Breakdown of Raiders picks.
1. Chaney... 81 ovr
2. Patterson... 72 ovr
3. Stevenson... 68 ovr.
4. Floyd... 69 ovr.
5. Lattimore... 66 ovr.
6. McGhee... 62 ovr.
7. Hyde... 66 ovr.
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Breakdown of Raiders picks.
1. Chaney... 81 ovr
2. Patterson... 72 ovr
3. Stevenson... 68 ovr.
4. Floyd... 69 ovr.
5. Lattimore... 66 ovr.
6. McGhee... 62 ovr.
7. Hyde... 66 ovr.
As it stands right now, two of the :Oakland_Raiders: draft picks are scheduled to make immediate impacts.
WR Randy Chaney: he's a possession receiver with great hands. He doesn't have great speed but he can get open. With the loss of Little, Streater and Holmes to free agency (and trading Criner to Pittsburgh) Chaney will slide in as the #3 receiver.
RG Cy Patterson: Patterson is a project who may need time to develop. However, he will be thrown into the fire and have to learn on the fly. The decision was made to convert him to a LG position in order to fill in a position of need. Patterson was not the first choice but this draft had very few guards and an upgrade at the position is desperately needed. I am sure he will do a great job.
The RB chosen in the 3rd round, Stevenson is an interesting pick. He is a speed back. Originally the goal was to look at him for a depth back and kick returner. However, upon closer inspection he looks to has an impressive skill-set. He will compete with Murray for backup reps at the HB position.
All of the other players have an excellent shot of making the team. Heading into training camp the only person on the bubble may be 6th rounder TE Rhyder McGhee. He was a "potential" pick. If he works out in pre-season great. If not then at least we tried.
The big question of the off-season... what do the Raiders do with Matt Schaub???
Schaub played great last year before being injured. However, with another year under his belt his skills have really dropped off (67 ovr). He is no longer the starter for this team. That job currently is in Matt McGloin's hands. However, Carr may still be in the plans (though there are rumours that a Carr for Bridgewater deal may be in the wings...??? It is a know fact the owner of the Raiders is a big Bridgewater fan).
So is there a trade market for Schaub? It seems unlikely. Should he be cut? Tough call because he has a big cap hit. Keep him on the roster as the 3rd stringer? Again, not desirable as Jake Locker was just brought in for 3rd string duties and Oakland will NOT carry 4 QB's.
How blind were you on draft day? How many points did you have to scout?
You have 90 points to scout each week. Each attribute to unlock is usually 5,8 or 10 points. As for the draft... very blind. basically it's the same as last year except for the fact that they give you the scheme fit. That in and of itself is very important. Personally I think that all players should also have speed displayed as well. As for blind drafting, age, scheme and production are pretty much all that is available. I would love to see a lot more work put in for next year. This includes a draft board and combine.Quote:
Originally Posted by Rudy
I think a letter grade for speed should be automatic given the 40 times. I used to spend most of my points on letter grade overall and try to focus on drafting the few kids I found were good. I had a lot of fun with that but they nerfed that completely this year.
I really would like to see more/less points available based on the quality of your scout. There are so many things they could do with the draft. They just need the initiative to do them. That being said, I have found this year's draft to be more enjoyable and realistic. Also, it's only the 2nd time I have had a player with a backstory (out of shape, overweight could be a bust et. al.).Quote:
Originally Posted by Rudy
Oakland fills out its rosters with a few last minute signings.
WR Cole Beasley
TE Allen Reisner
Both deals are one year contracts with no signing bonus. Both may be cut in the pre-season. Raiders ownership is tempted to make a big splash by signing WR Julio Jones but his price tag will break the bank.
looking over the schedule:
The Raiders play the AFC & NFC NORTH this season. Highlights of the schedule include:
Week 1: @:Buffalo_Bills:
Week 8: MONDAY NIGHT vs. :San_Diego_Chargers:
Week 9: @ :Pitt_Steelers:
Week 16: SUNDAY NIGHT vs. :Green_Bay_Packers:
Around the :NFL:
:Houston_Texans: will be starting rookie QB Carl McLendon
:Tennessee_Titans: name Matt Flynn the starting QB
:Minnesota_Vikings: promote Teddy Bridgewater to starting QB over Matt Cassel
:Chicago_Bears: QB battle between Cutler and rookie Steve Sanford
:Arizona_Cardinals: name Ryan Mallett the starting QB
:Miami_Dolphins: name rookie Brent Francis starter over Tannehill
:New_York_Giants: QB depth chart: Case Keenum, Ryan Nassib, Eli Manning
:Detroit_Lions: only have Matt Stafford on the roster at QB... no other QBs???
