Klimtology
Footballguy
Last year I used the Chargers D.
Anyone think they'll be a good play again this season?
Anyone think they'll be a good play again this season?
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Sleeper Defenses (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Klimtology
- Start date
stuckinthemuck
Footballguy
Miami is solid. I like Cleveland in small doses for their special teams TD's.
az_prof
Footballguy
I picked up Oakland. They added Cleveland's best defensive player Kamerion Wimbley, and he has looked like a force in the preseason. They used their first two picks in draft to get MLB McClain (who has physical talent but needs to adjust to PRo game) and DL Houston. They still have Richard Seymour and they are going to let Asomugha match up with the opposing team's WR1.
They played well at times last year and added some good players and depth. I also LOVE their schedule:
STL
AZ (without Warner or Boldin)
SF
Denver twice!!!!
KC Twice!!!!
Seattle
Miami
Jacksonville
Other than games at Tenn and home against IND, I don't see too many top 10 offenses on their schedule.
They played well at times last year and added some good players and depth. I also LOVE their schedule:
STL
AZ (without Warner or Boldin)
SF
Denver twice!!!!
KC Twice!!!!
Seattle
Miami
Jacksonville
Other than games at Tenn and home against IND, I don't see too many top 10 offenses on their schedule.
benson_will_lead_the_way
Footballguy
Has to be a team in the AFC east or NFC West....they play each other this year.
Look at the offenses: SD(good), SF(maybe good), then KC, Den, Oak, Sea, Stl, Ariz.
Look at the offenses: SD(good), SF(maybe good), then KC, Den, Oak, Sea, Stl, Ariz.
Ghost of Bill Walsh
Footballguy
Not a sleeper defense but the 49ers will finish top 5.
2 I like as sleepers are Cincinnati Bengals and Tennessee Titans. Both D's are fairly young and maturing. If their offenses produce and stay on the field a while their D's will be fresher and take advantage of opportunities to create turnovers if their teams are leading.
2 I like as sleepers are Cincinnati Bengals and Tennessee Titans. Both D's are fairly young and maturing. If their offenses produce and stay on the field a while their D's will be fresher and take advantage of opportunities to create turnovers if their teams are leading.
Raiderfan32904
Footballguy
I'm thinking of picking up Jacksonville for week 1 against the Broncos. Denver is all dinged up with Moreno and the rookie Demarius Thomas still hobbled. I think they make at least a good defensive start for a day.
Manster
Footballguy
Cribbs is a weapon when he gets the ball in his hands! maybe not a sleeper, but the Cowboys D looked lame against the Texans. this left a bad taste in peoples' mouth. right now they might be a bit undervalued in drafts.this D should have plenty of sacks, and an increase in turnovers. they should be a solid weekly play, imo. i'm a fan, so take it fwiw.
massraider
Footballguy
I think you can do better. They need to prove they have a pass rush first, and Orton is a game manager that I don't think will turn the ball over a ton. I think I like Tampa better against the Browns, and the Falcons going against the Ben-less Steelers.
Raiderfan32904
Footballguy
Dallas defense looked pretty soft in the preseason. I don't trust the preseason to make decisions on my FF defense. I picked up the Cowboys DST as my backup D, thinking they should have a lot of second half leads and get some easy turnovers and sacks. Any homer opinions are appreciated though, as I don't follow the Cowboys. TIA
Raiderfan32904
Footballguy
Thanks for the tip. I drafted the Eagles, and then check to see they open against the Packers. Ouch! Looking for a cheap substitute. A 40 point game by the opposing offense generally gives your defense negative points!
Tigerbot Hesh
Footballguy
I took a flyer on Carolina this year. They play Tampa Bay twice, host the Bears and go to St. Louis, Cleveland and Seattle.
I like the post that suggested Oakland; you could probably leave them on your waiver wire and just pick them up for spot starts as needed.
I like the post that suggested Oakland; you could probably leave them on your waiver wire and just pick them up for spot starts as needed.
flooredyas
Footballguy
This year I feel that virtually EVERY team defense can qualify as a "sleeper" with the exception of SL. Generally I feel confidant in 2 or 3 to be top guns. Not so for me this year.
I waited till the end to take SD and Indy in mt 1st redraft this year (Must roster 2) and will follow the same formula in my other redraft tomorrow. May be different teams, but the same philosophy will apply. D's started being taken in round 8 of 18.
