Category: NFL

Raiders’ offense a no show in Kansas City

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Oakland Raiders quarterback Derek Carr (4) has works with referee Carl Cheffers (51) and umpire Bill Schuster (129) during the second half of an NFL football game against the Kansas City Chiefs in Kansas City, Mo., Sunday, Dec. 10, 2017. The Kansas City Chiefs won 26-15. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

By Joe Hawkes-Beamon
SRS Contributor

With the chance to move into sole possession of first-place in the AFC West, the Raiders (6-7) didn’t put up much of a fight against their bitter rival the Kansas City Chiefs (7-6), losing at Arrowhead Stadium 26-15 Sunday afternoon.

The two teams came into the game tied atop of the division with identical 6-6 records, along with the Los Angeles Chargers. The Chargers, who host Washington Sunday, face the Chiefs in Kansas City next Saturday night.

The Raiders’ defense pressured Chiefs’ starting quarterback Alex Smith all day, sacking him four times, two by linebacker Bruce Irvin. Oakland also recorded just their second interception of the season by safety Karl Joseph, but the unit wore down as the Chiefs controlled the clock for 36:30 of the game. Kansas City racked up 408 yards of total offense, 268 of those yards thrown by Smith, who completed 20-of-34 passes on the day.

Chiefs’ starting running back Kareem Hunt rushed for 116 yards on 25 carries and a touchdown.

Oakland’s offensive unit mustered just 268 yards of total offense Sunday.

Kansas City jumped out to a 26-0 lead before Marshawn Lynch’s 22-yard touchdown run put the Raiders on the board with 8:51 to go in the game. Lynch finished the game with 61 yards on seven carries as the Raiders ran the ball just 11 times in the game.

Starting quarterback Derek Carr completed 24-of-41 passes for 211 yards one touchdown and two interceptions with a 60.1 passer rating for the game. Kansas City sacked Carr three times. In Carr’s last game against Kansas City on Oct. 19, he destroyed the Chiefs passing for 417 yards on 29-of-52 passes with three touchdowns and no interceptions and a 101.2 passer rating.

“It sucked,” Carr said via the Raiders’ official website. “It wasn’t good enough. And you put it all on me–don’t you blame one coach, one player.”

Oakland’s loss falls squarely on the offense, not just on Carr.

In the first half, Oakland had five possessions: four punts and one interception and were shutout through three quarters. The Raiders made just four first downs and were out-gained offensively by Kansas City, 362-110 yards through three quarters. The offense looked unfocused and lacked creativity against the NFL’s 30th-ranked defense in the Chiefs.

Tight end Jared Cook led Oakland with 75 yards on five receptions and a 29-yard touchdown catch down the middle of the field from Carr to trim Kansas City’s lead to 26-13 before Carr found wide receiver Michael Crabtree on a quick-slant route for a two-point conversion late in the game.

Crabtree finished with a team-leading seven receptions for 60 yards. To illustrate the Raiders’ struggles on offense Sunday, can be traced to a play in the third quarter.

On second down from his own 5-yard line, Carr launched a pass deep to Crabtree that fell short of the wide receiver. After diving for the football, Crabtree rolled over and remained seated with his shoulders slumped. It was a play that Carr and Crabtree connected on quite a few times last season.

“We had some opportunities we just didn’t connect on,” Carr said. “And that just can’t happen. There’s no easy way to go through this one. This one sucked.”

Wide receiver Amari Cooper, who missed Oakland’s 24-17 win over the New York Giants last Sunday with a left ankle injury, tried to give it a go Sunday, but didn’t look nowhere near healthy. Cooper re-aggravated the injury after being rolled up from behind on a downfield block for running back DeAndre Washington on a running play in the second quarter.

Cooper finished with zero receptions against Kansas City after posting career-highs in receptions in a game (11) and receiving yards (210) and two touchdowns against the Chiefs on Oct. 19.

