Month: October 2015

At the bye Week, 2-3 Raiders are off to promising start

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By Joe Hawkes-Beamon

OAKLAND — With the first five weeks of the season down, Raider Nation should be happy with their team sitting at 2-3 at the bye week.

Oakland has been competitive in every contest from start to finish and it can’t be denied that the team is trending in the right direction. Even after dropping their last two games to Chicago and Denver respectively, the Raiders have definitely been entertaining.

Derek Carr, Oakland’s young signal caller, has complete control of the offense. The second-year pro from Fresno State engineers the 21st ranked offense in the NFL, but his numbers have been outstanding; completing 64 percent of his passes for 1,171 yards, eight touchdowns, and just three interceptions.

Rookie wide receiver Amari Cooper has made the transition from the college ranks to the pros, leading all rookie wide receivers in catches (28), receiving yards (386), touchdowns (two), and receiving yards per game (77.2). The fourth overall pick in this year’s draft out of Alabama has been as good as advertised.

Pair Cooper with the veteran  Michael Crabtree, and Oakland has a pair of wide receivers that give Carr dependable weapons to throw to. Crabtree, who signed a one-year deal in the offseason after spending his first six seasons in San Francisco, is second behind Cooper on the team with 27 catches, 318 yards receiving, and one touchdown.

Oakland needs to get the running game more involved in the offense, that means Latavius Murray needs to step up and take the running game by the horns.

Murray does have 336 yards rushing on 80 carries and two touchdowns this season, but was a virtual no-show in last week’s 16-10 home loss to the Broncos, carrying the ball 13 times for just 39 yards. Carr had 39 attempts against the Broncos’ top-ranked defense.

With the loss of defensive end Justin Tuck for the season with a torn right pectoral muscle, Oakland’s defense took a hit in the pass rush department. Opposing offenses can now key in on defensive end Khalil Mack and possibly double team linebacker Aldon Smith, another ex-49er.

But the real player that compensates for Oakland’s 25th ranked defense is no doubt, safety Charles Woodson. In his 18th, and most certainly final season of his sure-fire Hall of Fame career, Woodson is making an case for early Defensive Player of the Year.

Woodson has recorded four interceptions this season, two coming off the arm of another future Hall of Famer in Denver quarterback Peyton Manning. The former Heisman Trophy winner has been playing with a separated right shoulder for most of the season, has gutted it up each week for the Silver and Black.

Once the bye week is completed, Oakland’s next four opponents in San Diego (2-3), New York Jets (3-1), Pittsburgh (3-2), and Minnesota (2-2), are all formidable competition that will reveal the Raiders’ true team identity for the rest of the season.

Oakland Raiders podcast with Jeremy Kahn: Tuck out for the year major hit on Raiders psyche

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On the podcast today Jeremy discusses the effects of losing defensive end Justin Tuck. Tuck had surgery done for a torn pectoral and there is talk that he could be out next season too. Tuck reportedly is anxious to rehab and will try and do everything he can to get back for next season.

Tuck’s teammates have insisted that Tuck be there in the dressing room and for team meetings despite the injury the team respects his leadership and wants his presence around. Mario Edwards is expected to take Tuck’s place. The Raiders who are on a bye this week are getting ready for the San Diego Chargers for Sunday the 25th.

The Raiders have said they depend heavily on the pass rushing of Aldon Smith and Khalil Mack. Also after this meeting with the Chargers the Raiders have no further meetings with a divisional team until December 6th. They want to make this one count when the they face the Chargers on the 25th.

Jeremy Kahn does the Raiders podcast each week at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

photo credit google images of Justin Tuck Raiders

San Francisco 49ers podcast with David Zizmor: Brooks a vital part of the 49ers defense looking forward to getting back into the line up

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by David Zizmor

photo credit google images 49ers Ahmad Brooks

SANTA CLARA–The San Francisco 49ers Ahmad Brooks had to take a week off to be with family because of the death of his sister. Brooks is back and he’s a very vital part of the 49ers line up and defense. When former 49ers Aldon Smith was arrested and released again and is now an Oakland Raider the Niners weren’t sure how they were going to address the outside linebacker.

