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Mirrored days for days

By Charles Ybarra
Monday, October 5th, 2009 at 2:52 pm in Oakland Raiders.

It’s comical at this point. We’re living the same day over and over again every damn Sunday. Hell, I’m sure it’s not the first time I yelled “Groundhog day!”
At least the entire team can take some responsibility this week. Sure, the kid was off the mark at times, but you had to be a masked blind man if you couldn’t see all of our Receivers having a severe case of the dropsies. I guess that’s what happens when you start the youngins’ right? Is the entire team undisciplined? You’d think so after witnessing the same kind of penalties that have plagued us for years. “We kept ourselves in third-and-long situations,” Russell said. “We keep harping on that it’s a must that we stay in manageable downs.”
I’m not sure anyone even listens anymore, Jam.

The Dark Lord of the Sith is still wondering what kind of criticism Greg Ellis was offering when he approached the offensive bench 10 minutes before Halftime.
“Ya’ll better makes some plays before I sack your f$#%ing asses next series!!” Heh, one could only guess..
Help us Chaz Schliens, you’re are only hope.

The running game is still not a factor since the Defense sets up for it weekly. The other teams simply know our passing attack isn’t up to par. Why wouldn’t you want to prepare for the run?
I know people are still wondering why can’t D-mac , Bush and Justin run loose anymore..just look at how many Defenders are in the box next time.
“I do get a feeling, like during the preseason and stuff, we ran the ball a little bit, but it was more of a thing where we say, ‘Well, we know we can run it. Let’s work on the pass.’ And you can’t hang your hat on what you did before,” running back Justin Fargas said Monday. “It’s kind of like you have to still improve it. Like yesterday, teams stack the box against us. And if you’re not really detailed and if you don’t control the line of scrimmage — you’re not detailed in your assignments, you don’t control the line of scrimmage, you’re not going to be able to run the ball.”

I’m glad at least some people are seeing the same things I am.

The Defense was getting killed in the first half. Chris Johnson was getting used like David Letterman’s Interns. If it was me, I’d send Nnamdi to blanket Andre the entire game but.. oh well…

I’m not a Defensive Coordinator.. you’re not either.
You’re just a fan, just as I am, waiting for our Raiders to turn this whole damn thing around.
The only problem with waiting is all of our patience is wearing super thin after 6 looooooooong years.
What’s left to hope for? Basketball season??
Go Sharks, sir.

Summary:
For the first time this season, the Houston Texans weren’t left to answer questions about their horrible run defense and inability to stop big plays.
Instead, the defense got to celebrate its best performance since 2004 as the Texans beat the Oakland Raiders 29-6 on Sunday. The 165 yards Houston allowed was the second fewest in team history and the fewest since giving up 126 in a win over Jacksonville almost five years ago.
“Everybody was having fun,” defensive end Antonio Smith said. “When you’re having fun, you have confidence in what you do. You don’t second-guess. You don’t pull up when you can (go full speed) and that’s when you make big plays.”
Steve Slaton scored two touchdowns and Jacoby Jones returned a kickoff for a score to help out in the win.
The Texans (2-2) finally found their running game and figured out a way to shut down someone else’s as Houston’s NFL-worst run defense held the Raiders to 45 yards rushing. The Texans were allowing 205 yards rushing entering the game.
Houston also forced three turnovers and got its first safety in almost seven years.
The Texans got the win despite struggling with some illnesses. They had the NFL’s first confirmed case of swine flu earlier this week in tight end Anthony Hill. Houston had some other players get sick on Saturday night and Sunday morning, but did not confirm any other cases of swine flu.
Safety Eugene Wilson sat out with an illness and running back Chris Brown was available but not feeling well and didn’t play. Linebacker Xavier Adibi was also ill but played on special teams.
“Eugene got very sick last night, it continued through this morning, so there was no way he could play,” coach Gary Kubiak said. “We’re monitoring the situation. It’s something that’s hit us in the past four days and we just have to work through it.”
Offense lineman Eric Winston said Wilson was so sick he “could barely walk.”
When asked if the illnesses were more cases of swine flu, Kubiak said: “I don’t want to speculate on any of that … but it was kind of scary this morning, to be honest with you.”

