Cal freshman Charlie Moore exploded for 38 points in just his second game in a California uniform. The Chicago native put the Bears on his back in the absence of first team preseason all-American Ivan Rabb to lead his team to an OT win versus UC Irvine. Read more about Charlie’s story in this Section925 feature.
Big Game hero and Section925 Insider J Torchio returns to the Podcenter to talk about the 119th Big Game, Cal's bowl eligibility, and waxes poetic about what it means to participate in the Big Game as a Cal Football player. Also, this podcast marks the successful retirement of the ToodleLew movement and sign-off.
Dabbing on the AFC West (photo by Ezra Shaw)
By Merlin Edwards III | @YosoyMEII
For years and years it seemed as if everything in the cosmos was working against the Oakland Raiders. It was the other teams and their owners hate of the Al Davis brand. It was the busts of draft picks and overpaying of aging free agents. Hell, it was even the referees who seemed to have a vendetta against the Silver & Black. Oakland hasn't reached the football mountain top since the 80's and the fan base has coped with it in different ways. A lot of fans using "the universe hates the Raiders," as a main argument. Well, that argument is no longer applicable.
For Raiders fans young and old, starting off 7-2 by beating the Denver Broncos at home on primetime Sunday Night Football feels magical. It felt like flying out of the stadium on a Silver & Black magic carpet in a whole new world. A world where Raiders fans can be confident that they will win big games. A world where Oakland has a franchise quarterback that can win games throwing for 500 or 200 yards. A world where the defensive line looks menacing and the offensive unit can slow down a top 5 defense with a Defensive Player of the Year. With the way this team has been playing, this is a world that the Raiders can live, thrive, and dominate in, for years to come.
In order to dominate the NFL, the Raiders will need to play like they did on Sunday against every other team they play. If the Raiders can execute a game plan and attack a defenses weaknesses like they did to Denver, they will be able to out coach and outplay everybody in the league not named Bill Belichick or Tom Brady. The coaching staff went into this matchup knowing they could have an advantage in the trenches and made a point to punch them in the mouth by running the ball early and often. It was no accident that Latavious Murray had his first 100+ yard rushing game of the year. Jalen Richard and Deandre Washington added a little extra burst and change of pace needed as well. Being able to run the ball so well against a defense that talented crippled Denver. They were no longer able to take advantage of their top tier defense against the pass because Derek Carr barely had to throw the ball! On top of that, the Offensive line was able to hold back the vaunted Broncos defensive line. Carr was only hit twice the whole game with one sack and one pressure. That's it. Von Miller was able to record that only sack and was quiet the rest of the day. Part of the reason Bill Musgrave (Raiders Offensive Coordinator) and the Raiders were so successful was because of the scheme that they were running as well as the quality of play. There were 6 offensive lineman on the field for more than 50% of the snaps and that is not seen much in today's NFL. Even though the Raiders consider themselves a throwing team, Musgrave was able to exploit a major weakness in Denver's defense and run all the way to a victory. Musgrave, however, wasn't the only coach who had a good day at the office.
Defensive Coordinator Ken Norton Jr. had his group humming on Sunday and it showed with a third consecutive week holding an opposing offense to under 300 yards. Kahlil Mack continued his resurgence as one of the leagues best pass rushers and he has brought this D-line up to a top sack-attack level. They have been hurrying, pressuring, hitting, and sacking the QB at a higher rate than we have all year. Part of that is because Mack has 5 sacks in his last 3 games, but the rest of the line is falling into place behind him. It is also helping the secondary out because, even without Sean Smith the past two weeks, they have been able to keep other offenses passing games in check. This is starting to look like a defense that is coming together and who knows what can happen after the bye week and when the team gets Aldon Smith and Mario Edwards Jr. back. Everything seems to be coming together for this team and they have a chance to really make a long suffering fan base proud.
The key to this bye week is just to get healthy and study up. The players should get a chance to look around the league and see their opponents live and enjoy some football before ramping it back up to play the Texans on Monday night. As long as everyone stays safe and healthy, this team is poised to make a playoff run. The sky is the limit and for the first time in a long time, rather than the world being against the Raiders it feels instead like it's their world to take.
Derek Carr had a record setting day for the Silver & Black last Sunday (photo by Brian Blanco)
By Merlin Edwards III
The positive changing of a culture in professional sports is a hard thing to. Going from good to bad isn't the most difficult thing, but when an organization has been bad for an extended period of time, gaining confidence of future wins is extremely challenging. When things are going bad, not only do the fans to believe the team will always loose, but it seeps into the front office and locker room of teams as well. In order to change bad culture, a lot of times a full overhaul is needed in order to succeed at a later date. Once that later date comes and the players and coaches all believe in themselves, the national media is the last to jump on the bandwagon. Sometimes teams, in any professional sport, need to produce a "signature win" in order to finally have arrived and be taken seriously by the league. The Oakland Raiders had one of those signature wins this past Sunday after defeating the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 30-24.
Derek Carr and the Silver and Black came ready to play in Tampa Bay and were able to steal yet another away game, and this time there is no way they should have won. It was not a pretty win, by any stretch of the imagination, if anything it was beyond ugly. After setting an NFL record for penalties in a game with 23, no NFL team should ever be expected to even compete in that game, let alone win. Not only did they give up 23 penalties, but it was for a total of exactly 200 yards. The Raiders gave up 2 football fields worth of yardage and still were able to pull out a win. The circumstances that this team overcame cannot be ignored. It seemed as if they played a pretty good game if there weren't so many penalties. Heck, Winston didn't even pass for more than 200 yards, which means Oakland had more penalty yards than the Bucs had passing yards. Wow. It really is a shame that there were so many flags; we'd actually be talking about a really good Raiders win where the defense played better than they have all season. Instead, that locker room's main concern is toclean up the yellow laundry. The only thing this team can do after a win like that is brush it off, be thankful you came out with a "W," and hope that the seemingly complete game you played (other than the penalties) can be carried over to this next week's game. The Raiders are going to need it.
