Oakland Raiders: AFC West

2009-10 Record: 5-11 (3rd); vs. AFC West: 2-4; vs. AFC: 4-8

2010-11 Strength of Schedule: T-16^th Hardest Schedule - .500 (128-128)

Big Games: Week 5 vs. San Diego Chargers, Week 11 at Pittsburgh Steelers, Week 13 at San Diego Chargers, Week 16 vs. Indianapolis Colts

Key Additions: QB – Jason Campbell, QB – Kyle Boller, LB – Kamerion Wimbley,

Key Losses: QB – JaMarcus Russell, RB – Justin Fargas, DE – Greg Ellis, WR – Javon Walker

Draft Picks: 1^st Round – ILB – Rolando McClain, 2^nd Round – DE – Lamarr Houston, 3^rd Round – OT – Jared Veldheer, 4^th Round – OT – Bruce Campbell, WR – Jacoby Ford, 5^th Round – CB – Walter McFadden, 6^th Round – LB – Travis Goethel, 7^th Round – CB – Jeremy Ware, S – Stevie Brown

2009 Team Leaders:

Passing – JaMarcus Russell: 120-for-246, 1,287 yards, 3 TDs

Rushing – Michael Bush: 123 atts, 589 yards, 4 TDs

Receiving – Zack Miller: 66 rec, 805 yards, 3 TDs

Scouting via NFL Scouts:

“They made a good move to get Jason Campbell. He’s got a better chance of treading water with a life preserver than JaMarcus Russell did. At least he knows how to swim. … Jason is the perfect quarterback for what they want to do. … As dysfunctional as they have been in the past, I think the addition of Jason Campbell, depending on how that works out and what they do with him, I think these guys have a chance. … From a leadership perspective, I didn’t understand trading Kirk Morrison. He’s a leader on a team starving for leadership. They’d like Nnamdi Asomugha to be that guy, but he’s a corner. You can’t be a leader when you’re isolated on one side of the field with a receiver. … The league needs the Raiders to be good. We need villains. But behind the scenes, I just don’t know if they’re all pulling together. That’s why nobody wants to coach there.”

Thoughts:

The Raiders like to talk about how much speed and talent this team has. The underlying notion is that the Raiders possess an untapped wealth of young potential and only have to get a taste of winning to turn the corner once and for all. That argument has worn thin over the years, but trading for QB Jason Campbell and drafting a couple of run-stuffing defenders (McClain and Houston) have restored some confidence in Black and Silver land. Still, if the Raiders are to get better, they will need major contributions from a lot of young guys. Are they ready for that challenge? Since 2003, this team’s annual record has been 4–12, 5–11, 4–12, 2–14, 4–12, 5–11 and 5–11.

Prediction: 8-8 (2^nd)

Cash Scott for Citadel Digital © 2010