Week 1 Pregame Discussion Thread - Raiders At Bolts

[Heatmiser]

The ball game is also how stout Pip plays. If he’s as bad as Storm was vs Crosby, it’s going to be tough for Herbert and a nightmare all season.

like last years first game vs Skins, we learned everything we needed to know about Slater when he neutered Chase Young.

Raiders will expose our run defense and RT. Hopefully for the good.

In that game, many forget that Norton had to play almost the entire game off the bench and played well against Sweat and then Young when the Redskin Commanders moved him to the other side because Slater manhandled him. Yes it is true. You can watch it!

TG

[SBbound]

I have a lot of respect for Derek Carr as a player and as a person. He's a great QB and he definitely gets the job done. Is he an obnoxious asshat only because he plays for a team whose fanbase is exactly that? Or do you really think he is? I just don't see it...

I know he does a lot for charities with his brother in the Fresno area, and mostly it was just a offhand comment about a division opponent QB, but he said some things last year about the Chargers fanbase that rubbed me the wrong way.
I'm very much looking forward to him turtling up in the season opener.

He plays for the Raiders, therefor I don't like him.

[Velo]

If Pipkins is as good as Norton was over the season, we're a top 3 offense and a lock for the playoffs.
Not that Norton was great, he wasn't, but Schofield was useless at helping vs the inside move by a pass rusher.
I hope that Pipkins is somewhat better than Norton (at least) and that Zion is a lot better than Schofield.

It's popular on this board to say Norton was abused by Maxx Crosby in the Week 18 game. But it's not really accurate. Herbert threw for almost 400 yds and 3 TDs in that game. If Storm was as bad as some people claim, Herbert would not have had time to throw it all over the field the way he did. If Pipkins is even a slight upgrade over Storm, that's all Herbert needs. Crosby isn't quite the beast posters on this board tend to make him out to be. He averages about 8 sacks per year. He's a decent edge rusher, but he's not elite.

[Boltgang74]

How many sacks did Maxx have against us?

[sonorajim]

How many sacks did Maxx have against us?

Two.

[CivilBolt]

Two.

3 TFL and 4 QB hits. I’m guessing all these came from the right side

[RTPbolt]

Here is our secret…..Sony Michel…he knows McD on offense for playing in it. You think we arent picking his brain during this next week? You bet we are!

I think it will be competitive but we are very healthy and this is year two for the coaching staff and no question we attacked our weaknesses from last year by dismantling the DL and the lb core too plus hopefully Jackson with Callahan. They have been playing competitively in practice against a top offense and I expect will be improved to make a difference.

i was at the DC game last year….it was game 1 for the entire coaching staff. We will be much further along in game 1. Staley isnt k own to take the foot off the gas and i expect a dialed in pass attack to start fast and force the Turds hands. McD and tge staff installed new O and Ds ….you think they are so familiar with it for day 1? I think not.

Bring em on. Lets eat!

[dmac_bolt]

Most on O, yeah. But:

New right side of the OL.

New starting TE.

New RB2.

New slot WR.

Heres hoping these five new players, from every down starters to limited but crucial snap players, matriculate quickly and well. We need them to to get over.

New OG replaces a fucking shitty ass failure of RG - miles better
”New” RT is starting his 4th year on the team and is better than last year’s new RT
RB2 is going into his third year on the team
Slot WR3 is going on his 2nd or 3rd year, depending on who you think is WR3. You have to get to WR5 to find a change in WR group from last year
Last year’s starting TE started the season dropping passes and by the end didn’t even bother to turn around for passes. He didn’t block for shit throughout. Playing nobody is an upgrade over Cook.

Sorry - I don’t see the concern with any of those.

[blueman]

New TE is a plus. Cook wore out or something. Too many mistakes.
RB2 is a quality vet, played well in last year's SB. He reduces questions about RB2.
#5 WR isn't an issue.

R side of OL is a ? Odds are good we improved but they have to show us.

Was talking coming out of the gate. Last year we sucked against Washington but they sucked more, and we made way too many self-inflicted wounds the next week against Dallas to win even though talent-wise I thought we were the better team. New guys need to gel immediately, these are two big big games, zero wiggle room.

[Charge!]

It's popular on this board to say Norton was abused by Maxx Crosby in the Week 18 game. But it's not really accurate. Herbert threw for almost 400 yds and 3 TDs in that game. If Storm was as bad as some people claim, Herbert would not have had time to throw it all over the field the way he did. If Pipkins is even a slight upgrade over Storm, that's all Herbert needs. Crosby isn't quite the beast posters on this board tend to make him out to be. He averages about 8 sacks per year. He's a decent edge rusher, but he's not elite.

Agree.... for example, Crosby, in his rookie year, had 10 sacks(6 in first game, 4 in 2nd) just against the Chargers horrible OL, but almost nothing against other teams..... (Chargers made him a pro bowler...even though he only played well against one team..... lol)

last year, the raiders rush did dominate the Chargers right side, but Chargers game planned against it..... and herbert's mobility was a huge factor....and will continue to be so....

This year, with entire OL solid except for RT, and another year developing our system, we should have even more success..... Raiders pass rush will be better than last year, but our OL should be much better too, with a better running game to compliment the passing game.... and coaches should be smarter this time around....

[jamrock]

Not true. I am so sick of this narrative. They're obnoxious asshats, just like the their QB.

Based on last season's game, they will outnumber us. I'm anxious to see if this changes for this season. It's not some fictional narrative by the way. It's a narrative based on observations

[jamrock]

The comp for Sony Michel is
--Walter Payton.
--Emmitt Smith.

I would like to add an editorial comment...

The comp is reasonable--only Sony is better than these dudes.

I would like to add an editorial comment: wu-dai is hitting the drink early