Category: NFL

Del Rio’s gamble gives Raiders win

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By Jeremy Kahn

AP photo: Oakland Raiders wide receiver Michael Crabtree (15) shouts from the mountain tops after scoring a touchdown against the New Orleans Saints Sunday at the Superdome

Jack Del Rio went for it all in the first game of the season, and his gamble succeeded and on the road no less.

Derek Carr found Seth Roberts from 10 yards out with 47 seconds remaining in the game to bring the Oakland Raiders within one, and instead of sending Sebastian Janikowski for tie, Del Rio went for two and the lead. Del Rio’s hunch was right, as Carr found Michael Crabtree in the end zone and the Raiders defeated the New Orleans Saints 35-34 at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome.

The Raiders trailed the Saints by as many as 14 points in the second half and saw Drew Brees shred their defense for 424 yards and four touchdowns.

Brees drove the Saints down the field to give rookie Wil Lutz a chance to win the game from 61 yards out.

Lutz’s chance at giving the Saints a thrilling victory, but his kick went just wide left to give the Raiders a one-point victory.

Jalen Richard made a great impression in his NFL debut, as on his first ever carry in the NFL, Richard took the handoff from Carr and broke thru the defense for a 75-yard touchdown run to bring the Raiders within two. Carr then threw to Amari Cooper for the two-point conversion and the tie.

Following the touchdown and subsequent two-point conversion, Brees found Willie Snead for a 57-yard completion and Snead fumbled the ball; however Michael Thomas recovered the ball and advanced to the Raiders two-yard line. Brees then found Travaris Cadet from two yards out to give the Saints a seven-point lead.

It looked like the Saints were going to escape with a victory, but Craig Robertson was flagged for pass interference on fourth down giving the Raiders new life.

The 424 yards passing by Brees gave him 14 career 400 yard games, tying Peyton Manning for the most in NFL history.

Brees set a team record that stood for nearly 17 years, as he found Brandin Cooks for a 98-yard touchdown pass. The touchdown pass broke a record that stood since October 10, 1999, when Bobby Hebert found Eddie Kennison from 90 yards out.

Carr threw for 319 yards and one touchdown, while the Raiders gained 167 yards rushing against the defense coached by former Raiders head coach Dennis Allen, who was the coach of the Raiders when Carr was drafted out of Fresno State in the 2014 Draft.

Asides from Richard’s 75-yard touchdown run, the Raiders also got touchdown runs from Latavius Murray from six yards out, then Jamize Olawale from two yards out.

Raiders’ Instant Report Card: Carr delivers for Oakland in stunning win over Saints

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By Joe Hawkes-Beamon
Sports Radio Service Writer

AP photo: New Orleans Saints kicker Will Lutz (3) gets sympathy from holder Thomas Morestead after missing a 61 yard field goal attempt which would have won it for the Saints as the Oakland Raiders defensive tackle Darius Latham (75) and strong safety TJ Carrie (38) celebrate a one point victory on Sunday at the Superdome in New Orleans

NEW ORLEANS, La — The Raiders, who many have picked to be one of the more dominate teams heading into the 2016 season, proved that the hype around the team is real by pulling out a thrilling, 35-34 road win against the Saints in both team’s season opener.

New Orleans’ rookie kicker Will Lutz missed a 61-yard field goal wide left as time expired.

Checkout each unit’s grade from Oakland’s (1-0) big win in New Orleans Sunday below:

Quarterback (A) – Raiders’ quarterback Derek Carr continues to grow as an NFL quarterback, leading Oakland back from a two-touchdown deficit in the second half. Carr completed 24-of-38 passes for 319 yards and one touchdown, a 10-yard dart to slot receiver Seth Roberts with 47 seconds left in the game that pulled Oakland within an point of New Orleans, 34-33.

You’d expect the Raiders to kick the extra point and force overtime, right?

Nope.

