The Oakland Raiders have agreed to hire Dennis Allen as their new head coach. He has already informed the broncos

January 24, 2012 7:37 pm via UberSocial for iPhoneReplyRetweetFavorite

@JayGlazer

Jay Glazer

Dennis Allen will indeed be the next head coach of the Oakland Raiders.  The defensive coordinator of the Denver Broncos will become a first time head coach out in Oakland.

It seemed that Winston Moss and Dom Capers were the initial favorites, but Allen came on late.  The Broncos defense was impressive for most of the season, even when the offense was struggling.  If it wasn’t for them, Tim Tebow may have never got a chance to lead all those comeback victories.

We will have more on this story as it develops.

As the NFL begins to enter the December home stretch for Week 13, pre-season media-anointed contenders such as the (4-8) Philadelphia Eagles and other teams such as the (6-5) New York Giants, (7-4) Dallas Cowboys, (8-3) New England Patriots, (6-5) New York Jets, (8-3) Baltimore Ravens, (11-0) Green Bay Packers, (8-3) Pittsburgh Steelers and (8-3) New Orleans Saints have long been the proverbial darlings in the national media.

Other teams such as the upstart (8-3) Houston Texans and the resurgent (9-2) San Francisco 49ers have also gained attention in 2011.

Except one that seems to be flying under the radar—courtesy of a long-held media bias.

This team currently leads it’s own division at 7-4 and in its last twelve divisional games is 10-2.  It boasts one of the most potent and physical running back tandems in the league and has defeated two out of four playoff teams from 2010.

While this team does not have the glamour of the Cowboys, the grit of the Steelers or the media-produced hype of the Patriots, this team does have a stout defensive line and recently acquired both a Pro-Bowl quarterback and a first-round linebacker in mid-season.

With a 4-1 road record, this team would be a very dangerous sleeper in the playoffs, and along with a big chip on its shoulder for long being perceived—and snubbed—by the media may also have the best motivation and drive in winning a Super Bowl—the death of its legendary maverick of an owner.

That team is the Oakland Raiders.

Oakland which currently leads the AFC West, was recently ranked 10th in ESPN’s most recent Power Rankings, below the Texans—whom they defeated the day after owner Al Davis’ death, 23-20—may be getting a raw deal in the national media.

John Doublin of Raider Nation Times writes that the mainstream media already had a bias towards Oakland even before the season started.

“It seems that most of the “mainstream” sports media decides before the seasons starts which teams they intend to cover no matter what. Curiously, the Oakland Raiders are never on that list—unless it’s negative coverage.”

With the exception of a 31-19 loss to the Patriots in Week 4, the Raiders have defeated conference championship runner-up teams in both the (7-5) Chicago Bears and the fore-mentioned Jets.

One reason for the possible slight by the media towards the Raiders may be their strength of schedule.

Oakland’s 2011-12 strength of schedule is tied for 19th in the NFL with the Cleveland Browns, New York Giants and Atlanta Falcons. The Raiders opponents have a combined record of 126-130-0 and a winning percentage of .492

With all due respect, but it is really unfair that media outlets such as ESPN, Fox Sports and CBS Sports punish a team for its strength of schedule and hold it’s own outlaw image against it is blatantly un-ethical.

It’s even more wrong when the media flat-out snubs a quality team that could realistically dethrone one of it’s beloved own favorites—such as New York, New England or Dallas—in the NFL playoffs.

And in the playoffs, one of the key things a team must do is run the ball.

Oakland has all of the key ingredients to be a tough out in the AFC. The Raiders offensive line has given up the fifth fewest sacks in the league at 19.

The Raiders also have the fourth-best running offense—led by running backs Michael Bush and Darren McFadden—as they average 149.2 yards a game.

If the Raiders were to get into the playoffs and run the ball effectively, they would also be able to control the clock and keep a high-flying offense such as the Patriots off the field.

Since acquiring Pro Bowl quarterback Carson Palmer from the Cincinnati Bengals, the Raiders are 3-1 and look to have a more balanced and complete offense with Palmer under center.

With all due respect to Jason Campbell, but Palmer looks a better fit under center than Campbell, as Palmer simply has to manage the game and make timely throws instead of trying to attack down-field like he did during his days in the Queen City of Cincinnati.

Oakland’s wide receiver corps of Darrius Heyward-Bey, Denarius Moore and Jacoby Ford are also all very explosive and also very underrated.

Heyward-Bey, the 24-year old third year standout from Maryland, has finally emerged as one of the NFL’s top playmakers, as his 519 yards receiving and 35 receptions lead the team.