Brooks will be moved over to Smith’s old spot that’s Brooks assignment so far. Brooks hasn’t really done much of note this season and he didn’t recall any tackles or sacks or anything. He is a starter and he is a good player and when Brooks is away it hurts the defense. If you watched the 49ers play the New York Giants last week you know that NY Giants quarterback Eli Manning threw for 400 plus yards against the 49ers defense.The Giants put out some 500 yards of offense that’s not good. Having Brooks back on the field helps and what effect its going to have this week against Baltimore I couldn’t tell you exactly but having him out there is a positive for the 49ers defense.

Recently former 49er quarterback Joe Montana said that 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick needs to stay in the pocket a little more, the only real problem is with that statement is the 49ers offensive line has done a really bad job protecting Kaepernick when he’s in the pocket. When Kaepernick is given time which we saw with the Giants last week he’s not so bad in the pocket he can make throws. It’s when he gets under pressure is when he has problems.

Listen to more with David on the 49ers podcast at http://www.sportsradioservice.com click below

Couture And Donskoi Out, Goldobin Called Up

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By Mary Walsh

San Jose Sharks center Logan Couture will miss four to six weeks due to a broken right fibula. Per Curtis Pashelka of the Mercury News, the injury was sustained during practice in New Jersey on Thursday. In a press release Friday, Sharks GM Doug Wilson said:

Logan was injured in practice on Thursday in New Jersey and suffered a fractured right fibula at the ankle. He will be returning to San Jose to undergo surgery under the direction of Kaiser Permanente’s medical team. He is expected to miss 4-6 weeks.

Forward Joonas Donskoi is also out due to an injury sustained blocking a shot during the game against the Anaheim Ducks.

Rookie forward Nikolay Goldobin has been recalled to fill one of the open spots on the roster. Goldobin was the Sharks’ first round pick in 2014. Last season he played 38 games with HIFK in Finland and nine games with the Worcester Sharks of the AHL. This season he played one game with the San Jose Barracuda.

Forward Ben Smith, who was a scratch for the first three games of the season, will also join the lineup tonight as the team faces the New Jersey Devils. Saturday, the Sharks will play the New York Islanders in Brooklyn.

Bad timing: Raiders lose Tuck for the season with prolific Philip Rivers and the Chargers up next on the schedule

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By Morris Phillips

These days, the Oakland Raiders would have to be termed an improving club lucky to have a few, old wise contributors, and sorely in need of its young guys to get in step.

So the news, that Justin Tuck will undergo season-ending surgery on his torn pectoral muscle means the veteran will be dearly missed, and Mario Edwards–in his second year—needs to get up to speed quick.

That’s the simple reality for a team that’s been down too long, desperate to win, and possessing some big opportunities on its immediate horizon. Plus, Tuck may not return in 2016, and Edwards hopefully will be in team’s plans for years to come. But, given Tuck’s leadership and locker room presence, the transition won’t be easy.

“He’s a leader of the team, and having that type of injury is difficult,” Khalil Mack said of Tuck. “It’s one that he has remained positive about. We’ve all been positive with him and let him know that we still want to see him around. Having his leadership is really more important than anything.”

Edwards isn’t the pass rusher that the 11-year veteran Tuck has been, but he’s an emerging run stopper that has played extensively this season, especially last week against the Broncos. Edwards recorded a half sack of Peyton Manning and played on approximately two-thirds of the defensive snaps.

Aldon Smith, just five games into his stay in Oakland, and Khalil Mack, by default an essential piece in just his second season, will be counted on to do the lion’s share of the pass rushing in Tuck’s absence, so the Raiders aren’t in a desperate situation.

