Week 1 Pregame Discussion Thread - Raiders At Bolts

[jamrock]

Meh! Than why did the run the ball on 3rd and 6?

A missed 57 yard field goal would have set the bolts up nicely.

Because our run defense both sucks and was gassed

[QSmokey]

Those who are taking this game lightly - predicting 2-3 TD margins of victory - might be in for a rude awakening. Their 4-0 meaningless PS aside, the Raiders pose a significant threat, and this game, IMO, is going to be close. A loss would not be a shock, nor would it be much of an upset for them.

What I think has turned out to be a bit of unfortunate scheduling for us is having to start against the Raiders and then a short week against the Chiefs, in KC. Great for the NFL - and a couple of games I'd love to watch if I was a fan of another team (where I wouldn't give a damn who won) - but an easier game in between might have been a better way for us to start the season.

[21&500]

Those who are taking this game lightly - predicting 2-3 TD margins of victory - might be in for a rude awakening. Their 4-0 meaningless PS aside, the Raiders pose a significant threat, and this game, IMO, is going to be close. A loss would not be a shock, nor would it be much of an upset for them.

What I think has turned out to be a bit of unfortunate scheduling for us is having to start against the Raiders and then a short week against the Chiefs, in KC. Great for the NFL - and a couple of games I'd love to watch if I was a fan of another team (where I wouldn't give a damn who won) - but an easier game in between might have been a better way for us to start the season.

I won't even bother watching, mark a "W" and enjoy my Sunday.

Haha jk

[wu-dai clan]

How beautiful is it to have
Raiders Week
turned into
Raiders Fortnight ?

[21&500]

Marty approves
RIP

[Ghost of Quacksaw]

Those who are taking this game lightly - predicting 2-3 TD margins of victory - might be in for a rude awakening. Their 4-0 meaningless PS aside, the Raiders pose a significant threat, and this game, IMO, is going to be close. A loss would not be a shock, nor would it be much of an upset for them.

What I think has turned out to be a bit of unfortunate scheduling for us is having to start against the Raiders and then a short week against the Chiefs, in KC. Great for the NFL - and a couple of games I'd love to watch if I was a fan of another team (where I wouldn't give a damn who won) - but an easier game in between might have been a better way for us to start the season.

The entire AFC West is highly competitive. Big picture, I think it likely boils down to "Which team shoots itself in the foot the LEAST?"

This is why it's crucial for the Bolts to get the kicking phase of the game corrected. Getting kicks blocked, and having the coverage units gashed for big yardage? In recent Charger times, that's been more the rule than the exception. We'll have to see how it shakes out. Clearly, Staley saw the need and addressed it. Whether he addressed it correctly is what we're about to find out.

Likewise with run defense. Obvious deficiency. Multiple moves made to correct. We've yet to see all of the pieces on the field at the same time, so now it's time to fasten your seatbelt. Let's see what we have.

I don't think people appreciate the degree to which Zion Johnson will upgrade the O-line, because there's been so much hand-wringing about RT. Zion appears to be as real a deal as Rashawn Slater has been. Both run blocking and pass protection will be better due to his addition.

All that's left to do is to see how the many changes impact the results on the field.

[NoMoreChillies]

Herb and the boys 2nd year in system
Staley Def 2nd year in system

Raiders are 1st year in McDaniels system.

Dont discount this

[Velo]

Herb and the boys 2nd year in system
Staley Def 2nd year in system

Raiders are 1st year in McDaniels system.

Dont discount this

I hadn't fully recognized this. It's a very good point.

[sonorajim]

Those who are taking this game lightly - predicting 2-3 TD margins of victory - might be in for a rude awakening. Their 4-0 meaningless PS aside, the Raiders pose a significant threat, and this game, IMO, is going to be close. A loss would not be a shock, nor would it be much of an upset for them.

What I think has turned out to be a bit of unfortunate scheduling for us is having to start against the Raiders and then a short week against the Chiefs, in KC. Great for the NFL - and a couple of games I'd love to watch if I was a fan of another team (where I wouldn't give a damn who won) - but an easier game in between might have been a better way for us to start the season.

Game 1. We will move the ball, put points on the board.

If we can stop the run, they're in trouble. The 'Turds aren't going to enjoy our pass D. Especially not with their OL.

Game 2. One at a time.

[AL9000]

Those who are taking this game lightly - predicting 2-3 TD margins of victory - might be in for a rude awakening. Their 4-0 meaningless PS aside, the Raiders pose a significant threat, and this game, IMO, is going to be close. A loss would not be a shock, nor would it be much of an upset for them.

What I think has turned out to be a bit of unfortunate scheduling for us is having to start against the Raiders and then a short week against the Chiefs, in KC. Great for the NFL - and a couple of games I'd love to watch if I was a fan of another team (where I wouldn't give a damn who won) - but an easier game in between might have been a better way for us to start the season.

Respectfully disagree. Carr is going to shit the bed behind that OL. That team always goes as Carr goes, regardless of who’s on the roster. They’re toast.

[Guest]

I can't wait to see if this really is our best team since the 2006 team. That team opened the season with a 27-0 win over the Raiders in Oakland. I was there seeing all of those Raiders fans leaving the Coliseum completely dejected, realizing that their team was so inferior to ours that the difference was too great to be measured. So it is fitting that our first game, in a season in which our players all arrived with a sense of purpose knowing what this year could be, is against the Raiders.

Given that we already had a top 5 offense last year and are slightly better on offense this year, I can only imagine the points we will be able to put up now having a defense that can actually get off the field and even create a few turnovers. If the defense is even average, we should lead the NFL in scoring this year. Yet, in the practices, we heard that the defense was winning...against our offense. If our defense is going to be that good, we are very likely going to win the Super Bowl.

Naturally, seeing is believing and our starting defense has yet to play a down. After the Raiders ran all over scrubs for most of the preseason, I cannot wait to see them realize that our awful run defense and defense in general from last year is miles ahead of where it was. On one of their forums, they are talking a lot about Bosa and Mack and how they think they will contain them (including single blocking Bosa and chipping on Mack with a TE), while completely ignoring the upgrades that we made to the interior DL, CB and ILB (with Van Noy).

I think we will win and win easily by 3 TDs if we get out to a fast start. If we show rust from the starters not playing a single down in the preseason, then I think it will only be two possession win for us with us putting the game away late in going up by two possessions.

[SBbound]

Marty approves
RIP

An appropriate tribute to Marty would be to not let them in the F-ing endzone.