Say pick(s) 6 backwards

I woke up at 5a so excited to hit the road and see the Raiders smash the Chiefs. I was taking my sisters with me, one a Raiders fan and the other a Cowboy fan but neither of them had been to a NFL game. This would be great. We got to Oakland in enough time to go see the final resting place of Raiders owner Al Davis at the Chapel of Chimes before the game so the day was going great for me. I’ve got my burger, my drink and my fam sitting 8 rows up behind Kansas City ready to do some heckling. The Raiders take the field and I’m screaming. Even though Campbell or Janikowski wasn’t playing I felt good about taking on a KC team that we swept year. I mean they only had wins against the Colts and Minnesota.
I can tell you I was a bit disappointed that Palmer didn’t start even though in my heart I felt he shouldn’t.I was more than ready for this game.



Boller and Terrelle Pryor take the field and I knew that Hue had something up his sleeve. We never got a chance to see what it was because TP was called for a false start because he wasn’t set. Now I didn’t get mad because this was his first shot at action. He should be mad because he blew it! The very next play Boller throws and interception. Not only did was it a pick it was a PICK SIX! O-M-G the fans immediately started chanting for Palmer to take the field; I had a bit more patience. My patience wore then however when Boller threw his SECOND interception (after he recovered his own fumble the play before) that led to ANOTHER KC touchdown! I then started calling for the benching of Boller and it was only the first quarter. This was HORRIBLE.

We had no Quarterback, Sebastian wasn’t playing and the Darren McFadden goes out with an ankle injury. We couldn’t do anything with our passing game but they weren’t running ball. I just let out a loud scream run the ball dammnit! Hue finally decides to stop passing and starting running. That seemed to be going well. In DMC absence, Bush was able to get us to the goal line however we were unable to convert at the goal line. On 4th and 1 the KC defense stopped Bush at the goal line, turnover on downs. The Raiders force a 3 and out for KC but were unable to come up with any points and end up going 3 and out as well. The Raiders ended up intercepting Cassel’s pass at the end of the half but that did us no good!

Our first half was played terribly. The KC Special Teams wasn’t kicking to any of our Punt Returners leaving the Raiders no choice but to get something going on the offensive side of the ball. I knew that the 2nd half Hue would come with Carson Palmer even with his limited knowledge of the playbook. We needed to try to get something done we were down at home 14-0. Any spark of life could have turned this game around but instead Hue started Kyle Boller again and once again the Raiders went 3 and out and start went the penalties.

KC takes the field and if Matt Cassel didn’t eat his Wheaties…he drove his team down the field for a THIRD touchdown for the Chiefs. Oakland had 4 series of three and outs in the 3rd quarter and I still sat there like it was a chance we could come back from this hole we were in. I looked to the side and my poor sisters were burning up in this heat and watching the Raiders get thrashed.

Finally we get to see what Carson Palmer has to offer, providing he’s not as rusty as people think. Because he is rusty so I wasn’t expecting him to put up Tom Brady numbers but I thought he would do better than Boller. Instead he throws a PICK 6 to add to the KC score making it 28-0. To add insult to injury Palmer threw two more interceptions after that back to back!! The Coliseum was shook. What a day for the Raiders. This was a total collapse. The defense was being drug through the trenches and despite the two Cassel interceptions and the offensive efforts of Moore, Heyward-Bey and Bush they just couldn’t provide their defense any time to rest. Fourteen penalties, 6 turnovers (3 INT for ea QB)for Oakland and 2 D/St Touchdowns and wise clock management for KC was the reason the Raiders taking an L. The KC Chiefs are nasty and Oakland played nastier. There is nothing else to say.

Needless to say, it was a long ride home.

I expect the Raiders to take full advantage of this bye week working out Carson Palmer and Terrelle Pryor. I’m sure that Carson will have memorized the play book so when we play Denver he has a better performance than he did yesterday. I know he wants to be helpful to his team. While this was an UGLY, HORRIBLE, UNBELIEVABLE loss, I’m not going to get too upset because we’ve been broke down at the QB, RB and Kicker position and Oakland just has to find chemistry amongst the guys that are able to go.

27-20 Raiders will be the score when we play the Broncos. I’ve never predicted a score before so let’s see how this goes. See yall next week.









JUST WIN BABY
Rest in Peace Al

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Palmer to Oakland

I had actually started writing my recap on the Browns vs. Raiders game when I heard that the Raiders beat trade deadline completing a deal with the Bengals to acquire benched, about to retire, exiled Quarterback Carson Palmer. A lot of people don’t think that’s a good idea. To me, we don’t have anything to lose so why not?