Carr looked to the sideline and both he and head coach Jack Del Rio agreed to roll the dice and go for two, which Carr found wide receiver Michael Crabtree for the go-ahead conversion.

At one point, Oakland’s offense stalled going scoreless on six offensive drives.

Running Back (B+) – Latavius Murray scored Oakland’s first touchdown of the season, a 6-yard run that gave Oakland a 10-3 lead in the first quarter. Murray finished the game with 14 carries for 59 yards and one touchdown, but Jalen Richard was the story for me.

Richard, the rookie from Southern Miss. and Louisiana native, only had three carries, but it was the 75-yard run up the middle of the soft Saints’ defense while eluding would-be tacklers in the fourth quarter with Oakland trailing 27-19 was what ignited the Raider comeback.

It was Richard’s first-career touchdown run.

Richard finished with 84 yards and a touchdown, while fellow rookie DeAndre Washington carried the ball five times for 14 yards.

Offensive line (B) – The key for Oakland’s offensive line was to protect their signal-caller and establish the run and stay healthy.

They were 50/50.

Even though Carr wasn’t sacked and Oakland’s ground game racked up 167 yards, the Raiders lost two offensive linemen when Menelik Watson (groin) and Matt McCants (knee) left the game.

Oakland’s offensive line is regarded as one of the best as a group coming into this season because of its depth, was tested Sunday.

Wide Receivers/Tight Ends (A-) Amari Cooper and Michael Crabtree combined for 225 receiving yards and 13 receptions (on 20 targets).

Cooper (6 catches, 137 yards, 11 targets), had no trouble getting open hauling passes of 34, 43, and 45 yards through a suspect Saints’ secondary.

Crabtree overcame a slow start (1 catch for 8 yards in the first half), to finish with seven catches for 87 yards on eight targets.

Clive Wafford caught three passes for 25 yards on five targets to lead the tight ends.

Defensive line/front seven (C+) – Bruce Irvin’s strip-sack (fumble recovered by rookie defensive tackle Jihad Ward)  on Saints’ quarterback Drew Brees on New Orleans’ first drive of the game was one of the lone bright spots for a unit that hadn’t done a much in the game.

Khalil Mack was relatively unheard of for the game, as he fought through countless chip blocks and double teams.

Linebackers Ben Heeney and Malcolm Smith combined for seven tackles (six assisted).

Secondary (D) – Brees and the Saints passing attack carved up Oakland’s revamped secondary for 423 yards passing and four touchdowns on 28-of-42 passing. Brees tied Peyton Manning for the most 400-yard passing games in NFL with 14.

Oakland’s high-priced cornerback tandem of Sean Smith and David Amerson were abused by New Orleans wide receivers Willie Snead (9 catches, 172 yards, 1 TD, 9 targets), and Brandin Cooks (6 catches, 143 yards, 1 TD, 9 targets).

With Oakland trailing 17-10 midway through the third quarter, Cooks ran right by Smith, who was playing man-to-man, and free safety Reggie Nelson, for a 98-yard touchdown catch that gave New Orleans a 24-10 lead. The scoring play established a new franchise record for the longest score for the Saints, and it was also the longest play in Brees’ career.

After that play, Smith was benched for the remainder of the game and was replaced by former first rounder, D.J. Hayden.

Overall, the defense gave up 507 totals yards to the Saints.

Special Teams (B+) – Kicker Sebastian Janikowski converted both of his field goals (31 and 47-yarders), while punter Marquette King booted four punts (42.0 yard average).

Up next: Oakland returns home to prepare for their own opener when the visiting Atlanta Falcons travel to the Bay Area next Sunday.

 

 

 

 

 

San Francisco 49ers podcast with Joe Lami: After Rams on Monday night schedule gets tougher for Niners

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AP file photo: San Francisco 49ers head coach Chip Kelly shows the team how to sling a football in camp on July 31st photo as he and the Niners gets set to meet the Los Angeles Rams for the first time since 1994 the Rams play as a team from L.A.

