Official 2019 Oakland (?) Raiders Thread (1 Viewer)

[Bruno2]

I look at the Mack situation this way: 

Gruden took over a team that was devoid of talent that surrounded Mack, Cooper and Carr. 2016 was a fluke. Carr caught lightning in a bottle, and when he got hurt the team sank. The core of that team had no talent and no fight without Carr. Where was Mack in that playoff game? He was double teamed, triple teamed, completely neutralized because there was no one else on defense opposing offenses had to worry about. While Mack was winning awards the rest of the defense was garbage. 

Gruden had a decision to make. Go the way of the Broncos and pay their stud DE QB money and flounder in mediocrity or trade his elite talent for as much capital as possible go through another complete rebuild. Signing a 10 year contract, the writing was on the wall, this was going to be a long and painful rebuild.

Could he have kept Mack and still molded a playoff team around him? Who knows, but by judging what some other teams are doing around the league ie, Giants and Dolphins, it could be said that Gruden was ahead of the curve in a sense. The NFL is all about wins, if you're not the Champs, you're last. What good is paying an edge rusher $140 mil, if you can't even get out of your own division? The only way the Bears win the trade is if they win a Super Bowl with Mack on the roster. If they don't, and Gruden/Mayock are able to hit on their draft picks and create a culture of winning in Vegas then at least it wouldn't be viewed as a horrible decision. We have to wait and see. Unfortunately for Raiders fans patience is something we don't have much of anymore. 

 

[Chaka]

Eh, not trying to be overly sensitive, just calling out a spade. Just because someone disagrees with your take doesn't mean they haven't watched football or are operating only from a Raider centric view, as you've stated. Maybe you should consider that perhaps this situation isn't as black and white as you see it, and ease off a bit on the gas.

But it is absolutely black and white. The guy is the very definition of a recividist. He has been unquestionably the dirtiest player in the league since he entered, not as a first round pick as his talent would warrant but as a UDFA because he was just as much of a dirty, uncontrollable player in college.

How many chances should knuckleheads receive? Let me ask you this: If Doyle had been paralyzed by that hit would you still think the suspension was too long? Same situation, same hit, different outcome?

Do we have to wait for the guy who has been intentionally, unquestionably, trying to hurt people for years to actually paralyzed someone before he gets booted?

 

[Chaka]

Burfict's been unwilling to change for a decade and people still think he deserves opportunity-after-opportunity. What has he done to earn so many chances?  

Apparently changing his behavior isn't the answer.

Shouldn't he, at some point have to earn more opportunities?

 

[DocHolliday]

A lot of that logic is in your very own post right afterwards -- what was our record with Mack?

You have a point that as the team got better, Mack could contribute that much more to the team. But that's as much conjecture as the conjecture I've made -- for example, in your estimation of the trade right now, I think you are vastly underestimating how much that salary cap relief enables us to do in the near and far term. But we won't truly know until we will, and I don't think we can make that call right now.

This is an argument I'm no longer interested in carrying on. I know you and @DocHolliday and others in this thread and in the media have their opinion about how stupid this trade was. There are others like me who lean the other way -- that keeping Mack hamstrung long term ability to turn us around with so much cap space % sunk into one player.

I'm not out to change the opinions of you or others. I'm not sure you can change my opinion until we see how this bears out. I'm not sure either of us can without any doubt claim our argument is 100% correct.

What is true is that this happened more than a year ago. And as much as it may always sting, it's like complaining about the Immaculate Reception -- it happened, it sucked, but complaining about it literally accomplishes nothing.

I just want to move on -- the team certainly has, just as it's moved on from AB and will move on from Burfict's ban this season.

And that's all I'll say about the topic going forward, I think I've said my piece enough.  

I'm going to end my Cooper and Mack complaints.  I'm going to quit pointing out how stupid the AB signing was.  I don't care about Burfict.     We will just quietly watch Mack rack up sacks and Cooper score TDs.   Maybe the Bears and Cowboys will meet in the playoffs.  I don't think the rebuilding Raiders will be in the playoffs.  You can continue to have faith in Grudens decision making.   We will agree to disagree on many things Raiders and let things play out and see where we are after the 2020 draft.   

