Westside's Treasure Map
Two Down And Ten To Go
This off season in so far as improving this roster, the Raiders are second and ten from their own two-yard line. We have signed two Offensive Tackles and this is fantastic; we have addressed two positions that definitely needed addressing, but we still have ten more positions that need to be addressed. Some blogsters have tried to spin that this team is close to having a competitive roster and team, that this team we love will be competitive next season.
Listen, those who imagine this have lost their sense of realism in some fantasy football league somewhere; because it is to that league that they have exiled their cognitive abilities to access and interpret information. It’s either this or it’s that the do not grasp the simple game of football.
I know that we all want to be optimistic, but this team has to be lobbied to improve it’s obvious needs if we are to have any real hope within the realm of reality and reasonable expectation, and not a false hope based upon wishing. This is the NFL and this is real football, not fantasy football. In the real world of football, you are only as good as your roster. If a team has weak links, they soon get exposed and quickly exploited. That team will lose games big time. So, my fantasy-football writing friends, first period is in session, the bell is ringing. “Sat down” and take notes, because I will tell you now before it happens where the Oakland Raiders are weak and what will happen as a result if they do not get busy and get busy like yesterday.
Considering the Raiders off-season pace in free agency, considering the dead money versus the cap this year as a result of bad salary cap management last year, and considering the fact that Raider history proves that, even in a good draft, we will be lucky to net just two starters; all indications are that this roster will be a two-to-three year project before we have a roster and team that can contend in the playoffs. Straight up, that is the way it is, and any one will be hard put to site even one instance over the years where I have missed ahead of time—once.
Without further sports smack, let’s break down a broken down defense:
ON DEFENSE:
This defense is set to finish dead last in every major category you can quantify statistically. I look at this defense and already feel sorry for our new Defensive Coordinator; I would not want his job especially with this roster as is. I also wonder how the Oakland Raiders are going to sell tickets with people’s hard-earned money in times like these to see this kind of a defense, if you will be able to even call it that.
These players had better train and train hard because this pirate is fixing to start calling out by name some of the dead wood on this roster and slackers. Best decide you’re going to play football next season or we will call you out before they settle that fifty three man roster.
But first things first. Let’s finish my needs list here in short. I will break down these unproductive types by name at a later time in greater detail.
OFFENSIVE DEFENSE
The current defense has only two strengths: one, at Cornerback, which is nullified without having any Safeties, and two, at Linebacker in that we have two good Linebackers in Kirk Morrison and Thomas Howard, but who are also nullified by our lack of space-eating Defensive Tackles with the ability to two gap in front of them. This unit has also not had an even adequate Strong Side Linebacker since Bill Romanowski. The bottom line here is that every unit on this defense is very much deficient.
On Defense our needs list is as follows:
A) Two space-eating Defensive Tackles for the run versus the run. (Terdell Sands is a modern day Charles Philyaw, and I am looking forward to this big-- punter- punching wussy walking the plank. But more on him and this Defensive Line full of joking clowns in defeated locker rooms later.)
B) One base Defensive End who can dominate at the point of attack and shut the run down, one who can also get to the quarterback. We do not have that now. (Sorry, this is not Jay Richardson, he would not even make most NFL rosters. )
C) One double-digit sack specialist at Pass Rush End who can harass a QB’s blind side, penetrate to disrupt the backfield, contain, and also play the run. ( Yes we had that in Derrick Burgess two years ago, the operative phrase here is, had two years ago.)
D) One Strong Side Linebacker who can hole plug, jam up tight ends, and dominate at the point of attack, while not getting his ass dirty from getting knocked down on it and getting it kicked, too.
E) One Strong Safety who can play the run in Cover 1 in the box and half the field in Cover 2--a player who can stay with Tony Gonzalez in man, one and one and get it done.
F) One Free Safety who can cover the whole field in Cover 1 and still clean someone’s clock.
Needs Summary on Defense: Two Defensive Tackles (2) Two Defensive Ends (2) Two Safeties (2) One Strong Side Linebacker (1) ( 7 needs )
OFFENSIVE ON THE WAY
On a positive note, I like our Head Coach Tom Cable and I think he has those intangibles we just call "it" as a football man. I do not think that Cable can turn water into wine, though, which is what Al Davis is asking for with this roster as is . Cable is being set up to fail if we do not get busy fast with regard to this deficient roster. I like Cable’s two new Offensive Tackles and I am sure that "J-Russ" will appreciate having fewer Charger, Chief and Bronco tattooed emblems on his body after playing these hated rivals.
Realistically, though, this offense will not see the field much at all next year with our current defense and this roster. We were the second worst team in the league last year versus the run and are set to be the worst with the release of our starting Strong Safety which has painfully not been replaced. Other teams will dominate time of possession on us, and the Offense, our bright spot, won’t be getting their feet on the field very much.
NEEDS LIST ON OFFENSE:
1) One high pick at Wide Receiver and one more free agent acquisition. Specifically, we need a Possession Wide Receiver to emerge and a speed man with hands. (If some of our injured wide outs come back this year, we can count this need as only one Receiver.) 2) We were decimated with injuries at Fullback last year and we need a bulldozing earth mover and clock cleaning pass protector, one with good hands preferred. 3) Center is an obvious Raider historical strength, but which looks very average right now at best.
Needs Summary Offense: One Center (1) One Full Back (1) One additional Wide Receiver. (1) (Three Needs)
There it is: seven needs on Defense and three on Offense for a total of ten needs. If these positions are not addressed other teams will find the Oakland Raiders a walk in the park, an easy "W" and money on Sundays. And that, nation, is the truth about this roster. To paraphrase JT the Brick, a true fan’s role is to hold his team’s feet to the fire and demand a winner. And that RN is what the West Side Pirate is all about. In this endeavor the RN needs more people lobbying and filling this role as yours truly does, and less fantasy football fiction in writing. I hope to see this happen and I hope to someday retire my pen. Until then I will lobby my team to live up to it’s historical winning standards that I grew up with and the Raiders say they still have a vision for. For when we win the beer and hotdogs taste so much better, as do the AC/DC theme songs sound so much better.
To the Oakland Raiders players, be advised this is a historically wining organization and the standards as well as expectations are high. We expect you to come in here work your ass off and produce in your position. If you don’t, we will call you out by name and revoke your free pass and call for your contract.
So, this is a fair warning. If and when "West Side" calls you out, it is not long for you kid. The Turk will call your number and, yeah, I do have him on speed dial. Thought I didn’t? Just win in your position battles baby, or turn in the RN’s colors and bring your play book. These colors have a proud history and a wining tradition and it is an honor to wear them and the many numbers which could have been retired however were not, therefore, the high honor bestowed upon you Oakland Raider, for which we expect you to live up to. Understand this too Raider players, if you don’t do this, we will find someone who will be happy to make your fat money, who will live up to this wining tradition and do everything it takes to do just that.
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