Post by TheShadow on Oct 14, 2012 7:40:14 GMT -5
www.sfgate.com
by Vic Tafur
Atlanta --
Some local pundits here say the Falcons are on a two-week vacation, with a home game against the 1-3 Raiders followed by their bye week.
Atlanta is one of two undefeated teams in the league and a has a high-powered offense led by Matt Ryan, receivers Roddy White and Julio Jones and tight end Tony Gonzalez.
The Raiders have given up more than 30 points in each of their past three games and have been outscored 72-19 in their two road games so far. Oh, and Oakland had lost its past nine games coming off bye weeks. By an average of 14 points.
So ... wonder if Roddy or Julio packed the sunscreen and beach balls?
"They are obviously a talented offensive football team, and they present a huge challenge for us," Raiders coach Dennis Allen said.
Everyone needs to step up on the defensive side of the ball, but maybe especially big-money safeties Tyvon Branch and Michael Huff. The Raiders need someone to make a play, let alone cover receivers and tight ends long enough to let the defensive linemen get more than three steps in toward the quarterback.
Oakland has zero interceptions and three sacks this season, both tied for lowest in the NFL.
"We've definitely got to get some interceptions," Branch said. "Once we start getting interceptions, that will help our pass rush. Everything works hand in hand. We've got to start covering better, and the pass rush will start getting some sacks."
The last two quarterbacks the Raiders faced, Ben Roethlisberger and Peyton Manning, killed them with short passes.
Huff, making his third straight start at cornerback in place of injured Ron Bartell and Shawntae Spencer, thinks the Raiders may have to take a page from the late Al Davis' playbook.
"That's when you've got to play (man-to-man), like the old days," Huff said. "Get tighter to the receivers, because obviously there's holes in every zone, so games like that you've got to play more man. So we'll see."
Huff has gotten better each week at cornerback, if you ask Allen - even if the numbers don't really back him up.
"I think, right now, it's not fair to totally evaluate Michael Huff and where he's at, because we've had to force him into a role that we didn't really anticipate at the beginning of the season," Allen said.
Huff has more confidence now than he did against the Steelers in Week 3, when he was seemingly giving receivers 10 yards of cushion so he wouldn't get beaten deep.
"It's a different world out there on the edge," Allen said. "There's not nearly as many things mentally that go on on the edge as there are at safety, yet there's a whole lot more physically that has to happen. So, he's improved in that area."
And you have to give Huff this - with Roethlisberger, Manning and now Ryan, he definitely got thrown into the fire.
"I didn't get to ease into it," Huff said. "I didn't get any mediocre, just normal QBs. I get all the great Hall of Famers. But I wouldn't have it any other way. To be the best, you've got to play against the best. So, kind of learning on the fly."
As for Branch, he hasn't been able to do as much in terms of blitzing because of the inexperience and help required by Huff and Pat Lee, the other fill-in starter at cornerback.
"I think Tyvon Branch has played pretty well," Allen said. "He runs around all over the field and plays the game physically. So I would expect that he would continue to improve. Both (Huff and Branch) will. I still have high hopes for them to play well this year."
They will have to Sunday for the Raiders to have any shot at winning - or even staying close.
Ryan has thrown for 1,507 yards and 13 touchdowns. Gonzalez leads the NFL with 39 catches, and White and Jones have combined for 57 receptions, 794 yards and seven touchdowns.
"Matt Ryan is definitely a top five quarterback the way he's playing right now," Huff said. "We have to make our fair share of plays, get turnovers and get the ball back to our offense. That's really the only way to slow them down."
Raiders (1-3) at Falcons (5-0)
10 a.m. Channel: 5 Channel: 13 Channel: 46 /105.3 FM
Spotlight on: Running back Darren McFadden. The coaches keep preaching patience with the new zone blocking scheme, but if they can't get the offensive line and McFadden going Sunday against Atlanta's 27th-ranked run defense, then maybe fans really should start talking about top-five draft pick possibilities for next year.
Injury notes: Raiders - T Khalif Barnes (groin), CB Shawntae Spencer (foot) and TE Richard Gordon (hamstring) are out; Falcons - TE Michael Palmer (shoulder) and RB Antone Smith (hamstring) are out; DT Jonathan Babineaux (groin) and LB Stephen Nicholas (ankle) are questionable.
Big 3
-- Oakland quarterback Carson Palmer is just 1-of-14 on throws of more than 20 yards downfield.
-- All this concern over the pass defense ... the Raiders aren't exactly good against the run either. Michael Turner may no longer be a burner, but he still runs hard (4.4 yards per carry), and one could see linebackers Rolando McClain, Philip Wheeler and Miles Burris bouncing off his thighs.