Amazing talent remains unsigned in the FA pool. This list includes:
WR Julio Jones
WR Pierre Garcon
CB Jimmy Smith
CB Prince Amukamara
TE Ben Watson
HB Mark Ingram
ROLB Lance Briggs
K Billy Cundiff
LE Cry Redding
CB Asante Samuel
TE Heath Miller
SS Antrel Rolle
etc. etc. etc.
:NE_Patriots: Robert Craft has been named to the Hall of Fame.
Several attempts were made at trades with regards to QB's on the Raiders roster. These include McGloin, Carr and Schaub. A couple of deals were close but final compensation could not be agreed upon so Oakland walked away.
Why don't you sign Julio? How much does he want?
If EA would just implement a lot of the off-season features from Head Coach 09, the game would be a lot better IMO.Quote:
Originally Posted by jaymo76
Due to the way they changed funds for owner mode, I cannot afford to sign him as my team will drop into negative funds. Plus I need to save money to upgrade the stadium as it's in bad shape. The change to owner mode money (apparently is not a bug) does NOT let you spend to the cap, only to the amount of money your owner has available (eg. I think I have 7 million). With my first two preseason games on the road I may drop into negative funds?Quote:
Originally Posted by Rudy
How do you like game prep? I've never tried it yet. Just delegated it and trying to play.
Honestly, I like it because it is quick and simple yet also has a lot of strategy to it. I don't do any of the drills though.Quote:
Originally Posted by Rudy
:Oakland_Raiders: 2015 Pre-season synopsis:
There is reason to be optimistic in Oakland this season. After a shocker of a 2014 campaign where the team broke all expectations, this team has something to prove... ultimately the 2014 was not a fluke. However, there has been some big roster turnover. Can the new players step it up?
Many f the decisions for this team were based on going with youth and draft picks to get younger. If the pre-season is any indicator, this will be a big season for Oakland!
Preseason:
Week 1: :Oakland_Raiders: 31 :Green_Bay_Packers: 15
Week 2: :Oakland_Raiders: 26 :Pitt_Steelers: 12
:Baltimore_Ravens: 13 :Oakland_Raiders: 16
:New_York_Giants: 3 :Oakland_Raiders: 33
The Raiders were a perfect 4-0 and looked very good in the process. McGloin played well at QB but it was Locker who was lights out at the QB spot. As a result he made the team. However, that meant that Matt Schaub was given his walking papers.
At RB, ROOKIE Sherrod Stevenson played well enough to wrap up the #2 spot on the RB depth chart. He will also be the feature 3rd down back. Murray and Sheets will follow on the depth chart.
WR... ROOKIE Randy Chaney is going to be something special. Next year he will be the #1 receiver, no question. This season he will start in the #3 spot behind Jones and Moore. The kid is a beast. A huge surprise... the play of ROOKIE Terik Lattimore. His play has earned him the #4 job, just edging out newcomer Cole Beasley (who also had a good preseason. Brice Butler will fill in at 6th spot.
The Raiders will start the season with 4 TE's. Rivera earns the start and he will be backed up by Kasa. ROOKIE Ryder McGhee earned a spot on the team and gets to go ahead on the depth chart in front of newcomer Allen Reisner.
At LG Cy Patterson transitioned well and as a result earns the starting job over Tony Bergstrom. As for the OL, backup RG Boothe was released to make room for Patterson.
On the line, ROOKIE Seth Hyde has been converted to DT. He will hold down the #4 spot on the depth chart.