Past years I went earlier to nab who I felt were top 3 D's and generally had those teams implode on me, so this year I'm treating them as K's.
Team defense has me at a loss this year, yet NOT for lack of study, but for the parody (SP?) of them.
I waited till the end to take SD and Indy in mt 1st redraft this year (Must roster 2) and will follow the same formula in my other redraft tomorrow. May be different teams, but the same philosophy will apply. D's started being taken in round 8 of 18.
Past years I went earlier to nab who I felt were top 3 D's and generally had those teams implode on me, so this year I'm treating them as K's.
Team defense has me at a loss this year, yet NOT for lack of study, but for the parody (SP?) of them.
Raiderfan32904
Footballguy
Go ahead and pick up Oakland now, if possible. They get the Rams in week #2, and Arizona in week #3. You wait till week 2 waivers, and you got competition.
the spanker
Footballguy
If your league counts return yardage, any team in particular besides Brownies get a boost?
stuckinthemuck
Footballguy
Parity is the word you're searching for. Because there's little difference between teams most veteran FF players will tell you that reaching for a defense is silly. Of course there are always teasers every year - ask anyone whose draft was in early August and drafted the NY Jets in the 11th round. I like playing the weekly pickup game if I don't have a decent defense fall to the 17th round, e.g., try Atlanta the first two weeks this year and see what happens after that.
Instinctive
Footballguy
My favorite pairing is San Fran (fell to me last round woohoo!) and Oakland:
Arizona 3 times
St Louis 3 times
Seattle 3 times
San Fran gets Oakland once too iirc
KC 3 times
Denver 3 times
All of those matchups look quite good to me, especially the NFC ones. Could be a really nice D out in Oakland this season.
Arizona 3 times
St Louis 3 times
Seattle 3 times
San Fran gets Oakland once too iirc
KC 3 times
Denver 3 times
All of those matchups look quite good to me, especially the NFC ones. Could be a really nice D out in Oakland this season.
stuckinthemuck
Footballguy
Very sweet pairing for sure. Congrats. I don't really think SF is a sleeper though with an ADP of 8th defense off the board and a scary as hell coach.
massraider
Footballguy
I like that pairing a lot. Good stuff.
shadyridr
Footballguy
I wouldnt waste a roster spot pairing up SF with OAK but thats just me. Id stick with SF
Instinctive
Footballguy
Ehh. I'd rather have Oakland against the crappier teams than SF a lot of the time, such as when SFO plays New Orleans while Oakland has St Louis. Oakland may outscore SF straight up this year, they look to have a really dangerous defense IMO
bengalbuck
Footballguy
I agree. There are a lot of reasons to like the Bengals D from a fantasy perspective. First, Adam Jones has looked very explosive returning punts and Jordan Shipley, Quan Cosby and Bernard Scott give the team a lot of options for kick returners and backup punt returners. Second, the Bengals pass rush looks much improved with Antwan Odom returning from injury and the emergence of DT Geno Atkins and DE Michael Johnson as pass rush threats. Third, the coaches have said they want to play a more aggressive style and get more sacks and turnovers. I get the impression that they are going to play a lot of man to man with Jon Joseph, Leon Hall and Adam Jones at CB and really go after the QB. They'll probably give up some big plays but there should be more INTs and sacks.
Maude Lebowski
Footballguy
I always try to pick up a defense weekly playing one of the weak sister offenses. What offenses to try to exploit this year is the question.
skillz
Footballguy
I paired SF with SD. I like how their schedules line up.
Instinctive
Footballguy
I think you'd have to draft SD most of the time, although you gotta draft SF too, 2nd to last round as opposed to the last one...drafting 2 defenses is never something I want to do unless you just now draft (after preseason is over)
Excellent post. I tend to disagree a bit, just because, well, they're the RAIDERS (!!!), but you make many good points and the process used is an excellent one.
Well, Arizona is surely cheap and they are an excellent bet to get 3+ turnovers in week 1 against Bradford and the Lambs.
