”

View this post on Instagram

Miss you big bro

A post shared by Boomin (@ab) on

It’s not the first time he’s apologized either. He apologized to Robert Kraft and the Patriots organization on Twitter and Instagram in November and got a little love from Tom Brady for it.

These apologies seem to be falling upon deaf ears (or blind eyes?) because he’s still out of the league and it doesn’t seem like anyone feels sorry for him.  Only time will tell if that changes.

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Experts predict a Titans win over Raiders on Sunday

The Titans are set to face the Oakland Raiders at 3:25 p.m. CT on Sunday in Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum.

The Tennessee Titans (7-5) are riding high on a three-game winning streak, and will look to extend that number to four as they face the Oakland Raiders away from home this week.

A number of analysts across multiple networks have predicted the Titans will accomplish just that in Week 14.

The Tennessean’s staff predicted a Titans win over the Raiders.

Staff writer Erik Bacharach sees a final score of 30-27.

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“The Titans offense keeps humming and hits 30 points for a fourth straight game,” he wrote. “The Raiders’ season is on the line here, but after being outscored 74-12 in their past two games, they simply can’t keep up.”

Sports director Tommy Deas predicts a much more dominant victory from Tennessee on the road.

“Ryan Tannehill continues to improve, Derrick Henry is running downhill and the defense is getting nasty,” he wrote. “The Raiders seem to be backsliding. The roll continues.”

The New York Times has the odds in the Titans’ favor by a point spread of (-2.5).

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“The star of Tennessee’s offense is Derrick Henry, a terrific running back who can be absolutely devastating when he’s healthy,” the publication’s Benjamin Hoffman wrote. “But the Titans (7-5) have also received unbelievable production and efficiency from Ryan Tannehill since he became their starting quarterback. During the Titans’ current three-game win streak, Tennessee has outscored its opponents by 108-69, with Henry rushing for 496 yards and Tannehill throwing for six touchdowns. The surge has the Titans trailing Pittsburgh in the wild-card race by just a tiebreaker. A road game against the struggling Raiders (6-6), who have scored a total of 29 points over the last three weeks, does not seem likely to interrupt that forward momentum.”

CBS Sports’ Cody Benjamin has the Titans winning, 25-19.

“The Raiders were such a nice story earlier this year. Now, it’s safe to project Derek Carr getting outplayed by Ryan Tannehill, and while Josh Jacobs is ever reliable on the ground, the Titans have a nasty ground game of their own,” he wrote.

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The Titans are set to face the Oakland Raiders at 3:25 p.m. CT on Sunday in Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum.

6 teams sitting at 7-5 or worse that could make a push to the playoffs

Let me start this off by saying that any of these teams making the playoffs is unlikely. They have to be perfect – or near-perfect – from here on out. Then again, that’s why we watch football. We watch because something crazy tends to happen every …

Let me start this off by saying that any of these teams making the playoffs is unlikely. They have to be perfect — or near-perfect — from here on out. Then again, that’s why we watch football. We watch because something crazy tends to happen every season. If the rest of the season played out how we currently think it will, that’s pretty boring. So let’s talk about the teams that could make things exciting.

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Former Notre Dame Running Back George Atkinson III Dead at 27

When I think of George Atkinson, III I think of an explosive play-maker who had absolutely mind-blowing speed.  His kickoff returns against Michigan State and USC in 2011 immediately come to mind while he had plenty of other huge runs during his three seasons.

Sad news out late Monday night that former Notre Dame running back and speedy return-man George Atkinson, III has died at the age of 27.

Atkinson’s twin brother Josh, also a former Notre Dame football player died unexpectedly last year.

George Atkinson III played for the Irish from 2011-2013, rushing for 10 touchdowns and returning two kickoffs for scores, both occurring in 2011.

Atkinson left for the NFL after his junior year, where he’d spend time with the Oakland Raiders, Cleveland Browns and Kansas City Chiefs.

When I think of George Atkinson, III I think of an explosive play-maker who had absolutely mind-blowing speed.  His kickoff returns against Michigan State and USC in 2011 immediately come to mind while he had plenty of other huge runs during his three seasons.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WeAQGPqxgKs&w=560&h=315]

All the best to the Atkinson family and their friends in what has to have been an incredibly difficult year.