Days after Jason Campbell left the Browns game with a broken collar bone the rumors started flying about whom the Raiders were going to get as a Quarterback. Jason Campbell sustained a season ending injury and Oakland was in need of QB. The rumor consisted of David Garrad and Carson Palmer. The Garrad rumor was put to rest after he informed the public of him needing back surgery. That left the Carson trade rumor to be examined with a fine tooth comb. Sources said that the talks between the Raiders and the Bengals were serious and a trade was close to being completed. I kind of felt bad for Boller because no one was giving him a chance but some people can’t handle the pressure of a starting position.

Now some couldn’t believe this after the owner of the Bengals said there was no way he would trade Palmer because made a commitment. If you ask me anything can be done in this business if the price is right and what do you know, Oakland’s price was right. The Oakland Raiders have given up a 1st round pick in 2012 and a conditional 1st round draft pick in 2013 for Carson Palmer.

Some Raiders fans have expressed their frustration with this trade because now Oakland has no 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th or 7th round draft picks in 2012. Remember some of those were given up to get Terrelle Pryor in the supplemental draft. I have no problem with the trade for several reasons,

1) Oakland isn’t going to be that high in the draft.

2) I am unaware of what the 2012 draft class will look like.

3) The draft selections in the first round have a 50% chance of being a bust for Cleveland.

4) We have a young team and the veteran can teach them something they don’t have at that position.

5) The Bengals aren’t so great at drafting and lastly

6) I think Carson Palmer still has the will and the ability to play at the NFL level.

I don’t feel comfortable putting the future in a backup quarterback or a rookie who hasn’t been able to suit up and play. I rather take a chance on a veteran QB you know has the ability to win. True, Palmer had a losing record last year but the year prior he led his team to a 10-6 record. I understand that Palmer isn’t a mobile QB but last year JC had scrambling problems himself, we still managed an 8-8 record and at this point we’ve got nothing to lose. Do you take a chance and lose or lose without taking a chance at all? Take the chance. Hue and Carson have history together and if Jackson thinks this is whats best for team then Im going to ride it out with him. Hes done pretty good so far.

Our team is young and they are tired of the stigma that others have casted upon their team. They are ready to win.

I predict Palmer with a 6-3 record.

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Browns Go Down..Campbell too

The Raiders pulled out a 24-17 win against the Cleveland Browns improving their record to 4-2. The Raiders defense came out in attack mode. Blitzing and causing the Browns to go three and out on their first drive. Jason Campbell comes out and leads the Raiders down the field and sets up DMC for a TD on Oakland opening drive. To see Jason Campbell look and play as though he was in his element made me very happy about his improvement and the future of the Oakland Raiders (I just wish he would learn how to hold on to the ball when he is running in open field). After a Colt McCoy touchdown to tie the game at 7, Jacoby for would run a punt back for 101 yards at one point tiptoeing down the sideline for about 15 yards, Game on.

The Raiders would score 10 points in the 3rd quarter including a touchdown off a Special Teams trick play. Lechler with a fake field goal and pass to Kevin BOSS!!!! OMG I couldn’t believe it. Hue was pulling everything out of his hat and it was working. Clevelands defense couldn’t contain the Raiders. Oakland spread the ball between DMC, Bush, Jacoby Ford and what looks like and improved Daruis Heyward-Bey. The Browns tried to make a 4th quarter comeback with a FG and a Massaquoi touchdown and even recovering an onside kick but the Raiders held them off. I cant say enough about the defense, they played a good game. They Blitzed well, caused a turnover on downs, recovered a fumble and had some decent pass coverage and were able to defend the run. I think the addition of Curry was a good pick up for Oakland. Surprisingly, the Raiders only had 5 penalties for 35 yards, and for the Raiders that was a good thing.

Despite the great Special Team efforts and an overall well played game on both sides of the ball, the Raiders still suffered a blow that could possibly hurt the teams’ future and it wasn’t the lost fumble by JC. Jason Campbell sustained a broken collar that will sideline him for what some say is to be the remainder of the season. GREAT!!! (Sarcasm)

Kyle Boller entered the game and all I could think about was what type of shape he was in and if Terrelle Pryor was going to be able to play in the event Boller was injured. Boller got off to a shaky start but finished the game strong 8/14 with no turnovers and a win. This was a good day for the Raiders fans.

The questions that went through my mind were, what will happen next week when we play a division games against the Chiefs? What type of QB will show up? Who will be our starting QB and will this have an effect on our teams’ chemistry?

The KC Chiefs...boy I can’t stand them. Depending on what we look like as far as the QB situation will determine what the outcome of the game is. We play well at QB we win and if we don’t well, then, we lose and it’s as simple as that.

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Eagles Expose Redskins With A Win In Washington



The Eagles Played Like Angry Birds!



