Thread: Will the Raiders contend in 2009?

I'd hate to admit it, but the West is up for grabs as far as I'm concerned. Realistically though, once again I think only the division winner will head to the playoffs, I can't see a wildcard from the west. Denver and KC in transition, SD is getting old, and Oakland is talented but aimless. Despite all this I think SD has the best shot, the rest is a crapshoot. I still think we are better than KC and OAK, doesn't mean we couldn't split a series with 'em.

Come this fall I will change my tune, but I need to see some action first to really decide. I'll know by week 16!

Originally Posted by OaklandRaider

The Raiders will win the AFC West next season.

Watch.

dont you mean WATCH ? as in you need a watch cuz you obviously have no idea what time it is !
the only way the raiders win the division is if...the nfl adds a new division and makes detroit and oakland the only teams in it...then you got a 50/50 shot.
they could call it the afcc......american football conference cellar !

From where I sit, the Chargers are the only team in this division that doesn't look like a dysfunctional clusterf--k. And, given that they are coached by the incompetent Norv Turner, that's saying a lot.

The Raiders have just as good a shot as the Broncos and Chiefs. This has nothing to do with the last six years. Too many changes in Denver and KC and the always questionable intestinal fortitude of the Chargers makes this division a toss up. They'll have to win the division though. This division is crap, only one team will make it to the playoffs.

Originally Posted by OaklandRaider

If the Raiders do finish last, I'll be here eating my crow.

But I just feel with the amount of talent we have, no way do we not win the AFC West next year.

Originally Posted by OaklandRaider

We showed flashes at the end of the season. Had a nice offseason, and have a good coaching staff.

This isn't exactly the NFC East. This is the AFC West. You don't have to be great to win the divison, as the Chargers proved last year.

Originally Posted by OaklandRaider

The Raiders will win the AFC West next season.

Watch.

OMG. I haven't laughed this hard in a long time!

Thanks, OR.

Originally Posted by OaklandRaider

If the Raiders do finish last, I'll be here eating my crow.

But I just feel with the amount of talent we have, no way do we not win the AFC West next year.

Your team has very little talent. Your team sucks. Your owner sucks. This is not talking smack, this is just listing broad reasons as to why your team won't contend.

On defense you have two worthwhile players.
On offense you have a bunch of high draft picks with talent. Congratulations, the Lions have been doing that for years.

Your quarterback's progression has been pretty poor, your offensive line is average, you have a pretty good TE, your backfield is pretty good, and you have no wide recievers.

Your running game is going to have a lot of fun facing stacked boxes all year.


You aren't going to win more than 6 games. One third of those wins (if you even win six) are going to come from Kansas City.

Originally Posted by Devilspawn

The Raiders have just as good a shot as the Broncos and Chiefs. This has nothing to do with the last six years. Too many changes in Denver and KC and the always questionable intestinal fortitude of the Chargers makes this division a toss up. They'll have to win the division though. This division is crap, only one team will make it to the playoffs.

DS, the Raiders have a much smaller chance at the division than the Broncos.

The Raiders are not very good at either side of the ball. The Broncos at least have a stud offensive line and good receiving threats.

I will give you that the Broncos defense will probably blow next year. Surely they won't be good, but I doubt that they could be worse, or even near that bad.

Originally Posted by King87

DS, the Raiders have a much smaller chance at the division than the Broncos.

The Raiders are not very good at either side of the ball. The Broncos at least have a stud offensive line and good receiving threats.

I will give you that the Broncos defense will probably blow next year. Surely they won't be good, but I doubt that they could be worse, or even near that bad.

Denver has way too many question marks during a major transition. The confidence and trust in their new, young, inexperienced head coach; their identity on both sides of the ball; the QB in their system; their running backs; (by committee or featured with a rookie?) Marshall; the corner opposite Champ; Champ's health; their pass rush and stopping the run. Oakland has primarily the same question marks other than the trust in Cable's system, Asomugha's age and health and their identity on offense. That's why I said Oakland has the same shot as Denver, because both teams pretty much have the same number of issues.

