Raider Invasion – Oakland Scouting Report

The Oakland Raiders will be in town this weekend to face the Miami Dolphins and along with silver and black team comes the silver and black fans. Oakland will pour some of its faithful into the seats at Dolphins Stadium and try to make the field their own, not by quantity but by Halloween style intimidation, it’s the Raider invasion.

Last weekend the Raiders snapped an 11 game losing streak dating back to last year. They did against the Cleveland Browns. Not exactly a ringing endorsement of how good the team is…or isn’t. However, the Raiders are not the same team they were last year, the team that picked number 1 overall in last years draft. They compete and they don’t give up. Here is this weeks scouting report.

Coaches: Cam Cameron vs. Lane Kiffin

Looks like Cameron has a leg up on the youngest NFL head coach. Cameron has more coaching experience even in the NFL ranks, Kiffin was at USC last year and this is his first NFL coaching gig. He has one more win than Cameron….so maybe that one leg is only a “peg-leg”.

Both Coaches are trying to instill something that both teams have lacked for quite some time, confidence. Neither the Raiders nor the Dolphins have much of it. This weekend, the Dolphins will have to stop the mental mistakes that are plaguing this team week in and week out. That is the Job of Cam Cameron.

Offense:

There is no bigger story this weekend then the return of Daunte Culpepper as the probable starter for the Raiders. Unless you lived in a bubble, were a contestant on “Survivor“, or were locked in a cell by your wife, you know about the controversial off-season that sent Cpepp packing and leaving the Miami area.

Cpepp will want to come down and “get his roll on” in front of the home crowd. A hard jab into the groin of the coaches and managers who threw him out. In order for him to do that, he will need to rely heavily on RB Lamont Jordan, and personally overcome his own bad habits.

Culpepper can throw the ball, weather it is on target or not, that is a separate question entirely. In the Miami heat, Cpepp will likely lose his grip on quite often and that should make his passes sail over the intended targets. The only question surrounding Cpepp is whether or not he can get it together long enough to win the game, or will he be out to try and prove Miami wrong. If it is the latter, Cpepp will have a very long day.

RB Lamont Jordan has rebounded from a horrible season last year. Of course the problems in the running game last year was the result of a team that had a ton of issues. Jordan is the featured back and will try and wear down the Miami defensive front. He will lower his shoulder and he will pound it out. Miamis’ defense is giving up way too many yards on the ground and Jordan will try to abuse them. He he is strong and quick but in the open field, he does not possess blazing speed. Stack the line and keep their running game at bay, they do not have a threatening aerial attack.

WRs’/TE: The Raiders have Ronald Curry and Jerry Porter and both of them are good number 2 WRs. The problem is that neither of them are a number 1 and if Chris Chambers gets knocked for his play, Chris looks like a legitimate 1 compared to these guys.

Speed is the key to them but they do not do well coming off the line if they are hit, it is in the open field that they excel, but the problem is that neither can get really solid separation which means that the QB has to be on the money with his throws. Rarely will you see one of these wide-outs…wide-open. It gets little better at TE as Zach Miller is a decent blocker but has yet to establish himself as a reliable pass catcher.

The big threat in this unit however, is Lamont Jordan who is number 2 on the team in receptions. As a check down receiver out of the back-field, the Dolphins will have to have full accountability of him.

Offensive Line:

Last year, there was no line, the team gave up more sacks than any other, the rushing game was non-existent and for the Raiders could not score points. This year? They have improved. From their attitude to their ability to cut down on mental mistakes the unit is getting better. They are not great and Cpepp will have to hope that the Raiders line can continue the success of Miami’s first 3 opponents in stopping Jason Taylor and company. The line must realize that despite the fact that Cpepp believes he can still play a certain way, that he can’t, and because of that, the line needs to be aware of the fact that Cpepp will try and do those things, it makes their job harder. For example, under pressure and Cpepp will try and run, but he has little speed anymore which means that the line has to hold their blocks longer. Cpepp will not stand in the pocket as long, which means the Oline has to be able to keep the defenders from rolling outside of their schemes where Cpepp will likely run. Cpepp practices well, but in his first full game as a starter in about a year…both he and the line have some work to do.

Defense:

The Oakland defense is giving up around 27.7 points per game and they are allowing a completion percentage of a little over 64 percent. Their secondary has taken the ball away 6 times on INTs’ while only allowing 5 touchdowns through the air, still, they have given up pass completions of 20 to 39 yards 12 times. Trent Green and his new attitude of WRs’ will try and exploit the unit. There are no names outside of Mike Huff the safety but they are improving a defense that has consistently ranked near the bottom for several years. Improving…not improved.

The front 7 including the LBs’ offer little challenge outside of the fact that they are playing with conviction and heart. The line is led by pro-bowl DT and mouth Warren Sapp, but his play now is only a reflection of what he used to be.

The Raiders are giving up over 127 yards per game on the ground which should enable Ronnie Brown to produce like he did last week. The unit has given up 3 rushing TDs’ and have only caused one fumble. The defense as a whole has 5 sacks.

This is a unit that Trent Green knows quite well, playing them 2 times a year for the last 6 years, Trent could not understand the rivalry of the Jets and Miami, he knows this one all too well.

Special Teams: Sebastion Janikowski handles their kicking duties and the in-field dirt will not likely play a roll in his play as he has the same issue in Oakland. He has a very strong leg, but he is not the most accurate kicker in the league by far. The strongest part of the Raider team, much like Miamis’ is Pro-Bowl punter Shane Lechler. Lechler has a booming leg and will can pin the opposition deep…however, his coverage units are not that good, much like Miamis’ so the potential for a return is always possible.