But they need to see some growth from the young roster now with a critical AFC West contest at San Diego up next.

The Raiders have just one divisional game under their belt—the loss to Denver—and five remaining. But after this week’s tangle with the Chargers, they won’t see another AFC West opponent until December 6 when the Chiefs visit the O.co Coliseum. Making sure those final four divisional battles mean something starts with getting a win against San Diego.

And without Tuck, and a secondary held together by matchsticks and veteran presence Charles Woodson, the Raiders will have their hands full with Philip Rivers, the best quarterback they’ll see all year outside of Green Bay’s Aaron Rodgers. The Chargers rank 2nd in the NFL in passing at 318 yards per game.

Offensively, the Raiders need more growth from their youthful core of playmakers. David Carr, continues to grow, but he hasn’t avoided the game changing turnovers, or mounted scoring drives when in the second half in a close game outside his outstanding finish against the Ravens.

Latavius Murray needs more consistency and polish to his game, and he needs to regain his swagger missing since his tough afternoon in Chicago. The Raiders rank 27th in the NFL, averaging just 90 yards per game rushing. And if Amari Cooper wants to turn into a full-fledged superstar now rather than later that would help too.

The health and production of Michael Crabtree and Marcel Reece remains a critical indicator as well. Both veterans are among the NFL’s best at moving the chains and Carr has shown ability to get both the ball.

Did we mention the Chargers’ youthful defense has been vulnerable in the middle of the field despite the presence of Pro Bowl safety Eric Weddle and inside linebacker Man’ti Teo?

The 2-3 Chargers have allowed nearly 27 points per game, which ranks 23rd, and are no doubt smarting after letting Michael Vick pull out Monday’s game in the fourth quarter.

FRYS.COM OPEN: Steele takes opening-round lead

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By Jeremy Harness

Brendan Steele grabbed the early lead in this week’s Frys.com Open at Silverado by firing a 65, which was good enough for a one-shot advantage over Jhonattan Vegas.

His round featured nine birdies and zero bogeys and really kicked it into high gear on the back nine. He recorded back-to-back birdies at the fifth and sixth holes to get things started, and then got two more in a row at the 11th and 12th.

After a par at the par-4 13th, Steele closed out the round by stringing together five consecutive birdies to send a statement to the rest of the field.

Vegas, meanwhile, had previously been on the PGA Tour but had to earn his card back by finishing in the top 25 on the Web.com Tour this past season.

He himself got off to a very good start on the front nine, making a birdie on the very first hole, and then seizing control for the moment with an eagle at the par-5 fifth.

He recorded five birdies on the back nine, but a poor iron shot at the par-4 14th led to a bogey that ultimately cost Vegas at least a share of the lead.

No matter what transpires the next few days, this tournament is guaranteed to have a new champion. Sang-moon Bae, who won last year’s tournament by going 15-under par, is currently serving in the military in his native South Korea after representing the international team in this year’s President’s Cup, which was also held in South Korea.

Rory McIlroy, who is quite familiar with being in the winner’s circle in Northern California after winning the Cadillac Match Play Championship at San Francisco’s Harding Park last season, is in the hunt but did not finish the way that Steele and Vegas did.

He finished the front nine a three-under, but thanks to a bogey at the 13th, he picked up only one shot on the back side and finished with a four-under 68 to go into the second day of the tournament three strokes back.

The Stanford Cardinal pounds the UCLA Bruins, Running back Christian McCaffrey sets rushing record

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by Jerry Feitelberg

The game between the Stanford Cardinal and the UCLA Bruins was supposed to be a barn burner. Stanford came into the game ranked fifteenth in the nation while the UCLA was ranked eighteenth. Both teams had identical 4-1 records. Stanford had won four in a row, and UCLA was looking to rebound from a loss to Arizona State. It was no contest. Stanford dominated in all phases of the game. The offense line led by Kyle Murphy, Josh Garnett, and Johnny Caspers pounded the UCLA defense into submission all night. The Cardinal running game was led by a record-setting performance by Christian McCaffrey. UCLA could not crack the Cardinal defense. Blake Martinez and company kept UCLA under control. The Bruins tried, but Stanford stopped them several times at critical times during the game. The defense also picked off two Josh Rosen passes. Final score 56-35 in favor of Stanford.