There have been some changes on the corners. D.J hayden had an otstanding preseason and will earn the #2 spot ver Carlo Rogers. Keith McGill will be biting at his heals all season. To fill out the DB's, newcomer Tracy Porter has made the roster for spot #5 (in place of Carrie who is on I.R.).
At FS, Tashaun Gipson was brought in as an FA. However, returning veteran Usama Young played better and as a result will be the starter. At SS, Larry Asante has been just signed to backup Tyvon Branch.
At the kickoff return position, Lattimore and Kory Sheets will split reps. Lattimore will also do punt returns. Speaking of punting, Jeff Locke will be Oakland's new punter. He is not as accurate as marquette King but he's still young and will improve.
Season two kicks off...
Week 1: :Oakland_Raiders: @ :Buffalo_Bills:
A windy day in Orchard park kicks off the season. For the first time since the 1970's, the Raiders are decked out in white.
The Raiders start with the ball and go 12 plays for a TD as McGloin hits Jones from three yards out. On Buffalo's first possession Manuel throws an int. A few plays later it's 10-0 Oakland. What a start!
Oakland keeps on coming and early in the 2nd, Chaney makes his first TD catch of his career to give the Raiders a 17-0 lead. The half ends 17-3 Oakland. Both QB's are playing well but the difference is the int thrown by Manuel. McGoin went 16/20 for 104 yards and 2 TD's. For Buffalo, Watkins and Welker have zero catches but Brent Celek has been a beast.
After a beautiful drive to start the 3rd, Manuel gets popped and fumbles. The Raiders respond with a 53 yard Janikowski FG to increase the lead 20-3.
Late in the 4th the Raiders add salt to the wound by punching in a TD from three yards out. That makes the score and the final... 27-3 Oakland.
McGloin 22/31 167 yards 2 TD's
MJD 24 carries 100 yards 4.1 ypc
Give it up for the rookies:
RB Sherrod Stevenson 7 carries 42 yards 1 TD
WR Randy Chaney 7 rec 60 yards 1 TD
LG Cy Patterson 1 pancake
Seth Hyde 1 sack, 1 tackle, 1 tfl
punt returns: Terik lattimore 4 returns for 59 yards.
The downside of the game: WR James Jones is out for 8 weeks with a broken collarbone. That means Chaney moves into the #2 WR spot.
Week 2: :Houston_Texans: @ :Oakland_Raiders:
The Raiders get some prime-time action in week two as they kick off their home schedule with a visit from the Texans on Thursday night. The game turned out to be a real show of offense on both sides. Houston started off the game with a 3-0 lead in the first. The 2nd quarter ended with the score 10-10. After the 3rd quarter, the Texans were up by a score of 20-17. That's when things went south for Houston.
In the 4th quarter the raider offense exploded for 21 unanswered points. That made the score Oakland 38 Houston 20. The Raiders O out-gained Houston 584 yards to 334 yards.
Houston was on the road to victory until their starter rookie QB, Carl McClendon was knocked out of the game late in the 3rd. His backup, Tom Savage came in and went 5/7 and then also got injured and then 3rd stringer Tavaris Jackson came in and, ... well... you know the results.
Matt McGloin 26/32 295 yards 3 TD 1 int.
Carl McClendon 13/16 147 yards 2 TD.
Houston could not run the ball but Oakland had a field day. MJD had 22 carries for 98 yards before being injured. Rookie Sherrod Stevenson came in and had 18 carries for 82 yards and 2 TD's.
Rookie WR Randy Chaney had a monster game in his first as a starter. He had 8 catches for 121 yards and 2 TD's.
After week two, the Raiders have the number 2 offense and number 2 defense. How long will this ride continue???
Week 3: :Minnesota_Vikings: @ :Oakland_Raiders:
Oakland gets its first look at Teddy Bridgewater. Management has made it no secret that in the offseason several attempts were made to get Teddy. However Minnesota wouldn't have it. McGloin has something to prove this game.
Beautiful weather in the bay area... it's time for kickoff!
Oakland starts off the game with a 52 yard FG to take a 3-0 lead. That score holds until the 2nd quarter. After a long drive by the Vikes they convert on a 52 yard FG to tie the game 3-3.