Monday is always better when your team wins on Sunday. This Monday was a lot better than the past few in Philadelphia. The four game slide to the bottom of the NFC East made for a deflated town along the Delaware River. There was a near mutiny brewing as fans were not biting their tongues regarding the losing record and the last place standing. But after four losses in a row, finally the Eagles fly home with a win.

The match up against the Washington Redskins was the second conference game of the year for the Birds and it came at a crucial juncture in this dismal season. We desperately needed a bright spot and there was no better place to get it from than beneath the shining sun in our Nation's capital. The Redskins were at the top of the conference rankings and like many naysayers noted, we all saw the proof that they aren't a first place caliber team.

It may not be sunny in Philadelphia after the win this week but at least it's partly cloudy. The Eagles didn't play their best football but they definitely played with more heart. There was still plenty of sloppy play, especially on offense but we recovered from it much better this time. The defense stepped up in a major way, but is still not regarded as a unit to be feared. They improved dramatically against the run allowing only 42 rushing yards. Yet, I still found myself throughout this game holding my breath with my fingers crossed hoping for them to hold onto the lead. The Redskins did a lot to help as well, particularly QB Rex Grossman whose favorite receiver was Eagles SS Kurt Coleman. They connected three times before Sexy Rexy was benched.

Things started out very shaky on the offensive side of the ball. They immediately put me on edge with their unfocused play on the first
possession. Fortunately the defense came into the game with their new found intensity. Coleman got the first of the Eagles' four interceptions from Grossman on the very first Redskin drive. Thank you!

Then the first half started to cook for Philly's offense. It started with QB Michael Vick getting TE Brent Celek into the mix by targeting him on several successful plays in this game. Celek scored the first touchdown of the game with a 7 yard pass from Vick to jump out to a 7-0 lead. Next up RB LeSean McCoy ran it in from the 1 yard line to make it 14-0. The Eagles scored again in the first half on a Alex Henery field goal from 28 yards out. Thanks to an interception by FS Nate Allen the offense got the ball right back.  They left points on the field again, coming off with only a field goal. Washington got the ball back with just over two minutes remaining in the half threatening to score. Grossman got sacked on third down pushing the field goal attempt to 50 yards out. Washington's kicker Graham Gano nailed it for a  halftime score of 20 to 3.

Once again, the second half play was shoddy. There still needs to be a four quarter intensity and focus displayed. The offense didn't score any points in the second half and we got another Vick injury scare. He left the game briefly after a big hit but it turned out he wasn't hurt. There was dirt in his helmet that was blocking his view. For the first time Eagles backup QB Vince Young came in and immediatley failed to impress when his first pass was intercepted. The offense most certainly benefited  from the defense working harder to keep us in the lead. After the Skins starting quarterback was benched and they brought in the backup, they were hot on the comeback trail. QB John Beck got his offense recharged and the crowd back into it by leading two touchdown drives including one he rushed for on a quarterback sneak. This game could have easily gone the way of the last few come from behind wins by Philly's opponents but it didn't.

The Eagles stayed in it to the end to win 20-13.

Whatever way we can get a win we'll take it! Shady McCoy continues to shine, rushing for 126 yards in this game and a touchdown in every game this season. This week we also had a hero on defense, Kurt Coleman. Whether it was changes made on the field by the coaches, heat from the fans, embarrassment across the league, or the players holding their own meeting; something resonated with the Eagles this week that we hadn't seen in the last four games. There is a splinter of hope now as they head into the bye week.

This is the time in the season where change can be most pivotal. We saw how Washington completely crumbled after a good start. Grossman's prediction that they'd win the NFC East fizzled into the nonsense we all believed it was. In seasons past we've seen teams start out with a 5-0 record only to see things take a terrible turn for the worse and personnel ousted as a result of the downfall. Now that teams like San Francisco and Detroit, who were non-factors last year look like solid winners this year, we're seeing a shifting conference. Every year the teams that make playoff changes significantly and this year will prove to be no different. While the Eagles are off this week I hope they keep this fact in mind and the team that comes back from vacation is the playoff driven team.

Next on the ticket for the Birds is Dallas. This bitter rivalry will be even nastier as these are two teams who have to win. Again, the Cowboys lost in the final minutes of the game, this time to New England. They face the winless Rams in their next game. I'll be cheering my little heart out for St. Louis to get their first victory, especially since they are a team we've already defeated! 

Even though there is still a lot of improvement needed by this team, I still see the possibilities after this key win against Washington. As long as they return and make the same effort with a bigger impact against Dallas, we will be fine.

Helen "Love My Eagles" Little

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Buffalo Bills E-VICK-TION of the Philadelphia Eagles

The energy at ‘The Ralph’ on Sunday was electric. The autumn breeze gave way to a sky filled with sunshine and a comfortable game-time temp of 74 degrees.
The Buffalo Bills proved once again that last year’s team (4-12) is in the past. They defeated the Philadelphia Eagles 31-24 and are tied for the AFC East at 4-1. The 2011 Buffalo Bills are pesky and I love it.