The Cardinal scored the first touchdown of the night when cornerback Alijah Holder intercepted a Josh Rosen pass and took it back thirty-one yard for the score. UCLA started the drive on the seven-yard line. They made a first down, but an offensive penalty put them in a third and fifteen situation. Rosen didn’t see Holder as he stepped in front of the wide receiver for the pick. The Bruins took the kickoff and marched down to the Cardinal ten-yard line. The key play was a forty-eight yard by their star running back, Paul Perkins. On the next play, Perkins took the ball into the end zone but a penalty negated the score. The drive stalled and UCLA had to settle for a field goal. Stanford leads 7-3 with 7:22 left to play in the first period.

Christian McCaffrey electrified the crowd taking the kickoff from two yards deep in the end zone. The Bruins made a last-ditch effort and stopped him at the four-yard line. Ninety-six yards on the play.  On the next play, Kevin Hogan found tight end Austin Hooper all alone in the end zone for the touchdown. The drive took exactly eighteen seconds off the clock. Stanford leads 14-3. UCLA scores eighteen seconds later. Starting on their twenty-nine-yard line, the Bruins’ Josh Rosen connected with wide receiver Darren Andrews wide open down the middle and Andrews took it in for the score. The extra point was good and the Bruins trail by just four points 14-10. There was no more scoring in the period, but Stanford is on a drive and has the ball just inside the Bruin 20-yard line to start the second quarter.

On the first play, McCaffrey went ten yards to give the Cardinal first and goal at the eight-yard line. Hogan connected with Devon Cajuste in the end zone for the score. 21-10 with 14:17 left in the half. Stanford scored again with eight minutes left. The Cardinal pinned the Bruins deep in their zone when the Cardinal downed the ball at the two-yard line. The Bruins could not make a first down and were forced to kick. The punt landed at their forty-two-yard line of the Bruins giving Stanford excellent field position. Hogan pass to tight end Greg Taboada went for twenty-eight yards down to the Bruin fourteen yard line. McCaffrey ran the ball into the end zone for the touchdown. The refs said that McCaffrey went down at the one, but the play was ruled a touchdown after a review. 28-10 in favor of Stanford. Stanford has been relentless on offense. They scored again with 2:13 left to play. They went on a 71-one yard to drive for the score. Christian McCaffrey continued to shine, and he scored his second touchdown of the night to put Stanford up by a score of 35-10. The Bruins refused to quit. They went on an eleven play, eighty-yard drive to score to close the gap to 35-17 with eleven seconds left to play. McCaffrey rushed fourteen times for 118 yards and averaged 8.8 yards per carry and had two touchdowns. Kevin Hogan was seven-for-ten passing and threw for two scores. UCLA’s Paul Perkins had nine carries fo 90 yards and a 9.9 yards per carry average. Quarterback Josh Rosen completed 12 of 19 passes good for 172 yards and one TD.

