JBB Staff Roundtable: Oakland Raiders at the Halfway Point
2. Which players on offense and defense have been the unsung heroes of the first half?
Austin Gayle: To highlight one of the Raiders’ right tackles as an unsung hero wouldn’t be just, so I believe the best answer is to recognize all three of Oakland’s right tackles that have rotated in this season. With injuries to Menelik Watson and Austin Howard, seventh-round rookie Vadal Alexander could have crumbled within his increased role, but he rose to the occasion. Similarly, Howard has improved with each week in Watson’s absence.
Defensively, Denico Autry has shined above the rotating carousel Ken Norton Jr. has installed in Oakland’s defense. He often disrupts passing lanes and rarely gives up on the play, a level of effort that shouldn’t go unnoticed.
Blackhanside: I have to throw a curveball here because there are so many players playing at a high level I have to accredit that to Mike Tice and Jethro Franklin. The development and improvement of these guys, both of the young players and the old ones, is unreal.
Brazy: For offense, I’m going with the two rookie running backs. Everyone expected the o-line to be good, but we all knew that Latavius couldn’t shoulder the workload and expect him to last all season. Those two kids have really stepped up and allowed Murray to stay fresh through the first half.
Evan Ball: Offense: Kelechi Osemele. No doubt in my mind. The Raiders have the best left side of the OL in the league and it’s largely because of Osemele. He has fit in perfectly with the pass blocking dominance these Raiders have shown previously and has stood out as the best run-blocker by far. His mobility, given his massive size, is beyond impressive. I love watching him every week. PFF has him as their second highest graded LG to this point, and ESPN locked him in on their mid-season All-Pro Team.
Defense: Karl Joseph. It took a couple of games for the rookie to come into his own, but since then he’s been a pillar of the defense. He’s third on the team in tackles, despite his late entrance into the lineup. Good field vision and a thirst for a big hit. He’s been essential in helping to plug up some of the holes left by weak middle linebacker play through much of the season. I love this kid. Looking forward to seeing how he improves over the course of the next few years.
Justin Smith: Some other OL get more love, but Donald Penn is again playing at a Pro Bowl level. He has allowed no sacks and continually opens holes in the run game. The Raiders defensive improvements have coincided with Perry Riley’s arrival at MLB. His veteran presence has stabilized the defense and he’s been a force in the middle in his short time thus far.
Maliik Obee: Unsung offensive hero in my opinion by far is Latavius Murray. He has taken losing carries on the chin. He has taken previous years criticism of being soft on the chin. He does what we need him to do in the situation he is in. After initial contact, he has came correct all season and fought for extra yards.
Unsung hero on D is D.J. Hayden. We as a fan base have been so hard on him, and rightfully so. Since Week 2 he has shown up, getting better every game. Another unsung guy on Special Teams is Brynden Trawick — I have been talking about him all year. He has been key in nailing returners inside the twenty. Another great nab by Reggie, people forget he was hated in Baltimore for injuring Jaboby Jones on a punt return.
Nick Hjeltness: On offense, the unsung hero has been Latavius Murray. No player on that side of the ball faces as much criticism than Latavius, and with two new rookies in town and in a contract year, the pressure was on. He’s responded with a great season thus far.
On defense, it has to be D.J. Hayden. A player that probably 99 percent of Raider Nation was ready to get rid of, Hayden has carved out a role for himself as this team’s slot cornerback. He’s played very well for the majority of the year, and he has maintained that quality level of play even with increased playing time the last couple of weeks. Honorable mention to Darius Latham.
Lastly, special teams players often get little recognition, and Brynden Trawick is no exception. He’s been phenomenal on special teams all year, and is a big reason why that phase of the game has gone so well for Oakland thus far.
Robert Pfeifer: On offense, Michael Crabtree. On defense, rookie Safety Karl Joesph. If my math is correct he leads the team in tackles since getting his first career start at Tennessee.
Ryan Prime: It’s hard to find a member of the offensive unit that hasn’t received effusive praise this season, but my vote would be Denver Kirkland. When professional boogeyman and world-class mauler Lee Smith went down for the year in Baltimore, there was legitimate concern about the nature of the offense going forward, and what we would be able to do scheme-wise without Smith’s great blocking and sheer nastiness. Denver Kirkland, a practice squad player signed early in the season, has stepped in to Lee’s role nicely, more than handling himself up front.
Defensively, D.J. Hayden simply deserves real credit for his improved play. Sure, he got spanked in the Saints game, and he’s still prone to being taken advantage of every so often, but he’s leaps and bounds better than he was last year, and has had some huge plays in huge moments. I’ve both defended and lambasted D.J. publicly, and had he shown up to fight my friend at Raiders HQ earlier this year, he would’ve had to meet me somewhere in Houston this offseason for a fair one as well. But I’m man enough to give him his due for how he’s balled this season.
Seth Murphy: On offense I’m going to go super deep here and say Denver Kirkland. He’s played surprisingly well for an UDFA and played a huge role in the win vs Denver. He was talented in college but when he signed as an undrafted free agent, I didn’t expect him to have this kind of impact.
On defense, I’ll pick another UDFA; Darius Latham has injected some much needed life into the interior DL. He’s big strong and quick. He can stuff the run and he gives interior OL fits with great athleticism and full repertoire of pass rushing techniques.
Segun Giwa: Unsung hero on offense has to be Keleche Osemele. His impact is undeniable in both the run and pass games. His versatility and durability have helped stabilize the second best o-line in the game. On defense, it has to be David Amerson. In the beginning of the season when the Raiders were having problems across the board on D, he held it down as the #1 corner, even as Sean Smith found his footing on the other side.
Tyler Dickson: On offense I think it’s been Murray — to be quiet honest I was harsh on him coming into this year, but he has run more physical this year and the team looks better with him on the field. On defense, Perry Riley. This guy has given us iron in the middle of our defense finally and the defense has improved since he joined the team.
Tyler Randolph: Offensively, most of the unit has gotten plenty of praise given their success and efficiency. If I had to go with an unsung hero, I’d have to go with Rodney Hudson. Him and Carr are tethered in their communication and it shows on Sunday’s.
Defensively, as displayed last Sunday night, the undrafted rookie Darius Latham. As the season progresses, so does his play. Snap count goes up, chances to make plays go up. The impact he makes goes beyond the stat sheet, much like Mario Edwards last season.