Tag: Michael Crabtree

Raiders take on Chargers in key divisional game in San Diego

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By Joe Hawkes-Beamon

OAKLAND — With the bye week in the rear view mirror, it’s time for the Raiders to get back to the business of football. And business begins in San Diego Sunday at 1:05 p.m. PT against the Chargers. Both Oakland (2-3) and San Diego (2-4) are jockeying for position in the AFC West as they’re trying to keep pace with the division-leading and undefeated, Denver Broncos (6-0).

Oakland’s 26th ranked defense will have to contend with Chargers’ quarterback Philip Rivers, who was a passing machine in San Diego’s 27-20 loss in Green Bay in Week 6.

Rivers, who set career highs for completions (43, is also the most completions in a loss in  NFL history), passing attempts (65), and passing yards (503) to go along with two touchdowns, just couldn’t engineer the Chargers to victory against the Packers. Rivers and the Chargers were stopped by Green Bay on fourth-and-goal with 15 seconds to play in the fourth quarter.

In six games, Rivers is the NFL leader in passing yards with 2,116 and touchdown passes with 12. His 70.0 percent completion percentage is just .6  behind league leader Tom Brady (70.6) for quarterbacks with at least 150 passing attempts.

Rivers’s gunslinger mentality can get him into trouble, as his five interceptions can attest, three of which have been returned for touchdowns, a league-high.

San Diego boasts the NFL’s top ranked offense in total yards at 433 yards per game, and passing yards at 349 yards per game, thanks in large part to the return of perennial All-Pro tight end Antonio Gates.

Gates, who missed the first four games of the season due to performance-enhancing drugs, has been on a tear the past two games. The future Hall of Famer (in my honest opinion), has 18 catches for 187 yards and two touchdowns. The Raiders have had a penchant for allowing tight ends to have big games on them.

Gates is the one tight end that the Raiders can’t afford running down field freely on Sunday. In 24 career games against Oakland, Gates has 96 catches for 1,273 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns.

Those are numbers that some guys have in an season.

Raiders quarterback Derek Carr (1,171 passing yards, eight touchdowns, and three interceptions; 93.9 passer rating) and his pair of standout wide receivers in rookie Amari Cooper (28 catches, 386 receiving yards, and two touchdowns) and Michael Crabtree (27 catches, 318 receiving yards, and one touchdown) will face a much improved Chargers defense that ranks seventh against the pass, just yielding 222 yards per game this season.

Carr has been able to stay relatively healthy all season, thanks in large part to a quality offensive line that has taken all 341 snaps together. The second-year signal caller is the 30th-least pressured quarterback (25.9% of his dropbacks) according to Pro Football Focus resulting in just seven sacks surrendered by offensive line coach Mike Tice’s crew.

San Diego has just 11 sacks as a unit this year, ranking 18th in the NFL.

Manning and Broncos’ defense will be tough to handle for Carr and the Raiders Sunday

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By Joe Hawkes-Beamon

OAKLAND — Robbie Gould’s 49-yard game winning field goal in the closing moments of Oakland’s 22-20 loss in Chicago last week to the previous winless Bears may still taste sour to Raider Nation, but in the NFL you got to have a short-term memory.

The Raiders are 2-2 after the first month of the season and as the calendar has switched from September to October, Oakland’s season will really begin this Sunday when the Silver and Black host one of their bitter rivals, the Denver Broncos (4-0) at 1:25 p.m. PT. Oakland returns home after finishing 1-1 on a two-game road trip through Cleveland and the aforementioned Chicago.

Second-year Raiders’ signal-caller Derek Carr has thrown the ball well this season, completing  77-of-123 passes for 922 yards, seven touchdowns and just two interceptions. Carr leads a Oakland offense that may rank 17th in the league, but Oakland has the 10th best passing attack with the wide receiving duo of Michael Crabtree and rookie sensation Amari Cooper leading the way.

Cooper and Crabtree are in the top-20 among all receivers combining for 47 catches, 603 yards receiving, and three touchdowns. Cooper’s 14.1 yards per catch average ranks in the top-10 among all receivers.

In Oakland’s two losses against Denver last season, Carr completed 48-of-83 passes for 350 yards, with three touchdowns and three interceptions. The Raiders were outscored by Denver 88-31 in both games.

If the Raiders have any chance to hand Denver its first loss of the season, Oakland’s 31st ranked defense is going to have to limit the turnovers and apply some serious heat on the great Peyton Manning. Denver’s revamped offensive line has gotten Manning sacked 10 times through four games this season.

Even in his 18th season and Father Time is tugging on his cape, Manning is still one of the better quarterbacks in the game today. Manning has completed 98-of-154 passes for 968 yards, six touchdowns and five interceptions. The five-time league MVP has thrown an interception in every game this season, a career-high for Manning to start the season according to Elias Sports Bureau.

Oakland did have some trouble getting to opposing quarterbacks this season, as it took three games to record the team’s first sack. Khalil Mack has three of the team’s eight sacks this season.