Captain Hook
Footballguy
Arizona + Oakland will be easier to get late and here is the combined schedule
STL
STL
AZ or OAK
HOU or SD
NO or SD
SF
SEA
SEA
KC
SEA
KC
SF or MIA
STL
DEN
DEN
IND or DAL
PLUS you start against the Lambs in Weeks 1 & 2
STL
STL
AZ or OAK
HOU or SD
NO or SD
SF
SEA
SEA
KC
SEA
KC
SF or MIA
STL
DEN
DEN
IND or DAL
PLUS you start against the Lambs in Weeks 1 & 2
LawFitz
Footballguy
I was high on starting D's against the Rams this year until I saw Bradford play this preseason. I am very impressed with him. More so than any other rookie QB in a long time. His decision making and accuracy have been absolutely stellar. If his OL can keep him upright and if SJax can stay healthy, I'm not as nearly as bullish as I used to be starting D's against Bradford.
LawFitz
Footballguy
In terms of Oakland, I think front to back, they have more talent on defense than any other team in the NFL. Bold statement, I know.
That said, I don't trust the coaching schemes at all. There has been talk this off- and preseason of more exotic looks and better utilization of this talent, but I'll believe it when I see it in the regular season. The more likely scenario is Al Davis' 1967 scheme (zero blitzing, man-to-man, vanilla) and a lot of prevent looks whenever they have a 4th quarter lead, even a small one.
It's simply mind-boggling to me why the Raiders continue to play this way. Last year, they went away from this methodology for one game (against the Eagles) and the results were superb. I don't understand why they don't blitz more. I don't understand why they don't assign Asomougha against the other team's #1 WR exclusively (they claim they will do that this year).
In this league, talent will only go so far. Coaching and scheme are just as, if not more important. I'm not yet convinced that this team has changed its stripes even though talk this offseason has been as such. We shall see.
That said, I don't trust the coaching schemes at all. There has been talk this off- and preseason of more exotic looks and better utilization of this talent, but I'll believe it when I see it in the regular season. The more likely scenario is Al Davis' 1967 scheme (zero blitzing, man-to-man, vanilla) and a lot of prevent looks whenever they have a 4th quarter lead, even a small one.
It's simply mind-boggling to me why the Raiders continue to play this way. Last year, they went away from this methodology for one game (against the Eagles) and the results were superb. I don't understand why they don't blitz more. I don't understand why they don't assign Asomougha against the other team's #1 WR exclusively (they claim they will do that this year).
In this league, talent will only go so far. Coaching and scheme are just as, if not more important. I'm not yet convinced that this team has changed its stripes even though talk this offseason has been as such. We shall see.
TheDirtyWord
Footballguy
I paired SF with ATL. Right now, taking best match-up, schedule looks like this...parentheses is for alternate match-up not being taken with combo. Red = SF/Green = ATL
@SEA (vs @PIT)
ARI (vs NO)
@KC (vs @NO)
SF (vs @ATL - they play each other)
@CLE (vs PHI)
OAK (vs @PHI)
@CAR (vs CIN)
DEN (Falcons on a bye)
TB (49ers on a bye)
STL (vs BAL)
TB (vs @STL)
@ARI (vs GB)
@TB (vs @GB)
SEA (vs @CAR)
@SEA (vs @SD)
@STL (vs NO)
This provides:
3 match-ups with Seattle
3 match-ups with Tampa Bay
2 match-ups with St. Louis
2 match-ups with Arizona
Not to mention that after Week 8, this combo provides only match-ups against the teams above.
Other singular match-ups this combo provides includes
KC
CAR
CLE
OAK
DEN
...don't think you can get much better.
@SEA (vs @PIT)
ARI (vs NO)
@KC (vs @NO)
SF (vs @ATL - they play each other)
@CLE (vs PHI)
OAK (vs @PHI)
@CAR (vs CIN)
DEN (Falcons on a bye)
TB (49ers on a bye)
STL (vs BAL)
TB (vs @STL)
@ARI (vs GB)
@TB (vs @GB)
SEA (vs @CAR)
@SEA (vs @SD)
@STL (vs NO)
This provides:
3 match-ups with Seattle
3 match-ups with Tampa Bay
2 match-ups with St. Louis
2 match-ups with Arizona
Not to mention that after Week 8, this combo provides only match-ups against the teams above.
Other singular match-ups this combo provides includes
KC
CAR
CLE
OAK
DEN
...don't think you can get much better.