Moore, the rookie out of Tennessee, leads Oakland in receiving touchdowns with four and appears to have developed a real chemistry with Palmer.

Moore would have a breakout performance by catching two touchdown passes on five catches in a 24-17 win over the San Diego Chargers. Moore would also have 123 yards receiving.

Ford, the second-year flanker out of Clemson, appears to be the real wildcard in the Raiders offense out of the slot. Ford currently has 17 catches for 260 yards and one touchdown.

Ford is also one of the most best—and most unheralded—kick returners in the NFL not named Devin Hester, Joshua Cribbs or Patrick Peterson.

Ford has 341 kick return yards on 11 returns for an average of 31.0, Ford also has a 101 yard punt return for a touchdown against Cleveland during a 24-17 Week 6 victory over the Browns.

On defense, the Raiders are led by former first rounder’s in Pro Bowl defensive tackle Richard Seymour, Kamerion Wimbley, Aaron Curry and Rolando McClain.

Wimbley currently leads the Raiders in sacks with 7.0 and as a team, Oakland has a total of 32 sacks—an average of 2.4—per game, and getting after an opposing quarterback down the stretch will be key for the Raiders.

Counting the (3-8) Miami Dolphins game on Sunday, Oakland’s next five opponents have a combined record of 29-24—highlighted by a key game—against the undefeated defending Super Bowl champion Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field.

The media may never admit this, but Oakland may be the one team that may be able to slow down the Packers due to their running game and physical defense.

They say that ignorance is bliss, and while the national media may continue to ignore the Silver and Black at it’s own peril, that may be just what the Raiders need.

Follow me on Twitter, @Dawgfather_76

In the meantime, the Chicago Bears have been playing brilliantly in the league over the past month, but have also been hampered with injuries after Jay Cutler sustained an injured thumb that will keep him sidelined for the next several weeks.

Oakland has revamped their roster, assigning the quarterback responsibilities to a two-time Pro Bowler. The Raiders, allowing Carson Palmer to anchor and manage the offense, possess a lead in the AFC West standings despite a few losses.

Before capturing last Sunday’s 31-20 victory over San Diego, Cutler fractured the thumb on his right throwing hand while attempting to make a tackle on an interception in the fourth quarter.

Caleb Hanie will make his first NFL start for Chicago Sunday when they visit Oakland, currently on a five-game winning streak entering the contest.

The Bears (7-3) are closer in capturing one of the NFC’s wild-card spots if they continue their hot streak. The Raiders (6-4), losers of two straight in Oakland, are faced with much uncertainty left with merely three receivers in Chaz Schilens, Louis Murphy and rookie Eddie McGee — while the status of Denarius Moore, T.J. Houshmandzadeh, Jacoby Ford and Darrius Heyward-Bey are unknown.

The stand out rookie receiver was not listed among the injured Raiders players after Sunday’s 27-21 win over Minnesota. A group of players, including Moore, is battling with injuries from previous games and it has seemingly had a major impact on the Raiders.

There is essentially no timetable for running back Darren McFadden, who suffered a sprained right foot on Oct. 23 and has not practiced since sustaining the injury. This week talks have broke that Moore, an impressive rookie, was added to the list of banged up players.

It’s been a crazy year for the Raiders without McFadden and receiver-returner Jacoby Ford, who sprained his left foot on Nov. 10. Last week, receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey was strapped down and transported to a local hospital after taking a knee to the back of his head against the Vikings. He is not wearing the neck brace he wore Monday.

It’s unknown on what exactly he suffered, and Hue Jackson is being vague on discussing the abundance of injuries that have affected the Raiders.

Under his regime, Oakland is more aggressive, more alarming and more tenacious. The real theory is, Jackson is running the show, taking full control inside the locker room, qualified to have much power.

He is, in every facet, the face of the franchise now that the late Al Davis is resting peacefully in the heavens, quietly growing a sense of respectability while some players are reacting with a wrath of resentment.

Maybe his watch-your-back, rough attitude is from the 1980s as a tough-minded kid inSouth Los Angeles, where he was a security guard at L.A. Raiders games. As a former quarterback of a championship team at Dorsey High, and then an eventual assistant at USC, he knows football in which Davis felt he was the perfect fit for the position of a team with a strong nucleus.

It took him three decades before he became head coach. It took him to cultivate the Raiders. It took a bit of arrogance, too.

“I understand that I am a rookie coach and maybe I don’t get all the calls,” he said, via the San Francisco Chronicle. “But there is no way some of the things that happened should happen.

Sometimes I would get talked to as if they didn’t know what I was asking. I just don’t think it was fair. I asked several times for explanations and wouldn’t get them. … We can’t get the ref over here when there is a break in the action, but he is over there on the other bench having conversations with them. I have a hard time with that.”