This loss greatly hurts Oakland’s chances at making the AFC playoffs in back-to-back seasons. The Raiders finished 12-4 in 2016.

“We obviously came in with high hopes,” Raiders head coach Jack Del Rio said after the game via the San Francisco Chronicle. “Everything we wanted to accomplish in our season was in front of us. It was a big day and a big moment. And we did not play well.”

Next Sunday, the Raiders host the visiting Dallas Cowboys at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on NBC’s Sunday Night Football in the team’s final home game of 2017. The Cowboys (7-6) kept their playoff chances in the NFC alive with a dominating win over the New York Giants, 30-10, at MetLife Stadium.

Cowboys’ starting quarterback Dak Prescott overwhelmed the Giants, passing for a career-high 332 yards and three touchdowns and no interceptions on 20-of-30 passing.

Kickoff for the prime-time game is at 5:25 p.m. PT.

Raiders lose to Chiefs 26-15, playoff status takes a hit

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Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Tyreek Hill (10) makes a catch against Oakland Raiders cornerback TJ Carrie (38) during the first half of an NFL football game in Kansas City, Mo., Sunday, Dec. 10, 2017. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

By Jeremy Kahn

With a chance to move into first place in the wild AFC West, the Oakland Raiders laid a big egg against the Kansas City Chiefs.

Kareem Hunt ran for 116 yards, as the Chiefs jumped out to a 26-0 lead on the Raiders on their way to a 26-15 victory over the Raiders at Arrowhead Stadium.

With the victory, the Chiefs moved into first place in the AFC West as they broke their four-game losing streak.

Alex Smith threw for 268 yards and Charcandrick West scored a touchdown as the Chiefs held the Raiders off the scoreboard until nearly midway through the fourth quarter.

Marshawn Lynch finally got the Raiders on the board with 8:51 remaining in the game, as he scored on a 22-yard run through the Chiefs defense.

This was the Chiefs’ 14th win in their last 15 games against opponents from the AFC West, a division that the Raiders and Chiefs shared last season.

Derek Carr threw for 211 yards on 24-for-41 passing with a touchdown and two interceptions. In their last meeting, Carr threw for 417 yards and three touchdowns, including a touchdown pass to Michael Crabtree on the final play of the game.

Harrison Butker helped out huge with his right foot for the Chiefs, as he kicked four field goals on the brisk Kansas City afternoon.

After the Raiders finally got on the board with the Lynch touchdown, they successfully recovered the onside kick and converted it into points.

Carr found Jared Cook on fourth down for a huge touchdown, and the Raiders completed the two-point conversion to get within 11 points.

Smith found Albert Wilson for a huge first down on third down. However, the Chiefs were unable to run out the clock.

Carr and the Raiders got the ball with 2:45 remaining in the game, and he was pushing his team to drive down the field. However, the comeback came to crashing halt, when Steven Terrell intercepted Carr’s pass to essentially end the game.

NOTES: Amari Cooper was able to play after sitting out the week, as he recovered from a concussion and a sprained left ankle. Cooper was forced to leave the game in the second quarter with a right leg injury.

The Raiders return home for their final home game of the season against the Dallas Cowboys on December 17.

San Francisco 49ers Podcast with Joe Lami: 49ers rally around Garoppolo shows lots of confidence going into week 12

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San Francisco 49ers Jimmy Garoppolo (10) drops back for a pass during an NFL football game against the Chicago Bears Sunday, December 3, 2017, in Chicago, IL (Terrell Lloyd via AP Images)

San Francisco Podcast with Joe Lami:

1 Jimmy Garoppolo San Francisco 49ers quarterback showed what he was made of last Sunday at Chicago’s Soldier Field without even throwing a touchdown and he was able to drive the offense down field to get former Chicago Bear now 49er Robbie Gould to kick the winning field goal

2 This team’s has been building on positive vibes since Garoppolo was able to throw a touchdown pass after coming into the final moments of their loss to the Seattle Seahawks on Nov 26th