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SuperGreen
Footballguy
that eagle game came to mind right when i read the first paragraph. they completely confused and dominated philly. i love the personnel as well, esp now that they've made improvements to the offense that should keep them fresh. sadly, like you said, they don't always do what makes sense in oakland.
gethugefast1
Footballguy
DEFENSIVE LINEMEN: Starters — LE Charles Johnson, LT Louis Leonard, RT Ed Johnson, RE Tyler Brayton. Backups — DE Everette Brown, DE Greg Hardy, DT Derek Landri, DT Tank Tyler, DE Eric Moore, DT Nick Hayden, DT Corvey Irvin, DT Andre Neblett.Julius who? The Panthers got good production from all five defensive ends in the preseason as each had at least two sacks through three preseason games, and they have everyone forgetting Julius Peppers was ever here. The team had 18 in their first three games. Johnson is locked in as a starter, but Brown could compete and overtake Brayton, who is recovering from a sprained ankle. Hardy, a sixth-round pick out of Ole Miss who was once ranked by Sports Illustrated as the top pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, has been terrific and has shown star potential. He'll be in the rotation. Both starting defensive tackle spots remain up for grabs following the offseason departures of Damione Lewis, Maake Kemoeatu and Hollis Thomas. It's anybody's guess who starts, but the four rotating in are Leonard, Johnson, Tyler and Landri. Moore has had a great preseason but is on the bubble along with Hayden and Irvin, last year's third-round draft pick.LINEBACKERS: Starters — WLB Jon Beason, MLB Dan Connor, SLB James Anderson. Backups — OLB Jamar Williams, OLB/DE Eric Norwood, OLB Quinton Culberson. MLB Jordan Senn, OLB Mortty Ivy, WLB Thomas Davis (PUP).Davis will miss at least the first six weeks and probably longer while trying to hurry back from his second torn ACL in his knee. In the meantime, Beason has moved over to the weak side and Dan Connor is starting in the middle. The defense has looked exceptional in the preseason, so it's hard to complain about the job they've done. Still, Connor could be a liability in pass coverage. Anderson takes over at the strong side after filling in for Davis on the weak side the second half of last year. The depth is fairly weak behind the current starting three, but Williams and Culberson bring some experience. Norwood is a rookie who will be used some as a pass rushing defensive end. The team likes Senn for his special teams ability.DEFENSIVE BACKS: Starters — LCB Chris Gamble, RCB Richard Marshall, FS Charles Godfrey, SS Sherrod Martin. Backups — CB Captain Munnerlyn, CB Robert McClain, CB C.J. Wilson, CB R.J. Stanford, S Jordan Pugh, S Marcus Hudson, S Aaron Francisco.Gamble, Marshall and Munnerlyn may be the fastest trio of corners the Panthers have ever had. Munnerlyn is the nickel back and shined as a rookie last year. Gamble and Marshall are solid. The fourth and fifth corner spots remain up in the air, but the Panthers seem to like McClain, a seventh-round pick. At safety, Godfrey returns for a third season as a starter while Martin takes over for Chris Harris, who was traded back to Chicago. Pugh, a sixth-round pick from Texas A&M is well thought of and has great leadership ability. Hudson and Francisco were added as free agents because of their special teams ability, but Francisco has been sidelined most of training camp with a hamstring injury.SPECIAL TEAMS: PK John Kasay, P Jason Baker, LS J.J. Jansen, KOR Mike Goodson, KOR Todd Carter, KOR Trent Guy, PR Armanti Edwards, PR Captain Munnerlyn, PR Trent Guy.Baker is having a great season punting the ball and Kasay is as reliable as ever. The return game has been a mess, although Goodson did take one back 91 yards for a score, possibly solidifying that spot. The team would like Edwards to win the punt return job but it's been an adventure for him as he transitions from college quarterback. Munnerlyn might be the safer option. Guy is also a possibility. Carter is likely to be the teams kickoff specialist, replacing Rhys Lloyd, who signed with Minnesota.
pittstownkiller
Footballguy
As a sleeper defense, I like TEN. They played horribly for the first half of last season, especially their debacle in New England, then turned it around for their late season run. Their over-all stats are not too sexy but remove their first half and they are right up there with everyone else. This was a top five defense in 2008 and a top 15 defense all the way back to 2005. I saw most of the early rankings had them at the bottom but their history says they aer better than that.
I like how they start the season with 3 home games against Oak, Pit, & Den. The only tough one is Week 3 @ the Giants.