I would switch teams if I could.   I grew up in Steelers country and wish I got to enjoy all that winning.    Those fans assume their team will be in the playoffs every year.   I don't think Oakland has that mindset.  Maybe LV will once the rebuild is complete.  I bounced around the country and now live in Browns country.   Browns fans have real hope.  There is some young talent on that team.  Gruden should take notes.  Myles Garrett is a great DE that ....   Oh hell.  Not going there.  

 

[LawFitz]

But it is absolutely black and white. 

Yeah, sorry, it's not.

1. Watch the video. Doyle is rising as Burfict is coming in for the spear. This was a full speed play where Burfict *might* have been aiming his head for above Doyle's, but got caught going straight helmet to helmet as Doyle rose.

https://youtu.be/tqacb2fF_eY

2. Based on even the possibility of the above (which is the account Gruden and Carr gave, after their convos with Burfict) it's completely insane to suspend for the entire year. The last time he was suspended it was THREE games.

You aren't the judge, jury and executioner. Stop talking as if your opinion/interpretation is fact, and belittling anyone who disagrees. It's poor form, dude. You can be better.

 

[Bruno2]

I'm going to end my Cooper and Mack complaints.  I'm going to quit pointing out how stupid the AB signing was.  I don't care about Burfict.     We will just quietly watch Mack rack up sacks and Cooper score TDs.   Maybe the Bears and Cowboys will meet in the playoffs.  I don't think the rebuilding Raiders will be in the playoffs.  You can continue to have faith in Grudens decision making.   We will agree to disagree on many things Raiders and let things play out and see where we are after the 2020 draft.   

I would switch teams if I could.   I grew up in Steelers country and wish I got to enjoy all that winning.    Those fans assume their team will be in the playoffs every year.   I don't think Oakland has that mindset.  Maybe LV will once the rebuild is complete.  I bounced around the country and now live in Browns country.   Browns fans have real hope.  There is some young talent on that team.  Gruden should take notes.  Myles Garrett is a great DE that ....   Oh hell.  Not going there.  

Hold on a second! You bring up a great point Doc. The Browns are going to have to make the same decision the Raiders had to make. Pay the elite DE or the promising, up and coming QB. You really think they are going to keep both players on their roster with what will likely be $140-$150 mil contracts? If they can, more power to them, but I'm of the opinion they won't and Garrett could end an LV Raider some day due to that exact situation happening (hey, you never know). Why do you think the Browns are bringing in all this talent now? It's about windows of opportunity. When it's time to pay these guys the huge contracts, most of them will be shipped out. 

 

[DocHolliday]

Hold on a second! You bring up a great point Doc. The Browns are going to have to make the same decision the Raiders had to make. Pay the elite DE or the promising, up and coming QB. You really think they are going to keep both players on their roster with what will likely be $140-$150 mil contracts? If they can, more power to them, but I'm of the opinion they won't and Garrett could end an LV Raider some day due to that exact situation happening (hey, you never know). Why do think the Browns are bringing in all this talent now? It's about windows of opportunity. When it's time to pay these guys the huge contracts, most of them will be shipped out. 

The Browns may have a tough decision to make.  Depends on the health status and how well Baker and Garrett are playing at the time, not how they are playing now.   

 

[Bruno2]

The Browns may have a tough decision to make.  Depends on the health status and how well Baker and Garrett are playing at the time, not how they are playing now.   

I get that. Assuming both are playing lights out when their rookie deals are up, the Browns are going to have to pay up. And let's not forget Ward. If they keep Garrett and Mayfield it will be unprecedented. I personally don't think they will. 

 

[Stompin' Tom Connors]

If Ty isn't able to suit up, we are in a lot deeper doo-doo than we already are against this Bears D.

Rolling out the fearsome foursome of JJ Nelson (who is really just good for go routes), our Dwayne Harris (way more a ST guy than a credible receiving threat), Renfrow (yet to flash at all), and Hard Knocks hopeful Keelan Doss.

I'd throw Trevor Davis in there as well, but seems he's just another speed merchant suited more for KR/PR than shown he can be a solid receiver yet in the NFL.

This is not shaping up to be a fun day.

Bears can load the box all day to bottle up Jacobs, and they will be harassing Carr all day, which is not a good recipe already for Carr to be comfortably able to stand in the pocket and have this ragtag group of receivers develop their routes.