On the podcast with Joe, the Los Angeles Rams who open the season with the San Francisco 49ers are two point favorites which is a little bit unusual for a home opener for a team whose been struggling but it kind of shows where people think the Niners are this season. The 49ers schedule does not get any easier after Monday Night’s opener.

After the Rams they have the Carolina Panthers defending NFC Champs, the Seattle Seahawks, the Arizona Cardinals, and the Dallas Cowboys. This is pretty much a must win game for the 49ers on Monday night for the 49ers if they don’t want their season to go to hell right off the bat.

Join Joe for all the latest on the 49ers podcast at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

 

 

Must Win Game for 49ers Opener

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by Joe Lami

AP file photo: San Francisco 49ers quarterback Blaine Gabbert tunes up in San Diego pre game photo on Thu Sep 1. Gabbert gets the starting call Monday night against the Los Angeles Rams

SANTA CLARA–The regular season is upon us and for the first time since 1994, the Los Angeles Rams will travel to the Bay Area to take on the 49ers. Is it also a coincidence that 1994 was the last season the 49ers won the Super Bowl? Yes, yes it is.

After a 2-2 preseason, Blaine Gabbert’s 49ers will finally be able to show us what they can do. They get this opportunity on the grandest stage of Monday Night Football against LA, who finished 7-9 last season in St. Louis.

LA has decided to go with Case Keenum to start as their Quarterback, after taking former California star Jared Goff with the first overall pick. However, it isn’t the passing attack of the Rams that the 49ers should be worried about, it’s reigning Offensive Rookie of the Year, running back Todd Gurley that will be carrying most of the weight for the Rams.

The front seven of the 49ers will have a lot of their plate trying to slow down Gurley, who is a pre-season favorite to be the top running back in the league for the 2016 season.

On the offensive side of the ball, the 49ers have a solid running back of their own in Carlos Hyde, who suffered a concussion in the third preseason game against Green Bay, but he is expected to be ready for Monday Night. “Teams are going to play to their strengths no matter what you have. You have two outstanding backs in Gurley and Hyde, but it’s not exclusive. You still have to defend everything, but obviously, we know we’re going to get a steady dose of Todd,” said 49ers coach Chip Kelly.

The passing attack for the Niners is something to worry about. It starts with questioning if Gabbert is an NFL starter and trickles down the arguably one of the worst receiving cores in the league. Expect Vance McDonald and other tight ends to get most of the targets from Gabbert on the season as he loves his tight ends.

There is a huge difference between this year’s 49ers and last year’s, and that’s Kelly, who is trying to recharge this offense. We saw flashes of brilliance in the pre-season from the up-tempo attack. However, the downside was inconsistency. The offense was either able to march right down the field and score or go on a quick three-and-out.

There wasn’t too much in between, making you realize that if this offense can get a drive going, they are going to be hard to stop. But, if they can’t, the defense will be in for a long day.

Monday’s game for San Francisco feels like a much win when you look down the schedule and see a hellish first month of football for the Niners. As they travel to Carolina and Seattle and host Dallas and Arizona all within the next month. If they can’t take care of the Rams in the opener, it won’t be difficult for a 0-5 start and for the season to be over before it even started.

Raiders kickoff the season in the Big Easy

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By Joe Hawkes-Beamon
Sports Radio Service Writer

AP file photo: You might see a lot of this more often Oakland Raiders quarterback Derek Carr (4) and wide receiver Amari Cooper (89) jumping for joy in this Aug 27th photo against the Tennessee Titans as they open up in New Orleans on Sunday

OAKLAND, Calif — With the preseason in the rear view window, the 2016 regular season begins for real for the Oakland Raiders as they open up on the road in New Orleans against the Saints in Week 1 action.

Kickoff is at 10:00 a.m. PT at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome where the Raiders are a 3-point favorite to notch their first win of what people are predicting will be a great year for the Silver & Black. The game can be seen locally on KTVU/FOX Channel 2, making breakfast and football a perfect match.