3 Although it was a close game 15-14 in Chicago last Sunday what didn’t show up on the score was the confidence the offense had for Garoppolo

4 The defense has to get some credit too holding the Bears to just two touchdowns to get by with that win

5 The 49ers match up with Houston Texans this Sunday Joe tells us who he likes in this one

Joe Lami does the 49ers podcast each Friday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

 

Oakland Raiders Podcast with Joe Hawkes Beamon: Raiders need every game to make post season; Chiefs stand in the way of Raiders playoff hopes

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Oakland Raiders running back Marshawn Lynch (24) runs the football for a touchdown during an NFL football game against the New York Giants, Sunday, Dec. 3, 2017, in Oakland, Calif. The Raiders defeated the Giants, 24-17. (Ryan Kang via AP)

By Joe Hawkes Beamon

ALAMEDA– Raiders coming off back to back to wins it’s big as they get prepared for the Kansas City. The Raiders just so happened to have faced two football clubs in the Denver Broncos and the New York Giants who are having tough seasons and the Raiders caught them at a time when they are struggling. The Chiefs the Raiders next opponent have lost four straight they started the season at 5-0 now the Chiefs are 6-6 angry, desperate and are at home this Sunday to try and get back in the win column.

The Raiders want to keep it going they have won two straight against Denver and NY Giants before that they were on a three game losing streak so there’s so much riding on getting this game for the Raiders. Quarterback Derek Carr will be happy the team is full strength after missing Michael Crabtree for the last two games on a suspension, then Marshawn Lynch had served a one game suspension for contact with an official, and Amari Cooper was out with an injury last week is scheduled to return this Sunday.

Joe has much more on this week’s Raiders podcast at http://www.sporrtsradioservice.com

 

Niners look to build momentum with new QB Jimmy Garoppolo

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San Francisco 49ers Jimmy Garoppolo (10) drops back for a pass during an NFL football game against the Chicago Bears Sunday, December 3, 2017, in Chicago, IL (Terrell Lloyd via AP Images)

By Jeremy Harness

It took quite a long time, but things appear to be looking up for the 49ers as the final month of the season commences.

In his first start with his new team, even though he did not throw a touchdown pass, Jimmy Garoppolo led the 49ers to a final-seconds win over the Chicago Bears. It was only the second win of the year for the 49ers, but it was a special one for kicker Robbie Gould, who spent his entire career with the Bears, and he was the one who kicked the game-winning field goal.

Now the team will try to build on those positive vibes – and they have been few and far in between this year – on the road against the Houston Texans on Sunday.

One thing that is good for the team is this: The 49ers appear to be in pretty good shape in terms of the injury report. Tackle Trent Brown could not practice last week, but he was upgraded to limited on Wednesday with a shoulder that is on the mend, and safety Adrian Colbert also practiced on Wednesday while nursing a thumb injury.

The 49ers’ defense, however, will have a huge challenge on their hands when the Texans are on the field. Opposite star receiver DeAndre Hopkins, Houston is expected to get Will Fuller back to the active roster.

He was limited in practice on Wednesday with a rib injury, but coach Bill O’Brien was reportedly optimistic that Fuller will be able to play against the 49ers.

Fantasy Football Emergency Podcast: NFL Week 14 & the Fantasy Playoffs are on!

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Fantasy-Football (1)

Podcast hosts: Vasu “the Party-Man” Vaddiparty & Charlie O. Mallonee – Fantasy Football Freaks

The Playoffs are underway and money is on the line. We want you to win the championship of your league. We have the last minute advice you need on personnel moves to make to upgrade your roster and dominate your opponents. Come on … let’s win NOW!