The Raiders’ secondary, a secondary that does feature another future Pro Football Hall of Famer in safety Charles Woodson in his 18th year, is a battered bunch and will have their work cut out for them in covering Broncos’ wide receivers Emmanuel Sanders and Demaryius Thomas, but keep your eye on tight end Owen Daniels.

Daniels could join a long line of tight ends that have destroyed the middle of Oakland’s defense this season. Tight ends are averaging five catches, 85 yards and a touchdown this season against the Silver and Black.

Carr and the Raiders could be in store for a long day facing the Broncos’ stifling defense, who rank No. 1 overall in against both the run and the pass.The Broncos are yielding 17.2 points per game so far this season.

Denver may have a formidable secondary with Chris Harris Jr. and Aqib Talib anchoring the corners and safety T.J. Ward ready to lay the lumber, the Broncos’ strength on defense has got to be the linebackers, which Denver’s defensive coordinator Wade Phillips knows how to deploy with his exotic blitz schemes.

Von Miller is such a force that he’s nearly unblockable and will be rewarded with a monster contract next offseason. Miller recovered Vikings’ quarterback Teddy Bridgewater’s fumble after Ward’s strip-sack in the final seconds to preserve Denver’s 23-20 victory over Minnesota in Week 4.

DeMarcus Ware continues to be one of the league’s feared pass rushers in his 11th year out of Troy, leading the league with 4.5 sacks. Fellow linebackers Danny Trevathan and Brandon Marshall are quickly becoming household names with solid tackling and strong communication.

Carr, Raiders fall short in Chicago on last second field goal

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By Joe Hawkes-Beamon

CHICAGO — Robbie Gould’s 49-yard field goal in the final minute proved to be the difference, propelling the Chicago Bears to their first win of the season with a 22-20 victory over the Oakland Raiders Sunday afternoon at Soldier Field.

Bears’ (1-3) starting quarterback Jay Cutler completed 28-of-43 passes for 281 yards with two touchdowns and one interception in his return to the lineup after missing last week’s game due to a hamstring injury. Cutler’s status was up in the air for most of the week as he was limited in practice.

Oakland (2-2) was hanging on by a thread after taking a 20-19 lead with 2:05 left in the game behind a 41-yard field goal by Sebastian Janikowski. Janikowski’s field goal was set up by free safety Charles Woodson’s interception after Cutler drove Chicago deep into Raiders’ territory. Woodson, the savvy 18-year veteran, undercut a Cutler pass intended for tight end Martellus Bennett at the 6:50 mark.

Woodson’s interception was his sixth in eight career games at Soldier Field.

Woodson appeared to have saved Oakland once again after bailing out the Raiders with a game-clinching interception in last week’s win at Cleveland.

Martellus Bennett became another tight end that continue to hurt the Raiders’ defense this season, finishing with 11 catches (13 targets) for 83 yards and a touchdown.

With injuries decimating the wide receiving corps for Chicago playing with starters Alshon Jeffrey and rookie Kevin White, Cutler was able to get great production from wide receivers Eddie Royal (7 REC., 54 YDS, 1 TD on 10 targets) and Marquess Wilson (6 REC., 80 YDS on nine targets).

Chicago running back Matt Forte, who has been rumored to be on the trading block, finished with 25 carries for 91 rushing yards. Forte also added 48 yards on four catches. The Bears won the time of possession battle, controlling the ball for 33 minutes of the game compared to just 26 minutes for the Silver & Black.

Raiders’ starting quarterback Derek Carr completed 20-of-33 passes for only 196 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. Carr was coming off back-to-back 300-plus passing performances.

Carr connected with rookie wide receiver Amari Cooper on a 26-yard touchdown pass in the second quarter that was placed perfectly on Cooper’s hands that needed replay review to confirm the score. Cooper was targeted nine times, catching just four balls for 49 yards receiving.

Fellow wide receiver Michael Crabtree caught five passes for 80 yards on six targets. Crabtree left the game in the second quarter after rolling his ankle, but returned to finish the game.

Latavius Murray, had a day to forget. Murray had a pass bounce of his chest pads that led to an interception in the second quarter, and then lost a fumble on a toss play. Murray, who was replaced by Roy Helu after the fumble, finished with with just 49 yards on 16 carries.

Malcolm Smith paced the Raiders’ defense with nine tackles. Oakland’s defensive unit as a whole registered three sacks and forced two fumbles (both recovered).

The Silver & Black converted two turnovers into 10 points, but it wasn’t enough for Oakland to push their record to 3-1.

After finishing their two-game road trip 1-1, Oakland returns home to host AFC West-leading Denver Broncos Oct. 11.

Raiders face Cleveland in first road test; Glued to the Tube Games for Week 3

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OAKLAND — The Raiders tour of the AFC North continues, this time on the road in Cleveland taking on taking on the Browns Sunday at FirstEnergy Stadium with a 10:00 a.m. PT kickoff. Oakland (1-1) is coming off a gritty, 37-33 victory over the Baltimore Ravens in Week 2 at O.co Coliseum. Cleveland (1-1) defeated the visiting Tennessee Titans, 28-14 last week in the Browns’ home opener.

