Week 3 pre-game discussion... we're on to Oakland...

[Kontradiction]

X's and O's folks: What can a defense do to scheme and mask a weakness at linebacker? I've always seen "A great secondary can make a middling front seven look better, as it takes away options for passing and the defense doesn't have to rely on quick pressure" or "A great front seven can apply pressure quickly, making a CB's job easier as they don't run all over the field for an extended period of time", but what can you do about a weak linebacking group? I'm interested in the approach behind this.

EDIT: And, if you're down for it, what _exactly_ are you missing out with a bad linebacking group? I know this might seem obvious, I just want to understand the nuance of that level of defense.

Zone coverage or going Big Nickel by subbing in a safety and playing him in the box. Of course, those two things have their downsides. Zone is easier to pick apart than man when you have strong cover corners and offenses can always attack the lighter box by bringing an extra OL/TE onto the field and running the ball down the defense’s throat. There are trade-offs. In other words, you can only scheme around a personnel weakness for so long. Eventually, it’s going to get exposed.

 

[Uptown]

IMHO, all we have to do is win on 1st & 2nd down. Keep them out of too many 3rd & shorts & keep pressure on Carr. He doesn’t respond well to pressure (like mostly any quarterback)...similar to Goff.

 

[One-If-By-Sea]

Ya they might destroy our linebackers we will see. Jacobs looks really good too. You watch a guy like that and you get a bit envious that we have Michel, lol. Should be a fun one to watch.

In 2018 we took Michel in the 1st round over Chubb after Chubb played more at Georgia because Michel projected better in the passing game. In 2019 the Raiders took Jacobs in the 1st round over Harris after Harris played more at Alabama because Jacobs projected better in the passing game. Do you see the parallel? BB learned from the Michel pick, surprised everyone with the Harris pick, and will have the last laugh

 

[Raider9175]

I don't know. The pats had trouble stopping the Seahawks offense last week. Our run D is not the same without Hightower. And without Chung stopping Waller is going to be a problem. I think it will be closer than people think, but what helps us is that Oakland is on a short week and they have to travel to NE.

That isn’t good that your run defense isn’t up to,par with previous pats defense. Because you know you will be getting a heavy dose of the Raiders running game( Josh Jacobs) . All Raiders TE’s are complete Te’s. ( D Waller 6’6 255 , F Moreau 6’4 255 , and Jason Witten 6’6 265 )TE’s that are excellent blockers and very good receivers. Gruden will play with two Te formations, and sometimes three tightends.

Raiders offense line is one of the biggest , and is very good even without T Brown, and R Incognito.
Raiders have one of the better Fbs Alec Ingold.
Keep hammering the Patriots undersized defense, and play action to Henry Ruggs deep.

Raiders offense can do a lot of things , and isn’t relying on the running game. They can beat you with the pass. But you have to prove you can stop the run first , because Gruden will keep pounding away Unmericufully.
Bad news is the Raiders running game is much more potent than the Seattle running game.

 

[Uptown]

Why Chase Winovich is learning terminology for the Patriots secondary

Chase Winovich’s curiosity is benefitting the Patriots.

patriotswire.usatoday.com

 

[SHOWTIME15]

That isn’t good that your run defense isn’t up to,par with previous pats defense. Because you know you will be getting a heavy dose of the Raiders running game( Josh Jacobs) . All Raiders TE’s are complete Te’s. ( D Waller 6’6 255 , F Moreau 6’4 255 , and Jason Witten 6’6 265 )TE’s that are excellent blockers and very good receivers. Gruden will play with two Te formations, and sometimes three tightends.

Raiders offense line is one of the biggest , and is very good even without T Brown, and R Incognito.
Raiders have one of the better Fbs Alec Ingold.
Keep hammering the Patriots undersized defense, and play action to Henry Ruggs deep.

Raiders offense can do a lot of things , and isn’t relying on the running game. They can beat you with the pass. But you have to prove you can stop the run, because Gruden will keep pounding away.

Well, I hope you guys are tired traveling across the country on a short week lol...I think the Raiders look like a decent team, but it's too early to say they have turned the page from the past few years. They have a lot of good players though.

 

[Raider9175]

Based on this year, give him 30+ carries and he might just hit 100 yds

Again the Saints defense line and Lb corps is light years better than the Patriots. Pats had trouble with Seattle running game, that doesn’t bode well for your prospects this week. Lets see how many yards Josh Jacobs( beast) puts upon the Patriots defense. You’re seriously under rating the guy who should have won the rookie of the year last year.