With 1:22 left in the half McGloin throws a pic six and Minnesota goes up 10-3. It was a terrible read by McGloin!!! The hald ends 10-3. This game is a dog! 52 pass yards for the Vikes to 49 for the Raiders and 32 rush yards for Minnesota to 30 for Oakland. Both Bridgewater and McGloin have looked average at best. MJJ only has a 2.7 ypc average. Ugly all around!!!
Minnesota starts the 3rd with a nice, fast paced drive and it ends with a 48 yard FG to give the Vikes a 13-3 lead. Oakland cannot respond and McGloin is now 8 for 17 for 54 yards. Is it time for a switch???
The Raiders next drive see's Janikwoski hit the post on a 55 yard attempt. The score remains 13-3 Minnesota late in the 3rd. Minnesota is really chewing the clock with run after run after run. They can't move the ball but they sure are committed to running it.
The 4th begins with a 37 yard FG by Minnesota. That makes it 16-3. Is this game slipping away?
With 4:26 left Oakland goes for it on 4th and 12 at the Viking 27. Oakland cannot convert. Minnesota cannot move the ball so Oakland gets it back and goes another 4 and out. On Minnesota's next possession they continue to run the ball and the clock. With 1:14 left Minnesota hits a 30 yard FG and cements their lead, 19-3.
The last drive of the game, Carr gets some action and he takes advantage of it, leading Oakland down the field ad hitting TE McGhee for a TD. The Raiders miss the 2 point conversion but do get the onside kick with 3 seconds left. The Hail Mary comes up incomplete and the game ends with the Vikings winning 19-9.
McGloin was awful going 16/31 for 117 yards and 1 int. Carr was 5/9 for 80 yards and a TD. MJD had 63 yards on 15 carries. The only real positive of the game saw Mychal Rivera snag six catches.
With the loss Oakland falls to 2-1 on the season.
Week 4: :Oakland_Raiders: @ :Denver_Broncos:
A huge matchup this weekend as the :AFC: West's two top dogs battle it out at Milehigh. Demarcus Ware, A.J Hawk and Terrance Knighton are all injured so Denver's D is vulnerable. Also, the Bronco O-line is a mess... it's the weak spot on their solid roster. Can Oakland find the advantage? After a terrible outing versus Minnesota, Oakland needs to respond.
Denver starts off the scoring with a 50 yard FG by Prater. Later in the first quarter, breakout rookie RB Stephenson fumbles the ball in Denver territory. On the next raider drive McGloin gets sacked and fumbles the ball deep in Oakland territory. Three plays later Manning hits Sanders for the Td and it's 10-0 Denver.
On the next Oakland drive... finally a response! The raiders drive the field and then MJD punches it in from the 2 to make the score 10-7 with 3:40 left in the half.
With time running out the Raiders begin their last drive of the half and with 0:00 on the clock, Janikowski hits a 36 yard FG to tie the game at 10-10 going into halftime. McGloin started slow but at this point he is on fire throwing for 166 yards in the first half! Denver cannot run the ball. Ball has 8 rushes for 2 yards. Manning and the pass game are the only thing working for Denver's offense.
On Denver's first drive of the 3rd quarter, Manning throws a pic six to Usama Young and the Raiders take their first lead of the game. That's 17 unanswered points by Oakland. You can hear the boos from the Denver fans. Ouch!
Denver responds with a beautiful drive ending with Manning hitting Thomas for the TD and a 17-17 tie game. The third comes to an end with the score 17-17.
With 9:21 left in the 4th, Janikowski hits a FG from 34 yards out and Oakland goes back on top, 20-17. As Denver begins their next drive, the Oakland D steps up and backup CB McGill takes a 71 yard pic six to the house... 27-17 Oakland. With 7:20 remaining that could be the game???
Not so fast. Manning goes 82 yards in six plays and hits his rookie TE for a TD. That makes it 27-24. However the MJD show takes over and the Raiders begin to chew the clock. They key play of the game... 3rd and 7. Denver has no timeouts and there is on 1:44 left on the clock... McGloin hits Moore on a crossing pattern and he fights for the first down. That ensures the win for Oakland with the final score Oakland 27 Denver 24.