Accentuating the positives:
DEFENSE!! DEFENSE!! The Eagles’ first drive didn’t fare well. Vick was intercepted when Alex Carrington batted down a pass and Reggie Corner intercepted it. If you ever wanted to make a statement, that’s how you do it!! It set the tone for the game.

Safety George Wilson had a team-leading 11 tackles, knock down three passes and intercepted Michael Vick.

A welcome edition – LB Nick Barnett returned an INT for a TD and sealed the deal with another interception with 1:49 left remaining in the game.

The offense was sparked by the usual suspects, QB Ryan Fitzpatrick and RB Fred Jackson. Jackson showcased his skills as an all-purpose back with 111 rushing yards, 85 receiving and 1 touchdown. Fitzy passed for 193 yards, 1 TD and 1 INT but the pivotal moment of the game wasn’t from his arm but his mouth. The offense was facing fourth-and-inches around the 50-yard line with 1:23 left. Fitzpatrick’s hard count drew defensive end Juqua Parker offside to give Buffalo another set of downs and run out the clock.

“You remember what you did to win," Wilson said. "It's all right to make mistakes as long as you learn from them, and we learned from our mistakes last year. We have talent, too. We don’t back down from any challenge. If we do our job, we’re going to be a tough football club to beat regardless of who we’re playing."

The Bills are happening now!!!

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Watch The [Green and Gold] Throne

Packer fans, doesn’t It feel so good to be on top? Standing 5-0 at the top of the league over everyone else….WAIT! Who in the hell is that at the top of Mt. Victory next us? The freakin Lions? The Chicago Bears couldn’t handle our light weight this past Monday? Ugh. Being undefeated isn’t as sweet when your NFC North contender shares the same record. NEVER SEND A BEAR TO DO A PACKERS JOB.

Eh well, let’s forget about that and talk a little about how the Packers turned up the heat and overcame a 14-0 deficit to beat the Falcons on Sunday (25-14).

I told you all in my last blog that the Packers defense has been worrying me every week. Last Sunday was no exception. The Falcons jumped out to an early lead and ended the half at 14-0. Despite defensive frustration, Charles Woodson told Packers.com that no one spoke to the defense during halftime. There was no pep talk from the coach or to each other. Everyone knew what they needed to do and they had 2 more quarters to do so. That silence proved to be golden.
The Packers defense shut the Falcons out in the 2nd half. They killed the Falcons running game forcing a few 3 and outs and the Falcons were stuck relying on the early points which weren’t enough. On Offense, the Pack’s O-line created great opportunities for James Starks to get big runs but he was unable to score in the red zone. I think we need to be utilizing John Kuhn in red zone. Starks has great field vision and can find holes to blast through, but Kuhn has the power and can plow through defenders, pulling them with him into the end zone.

After struggling early in the 3rd quarter, the Packers buckle down and go right into old faithful; sending 4 receivers down field and whoever gets open gets the ball. Jennings caught some risky passes and an incredible touchdown pass (as usual), but the one who was most successful at getting open was James Jones who was ressponsible for several crucial 1st downs and the game sealing touchdown.

The bench continues to have an impact in the Packers victories. Desmond Bishop has a big sack while Charlie Peprah sealed the win with his first interception of the season.
AJ Hawk was a little TOO turnt up and caused the Packers a risky 15 yard Unsportsmanlike conduct penalty but that gift wasn’t enough to save the dirty birds.

As far as our defensive problems go, I’ll leave you with a quote from longtime football analyst Vic Ketchman:

“You know, a lot of people would’ve saved themselves a lot of angst if they hadn’t spent so much time worrying about the pass-defense and just trusted the fact that the defense is being coached by Dom Capers and that means success was soon to follow. It’s real simple: Capers doesn’t coach bad defenses. That’s all any of us needed to know. What are we going to worry about this week?"

Well Vic, next week the Pack faces the St. Louis Rams in Lambeau, so…not many worries there. The man of my house is a Rams fan and we are also facing each other in fantasy football, so this week we will truly be a house divided. The Rams have 0 (yes zero) wins, and the Packers have no loses. I’d bet a rocket scientist would put all his money on the Packers, but a true football fan knows that on any given Sunday the impossible can happen. However a Packers fan knows that this is “Year of the Takeover” Part II. Sorry Honey, but the Rams will have to get their first W another time.

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Steelers Football Has Returned!!