And we're a walking MASH unit on D, with a depleted secondary, an already thin LB crops thinned more by stupidity, and a pure rotational front who have yet to gel and really show they can disrupt and get after the opposing QB.

Even if solid guys like Waller, Joyner, and Trent Brown play up to their expected level, we're going to need out-of-mind performances from guys who have flashed (Crosby, Maruo, Mayowa) and consistent play, rather than the opposite we sometimes see, from guys like Ferrell, Morrow, Worley, KJ, and Conley) have a shot.

In the immortal words of Clubber Lang: My prediction? Pain.

 

[Chaka]

Are NFL teams allowed to forfeit?

 

[Stompin' Tom Connors]

Are NFL teams allowed to forfeit?

One thing we have going for us is time adjustment. Read that the Bears are just arriving in London today? We've been there most of the week.

We have come out in most games looking hot. If we can score on our first two drives and discombobulate the Bears early, would go a loooooong way for giving us any kind of a shot.

Irony is I don't think any of us were expecting that we would win this game when the schedule came out. That we're 202 kind of gives me a little more false hope that this game is actually winnable given injury and the state the team is in.

We really have started off the year snake-bitten, with all best laid plans gang aft agley, to paraphrase the Bard. 

Would be great to go into our bye with a win, but all I am looking forward to is getting key players back like Gabe after the bye.

 

[DocHolliday]

One thing we have going for us is time adjustment. Read that the Bears are just arriving in London today? We've been there most of the week.

We have come out in most games looking hot. If we can score on our first two drives and discombobulate the Bears early, would go a loooooong way for giving us any kind of a shot.

Irony is I don't think any of us were expecting that we would win this game when the schedule came out. That we're 202 kind of gives me a little more false hope that this game is actually winnable given injury and the state the team is in.

We really have started off the year snake-bitten, with all best laid plans gang aft agley, to paraphrase the Bard. 

Would be great to go into our bye with a win, but all I am looking forward to is getting key players back like Gabe after the bye.

Injuries happen to every team.  The Bears lost their starting QB.

It I isn't a surprise that I don't expect a win but if the Raiders are to have any chance, they need to run away from Mack.   And, they need to use quick passes like Pburgh did to protect Rudolph.   Use Jacobs and Waller as the main targets and use the speed guys that aren't real WRs run deep every play to keep the safeties back.  If Gruden tries to show he was smarter than everyone by having Carr drop back for deep throws, this game will be ugly.   

 

[Arodin]

We really have started off the year snake-bitten, with all best laid plans gang aft agley, to paraphrase the Bard. 

Pretty sure that was the great Bobby Burns, not the Bard...

 

[DA RAIDERS]

i believe this is the week that the wheels fall off.  

stupid ### gruden may explode from all the mack questions (they never should have traded him)  can we trade gruden again?  knock on wood, if you're with me!

the AB fiasco and trading amari(i was fine with this one) are starting to look even uglier.  they've got to get renfrow going.  

they went into the season with 4 lb's.  we all scratched our heads at that.  we were right.

abrams going down sux0red.  but, i don't know if it would have mattered.  the secondary looks bad.

chase daniels may help us out, but i think mack and co., are going to embarrass the raiders.

 

[DA RAIDERS]

 If Gruden tries to show he was smarter than everyone 

this is a problem.  dude always thinks he's the smartest guy on the planet

 

[Stompin' Tom Connors]

Pretty sure that was the great Bobby Burns, not the Bard...

Indeed! Should have known that that phrase was nothing else but Scots.

 

[DocHolliday]

i believe this is the week that the wheels fall off.  

stupid ### gruden may explode from all the mack questions (they never should have traded him)  can we trade gruden again?  knock on wood, if you're with me!

the AB fiasco and trading amari(i was fine with this one) are starting to look even uglier.  they've got to get renfrow going.  

they went into the season with 4 lb's.  we all scratched our heads at that.  we were right.

abrams going down sux0red.  but, i don't know if it would have mattered.  the secondary looks bad.

chase daniels may help us out, but i think mack and co., are going to embarrass the raiders.

Listen bud, we aren't allowed to talk about Cooper and Mack any more.  Go root for another team if you don't like those trades.   Just put your head in the sand and pretend it didn't happen and remember we got draft picks.  