The QB play for both teams was strong.
McGloin 22/30 217 yards
Manning 22/29 268 yards 3TD 2 INT
* the two pic six plays for manning was a real game killer.
As for the run game... no comparison
MJD 22 carries 108 yards 1 TD
Ball 13 carries 39 yards
The difference in the game was the pic six plays and no run game by Denver. Those things ensured an Oakland victory.
In week five Oakland gets its bye week.
:AFC: WEST standings:
:Oakland_Raiders: 3-1
:Denver_Broncos: 3-1
:Kansas_City_Chiefs: 2-2
:San_Diego_Chargers: 1-3
The :NE_Patriots::Philly_Eagles::Seattle_Seahawks: are all 4-0 to start the year.
The :New_York_Giants::Cleveland_Browns::New_York_Jets: :Atlanta_Falcons: are all winless.
The worst injury of the season thus far goes to Sen'Derrick Marks of the :Jax_Jaguars: as he is out 38 weeks with a complete PCL tear. The Jags are also demolished with injuries as they have 8 starters out and 4 of them are 12 or more weeks.
Edit: after simming week five, Revis of the Pats will miss 42 weeks with an achilles tear.
Entering the bye week the :Oakland_Raiders: have looked good. However the play has not translated well into profits. The Raiders are currently the 21st highest earning team with just a little over 23.3 million in revenue.
Week 6: :Cincinnati_Bengals: @ :Oakland_Raiders:
At 2-3 the Bengals have struggled out of the gate. On the other side the raiders, especially the D have been outstanding thus far and as such the team sits a 3-1. Today's test versus AJ Green may be a real challenge...
Dalton starts with the ball. He has had a brutal season throwing only 5 TD's as compared to 14 pics. The opening drive stalls and P Marquette King makes his return to Oakland. With Oakland's first offensive possession McGloin and crew move the ball perfectly and MJD takes it in from the 1 for a TD and that makes it 7-0 Raider nation.
Well at half-time and if you don't like tenacious D you will not like this game. The score remains 7-0 Oakland. McGloin has gone 7/12 109 yards while Dalton is 9/16 113 yards. The stats are pretty much the same across the board.
Halfway through the 3rd Janikowski hits a 28 yard FG and the Raiders go up 10-0. The Bengals respond with a 29 yard FG near the end of the quarter... 10-3 Raiders.
To start the 4th the Bengals have the ball in Raider territory. Well they did until Justin Tuck humiliated the OL. That being said, the drive continues and on 3rd down Dalton converts and a few plays later Bernard punches it in from the 2 and just like that it's 10-10 with 7:29 remaining.
With the clock ticking away, rookie RB Stevenson gets a major injury... a partial PCL tear. He is going to miss a lot of games!!!
With 1:59 on the clock, MJD caps a 16 play drive with a TD on a one yard rush and the Raiders go up 17-10. Dalton responds and with 31 seconds left Dalton scrambles for the TD to make it 17-17.
On 3rd and 8 Lattimore drops a wide open pass. He would have scored a TD for sure. Ouch!
So we are off to OT. This dog of a game has become on heck of a game! Cincy takes the ball and move it well. They make it to the Oakland 38 but the wind is too strong for a kick.
Oakland starts at their own five and put a beautiful drive together on the back of Lattimore. He had three monster catches. Sadly though he was badly injured on the drive. With 1 second left Janikowski hits a 4o yard FG and Oakland wins 20-17. What a game!!!
McGloin 21/36 237 yards
Dalton 28/43 285 yards
MJD 28 carries 115 yards 2 TD
Bernard 14 carries 67 yards 1 TD
Lattimore 5 rec 76 yards
Green 7 rec 76 yards
Update: Lattimore's injury only looked bad. He will be back on the field next week. Also, Stevenson got lucky... his partial tear will only cost him 7 weeks. However, he may be put on IR for the season just to be safe.
Week 7: :Oakland_Raiders: @ :Kansas_City_Chiefs:
The 4-1 Raiders head to KC to take on the hated 3-3 Chiefs. KC has the 32nd rated D in the league. This could be a big day for MJD and McGloin??? Speaking of McGloin, Raiders ownership officially reached out this weekend to try to get him int a new deal. McGloin is looking for a short-term deal while the Raiders want to go longer term... more on this at a later date...