SoopaCee
Footballguy
i drafted them aswell.....just because the schedulealso have Tenn.....for one, im a homer, and for two....i liked what i saw in preseason, they look like they are actually gonna bring the hear again.....i have faith in FishGreat...I just dropped TEN in favor of CHI
Mia / NYG - Miami's last 5 weeks are awesome, and the Giants look to be the best early-season complement out of likely WW defenses:
Week 1: NYG vs. Car
2: Mia @ Min
3: NYG vs. Ten
4: NYG vs. Chi
5: NYG @ Hou
6: NYG vs. Det
7: Mia vs. Pit
8: Mia @ Cin
9: NYG @ Sea
10: Mia vs. Ten
11: NYG @ Phi
12: Mia @ Oak
13: Mia vs. Cle
14: Mia @ NYJ
15: Mia vs. Buf
16: Mia vs. Det
Week 1: NYG vs. Car
2: Mia @ Min
3: NYG vs. Ten
4: NYG vs. Chi
5: NYG @ Hou
6: NYG vs. Det
7: Mia vs. Pit
8: Mia @ Cin
9: NYG @ Sea
10: Mia vs. Ten
11: NYG @ Phi
12: Mia @ Oak
13: Mia vs. Cle
14: Mia @ NYJ
15: Mia vs. Buf
16: Mia vs. Det
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Bigboy10182000
Footballguy
I currently have SF & Chicago right now but you guys have my wheels spinning with Oakland. I just can't get my head around just how awful they were last year and I can't imagine they can take a step into fantasy relevance this season. Mind you I don't know much about them though.
bulger2holt
Footballguy
There is going to be some sorry people in here when Bradford tears up your defense.
Captain Hook
Footballguy
Really? what is he going to tear up with that offensive line letting so many rushers through and a below average set of WR? Mind you I think Bradford will be a good NFL QB....not so much this year, but picking the DST to play them is for the sacks/int/fumbles AND kick return scores, not so much about the opposing quarterbackThere is going to be some sorry people in here when Bradford tears up your defense.
Football Jones
Footballguy
I'm as high on Bradford as anybody. I'm on record as saying he's the best QB prospect to come out in a long time. From the very start, his subtle athleticism was being underrated. I'm not saying he's Michael Vick, but he's what I call a great "ball athlete". Meaning, he'll likely excel at any sport requiring a ball. You don't have to run fast or jump over a car to be a good athlete.
All that said, he can't do it by himself. Bradford could have some nice games, but his OL may very well prevent him from producing big numbers this season. Look out in the future, though. Rams fans will be rejoicing in a few years as long as management has a clue.
All that said, he can't do it by himself. Bradford could have some nice games, but his OL may very well prevent him from producing big numbers this season. Look out in the future, though. Rams fans will be rejoicing in a few years as long as management has a clue.
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Nice job.
Wish I'd have seen this before my draft.
Now I gotta try to get Atl to go with my SF. From a Falcon homer....
massraider
Footballguy
bulger2holt said:There is going to be some sorry people in here when Bradford tears up his shoulder
Just kidding. Sammy has looked great.
massraider
Footballguy
Another good one. Nice job, Cap'n.This is a great thread thus far, and I was a bit disappointed in the DTBC article this year.I know carrying two defense doesn't make sense to a lot of people, but in rosters with larger leagues, it can be totally worth it.
Mystery Achiever
Footballguy
I like having two (at least through bye weeks) in hopes I will find one I don't want to drop back on the wire. The emerging defense - like SF. NO last year - may start on the wire, but as they are figured out, get kept. My tandems to start the year in my two leagues are Chi/Cin and SD/Mia.
LawFitz
Footballguy
Just a little food for thought for those of you looking for the Raider D to be relevant...
"Coach Cable Monday Media Session
Posted 5 hours ago
Oakland Raiders Head Coach Tom Cable spoke to the media after Monday's practice session at the team's Alameda facility.
Coach Cable: An addition, the eighth and final practice squad member is Kevin Brock, last with Dallas, at the TE position, he will give us some much needed help there. Practice today was lot of fun - I think that is the best way to out it. There was a good energy about our football team, got to feel some heat today, some warmth which is good obviously for where we are headed. All of the tempo, the attitude, the effort today was very good.
