Oakland locals talk about the OL there (1 Viewer)

[Ministry of Pain]

Why the big turnaround and why is both McFadden and Bush doing so well? I know they drafted a couple pretty high OLinemen but is that the reason theya re doing so well?

Please brag about your running game. What do you think will happen against KC this week?

 

[DepthCharts]

Jim Michalczik system works, injuries hurt it in the past. Cable - Michalczik mold is what I would want for running.

 

[Chaka]

Hillsdale Chargers put up a fight,

Make us proud to wear blue and white.

We will prove we're up to the test,

and that the Chargers will be the best.

Clap your hands let's stand up and cheer,

Now's the time and this is our year.

Here's the chance for everyone to see,

Chargers charging to victory.

 

[PahtyTom]

They were pretty good run blocking last year too. This year even better obviously. Still not good at pass blocking though.

 

[Chaka]

I think Gallery coming back healthy has been a big boost to the run game. He may have sucked as a LT but he is actually a darn good guard.

 

[massraider]

Health is a big part of it. I would also say that the line wasn't as bad as people said before the season. I think there's a bit too much dismissing of players and teams that were bad previously. Stuff changes fast in the NFL and every year there are cellar-dwellers that win divisions.

People yammer on every August about teams they didn't even watch the previous year. Bucs and Lions fans knew Freeman and Stafford showed promise, and Raider fans knew Russell put an unacceptable amount of pressure on the line. A healthy Gallery, healthy McFadden, and an actual passing threat, and suddenly the line looks better. For the most part, the line is the same. Veldheer is the LT, but hasn't been there a lot.

 

[LawFitz]

Veldheer and Gallery have been demolishing the left side when both have been in and healthy. Veldheer looks like a real find in this draft to go along with McClain and Houston. Actually this was the best draft I think I've ever seen by the Raiders:

1 Ro McClain LB - started slowly but has settled in at MLB and really come on in recent weeks. Has been calling the defense from day one.

2. Lamaar Houston DE/DT - dude is a beast at DE/DT. Learning the ropes from Seymour.

3. Jared Velheer LT - amazing to get a LT of his caliber so late. Small school gem. Might have been the steal of the entire NFL draft.

4. Bruce Campbell RG - physical specimen, but as raw as expected. I have faith that Cable will coach this kid up. In prior years Al would've taken a guy like this in Rd 1 as many pundits had projected.

4b. Jacoby Ford WR - keep an eye on this guy, since he'll be starting this week opposite DHB. He's a speedster but actually looks like a football player too.

5. Walter McFadden CB - dude looked very good early but has been hurt lately. Added some nice CB depth.

6. Travis Goethel LB - been injured most of the year, but looked fantastic early. They've kept him on the 53 for a reason.

7. Jeremy Ware CB - I'm amazed by how well this kid has played as a 7th rd rookie. Huge steal.

7b. Stevie Brown S - another 7th rounder who has played very well and is contributing as a rook.

I know you asked about the OL, but I wanted to point out the entire draft b/c every pick has looked like a hit so far. This class has added not only talent but enthusiasm to the roster and I think that energy has flowed over to the entire team. This plus the new OC they hired this year: Hugh Jackson.

It's amazing what health and fresh energy can do to a team. The Raiders are hot right now, but let's see how they fare now that they've moved into a bit of the spotlight. This weekend's game against KC will be a real barometer.

All that said, I think they still need a QB. I love Grads but I have zero faith in his ability to stay healthy.

 

[Raiderfan32904]

Hillsdale Chargers put up a fight,

Make us proud to wear blue and white.

We will prove we're up to the test,

and that the Chargers will be the best.

Clap your hands let's stand up and cheer,

Now's the time and this is our year.

Here's the chance for everyone to see,

Chargers charging to victory.

 

[Cleo Taurus]

Your grammar is atrocious.

 

[Dr. Awesome]

There's no way anyone can objectively say McClain looks good, or even solid. But that Velheer kid looks great, and it's nice to see what the team can do when JaMarcus isn't putting pressure on the o-line.