 

[slash83]

Raiders go 2-0 for the first time in so many years and fans come out of the shadows talking up the team like they’re unstoppable.

 

[farn]

« after a bad game, we’d go to the park. He always had that thing... »

You mean that thing called « fear your father will belt you ? »

Why networks keep interviewing Tua’s dad : beyond me.

 

[Wheelman]

Again the Saints defense line and Lb corps is light years better than the Patriots. Pats had trouble with Seattle running game, that doesn’t bode well for your prospects this week. Lets see how many yards Josh Jacobs( beast) puts upon the Patriots defense. You’re seriously under rating the guy who should have won the rookie of the year last year.

Is there something I don't know about Jon Gruden and his injury report list? Does he normally give Waller and Jacobs Wednesday and Thursday off?

We don't know anything about how well or bad the Pats run D is. Matt Chatham pointed out there were some mental errors that exacerbated the Seahawks runs. They could easily shut down the raiders. I'm not saying they will or won't. I'm saying we don't know anything.

 

[Mack Herron]

Again the Saints defense line and Lb corps is light years better than the Patriots. Pats had trouble with Seattle running game, that doesn’t bode well for your prospects this week. Lets see how many yards Josh Jacobs( beast) puts upon the Patriots defense. You’re seriously under rating the guy who should have won the rookie of the year last year.

Neither Waller nor Jacobs practiced today.

 

[Wheelman]

Neither Waller nor Jacobs practiced today.

I was looking at the Saints/Raiders injury report. Henry Ruggs was DNP on Wednesday and Thursday and then LP on Friday. So if they practice tomorrow I think they might play.

NFL Week 2: Saints injury report rules out Michael Thomas vs. Raiders

There was some optimism that New Orleans Saints wide receiver Michael Thomas could play against the Las Vegas Raiders on Monday night, but the Saints are protecting him from himself by ruling him o…

saintswire.usatoday.com

 

[Mack Herron]

I was looking at the Saints/Raiders injury report. Henry Ruggs was DNP on Wednesday and Thursday and then LP on Friday. So if they practice tomorrow I think they might play.

NFL Week 2: Saints injury report rules out Michael Thomas vs. Raiders

There was some optimism that New Orleans Saints wide receiver Michael Thomas could play against the Las Vegas Raiders on Monday night, but the Saints are protecting him from himself by ruling him o…

saintswire.usatoday.com

I expect both to play but nursing injuries.

 

[State]

Spread looks about right to me. Patriots are at home for a 1pm start, Raiders are coming off a MNF game in the Pacific time zone. Pats are also a better football team.

Not if David Andrews doesn’t play.

The Raiders have a very good center. Rodney Hudson I believe his name is.

And I would love to see Joejuan Williams on Waller, even though he gives up two inches and is not as fast in straight line speed. But Williams is quicker and will compete.

it’s time for the second-rounder to shine.

 

[JMC00]

Not if David Andrews doesn’t play.

To be fair Andrews and Froholdt have the same amount of time with Cam and this offense. Obviously Andrews has him on the mental aspect, but as for the physical, we'll see, Froholdt did play C his last year in college and apparently played it very well.

 

[Raider9175]

Raiders go 2-0 for the first time in so many years and fans come out of the shadows talking up the team like they’re unstoppable.

Well you Still win The game in the trenches. That where the Raiders are going to win , and that’s why I’m confident they go to 3-0 .

 

[slash83]

Well you Still win The game in the trenches. That where the Raiders are going to win , and that’s why I’m confident they go to 3-0 .

that’s cool, make sure you don’t disappear after the game.

 

[stinkypete]

I'm not buying into the Raiders hype train. Not at all.

I understand that their OL is great. They have a few physical mismatches on offense in Ruggs, Jacobs and Waller. They'll exploit our interior defense a few times. What else do they have?

Derek Carr strikes zero fear into my heart. Our defense isn't broken, it just was unlucky that it had to face Russell Wilson, on the road, during week 2 of what is looking to be his destined legacy season. Derek Carr ain't dropping 35 on this defense.

The Vegas defense is easily a bottom 10 unit. How often (not counting games against freaking Miami) does a team with an average-or-worse QB (not named Fitzpatrick) and a bottom 10 defense beat the Patriots? I can think of Detroit in 2018, Arizona in 2012...it rarely happens.

 

[JMC00]

Arizona in 2012

And that was bullsh**, stupid replacement ref calling a hold on text book block

 

[farn]

Add me to the "I'm concerned if Andrews doesn't play" crowd.