For the first time since the early 2000's (we've been saying that a lot this season) the Raiders will host a Sunday Night Football game against the hated Denver Broncos. Not enough can be said about how important this game is. Both teams are coming into this game at 6-2 and the winner will take sole place atop the AFC West division. The Raiders will not only put a choke hold on first place with a win in this game, they will put the rest of the league on high alert as well. As if it wasn't enough for Derek Carr to throw for 513 yards passing (new Raiders record), a win against the arch rival Broncos will also cement Derek Carr in serious MVP talks. However, accolades and recognition is not what this team yearns for. Wins are, and it will take a valiant effort from all sides of the ball in order to come up with a win and move to 7-2.
On the defensive side of the ball, the Raiders need to do a couple things to help their chances. First and foremost, Kahlil Mack and the Raiders defensive line needs to get after Trevor Siemian and put him on the ground. The Broncos offensive line is decent, but it is attack-able. Even though the player that Mack got 5 sacks against last season won't be playing, Kahlil needs to get at least 1.5 sacks in order for the defense to succeed. If Siemian has time to sit back in the pocket and assess the defense, it will mean major trouble. Denver's starting running back will be out and the Raiders will have an upper hand in the run game, but if Siemian does not feel pressure he will throw it all over the yard with a good completion percentage and beat the Raiders. This game will not be a shootout and the Raiders need to keep Denver under 25 points in order to pull out a victory. The Broncos defense is just that good.
Derek Carr will need to follow up, arguably, his best game of the season with a very good performance again. The defense that Denver fields is the best in the league and there is a reason they just won a super bowl with a mediocre offense. The Raiders do catch a break with Denver's #1 DB, Aqib Talib, hurt with a bad back, but they still have Chris Harris Jr. and Bradley Roby who would be #1's on most other teams. The Raiders need to attack the run game and let that set them up for passes throughout the game. This will be a relatively low scoring game and it is key for the short passing and running games of Oakland to get going early. If they can keep the defense guessing with good yardage running plays and short to medium yard passing plays, it will hopefully lull the Broncos to sleep and open up the long throws when you need them most, late in the game.
If the Raiders can stick to the offensive game plan and keep Denver from scoring enough to turn this game into a shootout, they will pull out a huge win. They need to put together a full 4 quarters of football or else this game could get ugly. It will be a hard hitting, hate filled, nut buster of a game, but what else can a Raider fan ask for than meaningful football against Denver on a national stage for first place in the division. Get ready for a doozie.
My prediction: Broncos 21, Raiders 17
Football Insider J Torchio visits the Outdoor Podcenter to talk about Cal’s loss to USC, how the Bears match up against UDub, as well as Jeff Tedford's work at UDub. The two also discuss Tedford's potential future as the Head Coach at Fresno State.
By Connor Buestad | Connor@Section925.com
In four years at Pace High School, just outside of Pensacola, Florida, Addison Russell hit a cool .460 with 37 home runs. Living on the Alabama border, it only made sense that the Auburn Tigers would end up extending a scholarship offer to Russell. And at the time, the 6’0” 195 pound shortstop had full intentions of going to school. The oldest of 4 siblings and the owner of a soft-spoken, humble personality, it made sense that even a talent this large could use a few years of seasoning in the SEC.
This was all before Billy Beane made young Addison his first round selection in the 2012 Draft. For years, Beane has avoided high school players like the plague, deeming an 18-year-old simply too much of a gamble to invest millions in. The last time Beane has selected a high schooler in the first round was 2001 when the A’s took Jeremy Bonderman 26th overall. Before that, you have to date back to 1996 when Eric Chavez was picked in the first round out of high school.
Not only was Beane forced out of his comfort zone by picking someone so young, so early, Billy also had to negotiate with super-agent Scott Boras in order to sign Russell. 2.6 million dollars later, Russell, and his seemingly infinite upside, was property of Oakland.
While Big League scouts have most often compared Russell to current Detroit Tigers infielder Jhonny Peralta, A’s fans could also comfortably compare Russell to the beloved former Oakland Athletic, Miguel Tejada. Blessed with a sturdy, compact build, to go along with exceptional bat speed, foot speed and arm strength, Russell possesses everyting one would need to be a breakout Major League star.
Peralta and Tejada, both eventual steroid offenders, possess(ed) the type of five-tool talent that is so coveted in young position players. By all accounts, Russell has all five tools in his quiver, and to the extent that he is the best prospect the A’s have had in their farm system in recent memory.
In Russell’s first season in the minors last year, the 19-year-old started at shortstop for the Single-A Stockton Ports of the California League. After a slow start, Russell finished the season with 17 home runs, 10 triples, 21 stolen bases and a .275 average. The stat line was good enough to earn him the Rookie of the Year in the Cal League, as well as a trip to the All-Star game in New York City to participate in the Futures Game. By year’s end, Russell was on the field with the AAA Sacramento River Cats getting his first taste of professional playoff baseball.
As Russell turns 20 on January 23rd, he heads into his second year of spring training scheduled to start the year playing for the A’s Double-A affiliate in Midland, Texas. There, while he continues to accumulate invaluable professional at-bats, A’s fans will keep a close eye on their prized possession down on the farm.
“At the minimum he’ll be at the Double-A level (in 2014),” A’s general manager Billy Beane recently told CSN Bay Area. “A kid with that kind of talent, once you get to that level, anything can happen from there.”
