The Raiders looked good on offense at times but the defense was horrible on Sunday Night against the Saints.  Jason Campbell was actually pretty solid in this game as he completed 12 of 17 passes for 150 yards with 1 TD pass and 1 INT.  Trent Edwards completed 6 of 10 passes for 60 yards without a TD pass or INT.  But he also lost a fumble.  Kyle Boller completed 5 of 7 passes for 69  yards without a TD pass or interception.  Rookie RB Taiwan Jones was the star of the show for the Raiders in this game.  He carried the ball 13 times for 81 yards (6.2 ypc) with 1 TD run and he also caught 2 passes for 18 yards (9.0 avg).  Michael Bush also had a solid game with 32 yards rushing on 5 carries (6.4 ypc).  He also caught 2 passes for 24 yards (12.0 avg).  WR Derek Hagan was the Raiders’ star through the air as he caught 6 passes for 121 yards (20.2 avg) with 1 TD grab.  The Raiders finished up with 127 yards rushing on 24 carries (5.3 ypc) and they also completed 23 of 34 passes (67.6%) for 253 yards.

The defense was simply awful for the Raiders.  Safety Tyvon Branch (7 tackles) and LB Rolando McClain (5 tackles, 2 passes defensed and 1 QB hit) led the way for the Raiders’ “D” on Sunday Night.  The Saints finished up with 126 yards rushing on 28 carries (4.5 ypc) and they also completed 25 of 43 passes (58.1%) for 388 yards in this game.  The Raiders are now 0-3 on the preseason.

The Raiders have signed 30-year old CB Lito Sheppard.  Sheppard played in 13 games for the Vikings last year and he had 18 tackles and 4 passes defensed.  He has now played in 117 games in his first 9 years in the NFL and he has 302 tackles, 2 tackles for a loss, 2 sacks, 3 forced fumbles, 1 fumble recovery, 81 passes defensed and 19 inteceptions (3 returned for TDs).  Sheppard is likely running low on gas, but he could still help the Raiders in a reserve role in 2011.

UPDATE:  (9/4/2011) – The Raiders have released Lito Sheppard.

UPDATE:  (11/1/2011) – The Raiders have re-signed Lito Sheppard.

The Oakland Raiders have looked hideous so far in the pre-season.  The Raiders have been equally awful on both sides of the football so far.  They are 0-2 on the pre-season and they are averaging only 10.5 points per game while giving up 21.5 points per game.  The Raiders are rushing for 79.0 yards per game (3.2 ypc) and 192.5 yards passing per game in the first two pre-season games.  They look rusty and out of whack right now offensively.  The defense has really been inept so far.  Opposing teams have run the ball 66 times for 349 yards (5.3 ypc) in the first two pre-season games as the Raiders are not showing much resistance so far.  The opposition is also completing 61.5% of their passes while throwing for 226.5 yards per game.  The good news is that none of this counts in the long run, but, it also shows that the Raiders still have a lot of work to do before the 2011 season opens in three weeks.

The Oakland Raiders will likely lean on the running game in 2011.  23-year old Darren McFadden really had a breakout year in 2010 and the Raiders expect more  of the same in 2011.  McFadden played in 13 games (all starts) for the Raiders last season and he carried the ball 223 times for 1,157 yards (5.2 ypc) with 7 TD runs.  He also caught 47 passes for 507 yards (10.8 avg) with 3 TD grabs last year.  McFadden was electric last year as he has the speed to go the distance any time he touches the ball, from anywhere on the field.  McFadden has now played in 38 games (25 starts) in his first three years with the Raiders and he has carried the ball 440 times for 2,013 yards (4.6 ypc) with 12 TD runs.  He has also caught 97 passes for 1,037 yards (10.7 avg) with 3 TD grabs in his career.  The only thing that can hold back McFadden is an injury, and he has been a tad injury prone so far in his career.

