Know Your Enemy: The Raiders Offense

[Super Nomario]

http://central.sonsofsamhorn.net/nfl/know-your-enemy-the-raiders-offense/
 
Three years may not seem that long, but in NFL terms it can be an eternity. Perhaps no team is a better reminder of that than the Oakland Raiders.
 
...
 
Perhaps no position epitomizes this state of affairs more than quarterback. Palmer remained the starting signal-caller in 2012, as the Raiders were handcuffed to his expensive contract. Yet getting free of that contract hardly resolved the team’s problems at the position. Pryor got a shot in 2013 but proved more a running threat (576 yards) than a capable passer (11 interceptions against only 7 touchdowns). Former Packers backup Matt Flynn got a start. Undrafted Matt McGloin from Penn State got a turn. Then in March, the Raiders traded a late-round pick for veteran Matt Schaub, who made the Pro Bowl in 2012 but suffered a meltdown last year, throwing five interceptions returned for touchdowns in four games during one stretch. Schaub failed to win the starting job this summer and is now backing up 2014 second-round pick Derek Carr.
 

 

[mascho]

Great work SN. Do you think Oakland tries to get Reece involved more this week/ever?

 

[singaporesoxfan]

Great work.

Stealing a joke: Belichick's philosophy is to take away the opponent's strengths. The Raiders are countering that by having no strengths.

 

[Super Nomario]

Great work SN. Do you think Oakland tries to get Reece involved more this week/ever?

Oakland seems to see him differently than Belichick does, not as a matchup play but as a guy who can back up multiple positions. Last year he had 46 carries all season, but 19 of those (and 123 yards) were in one game when he was basically the only healthy running back so they used him extensively as a runner. Even in 2012, his most productive year, he played as many as 72 snaps and as few as 24, and much of his workload was in a stretch where he effectively was the halfback.
 
I still don't get it, because he might be a better halfback than MJD or McFadden at this stage of their careers. He might be a better tight end than Rivera (who isn't a lot bigger). Putting him in a "fullback" box is crazy to me.

 

[Tony C]

I know. When BB singled out Reece for praise I almost wanted to yell STFU...don't tip them off that they're mis-using him!
 
Really enjoyed the run-down of the opposition -- great prep for tv viewing. Remarkable to me that something like this is churned out as a matter of course by ESPN et al. A major gap you guys are filling.

 

[soxfan121]

I know. When BB singled out Reece for praise I almost wanted to yell STFU...don't tip them off that they're mis-using him!
 
Really enjoyed the run-down of the opposition -- great prep for tv viewing. Remarkable to me that something like this is churned out as a matter of course by ESPN et al. A major gap you guys are filling.

 
Tell your friends.