So teams can now beat us even with the Swine Flu virus! Are you really that surprised?

The Raiders (1-3) continued to struggle, with JaMarcus Russell completing 12 of 33 passes for 128 yards and Darren McFadden finishing with six carries for minus-3 yards rushing.
“We could not run the football and that really disrupted our offense,” Raiders coach Tom Cable said. “We are really killing ourselves — we’re shooting ourselves in the foot all over the place.”
I would say both feet, arms, chests, head, etc., etc..
Slaton’s first score came on a 32-yard run in the second quarter that pushed Houston’s lead to 13-3. It was the Texans’ first rushing score this season. Slaton finished with 65 yards rushing and Ryan Moats added 56.
Slaton scored again on an 18-yard catch-and-run that made it 20-3 later in the second quarter. That score was set up by a career-long 44-yard reception by Owen Daniels.
Oakland’s first turnover came when DeMeco Ryans stripped the ball from Michael Bush and it was recovered by Antonio Smith in the third quarter. The Texans couldn’t capitalize.
But Andre’ Davis downed the punt at the 1 and rookie Brian Cushing tackled Justin Fargas in the end zone for a safety to make it 22-6. It was Houston’s first safety since the inaugural season of 2002.

Other notes:
The Raiders dropped to 10-40 on the road since 2003. I think Fans should now be able to play Offensive positions.

Oakland RB Darren McFadden was held to a career-low minus-3 rushing yards..eek.

Mario Williams got to Russell in the fourth quarter and forced a fumble that Houston recovered on the 20. The Texans came away empty when Kris Brown’s 33-yard field goal attempt sailed wide left.
Houston had a chance for another score near the end of the first half, but Matt Schaub was intercepted by Chris Johnson in the end zone. Schaub was 11 of 22 for 224 yards and a touchdown.
The Raiders added a field goal late in the second quarter to cut the lead to 20-6. That drive was kept alive when Russell found Louis Murphy for a 19-yard reception on fourth-and-9.
A 62-yard reception by Andre Johnson got Houston to the 7 in the first quarter and Brown’s 26-yard field goal made it 3-0. Oakland tied it with a 46-yard field goal by Sebastian Janikowski after a fumble by Slaton in the first quarter.
Jano is also quietly having his best year. Does anyone even really care??!?!
Brown added a 34-yard field goal in the second quarter.
Johnnie Lee Higgins muffed a punt late in the fourth quarter that the Texans recovered and then ran out the clock.
Raiders T Cornell Green has a calf injury, S Tyvon Branch has a groin injury and TE Zach Miller is recovering from a concussion…
So am I.

The good news?? The undeafeted Giants are up next! I’m sure we can handle Eli Manning with the likes Jack Tatum, Bo Jackson, Jim Otto, George Atkinson, Howie Long, Greg Townsend, Willie Brown and…
Oops, sorry… I was thinking All time teams.

Keep your head up, Nation. At least we’re not the Rams.

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15 Responses to “Mirrored days for days”

  1. Karen G Says:

    Aloha Darth

    Well, watching from the Big Island all I can say is why? Rebuilding? Al? Cable? The whole team from the top down seems so lost - will Al every hired a real coach that at least ‘acts’ fired up on the sideline? Cable just stands there not a glimmer of reaction, good or bad.

    I miss being at the games - hanging with the gang in Section 127 - got the whole Directv NFL -package IN HD to watch this.

    Let there be an end in sight - the tunnel seems so long.

    Miss You All

  2. DR Says:

    Karen!!I miss ya, kid! All we can really do is wait and grow older…and older..and older..hmph.
    The positives? You’re in Hawaii!!
    Miss u like I miss winning!