 

[Stompin' Tom Connors]

Listen bud, we aren't allowed to talk about Cooper and Mack any more.  Go root for another team if you don't like those trades.   Just put your head in the sand and pretend it didn't happen and remember we got draft picks.  

 

[Stompin' Tom Connors]

Great now this.

What's next, A Black Plague-riddled Jack the Ripper hits our locker room during pre-game? 

 

[DocHolliday]

Great now this.

What's next, A Black Plague-riddled Jack the Ripper hits our locker room during pre-game? 

Never would have expected a 47 year old player to have injuries.  

You are a good dude Stompin, but this team was bound to fall apart this season.   Gruden has made a bunch of horrible decisions since he came to town and those decisions have consequences.   You can't rely on old, crazy players in place of young talent.   Rebuilding is a process that requires patience and smart decisions.  So far, Gruden is failing at a great level and I'm not sure that he is able to build a team.   

 

[Ed Wood]

We have come out in most games looking hot. If we can score on our first two drives and discombobulate the Bears early, would go a loooooong way for giving us any kind of a shot.

Yikes, I don't see that happening. I'm hoping for two scoring drives period.

 

[Ed Wood]

If Gruden tries to show he was smarter than everyone by having Carr drop back for deep throws, this game will be ugly.   

Don't see this happening. They've hardly thrown deep all year. They're not about to start against this D. You think you've seen Carr get rid of the ball fast before? You haven't seen anything yet.

 

[Ed Wood]

Rebuilding is a process that requires patience and smart decisions.  So far, Gruden is failing at a great level and I'm not sure that he is able to build a team.   

The first part is exactly right so I'd encourage some. It's been one year and four games. I'm sure we all thot they'd be at least a little better than 6-14. I know I expected them to be in a lot more games--did not expect all the blowouts.

Gruden is secure with a 10-year contract. (Scary for a guy who's only 5 games above .500 his entire coaching career but that's already been beaten to death.) He knows he can take his time building this thing. We need to revisit four and maybe five years down the road. By year four hopefully Gruden will be on the plus side .500 for his second stint in Oakland. By year five a serious playoff contender.

But the end of the second part might be right too.

 

[Stompin' Tom Connors]

Never would have expected a 47 year old player to have injuries.  

You are a good dude Stompin, but this team was bound to fall apart this season.   Gruden has made a bunch of horrible decisions since he came to town and those decisions have consequences.   You can't rely on old, crazy players in place of young talent.   Rebuilding is a process that requires patience and smart decisions.  So far, Gruden is failing at a great level and I'm not sure that he is able to build a team.   

Right back atcha, Doc, you are one of many on this thread with insight and opinion I respect and look forward to reading.

I don't think any of us on this sub expected a great season. Even a good one. All we want to see is demonstrable progress.

I also didn't think any of us Raider Nation on this sub (including you) thought this team would fall apart to the extent it has from injury or other factors. 

Bottom line is that I'm more of a silver-lining guy, you are more glass-half empty on this team. Doesn't make either of us right or not, and I've seen enough opinion and posts over the years to credibly call the both of us realists, but just like my (unfortunately often misplaced) hope colors my views, realize too that so does your disgust with the continuous losing. 

Example being I don't think Gruden has made horrible moves -- I think that's swinging the pendulum too far and I think you can't reasonably or truly objectively call this rebuild failed and dead in the water here and now in year 2, with so many players who have yet to show us if their potential will pan out, and one more draft with 2 firsts to fill out the team.

Some questionable decisions, to be sure, and the Mack trade will always be one of those polarizing decisions. Maybe comes down to my hopefulness despite the odds (part of the Raider ethos, after all, is cherishing the underdog mentality and damned any naysayers and haters). And I admit I get impatient with the constant piling on this team.

I'm also the kind of guy who, for better or worse in my life, has never harped on the past. Stems from some of my life experiences, part of my personal psychology that colors my approach to everything in life, including message board responses. But I have lived my entire live never looking back -- you can't change it, no use complaining or wondering what might have been -- learn from it and change the future instead. That motivates my approach to this as well.

So you have where I'm coming from. Let's move on to watching this team get destroyed in London, and hope we can heal up completely and make a run at an 8-8 season.