Headline Sports Podcast with Tony Renteria: A’s still want out of Coliseum; Downtown Oakland only place for A’s

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File photo: Oakland A’s team president Dave Kaval who led the effort to build a new ball park at Lake Merritt will now have to do a study on one of two locations Howard Terminal at Jack London Square or the Oakland Coliseum

On Headline Sports Podcast with Tony Renteria:

1 Laney College shot down the Oakland A’s new stadium proposal as the college faculty not only picketed against the new ball park but forced the Peralta Board of Trustees who didn’t want  munity with their faculty on their hands to vote and drop any further discussion on a new stadium at Laney College

2 A’s team officials were shocked when they found out the board had voted to stop all discussions on the new stadium. Had the discussions still carried on the faculty were planning on marching on the Chancellor’s office Thursday afternoon.

3 The A’s have two choices left to build a new park the Oakland Coliseum where A’s team president David Kaval said at one time the location was undesirable for corporate sponsors, developers, retail, businesses, also it was a location that most fans won’t want to walk around after a ball game. Jack London Square would be a much better alternative out of the two choices right now. You know it’s bad if Sam’s Hoff Brau year’s back had to move out of the Coliseum area a few years.

4 Does Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf have a huge problem in saving the A’s? The A’s campaign motto last season was “Rooted In Oakland” and it feels like depending on who your talking to that the A’s failed campaign to move to Lake Merritt failed that motto and everyone involved is asking “what next?”

5 Turning to football Tony takes a look at the Oakland Raiders in a must win situation as they play in Kansas City this Sunday. The Raiders are coming off a win against the New York Giants from last Sunday the Chiefs are coming off a six game loss streak so they want to win and win on their own home field.

Tony Renteria does Headline Sports each Thursday at http://www.sportsadioservice.com

Raiders get set for crucial AFC divisional game with Chiefs in Kansas City

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Photo credit: @RAIDERS

By Joe Hawkes-Beamon
SRS Contributor

OAKLAND — After back-to-back wins at home over the Broncos and the Giants, the Raiders head on the road to take on the Chiefs in Kansas City Sunday in a critical AFC West matchup. The Raiders are looking to complete the season sweep over the Chiefs after dispatching Kansas City, 31-30, in Week 7 at Oakland that halted Kansas City’s 11-game divisional win streak.

Kickoff is at 10:00 a.m. PT from Arrowhead Stadium. With both teams–along with the Los Angeles Chargers–sporting identical 6-6 records, the winner of this game would be in the driver seat of the division with three games to go in the regular season.

For the second straight week, Oakland’s defense held the opposing team to under 300 yards of total offense in limiting the Giants to 265 yards in Week 13. Defensive lineman Denico Autry recorded one of Oakland’s three sacks, his third in the last two games. Defensive end Khalil Mack and linebacker Bruce Irvin each posted a sack off of Giants starting quarterback Geno Smith.

Middle linebacker NaVorro Bowman led the team with eight solo tackles (one assisted).

Running back Marshawn Lynch carried the offensive load for Oakland, running for a 100 yards in a game since October 2015 as a member of the Seattle Seahawks. Lynch rushed for 101 yards on 17 carries, including a 51-yard touchdown run on Oakland’s first drive of the game. It was Lynch’s second-straight 100-yard game for Oakland this season.

Lynch owes the Raiders a big performance against the Chiefs, after getting ejected from the previous game for making contact with an official after coming off the bench to aid in defusing an altercation between Kansas City cornerback Marcus Peters, and the Raiders offensive line.

Lynch and Peters are “cousins” with the two having close ties from growing up in West Oakland.

With Oakland’s wide receiver corps depleted with Michael Crabtree serving a one-game suspension for fighting with Broncos cornerback Aqib Talib, and Amari Cooper out with a concussion/left ankle injury, wide receiver Cordarrelle Patterson step up for the Silver and Black leading the team with 79 yards receiving on four receptions. Patterson’s 59-yard catch-and-run in the fourth quarter, helped seal Oakland’s victory over the Giants.

Crabtree is expected to be ready to go against the Chiefs, but Cooper is a different story. Cooper did clear the league’s concussion protocol, the team announced Wednesday, but has yet to practice on the sprained left ankle. If you’re part of Raider Nation, you better take a wait-and-see approach with Cooper.

