Sparano Can Make Oakland Raiders Better This Year

Sep 30, 2014; Alameda, CA, USA; Tony Sparano is introduced as Oakland Raiders interim coach during a press conference at the Raiders practice facility. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Philosophy

Early on in the press conference, Sparano said, “I think things can change with philosophies and again, I respect Dennis Allen tremendously but I’m not Dennis and Dennis is not me and so on and so forth so things can change with philosophies and that will be the case. We will have a different philosophy.”

That philosophy he’s talking about is that tough, physical running game and using play action off of it to throw deep. He spoke of allowing players to do what they do best so we should see less 4-yard pass patterns by guys that run 4.3-40s. Philosophy coincides with identity so from the sounds of things and what we know about Sparano, he intends to build a bully.

That bully may have been built already and all it needed was a coach that would implement a style of play suited for a bully. I’m actually expecting more of offensive assistant Al Saunders’ vertical game to be implemented from here on out. They’re going to play Raider football again—something I’m excited for and have missed every since Hue Jackson left Raider Nation.