 

[Raiderfan32904]

Rookie Jared Veldheer from Hillsdale College has been a real find. (Go Hillsdale Chargers!)

His talent level and versatility have been evident from the start of training camp. The Raiders attempted to move him around different positions along the line. The party line was that Cable wanted everybody to learn multiple positions as an insurance policy for inevitable injuries. Part of that may have been true, but mostly that was subterfuge of coaching staff. They didn't want to admit that the O line was anything but set. At the start of the year, Michael Silver of Yahoo had rated Oakland as perhaps the worst O line in the NFL. Others such as MOP agreed.

It was hard to argue the point, as they only had Bob Gallery as a core member of the returning group from last year. Everyone else's jobs were up for grabs. There were two OL's that were drafted this year. Veldheer and workout warrior, Bruce Campbell, who some thought the Raiders would pursue in the first round. Campbell was tried out at RG, when many thought his impressive arm length would be perfect at LT. He turned out to be extremely raw and never earned even a rotation at the RG spot. The Raiders recently brought in ex-Raider Jake Grove to try out at center. Starting center, Samson Satele is groggy and Grove may or may not help solidify the spot. All indications are that Satele will be ready against the Chiefs.

Satele's health is crucial to keeping Veldheer at LT. Between he and Gallery, they form a road grader on the left side. Cooper Carlisle and Langston Walker are getting it done as well on the right side.

The Raider's starting LT this season was Mario Henderson, who had a nice 2nd half of the season a couple of years ago. But it was apparent in the opener against Tennessee that he would react off the snap like he was standing in quicksand. He was the main reason Jason Campbell took the physical beatdown, and eventually Bruce Gradkowski took over.

Back then, the line wasn't stabilized, and it was a "jail break"”on every play. That's why a mobile QB like Gradkowski did so well when containment broke.

But now that the line is providing time both in pass protection, and I need to add the efforts of studly blocking of TE's Zach Miller and Brandon Myers, this OL has been able to run the Jumbo package and overload the unbalanced line.

Give credit to better playcalling as well, but in reality, Jason Campbell is showing us he's a much better QB than he was given credit for. When he has the time to make plays, he's accurate and looks downfield. When he's running for his life, he's checking down and pulling up and running for short gains.

As far as the Chiefs go, their run defense has seen nothing like the Raiders running game. I believe that they will overwhelm them, mixing in DMC with Bush, and mix in some plays to Marcel Reese to keep them on rollerskates. It will be a tough battle, it always is. But the Raiders should prevail thanks to a superb O line. They have come a long way from the start of the year.

 

[HULLOBUDMAN]

Interesting to hear that RAider fans feel the left side is the strength the o-line when running at LG or LT nets the lowest average of anywhere they run. Stats actually show they have made the greatest pecentage of their yardage running striaght up the gut. Will definitely be something to watch.

I think this should be a good game and any road win for the Chiefs this will be a good win, I think this is a good test of who the 2010 Chiefs are.

 

[whitem0nkey]

this is what I saw when I first read title of thread

"Oakland lolcats talk about the OL there"

 

[Chaka]

this is what I saw when I first read title of thread

"Oakland lolcats talk about the OL there"

That works too.

That took far too much time to find for such a mediocre payoff.

 

[Ministry of Pain]

Your grammar is atrocious.

This isn't an English class but it probably kills you I get As on most of my papers at the Univ of Miami. I actually have a professor who doesn't like people using a lot of traditional methods when writing papers. He says it limits ideas. Hope to continue reading your fine criticisms. Do you teach at a University by chance?

 

[The Jacket]

As far as the Chiefs go, their run defense has seen nothing like the Raiders running game.

Likewise, the Raiders have seen nothing like the league-leading Chiefs running game, either. Yet they still find themselves at the bottom of the league.

But the Raiders should prevail thanks to a superb O line.

If it's a battle of O-lines, it won't be a close game. The Raiders' has nothing on KC's. Especially with a healthy Lilja returning to the lineup.

 

[Daniel Shirley]

As far as the Chiefs go, their run defense has seen nothing like the Raiders running game.