“He’ll have the opportunity (this spring) in major league camp to assert himself before he gets to the minor leagues,” continued Billy Owens, A's director of player personnel. “There’s no timetable. People always want to make predictions, but I think his play on the field will dictate predictions.
As you may recall, Oakland's 2011 first round pick was Sonny Gray out of Vanderbilt. And we all know how that panned out. The rookie turned in a masterful Game 2 performance in last year’s Playoffs, throwing eight scoreless innings and earning himself the starter’s role for the subsequent pivotal Game 5. Granted, Gray was 23 when he took center stage for the A’s, but it is still in the realm of possibility that Beane and manager Bob Melvin would decide to bring up Russell to play shortstop for the A’s by the middle of the summer. Jed Lowrie has proven to be a step slow as a Major League shortstop. And moving Lowrie to second to make room for Russell could turn out wonderfully, assuming Russell continues his rapid development.
Coming off back-to-back playoff seasons, one couldn’t blame Billy Beane for keeping things status-quo. But, when you consider how competitive the AL West has become (most recently with Robinson Cano coming to Seattle) change is constantly necessary for the A’s to stay ahead of their deep pocket competitors. Expect part of that change to come in the form of a once-in-a-decade shortstop, by the name of Addison Russell.
"Addison is a 19-year-old with so much upside, not only talent-wise but his work ethic. His tools are all there," Bill Richardson, Russell's former Manager, explains to MLB.com. "Shortstop is such a premium. You get a good shortstop, and when you have that guy, it makes things a lot easier on your club. He might be one of the most talented players in this league. He knows what he wants, and there is no doubt in my mind he will make it. How soon is what it is."
Baseball Insider Jon Zuber comes inside the outdoor podcenter to talk about the 2016 playoffs, why Terry Francona was one of his favorite managers to play for, and his secret for hitting the long ball.
DeAndre Washington and the Raiders are looking more and more like a title contending team. (Photo by Rob Foldy)
By Merlin Edwards III
A lot of NFL teams are subject to having a good week and getting their hopes up, just to be brought back down to bad football earth. Others go down in the dumps just to be brought back up. Just look at the San Francisco 49ers, they started out on a major high, winning in week 1 against the odds, but haven't won since. The Oakland Raiders, luckily, have the opposite of that problem after week 7. What a difference a week makes. After getting beat down at home by the Kansas City Chiefs, the Raiders bounced back and played arguably the best game they've played all season against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
The Jaguars aren't world beaters, or even a great team for that matter, but they do have talented players and were projected to be able to compete for a division title this year. Those hopes, however, seem to be a bit of a pipe dream at this point. After losing their first 3 and winning the next 2 before losing to the Raiders, they have yet to show any type of positive consistency. Their defense had played relatively well and it took a good game from Oakland's defense in order to slow down a previously serviceable offense. Jacksonville's receivers are very fast, but also big, and it played well into the Raiders game plan in the secondary. They were able to limit the big plays from receivers Robinson and Hurns and kept them in front for short gains. This was huge in slowing the Jags down because they live off of the big play and chunk yardage.
They don't have the best running game, but the Raiders were able to slow that part of their game down as well. Finally, the Oakland Raiders defense came to play and were able to hold another team under 20 points. Even though that is not how to describe a great defense, it is a start to describing a decent one that looks to be getting better for the future. It may have been underestimated how long it would take for all of the new faces to gel together and maybe this long trip in the sunshine state will bode well for this defense going forward.
Seeing the defense play so well seemed to boost the offense as well. They flashed again and Crabtree showed up for yet another huge game. He leads the league in catches for first downs and for good reason. Carr always seems to look his way, and despite the consistency of that 3rd down connection, Crabtree always finds a way to get open. Cooper played well too but the story of the day was once again Michael Crabtree. It looks like Raiders fans get to see the type of plays where Carr is flushed out of the pocket, only to throw on the run (off of one foot) 35 yards and find Crabtree to convert a 3rd and long on a consistent basis. Wow. While big plays like that are important, the running game is what helped set that up last week and the Silver and Black will look to depend on their running game again in Tampa Bay.
After getting Latavious Murray back, the running game for the Raiders looked much better. The Jags have a good defense and even though nobody went crazy for a 100 yard game, they used the run to set up the pass. In this next game against the Buccaneers, look for the Raiders to have a very similar game plan. Murray and the other backs need to get short yardage on early downs to set the team up for short 3rd downs. Giving Carr short 3rd downs will be beneficial for both running the clock and keeping the Bucs offense off of the field, but it will also keep the game from being a shootout with really high scores. If there is anything we have learned from the season so far, it's that the Raiders win when then score 33 or more points. That should be a given for an NFL team, but when the defense has been so bad, there's not much a team can do but to keep trying to flat out outscore other offenses. In order for the Raiders to win this game soundly, they must score early and often and not have to rely on the defense to make plays or create turnovers at the end of the contest.
The defense did play much better last week, but they are now playing a better offense and a better quarterback. Jameis Winston is not in the elite group of quarterbacks in the NFL, but he can make plays, and when given the opportunity, he can, and will, beat you. The Raiders match up well with their receiver corps since they are another team with big guys. That is why the Raiders signed big corners though, to try and combat the trend of bigg-ER receivers. Sean Smith and David Amerson need to keep getting better and play like they did last week in order to slow down a red hot Mike Evans. Jaquizz Rodgers had a great game against the 49ers last week but he can be stopped and the Raiders should be able to do that this week. If they play another sound game on defense, Oakland will win this handily. If the defense is leaky and gives up big plays and 25+ points, then the Raiders are in trouble. Look for Kahlil Mack to continue his upward trend and get another sack while leading the defense to a good day. Crab and Coop will come to play again and the Raiders win in a close one.
