Westside's Treasure Map
Gibril Wilson: Our Fourth Linebacker?
Welcome home Homeboy, to the Bay Area, the Oakland Raiders and you know I got your good-looking-out heads up. This is how it’s going to go down. I am going to brief you and Huff on what to expect. Call up Huff and tell him to bring his playbook. Tell him the West Side Pirate is going to brief both of you on what is going to happen this year before it does.
Gibril, have a seat Son, I hope you like playing Linebacker, kid, because you are going to play a lot of it this year. I know you thought you were a Safety, but let me tell you here and now that you won’t be playing much Cover Two this year. Here is the deal: you have below-average STRONG SIDE LINEBACKERS in Sam Williams and Robert Thomas in front of you. In front of them you have a defensive line that does not play the run very well, if at all, and especially not our Defensive Tackles. In fact, this was the second worst defense in the league versus the run last year. Nothing was done to improve this defense versus the run, except to add you. So you know what that means, I know. Yes, you got it--you will be that eighth man in the box, a lot this year. As you know, when you are that eighth man in the box, you are in a 4-4 Cover 1 defense, which makes you that fourth Linebacker, no matter what they want to call you. What can I say, Gibril? I sincerely hope you like playing Linebacker, like, a lot. My advice to you is to make it out of the season alive: Tighten that chin strap, put on more muscle, get a neck roll, and tape up because that is what is really 'what’s up.'
Huff, you know that in a Cover 1 deep zone you are covering the whole field solo. That is right, from sideline to sideline, so you are going to have to hit your wind sprints and have a tight 40-yard dash time. This and some damn good reads, angles, and good open field tackling / hitting too; so as to not look like Schweigert did on film and national television. Not until we have some decent Defensive Tackles and a Strong Side Linebacker to stop the run with just our front seven will you see Gibril back there with you in a Cover 2 deep zone as often as you would like to see him there, Huff. I don’t know what to say this year except 'hang in there' and, remember, the more aggressive you play the less likely it is you will get hurt. (Jack Tatum 101: you are either the hitter or hittee in this game.)
A lot of money was spent in improving this team this year, and it was not all in vain either. But what is also clear is that it will take another off-season to address the front seven needs in those aforementioned positions. Sure, Ryan will try some things by scheme, but it comes down to the player’s, player. First, Ryan needs to teach this group to tackle and to hit, because we have all seen Pop Warner teams do a better job than this group did last year. We all know Kelly and Sands got millions, but none of it has made us forget about our last excellent duo of AFC champions, John Perella and Sam Adams.
Armor up, Gibril, you are now my favorite Raiders Linebacker and probably the only one on this team who can hole plug and not just scrape. Yeah, and I hope this gets under your teammates skin. Just tell them West Side said, 'Prove me wrong then.' Anyhow, Gibril, by next year you are going to have a whole lot of new teammates if this front seven cannot stop the run this year anyway. This, and probably a new Defensive Coordinator and Head Coach, as well too. You’ve already got that hardware--now be the world champion that you are. Be a leader and teach these guys what it takes to take care of business.
Again, welcome home we have high expectations.
For the beat writing parrots with a pen, just keep repeating like you actually know football, but you know who always drops it first. Word to our Safeties, the Organization, the R.N, and to Mr. Davis. With all due respect, if this inability to stop the run, this incomplete roster here and at Offensive Tackle too costs Kiffin his job, this will be highly unjust. This is not Kiffin’s roster, but if he gets fired over it, that will be a public relations disaster for Mr. Davis that no amount of future Lombardi Trophies could cure. I for one do not want to see this happen to Lane Kiffin or to Mr. Al Davis. Looking dead in the face of eight to nine losses or more, with this rosters deficiencies, I am telling you this is what to expect, but have a good time anyway!
Well, let’s hope for even better than this, but as long as I can type: I will bang the drum for this organization to live up to it’s high historical standards. Usually this comes down to roster issues, which makes me say one more time, this front seven will have to over achieve for us to have a winning season. Specifically the Strong Side Linebacker position and our Defensive Tackles. If they do not, count on Gibril Wilson being the leading tackler on this defense and spending extra time in the whirl pool as a result.
I will wager Gibril will in fact lead this team the team in tackles, if he God forbid, does not get hurt in the process. Oh well, I just call them before they happen and I am starting to hope that one day, I miss the mark. I am hoping for this because if that happens, than we will be much better than expected and that is all we are all hoping for this year.
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