Originally Posted by Devilspawn

Denver has way too many question marks during a major transition. The confidence and trust in their new, young, inexperienced head coach; their identity on both sides of the ball; the QB in their system; their running backs; (by committee or featured with a rookie?) Marshall; the corner opposite Champ; Champ's health; their pass rush and stopping the run. Oakland has primarily the same question marks other than the trust in Cable's system, Asomugha's age and health and their identity on offense. That's why I said Oakland has the same shot as Denver, because both teams pretty much have the same number of issues.

LOL, at Raiders fans talking about McDaniel's "inexperience" at coach.

Dude, your coach is Tom Cable...he was the offensive line coach...and hand-picked by the Destroyer.

Just win baby.

Originally Posted by MissouriBronc

LOL, at Raiders fans talking about McDaniel's "inexperience" at coach.

Dude, your coach is Tom Cable...he was the offensive line coach...and hand-picked by the Destroyer.

Just win baby.

Who cares what part of the team Cable coached previously. Like you said, he was the offensive line coach, as in early last year.

Your kid is the only head coach that makes a Raiders offseason look sane. You guys are calling him McDouchbag, McFail or whatever McInsults you can throw his way, just weeks into his regime, before he even calls a play in the preseason. And on top of that, he's 0-2 in face to face meetings.

Originally Posted by MissouriBronc

LOL, at Raiders fans talking about McDaniel's "inexperience" at coach.

Dude, your coach is Tom Cable...he was the offensive line coach...and hand-picked by the Destroyer.

Just win baby.

So because we are Raider fans we can't say Josh McDaniels is inexperienced?

Whether you like it or not, it's the truth.

Originally Posted by Devilspawn

Who cares what part of the team Cable coached previously. Like you said, he was the offensive line coach, as in early last year.

Your kid is the only head coach that makes a Raiders offseason look sane. You guys are calling him McDouchbag, McFail or whatever McInsults you can throw his way, just weeks into his regime, before he even calls a play in the preseason. And on top of that, he's 0-2 in face to face meetings.

Yeah, my bad, the head coaching job at Idaho is extremely prestigious.

But, hey, you're right, coaching the Raiders to a 4-8 record is awesome!

Originally Posted by MissouriBronc

Yeah, my bad, the head coaching job at Idaho is extremely prestigious.

But, hey, you're right, coaching the Raiders to a 4-8 record is awesome!

It doesn't matter if Cable coached in Idaho or if he coached a sack of potatoes. The fact is, Josh McDaniels is inexperienced, case closed. Tom Cable's 12 games as a head coach has no bearing on the fact that McDaniels has never been a coach, but if you want to compare the experience of our coaches in a failed attempt to make McDaniels look competent for the first time, then feel free. Just ask yourself: is he gonna jettison Marshall, too?

You guys think the Raiders are an automatic win. Not under Cable's watch. Oh my bad, beating the then-playoff bound Broncos in Denver by 3 TDs is extremely prestigious.

And not only is McDaniels inexperienced as a coach, on top of that, he's pretty much your GM.

McDaniels is in over his head IMO. But we'll see...

Originally Posted by OaklandRaider

We showed flashes at the end of the season. Had a nice offseason, and have a good coaching staff.

This isn't exactly the NFC East. This is the AFC West. You don't have to be great to win the divison, as the Chargers proved last year.

your defense has improved a bit,secondary is good, but you lack pass rush, and interior run defense.your run game will be nasty. but your run defense not so much.

your biggest question marks lie at WR and QB, you have no proven commodity at WR, and heyward bey will not have a good rookie year, he doesnt run great routes, struggles to get of the line and has inconsistent hands. all recipes for poor rookie years for WR's. the top rookie WR's every year are the ones that have outstanding hands and run superb routes...

I like bey and i think he will be good in a year or 2, but he wont do much next year, your breakout guy could be chaz schillens....but big question marks there

in any case you will challenge teams with your run offense and pass defense, but your passing offense and your run defense are very suspect.

I think denver and oakland will be both be 7-9 or better, so while you will be improved you wont win the AFC west......

i iamgine the west going like this

SD- 12-4 or 11-5
Denver- 9-7 or 8-8
Oakland-8-8 or 7-9
KC- 5-11 or 4-12