Second-year starting quarterback Derek Carr performed like a 10-year veteran against Baltimore, completing 30-of-46 passes for a career-high 351 and three touchdowns (one interception) to go along with a 100.9 passer rating for the game. With Oakland trailing by three with 2:10 remaining in the fourth quarter, Carr marched the Raiders 80 yards in 12 plays, culminating in a 12-yard touchdown strike to wide receiver Seth Roberts with :26 seconds remaining.

Carr found 10 different receivers, but it was the work of the starting wide receiver duo of rookie Amari Cooper and veteran Michael Crabtree. Cooper and Crabtree combined for 16 catches for 220 yards and two touchdowns. Cooper scored on his first career touchdown, a 68-yard score in the first quarter on Oakland’s first drive of the game.

The Silver & Black rank 13th overall in total offense this season behind Carr’s four touchdowns, two interceptions, 64 percent completion percentage and 95 quarterback rating

Oakland’s 32nd ranked defense has given up 33 points in both games this season, and will need to bring the score down a bit if Oakland expects to win on the road for the first time since Nov. 17, 2013 against the Houston Texans in a 28-23 victory in Week 11.

Offensively for Cleveland, Josh McCown, not Johnny Manziel, will be under center for the Browns Sunday against the Raiders. McCown was cleared from the league’s concussion protocol after sustaining the injury against the Jets back in Cleveland’s Week 1 loss in New York.

Manziel had a game against Tennessee, completing 8-of-15 passes for 172 yards and two touchdowns in only his third career start, leading the Browns to their first win of the season.

Browns’ wide receiver Travis Benjamin has been read-hot to start the season and appears to be the Browns’ deep threat. Benjamin just has six catches on the season, but three of them have gone for touchdowns (second behind New England tight end Rob Gronkowski’s four touchdowns), and is fourth in the NFL with 204 receiving yards.

Benjamin is also a dangerous return man on special teams, as evidence of 78-yard punt return for a touchdown in the second quarter against Tennessee.

Cleveland’s defense is littered with talent, with linebackers Karlos Dansby and Paul Kruger, cornerback Joe Haden, and safety Donte Whitner.

Cleveland has won two of the last three meetings against Oakland, including last year’s 23-13 victory in Cleveland last season in Week 8.

Glued to the Tube: The Four Must See Games for Week 3 by #TheFootballJunkie

Atlanta at Dallas – 10:00 a.m. PT, FOX

Two undefeated teams, but no Romo, Bryant, makes this a tough game for Dallas (2-0), especially with Brandon Weeden starting. But Dallas has one of the top defensive units in the league so things could be tricky for Falcons’ (2-0) starting quarterback Matt Ryan and wide receiver Julio Jones.

If Dallas can contain Jones (tied for NFL-high 22 catches, and second in receiving yards with 276) and get adequate play from Weeden, Dallas has a shot to remain undefeated.

Atlanta 21 Dallas 24

San Francisco at Arizona – 1:05 p.m. PT, FOX

San Francisco (1-1) is coming off a thumping in Pittsburgh and catch a Cardinals team that is 14-3 at home with Carson Palmer under center. Arizona (2-0) has a bevy of wide receivers headlined by future Hall of Famer Larry Fitzgerald, and San Francisco was torched by Steelers’ wide receiver Antonio Bryant for nine catches for 195 yards and a touchdown.

If San Francisco is going to have a chance to go into first place in the NFC West with a victory over the Cardinals, it will hinge on better play from cornerbacks Tremaine Brock and Kenneth Acker, who gave up some deep passes against the Steelers.

It’ll be a close one between the two, but it’s hard not to pick the Cardinals, who still like to blitz the quarterback and 49ers starting quarterback Colin Kaepernick is just an average passer against the blitz, completing just 50 percent of his passes according to ESPN Stats.

San Francisco 24 Arizona 29

Chicago at Seattle – 1:25 p.m. PT, FOX

Two winless teams, but this is the week that Seattle (0-2) breaks through with a victory. With the return of strong safety Kam Chancellor to Seattle’s defense and this being Seattle’s first home game, the Seahawks are going to roll over a Bears (0-2) team that may be without starting quarterback Jay Cutler, who is dealing with a hamstring injury.

If Cutler doesn’t play, look for backup Jimmy Clausen to start in his place.

Chicago 12 Seattle 24

Buffalo at Miami – 1:25 p.m. PT, CBS

In a match up of two teams that are playing second fiddle to the New England Patriots (2-0) and the New York Jets (2-0) in the AFC East, Buffalo (1-1) and Miami (1-1) both know how important this game is to both teams early in the season.

Ryan Tannehill for Miami and Tyrod Taylor for Buffalo are two quarterbacks worth watching, but this game will be all about the defenses.

