Category: NFL

By Jeremy Kahn

photo credit: USA Today Charles Woodson Oakland Raiders

Charles Woodson, who was drafted by the Oakland Raiders with the number four of the NFL Draft in 1998 made a stunning announcement.

Woodson announced that the 2015 season would be his last in the NFL after 18 years playing for the Raiders on two different occasions and Sunday’s opponent, the Green Bay Packers.

The safety led the Raiders to Super Bowl XXXVII, where they lost to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers by the final score of 48-21.

Woodson left the Raiders after the 2005 season to head to the Packers, where he played until the 2012 season.

The highlight of Woodson’s career was winning Super Bowl XLV over the Pittsburgh Steelers by the final of 31-25 at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

Woodson enters the final two games of his career with soft some lofty credentials, as he has 65 interceptions with 11 touchdowns, 27 forced fumbles and 13 fumble recoveries with two touchdowns.

An eight-time Pro Bowler, Woodson was the first Defensive Player to ever win the Heisman Trophy, when he won the award in 1997, while playing for the University of Michigan Wolverines.

By Jeremy Kahn

photo credit: sportsworldreport.com Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rogers

OAKLAND-Once again, the Oakland Raiders will be sitting at home to watch the NFL Playoffs when they commence on January 9, 2016.

Aaron Rodgers completed 22 of 39 for 204 yards and a touchdown, to help the Green Bay Packers defeat the Raiders 30-20 at the Coliseum.

With the loss to the Packers, the Raiders will miss the playoffs for the 13th consecutive season; however they still have a shot to finish the season with a .500 record if they defeat the San Diego Chargers in their home finale on Thursday night and then defeat the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium on January 3.

Derek Carr went 23-of-47 for 276 yards and two touchdowns, but also threw two interceptions, including one to Damarious Randall that the rookie out of Arizona State returned 43 yards for a touchdown. It was the third interception of the season for Randall and his return for a touchdown.

“I just saw him (Carr) throwing the ball, a little quick hitch. He ended up overthrowing it, and the ball ended up in my hands,” said Randall.

The Randall pick six came just 19 seconds after John Kuhn scored from five yards out to give the Packers a 7-0 lead.

Following the interception return for a touchdown by Randall, the Raiders drove the ball down the field and it finished it off with a 23-yard field goal by Sebastian Janikowski to get the Raiders on the board.

Ben Heeney came up with a huge defensive play on second and six, as he sacked Rodgers for a nine-yard loss and then Rodgers threw an incomplete pass to Davante Adams, the Raiders got the ball back.

Latavius Murray gained 22 yards on third and three to get the Raiders into Packers territory, and then after a five-yard gain by Murray, Carr found Michael Crabtree for 23 yards down to the 11-yard line. The Packers defense was able to hold the Raiders to just three points, as Sebastian Janikowski, who played his 250th game for the Raiders, nailed a 30-yard field goal to get the Raiders within eight points.

Amari Cooper caught six passes for 120 yards and two touchdowns in the 14-point loss, but the rookie out of Alabama topped the 1,000 yard plateau for the season.

Cooper is the first Raiders wide receiver to top the 1,000 yard mark in receiving since Randy Moss in 2005.

“I guess it’s a good thing to do, but people go for 1,000 yards every year, so it’s not really a big thing,” said Cooper.

He is also the first Raiders rookie to top the 1,000 yard mark in receiving in team history.

“I guess it’s a good thing,’ said Cooper.

Carr and Cooper hooked up with just under 30 seconds remaining in the first half, as Carr found Cooper in the end zone for a 19-yard touchdown that cut the Packers down to just one.

After the Raiders went three and out on their initial series of the third quarter, the Packers drove the field and Mason Crosby gave the visitors a four-point lead after a 30-yard field goal went thru the uprights.

On their ensuing possession, the Raiders took the lead, as Carr found Cooper for a 26-yard touchdown pass.

Unfortunately, that would be the only lead in the game for the Raiders and the lead would not last long.

Jeff Janis got the Packers into great position, as he returned a Janikowski kick 47 yards to their own 47, and then just three plays later, Rodgers found former Raiders wide receiver James Jones for a 30-yard touchdown pass to give the Packers the lead for good.

The Raiders were unable to move the ball against the Packers defense, and then the Packers took the ball on a long drive.

Marquette King’s punt landed at the Packers two-yard line, but that did not stop the Packers from a 19 play 92 yard drive that last eight minutes and 11 seconds. The drive ended when Crosby nailed a 33-yard field goal.

After another King punt, the Packers put the finishing touches on the scoring, as Crosby nailed a 30-yard field goal.

Unlike the Raiders teams of the past where they would just give up, this team did not quit, as Denico Autry blocked a 49-yard field goal attempt by Crosby that was recovered by Curtis Lofton.

