Just Blog Baby » Rod Woodson

Raiders Must Terrorize Tim Tebow

Chris Shellcroft — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 20:49:12 +0000

Forgive the expression but this Sunday the Oakland Raiders must put the fear of God in Tim Tebow. That is the formula that worked against Kyle Orton on the Monday Night season opener. That is the formula that will deliver another sweep of the Broncos.

When the Raiders last saw Tebow they didn’t quite know what to expect. The rookie made a couple big plays but in the end it was Oakland that dominated. One of those plays was typical Tebow in which he was unable to execute a draw play yet somehow turned it into a dash to pay dirt. Now that there is more tape on Tebow the Raiders should be more prepared for his unorthodox style of play.

Getting pressure on Tebow has proven to be the best remedy to stop the Broncos. With an inconsistent running game, Denver simply doesn’t have many weapons should they need to rely on the pass. Hopefully Rod Woodson will encourage his DBs to take more risks. With each hapless floater Tebow tosses the Oakland secondary will have ample opportunities to make plays.

Keeping Tebow scrambling around like a frightened cat is crucial. Unable to make plays from the pocket, more often than not Tebow finds himself running like mad to extend plays. This is where the Raiders must do the most damage. As Detroit proved last week, constant pressure on Tebow creates a certain type of chaos that benefits the defense.

But that type of situation is not mutually exclusive to Tebow. The Raiders showed the world that very principle by harassing Orton all night long at the season’s start. However with Tebow it is even more crucial that the Raiders remove his desire to dance around in the pocket.
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At First Glance: Raiders’ Secondary is Primary Concern

Chris Shellcroft — Sat, 13 Aug 2011 00:30:02 +0000

Replacing Nnamdi Asomugha is going to be more impossible than ignoring Tim Tebow mania. Shutdown corners are the rarest of all commodities in the NFL. That being said, what we saw of Oakland’s secondary in the preseason opener was frightening.

To be sure it is far too early to panic. We’re talking about a group that has only had two weeks in Napa to prepare. Adjustments will be made but that might not be enough.

With the injury to Hiram Eugene an already thin secondary is going from Jennifer Aniston slim to Courtney Cox non-existent.
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Raiders vs. Cardinals: All Eyes on the D

Chris Shellcroft — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 20:11:03 +0000

As excited as I am to see the Raiders make their 2011 debut tonight I’m also taking a cautions approach to curb my expectations. The first preseason game is a little like a heavyweight title fight where both boxers are just feeling each other out. Given the length of the lockout we could see some ugly football early.

That being said the unit that should have the advantage is the defense.

Offense is all about timing, rhythm and coordination. Being that Oakland will be without key contributors Darren McFadden and Louis Murphy combined with the uncertainty along the offensive line, I’m guessing we won’t see many fireworks when the Silver and Black have the ball.

You’ve got to give the O a little more time to get their legs under them.

Now the D on the other hand, that’s where all the action will be.
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