Buffalo 16 Miami 13

Three Takeaways from Ravens/Raiders; Glued to the Tube Roundup for Week 2

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By Joe Hawkes-Beamon

OAKLAND — You never want to say the second game of the NFL season is a must win, but when you enter Week 2 winless like the Raiders at (0-1), this was a must win game, and Oakland did just that with a epic 37-33 victory over the Baltimore Ravens, who drop to (0-2).

Here are my three takeaways from Oakland’s impressive win Sunday in front of Raider Nation at O.co Coliseum:

  1. Derek Carr grew up today in front of our very eyes. After throwing an interception late in the fourth quarter that led to the Ravens’ go-ahead field goal by Justin Tucker from 31 yards out with 2:10 left, Carr stepped up when it counted the most. The Raiders’ young signal-caller completed 7-of-9 passes for 65 yards passing, culminating in a 12-yard touchdown pass to backup wide receiver Seth Roberts with 26 seconds to go. If it weren’t for a holding penalty by safety Will Hill III that was negated before the touchdown, Carr and the Raiders would’ve lost after squandering a 30-20 lead in the fourth quarter. Carr, who connected with 10 different receivers, completed 30-of-46 passes for 351 yards, three touchdowns (all on 80-yard plus drives) and the lone interception. Carr, along with head coach Jack Del Rio, received game balls.
  2. Michael Crabtree and Amari Cooper balled out. After just catching 10 passes for 84 yards receiving and no touchdowns in their debuts in the Raiders’ 33-13 loss to Cincinnati in Week 1, Crabtree and Cooper took advantage of Baltimore’s cornerbacks, combining for 16 catches for 220 yards receiving and two touchdowns. Cooper hauled in seven catches for 109 yards, including a 68-yard touchdown catch in the first quarter on the Raiders’ opening drive of the game. Crabtree finished with nine catches for 111 yards, and a 29-yard touchdown in the third quarter.
  3. Oakland’s pass defense still has some holes, but made plays when it counted. Defensive coordinator Ken Norton and his guys are still giving up big plays down the middle of the field. Baltimore starting quarterback Joe Flacco threw for 384 yards, two touchdowns, and an interception on 32-of-45 passing. Ravens’ wide receiver Steve Smith Sr. caught 10 passes for 150 yards receiving, wide receiver Kamar Aiken finished with five catches and 89 yards receiving, and tight end Crockett Gillmore had five catches and 88 yards and two touchdowns. Oakland did force two Baltimore turnovers (a fumble), including the game-sealing interception by safety Neiko Thorpe in the fourth quarter.

Who’s next: Cleveland (1-1) at FirstEnergy Stadium, Sunday, 10:00 a.m. PT, CBS

If you started Browns’ wide receiver Travis Benjamin in your fantasy football league today, odds are you had (depending on if you got players starting in the Jets/Colts game on Monday Night Football), a very good day in your match up.

Benjamin scored on the Browns’ second play from scrimmage in the first quarter when starting quarterback Johnny Manziel  connected with the the fourth-year wide receiver from Miami for a 60-yard touchdown. Benjamin was dangerous on special teams too, returning a punt 78 yards for a touchdown in the second quarter.

Benjamin, who finished with three catches for 115 yards receiving (and 29 fantasy points according to ESPN Fantasy Football) in Cleveland’s home opener Sunday, caught a 50-yard touchdown with 2:52 left in the fourth quarter for his second touchdown of the day, giving Cleveland a 28-14 victory over the visiting Tennessee Titans.

In two games this season, Benjamin may just have six catches, but three of them have gone for touchdowns (second behind New England tight end Rob Gronkowski’s four touchdowns), and is fourth in the NFL with 204 receiving yards.

Manziel, who started for the injured Josh McCown, completed 8-of-15 passes for 172 yards and two touchdowns.

According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Manziel is expected to remain the Browns’ backup once McCown is healthy to play. McCown suffered a concussion in Cleveland’s 31-10 Week 1 loss to the Jets in New York.

But after Manziel’s performance where he didn’t throw an interception, how does Browns’ head coach Mike Pettine not start Manziel again in front of the home crowd even if McCown is healthy next week against visiting Oakland?

Cleveland’s defense had a monster day against Tennessee, sacking Titans’ rookie starting quarterback Marcus Mariota 6.5 times, and forcing four fumbles (three by Mariota, and one by running back Terrance West), recovering three fumbles.

Glued to the Tube Roundup for Week 2: The Four Must See Games for Week 2 by #TheFootballJunkie

Another 2-2 record for the #TheFootballJunkie (thanks to wins by the Patriots and Packers, but loses by the Chiefs and Eagles), pushing my overall season record to (4-4).

Manning, Broncos hold court over Chiefs with late charge, win 31-24 Thursday night

Broncos’ starting quarterback Peyton Manning, who was being sent to the glue factory by just about everyone in the media (me not included), reminded naysayers that he is still one of the greatest regular season quarterbacks of all time, throwing for 256 yards passing, three touchdowns and an interception against Kansas City.

Manning, who completed 26-of-45 passes, threw a game-tying 19-yard touchdown strike to wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders with 36 seconds left. Manning improved to 7-0 as the starting quarterback for Denver (2-0), who sit atop the AFC West early in the season after their Thursday night victory at Arrowhead Stadium.