My Prediction: Raiders 28, Buccaneers 24
Tripper brings the Section925 Mobile Podcenter inside Haas Pavilion to talk with Cal Basketball Head Coach Cuonzo Martin. The two talk about playing for Gene Keady and rooming with Glenn Robinson at Purdue, what drives his recruiting success, and the future of Bay Area basketball.
Football Insider J Torchio joins Tripper to catch up after Cal's Double-OT win over Oregon, as well as to discuss the wild Pac-12, Cal's road to a bowl game, and his preview of the Thursday night ESPN tilt at USC.
By Merlin Edwards III
It is quite astonishing how often old sayings can be applied to everyday life. When someone has the personality that the glass is, in fact, half full, they truly are optimists and see the best in everything and everyone. In this election year it sure would help if a lot of people put the shoe on the other foot to see other perspectives. Well, the Raiders and their fans got a full dose of the saying "when it rains, it pours," after taking a beating against the Kansas City Chiefs.
While it was quite literally pouring down rain on the field, it was raining even harder on the Raiders players. After a great drive to start off the game with a touchdown, the offense looked worse than it has all season. They went no-huddle in their first drive while driving right down the field and scoring with ease. It seemed to be a good sign for the game to come. Boy, were Raiders fans wrong. Once the ball was in the endzone the first time, they were only able to score one more field goal in the first half which completed their scoring for the day. The running game was extremely stagnant and could not be relied on. Carr was forced to throw the ball a ton in the rain which he actually had moderate success with, but the offense goes how Carr goes and he did not have a good game. It was a game where fullback Jamaze Olawale should have been utilized as a ground and pound back and he didn't even get one carry! Teams do just get outplayed sometimes and Andy Reid is now 16-2 coming off of a bye, but there is just no excuse to get beat down like that at home. Raining or not, Andy Reid or not, bad defense or not, that is a game that could have been won if the offense showed up at all.
The Oakland defense was not good either. There is something going on with this scheme that is not working for the personnel that the Raiders have. Ken Norton Jr. is a great motivator, but it may be proving that he is in over his head with scheming against other top notch coordinators. Don't get me wrong, the players are to blame too; not filling the right gaps, not communicating and bad spacing will always end up bad for a defense. At the same clip, there is NO WAY that Kahlil Mack should be lined up against a wide receiver on the outside, which happened twice last Sunday. This defense needs utilize its players correctly. Whether that is going to 4-3 looks or blitzing more, it is something the coaches need to be creative with. There is too much talent to squander it. The entire team needs to use the long road trip (staying in Florida for 2 weeks) to get themselves together and become closer as a family before coming back home to a very tough stretch.
The game against the Jacksonville Jaguars this Sunday is not going to be an easy one. Black Bortles and the weapons he has, is nothing to underestimate. They have small, fast receivers just like all of the teams who have torched the Raiders in the passing game. Allen Robinson and Allen Hurns are both great players who can speed past anybody in our secondary. And that's not even mentioning the young speedster Denard Robinson. In this case, this could actually work well for the Raiders. Against an Alex Smith ran offense in the Chiefs, the key was to shut down the short and intermediate routes. The Raiders couldn't do that at all which is why they got beat down. Against the Jaguars, however, that is exactly what this defense needs to do. They cannot let the Jags throw over the top and get big chunks of yardage. That is their bread and butter and will keep attacking over the top until it works. Keep these small receivers in front and stop them for short gains and it will frustrate that offense. They don't have much of a running game so look for the Raiders to actually be able to hold them back a little on the ground. This can also be a Kahlil Mack breakout game. Bortles loves to sit back in the pocket like a statue and wait for his quick receivers to finish their long developing routes. Mack must take advantage of how long he holds the ball and get him on the ground. If the defense plays like they have recently, though, this will end up being a shootout, which isn't the worst thing for this Raiders offense.
Derek Carr is showing (sans last week) that he can be an elite QB in the NFL and this week, he needs to take another step forward. The defense hasn't been reliable and has consistently given up a ton of yards and points. The Jags defense isn't great though. Michael Crabtree and Amari Cooper should have a field day with this secondary and both should end up with a touchdown. This could be the game where we get a top notch performance from both receivers in the same game for the first time all year. The running game needs to have some production. Even if only to keep the defense guessing. If any of the 4 backs they have can get going, the Raiders could win handily.
This will not be an easy game for the Silver and Black, but they should be able to win in yet another, nail biter of a game at the end. Carr will lead the team at the end of the game for a touchdown to lead the game and the Raiders win a close one.
My Prediction: Raiders 35, Jaguars 32
Wash is packing up his fungo and moving to Atlanta
#Carr2Cooper has been trending hard in Oakland this season. (Photo by Ezra Shaw)
By Merlin Edwards III
It is a common occurrence for fans of bad NFL teams to get complacent and expect their team to continue losing. A little like amateur golfing, when you start a round off with 3 triple bogey's, it gets in your head and you tend not to play well the rest of the day. Then you get frustrated and it's hard not to see the next round going the same way. It takes a couple lessons or tons of practice to get any better or get your confidence back. Well, the Oakland Raiders and their fans have taken lessons with new coaches and practiced enough to feel like they are the best players in the world. After starting 4-1, the Silver and Black are primed and ready to take hold of the AFC West division and make a serious run to (and in) the playoffs.
