Offense
The Raiders were the weakest link in arguably the best
division in football last year. This was due to the
inconsistency at the quarterback position, and the
lack of discipline causing them to be the most
penalized team in the NFL. So what is Al Davis to do?
The answer is simple: bring in a new face (Aaron
Brooks) and an old friend (Art Shell).
People have questioned Aaron Brooks' consistency and decisions. Last year he threw for only 13 touchdowns and seventeen interceptions. However this year could be different, because this year Brooks is on the hot seat. The reason for this is last year's third-round draft pick Andrew Walter. He's 6'6, 230 pounds and has a cannon for an arm. And if Shell doesn't like what he sees, you can expect Walter to be breathing down Brooks' neck as early as mid-season. The bottom line is Walter will either push Brooks to succeed, or push him out of his starting role.
Lamont Jordan had his first 1000-plus yard rushing season of his career last year in his first season wearing the silver and black, and is expected to do even better this year. And until the quarterback situation is settled, he will be expected to be the workhorse of the team. If Jordan can stay healthy for sixteen games, the dual-threat back may give the Raiders that extra push they need to make it back to the playoffs.
With trade rumors circulating about Jerry Porter, and the fear that Randy Moss spent a lot of his off-season smoking pot, Raiders fans can't help but worry about the wide receiver situation. However it's actually pretty simple. Last year Randy Moss had 60 catches and only eight TDs. With the lack of depth, the only way to assure success in the passing game is to give Moss the ball, and give it to him often. If he can somehow pull in 80-plus catches and 10-plus touchdowns, the passing game should have a chance. If he can't, the Raiders have little prospect for success.
Defense
It's not easy for a defense to succeed when you have
to play against names like LaDainian Thomlinson, Larry
Johnson, Trent Green and Tatum Bell twice a year,
but that's exactly what the Raiders have to do.
Warren Sapp will be returning for a full season this year and Derrick Burgess is hungry for more. However the weakness of the defense does not reside in the defensive line. Last year the Raiders recorded only five interceptions the whole year. That's good enough for dead last. To get a better picture of how bad that is, figure this: two times last year a team had 5 picks in a single game. During the NFL draft the Raiders selected safeties Michael Huff and Darnell Bing. They also released aging Charles Woodson, leaving the speedy yet young Fabian Washington to start. If all of these players are to start (along with Nnamdi Asomugha at the other corner), that's a total of four games experience combined for the secondary.
With these young players and a linebacker corps that will probably keep you asking, "Who's that guy?", the Raiders defense may need a year to become comfortable playing together. And though they might look a bit shaky early in the season, just keep in mind they are young and talented and will most likely come around toward the end of the season.
Synopsis:
Art Shell has been away from the league for over a
decade, and though he might not be the immediate
answer to the Raiders' Super Bowl hangover, I think he
will be able to point them in the right direction and
be helpful in the long run.
Don't expect the Raiders to be winning any championships this year, but with some new faces and some discipline look for the Raiders to be back in the near future.
As for the upcoming season, I see the Raiders having a shaky start but finishing around 6-10, showing signs of hope for '07.
