Raiders Might Be Pretenders
October 30th, 2016
Flawed.
The Raiders lead the AFC West. They are 5-2, tied with the Broncos. They are 4-0 on the road.
Seems like a potential playoff team, right? Start tapping the brakes! That’s what data-driven Thomas Bassinger of the Tampa Bay Times believes. He ran the numbers, did some research, and he doesn’t believe Raiders fans should start clearing their January weekend schedules quite yet.
The most significant flaw is the defense, which is allowing a league-high 6.7 yards per play (the league average is 5.5). Since the AFL-NFL merger in 1970, two teams have reached the playoffs after leading the league in yards allowed per play (1996 Vikings and 2011 Packers).
Oakland has allowed 42 explosive plays (passes of 25 or more yards and runs of 10 or more yards) this season, fourth-most. The offense, even with Carr and receivers Amari Cooper and Michael Crabtree, hasn’t been able to keep pace, as it has executed just 30 explosive plays.
This is why Joe doesn’t believe Dirk Koetter will run an up-tempo offense much, if at all, unless he has to. Joe believes Koetter is going to pound the ball at the soft Raiders run defense.
Hey, it has worked for the Bucs the past two games, right? Why fix something not broken?
October 30th, 2016 at 8:04 am
Make it happen. Would love to see some smash mouth football from our Bucs today
October 30th, 2016 at 8:09 am
They are pretenders. A win against them is nothing to overhype oneself about. If the Bucs can go into San Diego or KC and win, that would speak volumes. San Diego may be the best 3-4 team of all time lol.
October 30th, 2016 at 8:10 am
We WILL pound the rock. We WILL explode in the Play-Action passing game. We WILL dominate time of possession. The Bucs WILL win this game!
Go Bucs baby! Focus!
October 30th, 2016 at 8:14 am
Please. Please Bucs take a win from them.
October 30th, 2016 at 8:42 am
Unless the Bucs beat themselves today, we should get a rare home victory. Then the goon squad will be in full force with all of the “it was just the Raiders, lets not get over excited” or “we have not beat anyone really good”. That is fine though as I would rather savor a win and skim past moronic comments then to suffer a defeat. Go Bucs!!!!
October 30th, 2016 at 8:51 am
Let’s go Bucs!!!!! Anybody else going to be at the game?
October 30th, 2016 at 8:53 am
I am going and am excited to have been given two free tickets in the West side club level. No nose bleeds today!!! Go Bucs!!!
October 30th, 2016 at 9:07 am
A name will be repeated allday sunday here in tampa…
LATAVIUS MURRAY
October 30th, 2016 at 9:20 am
Saints,Titans, Ravens, Chargers and Jags!!! That is there 5 wins!!!!!! Not exactly murders row!!!!! I do think the Bucs can hang and win this game!!!!
And If I am Coach Smitty, I would put NS57 on Penn!!! I just tell him to run past that FAT guy!!!!! Carr would then stay in a 3 step drop and Then they can just shorten the coverage!!!!!
Go America!!!!!!
And GO BUCS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
October 30th, 2016 at 9:21 am
Kobe,
Are you actually a buc fan or nah?
October 30th, 2016 at 9:27 am
Going with my daughter, East Side Club, Section 234 AA 3-4. Go Bucs!
tickrdr
October 30th, 2016 at 9:28 am
We can do it !🏈🏈🏈 Go Bucs
October 30th, 2016 at 9:36 am
When the ball is kicked and to the final whistle eog…i bleed pewter
But i will ride their a$$ if they do something wrong until they bring the trophy to tampa
October 30th, 2016 at 9:46 am
Scurvy Dogs Says:
“Kobe,
Are you actually a buc fan or nah?”
That question’s been asked numerous times by various posters.
I’d say it’s till up for debate.
October 30th, 2016 at 9:50 am
Blake…I concur.
I think they can win this game if they control the time of possession.
This really IS a pick’em game though.
If there is such a thing this is it. Sticking by my 27-26 Bucs win!
October 30th, 2016 at 9:59 am
I AM GOING TO HEAR AYERS SLAMMING CARR AND MURRAY SO PUT THAT IN YOUR PIPE AND SMOKE IT KOBE!
October 30th, 2016 at 10:24 am
Kobe…does that work? Sounds like the job of the coaches. I feel you though.
October 30th, 2016 at 11:34 am
Buccaneeer Scotty now that’s a comment kid
October 30th, 2016 at 12:00 pm
To all you guys going to the game today, make some goddamn noise!
Get the people around you to be loud! Yell, scream!
Make Ray Jay rock while we crush the raiders!
October 30th, 2016 at 12:17 pm
‘Raiders Might Be Pretenders!’ Titles like that scare me Joe. Bucs have 3 wins & Raiders have 5 wins … so they’re pretenders? In the immortal words of Dirk Koetter … ‘All anyone cares about is wins’. Bucs haven’t won at home in almost a year (Dec 6th when we beat the Falcons). I’m convinced that today’s the day they’ll fix that because we’ve got the better defense, but it’ll be a dogfight.
October 30th, 2016 at 12:21 pm
Kobi, be honest. You assume they do wrong before they have a chance to.