The Raiders were able to finally pull off a good home win and beat the chargers last Sunday 35-34. It puts the Chargers at 1-4 but they are still an extremely talented team and could pull off a comeback in the division. Remember last year when the Chiefs started 1-5? They ended up winning 10 games in a row to finish the season and even won a playoff game. The Chargers played a good, competitive game and couldn't pull it out at the end. Derek Carr had a mediocre game even though he went 25/40 with 317 yards, 2 touchdowns and an interception. Carr really is the QB of the future for the Raiders. He, once again, drove his offense down the field at the end of the game for a go-ahead touchdown that ended up being the game winner. The defense was able to play bend-don't-break football again, and hold the Chargers just enough to let the offense win the game. New addition, Perry Riley was a huge help to the defense at linebacker, leading the team in tackles in his first game with the team. Sean Smith and Karl Joseph continued their rise in play this season by each recording pick and the secondary as a whole played much better. The Chargers really are a good team that the Raiders ended up beating because they were flat out better on Sunday. The Raiders were better on paper and better on the field and this game looks much better when you look at how the Chargers played on Thursday.
Anything can happen in the NFL and on Thursday Night Football, the Chargers beat the reigning Super Bowl Champion Denver Broncos, and moved to 2-4. That puts the Broncos at 4-2 and if the Raiders can win this next game against the Kansas City Chiefs, they can take a lead and hold their own destiny in a division that they haven't won since 2002. There are a couple different things that the Chiefs do well that the Raiders must shut down in order to win this Sunday's game.
Andy Reid in his ENTIRE coaching career is 15-2 when coming off of a bye week. Lucky for the Raiders, that is exactly the case this week. The Chiefs also got trounced in Pittsburgh the week before their bye, so they will be chomping at the bit to get on the field and play a division rival. The Raiders defense up front has to be stout in this game and not let Jamaal Charles use his elusiveness and speed, to get outside and break long runs. He is one of the best running backs in the league, when healthy, and this is the first week he is at full strength in a very long time. He is going to be excited and aggressive and it will take a valiant effort to slow him down. The Raiders also seem to give up a lot of plays up the middle and on short passes, which will not work against Alex Smith and his offense. Their bread and butter is to dink and dunk and lull the defense to sleep before throwing shots over the top for big plays. Smith still is not going to throw the ball all over the yard and throw for 400 yards, but he is the quintessential game manager and will not turn the ball over often while making key throws. The Raiders do match up decently well with this team on defense though, and especially on offense.
The Raiders offense lead by Derek Carr, Amari Cooper, and Michael Crabtree is even better than anyone could have imagined this season. They are once again in the top 10 in points per game, total yards per game, pass yards per game, and rush yards per game. The Chiefs are not great in the secondary and with consistent deep balls to the big Raider receivers, one on one matchups in man coverage can and will be won. The Chiefs run defense is very solid and without Latavious Murray, who was ruled out of this game, the Raiders will be going with a committee running back approach. Relying on Deandre Washington and Jalen Richard worked relatively well last week, but the Chargers run defense isn't nearly as good as the Chiefs. Their defense is nasty and the Raiders small running backs need to be elusive and count on the offensive line to be nastier. The Oakland offensive line has been everything as advertised this season and are clearly one of the best 5 groups in the league. Derek Carr has been sacked the least amount of times of any quarterback this season and the Raiders rushing game is ranked 5th in the NFL. They are the key to this game and if they can keep the big fellas for Kansas City at bay, they will win this game in a close one. The defense must continue to improve and showing signs of life and the offense has to pass another test of a good defense. Both things can be done.
My Prediction: Chiefs 21, Raiders 28
Micheal Crabtree's game winning TD in Baltimore. (Photo by Rob Carr)
By Merlin Edwards III
It is an intense and jolly feeling to be a fan of an NFL team that always finds a way to win games. Depending on your team, some people rarely get the chance to indulge in the glory of winning professional football. Oakland Raiders fans seem to finally be feeling a sense of intense joy and optimism for a team that has lacked such emotion since now adults, were small children.
After beating the previously 3-0 Ravens in Baltimore, the Raiders look primed and ready to have a good stretch of wins and set themselves up nicely for the playoffs. It took heart, skill, passion, luck, talent, and all of the above to pull out win #3 on the road. Oakland showed poise both offensively and defensively when it mattered most and it is showing that this young team is truly learning how to win. In 2015, the team was starting to come into its own and play sound, competitive football. This year, however, the Raiders have moved past that and have the "it is time to win now," mentality. The rookies that were inserted into the starting lineup against the Titans, a week ago, are starting off well and are looking like potential leaders of a young defense. Aforementioned rookies, Cory James and Karl Joseph, have been on fire by leading the team in tackles in consecutive weeks. Sean Smith and D.J. Hayden have also been playing much better in the secondary and the Raiders defense is starting to look like it is ready to step up and help win games. They started off awfully, yes, but as I have previously written, defenses in the NFL always start off slower than offenses. With this Oakland group fielding multiple new starters, (even in the past 2 weeks) they were bound to have some growing pains. Granted, nobody expected them to be that historically bad to start the season, but they are evolving every week into a much more serviceable group.
The Silver and Black offense looks like it can flat out beat anybody. The Ravens defense is one of the best in the NFL and the Raiders were still able to put up 28 points on them while finishing drives in the end zone in crucial points of the game. The Raiders are in the top 10 in points per game (7th), total yards per game (3rd), pass yards per game (8th), rush yards per game (5th) and if that doesn't spell elite, I'm not sure what does. They still haven't played a full 4 quarters of football without stalling out and looking stagnant, yet they still have such numbers. The best stat about this offense is that they are 11 of 12 scoring touchdowns when in the red zone. Think about that, the Raiders have scored a touchdown 11 times with 12 attempts inside the 20 yard line...it sounds crazy but the numbers back it up, Carr and the Raiders offense is elite. No matter how good the opponents defense, the Raiders will be able to score points. Fortunately this week, the Raiders have a really good opportunity to keep on rolling, stay elite, and demolish the San Diego Chargers in Oakland.