 

[DocHolliday]

Right back atcha, Doc, you are one of many on this thread with insight and opinion I respect and look forward to reading.

I don't think any of us on this sub expected a great season. Even a good one. All we want to see is demonstrable progress.

I also didn't think any of us Raider Nation on this sub (including you) thought this team would fall apart to the extent it has from injury or other factors. 

Bottom line is that I'm more of a silver-lining guy, you are more glass-half empty on this team. Doesn't make either of us right or not, and I've seen enough opinion and posts over the years to credibly call the both of us realists, but just like my (unfortunately often misplaced) hope colors my views, realize too that so does your disgust with the continuous losing. 

Example being I don't think Gruden has made horrible moves -- I think that's swinging the pendulum too far and I think you can't reasonably or truly objectively call this rebuild failed and dead in the water here and now in year 2, with so many players who have yet to show us if their potential will pan out, and one more draft with 2 firsts to fill out the team.

Some questionable decisions, to be sure, and the Mack trade will always be one of those polarizing decisions. Maybe comes down to my hopefulness despite the odds (part of the Raider ethos, after all, is cherishing the underdog mentality and damned any naysayers and haters). And I admit I get impatient with the constant piling on this team.

I'm also the kind of guy who, for better or worse in my life, has never harped on the past. Stems from some of my life experiences, part of my personal psychology that colors my approach to everything in life, including message board responses. But I have lived my entire live never looking back -- you can't change it, no use complaining or wondering what might have been -- learn from it and change the future instead. That motivates my approach to this as well.

So you have where I'm coming from. Let's move on to watching this team get destroyed in London, and hope we can heal up completely and make a run at an 8-8 season.

For the record, I never expected this team to be 8-8 and anyone that did hasn't been paying attention.  Gruden has his hands full in rebuilding a team that lacks talent al over the field.   He has made some good moves during the last draft.   Unfortunately, I see more negative moves than positive moves so far.   I'm disappointed in the poor decisions so far but I will always be a fan.  I hope I'm wrong about Gruden and he rights this ship over the next few years.  I want to see young talent flowing to team.  

 

[FreshiZ]

We have to remember that we just beat a pretty good Colts team on the road and the 1st half seemed like the offense was operating just like a Gruden offense should. So have to give him some points for having the team prepared and motivated. Not all doom and gloom and so far Cable has not been a complete disaster like I was thinking.

I have to admit there will still be a small part of me that will be smiling today when Mack is blowing everyone up. Gotta love the guy...

 

[ICON211]

Yikes, I read some of these posts and if I didn't know better I would think this team is 0-4.  If they somehow won this game today 3-2 heading into the bye would qualify as a great start given the schedule IMO.  Tall order but not impossible to beat the Bears.

 

[DocHolliday]

Yikes, I read some of these posts and if I didn't know better I would think this team is 0-4.  If they somehow won this game today 3-2 heading into the bye would qualify as a great start given the schedule IMO.  Tall order but not impossible to beat the Bears.

That is a valid point.   While the Bears D is formidable, the O is weak and nothing is impossible.   I guess that I'm more concerned about the near future rather than what happens this week though.  I would rather see a rebuilding team go 4-12 than a team trying to win now go 8-8.  

 

[DA RAIDERS]

Very pleasantly surprised so far.  Happy to eat my words. 

 

[Chaka]

Anthony Miller didn't help him with that drop but Chase Daniel is not very good.

 

[Chaka]

Seriously, I expected the Raiders D to have a shot with Daniel as the QB , but I never would have seen the offense to play with such poise and confidence....

...and then, that happened.

ETA: Carr's no-look pitch to Jacobs T.O.

 

[Chaka]

Whelp, now it's time to see how they respond.

 

[Chaka]

Yup.

Are NFL teams allowed to forfeit?

 

[DA RAIDERS]

Very pleasantly surprised so far.  Happy to eat my words. 

may have spoken too soon.  

 

[Bruno2]

Just like the Kansas City game. They can't make the adjustments like the better teams can.

Khalil who???

 

[Bruno2]

I have to admit. I thought they were going to give this one away again. Congrats to Gruden for designing a game plan for neutralizing Mack and the rest of the pass rush. And I love the fight and determination they showed today to get the win, and put all the Mack business to rest. 

