Begin Oakland Raider fans. It has been 12
years since we’ve made the playoffs. Oakland Raider The harsh yet honest truth.
However, Oakland Raider I am willing to say that we will get there this year. Oakland Raider A few
reasons why: On March 13, 2014 the Oakland Raiders signed what could
be the best defensive men we’ve had in a while. LaMarr Woodley and Justin Tuck.
Oakland Raider Get used to those names being said quite a bit when our defense
is on the field. Oakland Raider These guys have something to prove and they’re
looking to do it with the Raiders. Oakland Raider On the offensive side of the
ball, I was quite amazed with what Reggie McKenzie brought in. Oakland Raider Matt Schaub, James Jones,
and Maurice Jones-Drew. Now I can’t be the only fan thinking we got
lucky for being able to sign Schaub. I personally think the Texans gave
up way too easy. Yes, he had an abysmal season last year but that’s no reason
to trade him for a 6th round pick. Oakland Raider Also, I know for a fact that
I was not the only Raider fan who cried a little bit when I heard the news that
Rashad Jennings was leaving for New
York and Darren McFadden had been resigned. But since
then, McKenzie has made it clear he wants to win now. Bringing in MJD is going
to make an instant impact for us. Yes, MJD & DMC both bring an injury prone
running duo to the table yet deep down inside I feel one of them is due a 2000
yard season. (I’d be fine with both). Now, to the best part in my eyes. Oakland
Raider When was the last time the Raiders had a receiver that was reliable more
than 50% of the time? I am looking forward to Schaub connecting with Jones on
20+ yard receptions/touchdowns. Oakland Raider We are bringing in old guys, Oakland
Raider but these guys that are “over the hill” in the eyes of most analysts are
winners. And they bring competition to the table. All the Nation needs is hope.
Oakland Raider Next to “old man” LaMarr Woodley will be our 1st round pick
Khalil Mack. (6 ft 3 in, 248 lbs) The 23 year old coming from Buffalo is going to be the main man on our
defense. Oakland Raider He was the MAC Defensive Player of The Year in 2013 and
is looking to pick up where he left off in 2014. Oakland Raider I am definitely
looking forward to the 2014 Season. My prediction is that we go 8-8 or better.
As the great Bo Jackson once said “Set your goals high, Oakland
Raider and don’t stop till you get there” Let’s set our goals to playoffs
and hope for the best. Oakland
Raider Have an amazing day Raider Nation Oakland Raider.
Oakland Raiders Some players make you want
to draw, and there was Raiders defensive coordinator Jason Tarver on
draft night scribbling down possible formations and pass rushes as he waited
for Oakland's
first pick to arrive. Oakland Raiders The Raiders got their man, Oakland
Raiders taking Buffalo outside linebacker Khalil Mack with the fifth
pick of the first round, Oakland Raiders and the special athlete now has
teammates excited after a month of practices and a three-day minicamp, Oakland
Raiders which ended Thursday. Offensive tackle Donald Penn said
the 6-foot-3, Oakland Raiders 255-pound Mack "moves like a defensive
back" and "has a motor that's relentless." Quarterback Matt
Schaub said it's early and players aren't wearing pads yet, but he can see
the comparison to his former Texans teammate J.J. Watt, Oakland Raiders
the 2012 NFL Defensive Player of the Year. "You can see the impact
that he can create," Schaub said. "You can see his physical gifts and
his ability to shed blockers and be able to disrupt the passer and the timing
of the route." Even coach Dennis Allen, who'd rather bite his
tongue than make grand overstatements, has been gushing over Mack. He said
Mack's power, length and ability to bend and move reminds him of feared Broncos
pass rusher Von Miller, who Allen coached in Denver in 2011. "I know we've
thrown out some comparisons, I've thrown out some comparisons, but really I'm
focused on Khalil Mack being the best football player that he can be,"
Allen said. "I think he's an outstanding talent. I think he's got a huge
upside. If he continues to work the way that he has, I think he'll fulfill
those goals and the expectations that we have of him." Mack doesn't
worry about the expectations to be a playmaker. "I'm a relaxed
individual," Mack said. "I don't really think 'pressure, pressure,
pressure.' I think, 'OK, this is what it is, work on this, work on that, do
your job.' " Mack will start at strong-side outside linebacker, but
will also move around and have his hand on the ground as a third-down
pass rusher. "We've got his head spinning right now, which is a good
thing," Allen said. "We're going to throw as much at him as we can
into the early part of training camp, and then we'll settle down into the
things we can execute as a team at a high level." Mack said he is
still getting comfortable before each play, figuring out all of the defensive
calls by teammates. Oakland Raiders "It is a lot of voices behind my
head, Oakland Raiders trying to figure out what safeties are saying," Mack
said. Oakland Raiders "You've got to listen to the right things. I'm
trying to break down and assess the game at a high level like those
guys are." Oakland Raiders Once the play is over, Mack seeks the
voices of defensive stalwarts Justin Tuck and Lamarr
Woodley. Oakland Raiders "It'd be dumb for me not to ask questions
knowing the skill level they play with and that they're pretty much the best in
the game when it comes to pass rushing," Mack said. Oakland Raiders The
players all went their separate ways Thursday, Oakland Raiders to return to
training camp July
24 in Napa.
Mack doesn't relish the time off. "I want to work on stuff tomorrow
if I could," Oakland Raiders he said. "I want to do what I can to
prepare myself, especially for training camp and be that immediate
impact player," Oakland Raiders.
Oakland Raiders The Oakland Raiders'
offseason workouts began on April 22. Oakland Raiders They concluded Thursday
with the end of a mandatory three-day minicamp. Oakland Raiders So what did Dennis
Allen, entering his third season as the Raiders' head coach, glean from nearly
two months of being around his team as it begins its reconstruction in earnest,
especially with training camp about five weeks away? Oakland Raiders Consider Every
Raiders draft pick is signed and every Raiders player under contract was in
attendance for the minicamp. No contract haggling, squabbling or unnecessary
drama. "I like the direction we're headed as a football team," Allen
said. Oakland Raiders "I think we've got a group of guys that are committed
to winning. I think they're committed to this organization, and I think we have
a lot of guys who have a lot to prove. That's an exciting thing for a football
coach. That's an exciting thing for these football players. "So I like our
direction, I like our commitment and we've just got to keep working. Oakland
Raiders " An infusion of veteran talent with past success, especially on
the defensive side of the ball, such as Justin Tuck, LaMarr Woodley and Antonio
Smith as well as Oakland taking linebacker Khalil
Mack with the No. 5 overall draft pick has given the team a new identity. And on
offense, the Raiders have a seasoned, new quarterback in Matt Schaub and
a hot prospect in second-round draft pick Derek Carr, who has overtaken Matt
McGloin as Oakland's
second-string signal-caller. Injury-wise, guard Lucas Nix (knee) is
the only player Allen sees as potentially missing the start of training camp,
even though cornerback D.J. Hayden (foot) participated in just one
organized team activities (OTAs) session and linebacker Kevin Burnett (ankle)
and Smith (undisclosed) missed them all while recovering from injuries. Allen
was asked if there was a palpable feel on the practice field that this was,
indeed, a better team than he had the previous two years. "I don't think
there's any question you can feel that," Allen said. "You guys have
been around here too, Oakland Raiders so I think you've seen these practices
around here for a while. " Oakland Raiders I think we've had an
outstanding offseason and I think our team from the day that we started the
offseason program to where we're at now, we've improved tremendously. But we've
still got to go out there and do it when we get to training camp and do it when
we get to the regular season," Oakland Raiders the end.
