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GDT Week 2: OAK @ DEN


Broncofan

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To add to some of the previous comments, DT's sharp decline is not simply due to age. He has been playing with a torn labrum in his hip for the last two years. This has caused him to develop chronic inflammation in the area, making it very difficult to run. It's the primary reason he switched up his diet in the offseason; it was an effort to help control the inflammation, which clearly didn't work. It floors me that they didn't shut him down 2 years ago when it was very clear that we were gonna suck on offense anyways. They could have repaired the tear before it had a chance to cause permanent joint issues and he would still be a dangerous receiver right now. I think it's sad; that decision prob cost him several season off his career. 

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Just a quick reply to those that want Paradis gone. A center has 3 responsibilities, in order of importance:

1. Get the QB the ball. No muffs, sure accurate snaps in shotgun. Can't remember the last time we had a TO do to a Paradis miscue.

2. Make the line calls. @lomaxgrUK used the term cohesion, I think that's what he was referencing. Every snap, every audible, every play call the center has the responsibility to call out the protection or blocking scheme for the OL. He has to read defenses, know the offense and put the OL in the best position to succeed. That's his secondary job and Paradis is great at it.

3. Block. When a center finds himself one on one with a massive NT he made the wrong line call. Usually he fits in on DT's, A gap blitzes, and help where needed.

Bottom line, Paradis is exceptional at 1 and 2. Just average at #3. Personally I'll take that every day. We just described Tom Nalen. Right now Matt is one of the key components of our offense and a main reason why our OL looks so much better than it has in the past.

 

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6 hours ago, AKRNA said:

Just a quick reply to those that want Paradis gone. A center has 3 responsibilities, in order of importance:

1. Get the QB the ball. No muffs, sure accurate snaps in shotgun. Can't remember the last time we had a TO do to a Paradis miscue.

2. Make the line calls. @lomaxgrUK used the term cohesion, I think that's what he was referencing. Every snap, every audible, every play call the center has the responsibility to call out the protection or blocking scheme for the OL. He has to read defenses, know the offense and put the OL in the best position to succeed. That's his secondary job and Paradis is great at it.

3. Block. When a center finds himself one on one with a massive NT he made the wrong line call. Usually he fits in on DT's, A gap blitzes, and help where needed.

Bottom line, Paradis is exceptional at 1 and 2. Just average at #3. Personally I'll take that every day. We just described Tom Nalen. Right now Matt is one of the key components of our offense and a main reason why our OL looks so much better than it has in the past.

 

There was one pretty bad shotgun snap yesterday that Case saved

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9 hours ago, germ-x said:

Don’t disagree.  But with how poor Denver’s offense was the Raiders had no need to get gutsy.  They could’ve came out 2nd half and been overly conservative and won this game.  Hell they even were given a call when Lynch was stopped short of a 1st down and Gruden still felt the need to be aggressive....his biggest flaw.  This L was on Gruden and no one else.

They actually were overly conservative. That 4th and 1 call was the perfect play call, worked perfectly failed in execution. Whomever is calling out the personnel, if that's Cook and Richard for example, Denver reads that a mile away.

Raiders dominated this game for 55:55 and found a way to loose. Pretty easy to see who/what the team was missing yesterday. 

In the end, Carr played fantastic. Von Miller talked up Kolton Miller and maybe he was onto something because Kolton played lights out (not sure he was tested by Von though). Denver's secondary is suspect, will be interesting to see how that plays out. Their offense is lacking as well. Both these teams look like .500 ball clubs at best

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9 hours ago, Broncofan said:

I think we should recognize the 1H was a large part due to Gruden's week of planning.   He really does a good job there.  He's just not great at 2H adjustments right now - and I think that's not just being cute - but he's been out of the game a while, and in-game adjustments now are a lot different than back when he coached regularly.   LAR and now DEN really adjusted back to his gameplan, with excellent results in the 2H.   Something to watch for. 

For all of the very questionable personnel decisions Gruden seems to have signed off on (and that's where I think OAK is in trouble, it's not like Gruden's history of QB or other personnel development screams GM material, but he's got those powers in OAK), I think he's a very strong fundamentals, and film-breakdown-and-planing coach.  In-game adjustments though are a very clear area where he's getting schooled right now.   It will be interesting to see if he adapts and how long it takes.

So while I agree the L falls a large part due to Gruden's 2H lack of adjustment and key calls - his 1H success got the team there.  But yeah, the blame also comes with the accolades.   It's kind of like Andy Reid - his in-game adaptability, clock management and getting-too-cute is his biggest weakness, and negates Reid's outstanding player development and in-week preparation.  It's no coincidence a disciple off his coaching tree who decided to be the complete 180 of Reid in-game led PHI to the SB.    If you had Musgrave's adaptability and creativity blended in with Gruden's week of prep - that would be quite the combo IMO.

So much wrong in this post. How is he "being cute". His QB completed 90% of his passes. Offense moved despite the lack of a run game. He dialed up a good play on 4th and 1 and it was dropped. It happens (see Thomas dropping a wide open pass). 

The second half is about the defense. Right now, they are a unit without any playmakers and lacking a pass rush. They were gassed, getting no pressure and Keenum was able sit in a clean pocket and make easy throws. 