But it was cornerback Bradley Roby who had the biggest play of the game, recovering Chiefs’ running back Jamaal Charles’ second fumble of the game and scampering 21 yards for the go-ahead touchdown. Charles rushed for 125 yards on 21 carries and a touchdown, but his two fumbles were costly.

So too were Kansas City (1-1) starting quarterback Alex Smith’s two interceptions. Smith finished 16-of-25 for 191 yards passing, but was mainly ineffective all night after throwing three touchdowns in Kansas City’s 27-20 Week 1 win at Houston.

Denver’s defense as a whole, forced five Chiefs’ turnovers.

Brady’s big day helps Patriots defeat upstart Bills, 40-32

New England (2-0) starting quarterback Tom Brady destroyed the Bills through the air, throwing for 466 yards (his second-most in game for his career), and three touchdowns leading the visiting Patriots past a vaunted Buffalo defense, 40-32, Sunday in an unexpected high scoring affair for first place in the AFC East.

Brady, who completed 38-of-59 passes, tossed two touchdowns to wide receiver Julian Edelman in the first and third quarters, and one to tight end Rob Gronkowski in the second quarter.

Edelman finished with 11 catches for 97 yards, while Gronkowski caught seven passes for 113 yards.

Bills (1-1) starting quarterback Tyrod Taylor held his own versus the reigning Super Bowl Champions, completing 23-of-30 passes for 242 yards, three touchdowns, but also threw three interceptions.

With the win, Brady improves to 24-3 against the Bills in which he threw for the most yards in any game against Buffalo. New England has won 27 of their last 30 games against the Bills.

Cowboys stave off Eagles, 20-10, but lose Romo for 8 weeks with fractured collarbone

The NFC East-leading Dallas Cowboys (2-0) are looking more like a walking M.A.S.H. unit than a team that is in first place.

First, wide receiver Dez Bryant is gone for 10-12 weeks (even though Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett believes that to be a stretch) after having successful foot surgery.

Now starting quarterback Tony Romo will be lost for upwards of 8 weeks after suffering a broken left collarbone in Dallas’ 20-10 victory over the Eagles in Philadelphia Sunday. Romo suffered a similar injury in Week 7 in 2010 and missed the rest of the season.

Backup quarterback Brandon Weeden threw a 42-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Terrance Williams in the fourth quarter to help Dallas overcome a franchise-record 18 penalties for 142 yards.

It was Dallas’ 10th straight road victory.

Former Cowboys running back DeMarco Murray managed just two yards on 13 carries in his first game against his former team. The reigning NFL rushing champion has rushed for just 11 yards on 21 carries (0.5 rushing yards per attempt) in two games with Philadelphia (0-2).

At this point last season, Murray rushed for 285 yards on 51 carries and two touchdowns (5.5 rushing yards per attempt) with Dallas.

Rodgers, Packers get the best of Wilson and Seahawks, 27-17

Packers starting quarterback Aaron Rodgers completed 25-of-33 passes for 249 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions, helping the Packers enact some revenge on Seattle 27-17 on Sunday Night Football at Lambeau Field.

Rodgers, found tight end Richard Rodgers (no relation) for the go-ahead, five-yard touchdown pass in the fourth quarter. The touchdown capped off a 10-play, 80-yard drive in 6:16. Rodgers also caught a 2-point conversion that gave Green Bay (2-0) a 24-17 lead with 9:28 left in the fourth quarter.

Seattle starting quarterback Russell Wilson finished 19-of-30 passes for two touchdowns, help erase a 13-3 Packers’ lead, but threw an interception to defensive end Jayrone Elliot (who snagged Wilson’s pass with one hand), with 6:50 left in the fourth quarter to essentially ice the game for Green Bay.

At (0-2), Seattle sits in the basement of the NFC West, the division that they’ve won the past two seasons.

Joe Hawkes-Beamon is a columnist for Sports Radio Service. Follow him on Twitter @JLHB510 and Facebook #TheFootballJunkie

Are you ready for some football? Raiders host Rams Friday in preseason opener.

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By Joe Hawkes

OAKLAND — The best time of the sports season has finally arrived: NFL football is back and I can’t be more excited. The action, the intensity of guys trying to make the final 53-man roster at the end of a grueling training camp. Some guys make a great impression in the first game and solidify their position on the depth chart, while others, can drop in a heartbeat.

And football will be played at 7000 Coliseum Way when the Oakland Raiders host the St. Louis Rams Friday night in the preseason opener for both clubs. Kickoff is set for 7:00 P.M. PDT.

The 2015 Oakland Raiders enters the season with a renewed breath of fresh air (from those who’ve visited training camp in Napa said there is an excitable feeling from players and coaches), which has been foggy for the past 13 seasons that have ended with Oakland watching the playoffs from the couch.

And why shouldn’t the future look bright for the Silver & Black?

They enter the season with Derek Carr at quarterback, who started all 16 games as a rookie in 2014 and displayed the characteristics of a 10-year veteran, despite leading Oakland to a 3-13 record.

