This Might Piss You Off, But This Is What I See In 2009
Posted: Friday, July 24, 2009
by Chris Limburg
http://gothicfootball.com
After another year of turmoil with Al Davis and Lane Kiffin publicly bickering, Tom Cable steps in as the full-time head coach. He will attempt to bring that Raiders "swagger" back to a franchise that has gone into a historical tailspin since losing the Super Bowl after the 2002 season. If there are any hiccups to start the season, Jeff Garcia will be starting and Darren McFadden will hopefully be the workhorse we know he can be as they attempt to make a late run. The Raiders will probably average 20 points per game and allow 24 points against a schedule featuring five games against 2008 playoff teams.
Most Significant Newcomer:
Jeff Garcia, QB - Al Davis will do everything he can to make sure that his highly-paid, former number one overall choice, JaMarcus Russell gets the starting job, but it definitely should be the veteran Garcia. In each of his last three seasons, Garcia has completed greater than 60% of his passes with double-digit touchdowns and single-digit interceptions. He may not be awe-inspiring or flashy, but he can play. I expect that head coach Tom Cable and company will not be able to last with Russell beyond the first half of the season. Garcia will probably finish with 1,800 -2000 passing yards, 12-14 touchdowns and five interceptions in the second half.
Biggest Strength:
Rushing Offense The Raiders made another shrewd move signing veteran Lorenzo Neal to pave the way for the three-headed running attack of Darren McFadden, Justin Fargas and Michael Bush. Neal does not have to touch the ball to be effective; everywhere he goes, teams improve significantly running the ball. Without Neal or any semblance of a passing game, Oakland will finish about tenth in the NFL in rushing yards. McFadden can't miss any time and needs to be featured as much as he should be this season. The projections see the Raiders' RB trio increase its production to 2200-2500 yards.
Most Exploitable Weakness:
Rushing Defense - Unfortunately for the Raiders, Oakland's rush defense has progressively gotten worse. That's exceptionally bad for a team that saw opponents run often to milk leads. Furthermore, the Raiders cut sure-tackling safety Gibril Wilson for what reason we still do not know. Much-discussed second round pick Michael Mitchell will have to step up for Wilson. The rest of the back seven on defense is filled with fast, athletic, yet undersized players who are much better in pass coverage than in stopping the run.
Possible Fantasy Sleeper:
Darren McFadden, RB - McFadden is a star in the making and this should be his year. He showed last season that he can be an effective pass-catcher and should soon be trusted with every-down duties. Justin Fargas and Michael Bush should not be significant roadblocks, yet health may be. My projection, McFadden gains 1,300 yards and 7-8 touchdowns. His production is good enough to rank him ahead of DeAngelo Williams, Ryan Grant, Reggie Bush and others.
Most important Game:
Cincinnati Bengals (Week 11) - From week 6-11 the Raiders have a stretch of four out of five games at home. This game is the last game of a winnable part of the schedule. After facing the Bengals, the Raiders go to Dallas on short rest for Thanksgiving, then at Pittsburgh and home against Washington. A win over Cincinnati could be big for a team that needs as many victories before that likely losing streak.
NFL and fantasy football fans check out my new site http://www.oaklandraiderscentral.com for commentary on everything that is the NFL and fantasy football. Also, sign up for my free fantasy e-course that will prepare you for your draft and enable you to dominate your league in 2009!!
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