 

[Stompin' Tom Connors]

OK.

I simply don't want to hear it this week.

We went on the road and came from behind with a flat-out dominant performance to go 3-2.

We had the perfect game plan -- come to London early to acclimate. Leverage the run with great blocking schemes. Mix it up play-calling wise with fake PAs to hit shallow crosses, creating mismatches with Waller on a few key plays, even a fake punt. Guys on D stepped up -- starters and rotational players -- to put pressure on the Bears pocket to disrupt the game. I give the game ball to our O-line who got us a 100-yard rusher on the team it's arguably hardest to do so, and limited Mack to just 3 tackles, no sacks. Didn't allow anyone a sack the entire game.

We started hot (interestingly enough we seem to do that a lot this year, which is fantastic to see), and let some really stupid turnovers and penalties hurt us and let the other team back into the game. We were beating ourselves, as we often do.

What we didn't do was let the mindset and history of the last 15 years take over -- we didn't give up. We didn't let the mistakes affect our mentality or focus. We didn't continue to make mistakes. We got contributions from everyone on the team, both sides of the ball. 

We stepped up and won the game. 

Definitely, as always, much to fix, and one game doesn't make a season -- especially with a team struggling to regain consistency, let alone its winning ways of decades ago.

But I don't want to hear it this week.

The needless sniping, whinging, and nay-saying isn't undeserved, given what this team is. But Gruden & Co. deserve a cease fire, at least for a couple of days. This team flat-out earned respect in this game.

Instead, let's celebrate, knowing that it's going to still be a long road to right this ship. Knowing that fundamental flaws still exist everywhere, on the field and on the sidelines.

But let's celebrate nonetheless. The team deserves that much after this game at the very least.

We can pick up the complaining about the team and its coaching and pointing out all the things we still need to do just to regain relevance about this team through the bye week. 

 

[Chaka]

With the injuries and suspensions you have to appreciate how well the offensive line is playing.

 

[Bruno2]

With the injuries and suspensions you have to appreciate how well the offensive line is playing.

They man-handled the Bears up front today. This game wasn't even as close as the score indicates. Two horrible fumbles kept the Bears in it or else this would have been a blow out. 

 

[DA RAIDERS]

team showed some fight.  very nice win!  no way on earth that i saw this team at 3-2.  go raiders!

 

[dcgangstas]

All about pride and poise in London.

Great win for the raiders.   

 

[Ed Wood]

OK.

I simply don't want to hear it this week.

We went on the road and came from behind with a flat-out dominant performance to go 3-2.

We had the perfect game plan -- come to London early to acclimate. Leverage the run with great blocking schemes. Mix it up play-calling wise with fake PAs to hit shallow crosses, creating mismatches with Waller on a few key plays, even a fake punt. Guys on D stepped up -- starters and rotational players -- to put pressure on the Bears pocket to disrupt the game. I give the game ball to our O-line who got us a 100-yard rusher on the team it's arguably hardest to do so, and limited Mack to just 3 tackles, no sacks. Didn't allow anyone a sack the entire game.

We started hot (interestingly enough we seem to do that a lot this year, which is fantastic to see), and let some really stupid turnovers and penalties hurt us and let the other team back into the game. We were beating ourselves, as we often do.

What we didn't do was let the mindset and history of the last 15 years take over -- we didn't give up. We didn't let the mistakes affect our mentality or focus. We didn't continue to make mistakes. We got contributions from everyone on the team, both sides of the ball. 

We stepped up and won the game. 

Definitely, as always, much to fix, and one game doesn't make a season -- especially with a team struggling to regain consistency, let alone its winning ways of decades ago.

But I don't want to hear it this week.

The needless sniping, whinging, and nay-saying isn't undeserved, given what this team is. But Gruden & Co. deserve a cease fire, at least for a couple of days. This team flat-out earned respect in this game.

Instead, let's celebrate, knowing that it's going to still be a long road to right this ship. Knowing that fundamental flaws still exist everywhere, on the field and on the sidelines.

But let's celebrate nonetheless. The team deserves that much after this game at the very least.

We can pick up the complaining about the team and its coaching and pointing out all the things we still need to do just to regain relevance about this team through the bye week. 

Nailed it on many levels, Tom!