The Chargers have the makings of a good team on paper, but have not played up to par so far this season. They have been competitive, but have not been able to hold on and gave up 4th quarter leads all 3 times this season. They have had quite a few key injuries already and the Raiders have a good chance to put this team away early.
San Diego's top defensive back, Jason Verrette was lost to a knee injury last week and second best DB Brandon Flowers is out with a concussion. Top string linebackers, safeties, and offensive tackles are also out for the Chargers. The Raiders should be able to beat the Chargers with their full squad, let alone an immensely banged up one. Don't get me wrong, Philip Rivers is nobody to underestimate, and with a healthy team his offense would be great, but the Raiders are still the better team. Division games are always tough though, and even with Oakland on a role, they have to play this game as well or better than they have played all season. They must handle this game with care. Even though the defense has been playing better, Rivers will always be able to put up points because he is just that good. The defense has to keep getting better and if they can't completely shut the Chargers down, they have to carry-over their bend and not break mentality. Look for Kahlil Mack to continue his rise and get Philip Rivers on his back. Once Rivers is dirty and second guessing his makeshift offensive line, he will start to panic and throw intercept-able balls that the Raiders secondary has to take advantage of.
Expectations are getting higher and higher for the Oakland Raiders and if they keep winning, support will be coming from everywhere. They have not been good at home in the recent past and they need to turn that around. Good teams win on the road, of course, but they also win MORE at home. The Raiders have started to learn how to win games, now it is time to start dominating your home field and it starts this week. If Oakland is able to hold the Chargers offense at bay and attack San Diego's banged up defense, they should win this game handily at home.
My Prediction: Chargers 17, Raiders 35
Sec925 Insider J Torchio takes us behind the scenes on the Cal sideline for the final Utah drive, deftly handles a barrage of questions from Josh from the 209, and gives an emotional tribute to former Cal coach Roger Theder.
Arnold Palmer in full swing at the 2015 Master's in Augusta, Georgia. (Photo by Jamie Squire)
By Travis Rowney | @rowtown23
When he was battling cancer, the famous and beloved basketball coach Jimmy Valvano once said, “If you laugh, you think, and you cry…. That’s one heck of a day.” Sunday September 25th was supposed to be an ordinary Sunday, but in the end, it proved to be much more. Filled with every emotion in the book, it turned into a Jim Valvano type day.
Being a typical sports fanatic, my plans for '9/25 Day' included sitting on a couch, watching football, a little bit a baseball, some FedEx Cup golf, and probably some more football. However, it wasn’t a normal Sunday. Emotions went up and down like a roller coaster. A lot happened on Sunday, September 25th 2016. It might not be remembered by the non-sports fan, but it was significant for me because these events affected the very core of my sports soul. Here is a timeline of that roller coaster on Sunday (times are estimated and in Pacific time zone):
Jose Fernadez pitching in Miami on September 8th. (Photo by Marc Serota)
8:00 A.M.: Jose Fernandez’s death.
Unlike some, I actually set my alarm for Sunday mornings in the fall. I wake up and check last minute fantasy reports before the morning slew of football games begin. After that, I cross my fingers and pray. I also check my phone to see the ESPN morning updates, usually consisting of Premier League soccer. However, what I read on the morning of September 25th left me in shock. Miami Marlins’ pitcher Jose Fernandez died in a boating accident early Sunday morning in Miami. No way this happened; it had to be a hoax. I searched my phone making sure that it was real. And to my shock, it was. As an athlete and avid sports fan, I am in awe of young and up and coming talent. Fernandez was one of them. A product of Cuba, Fernandez was a 24-year-old, destined for greatness. The 2013 Rookie of the year was the ace of the Marlins’ pitching staff. There was no doubt that one day he would be a future Cy Young winner and resurrect a suffering franchise. Off the mound, he was charismatic, joyful, and inspirational. Always interacting with fans, and toying with teammates in the dugout. He was loved by his whole team. As manager Don Mattingly would say in tears, “He was like a little leaguer out there.” The Marlins had to cancel Sunday’s game with the Atlanta Braves. The entire baseball world mourned that day, as did I. He was someone who truly enjoyed the game, always having a big grin on his face. It’s hard to believe he was only 24. Even though I am not a Marlins fan, I was saddened. He was a role model with a bright future ahead of him; maybe even a hall of famer. Hearing this news brought tears to my eyes Sunday morning. The whole sports world mourned that morning.
Odell Beckham and Josh Norman battle in New York. (Photo by Michael Reaves)
10:00 A.M.: Norman and Beckham.
Rivalry games; anything can happen. No football game was more anticipated than the New York Giants and the Washington Redskins. Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham and Redskins cornerback Josh Norman headlined the game. Another example of supreme young talent, and like Fernandez, the next generation of super stars. These two players are the future of football and I couldn’t wait for this matchup. They have history, and it’s not a pretty one. Last year, while Norman was playing for the Carolina Panthers, things got heated between him and Beckham. They trash talked, jawed with each other, bickered like little kids… and the refs constantly had to break them up after plays. When Norman signed with the Redskins in the offseason, all football fans circled two dates: the two times these NFC rivals would meet up. As the game went on, both players traded good plays and of course, some words. At one point, Norman picked up Beckham during a play and tried to carry him to the sidelines. It actually made me laugh at the rivalry these two have. It turned out to be an exciting game. The Redskins closed out the game with a couple late interceptions of Eli Manning, winning 29-27. Frustrated with the loss, Beckham was seen punching a warmup net on the sideling that then fell on his head. Even a couple tears were shed. Amazing what sports can do. It was a fascinating end to an intense football game. Get used to it football fans, this rivalry is just getting started.