27-year old Michael Bush is a good partner in the backfield for McFadden, because he’s a pure power back.  Bush played in 14 games (3 starts) for the Raiders last year and he carried the ball 158 times for 655 yards (4.1 ypc) with 8 TD runs.  He also caught 18 passes for 194 yards (10.8 avg) last year.  Bush has now played in 45 games (10 starts) in his first three years in the NFL and he has carried the ball 376 times for 1,665 yards (4.4 ypc) with 14 TD runs.  Bush has also caught 54 passes for 461 yards (8.5 avg) so far in his career.  McFadden’s speed and Bush’s power is what gives the Raiders such a rock solid running game.

23-year old rookie Taiwan Jones will likely emerge as the Raiders’ #3 back in 2011.  He was a 4th round pick out of tiny Eastern Washington last April in the NFL Draft.  Jones is really fast, which is something the Raiders love about him.  It will be interesting if Jones can pick up blocking assignments in the NFL.  If nothing else, he will likely help the Raiders on special teams in 2011.

31-year old Rock Cartwright is in camp with the Raiders once again in 2011.  He played in 16 games (0 starts) for the Raiders last year and he carried the ball 9 times for 22 yards (2.4 ypc).  Cartwright also caught 1 pass for 10 yards last year.  Cartwright is a good special teams player and that will likely earn him a roster spot in 2011.  He has now played in 139 games (5 starts) in his first 9 years in the NFL and he has carried the ball 224 times for 911 yards (4.1 ypc) with 6 TD runs.  Cartwright has also caught 60 passes for 565 yards (9.4 avg) with 2 TD grabs in his NFL career.

32-year old Michael Bennett is trying to hang on in the NFL with the Raiders.  He played in 7 games (0 starts) for the Raiders last year and he carried the ball 2 times for 11 yards (5.5 ypc).  Bennett also caught 2 passes for 9 yards (4.5 avg) last year for the Raiders.  Bennett has always been a solid RB in the NFL but he’s getting a little long in tooth.  Bennett has now played in 107 games (50 starts) in his first 10 years in the NFL and he has carried the ball 842 times for 3,703 yards (4.4 ypc) with 13 TD runs.  He has also caught 159 passes for 1,294 yards (8.1 avg) with 6 TD grabs in his NFL career.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE RAIDERS RBS IN 2011:  A

The Oakland Raiders took 22-year old, 6’6″, 233 QB Terrelle Pryor in the 3rd round of the supplemental draft today.  He must sit out the first five games of his NFL career (no practice time either) due to a league suspension for circumventing the supplemental draft.  Pryor ran a 4.36 40 at his Pro Day last Saturday and you know how much owner Al Davis loves speed.  I think the Raiders are going to look at Pryor first as a QB as they have no clear cut QB of the future.  Pryor completed 210 of 323 passes (65%) for 2,772 yards with 27 TD passes and 11 INTs last year for the Buckeyes.  He also carried the ball 135 times for 754 yards (5.6 ypc) with 4 TD runs for the Buckeyes.  Pryor completed 477 of 783 passes (60.9%) for 6,177 yards with 57 TD passes and 26 INTs in his three years with the Buckeyes.  He also carried the ball 436 times for 2,164 yards (5.0 ypc) with 17 TD runs and he caught 3 passes for 24 yards (8.0 avg) with 2 TD grabs in his college career.  I shouldn’t be too surprised to see the Raiders use such a high pick on Pryor because he will fit right in with the Raiders.

The Raiders got pushed around on both sides of the football by the 49ers last night.  Jason Campbell started the game at QB but he left early due to a injury.  He completed 5 of 7  passes for 34 yards last night.  Trent Edwards didn’t look too good as he completed 3 of 6 passes for 36 yards with 0 TD passes and 1 INT.  Kyle Boller also looked pretty yucky in this game as he completed 6 of 11 passes for 56 yards with 0 TD passes and 1 INT.  He also carried the ball 4 times for 17 yards (4.3 ypc) in this game.  Michael Bush led the way on ground for the Raiders last night with 26 yards on 6 carries (4.3 ypc).  Rock Cartwright pitched in with 12 yards on 4 carries (3.0 ypc) last night.  WRs Darrius Heyward-Bey (2 rec, 40 yards) and Derek Hagan (3 rec, 32 yards) led the way in the passing game for the Raiders last night.  The Raiders finished up with 63 yards rushing on 22 carries (2.9 ypc) and they also completed 14 of 24 passes (58.3%) for 151 yards as they had possession of the ball for 23:16.