You've gotta love the return to Steelers football. This week's game had too many injuries to list, but with Ben's broken/sprained foot, Harrison out for fractured eye socket, and Starks in we were in for a a ground and pound game. Not to mention Mendenhall's injured hamstring. But I must admit I was so excited to hear of Redman's start. I have been a fan since the Steeler's drafted him. and boy'ol boy did he show-off. With Mendenhall on the sidelines, Redman and Dwyer had their time to shine. Both RBs had successful days, Redman had 15 carries for 49yds and Dwyer had 11 carries for 107 yds.

There were several early indicators that the team would be playing well today. Notice their ability to protect Ben better, Ben releasing the ball in rhythms, D-line giving up less yards, Ben throwing to Hines BEFORE halftime, and the running game was stronger. Come on, when was the last time you saw out RB's push a pile like "the bus" could. Redman did today.

Overall, we had lower number of sacs, higher number of points, and less points scored on. Apparently this way of playing Steeler's football is better. Does this mean we have to have injured players in order to win? Midway through the game, Poncey gave me a scare coming out of the game for an knee issue. Thankfully he returned in the 4th qtr. what a soilder that kid is (he was already plaing with an injuried shoulder and made made big plays in today's game, taking Titan's linebacker out of the play!

The Titans did find some success with their hurry-up-offense. I wished that Tomlin would have called for a time-out so that our defense could rest. Then the Defense bailed us out, like they used to...with the first interception of the season, going to #56 Woodley. Oh and how could I forget the trick-punt play that resulted in a a Spulveda pass to Mundy for 33yards. In the past I've been known to call Bruce Arian's play calling unimaginative, so whose been helping him out? Antiono Brown had a big day with 52yard kick-off return.

All in all it was a great game, ending in a score of 38-17. I wish my Pittsburgh Steelers would play this hard and smart consistently. I guess this is just one of the many reasons, I and many others love Steelers football. Congrats on another Steeler Victory.

Until next week....Tanea (1st Lady of Steeler Nation)

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The Philadelphia Eagles: On the Wrong Side of a Streak

By now I just knew the Eagles would be on a fierce streak. I didn't imagine it would be a loosing streak. It's beyond tough to see my team sitting with a loosing record. After five weeks of play we've only won one game, against St. Louis and that was the first week of the season. It's been a dizzying spin out of control and now we are in danger of being evicted from Desperate Street because we're past that point.

It's the oddest thing to watch this team. You see the possibility and the opportunity but then you see it get snatched right out of your heart like a True Blood victim. In Philadelphia football there is no truer statement than "Expectation breeds disappointment." The gut wrenching feeling from watching this streak ensue was born of enormous hopes. We bought the hype that you can buy a Superbowl team. We forgot that you can't buy a Superbowl ring at Kay Jewelers. You have to craft the ring stone by stone, week by week. And right now the Eagles are about as close to a Superbowl ring as Madonna is to dating a 50 year old.

Those of us that bleed green have our bandages on tight and though we've been punched dead in the face by this season, there is still a rose tint on the glasses and our cup is one eighth full. If you recall, last year the NFC West champion got into the playoffs with a loosing record of 7-9 and the NFC East isn't looking like the sharpest conference on the field. Green Bay got to the Superbowl with a 10-6 record as the sixth seed after getting hot at the right time. The Patriots got off to a slow start in 2001 loosing three of their first four games and then went on to win the Superbowl, so it is still very possible. Maybe not probable, but definitely possible.

How did we get to a record of 1-4? We got there by doing very few things right and with so much promise, it makes it seem worse. We saw sloppy mistakes. We definitely saw questionable coaching moves. And we saw a lack of heart that used to run through every player that suited up in Eagles green. It's the same heart that continues to pump throughout the fan base and the city of Philadelphia with a pulse that has weakened a bit from the stress of loyalty each time an artery is cut that leads to what we want most, a world championship.

In the last two games like the two losses before, a win was within reach. This team has shown they have a generous spirit and likes to give games away. Our defense was a travesty. Our offense was raggedy. There seemed to be more of an intent to win in the Bills game but just not enough from all sides of the ball. Stupid mistakes and stupid play calls have made us a simple target for our opponents. How do you game plan against the Eagles? Just show up on the field and let them do the rest.

We saw that in the first possession in the Buffalo game. The Eagles got ball first and turned it over on a blocked screen pass from QB Michael Vick for a Bills interception. The Bills capitalize and turn it into points with a Fred Jackson 5-yard TD run. On the second possession Vick gets hit in the pocket on the release and looses his helmet while throwing another interception once again getting not so great protection from the offensive line. However, he got back out there to hit WR Jeremy Maclin for a two yard TD pass for his 100th career TD Pass.

But with our shaky defense on the field, Buffalo answers right back with a touchdown for a 14-7 lead. Vick throws the second of four picks and the Bills run it in for another touchdown. Then just before the half we catch a break. Eagles LB Jamar Chaney intercepted the ball with less than a minute on the clock but we couldn't even get 3 points on the board due to poor clock management, never mind six. Time ran out as we wasted an opportunity to score and the Eagles left for the locker room behind 21-7.