The Raiders best defense right now, is their offense keep them off the field.  They are still a unit learning a very complex offense. And let's face it, Lynch, Doug Martin.... they are old. The running game looks slow and one dimensional. A lot of struggles come down to execution.

Can honestly say, this is the best coached Raider team I've seen in a decade. They have a plan each week. They just have no talent. Reggie McKenzie's poor drafts have sunk them finally in the talent dept. so  they are relying on a bunch of stop gap vets to get by. 

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1 hour ago, champ11 said:

That's some unnecessary CU slander from @AnAngryAmerican right there lol 

Yes, the YPC argument is weak.   I mean, outside of Kamara, I don't think anyone had a 5 YPC even with their big runs included.   I think when it comes to CU and @AnAngryAmerican we all know it's like this....

Da3r33CVwAAZ3K0.jpg

 

P.S. His concern that Lindsay will wear down, or worse, will break with this much run usage (especially inside), though, is entirely legit.   But gameflow dictated we play the uptempo O, which created the situation where Lindsay/Booker outsnapped Freeman, and the 15 carries for Lindsay.   Hopefully we see 6-8 targets in space and 8-10 carries in future games as the ideal - not all touches are created equally, in space maximizes the return and minimizes the wear (nothing wrong with inside runs as part of the spread O, as we saw yesterday they can catch D's napping).

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17 hours ago, AnAngryAmerican said:

Our secondary is not quite garbage but it's closer to garbage than it is the famed No Fly Zone. Who would have thought that getting rid of a Hall of Fame CB and a Hall of Fame defensive coordinator would have such an effect. 

Fun fact, Phillips and co. are giving up 6.5 points per game and haven't allowed a point in the last 6 quarters. Arizona didn't make it past midfield until the 2nd to last play of the game. But thank god we didn't miss out on Joe "I have some of the best press corners in the game, but make them play 10 yards off the ball" Woods. 

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44 minutes ago, 1234567 said:

Fun fact, Phillips and co. are giving up 6.5 points per game and haven't allowed a point in the last 6 quarters. Arizona didn't make it past midfield until the 2nd to last play of the game. But thank god we didn't miss out on Joe "I have some of the best press corners in the game, but make them play 10 yards off the ball" Woods. 

To be fair, I don't think it's Woods that was the issue - it was hiring Vance Joseph as a D-minded HC with Wade retained.   Hiring VJ is the gift that truly keeps on giving.  O.o

Never would have happened, but imagine Kyle Shanahan with Wade.  Dream combo.  But, it also wouldn't have fixed the fact our roster was awful...and we didn't have a QB.   Might have prevented us from putting our eggs into the Case Keenum basket.   All of which are just wishes and dreams, and worth as much, since Shanahan HC / Elway GM combo wouldn't have likely ever worked (and the main reason it didn't happen IIRC, not like Elway as GM is something you turn your back on, and certainly not after 1 bad year removed from winning SB50).

On the plus side, we don't get Musgrave as OC if we don't hire VJ.  So at least that looks like a silver lining.

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2 hours ago, 1234567 said:

Fun fact, Phillips and co. are giving up 6.5 points per game and haven't allowed a point in the last 6 quarters. Arizona didn't make it past midfield until the 2nd to last play of the game. But thank god we didn't miss out on Joe "I have some of the best press corners in the game, but make them play 10 yards off the ball" Woods. 

The Rams also arguably have the most talented defense this league has seen in a decade +...hell the Rams entire roster might be the most talented roster this league has seen in that time frame.  

S.O.B. is a coaching legend and IMO deserves a HOF nod.  Joe Woods will never be Wade Phillips, but to try and compare Denver to the Rams doesn’t hold water.  Denver is talented defensively too, but that Rams defense is something you dream up in a lab, hell I could go out and coach that defense into a top 5 unit.  Donald/Suh inside is unfair.  Then throw Peters/Talib ball hawking at CB, my god...QBs/OCs are pooping themselves weeks before that matchup even happens. 

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4 minutes ago, Joe_is_the_best said:

Our offensive woes have been hashed out, but I'm a little worried about the defense. Allowing 19 points is fine, but if we allow WR's to have 10 yards of space-, we're gonna get burned. Try giving that space to Tyreek Hill and see what happens.

Anyway you play Hill is a risk with his speed.  The Steelers played him at the LOS a decent amount (I watched the entire game) with a single high safety rolling his way.  If the CB misses disrupting his route that’s big time trouble. There were 3x in that game they missed and Hill out ran everyone, the Steelers were lucky enough to pressure Mahomes up the middle to prevent a 60+ yard bomb. On one occasion if Mahomes would’ve had a split second more Hill had 10 yards on the closest defender.  Another Mahomes had to get it out quick and over through him.

The Steelers defense is poor and it’ll be interesting to see what Mahomes does when consistently pressured.  He seems calm and collected though, his game reminds me of Aaron Rodgers.  He also has weapons all over the field with Andy Reid as his HC (who is arguably the best offensive mind in the game) putting him in a position to succeed.  Regardless of the defense, the Chiefs will be dangerous for the foreseeable future with Mahomes and that offensive talent.

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