OK, I'll give credit where credit it due. McFadden has looked very, very good this year. He's averaging 5.5 YPC and over 110 yards per game. That is incredible. He's looked like a great all-around back rather than merely some speed demon. Props to him for that, and that's great for those who cheer for the Silver and Black.Here's the thing, though. This isn't exactly our first rodeo with a top-tier back. Or our second. Or our third. Take a look at the lineup of RB's we've faced. Matthews. Hillis. Gore. Addai. Foster. MJD. Jackson/Spiller.I'll throw out Addai, Hillis, Matthews, and Jackson/Spiller as average to maybe a little above average backs. But it should be noted that none of them came close to 100 yards against us (Matthews came the closest with 78). But like I said, average backs. let's take a look at Gore, Foster, and MJD.Those three are, without a doubt, upper-tier backs. They're ranked #2 (Foster), #5 (Gore), and #9 (MJD) in the league. That's a pretty scary group to face. So how did we fare against them?-Foster- 71 yards on 18 carries (3.9 YPC, 1.8 yards under his average)-Gore- 43 yards on 15 carries (2.9 YPC, 1.3 yards under his average)-MJD- 47 yards on 16 carries (2.9 YPC, 1.1 yards under his average)Those numbers speak for themselves, but I'll speak for them anyway. We haven't given up 100 yards rushing to a single running back this year. Not one. Zero. None. The number that's one less than one. The number that times any number equals... zero. No RB has even come within 20 yards of it. And we've faced some very, very good backs. Does that mean that we'll be able to contain McFadden? Nope, not for sure. But what it DOES mean is that our running D is no fraud, and it's ridiculous to think that McFadden is an automatic to torch us. Maybe he will, but he'd be the first.

 

[massraider]

 

[Mello]

I think McFadden has earned the respect of defenses which is slowing down the pass rush and giving Campbell enough time.

 

[Warrior]

Veldheer and Gallery have been demolishing the left side when both have been in and healthy. Veldheer looks like a real find in this draft to go along with McClain and Houston. Actually this was the best draft I think I've ever seen by the Raiders:

1 Ro McClain LB - started slowly but has settled in at MLB and really come on in recent weeks. Has been calling the defense from day one.

2. Lamaar Houston DE/DT - dude is a beast at DE/DT. Learning the ropes from Seymour.

3. Jared Velheer LT - amazing to get a LT of his caliber so late. Small school gem. Might have been the steal of the entire NFL draft.

4. Bruce Campbell RG - physical specimen, but as raw as expected. I have faith that Cable will coach this kid up. In prior years Al would've taken a guy like this in Rd 1 as many pundits had projected.

4b. Jacoby Ford WR - keep an eye on this guy, since he'll be starting this week opposite DHB. He's a speedster but actually looks like a football player too.

5. Walter McFadden CB - dude looked very good early but has been hurt lately. Added some nice CB depth.

6. Travis Goethel LB - been injured most of the year, but looked fantastic early. They've kept him on the 53 for a reason.

7. Jeremy Ware CB - I'm amazed by how well this kid has played as a 7th rd rookie. Huge steal.

7b. Stevie Brown S - another 7th rounder who has played very well and is contributing as a rook.

I know you asked about the OL, but I wanted to point out the entire draft b/c every pick has looked like a hit so far. This class has added not only talent but enthusiasm to the roster and I think that energy has flowed over to the entire team. This plus the new OC they hired this year: Hugh Jackson.

It's amazing what health and fresh energy can do to a team. The Raiders are hot right now, but let's see how they fare now that they've moved into a bit of the spotlight. This weekend's game against KC will be a real barometer.

All that said, I think they still need a QB. I love Grads but I have zero faith in his ability to stay healthy.

How has Campbell been a hit? I was viewing him as sort of a bust at this point, even if he did fall to round 4 (for good reason). Other than that, I agree that they did well this year.

 

[massraider]

How has Campbell been a hit? I was viewing him as sort of a bust at this point, even if he did fall to round 4 (for good reason). Other than that, I agree that they did well this year.

Do you generally give 4th round OTs that are converted to OG a whole nine games before you call them a bust?