Carr’s 2014 rookie campaign: 348-599 passes, 3,270 passing yards, 21 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions while completing 58 percent of his passes.

Carr was recently quoted in the Associated Press as one of the Raiders’ biggest goals (as it is for all teams), is to “win the (AFC West) division.” That is a lofty expectation for the second-year pro and a franchise that has not won a division title since 2002.

But you got to love the confidence and the visionary outlook from Carr.

Carr should improve on those numbers with the drafting of Alabama superstar in wide receiver Amari Cooper with the fourth overall pick in the 2015 NFL Draft, and the signing of veteran wide receiver Michael Crabtree.

Crabtree’s career appears to be coming to a full circle in signing with Oakland.

In 2009 NFL Draft, the Oakland Raiders selected Maryland wide receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey at seventh overall and passed on Crabtree, who was drafted three spots later at 10 to San Francisco.

As it is the first preseason game, don’t expect the first-team offense to be on the field for that long. I’d expect Carr and the first-team offense to be on the field for one drive. The running game will be an interesting subplot with Latavius Murray, Trent Richardson, and George Atkinson III (son of Raiders’ great George Atkinson II) all battling to be the bell-cow for Oakland in 2015.

The player I’m looking forward to seeing Friday night is rookie tight end Clive Walford. Walford has the chance to unseat incumbent starter Mychal Rivera should he have an amazing training camp and impressive showings in game action.

Walford, who has been battling a hamstring injury for parts of camp, was on the field Tuesday after a Monday off day. The 6’4″, 250 lbs Walford was an absolute weapon at the University of Miami. catching 121 passes for 1,753 yards and 14 touchdowns, becoming just the seventh tight end in Hurricanes history to surpass 1,000 career receiving yards.

Defensively, Oakland is converting explosive second-year player Khalil Mack from linebacker to defensive end. Oakland wants Mack to get after the quarterback more after having to play in coverage for most of his rookie year, but Mack has been a quick study and has adapted to his new position.

Justin Ellis is solid at defensive tackle and rookie defensive end Mario Edwards Jr. is expected to be a key contributor on the defensive line.

The linebacking corps looks good too, with a healthy Sio Moore, and free agent imports Curtis Lofton (Atlanta), and Malcolm Smith (Seattle). Smith, a former Super Bowl MVP, is quite familiar with want Norton Jr. wants to do on defense from their time in Seattle.

The secondary does have some questions. Charles Woodson, seems to always know when to drink from the fountain of youth.

Woodson, who is entering his 18th year in the league, is like a fine Napa Cabernet. Woodson remains a lock to start a free safety and former Philadelphia Eagle Nate Allen at strong safety, but who will be the starters at cornerback?

D.J. Hayden, who has been having a tough start to training camp, is penciled (not penned) in to be a starter at one spot, with T.J. Carrie, Chimdi Chekwa and Keith McGill competing for the other starting spot at cornerback.

St. Louis finally turned the page on the Sam Bradford Era, by trading the former No. 1 overall pick in 2010 to the Philadelphia Eagles for quarterback Nick Foles. Foles is adequate passer and is the kind of quarterback that Rams head coach Jeff Fisher loves.

In 28 starts for Philadelphia, Foles completed 550-of-893 passes for 6.753 yards, 48 touchdowns and 17 interceptions. St. Louis inked Foles to a two-year, $24.5 million deal last week, per NFL Media Insider Michael Rapoport. Rapoport confirmed that the Rams are committed to Foles through 2017 by guaranteeing $14 million to Foles, who was set to earn just $1.5 in the final year of his rookie deal.

Foles can void the final year of the deal based on Pro Bowl and team performance.

The Rams swung for the fences in drafting Georgia running back, Todd Gurley with the 10th overall selection in the 2015 NFL Draft. Gurley is an all-world talent with exceptional speed and field vision, but will not play in the preseason according to Fisher. Gurley is recovering from the torn ACL that ended his his junior year and college career.

Defensively, this might be one of the best units in all of football.

Robert Quinn, Chris Long, Aaron Donald and Michael Brockers make up a formidable defensive line that can get after the quarterback. Donald, the defensive tackle, finished with 9.5 sacks, was named the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2014.

Linebackers Alec Ogletree and James Laurinaitis combined for 220 tackles last season, while free safety T.J. McDonald (son of former Cardinals and 49ers strong safety Tim McDonald), finished with 105 tackles.

St. Louis comes into 2015 with high expectations. Most football experts and prognosticators have predicted that the Rams have a look of a playoff team, even playing in arguably football’s toughest division, the NFC West.

The Rams finished 6-10 (2-4 in the NFC West) last year.

49ers one giant step away from another Super Bowl birth

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By Gabe Schapiro

For the San Francisco 49ers, the road to their second straight Super Bowl appearance fittingly runs through Seattle. This Sunday at 3:30 pm, the 49ers and Seahawks face off in the NFC championship game. The two heated rivals finished first and second in the NFC West this season, and split their two regular season matchups.