Unfortunately, it was too little to late, as the Raiders were unable to move the ball against the Packers defense and eventually lost the ball on downs with three seconds remaining in the game.

by Joe Hawkes Beamon

USA Today Sports photo Khalil Mack celebrates win with fans after Sun 12-13-15 in Denver

ALAMEDA–The Oakland Raiders Khalil Mack was voted defensive player of the week for his seven tackles sack performance last week in Denver. He was pretty much a single force that was pretty much in Denver quarterback Brock Oswieler’s face all afternoon.

Mack is quietly becoming one of the better defensive players in the league, he already leading the league in sacks for the five sacks this past Sunday. He’s going to have another opportunity to get to Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rogers when the Rogers and Packers visit Oakland.

The Packers are already scheming up ways to stop Mack next Sunday, the Broncos tried pretty much the whole game using tackles. This Sunday trust me I won’t be surprised if Green Bay head coach Mike McCarthy allows Mack to have a one on one opportunity to get to Rogers.

Joe Hawkes does the Oakland Raiders podcast listen to it in it’s entirety at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

photo credit: Cleveland.com of Cleveland quarterback Johnny Menziel vs 49ers sun 12-13-15

On the NFL podcast with Tony today a look at possible NFC and AFC Wild Card match ups in the NFC Tony analysis a Wild Card match up between the Vikings at the Packers and Seahawks at Cardinals and the first week NFC byes the Panthers and the Cardinals.

The AFC Wild Card predictions Jets @ Broncos and Chiefs @ Colts and the first week bye teams Patriots and Bengals.

Also discussions on Cleveland Browns quarterback Johnny Menziel after a comeback performance against the San Francisco 49ers last Sunday Menziel who was in the Browns quarterbacking cycle has been reinstated as the team’s starter for the game in Seattle this Sunday.

The Oakland Raiders (6-7) who got a three point 15-12 win over the Denver Broncos (10-2) last week have prepared for the Green Bay Packers (9-4) for an afternoon kickoff at the Oakland Coliseum. The Broncos after getting the shock of the season losing to Oakland will still stay with quarterback Brock Osweiler as veteran starter Peyton Manning will continue to rest from previous injuries. Manning has been taking snaps in practices with Denver

Listen to the rest of the podcast on the NFL with Tony below and right here at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

By Jeremy Kahn

photo credit: AP Khalil Mack starred in game in Denver on 12-13-15

If needed Khalil Mack needed a release party to show that he is a defensive stud for the Oakland a Raiders, then this was the game.

Mack picked up five sacks in the second half including one in the end zone for a safety as the a Raiders came back from a 12-0 halftime deficit to defeat the Denver Broncos 15-12 at Sports Authority Field at Mile High.

The five sacks are a NFL season high, and the most by a Raiders player since Howie Long in 1983.

Derek Carr went just 12 of 29 for 135 yards passing and two touchdowns, as the Raiders defeated the Broncos for the first time since September 12, 2011.

Things looked bleak for the Raiders in the first half, as they were held to a minus 12 yards of total offense, the worst total by a team in the NFL since November 1, 1992 when the San Diego Chargers held the Indianapolis Colts to minus five yards.

Carr and the Raiders came out of the locker room, and scored on their initial series of the second half, as Carr found Seth Roberts for an 11-yard touchdown pass. The Raiders then cut the lead down to three points, when Mack sacked Brock Osweiler and guard Max Garcia recovered the ball in the end zone.

The Raiders took the lead for good early in the fourth quarter, as long snapper Jon Condo recovered a muff fumble off of the hands of Emmanuel Sanders, but on the play Condo injured his shoulder. Mychal Rivera caught a 16-yard touchdown pass from Carr to give the Raiders a 15-12 lead, but the two-point conversion failed.

Brandon McManus missed a 49-yard field goal with 10:22 remaining in the game that would have tied the game. Sebastian Janikowski missed a 43-yard field goal that gave the Broncos another chance, but it was a former San Francisco 49ers player that helped them out in the end.

The Broncos began what looked like a game-winning drive, but a wide open former 49ers tight end Vernon Davis dropped a pass in his hands on fourth down.

Unfortunately, the Raiders were unable to close it out and the Broncos were given one more chance; however the defense came up big in the end and Osweiler threw an incomplete pass on fourth down, and the Raiders cemented their sixth victory of the season.

By Jeremy Kahn

photo credit: Sporting News former head coach Oak Raiders John Madden

John Madden may have coached the Oakland Raiders from 1969-1978, but still nearly 37 years after coaching his last game for the Raiders, the former coach remains a popular figure all over the country.

Madden, who became a top commentator for CBS and FOX with the late Pat Summerall from 1981-2001, before heading to ABC to work Monday Night Football with Al Michaels in 2002 and then the duo moved to Sunday Night to work for NBC. Madden retired from the booth after the 2009 booth, but still can be heard on KCBS in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Earlier this week, the 79-year old Madden underwent Open-Heart surgery at a San Francisco hospital and is recuperating at home.

Madden is still a popular figure, as his legendary video game is still one of the most popular games on the market and he still attends Raiders games along with current team owner Mark Davis and many of his former players.