Q: What do you do about the heat? You obviously can’t make it as hot as it will be out there, what do you do for preparation?
A: The things you do, take care of your body during the week, you have to do those things no matter what and the next thing is just the mindset. We’ve all been in it before at different times, it’s kind of like playing in the cold you’ve been there and done that. It’s not going to warm up today or cool down today; it is what it is and you’ll have to deal with it. To me it’s a mentality, it’s knowing what you’re going into, having your body prepared to do it and then not worrying about it because you’ve already done it in your brain and know it’s going to be tough and that’s what it is.
Q: How did playing in Dallas and Chicago prepare you for going into a hostile environment like Nashville?
A: I think it was good – both of them, in regards to the hostile environment. It was warm in Dallas, not as warm as we would have hoped for in Chicago. It was good for us to go on the road, two long trips like that back to back, we handled it well. I think that part we are kind of used to as we get ready to go out there this weekend.
Q: What kind of test is Titans RB Chris Johnson going to give your run defense right out of the gate?
A: He’s good. He’s probably the best there is in this league. He’s got a tremendous group blocking for him and good tight ends, the quarterback is a threat also so you can’t put all your focus on just the one guy. He’s got good players around him so he’ll be a good test there’s no question.
Q: There are a couple guys in the locker room saying it is great to face Johnson and St. Louis Rams RB Steven Jackson right off the bat, the run defense has been such a focus, but is there too much of a danger in making those two guys the holy grail of everything you want to accomplish?
A: I don’t think we are going that far with it, but it does have to have a great emphasis, it really does. If we are going to be the kind of football team we want to be, we are going to have to play really well against those two players. I think to put an effort to it and an attention to it is pretty fair.
Q: Jeff Fisher and the Titans have a reputation for being a physical team, how do you match up with them?
A: Well, to me you’ve got two teams that are similar. They are pretty simple in terms of what they try to do defensively. They don’t try to trick you, they just try to beat you, and they do it with effort and intensity. They’ve got a bunch of good athletes on that side of the ball. So we are similar that way, we don’t try to trick you on defense, you know what we are and where we are going to be, we’ve got to play hard and tackle and do all of those things. Offensively, again, they’ve got a special player at the running back position, but they’ve also got a lot of good players, the Quarterback is dynamic, Tight End is a good player, Receivers are good players, so you’ve just got to play great team defense that day. It’ll come down to who can be physical and who can last the longest.
Q: You talked about wanting to see LB Rolando McClain pull the trigger more, what have you seen from him since then, and is that something you have to wait until the game to see?
A: It’s happening and it’s been fun to see. We saw a little more against San Francisco. I made that statement after the Chicago game and sure enough there it was. He didn’t play against Seattle so I think he understands now what is needed of him and what we are asking him to do, and I look forward to him playing on Sunday.
Q: He seems so calm, demeanor wise. Have you seen moments where he is frustrated or upset or does he constantly put that in the background and focus on the next thing that is coming as if he’s a guy who is 27 or 28 years old?
A: Yeah, he does, he’s not one to dwell on things, he moves forward and doesn’t let the last one beat him the next time. As I’ve told you before, he’s well schooled that way. There’s really no reason for him or anyone else to be uptight or nervous. We’ve got a good football team and its just a matter of going out and playing the game, our way, with our purpose. There’s a way for us to play now and it’s not beating ourselves, that’s first and foremost, and I think we understand that about ourselves. Go play the opponent, line up and play them with everything you’ve got and eliminate the negative football, and I think that’s what we’ve learned to do and I think we’ve figured out that’s what we are. If we can do that we have a great chance.
Q: Back to McClain, do you see that mean streak in him? Middle linebackers set the tone for so many defenses, do you see that in him?
A: I see that in a lot of players on our defense. He definitely has shown the ability to pull the trigger and I think that’s what excites me more than anything else. He’s a really talented guy, he definitely has a orneriness about him when he plays the game. As he grows, learning the NFL and what the game is about at this level he’s just going to get better and better.”"
"Coach Cable Monday Media Session
Posted 5 hours ago
Oakland Raiders Head Coach Tom Cable spoke to the media after Monday's practice session at the team's Alameda facility.