Last weekend San Francisco suffocated the Carolina Panthers in the divisional round, winning 23-10. Colin Kaepernick’s stat line won’t blow anyone away, but he did what he had to, and didn’t make any costly mistakes. He completed 15-of-28 throws, for 196 yards and a touchdown, to go along with a rushing score. Anquan Boldin had a stellar game, with eight grabs for 136 yards. Ultimately though, it was the defense that dominated and won it for the 49ers. They sacked Cam Newton five times, and had two interceptions. The Panthers scored 10 points in the second quarter, but were shut out for the second half.

This week features two very similar teams. Both have young and athletic quarterbacks, run-heavy offenses, and fearsome defenses. For the 49ers, the Seahawks may well be their toughest opponent. Russell Wilson is wise beyond his years, and rarely makes a mistake. Marshawn Lynch is a bruiser, and despite a lot of mileage on his legs is still one of the leagues best running backs. They don’t have a real stand out number one receiver, but they get production from a lot of different sources. Six targets have multiple touchdown grabs this season, and four of those have four or more. In the regular season they scored the eighth most points per game.

However, their defense is their real calling card, boasting the leagues best. They allowed the fewest points and fewest yards in the NFL. They easily have the league’s best pass defense, with their only very slight weakness coming against the run, where they finished seventh. Similarly to their offense, they get production from a lot of different sources, with 10 different players recording more than one sack, and 10 more recording at least one interception in the regular season. Richard Sherman headlines the group as the teams best corner.

The good news for San Francisco is that they won their last matchup with the Seahawks, and they are a team you can run against. The bad news, is that this time they are playing in Seattle, where they may have the leagues biggest home field advantage. Including the playoffs they are 8-1 at home this season.

The last time the 49ers traveled to Seattle they were blown out, 29-3. With San Francisco playing their best football of the year, and the addition of Michael Crabtree to the lineup this time around, things should certainly be more competitive. However the mountain to climb remains steep. Kaepernick will have his hands full, and they’ll need to get Frank Gore going to be successful.

They’re just one step away from another Super Bowl appearance, but that step is an awfully big one.

49ers travel to Carolina for Divisional Round

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By Gabe Schapiro

One down, three to go. After last weeks win over the Green Packers, the San Francisco 49ers advanced to the Divisional Round of the NFL playoffs. This Sunday they travel to Carolina, where they will be taking on the Panthers. The second seeded Panthers won the NFC South title with a 12-4 record. They had a first round bye.

Carolina started the season 1-3, before going on a tear and finishing the year on a 11-1 run. They are led by quarterback Cam Newton, who is one of the most athletic QB’s in the league. He struggled at times, but overall the third year rising star had his best season yet. However, he doesn’t have great weapons at his disposal. His favorite targets are tight end Greg Olsen, who leads the team in receiving and touchdown catches, and wideouts Steve Smith and Brandon LaFell. None of the group are real game breakers. As a whole they scored the 18th most points per game in the regular season. They lean significantly on their running game, which ranked 11th. They finished an abysmal 29th in passing yards per game.

The reason the Panthers are still a team to fear, is because of their stout defense. Linebacker Luke Kuechly is the captain of the unit, and is seemingly in on every play. Defensive end Greg Hardy is a great pass rusher, and finished with 15 sacks this season. They allowed the second fewest points in the league.

This matchup isn’t quite a unstoppable force hitting an unmovable object, but it’s close. The 49ers feature the third best rushing attack in the NFL, and they’ll need some solid production against the Carolina, which counter with the leagues second best run defense.

These two foes faced off in Week 10 at Candlestick Park, and the Panthers came away with a hard fought 10-9 victory. In the contest the 49ers failed to reach the endzone, but thanks to three field goals held a lead for much of the game. A late field goal by Carolina sealed the comeback win.

As the saying goes, it’s tough to beat the same team twice in one season. However, the 49ers are fresh off of accomplishing just that last week. This weekend the conditions will be nicer, but the opponent is tougher. Colin Kaepernick will need to be a game manager. He needs to limit his mistakes and grab the few opportunities he’ll get. Michael Crabtree appears to be getting better every week, which is a great sign. Frank Gore wasn’t busy, but did well when given the carries in their previous matchup. He rushed for 82 yards on 16 carries, good for 5.1 yards per carry.

Expect another hard-nosed, low scoring affair. It’s certainly a winnable game, but it could come down to which side blinks first.

49ers seek sixth straight win in regular season finale in Arizona

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By Gabe Schapiro

This Sunday at 1:25pm the San Francisco 49ers (11-4) will be facing off with the Arizona Cardinals (10-5) in the regular season finale, at the University of Phoenix Stadium. The 49ers are in second place in the NFC West, one game behind the Seattle Seahawks. They will clinch a division title with a win Sunday and a Seahawks loss. They have already sealed a playoff birth. The Cardinals are in third in the NFC West, one game back of San Francisco. To get into the playoffs Arizona must win, along with a New Orleans Saints loss.