Raiders starting quarterback Derek Carr completed 22-of-36 passing for 287 yards and a touchdown, a nine-yard toss to wide receiver Johnny Holton in the fourth quarter.

Carr’s biggest performance of 2017 came against the Chiefs in front of a national audience on NBC’s Thursday Night Football, throwing for a ridiculous 417 yards on 29-of-52 passing with three touchdowns and no interceptions. Carr and Cooper were in perfect harmony that night, with Cooper having a career night with 11 receptions (on 15 targets) for 210 yards and two touchdowns. Cooper scored on touchdowns of 38- and 45-yards respectively.

In seven career games against Kansas City, Carr is just 2-5 against the Chiefs, his worst record against one team. Carr is just 3-4 against the Broncos in seven career games, his second-worst record against one team.

But Sunday’s game is essentially a playoff game for Oakland’s signal-caller, who sports a 0-3 record at Arrowhead Stadium. Carr knows that he must play well in order for the Raiders to leave Kansas City with a win.

Speaking before Wednesday’s practice, Carr acknowledge that the Silver and Black have their work cut out for them facing the Chiefs.

“Definitely number one right now, especially this week,” Carr said via the team’s official website. “It’s definitely up there. It’s something that we have not been able to do since I’ve been here. We have to get on that.

“We have a tough task ahead of us because, although their record is the same as ours, we’re both pretty good football teams. We have to go out there and play hard.”

After starting the season 5-0, including an impressive 42-27 win at New England in Week 1, Kansas City’s season has fallen into a tailspin. The Chiefs are just 1-6 in their last seven games and are currently riding a four-game losing streak after falling to the New York Jets, 38-31, at MetLife Stadium in an offensive shootout last Sunday.

Kansas City’s offense racked up 474 yards of total offense against the Jets, with starting quarterback Alex Smith having a huge day throwing and running the football. Smith threw for 366 yards on 19-of-33 passing, with four touchdowns and no interceptions. The former Utah quarterback also had a 70-yard run in the game.

Wide receiver Tyreek Hill erupted for six receptions for 165 yards and two touchdowns, while tight end Travis Kelce finished with four receptions for 94 yards and two touchdowns.

Defensively, Kansas City was shredded by the Jets allowing 488 yards of total offense to Gang Green. Journeyman quarterback Josh McCown threw for 331 yards on 26-of-36 passing and a touchdown. Kansas City’s secondary allowed wide receivers Jermaine Kearse (9 receptions for 157 yards) and Robby Anderson (8 receptions for 107 yards) to run uncovered for most of the game.

The Jets converted 13-of-20 third downs and hogged the time of possession, controlling the clock for 42:49 and didn’t allow the Chiefs to get near McCown. Justin Houston, Kansas City’s most feared pass-rusher, was held to just one tackle for the game.

That won’t cut it for a team who has a rich history of getting to the quarterback with guys named Derrick Thomas, Neil Smith and Tamba Hali just to name a few.

In Kansas City’s biggest game of the season, the team will play without the aforementioned Peters, who was suspended by the team Wednesday for leaving the field while the game was still being played against the Jets. Peters also threw a penalty flag in the stands after a Jet touchdown.

With Peters out against the Raiders, the Chiefs already leaky secondary has gotten weaker and that could be a place where Oakland could attack. Teams are averaging 252.8 passing yards a game against the Chiefs this season. Kansas City ranks 28th in the league against the pass.

Oakland averages 241.2 passing yards per game this season, good for 15th in the league. Overall, the Silver and Black rank 21st in the league averaging 20.8 points per game.

Following Sunday’s game, the Raiders will host the visiting Dallas Cowboys at the Oakland-Alameda Coliseum in Oakland’s final home game of the regular season, while Kansas City hosts the Chargers in another pivotal AFC West matchup in Week 15.