Sunday’s game will mark the first time Oakland has opened up against an NFC opponent on the road since 1999, where Oakland traveled to Green Bay to start that season.

This will also mark the first time that Oakland and New Orleans face each other in the regular season opener.

With the Raiders hosting the Atlanta Falcons next week in Oakland’s home opener, it will also mark the first time since 1999 that Oakland (who played the Packers and Vikings), will begin the season facing two NFC opponents in back-to-back weeks.

Quarterback Derek Carr leads a promising Raiders’ offense headlined by wide receivers Michael Crabtree and Amari Cooper. In four preseason games, Crabtree and Cooper combined for 10 catches for 162 yards and a touchdown.

Crabtree and Cooper are primed to have huge seasons for Oakland, which is looking to end the team’s playoff drought, dating back to 2002, the team’s last playoff appearance.

Oakland is hoping with the additions of rookie running backs DeAndre Washington and Jalen Richard added to the backfield with starter Latavius Murray can make the offense more diverse. Oakland was a pass-first, run-second team last season, even though Murray was one of only seven running backs in 2015 to rush for 1,000 yards (1,066 rushing yards to be exact).

Defensively, Oakland had trouble stopping the run in the preseason.The Raiders were getting gashed by beefy running backs like Green Bay’s Eddie Lacy, and Tennessee’s duo of DeMarco Murray and rookie Derrick Henry.

Oakland will be without defensive tackle Mario Edwards Jr. for at least the first eight weeks of the season due to a hip injury. Edwards Jr., along with defensive tackles Dan Williams and Justin “Jelly” Ellis are so critical to the Raiders’ run defense.

New Orleans features former Heisman trophy winner Mark Ingram, Tim Hightower, and C.J. Spiller in the back field and each can run the ball well between the tackles, a weakness for Oakland.

The Raiders’ rebuilt secondary could be in for a long day when it faces one of the premier quarterbacks in the NFL in Drew Brees.

Brees, who enters his 16th year in the NFL, is coming off a season where he threw for a league-leading 4,870 yards in 2015. It was the seventh time in Brees’ career that he threw for over 4,500 yards in a season.

The future Hall of Fame quarterback continues to get better with time and still plays at a high level at age 38, as evident of the new deal he signed on Wednesday.

Details of Brees’ new deal, provided by Spotrac, Brees will pocket roughly $44 million in guaranteed money over the next two seasons, with $20 million coming in 2016 and only $17.25 million going towards the salary cap.

The deal will almost certain guarantee that Brees finishes his career in New Orleans, the franchise he led to a Super Bowl title in 2009.

Wide receiver Brandin Cooks leads a dangerous Saints’ passing attack. The third-year wide receiver from Oregon State, recorded his first career 1,000-yard receiving season finishing with 84 catches, 1,138 yards, and nine touchdowns, which Cooks led the team in all categories in 2015.

One Saints player to really keep an eye on is second-year wide receiver Willie Snead, who burst on to the scene last season for New Orleans recording 69 catches for 984 yards and three touchdowns.

Former Raiders head coach Dennis Allen enters his first full season as the Saints’ defensive coordinator. Allen, who has seven total seasons on New Orleans’ defensive staff, looks to improve a defense that ranked 31st last season in rushing yards per game allowed (129.8), passing yards per game allowed (284.0) and total yards per game allowed (413.8).

With the additions of veterans in defensive tackle Nick Fairley, linebacker James Laurinaitis, and defensive end Paul Kruger, to go along with mainstay in defensive end Cameron Jordan, the Saints are hoping to provide more pressure to the quarterback this season.

With both teams having suspect defenses heading into the match up, this game could be an offensive barrage by both teams and could come down to which team has the better, more confident quarterback in the fourth quarter.