  3. stuart kerton Says:

    12 of 33 one fumble, and we say its his best game,BOLLOCKS. give him 5 more compleations for drops and he still compleats only 50% not good, enough not even close .since when has a sub par effort become acceptable in raidernation,can he take all the blame for sundays ass rape by houston no no no but fuck me he did not play well, we must demand much better returns from our poster boy and not spout drivel about improvement when yet again he serves up a lot of dross.

  4. DR Says:

    Proof is in the pudding..(scroll down)

    http://www.nfl.com/stats/categorystats?tabSeq=0&statisticCategory=PASSING&season=2009&seasonType=REG

    If it was me? I’d already be aiming for Kolb next year. He completes 64% of his passes.
    NO ONE IS EVEN is even in the 39%-49% rate besides AHEM!

  5. Ingineer66 Says:

    All I can say at this point is, do I really have to drive all the way down to Oakland for 6 more games? Go Sharks!

  6. stuart kerton Says:

    like it DR, kolb has shown alot allready this year,and he fits what we need, a qb with good poise can hit the long ball seems to progress week by week and can start for us for a number of years.but lets be honest how likely is this to happen.

  7. Guero Says:

    “At least we’re not the Rams” - ?? Seriously? What the hell are we then? Answer = a team and organization in complete and utter chaos, with no hope on the horizon. I keep saying something’s gonna give, but so far, hasn’t happened. With this group of players and coaches, I’m not waiting for it any time soon. Chaz Schilens is our hope? Man, are the Raiders in big, big trouble.

  8. stuart kerton Says:

    we are in huge trouble and looking down the barrel at a 1 and 7 start,the truth is we could have schilens , owens,moss or wayne it would make nothing change as jmarc still could not hit a barn door ,never mind a player.untill he is kicked out we will fail to have a chance.

  9. DR Says:

    Stuart, you’re right. I honestly thing Al’s gonna stick with Jam the entire season but next? You never know..
    Guero, I’d say the hope is in Nnamdi, Seymour, Ellis, Lechlar, etc (others pending).We have a few good players and at least ONE win.
    I know it’s hard to remain positive, but it’s my job. If your observed Pre Season and Practices, you’d know that Chaz is a f$$#ing stud.
    I just hope he comes back as strong as he was…

  10. stuart kerton Says:

    as i live in n ireland which is cold and wet at this time of year and i am just getting over the swine flu (no joke i can tell you) i need cheered up, so please could someone give a blue print of how this season can be saved taking into account the players we know will start at the skill postions,do we have any hope, regards stu

  11. DR Says:

    Damn bro..sorry about the swine flu. You’ll recover soon…i promise.
    We will probably do a wee bit better with Chaz Schilens back…(but no promises).
    If Jam still can’t do it with him? Bruce Gradkowski might be a better option.
    The Line can also be improved with healed injuries. If we start Bush? We might see an improvement in the running game. I’m not sure if we can compete with the big dogs yet: Phili, Saints, NY, Pits, etc.
    Hey if all else fails? Watch the LA Lakers..THAT TEAM ALWAYS WINS! Ireland rocks, lad!

  12. stuart kerton Says:

    thanks for the words DR i will be fine ,but our raiders not so much ,i think are improvement at the tail end of last season is comming back to haunt us. had we not beaten houston and tampa(a team allready in a tailspin)no way cable gets the job and no way such faith is put in so much youth at wideout, walker would be starting offseason surgery or not ,we may have a coach who has balls to change when things clearly are not working ,and at least small steps would be visible in the right direction.for 34 years i have loved this team but this is as bad as we have ever been in my time.just hope U.S.C can march on and give me some joy come january go TROYANS

  13. stuart kerton Says:

    GO TROJANS ,FUCK MY SPELLING HAS GONE THE WAY OF MY RAIDERS

  14. DR Says:

    J Cooper recently said Walker was lazy..i guess that says it all.
    Let me know if you’d like to grab a pint n bitch about our team if I ever visit. I think Ireland would be a great spot to put on my Bucket list!
    Jams a wanker.

  15. stuart kerton Says:

    you are more than welcome DR anytime you are here let me know and my house is your house.