Individual stats are great but football is a team sport. And on our team, the defense can't stop the run. Our offense can't hold onto the ball. Our defense doesn't tackle worth a hoot. Our offense can't score more than the defense can stop. There have been over 50 consecutive scores against our defense in the red zone, the most in NFL history. And our coaches? Well, they are just as big a part of the team's problems if not more at times.

In the final quarter the Eagles did mount a comeback. The fourth quarter started with a   31-yard touchdown to DeSean Jackson to give the Eagles hope. That cut the lead to 31-21. A Cullen Jenkins sack on 3rd-and-13 gave us the ball back with plenty of time in the game. Kicker Alex Henery redeemed himself with a 35-yard field goal that made it a one possession game at 31-24 with just over nine minutes to go. Then WR Jason Avant gets stripped of the ball, not once in the last quarter, but twice. He had a career high nine catches but lost the ball when we needed it most. The week before we saw Jeremy Maclin have a career game, then crumble in the end when we needed it. Now it was Avant's turn. But believe it or not we still had a chance. With the clock ticked down to under a minute we were about to get the ball back. That is until DE Juqua Parker fell for the fourth down dummy count and jumped offsides.

Game over with a final score of 31-24.

What do you say after that? And after the loss to San Franscisco the week before? And the loss to the Giants and the Falcons before that? The only thing I can come up with is that perhaps they have been humbled to the point that the real work can begin. I’d find it had to believe that anyone on this team thinks losing four games is a fluke. It’s got to be a lot harder for them than it is for me and the rest of the fan base so I’m still with them, believing they can turn the Titanic back upright and get it floating again as we head into our second conference game of the season.

The Eagles hit 95 South to face the Washington Redskins. And as Rex Grossman called it, they are leading the NFC East, this year’s NFC West with no clear cut dominant team. This game will be a tremendous test for the Birds, like they all have been except this one is a much more dire situation than the rest. And I’ll still be there bleeding and believing in green.

Helen “Love My Eagles” Little

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Just Win Baby

Coach Jackson drops to a knee and Mark Davis, son of late Al Davis in visitors box shedding tears, what an emotional ending. The Raiders leave Houston with a win and dedicate it to Mr. Al Davis.


The first half of of play was ugly and the Raiders didn't look like they were ready to play football. I do understand that the passing of Al Davis could have played a part in their performance, they are human but I picture Al upset they weren't playing like a team committed to excellence. Oakland didn't see a first down until late in the 2nd quarter. Texans Brian Cushing reminded me of Vladimere from the movie The Program. He was on top of us every play. Campbell couldn't hit any open targets and threw a pass that was intercepted and resulted in a Texans touchdown. Oaklands Houston was able to return the favor by intercepting Scahubs pass but the offense wan unable to turn that into 7. We settled for 3.

The run game was struggling and penalties negated an 11 yard run and 41 yard run from Darren McFadden. Yards that we needed to swing momentum were taken away by unnecessary penalties, yet again. It wasn't until the last 2 minutes that Oakland decided to get some offense about themselves with a TD from(shocker lol)Heyward-Bey. Raiders were lucky to be down only two at halftime.

I was hoping that the players used halftime to regroup and reflect. In death, life goes on and this is not the condition Al Davis would have wanted his team and they knew it. There was no Andre Johnson and the defense was applying pressure to the offensive line so it was very possible for Oakland to take control of this game.

About the second series of the 3rd quarter is where Oakland started picking up groove. Thanks to another Janikowski FG the Raiders were up by one but the following Houston possession, they would kick a FG to regain the lead. This was not the back and forth type of game I wanted. No sooner than I said that Jason Campbell puts it in the air for a score to Chaz Schillens. I don't know why Campbell wont believe in his arm. He has a good one and the only thing I would say needs to improve is where he throws it when he hits the side. When he throws to the sideline it never is inside. Once he masters that he has Moore and a developing DHB with the speed and ability to go get it!

22-17 Oakland and with another Janikowski FG (lol I sound like a broken record but he kicked 4 in all)the lead would get 3 points larger for Oakland. All I'm asking for is a stop. Oakland forces a 3rd and 9 and guess what?! Pass Interference. I could have jumped through the TV and strangled Van Dyke myself. Automatic first down. Although the Texans would need the TD and 2pt conversion I wasn't happy with that and Van Dyke couldn't dispute it. After a Seymour sack on 3rd down the Texans would kick a FG that now puts them 5pts away. We used our last time and went three and out. Then.. what is this too many men on the field with a sack and face mask!?! Then a roughing the passer. GET IT TOGETHER. My little heart couldn't take it. Matt Schaub fumbles, then throws and then throws an incomplete pass. Its 3rd and 23. I'm not excited Im PACING! Oakland stays giving up the yards needed on 3rd down and what did we do? WE GIVE IT UP!