San Francisco 49ers Podcast with David Zizmor: Garoppollo’s 14-14 throwing to receivers a true tale sign of good things to come for 49ers

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San Francisco 49ers Jimmy Garoppolo (10) delivers a pass during an NFL football game against the Chicago Bears Sunday, December 3, 2017, in Chicago, IL (Terrell Lloyd via AP Images)

San Francisco 49ers Podcast with David Zizmor:

Jimmy Garoppolo confidence gave the team confidence that translated to a win for the San Francisco 49ers quarterback and the Niners. The Niners won it 15-14 just a point better than the hosts Chicago Bears in Soldiers Field. Garoppolo was doing so well that he even got them to the end zone five times during the game. The 49ers could have  little more offense and the key is they have to stay on their toes even a they go down field.

The play calling needs to improve down close to the goal line the 49ers just didn’t have quite the strong kind of play there was the running in the middle of the line, the poor passes, there were poorly designed passes but that’s not Garaoppolo’s fault the 49ers are just notch behind the Bears at 2-10 and the Bears are at 9-3.

David does the 49ers each week at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Marshawn Lynch records first 100-yard rushing game since October 2015 in Raiders’ 24-17 win over NY Giants

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Oakland Raiders running back Marshawn Lynch (24) scores a touchdown in front of New York Giants cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie during the first half of an NFL football game in Oakland, Calif., Sunday, Dec. 3, 2017. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

By Joe Hawkes-Beamon
SRS Contributor

OAKLAND — Don’t look now, but Raiders’ running back Marshawn Lynch has gotten his running legs under him in 2017.

With Oakland playing without starting wide receivers Michael Crabtree (serving a one-game suspension) and Amari Cooper (out with a concussion and ankle injury), Lynch was the focal point for the Raiders Sunday rushing for 101 yards on 17 carries in a 24-17 win over the visiting New York Giants. Lynch’s 51-yard touchdown run up the middle of the Giants’ defense in the first quarter on Oakland’s first drive of the game was a classic “Beast Mode” run that the Silver and Black were expecting when Lynch came out of retirement in the offseason to play for his hometown Raiders.

It was Lynch’s first 100-yard rushing game since October 2015 when he was member of the Seattle Seahawks. The former Seahawk demolished the 49ers, rushing for 122 yards on 27 carries and a touchdown in a 20-3 Seattle victory at San Francisco in Week 5 that season.

In Oakland’s 21-14 victory over the visiting Denver Broncos in Week 12, Lynch had 100 yards total from scrimmage, rushing for 67 yards on 26 carries and a touchdown, while also helping out in the passing game with three receptions for 43 yards.

By virtue of their win over Big Blue, culminating with Kansas City’s 38-31 loss to the Jets at MetLife Stadium in New York and the Chargers’ 19-10 home win over the helpless Browns Sunday, the Raiders find themselves in a three-way tie with the Chiefs and Chargers for first-place in the AFC West at 6-6 with four games to go.

Kansas City remains in first-place by holding a better division record as they are 2-1 inside of the division, while Oakland and Los Angeles are 2-2. Each team plays each other in the final month.

Oakland heads to Arrowhead Stadium next Sunday to face Kansas City with first place on the line in Week 14 and if you’re Raider Nation, you want to see Lynch run the ball more.  For the season, Lynch has 140 carries for 558 yards and six touchdowns in 11 games started this season.

The last time Lynch saw the Chiefs, he was being ejected from the game after racing off the Raiders’ sideline and making contact with an official while trying to defuse an altercation involving Lynch’s cousin, Chiefs cornerback Marcus Peters, and the Raiders’ offensive line. Oakland held on for a 31-30 victory over Kansas City in Week 7 at the Oakland-Alameda Coliseum. Lynch finished the game with two carries for nine yards.

Kansas City has lost their last four straight games, and are just 1-4 in their last five games after starting the season 5-2 and holding down the top perch in the AFC West for most of the season.