Pete Shrager is excited about our prospects this year..

[Eesti]

I was 11 and 5 with tanny I'm now 9-7 think the qb play under cutler is gonna be up and down and be a reason we lose some games. Gase is a plus 2 head coach but this is a lot to overcome before the season even starts. Wheels could fall off the bus if cutler gets hurt unless we are playing 16 games against the jets and bills. We'd be dialing it down considerably in terms of freedom of the qb and ways we go about things.

No matter what happens gase is gonna get a mulligan for the result.

By far scariest thing I see outside of qb attrition is starting nickel lb attrition. We just can't afford to lose either one of those starting nickel backers. Hewitt is such an unknown there right now. Everything else would be a massive eye sore.

Closely related to that is the DT play to help those LB's out. Godchaux may be impressing but it's still expecting a lot from a 5th round rookie. He may be more consistent than Phillips but we needed a huge upgrade to begin with....

How does he do vs some of the better interior linemen he will face in the regular season. They have a lot riding on him as well as Phillips and whoever ends up being the 4th DT.

Do we have anyone that can get off blocks as well as take up an occasional double team? I'm not so sure.

 

[Eesti]

And if you guys remember last year Hewitt couldn't even beat out spencer paysinger for the starting nickel once attrition kicked in. Hard to count on that.

Of course a Jenkins move would probably be a reactionary one to the loss of a plan a nickel Timmons or kiko

I just read an article (Armando I think) that said due to the lack of snaps Hewitt has gotten, he is a long shot to even make the team. Not sure I agree but he hasn't seen the field much in the last month. We should most certainly be scouring the waiver wire when cuts begin.

Another negative from the change it cut-downs this year. Everyone floods the market with no time to get in and learn the system before the season starts.

 

[hoops]

Closely related to that is the DT play to help those LB's out. Godchaux may be impressing but it's still expecting a lot from a 5th round rookie. He may be more consistent than Phillips but we needed a huge upgrade to begin with....

How does he do vs some of the better interior linemen he will face in the regular season. They have a lot riding on him as well as Phillips and whoever ends up being the 4th DT.

Do we have anyone that can get off blocks as well as take up an occasional double team? I'm not so sure.

Agreed. Those double teams are surely coming too. I saw suh working with godchaux on how to handle technique wise double teams. It's a lot to put on a 5th round rookie but appears that's where it's headed. It's probably the most developmental position in football.

 

[<O>]

The defense certainly did seem to get by with "Smoke and Mirrors" at times.

But the absolute truth about the NFL is you are what your record says you are. We were 10-6. SO it was certainly a "real" 10-6.

Its our record so its real...

FH dude, I swear, SMDH

Well that isn't really true, because if the primary reasons for the record are random factors that are unlikely to be replicated, then obviously that's worse than when the primary reasons for the record are systematic factors that are likely to be replicated.

 

[hoops]

I just read an article (Armando I think) that said due to the lack of snaps Hewitt has gotten, he is a long shot to even make the team. Not sure I agree but he hasn't seen the field much in the last month. We should most certainly be scouring the waiver wire when cuts begin.

Another negative from the change it cut-downs this year. Everyone floods the market with no time to get in and learn the system before the season starts.

I don't see how they cut Hewitt unless he physically can't go. The depth lb is a freaking mess.

Good point about the short time to get guys in under this new cut time to learn the system.

No matter what we do add we are going to week 1 with what we have currently in house in terms of active lbs.

 

[Eesti]

I was laughing at the show's poor and generic concept in general.

That show seems more like a podcast than a national NFLN show. It's awful....except for the hot girl.

 

[hoops]

Closely related to that is the DT play to help those LB's out. Godchaux may be impressing but it's still expecting a lot from a 5th round rookie. He may be more consistent than Phillips but we needed a huge upgrade to begin with....

How does he do vs some of the better interior linemen he will face in the regular season. They have a lot riding on him as well as Phillips and whoever ends up being the 4th DT.

Do we have anyone that can get off blocks as well as take up an occasional double team? I'm not so sure.

Let's assume the 4th dt comes from in house. You keeping Vincent Taylor or nick Williams or?

 

[Eesti]

Let's assume the 4th dt comes from in house? You keeping Vincent Taylor or nick Williams or?

To tell you the truth, I haven't been able to focus enough on the games into the late quarters enough to tell the difference. Have you? If so, let me know what you think.

For me, if its a tie....it goes to the rookie.

 

[hoops]

To tell you the truth, I haven't been able to focus enough on the games into the late quarters enough to tell the difference. Have you? If so, let me know what you think.

For me, if its a tie....it goes to the rookie.

I think when you are talking late round dts as rookies the only thing you ask is for them to flash to keep. It's such a developmental position. Taylors upright and he's stiff and he fits the scheme to a t and he flashes. That would be enough for me not to expose a rookie dt.

Godchaux to date is a far and away exception it shouldn't change the norm.

Although I do think if we got an injury in the top 3 we would be adding a veteran instead of inserting Taylor.

 

[Eesti]

Jenkins looks like he might be their starter at OLB.

Everything I see has him as a backup to Cory James.

 

[Beach Bum]

I don't see how they cut Hewitt unless he physically can't go. The depth lb is a freaking mess.

Good point about the short time to get guys in under this new cut time to learn the system.

No matter what we do add we are going to week 1 with what we have currently in house in terms of active lbs.

We probably will be scouring the waiver wire/ cut lists for additional help at LB, but I am guessing the pickings will be slim. Maybe we will get lucky with a trade.

 

[Sons Of Shula]

Everything I see has him as a backup to Cory James.

Locks: Cory James, Jelani Jenkins, Marquel Lee
Likely Safe: Tyrell Adams
On The Bubble: Ben Heeney, Nicholas Morrow
No Chance: Najee Harris, Brady Sheldon, Xavier Woodson-Luster

"Barring an injury or a major upset, James, Lee and Jenkins will be the three starting linebackers. Lee has struggled in coverage, but he’s done well enough in run support to earn the inside linebacker job, with James and Jenkins on either side of him."

http://only1nation.com/2017/08/28/oakland-raiders-90-man-roster-tiers-locks-long-shots/

 

[DKphin]

I think Schrager is a hack and he is more of an entertainment writer than a sports writer.

 

[Sons Of Shula]

I think Schrager is a hack and he is more of an entertainment writer than a sports writer.

All of the four letter networks are merely entertainment. Very very little actual football knowledge is passed on by them.

 

[Eesti]

Locks: Cory James, Jelani Jenkins, Marquel Lee
Likely Safe: Tyrell Adams
On The Bubble: Ben Heeney, Nicholas Morrow
No Chance: Najee Harris, Brady Sheldon, Xavier Woodson-Luster

"Barring an injury or a major upset, James, Lee and Jenkins will be the three starting linebackers. Lee has struggled in coverage, but he’s done well enough in run support to earn the inside linebacker job, with James and Jenkins on either side of him."

http://only1nation.com/2017/08/28/oakland-raiders-90-man-roster-tiers-locks-long-shots/

I would buy that but they make no mention of their best LB....Bruce Irvin at SLB. They still run the 4-3 under correct? I see they call him out as "edge rusher" but he's still a LB and one of the top 3.