Will it be Brees, who is one of the most accurate quarterbacks in NFL history and holds a 8-2 career record (19 touchdowns and four interceptions) against Oakland?

Or will it be Carr, who is 4-12 on the road in his young career, but has thrown 24 touchdowns and nine interceptions in those games?

Sunday is almost here.

Oakland Raiders podcast with Joe Hawkes Beamon: Taiwan Jones fired up and ready to go for opener on Sunday in New Orleans

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AP photo: Oakland Raiders running back Taiwan Jones sprints in the second Raiders pre season game against the Green Bay Packers on Thursday August 18th at Lambeau Field

On the Raiders podcast with Joe Hawkes Beamon, special kicking teams and back up running back Taiwan Jones wasn’t going to risk injury. Head coach Jack Del Rio sat Jones since the second game of  pre season but Jones worked hard in practice. Del Rio wanted to save Jones for the regular season and wanted to see what the younger players can do as the Raiders now get ready for opening day in New Orleans on Sunday at the Superdome.

Jones stated that he knows he’s good enough and smart enough to stay in the wings until called up for the season opener and has the experience to help first string running back Latavius Murray “I feel good, I am excited in the pre season they have to give the young cats a chance to see what they can bring to the table. I have definitely proven myself, to the point where (Del Rio) can put me on the shelf.” said Jones

 

 

San Francisco 49ers podcast with David Zizmor: Will Kaepernick’s Star Spangled sit down and Miller’s double assault arrest be a huge distraction for the 49ers on Monday night?

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AP photo: Ex-San Francisco 49ers linebacker Bruce Miller’s booking shot at San Francisco Police Department. Miller was arrested early Sunday morning and booked on Monday for double assault charges

On the 49ers podcast with David, with all that’s happened on the 49ers leading up to opening night this Monday how much attention will be on quarterback Colin Kaepernick when he takes a knee on Monday Night Football against the Los Angeles Rams in Santa Clara. Also with the most recent incident regarding 49ers linebacker Bruce Miller’s double assault arrest. The team no doubt leading up to Monday’s game will be under a microscope and the question is will all of this be a distraction for the 49ers starting the season?

The 49ers Blaine Gabbert gets the call as starter and is going over the playbook with head coach Chip Kelly in preparation of the starting role. The 49ers putting in a lot of confidence in Gabbert as starter to carry the club in the NFC West. It’ll take some doing as the 49ers coming off last season’s tough go want some progress under Kelly’s leadership.

 

 

 

That’s Amaury’s Podcast, News and Commentary: Angels Shoemaker back home after comebacker to the head; 49ers Miller could plead insanity CTE related issues

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AP file photo: Los Angeles Angels pitcher Matt Shoemaker collapses after taking a line drive in the head hit by the Seattle Mariners Kyle Seager at Safeco Field in Seattle on Sunday

On That’s Amaury’s Podcast there’s been discussion amongst ranks in MLB regarding protection for the pitcher from come backers as a number of big league pitchers have been hit in the head from line drives the most recent being the Los Angeles Angels pitcher Matt Shoemaker who was hit by a come backer on Sunday. Shoemaker had to have emergency brain surgery after getting hit from a Seattle Mariners Kyle Seager come backer. Dr. Manuel Ferreria performed the surgery at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle. The Angels said Shoemaker will return home on Thursday to recover.

San Francisco 49ers linebacker Bruce Miller will be arraigned at the San Francisco Hall of Justice regarding his double assault charges stemming from hitting and fracturing the face of a 70 year man and also punching his 28 year son when he insisted that the father was occupying his room. There was talk that Miller could use the CTE excuse and said after a number of hits to the head in the NFL it caused him to lose his rational. That defense might not work as the man and his son said that Miller was drunk during the early Sunday morning attack.

