2011 Oakland Raiders Predictions
The Raiders took a big step forward in 2010. Their 8-8 record earned them their first non-losing season since 2002.
The next step is a winning season, and that’s something owner Al Davis expects this year under the watch of Hue Jackson.
Offense: The Raiders ranked sixth in the league in scoring in 2010 with 25.6 points per game. They ranked 10th in total offense with 354.6 yards per game. Both stats were huge improvements over the 12.3 points and 266.1 yards they averaged per game in 2009.
Oakland offensive success stemmed from the league’s second-best running attack. Led by Darren McFadden, who gained 1,157 yards on 5.2 yards per carry, the Raiders racked up 155.9 yards per game on the ground.
McFadden also caught 47 passes for 507 yards to establish himself as one of the best all-around backs in the NFL.
Jason Campbell’s 2,387 yards and 13 touchdowns in 2010 don’t jump off the page, but his 84.5 passer rating does when you consider it’s the highest rating for an Oakland signal caller since 2002.
The Raiders said goodbye to Zach Miller, who led them in receiving last year, but Kevin Boss has been brought in to cushion the blow.
The Raiders are really counting on Darius Heyward-Bey to step up. So far he has made the Raiders look foolish for taking him with the seventh pick in the 2009 draft. Michael Crabtree, Jeremy Maclin, Percy Harvin, Hakeem Nicks and Kenny Britt were all taken after Heyward-Bey in that draft and have all more than doubled his production.
Heyward-Bey caught just 26 passes for 366 yards and one touchdown last season.
Former No. 2 overall pick Robert Gallery has moved on, but the Raiders should remain sound up front, especially on the left side with Jared Veldheer and Bruce Campbell.
The offensive line blocked running plays very well last season but struggled at times in pass protection. Part of that fault falls on the receivers, which must do a better job of creating separation more quickly.
Defense: The Oakland stop unit ranked 11th in the NFL in total defense last season with 322.8 yards allowed per game. It finished 20th in scoring defense with 23.2 points allowed per contest.
The Raiders were at their best against the pass, ranking second in the league with 189.2 yards allowed per game. Much of their success against the pass can be chalked up to a pass rush that ranked second in the NFL with 47 sacks.
The Silver and Black are stacked up front with Richard Seymour, Lamarr Houston, Tommy Kelly and Matt Shaughnessy. Seymour is still one of the best tackles in the game and Shaughnessy and Kelly both had seven-sack campaigns.
Kamerion Wimbley’s numbers had been on the decline since he recorded 11 sacks in his rookie season, but a change of scenery served him well as he led the Raiders with nine sacks. He’s joined in the second layer by middle linebacker Rolando McClain, who is a star in the making.
The Raiders will miss Nnamdi Asomugha. There’s no way around it. He’s one of the elite corners in the game. Still, there’s reason to believe Oakland’s back four will remain solid.
Stanford Routt is no Asomugha, but he showed he can cover some of the game’s elite wideouts when Asomugha missed several games last year.
Tyvon Branch is a budding star at safety. He led the team with 102 stops last season.
Prediction: 2nd Place AFC West – Oakland went 6-0 against the AFC West last season and averaged 35.8 points in those games. Look for the offense to remain explosive in 2011, giving the Raiders an opportunity to post their first winning season since 2002. NFL odds makers have listed the Raiders at +600 to win the AFC West.
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