Hmm. That’s a very interesting take, and if that is the case, the NFL needs to step in and take care of the problem. Look- officials are good people usually, and I had a great time talking to certain umpires in between innings. But if officials are treating one team differently than the other- that’s where the problem en lies.

I gotta believe the Raiders have proof of what’s going on, so this will be a good story to keep an eye on as the playoff race continues.

When asked if Palmer played any role in the signing, Jackson said:

“None. A lot of people have said – and I’ve heard all the reports; you walk around and look, and some of the coaches have their TVs on – ‘Oh, this is a Carson Palmer deal.’

“Carson Palmer had nothing to do with this. I tried to get T.J. during training camp.

“People forget that I had a relationship with T.J. I coached him and I know exactly what he is. So, this wasn’t Carson’s idea, by no stretch.”

Stay tuned for the Oakland Raiders week nine team report.

Follow Shawn on Twitter: @etemadis

According to Alfie Crow of SB Nation, Janikowski has been ruled out against the Chiefs and the team will go with Dave Rayner–who just recently signed with the team–in his absence. Rayner played eight games with the Detroit Lions last season and connected on 13 of 16 field goals–including a 55-yard field goal.

Still, it’s hard to replace a kicker with a leg like Janikowski’s and the fact that they will go with Kyle Boller at quarterback since Carson Palmer is unready doesn’t help their cause either. Hopefully, this move with Rayner is just temporary and Janikowski will return after the team’s bye in Week 9.

Dan Parzych is the Lead NFL Content Editor for RantSports.com/NFL,  where he writes and edits NFL content for RantSports.com.

Week 7 opponents: Kansas City Chiefs

Location: Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum

Kick-off time: 4:05 PM ET

Network coverage: CBS

This week’s line: Raiders 3.5-point favorites

Latest news

With Sebastian Janikowski listed as questionable on the Raiders injury report, the team has signed kicker Dave Rayner in case Seabass can’t suit up on Sunday.

According to Adam Schefter of ESPN, Carson Palmer is not expected to start this week against Kansas City.

Earlier in the week, Schefter reported that a team source told him that the former USC quarterback would start. Make up your mind Schefter.

“I’m 95 percent sure he is not going to play,” a team source said on Friday.

“Practicing Wednesday and Thursday, he felt he’s not ready to make those high-velocity throws yet. Maybe they could decide something at the last minute, but I don’t think he’s going to play.”

When Jason Campbell was asked if Carson Palmer can come in and play this Sunday, he told 95.7-FM ‘The Game’ the following:

“They’d have to cut down some of the playbook because we do a lot of different shifts and motions to try to keep defenses on their heels and from that standpoint, you have to try to do things that’s easy for him and at the same point, he can adjust to because he’s been out of football for awhile… They will definitely have to simplify a lot of the offense.”

The real question is, do the Raiders need Palmer to take care of the Chiefs at home? Hopefully not. With a strong game from Run DMC, Kyle Boller should be fine under center.

Don’t forget that Oakland has their bye in week eight, which will give Palmer ample time to prepare for the following game.

 Week 7 Injury Report

*Injury Report courtesy of Raiders.com

DNP = Did not participate in practice

LP = Limited Participation

FP = Full Participation

Be sure to follow Shawn on Twitter: @etemadis

The Raiders & Bengals are close to a trade that would send Carson Palmer to OAK for a first-rounder in 2012 and a conditional pick in future

October 18, 2011 7:59 am via UberSocial for BlackBerryReplyRetweetFavorite

@JayGlazer

Jay Glazer

The trade is expected to be completed by deadline. Hue Jackson has a close relationship w Mike Brown and really worked to get Brown to budge

October 18, 2011 8:00 am via UberSocial for BlackBerryReplyRetweetFavorite

@JayGlazer

Jay Glazer

This is a very high risk, high reward trade for the Raiders.  Palmer is by far the best QB available, but the price is astronomical.  The Raiders aren’t exactly swimming in draft picks next year and this almost completely wipes them out.  We aren’t even sure if Palmer is in football shape right now.  Last I saw, he was tailgating at USC games.

That’s the negative side.  The positive side is that Palmer solves a lot of issues going forward.  The Raiders get a franchise quarterback, although at an advanced age.  Palmer is a lot better than Kyle Boller could ever dream of being.  He has a lot of weapons to use on offense and Oakland could make a serious run in the playoffs now.

This move is reminiscent of the ones Al Davis would make.  The legendary owner who passed away early this season was known for pulling out all the stops.  This is the aggressive move the Raiders are known for.

Just win baby.