The Raiders had just allowed a first down and were only up by five. The ball was snapped with barely any time left on the clock. I see Matt Schaub with a fairly clear lane to the end zone and instead of running it in, he passes it. Now Im more nervous BUT the recipient of the pass was Oakland Raiders Michael Huff. When Michael Huff intercepted that ball and dropped in the end zone, I wanted to cry. The Raiders did it! They did it for Al.


I look at our 3-2 record and are still kind of salty about that Bills loss but am please with what it looks like. Wonders about the direction the team is headed in fills my mind as Mark Davis now takes control of the team. Good Luck.

Next up is a 2-2 Browns team coming off a loss and a bye but I fully expect the winning spirit of Al Davis to be present at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum.

"JUST WIN BABY"

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A Legend Lost

I woke up Saturday morning to some news that made me sad. The owner of my favorite football team, the Oakland Raiders, Al Davis has passed away at 82. When I got the text, I thought it was a cruel joke. I’m set to get Breaking News regarding the Raiders from ESPN and I had yet to receive one. I took to Twitter and saw all the RIP Al Davis and even some embarrassing “Now let the winning begin” and as I was saying ‘where is my ESPN alert’ I got it. Al Davis dies at 82.

There is a lot to be said about Al Davis and hard to summarize his contributions to Professional Football. So much more than the decade of insults that are heard every Sunday Oakland’s lost or every time the draft comes around. Al Davis has touched every aspect of this game since he was 24 years old. Assistant Coach with the Baltimore Colts, Offensive Coordinator with the Chargers and in 1963 he would land a Head Coaching job with the Oakland Raiders. He would become AFL Commissioner and I would say pushed the merger of the AFL and NFL by breaking the unwritten rule of signing NFL players. Al Davis was also Raiders GM, and Owner. The Raiders won 3 Super Bowl Championships and in 1992 Al Davis was inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame.

Al Davis for was very passionate about the game of football and loved all of his players. It was said about Al, that he always called to check on his players and staff wanting to make sure they were comfortable. He was committed to winning and would do anything he felt necessary, trying to get the appropriate pieces there to do so. He wanted to be the best. You can’t fault a man for that. Al Davis is responsible for hiring the 1st women CEO, the 2nd African American coach in the NFL
(1st was Fredrick Douglas “Fritz Pollard) and also the 1st Latino Head Coach. AL Davis was giving minorities a chance before the NFL mandated it. He coined the slogan “Just Win Baby” and was serious about the “Commitment to Excellence”. Al Davis wasn’t scared to take chances and go against the majority especially if it went against what he believed in. The Oakland Raiders came first and from beginning to end he showed a tremendous amount of loyalty to the organization. Now that Al Davis has passed his entire legacy will be discussed and everyone will be able to see what a brilliant mind he once was.

Al Davis knew the ends and outs of football like the back of his hand, a Football Connoisseur. He was a Trailblazer, a Rebel with a cause, one in a million and will be remembered throughout the NFL forever.

“To be a Raiders is to be a Raiders for Life” Rest in Peace Mr. Al Davis.

Al Davis is survived by his wife Carol and son Mark.

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T.G.I.F. (Thank God its Four…. In Title Town)

At the beginning of last season, in my 1st ever Gridiron Girls blog, I declared that the Packers would win the Superbowl. Things immediately went south. Game one, Grant’s out for the season. Then Finley’s out for the season. Then Rodger’s is out for a few games. Then things turn around. We start beating up on teams while on the road in the post season and…. the Packers are the Superbowl champions. Just as I predicted. They did this with 2nd and 3rd string running backs, receivers, tight ends, and defensive players so one would assume with healthy starters returning the road back to Superbowl would be a cake walk right? So far, at 4-0, it appears that way.

Game 1 vs. the New Orleans (42-31)- the Packs very vertical spread offense with 5 talented receivers helped them edge ahead in what was the only close game of the four. It appears that James Starks has completely stolen the spotlight from Ryan Grant, as Grant barely touches the ball. Aaron Rodgers was no longer sporting the Fu Man Chu beard he had in the preseason (thank God), but he was sporting his normal comfort and mobility in the pocket.

Not many changes had been made on Defense. It was the tried and true Dom Capers defense with the Woodson & Matthews double trouble blitz. That worries me a little bit. I think opponents have figured that out by now and the Saints wrapped up Matthews several times.