"We had the perfect game plan." Yep, I watched Gruden's last press conference before the game and he spoke very confidently.

"I give the game ball to our O-line." Yep, they went up against a smash-mouth unit and smashed em in the mouth. I wonder what the Vegas odds were on Jacobs rushing for 125+ yards especially with the receiving corps seemingly in tatters?

"We stepped up and won the game." Yep, 97 yards on against the toughest D in the league in the final minutes. Started by Jacobs and capped by Jacobs. Finished it with a dive reminiscent of Marcus Allen in his prime. Great playcalling, from the fake punt to the pass to Moreau on short yardage. Players making plays, whether it was Carr standing tall in the pocket, Renfroe juking a guy out of his jock to pick up a crucial first down and Moreau making a tough catch inside the five (sniff...if I close my eyes I actually see a little of Dave Casper in Moreau). Major props also to Carr for threading the needle on that one.

"Definitely, as always, much to fix, and one game doesn't make a season." Yep, lots of work still left but I think the pendulum is pointing in the right direction.

This is one they can point to and say, "See, this is what we can do. We can beat a legitimate Super Bowl contender if we don't beat ourselves."

This is one they may point to in the future and say, "That game right there. That's the game that got us heading in the right direction, got us really believing in ourselves."

 

[ICON211]

Roller coaster of emotions today.  At the end of the day just very happy due to all the reasons that have been mentioned already.  3-2 heading into the bye with a season to look forward to.

 

[CGRdrJoe]

Roller coaster of emotions today.  At the end of the day just very happy due to all the reasons that have been mentioned already.  3-2 heading into the bye with a season to look forward to.

And a charger loss today!

 

[Chadstroma]

We dominated a very good defense. Neutralized one of the best defenders in the game. We were in much more control of the game than the  score showed. One really bad mistake compounded by a rookie mistake of not falling on the ball with a handful of penalties kept the Bears in it.

Honestly, the Bears could not create very little on their own. They had one great play on defense (great punch at the goaline to take 6 off the board), one great on offense (still do not know how Joyner didn't get that INT) and one on special teams (damn Nixon has jets to catch Cohen and save the TD). Beyond those three, plays and the fumble mistake it was penalties holding us back. Many were actual penalties but that Hurst roughing the passer and taking an INT away was pure BS. It was text book what you are suppose to do! Just total and complete BS. 

The defense stepped up even with a thin LB corp and missing our first rounder DE and of course our first rounder S. We got pressure and didn't have any mistakes. They could not run on us at all. 

Our O-line was dominating all game long. One really bad missed assignment or line call that let, I think Smith, fly in. But we controlled Mack and Co and pushed them around. Miller looks to be a legit LT in his second year. Trent Brown is doing well at RT. We have known Hudson is great. Incognito is still playing very well without rust (but that needless push cost us 3 points) and Good is good! Wait until Jackson gets back. 

Jacobs is awesome. Washington and Richard came in and we didn't miss a beat. 

We were able to cover up our WR problems with some good game planning, using our strengths and dominanting upfront. Waller continues to ball out. Davis has been contributing- good trade there. Mayock does know talent. We do need Williams healthy though. 

Awesome win. My wife is a Bears fan. I live in Chicago and I am a vocal Raider fan. Plus, trying to make sure my kids are Raider fans. I needed this win! Not only a win but a better 1st round draft pick position too!

 

[Chadstroma]

may have spoken too soon.  

EAT THEM!!!

 

[Charlie Harper]

Wow!

Crazy how good the run game can be. The O-Line is straight mauling!

 

[DA RAIDERS]

EAT THEM!!!

Nom nom nom

 

[joey]

Love them running it down the Bears throats. Similar to the way the Colts beat the Chiefs

2nd place in the AFC West?! What?

 

[LawFitz]

Most of us have hated and perhaps still hate the Khalil Mack trade. And over time, it may still prove to be a complete dodo move, validating that hate.

But for today at least, the two main players they received (so far) in return - Trent Brown and Josh Jacobs - were far more impactful than Mack and were the primary difference between victory and defeat. Good for Gruden and this young roster, badly in need of a hat hanger. They found their identity today and it's having a top notch OL and running game. Imagine if they had some WRs!

(Maybe they can float a late pick to Minny for Stephon Diggs.)