Oakland Raiders acquire Carson Palmer Posted by Gerardo Orlando (10/18/2011 @ 10:13 am) Mike Florio is reporting that Carson Palmer has been traded by the Cincinnati Bengals to the Oakland Raiders. Jay Glazer broke the story and the compensation appears to be a first-round pick in 2012 and a conditional pick in 2013 which is a second-rounder that could become a first-rounder. This deal can be a huge win for both teams. The Bengals get two high draft picks for a player who basically told them to go to hell. The Raiders all of a sudden have a front-line quarterback to pair with their powerful running game. They are mortgaging the future, but they must see real potential to get to the playoffs and compete this season. Ironically, this is a the type of deal All Davis would have made. Palmer has been an excellent quarterback for years, but his skills seem to have slipped a bit. That said, he has a big arm, and he can rejuvenate his career on a team with a running game. As for the Bengals, everyone left them for dead at the beginning of the season because they had a rookie quarterback, but the Bengals have a solid defense and Dalton looks pretty good so far. Now they have more picks to build for the future. Posted in: News, NFL Tags: Al Davis, American Football, American Football news, Best NFL quarterbacks, Carson Palmer, NFL news, NFL quarterback stats, NFL quarterbacks, Oakland Raiders, quarterbacks
Sunday Evening Quick-Hitters: Reactions from Week 6 in the NFL Posted by Anthony Stalter (10/16/2011 @ 10:29 pm) Every Sunday evening throughout the 2011 NFL season I’ll compile quick-hit reactions from the day that was in football. I vow to always overreact, side with sensationalism over rationalism, and draw conclusions based on small sample sizes instead of cold, hard facts. It’s the only way I know how to write…
DIDN’T SEE THAT COMING… Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Josh Freeman (5) is congratulated by New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees (9) on the Bucs’ victory after their NFL football game in Tampa, Florida October 16, 2011. REUTERS/Pierre DuCharme(UNITED STATES – Tags: SPORT FOOTBALL) – A week after the Bucs were absolutely embarrassed by the 49ers in San Francisco, they turn around on Sunday and dominate the Saints to even things up in the NFC South. Granted, this was the Saints’ third-straight road game and their head coach had to call plays from the bench and from up in the booth after tearing his MCL and fracturing his tibia in a nasty first-quarter collision with his tight end on the sidelines. But still, you can’t take anything away from the Bucs today. They picked off Drew Brees, forced four turnovers and got a 300-yard performance out of Josh Freeman. They were also without promising runner LeGarrette Blount, but Earnest Graham filled in admirably with a 109-yard effort. Suddenly the NFC South is once again tight, as the Saints and Bucs are both 4-2 and the Falcons are only one game behind at 3-3. – Who would have thought that the midfield handshake would provide more action than the actual game between the 49ers and Lions today? I’m sure plenty of Lion fans were upset with Jim Harbaugh’s excitement following the Niners’ win in Detroit, which is understandable. Considering Harbaugh didn’t have his finest coaching performance of the year, he probably could have toned down his exuberance while heading out to midfield to shake Jim Schwartz’s hand. But let’s make one thing clear: If you’re going to dish it out, you better be willing to take it. And Schwartz has been dishing it out all year in the form of taunting opposing players and nearly knocking himself out with hay-maker fist pumps. In fact, as my good buddy Drew (a huge Lions fan) pointed out following the game, Schwartz gave Harbaugh guff in the first quarter after the San Fran coach challenged a touchdown. Schwartz seemingly shouted “No the rules!” at the 49er sideline. The Niners won and Harbaugh has every right to be excited. Schwartz should have kept his composure. – For about the 9,000,000 time in my career, I was wrong about the Bears. They screw me at every turn. When I predict that they’ll win, they don’t. When I say they’ll lose, they completely dominate a divisional opponent 39-10 on national television. I don’t understand them and quite frankly, I don’t want to understand them. I have zero clue when it comes to predicting the success or failures of the Chicago Bears, whom I predicted would beat Peyton Manning in the 2006 Super Bowl. (We all know how that turned out and I think it’s fitting that I mention that game on the same day Rex Grossman throws four interceptions.) Tonight I thought Jared Allen and Adrian Peterson would take over the game in Chicago and instead, Jay Cutler and Devin Hester put on a clinic. They were masterful against a Minnesota team that I thought was a tad better than its record indicated. Thus, I humbly eat crow, as I was once again was wrong about Chicago. Congrats, Bears – you mother… Read the rest of this entry » Posted in: NFL Tags: Aaron Rodgers, Al Davis, Buffalo Bills, Delaine Walker touchdwon, Devin Hester, Jason Campbell, Jay Cutler, Jim Harbaugh, Jim Schwartz, John Beck, John Harbaugh, Josh Freeman, Matthew Stafford, Michael Turner, Mike Shanahan, NFL scores, Rashard Mendenhall, Rex Grossman, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Terrelle Pryor, Tom Brady, Tony Romo
Can Aaron Curry find new life in Oakland? Posted by Gerardo Orlando (10/16/2011 @ 10:09 am) Arizona Cardinals quarterback Derek Anderson (L) is sacked by Seattle Seahawks Aaron Curry (R) during the first quarter of their game at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, AZ November 14,2010. UPI/Art Foxall Everyone assumed Aaron Curry was a can’t miss prospect when he was drafted #4 overall in the 2009 NFL Draft, but so far he’s been a bust. He wasn’t even starting in Seattle when they traded him to the Oakland Raiders this week. Now he’s the starter in Oakland: Three days ago Aaron Curry was a backup strongside linebacker in Seattle. Now he’s preparing to start at the weakside for the Oakland Raiders on Sunday. Curry’s prospects took a sudden turn Friday when coach Hue Jackson announced that the first-round pick in the 2009 draft will replace Quentin Groves in the Raiders’ starting defense at home against the Cleveland Browns. Groves has been a starter since signing with Oakland before last season.