Stanford scored on a fantastic play to give them a 42-17 lead early in the third quarter. The Cardinal lined up in the Wildcat formation. The snap went to McCaffrey, who pitched the ball to running back Bryce Love. Love then gave the ball to quarterback Kevin Hogan, who spotted wide receiver Francis Owusu on his way to the end zone. Owusu made a fantastic catch with a UCLA defender draped all over him. Owusu somehow held onto the ball for the score. UCLA was called for a pass interference penalty, but the penalty was declined. The play, without question, was the most exciting play of the season for Stanford. UCLA had a chance to narrow the gap after a Kevin Hogan pass was intercepted, but the drive stalled and a false start penalty forced the Bruins to kick a field goal. The Cardinal lined up in the Wildcat formation again. This time, the snap went directly to McCaffrey, and he took it to the house for his third touchdown of the game. McCaffrey has 209 yards rushing so far in the game with more than 20 minutes left. Career high for McCaffrey. Stanford leads 49-20. The Cardinal continued to run the ball. Christian McCaffrey continued to shine. He scored his fourth TD of the night. He set a Stanford single-game rushing record with 243 yards breaking Toby Gerhart’s record of 223. The score is now 56-20. The Bruins scored on a 77-yard drive. The key play was a 38-yard TD pass from Rosen to Thomas Duarte. The Bruins made a two-point conversion. 56-28 with eleven minutes left. The Bruins scored again on a pass from Rosen to Rios. The score is 56-35 with 2:01 left in the game.

Game Notes- With the win, the Cardinal improves to 5-1 overall and 4-0 in the Pac-12. UCLA falls to 4-2 and 1-2 in the Pac-12. Stanford continues the season on October 24th at Stanford Stadium at 7:30 pm against the Washington Huskies.

Barracuda notch first win of the season

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By: Eric He

It was a historic night for the San Jose Barracuda, who recorded their first win in franchise history with a 4-1 win over the Stockton Heat on the road on Thursday night.

The Barracuda jumped out to a 3-0 advantage after two periods. A breakaway goal by Ryan Carpenter put San Jose on the board 28 seconds into the second. Micheal Haley’s goal from a tough angle made it 2-0, and Scott Timmons made it a trifecta in the period, putting home a rebound that was ruled a good goal upon review.

Nikita Jevpalovs, who earned first star honors, added the finishing touches with a third period marker that answered a goal by Stockton in the third period.

Goaltender Aaron Dell was solid for San Jose, stopping 25 of 26 shots.

Another road game awaits the Barracuda on Saturday, as they face the Bakersfield Condors on the road at 7pm.

Warriors blow out Rockets in preseason action

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By: Eric He

The Golden State Warriors routed a shorthanded Houston Rockets team 123-101 on Thursday night in preseason action.

Brandon Rush started in place of the injured Harrison Barnes and played 28 minutes, recording 12 points and knocking down two 3-pointers, a good sign for the forward who struggled mightily last season.

Playing a Rockets team without James Harden and Dwight Howard, the Warriors jumped on them early and often, scoring 83 points in the first half alone. Stephen Curry recorded 19 points in 17 minutes, shooting 6-of-7 from the field, leaving no doubt his preparedness for the regular season.

The second half was essentially an audition period for roster hopefuls and playing time for veterans such as Marreese Speights and Jason Thompson. Fetus Ezeli had a strong game with 11 points and five rebounds in 22 minutes.

Ian Clark, Chris Babb, Juwan Staten and Jarrell Eddie saw some action, with Clark seemingly the favorite to earn the final roster spot.

Andrew Bogut sustained a broken nose in the second quarter and did not return to the game.

NHL Podcast with Joe Lami: Sharks goalie Martin stopping everything in sight; Sharks could get their fourth straight

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On the San Jose Sharks podcast today Joe Lami covers how the Sharks are a wall of fire who have won three straight with two straight shutouts including blanking the incredible Washington Capitals 5-0 on Tuesday night. The Sharks will be looking for their fourth straight win in a row against New Jersey 0-3, followed by visits with the New York Islanders and the New York Rangers Joe takes you through each team on how the Sharks will fare in those contests.

Sharks goaltender Martin Jones has the hot hand and it looks like team general manager Doug Wilson made a wise selection that’s paying dividends. Martin has thrown two straight shutouts, one against the Anaheim Ducks and the other with the 5-0 win over Washington on Tuesday. He just might be able to pull off another one against New Jersey on Friday night.

Joe discusses this and much more on this week’s NHL podcast at http://www.sportsradioservice.com click below

photo credit by google images of SJ Sharks Goalie Martin Jones