Khalil Mack has the first big play of the game as he pics off Smith at centre-field. The first score comes shortly after as Janikowski hits a 44 yard FG and the raiders go up 3-0.
Early in the 2nd, Oakland goes for it on 4th and 1 from the goalline. McGloin calls an I slant and hits Moore for the TD strike. That makes it 10-0 Oakland.
Bad news... Terrick Lattimore has a ripped pectoral muscle and will miss the rest of the season. This is a huge injury for the rookie who was really starting to come into his own. Korey Sheets will resume pr/pr duties and WR Beasley will move up on the depth chart.
With under 5 minute remaining in the 2nd, Janikowski hits a 29 yard FG to increase Oakland's lead to 13-0. However KC moves the ball well on their next drive and Charles punches it in from the goalline with 1:37 remaining in the half. That makes the score 13-7 Raiders.
The Raiders dominated the first half but not on the scoreboard nor with the run game. McGloin has been awesome but MJD is dead in the water. Nonetheless on the Raiders first drive of the half, Reece punches it in from the 1 and the Raiders go up 19-7. Beasley dropped the 2 point conversion on a big hit from Berry.
The 4th quarter begins with a 42 yard KC FG to make the score 19-10 Oakland. However that is as far as KC would go as with 1:32 left they cannot convert on 4th and 12 from the Oakland 13. The Raiders get the ball back and move the sticks once and end the game. What a grudge match!
The two players of the game...
McGloin 28/38 241 yards and 1 TD
Chaney 9 catches 89 yards
Honourable mention goes to SS Tyvon Branch as he had 7 tackles, 2 tackles for a loss and one sack.
That improve the Raiders to 5-1 on the season.
Injury update: WR Terik Lattimore will be out for 22 weeks with a pectoral tear. The Raiders will look to the FA pool for a roster player.
Roster update: The Raiders have announced the FA signing of WR Stedman Bailey. Bailey will wear #13 for the Raiders. Currently he is slotted in at the #4 WR spot but a strong performance may move him up past Beasley who has struggled with drops this season.
Week 8: :San_Diego_Chargers: @ :Oakland_Raiders:
The Raiders return home after last week's trip to KC. New addition Stedman Bailey is looking good thus far. The Chargers are playing very poorly and at 2-5 their season is slipping away. This is a huge game for Oakland as it's a primetime Monday night matchup.
The first drive is not what Oakland wanted... Fred Jackson breaks a run for 58 yards and a TD. It's 7-0 SD. On Oakland's first offensve play, McGloin throws an INT and SD takes over on the Raider 20. Ouch! The damage is minimal as the Chargers are held to a 27 yard FG and increase the lead to 10-0.
The Raiders respond quickly as cGloin hits Chaney for a 22 yard TD strike and that makes it 10-7 SD. However that score doens't last long as Rivers hits Kearse for 72 yards and a TD. The chargers have come to play as it's now 17-7 midway through the 1st.
Janikowski hts a 33 yard FG to make the game closer as that makes it 17-10 early into the 2nd quarter. Can the Oakland D get a stop here? The answer is yes!
With 1:28 left in the 2nd, McGloin hits Chaney in the endzone for the TD and that makes it 17-17. Chaney has had a phenomenal half... 10 catches, 102 yards and 2 TD's.
The half ends tied 17-17. MJD has 94 yards on 14 carries and he will be depended on in the 2nd half to keep time of possession on Oakland's side.
MJD!!! The first play of the third quarter and MJD breaks 2 tackles and goes 80 yards to the house. Oakland takes their first lead of the game, 24-17. WOW!
SD goes three and out and has to punt. On Oakland's very next play, McGloin sense pressure and hot routes Chaney... who brings in a 48 yard bomb for the TD (his 3rd of the game) and that makes it 31-17 with 9:25 left in the 3rd. The "greatness of the Raiders" is truly on display today.
SD hits a 45 yard FG to pull a little closer and that makes it 31-20 Oakland. To start the 4th, the Raiders respond with a 27 yard Janikowski FG and that makes it 34-20 Oakland.
