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PantyRaider....JustHateMailBaby!!!!
It's true that Sauerbrun shanked one, and didn't average as well as Ernster, but we also know that Sauerbrun is generally reliable. I don't think he'll do that during the season. I think he's got something to prove, and we're going to see him really put some leg into his kicks this season.
I think what I most want to see is Brandon Marshall show what he can do. I was really excited about him last year, and he's healthy. The talk that when he came back to practice, he didn't need to spend a lot of time getting back into condition, because he'd stayed in condition. That says a lot about his drive, and we already know about his talent.
What I'm most worried about isn't the defense -- they should be fine -- but Cutler's accuracy. The thing that really worried me last year was his tendency to underthrow. Football Outsiders did some stats, and two things really stood out about his performance last year: His poor completion percentage on 3rd down, when it matters, and his underthrows. Now, underthrows can be the fault of either the quarterback or the receiver, but I think they might have been because he was afraid of the ball getting away from him.
I have a feeling Cutler is going to be a rollercoaster quarterback. There will be thrills all right, but some of them will be thrills for the other team. The good news is that I'm not as concerned about him throwing picks -- he didn't throw any in the preseason and he only threw 5 (vs 9 TDs) last year. But he has tried to thread the needle a bit too much, and that is going to catch up with him.
But as I said, I do worry about Cutler and 3rd downs. If we cannot perform on 3rd downs, we simply cannot win.
The five things I want to see:
1) Travis Henry vs a porous run defense -- I hope for a lot of runs to the left behind Lepsis, and runs to the right behind Daniel Graham. We want to see one cut and run. We want to see Henry run so hard and so well that Selvin Young has to come in and spell him.
2) Pass protection in the backfield -- Kyle Johnson was let go because, as I understand it, he's better at receiving than blocking. That means Cecil Sapp is going to have to be a better blocker, and that means he's going to be the primary blitz pickup. Look for Sapp to line up offset left a lot, so he can cover the blind side.
3) Pass protection on the line -- Daniel Graham is supposed to be the one of the best blocking tight ends in the league. That means he and Erik Pears will be guarding the right side a lot. Keep an eye on those blitzers. See who picks 'em up, and who gets bowled over.
4) Picks -- we want Bly & Bailey to live up to their touting as the best cornerback tandem in the league. That means we want to see 20 picks between them for the year. That's a lot. That's 5 picks every 4 games, between them. That means we need to pressure the quarterback into at least three or four bad throws a game. And you know what that means? We have to shut down the middle, because if you don't want to throw at Bailey and you don't want to throw at Bly, then you're throwing at a tight end or WR on a crossing route who is being covered by Nate Webster. If I were the Bills, I know where I'd be looking second.
5) The end around -- and I don't mean the wide receiver. I mean Rice, Moss, Crowder and Dumervil. All of these guys are known for their sacking ability. We need them all to click. We need them to keep JP Losman running. If our offense can put up a two score lead, we don't need to shut down the running game; they won't be able to run, and our pass rushers can get into his face. I want to see all 4 of those guys at least touch the QB once and a couple of those touches be sacks.
Wait. The Raiders are going to field a team this season?
Who knew?
Yes I admit we have let down on the compition lately....but look at last year and how much trouble you had beating the worst team in NFL football history at the end of the season....17-13....Week 10....so that should tell you how far you have fallen....and you see from where we are....we can only go up....can't get any worse....but now how far can you fall....Down-Down-Down into the pits of hell....
PantyRaider....Welcome to the Dungeon!!!!
And BTW, at a mere 9-7, there's plenty of room to move up.
PantyRaider....Go Raideretts!!!!!
PR - easy on the "quotes" every other "word."
How do you think the Donkos will do at stoping the run....with only 7 in the box and trying to learn a new system the 3-4 it looks to be a very big weakness....in the preseason they let teams run all over them and never stoped anybody....
The other big question is why have you been so bad at passing the ball...less than 100yds/game....how do you ecpect that to change and why.....
PantyRaider....Eager to play that "D"!!!!!
BTW, PR: Good luck with that raider offense. I like the defense, but the offense still has to show it can do something.
Good job of hopen....and that's the same thing I am doing about our "O"....it can't be as bad as last year...if we just had an average "O" last year we would won several more games because the "D" kept us close...so I am hopen for an average "O"....about like KC and the Dank's had last year...#15-n-#18....that's just average.....but good enough to win with a very good "D"...So this Sunday the speculation ends and the Reality begains....for all of us....Just enjoy....I will....Can't wait....
PantyRaider....JustHopenBaby!!!!