The defense got pushed around by the Niners who ran all over them last night.  LB Travis Goethel (5 tackles, 1 tackle for a loss), LB Darryl Blackstock (5 tackles), safety Jerome Boyd (5 tackles) and safety Stevie Brown (5 tackles) led the way for the Raiders’ D last night.  DE Matt Shaughnessy and LB Rolando McClain each had 1 interception apiece last night.  The 49ers rushed for 239 yards on 41 carries (5.8 ypc) and they also completed 14 of 22 passes (63.6%) for 163 yards last night.  The Raiders are now 0-2 on the pre-season.

The Oakland Raiders sign safety Matt Giordano.  Giordano played in 9 games for the Saints last year and he had 3 tackles.  He has now played in 69 games in his first six years in the NFL and he has 85 tackles, 8 passes defensed and 3 interceptions (1 returned for a TD).  Giordano could get some P.T. on D for the Raiders and he will also help them out on special teams.

UPDATE:  (9/4/2011) – The Raiders have released Matt Giordano.

UPDATE:  (9/5/2011) – The Raiders have re-signed Matt Giordano.

The Raiders have signed 28-year old safety Josh Bullocks.  Bullocks played in all 16 games for the Bears last year and he had 11 tackles and 1 tackle for a loss.  Bullocks has now played in 90 games in his first six years in the NFL and he has 291 tackles, 27 passes defensed, 6 interceptions, 1 sack, 5 forced fumbles and 2 tackles for a loss.  He could get some big time P.T. with the Raiders due to the injury of Hiram Eugene.

UPDATE:  (8/31/2011) – The Raiders have released Josh Bullocks.

The Raiders have lost 30-year old safety Hiram Eugene for the season due to a dislocated hip that he suffered in last night’s game against the Cardinals.  Eugene played in 14 games for the Raiders last year and he had 22 tackles, 2 forced fumbles and 3 fumble recoveries.  Eugene has now played in 60 games in his first four years with the Raiders and he has 153 tackles, 4 forced fumbles, 4 fumble recoveries, 6 passes defensed and 1 interception.  This is a blow to the Raiders’ depth at safety.

The Raiders fell short last night against the Cardinals, but you can’t really blame the offense for that as they moved the ball pretty well all night long despite only putting 18 points on the board.  Jason Campbell started the game at QB for the Raiders last night and he completed 6 of 9 passes for 66 yards.  Trent Edwards followed Campbell in the game and he was very impressive.  Edwards completed 10 of 19 passes for 140 yards with 1 TD pass.  He also carried the ball 3 times for 13 yards (4.3 ypc) last night.  Kyle Boller finished up the game at QB by completing 7 of 8 passes for 42 yards last night.  Michael Bennett led the way on the ground for the Raiders last night with 40 yards rushing on 9 carries (4.4 ypc).  WRs Derek Hagan (1 rec, 42 yards) and rookie WR Denarius Moore (3 rec, 37 yards) led the way for the Raiders last night in the passing game.  TE David Ausberry also had a good game with 1 catch for 18 yards with a TD grab and he also had 3 tackles last night.  The Raiders didn’t run to well last night as they rushed for 95 yards on 27 carries (3.5 ypc).  But, they completed 23 of 36 passes (63.9%) for 234 yards last night which kept the offense moving.

Safety Hiram Eugene led the way for the Raiders’ D last night with 6 tackles.  CB Walter McFadden, LB Sam Williams and safety Stevie Brown each pitched in with 5 tackles apiece for the Raiders last night.  The Cardinals finished up with 110 yards rushing on 25 carries (4.4 ypc) and they completed 18 of 30 passes (60%) for 290 yards last night, so the Raiders have some work to do on defense.