Vin giving thanks. (Photo by Harry How)
1:00: P.M.: Vin Scully, the legendary Los Angeles Dodgers announcer, called his last home game at Chavez Ravine.
He has been calling baseball games longer than most people can remember. And His Voice, oh my, that unmistakable, remarkable voice. Calm, relaxed, but exciting, all at the same time. Some of the greatest games of all time have been told through his words. His warm personality, loyalty, and love he inspired make him truly unique. As an aspiring broadcaster, I rank him as one of the top sports broadcasters of all time. Announcing is hard work, and takes a lot of dedication. Scully has been dedicated for over 40 years. He announced at the beginning of the season that 2016 would be his last year announcing Dodger games. Sunday was his last home game. The Dodgers had honored him all year, and on Sunday, gave him a lasting memory. With Dodgers down 3-2 in the bottom of the 9th, rookie Corey Seager hit a game tying home run. The next inning with the score tied, Charlie Culberson clubbed a walk off home run. The Dodgers had not only won the game, but had clinched the NL West. Now that’s a storybook ending for Vin Scully, a legend in broadcasting. While I am a dedicated San Francisco Giants fan, it was hard to be bitter. It just felt right.
Rory at the FedEx in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo Kevin C. Cox)
4:00 P.M.: Rory McIlroy wins the FedEx Cup.
It had been a quiet year for super star professional golfer McIlroy. The #2 player in the world had trouble finding the winner’s circle. His critics were numerous. “He’s overrated, he’ll never be a legend, he’s a flash in the pan.” He shut them up in a good way. He picked a good time to play his best golf of the year. In the FedEx Cup Playoffs, he came back on the final day and won the BMW Championship, the third leg of the 4 playoff tournaments. On Sunday, at the Tour Championship, in the final leg of the playoffs, McIlroy came from behind again and finished in a three way tie for first. Thanks to an eagle hole out on the 16th hole, he had the chance to win the Tour Championship and the FedEx Cup if he could win the three-man playoff. McIlroy birdied the 4th playoff hole, and won the tournament and the FedEx Cup. I’m not surprised he won. While his results this year were a little subpar, he was always hanging around the top. He has the consistency factor; not an easy thing to have, especially in golf. That’s what separates the good golfers from the very best. It helps to have ice in his veins as well. Two trophies and $11 million in one day. I was happy to see him win and prove why he is one of the best.
7:00 P.M.: The sports world loses a legendary sportsman.
On Sunday night, Arnold Palmer passed away at the age of 87. Growing up as an avid junior golfer, I always used to emulate Mr. Palmer. Even though he was a little before my time, he was always the King. I loved watching old footage of his tournaments. His swing, his personality, his commercials. Everything about him was so captivating. He’s the athlete you wanted be like. Every golfer knows his swing. It’s unlike any other, an aggressive slash, full of emotion and strength. In the 1960s, he burst onto the scene with his fit body, combed hair, and unique swing. What he lacked in talent and grace, he seemed to make up with pure will. The “working man’s” champion. Arnie transformed professional golf, making it cool, popularizing it as a television event. Not only was he transfixing to watch, but sociably, the nicest guy you will ever meet. He would talk with fans and sign autographs for hours. He had great loyalty to the game, and to his “army.” Palmer had the biggest fan base in golf known as “Arnie’s Army.” He was always the person to watch at every tournament. Thousands fans gathered around Palmer. He never had “personal” space, but didn’t want it. He embraced the attention. He had a great career in terms of wins, with 7 major championships, but his impact carried much farther. He was an ambassador of the game, who changed its popularity and perception forever. He was the King for a reason. So many golfers wanted to be like him, including me. Hearing this news sparked tears in my eyes. I wish I could have met him in person just one time. I guarantee I would have had a memorable story.
In 12 hours, I cried, laughed, thought, and cried again. It’s hard to explain the feelings on that Sunday. It was an emotionally draining day. I cried for the role models that lost their lives. I laughed at the behavior of rivals. And I was happy to see great talents make their mark. These are only a few of my memories of that day. And it all happened on the same Sunday. September 25, 2016; “9/25 Day... One heck of a day.”
Section925's Tripper Ortman and Josh Hunsucker were out at the Lafayette Art & Wine Festival this September interviewing a wide array of Bay Area sports personalities on the streets of the East Bay. A's outfielder Mark Canha, Cal hall-of-famer Jon Zuber, Big Game hero J Torchio, former Cal basketball player and coach Jon Wheeler, and De La Salle football head coach Justin Alumbaugh all sat down to tell their stories with Tripper.
Hyperlocal players and coaches from from Acalanes, Miramonte and Campolindo also graced the festival with their presence over the weekend. So pull up a chair and dive into our YouTube channel below. And let us know in the comments who you'd like to see on our podcast next!
After a gritty road win in Tennessee, Oakland now heads to Baltimore to battle the Ravens (photo by Wesley Hitt)
By Merlin Edwards III
When your NFL team starts off the season by going 2-1, depending on the fan base you will either be contempt or ecstatic. The ecstatic feeling comes from fans who aren't used to it, and the contempt feeling is for those fans who have enjoyed high expectations for years. The Oakland Raiders fan base has no excuse to be anything but ecstatic.
Even for those fans who are ever-optimists and think the team has been good enough to make the playoffs for years (and there are some of you out there), everyone must be happy about this start we have in Oakland. Yes, they should have had a better showing and won the very winnable Falcons game. Yes, they could have played a bit better in every other game. And no, they still haven't put a full 60 minutes of great football together. But they haven't gone 2-0 on the road to start the season since 2002 (the last time they made the playoffs). At the very least, something must be said about that accomplishment.