Coach Cable: An addition, the eighth and final practice squad member is Kevin Brock, last with Dallas, at the TE position, he will give us some much needed help there. Practice today was lot of fun - I think that is the best way to out it. There was a good energy about our football team, got to feel some heat today, some warmth which is good obviously for where we are headed. All of the tempo, the attitude, the effort today was very good.
Q: What do you do about the heat? You obviously can’t make it as hot as it will be out there, what do you do for preparation?
A: The things you do, take care of your body during the week, you have to do those things no matter what and the next thing is just the mindset. We’ve all been in it before at different times, it’s kind of like playing in the cold you’ve been there and done that. It’s not going to warm up today or cool down today; it is what it is and you’ll have to deal with it. To me it’s a mentality, it’s knowing what you’re going into, having your body prepared to do it and then not worrying about it because you’ve already done it in your brain and know it’s going to be tough and that’s what it is.
Q: How did playing in Dallas and Chicago prepare you for going into a hostile environment like Nashville?
A: I think it was good – both of them, in regards to the hostile environment. It was warm in Dallas, not as warm as we would have hoped for in Chicago. It was good for us to go on the road, two long trips like that back to back, we handled it well. I think that part we are kind of used to as we get ready to go out there this weekend.
Q: What kind of test is Titans RB Chris Johnson going to give your run defense right out of the gate?
A: He’s good. He’s probably the best there is in this league. He’s got a tremendous group blocking for him and good tight ends, the quarterback is a threat also so you can’t put all your focus on just the one guy. He’s got good players around him so he’ll be a good test there’s no question.
Q: There are a couple guys in the locker room saying it is great to face Johnson and St. Louis Rams RB Steven Jackson right off the bat, the run defense has been such a focus, but is there too much of a danger in making those two guys the holy grail of everything you want to accomplish?
A: I don’t think we are going that far with it, but it does have to have a great emphasis, it really does. If we are going to be the kind of football team we want to be, we are going to have to play really well against those two players. I think to put an effort to it and an attention to it is pretty fair.
Q: Jeff Fisher and the Titans have a reputation for being a physical team, how do you match up with them?
A: Well, to me you’ve got two teams that are similar. They are pretty simple in terms of what they try to do defensively. They don’t try to trick you, they just try to beat you, and they do it with effort and intensity. They’ve got a bunch of good athletes on that side of the ball. So we are similar that way, we don’t try to trick you on defense, you know what we are and where we are going to be, we’ve got to play hard and tackle and do all of those things. Offensively, again, they’ve got a special player at the running back position, but they’ve also got a lot of good players, the Quarterback is dynamic, Tight End is a good player, Receivers are good players, so you’ve just got to play great team defense that day. It’ll come down to who can be physical and who can last the longest.
Q: You talked about wanting to see LB Rolando McClain pull the trigger more, what have you seen from him since then, and is that something you have to wait until the game to see?
A: It’s happening and it’s been fun to see. We saw a little more against San Francisco. I made that statement after the Chicago game and sure enough there it was. He didn’t play against Seattle so I think he understands now what is needed of him and what we are asking him to do, and I look forward to him playing on Sunday.
Q: He seems so calm, demeanor wise. Have you seen moments where he is frustrated or upset or does he constantly put that in the background and focus on the next thing that is coming as if he’s a guy who is 27 or 28 years old?
A: Yeah, he does, he’s not one to dwell on things, he moves forward and doesn’t let the last one beat him the next time. As I’ve told you before, he’s well schooled that way. There’s really no reason for him or anyone else to be uptight or nervous. We’ve got a good football team and its just a matter of going out and playing the game, our way, with our purpose. There’s a way for us to play now and it’s not beating ourselves, that’s first and foremost, and I think we understand that about ourselves. Go play the opponent, line up and play them with everything you’ve got and eliminate the negative football, and I think that’s what we’ve learned to do and I think we’ve figured out that’s what we are. If we can do that we have a great chance.
Q: Back to McClain, do you see that mean streak in him? Middle linebackers set the tone for so many defenses, do you see that in him?
A: I see that in a lot of players on our defense. He definitely has shown the ability to pull the trigger and I think that’s what excites me more than anything else. He’s a really talented guy, he definitely has a orneriness about him when he plays the game. As he grows, learning the NFL and what the game is about at this level he’s just going to get better and better.”"
kip stabone
Footballguy
I'm on board. I went with the AZ, Oakland duo. Good insight in here.
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