Last weekend the 49ers outlasted the Atlanta Falcons, winning 34-24, in Candlestick’s swan song. The game remained close throughout, with a huge NaVorro Bowman 89-yard interception return with 1:10 remaining in the game hammering the final nail in the coffin. Colin Kaepernick completed 13-of-21 passes for 197 yards and a touchdown, to go along with 51 yards on the ground and a rushing score. Frank Gore rushed for 97 yards and a touchdown on 22 carries. Michael Crabtree continues to shake the rust off, and had five receptions and 102 yards. Vernon Davis was uncharacteristically held without a catch on three targets.

San Francisco had more trouble than some expected last weekend with the struggling Falcons, but still got the job done. They have won five straight and are looking to make it six before heading into the playoffs. To get to number six they’ll have a tough task, having to beat one of the league’s hottest squads in the Cardinals. They’ve won three straight, including a big upset over Seattle last weekend, and are 7-1 in their last eight contests.

Arizona’s offense has been very middle of the road this season. At quarterback veteran Carson Palmer can still make plays, but is mistake prone. He is among the league leaders with 21 interceptions. At wide receiver he has the always dangerous Larry Fitzgerald to throw to. He has been slowed due to injuries this season, but remains a threat. Michael Floyd has emerged as a strong secondary threat, and leads the team in receiving yards. Rashard Mendenhall has been their go-to back for much of the season, but Andre Ellington has proven to be an explosive change of pace option. As a unit they rank 16th in the NFL in points per game.

The Cardinals defense is far and away their strongest asset. Linebacker Karlos Dansby is having a great season, Patrick Peterson has stepped into his own in the secondary, and the pass-rushing two-headed monster of Calais Campbell and John Abraham have been a force. They allow the sixth fewest points per game, and are especially stout against the run. Surrendering just 84.5 rushing yards per game, they are the league’s best.

This matchup will be a classic case of great running game going up against a great run defense. In their week 6 meeting, Frank Gore still managed to run for 101 yards on 25 carries, but the Cardinals have been at their best recently. Look for Kaepernick and an ever-improving Crabtree to make some significant moves in the passing attack, where Arizona is much more vulnerable.

49ers looking to give the Stick a proper sendoff against Falcons

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By Gabe Schapiro

This Monday at 5:40pm the San Francisco 49ers (10-4) will be taking on the Atlanta Falcons (4-10), in Candlestick Park’s swan song. The 49ers are in second place in the NFC West, two games behind the Seattle Seahawks and one game up on the Arizona Cardinals. The Atlanta Falcons are in the basement of the NFC South, tied for last place with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. They have long been out of the playoff hunt.

Last weekend San Francisco throttled the Buccaneers, 33-14, winning their fourth straight. The 49ers jumped out to an early 17-0 lead. Tampa Bay put up a bit of a fight, getting within six points to open the fourth quarter, but San Francisco quickly squashed their momentum with two field goals and a touchdown. Colin Kaepernick had a strong performance, completing 19-of-29 passes for 203 yards, two touchdowns, and no turnovers. Frank Gore ran for a tough 86 yards on 22 carries, and as a team they ran for 86 yards. Vernon Davis caught his 12th touchdown of the season, and Michael Crabtree also hauled in his first score since returning from injury. Crabtree becomes just the third 49ers receiver to catch a touchdown pass. Eric Reid grabbed his fourth interception and Aldon Smith had two sacks.

This week marks the second consecutive matchup against an NFC South bottom feeder. As they did last week with the Bucs, they shouldn’t run into too much trouble with the Falcons.

Atlanta has become synonymous with playoff contender in recent years, but they have struggled mightily this season. They have dealt with major injures to many of their best skill players. They lost star receiver Julio Jones for the season, and Roddy White and Steven Jackson have also both missed time and been ineffective when trying to play through ailments.

QB Matt Ryan has been one of their few constants. He is still very talented, but hasn’t had a lot to work with, and it has shown. He’s not having a bad year, but is certainly having a down season. His favorite targets in the passing game have been Harry Douglas and veteran Tony Gonzalez. As a unit they have been very middle of the road. They are 22nd in points per game, and 16th in total yards.

Their biggest downfall, however, has been their porous defense. In nearly every facet they have been bad. They are the fourth worst in yards allowed, sixth worst in points allowed per game, fourth worst against the run, and eighth worst against the pass. They have some strong solid rushers in Osi Umenyiora and Corey Peters, but that has been one of the few bright spots.

As they have been excellent at in recent weeks, the 49ers should be able to find a nice balance to their offense against a weak defense. Gore is always reliable, and Kaepernick seems to be benefitting from the addition of Michael Crabtree to the lineup.

San Francisco got some bad news this week, when it was announced that FB Bruce Miller was placed on injured reserve with a shoulder injury, ending his season. The fullback position is not one that many teams utilize, but Miller has gotten a heavy workload this season. He is Gore’s lead blocker, and is used often in the passing game. He is the teams third leading receiver in receptions and yards. The 49ers re-signed FB Will Tukuafu to try and soften the blow.