To rub salt in the wound, DT Antonio Smith gets a safety on Rivers and that makes it 36-20 with 5:37 remaining.
On the next drive, McGloin hits Chaney for 52 yards and a TD, his 4th of the game. That makes it 43-20 Oakland. Time for the backups to get some action. The game ends with the same score, Oakland 43 San Diego 20.
McGloin 20/28 314 yards 4TD 1Int
MJD24 carries 208 yards 1TD
Chaney 11 rec. 216 yards 19.6 ypc 4TD
With the victory the Raiders improve to 6-1
:Oakland_Raiders: Rookie WR Randy Chaney wins the :AFC: offensive player of the week award and rightly so. He is the first Raider to earn a player of the week award this season. Chaney has now moved to #1 on the WR depth chart, passing Moore.
WR James Jones has returned from injury this week. He originally was the #1 WR and I am not a believer in losing your job due to inury. However, Chaney is too hot to go to drop on the depth chart. Therefore, Chaney will stay at #1, Jones will go #2 and Moore will go #3.
Next up... a trip to Pittsburgh.
Is #1 the Split End and #2 the Flanker in Madden or is it the other way around? I can't remember (haven't played since Madden 12). Just curious.
Anyway, hopefully the virtual Steelers are worth a damn. :)
Generally speaking Madden treats #1 as the flanker when running two receiver sets. However, as you know, madden does what madden does so its a little but of both. As to the Steelers... they are not having a great season. Two weeks ago they released RB Blount. Big Ben is not lighting it up so the offense is struggling. However, I have a tough time when I play in Pittsburgh so I am not taking this game lightly.Quote:
Originally Posted by steelerfan
Week 9: :Oakland_Raiders: @ :Pitt_Steelers:
The 6-1 Raiders travel to Pittsburgh to take on the mediocre 4-3 Steelers. Big Ben has been average at best this season. Can he compete against a stingy Raider-Dline? Pitt TE Mercedes Lewis needs to have a big game for Ben to succeed.
What a beauty... 60F and sunny. Weather will not be an issue today.
Late in the first quarter Janikowski gets the party started with a 36 yard FG and Oakland goes up 3-0. Three plays later Big Ben responds with a TD strike to Wheaton. What a drive! That makes it 7-3 Steelers. However, the Raiders fly down the field and to start the 2nd, MJD rushes it in from the 10 and just like that it's 10-7 Oakland.
Pittsburgh has come to play... 10 plays 74 yards ending with the Big Ben rushing TD from the 12 yard line and that makes it 14-10 Steelers. The Raiders respond with a beautiful drive but McGloin throws a bad INT. at the Pittsburgh 20.
Ben hits ex-Raider Criner for a 52 yard TD and the Steelers shock everyone with a 21-10 lead. The raiders strike back with 00:00 on the clock as janikowski hits a 33 yard FG to make the score 21-13. Ben is beastly today going 7/8 for 155 yards and 2 Td's. Vereen has 9 carries for 84 yards. The raider D is being owned. McGloin is only 15/27 and MJD is DOA today.
The Raiders get a TD midway through the 3rd as MJD punches it in from the 2. However the 2point conversion is missed and the score is 21-19 Steelers. On the next drive, CB Brown intercepts Ben deep in Steeler territory. WR Jones, back in the lineup after injury snags a TD pass from 3 yards out and the Raiders take the lead, 26-21.
What has happened to the Steeler offense???
With time running down in the 3rd, McGloin makes another bad pass and the result is an INT. Pittsburgh starts the 4th with a TD strike to WR Whalen and Pittsburgh goes up 27-26 as they fail to convert the 2 points.
On the next drive McGloin throws his third pic of the game, this time a pic six to Troy P. and the Steelers go up big, 34-26. Dennis Allen has seen enough... Carr is coming in.
Well, Carr coming in at QB does very little as Oakland goes 3 and out. Pittsburgh gets the ball back and Ben throws off two DL's and throws a TD strike... that makes it 41-26 Pittsburgh with 6:08 remaining.