I’m a little surprised here, so we’ll see if Jackson is making the right call. I wonder how guys in the locker room will feel about a starter losing his job to another guy before one practice. I was listening to the NFL Network with week, and Gil Brandt basically called out Aaron Curry as a player who doesn’t give you maximum effort. Brandt explained you can get away with that at certain positions, but at the linebacker spot it was essential that you had guys with high motors who gave you everything they had. Many players have revived their careers in Oakland under the legendary Al Davis. That said, the Raiders have brought over plenty of veterans who did nothing. Let’s see what happens to Curry. Sunday Evening Quick-Hitters: Reactions from Week 5 in the NFL Posted by Anthony Stalter (10/09/2011 @ 4:44 pm) Every Sunday evening throughout the 2011 NFL season I’ll compile quick-hit reactions from the day that was in football. I vow to always overreact, side with sensationalism over rationalism, and draw conclusions based on small sample sizes instead of cold, hard facts. It’s the only way I know how to write…
DIDN’T SEE THAT COMING… New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning (C) walks off the field with teammates after throwing an interception that was run into the end zone for a touchdown by the Seattle Seahawks in the fourth quarter during their NFL football game in East Rutherford, New Jersey, October 9, 2011. REUTERS/Ray Stubblebine (UNITED STATES – Tags: SPORT FOOTBALL) – The Giants and Eli Manning had the game I thought they would last week in Arizona. Manning threw three touchdown passes but he was also picked off three times as the Giants started slow and finished poorly. Of course, Eli wasn’t the only reason the G-Men dropped a game they simply had no business losing. Their defense couldn’t stop a Seattle offense that has suddenly started to hit their stride after staging a dramatic comeback in the second half last week against Atlanta. Tarvaris Jackson, Charlie Whitehurst and Marshawn Lynch tuned up New York’s defense for 424 total yards. What’s most remarkable about the Seahawks’ 36-25 win is that the Hawks fumbled twice in New York territory. This could have been an even bigger blow out. – The Steelers winning a home game against the Titans hardly constitutes a “Didn’t see that coming” moment. That said, this was a Pittsburgh team that didn’t have Casey Hampton, James Harrison, Aaron Smith, Chris Kemoeatu, or a fully healthy Ben Roethlisberger. Considering how good Tennessee’s defense has been this season, it was rather surprising to see Big Ben (who threw five touchdown passes) and Pittsburgh bully the Titans for four quarters. It appears those claims about the Steelers being finished were greatly exaggerated. – Much like the Steelers’ win over the Titans, it’s hardly surprising that the Raiders traveled to Houston and beat the Texans. This isn’t the same Oakland team that was pathetic four or five years ago. That said, Al Davis just passed away yesterday and the Raiders took on a solid Texans team that just bullied Pittsburgh a week ago. Nobody would have been surprised if the Raiders’ hearts weren’t in it and left Houston without a win. But they played hard for four quarters, shut down Arian Foster, and won a huge road game to get to 3-2 on the season. Granted, Matt Schaub did throw an inexcusable interception at the end of the game and the Texans were without Andre Johnson. But “Just win baby?” Absolutely. Read the rest of this entry » Posted in: NFL Tags: Al Davis, Alex Smith, Ben Roethlisberger, benjarvis green-ellis, Buffalo Bills, Christian Ponder, Eli Manning, Frank Gore, Houston Texans, Juan Castillo, Kansas City Chiefs., Mark Sanchez, Marshawn Lynch, Matt Cassel, Matt Schaub, New England Patriots, New York Giants, New York Jets, Oakland Raiders, Philadelphia Eagles, Pittsburgh Steelers, Seattle Seahawks, Tarvaris Jackson, Tennessee Titans, Tom Brady, victor cruz
Al Davis dead at age 82 Posted by Gerardo Orlando (10/08/2011 @ 12:13 pm) The Oakland Raiders announced that Al Davis died in his home. He was 82 years old. Davis was one of the true icons of professional football. For years the Oakland Raiders were one of the perennial powers in the old AFL and then the National Football League. The Al Davis Raiders won three Super Bowls, and the team always carried the image of its brash owner. The “Silver and Black” were always one of the more intimidating teams in the NFL. They talked a good game and they could back it up. Davis was known for his “Just Win Baby” attitude, and he loved speed and power football. With quarterbacks like Kenny Stabler and Jim Plunkett, Davis loved to throw the ball downfield. Al Davis was his own man, and he had his own epic battles with the NFL and later with his own coaches. As the years went on, however, Davis continued to have a hands-on approach to the Raiders, but his obsession with old formulas led to botched draft choices and toxic relationships with his coaches. he let Jon Gruden go, only to watch Gruden lead Tampa Bay to a victory over the Raiders in the Super Bowl the next season. That seemed to start a downward spiral, and the Raiders never really recovered. In recent years it became apparent that Al Davis had lost it as an elite owner as the Raiders became one of the worst teams in the league. Their consistent “Commitment to Excellence” was replaced by consistent ineptitude. Yet that doesn’t take away from Davis’ accomplishments. The man is a true legend, and he will be missed. |