-- The Falcons lead the NFL with 12 takeaways and a plus-10 turnover margin.
by Vic Tafur
Atlanta --
Some local pundits here say the Falcons are on a two-week vacation, with a home game against the 1-3 Raiders followed by their bye week.
Atlanta is one of two undefeated teams in the league and a has a high-powered offense led by Matt Ryan, receivers Roddy White and Julio Jones and tight end Tony Gonzalez.
The Raiders have given up more than 30 points in each of their past three games and have been outscored 72-19 in their two road games so far. Oh, and Oakland had lost its past nine games coming off bye weeks. By an average of 14 points.
So ... wonder if Roddy or Julio packed the sunscreen and beach balls?
"They are obviously a talented offensive football team, and they present a huge challenge for us," Raiders coach Dennis Allen said.
Everyone needs to step up on the defensive side of the ball, but maybe especially big-money safeties Tyvon Branch and Michael Huff. The Raiders need someone to make a play, let alone cover receivers and tight ends long enough to let the defensive linemen get more than three steps in toward the quarterback.
Oakland has zero interceptions and three sacks this season, both tied for lowest in the NFL.
"We've definitely got to get some interceptions," Branch said. "Once we start getting interceptions, that will help our pass rush. Everything works hand in hand. We've got to start covering better, and the pass rush will start getting some sacks."
The last two quarterbacks the Raiders faced, Ben Roethlisberger and Peyton Manning, killed them with short passes.
Huff, making his third straight start at cornerback in place of injured Ron Bartell and Shawntae Spencer, thinks the Raiders may have to take a page from the late Al Davis' playbook.
"That's when you've got to play (man-to-man), like the old days," Huff said. "Get tighter to the receivers, because obviously there's holes in every zone, so games like that you've got to play more man. So we'll see."
Huff has gotten better each week at cornerback, if you ask Allen - even if the numbers don't really back him up.
"I think, right now, it's not fair to totally evaluate Michael Huff and where he's at, because we've had to force him into a role that we didn't really anticipate at the beginning of the season," Allen said.
Huff has more confidence now than he did against the Steelers in Week 3, when he was seemingly giving receivers 10 yards of cushion so he wouldn't get beaten deep.
"It's a different world out there on the edge," Allen said. "There's not nearly as many things mentally that go on on the edge as there are at safety, yet there's a whole lot more physically that has to happen. So, he's improved in that area."
And you have to give Huff this - with Roethlisberger, Manning and now Ryan, he definitely got thrown into the fire.
"I didn't get to ease into it," Huff said. "I didn't get any mediocre, just normal QBs. I get all the great Hall of Famers. But I wouldn't have it any other way. To be the best, you've got to play against the best. So, kind of learning on the fly."
As for Branch, he hasn't been able to do as much in terms of blitzing because of the inexperience and help required by Huff and Pat Lee, the other fill-in starter at cornerback.
"I think Tyvon Branch has played pretty well," Allen said. "He runs around all over the field and plays the game physically. So I would expect that he would continue to improve. Both (Huff and Branch) will. I still have high hopes for them to play well this year."
They will have to Sunday for the Raiders to have any shot at winning - or even staying close.
Ryan has thrown for 1,507 yards and 13 touchdowns. Gonzalez leads the NFL with 39 catches, and White and Jones have combined for 57 receptions, 794 yards and seven touchdowns.
"Matt Ryan is definitely a top five quarterback the way he's playing right now," Huff said. "We have to make our fair share of plays, get turnovers and get the ball back to our offense. That's really the only way to slow them down."
Raiders (1-3) at Falcons (5-0)
10 a.m. Channel: 5 Channel: 13 Channel: 46 /105.3 FM
Spotlight on: Running back Darren McFadden. The coaches keep preaching patience with the new zone blocking scheme, but if they can't get the offensive line and McFadden going Sunday against Atlanta's 27th-ranked run defense, then maybe fans really should start talking about top-five draft pick possibilities for next year.
Injury notes: Raiders - T Khalif Barnes (groin), CB Shawntae Spencer (foot) and TE Richard Gordon (hamstring) are out; Falcons - TE Michael Palmer (shoulder) and RB Antone Smith (hamstring) are out; DT Jonathan Babineaux (groin) and LB Stephen Nicholas (ankle) are questionable.
Big 3
-- Oakland quarterback Carson Palmer is just 1-of-14 on throws of more than 20 yards downfield.
-- All this concern over the pass defense ... the Raiders aren't exactly good against the run either. Michael Turner may no longer be a burner, but he still runs hard (4.4 yards per carry), and one could see linebackers Rolando McClain, Philip Wheeler and Miles Burris bouncing off his thighs.
-- The Falcons lead the NFL with 12 takeaways and a plus-10 turnover margin.