Thursday injury report for Chiefs vs. Raiders, Week 13

A look at the second injury report of the week for the Kansas City Chiefs and Oakland Raiders.

The Kansas City Chiefs and Oakland Raiders have released their second injury report of the week. With the Thanksgiving holiday expect some of the practice participation to be in estimation as this likely a light practice day for both teams.

Check out the full injury report for the Chiefs down below:

Player Injury Participation*
QB Patrick Mahomes Knee FP
WR Tyreek Hill Hamstring FP
RB Damien Williams Ribs DNP
S Jordan Lucas Shoulder FP
DT Derrick Nnadi Elbow FP
TE Blake Bell Ankle FP
DE Alex Okafor Ankle FP
RT Mitchell Schwartz Knee FP
CB Kendall Fuller Thumb FP
WR Sammy Watkins Illness DNP

* DNP = Did not participate | LP = Limited participation | FP = Full participation

There wasn’t much in the way of differences for the Chiefs today. There was one new addition to the injury report in WR Sammy Watkins. He was listed as a non-participant with an illness. It is approaching flu season, so that’s something to monitor as the week continues.

Here’s the full injury report for the Raiders down below:

Player Injury Participation*
C Rodney Hudson Ankle
WR Hunter Renfrow Ribs
RB Josh Jacobs Shoulder
S Lamarcus Joyner Hamstring
T David Sharpe Calf
T Trent Brown Knee

* DNP = Did not participate | LP = Limited participation | FP = Full participation

We’ll update you with the Raiders’ latest injury report as soon as it is made available.

Be sure to follow us on Facebook and Twitter for any changes or late additions to the injury report. We’ll have game status designations coming with Friday’s injury report.

First injury report for Chiefs vs. Raiders, Week 13

A look at the first injury report of the week for the Kansas City Chiefs and Oakland Raiders.

The Kansas City Chiefs are fresh off the bye week and the healthiest they’ve been since the beginning of the season. The Oakland Raiders are a bit banged up after a road defeat to the Jets in Week 12.

Check out the full injury report for the Chiefs down below:

Player Injury Participation*
QB Patrick Mahomes Knee FP
WR Tyreek Hill Hamstring FP
RB Damien Williams Ribs DNP
S Jordan Lucas Shoulder FP
DT Derrick Nnadi Elbow FP
TE Blake Bell Ankle FP
DE Alex Okafor Ankle FP
RT Mitchell Schwartz Knee FP
CB Kendall Fuller Thumb FP

Don’t let the length of the injury list fool you, this is the healthiest the Chiefs have been since the start of the season. The only player who didn’t practice today is Damien Williams. It sounds like the Chiefs anticipate him being out for this game and will lean on LeSean McCoy, Darrel Williams and Darwin Thompson to carry the load at the running back spot.

Tyreek Hill was a full participant after injuring his hamstring and missing most of the game in Week 11. He’s expected to play this week.

Alex Okafor, Kendall Fuller and Jordan Lucas all missed Week 11 against the Chargers. If their practice participation holds they’ll all have a chance to play against the Raiders in Week 13.

* DNP = Did not participate | LP = Limited participation | FP = Full participation

Here’s the full injury report for the Raiders down below:

Player Injury Participation*
C Rodney Hudson Ankle DNP
WR Hunter Renfrow Ribs DNP
RB Josh Jacobs Shoulder LP
S Lamarcus Joyner Hamstring LP
T David Sharpe Calf LP
T Trent Brown Knee FP

* DNP = Did not participate | LP = Limited participation | FP = Full participation

Former Chiefs C Rodney Hudson has been in and out of the starting lineup with an ankle injury. It’s not yet clear if he’ll be available this week.

WR Hunter Renfrow, who has been coming on for Oakland lately, has broken ribs and a punctured lung so he won’t be available to play.

RB Josh Jacobs is a physical runner, so even if he does play after a limited practice early in the week, the shoulder injury is something to watch out for.

We’ll have some more updates for you on Thanksgiving day.