Game 2 vs. the Carolina Panthers (30-23)- I must admit that I thought the Packers defense was going to “Nino Brown” rookie Cam Newton and well….they sort of did (3 interception). Still I was extremely impressed and surprised with the poised performance of Newton. The Packers offense showed Carolina no mercy and the number of options in the Packers offensive arsenal seems completely unfair. The running game has Starks to blast through holes for maximum yardage, with Grant and Kuhn to push through walls for short but necessary 1st downs and red zone scores. Sadly the Pack loses Nick Collins for the season but the victories continue. The defense worries me yet again by allowing over Carolina over 400 passing yards.

Game 3 vs. the Chicago Bears (27-17)- Two words: Finley’s Back. With all three of the day’s touchdowns belonging to him, Jermichael Finley shows that he’s healthy and maybe even better than before. Also the Packers continue to have great luck with bench players who get start positions due to injuries. Safety Nick Collins replacement Morgan Burnett gets two interceptions, and DL Mike Neal’s replacement Jarius Wynn get 2 sacks. Ryan Grant got in on the resurrection showcase and had his first great game over Starks with 92 yards (compared to Starks 5. These two create a fantasy football nightmare with the ‘you one game, me the next’ effect). Defense allows yet another big passing game for their opponent and I want to call Dom up to see if he’s concerned.

Game 4 vs. the Denver Broncos (49-17)- Not much to talk about here. Other than the brief moment when the score was 21-17, the Packers annihilated the Broncos and ended the trend of giving up too many yards on defense. Orton was only able to get off 273 yards and other than Willis McGahee, the Pack allowed no one to get more than 8 rushing yards. Dom Capers says he is trying to address the defensive issues but the Pack is still allowing too many big plays. I trust he’ll have this fixed by next week because the Falcons may have a Dorito on their shoulder due to that little issue of us ruining their Superbowl dreams last year.

In short, the Pack is on a roll and the franchise has always had the most humble and dedicated players. Even with this terrific start Aaron Rodgers says “Numbers are misleading.” There are still many things he’s unhappy with. As for me, I’m pretty impressed by what I’ve seen. Every victory has been over 10 points and I look forward to an improving defensive strategy. With this perfect combination of running and passing and a bench full of spectacular players this just maybe a repeat in the making.

Sunset Brown

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Brady Curse?..

I still can’t get over the loss Oakland suffered at the hands of the New England Patriots. The Raiders were coming off of a big win vs. the New York Jets, it was the first time Richard Seymour would face the team that blindsided him by traded him 3 years ago and it was our chance to remove the cloud Patriots had hanging over our head regarding that stupid “Tuck Rule” game. I just knew this would be a battle that the Raiders would be victorious in. Boy was I wrong.

9 penalties for 85 yards and Richard Seymour was guilty of 3 of them very early in the game. 2 penalties that as a veteran he shouldn’t have committed: a face mask and offside’s. The initial call of roughing the passer shouldn’t have been called cause even I didn’t hear the whistle (no I wasn’t there and so what). Oakland was able to overcome that and still play some decent football. At one point, it would be score for score. The Raiders were riding that Jets win from last week and if they kept it up it would come down to a two minute football drill and with pressure being applied to Brady and the Patriot Offensive line that would be the difference. We we’re driving... down to the NE 6 yard line…

Then Campbell throws an interception. I saw in his face, at that point, he had low self.

That was a score Oakland needed to boost the intensity and raise the bar of the game. This was a blow to every Raiders fan across America and I’m not exaggerating. Instead of our FG team, our defense was back on the field. In Campbell’s defense it looked like he was trying to throw the ball away but as I kept rewinding he threw it way too low and right to the safety. Then I started thinking about Seymour 3 turnovers and how he wasn’t in the game, a game where we needed his presence and the fact that I hadn’t see D. Moore much of this game. The Rookie WR had a big difference on the fields with DMC but instead we were graced with the appearance of Heyward-Bey. I mean he’s alright but Moore has proven over the last 3 weeks that he deserves first look. Point Shaving? I had to get that idea out of my head. Not even Al Davis would have such an idea but that’s how mad and disappointed I was. I was just thinking anything. Costly fouls and turnover along with failed stops on 3rd down and the lack of aggression by the Raiders was the reason the outcome was what it was.

The curse of Brady has once again intimated Oakland and that’s why they weren’t playing Raider football. We beat ourselves. I don’t believe for one minute that the Raiders were unable to defeat the Patriots on talent alone. I believe that mixed emotions, turnovers and penalties shot us in the foot. I also believe that Seymour let his team down because he couldn’t play through his emotions and Hue Jackson picked the wrong time to utilize DHB as well.
It’s the same thing with this Raiders team, penalties and unable to stop a 3rd down drives. While Oakland has gotten better there is still much improvement needed.

Oakland is on its way to see a Johnson less Houston team. Our secondary should be able to cover Jones and as long as we can contain Arian Foster who I still don’t think is 100% we should not have problem leaving Texas with a Win.

Go Raiders

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