There’s more on That’s Amaury’s Podcast, News and Commentary catch Amaury on the podcast here at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

San Francisco 49ers report: Video still shows a bloody Miller at Marriott Fisherman’s Wharf lobby hallway

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by David Zizmor

larrybrownsports.com video still: A video still from a Marriott Fisherman’s Wharf camera shows San Francisco 49ers tight end Bruce Miller bloodied and walking down the hotel hallway after his assault on two hotel guests. From the video Miller also received some of the worst of it as well.

SANTA CLARA–The whole scenario regarding the recent arrest over the weekend of San Francisco 49ers tight end Bruce Miller after two guests at the San Francisco Marriott Fisherman’s Wharf said Miller assaulted them after they told Miller had the wrong room after knocking on their door at 2:45 AM early Sunday morning. Miller had tried to rent a room at the Marriott on Saturday night but the hotel was sold out. Miller returned at 2:45 AM reportedly intoxicated when a 28 year old guest heard knocking on his father’s door the son was a guest in the next room.

When Miller tried to enter the room of an elderly couple the son tried to explain to Miller that he had the wrong room that’s when Miller attacked the son and the 70 year old father tried to assist the son but was punched in the face so badly that he had fractures in his face. Both son and the father ended up going to the hospital. Judging from the photo of Miller walking down the hallway from a video camera at the hotel he apparently got a little roughed up on his end of that fight he was bloodied in forehead and face and looked a little shaken up.

According to San Francisco Sheriff’s records Miller was arrested at 11:25 AM on Monday morning and taken to San Francisco County Jail he is being held on $178,000 bail he was booked for possession of a deadly weapon (not a firearm), two counts of criminal threats, battery and elder abuse. What Miller was doing in San Francisco on a Saturday night trying to rent a room at the Marriott was not clear the 49ers play their next home game at Levis Stadium in Santa Clara on Monday September 12th hosting the Los Angeles Rams.

Miller has a prior from Santa Clara in March 2015 for spousal abuse, Miller had thrown the cell phone of his fiancé and smashing the phone  and shoved her. Miller plead no contest and was charged with a misdemeanor assault and had to attend 16 weeks of anti-domestic counseling. Miller was observed by the Marriott front desk staff bloodied, bleeding and vomiting when walking by the lobby. The front desk had put in a 911 call at that time. Judging from the video still that Miller was bloody in the head and face area he might have been having concussion like symptoms from the father and son fighting him off causing the vomiting.

Miller had come to the 49ers as a fullback from college and was valuable part of the three NFC Championship games and one Super Bowl in his first three years at the Niners over span of five years and 77 games Miller has 62 carries and 76 catches for 734 yards. It was speculated that Miller if he’s suffering from CTE could have his rational called into question due to the amount of hits a player takes in the NFL and while intoxicated it triggered him to believe he had a room at the Marriott and the guests were in his room. The 49ers released Miller from the team and a team statement read, “The San Francisco 49ers organization is aware of the media report regarding Bruce Miller. We are gathering all the relevant facts and will continue to monitor this situation.”

David Zizmor does the weekly podcasts covering the San Francisco 49ers at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

San Francisco 49ers podcast with Joe Lami: Gabbert gets the call for opener; Kaepernick to back up Gabbert for now

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AP photo: San Francisco 49ers quarterbacks Colin Kaepernick left and Blaine Gabbert right go over the plays during their game against the Green Bay Packers on Aug 26th at Levis Stadium

On the 49ers podcast with Joe, after much speculation quarterback Colin Kaepernick will be backing up opening night starter Blaine Gabbert. Kaepernick plans to donate $1 million toward charity that benefits victims of oppression by law enforcement officials particularly those who were shot while unarmed.

Meanwhile the 49ers will start Blaine Gabbert as the starting quarterback for the season opener on Mon Sep 12th vs. the Los Angeles Rams at Levis Stadium. Amongst the receivers to look for Torrey Smith, Aaron Burbridge, Clinton Patton, and Rod Streater. At running back the 49ers will have Carlos Hyde and Shaun Draughn and Joe will put it all together for you on the 49ers podcast.

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

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