The Tennessee Titans are a team that the Raiders should beat, and did beat last Sunday. It wasn't a pretty game, but nobody cares about that as long as there is a check mark in the column labeled "W" and not "L." The defense looked much better, and for a couple of different reasons. Some of those reasons being that the Titans have major flaws that the Raiders were able to exploit, but also the play of new guys helped form a newfound energy, passion, and speed that the defense hadn't shown.
The coaching staff finally gave rookies Karl Joseph and Cory James a shot to make plays, and make plays they did. Karl Joseph led the team in tackles in his first week playing defensive snaps, and Cory James was right behind him. Neither of those players had played more than 10 snaps combined throughout the first two games on defense. Partly because Joseph was still nursing a knee injury, and Ben Heeney was still getting a chance to play. But when the time came for the new guys to show what they could do, they brought the heat. Joseph was all over the field and Cory James seemed like a guy who could fill holes when needed, and was able to stuff running plays at the line.
The defensive line still hasn't been able to break through and get pressure, which is a problem, but the secondary finally had a good showing and was able to keep them from making big plays through the air. Sean Smith finally came to play and even had an interception, but the story of the day was David Amerson. Amerson graded out better than any other NFL player has so far this season per Pro Football Focus. He was thrown at plenty of times, gave up less than 40 yards, and broke up 5 different passes. Without Kahlil Mack and the line getting pressure, the defensive coaching staff could not have asked for a better performance. Even though the defense finally showed up to be a less leaky group, the offense did what they could to give the team a chance to win.
Derek Carr has been able to lead the Raider offense to look like one of the top five in the league, and even with a mediocre performance, they look poised to be world beaters. After scoring 28 or more in the first two weeks, scoring 17 against the Titans wasn't so hot. On a day where the defense played much better, however, Carr and Co. scored enough to win the game and that is all that matters.
The running game still looks great, and are ranked 2nd in the league behind Denver even with 30 less total carries. (Denver has 100+ and the Raiders have 77). The rapport that Carr has with Crabtree and Cooper looks like it will be dominant and even elite for years to come. The Raiders truly do have a state-of-the-art offense and it is showing, even when they don't play their best.
So after escaping Tennessee with a win, they have the chance to start 3-0 on the road, something they haven't done since the 2000 season or the "Tuck Rule" season, as I like to call it. When the Raiders travel to face the 3-0 Baltimore Ravens, they will need to play a full 4 quarters of solid, winning football. Even though the Ravens were 5-11 last year, (with one of those losses in Oakland) this Baltimore team seems to be much further along both defensively and offensively. Last year there were major injuries to both Terrell Suggs and Joe Flacco throughout the season. Both leaders of the defense and offense, respectively, are healthy this season, and are motivating their team to play like it.
With guys like C.J. Mosley and the aforementioned Suggs, this defense is big, fast, and nasty, but they do have holes. The Ravens main focus is stopping the run, and if the Raiders can continue their success on the ground, this will be an easier game than we all can imagine. However, I do not think that will be the case. The Ravens front 7 is stout, and will hold the Raiders ground attack in check (because they are just that good), but the passing game is a vulnerability for them and can be exploited. The best coaches in the league find match ups and attack them, and that is what OC Bill Musgrave must do in order to leave victorious. Musgrave went at Titans DB Parish Cox last week, early and often. It didn't matter who Cox lined up against, whether it was Cooper, Crabtree, or even Seth Roberts in the slot, plays were called to attack him and it worked. The same thing must be done this week against Ravens DB Shareece Wright. Even though they were on the losing end, the Jaguars, last week, were very successful attacking Wright while fielding an inferior QB and Receivers than what Oakland has. It took Baltimore's awesome special teams to block a field goal attempt to keep them in the game and eventually win. If the Raiders are able to exploit the weakness of Wright, as other teams have done in the past, it won't matter if the running game gets going. Derek Carr has to show why he is considered one of the best QB's in the league, play mistake and turnover-free football, and the Raiders will have a real chance to win on Sunday.
The odds are against Oakland, as they have gone 1-16 in their last 17 road trips to the eastern time zone. They will need the offense to play flawlessly and attack favorable match ups. They need the defense to once again show up on the road and play bend-don't-break football. Lastly, the Raiders need their group to keep Devin Hester and the great Baltimore unit from making game changing plays on special teams. In other words, the Silver and Black desperately need to play a complete game, all the way through, in order to win. The Ravens haven't played any team that is nearly as good as the Raiders, and will be tested, but they are no push overs. Whomever comes out with a win will have played a more complete, mistake-free game, and the Raiders have yet to do that. Brace yourselves, because this will be an edge-of-your-seat, hard nosed, slobber-knocker of a game.
My Prediction: Raiders 17, Ravens 21
Steph Curry looked fresh and rested at Warriors' media day in Oakland this week. The season opener vs. the Spurs is October 25th at Oracle. (photo by Ezra Shaw)
So believe it or not, the Dubs are already back. They play their first preseason game in Vancouver against the Raptors on Saturday. The dream lineup of Steph, Klay, KD, Draymond, et al is actually going to happen this year, whether we believe it or not.
Will the Warriors mesh into the greatest basketball team ever assembled? On paper, you can't argue that this is very much a possibility.
Or maybe too many cooks in Steve Kerr's kitchen will cause turmoil? How will Draymond get enough touches now? Can the Splash Brothers make room for yet another superstar shooter? The jury is still out, luckily we have The Ringer to investigate further. See below.
Sec925 Baseball Insider Jon Zuber steps back outdoors to talk MLB Playoffs, post-season awards, Tim Tebow's minor league contract and what it was like to play behind Roger Clemens on the Yankees.