But it's not over... on the next play, Carr throws an 80 yard TD bomb to Chaney and that makes it 41-33 Pittsburgh. The Raider D needs to hold now!!!
With 2:23 remaining Woodley strips the ball from Big Ben... Raiders take over at their own 35. With 2 seconds left and out of time outs, Carr puts it up into the endzone but the catch cannot be made... and the raiders lose 41-33.
Raiders were owned in this game. McGloin was awful but the team wasn't much better. The Steelers deserved the win today. The Raiders fall to 6-2 while Pittsburgh improves to 5-3.
After 8 games:
:AFC: WEST
:Denver_Broncos: 7-1
:Oakland_Raiders: 6-2
:Kansas_City_Chiefs: 3-5
:San_Diego_Chargers: 2-6
Top of the :AFC: :NE_Patriots: (7-1) :Denver_Broncos: (7-1) :Tennessee_Titans: (7-2)
Top of the :NFC: :Philly_Eagles: (9-0) :Seattle_Seahawks: (9-0)
Raider highlights:
Woodley leads the league in sacks with 11
Chaney is 2nd in the NFL with 737 receiving yards
MJD is 2nd in the league with 809 rush yards
McGloin has thrown for 1835 yards with 11 TD and 6 INT.
Here We Go, Steelers!
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Week 10: :Denver_Broncos: @ :Oakland_Raiders:
The :AFC: WEST hosts a first place showdown as the 7-1 Broncos travel to Oakland to battle the 6-2 Raiders. The Raiders won the first meeting of the season but their confidence is down after a poor performance in Pittsburgh.
On a beauty of a day Manning starts the game with a long drive ending in a TD toss to Shorts III. 7-0 Broncos. The Raiders first drive lasts 6 plays in which McGloin goes 0/3. This was not the start the Raiders wanted.
The first quarter ends 7-0 Denver. The Broncos have dominated every facet of the game. Passing an running with ease, the Broncos start the 2nd quarter with another long drive and prater hits the 3 from 36 yards out and just like that it's 10-0 Denver.
With 1:48 left in the half, Janikowski hits a 48 yard FG to make the score 10-3 Denver. McGloin has had a terrible half, going 4/11 for 66 yards. He has also been sacked three times and hit six times. Manning cannot be stopped and the Raider D has struggled to reach him.
With 2 seconds left, Denver hits a 20 yard FG to make the score 13-3 Denver. What a brutal half for Oakland! Denver had the ball for 17 minutes as compared to Oakland's six. Manning is already 18/23 for 187 yards and 1 TD.
The Raiders respond to start the 2nd half with a 14 play drive that lasts 7 minutes and 22 seconds and ends with Reece punching it in from the 1 to make the score 13-10 Denver. That pumps up the fans and the Raider D who get their first three and out of the game.
The 4th quarter starts with the score holding the same. With 6:18 left, Janikowski hits a 51 yard FG and that ties the game at 13-13.
Damn you Manning!!! A TD strike to Lattimer with 3:37 remaining and the Broncos go on top 20-13.
With 2:21 left the Raiders go for it on 4th and it's no dice. Broncos take over at midfield. However, the Raiders get the stop, suing their timeouts and with 1 minute left and starting from their on 1, the Raiders get the ball back. McGloin gets the team to the Denver 32 but the clock hits zero and the Broncos hold on for the win, 20-13.
That makes it two losses in a row for Oakland.
Manning 23/30 278 yards 2 TD
McGloin 19/36 257 yards
Ball 13 rushes 77 yards
MJD 16 rushes 83 yards
Shorts III 6 rec 90 yards
Rivera 7 rec 95 yards
Update: WR Cole Beasley suffered a partial PCL tear and will be out 8 weeks. A decision on ether to go on IR will be made later in the week.
Update: WR Jeremy Kerley has been signed to a one year $730,000 contract. In order to make room, Beaseley has been put on IR. The WR depth chart is as follows:
1. Chaney
2. Jones
3. Moore
4. Bailey
5. Kerley
6. Butler
Update: Jeremy Kerley has been upgraded to starting kick returner as Korey Sheets has done little as of late. This will be a nice way to get Kerley more involved.