Raiderstation

Two week away from this season being over. With another terrible team coming to town.

View from the enemy
https://corner.bigblueinteractive.com/

I wish Blind Faith could have endured longer than they did. Talk about a collection of talent.

Viper wrote: Fri Dec 26, 2025 8:33 am No way a receiver, no matter how good, is 10x more valuable than a monster O line. Period, end of discussion.
Maybe next year ask Santa for common sense.

That's not true:

The Raiders drafted Robert Gallery in 04' along with Wiz (the two most important pieces to an OL). Did nothing for our team. The team that drafted a WR (Cardinals, Larry Fitgerald) were one stop away from a SB win and had been to multiple playoffs.

The Browns drafted HOF Joe Thomas in 07'. They also drafted an all-pro at C, and on paper had always been in the top 10 as far as line talent. Yet none of that translated to wins.

The Dolphins drafted Jake Long, an All Pro in 08'. They drafted another All Pro in Mike Pouncey in '11. They had a few good years (gimmick wild cat season) running the football, but none of that translated to consistent wins.

During that same time, the teams that drafted skill players (Calvin Johnson, Micheal Crabtree), went to the playoffs and even made a SB appearance.

When the Raiders ignored their offensive line, and drafted RB and WR back-to-back, they went 8-8 twice and were literally a week 16 win away from a playoff berth.

The difference between the best OL and the worst OL is only one second. A decisive QB, a mobile QB, and/or a #1 WR negates bad offensive line play. Great OL is really about run blocking, not pass blocking. What makes a great OL is chemistry, and motivation.

The Commanders ignored their bottom 3 OL and drafted Jayden Daniels. They've already been to the playoffs in two years. Mahomes has a great OL on paper, but it helps that he scrambles every other play.

Reggie McKenzie, who was a former lineman who really understood the position, grabbed a bunch of FA that he knew would have chemistry together, and were high IQ, and went on to have a top 10 OL. It also helped that '16 Derek Carr was a master of the quick passing game, and he was also mobile enough to move the chains.

If the Raiders draft Mendoza, I guarantee you the OL play with "suddenly" get better when there is a guy back there worth protecting. Not to mention we already have our C and LG upgrades on the team.

The irony is what you're saying is, the teams that are consistently the worst in the NFL, are the teams that draft OL the most (Raiders, Browns, Dolphins, Jets). The Jets drafted blue-chip can't miss tackles in the top 5 twice in the last 3 years and they are worse than we are.

Toast wrote: Fri Dec 26, 2025 3:06 pm I wish Blind Faith could have endured longer than they did. Talk about a collection of talent.

Love anything with Steve Winwood

Hellbound wrote: Fri Dec 26, 2025 3:12 pm Love anything with Steve Winwood

As do I. Uber talented.

Hellbound wrote: Thu Dec 25, 2025 9:49 pm Not a fan of Rush myself for that reason and I also put Robert Plant in that same voice category

I can't stand that moaning, groaning, self-important bag of dicks. His solo career was worse than unwiped ass. And Paige stole his greatest song from a band that opened for them. And that asshole hated Blackmore, Eddie Van Halen, and Yngwie. Screw Plant and screw the self-aggrandizing maestro who thought taking a cello bow to a guitar was innovative. If there was a douchebag hall of fame, both would be among the first inductees.

Anyway, I hope we lose the next two games.

RickRyb wrote: Fri Dec 26, 2025 9:29 am Wasn't Judas Priest like 10 years later with their sound being shaped by those bands?

No.

Cruisin with Tooz wrote: Fri Dec 26, 2025 2:18 pm For me, Stained Class was their best.

Their early stuff is super under appreciated. Unleashed in the East did a great job of putting all their early stuff together in a live sounding format that just didn't hit well in the studio production of the time. Cheap Trick's At Budokan did the same thing for them.

mranquales wrote: Fri Dec 26, 2025 3:07 pm That's not true:

The Raiders drafted Robert Gallery in 04' along with Wiz (the two most important pieces to an OL). Did nothing for our team. The team that drafted a WR (Cardinals, Larry Fitgerald) were one stop away from a SB and had been to multiple playoffs.

The Browns drafted HOF Joe Thomas in 07'. They also drafted an all-pro at C, and on paper had been always in the top 10 as far as line talent. Yet none of that translated to wins.

The Dolphins drafted Jake Long, an All Pro in 08'. They drafted another All Pro in Mike Pouncey in '11. They had a few good years (gimmick wild cat season) running the football, but none of that translated to consistent wins.

During that same time, the teams that drafted skill players (Calvin Johnson, Micheal Crabtree), went to the playoffs and even made a SB appearance.

When the Raiders ignored their offensive line, and drafted RB and WR back-to-back, they went 8-8 twice and were literally a week 16 win away from a playoff berth.

The difference between the best OL and the worst OL is only one second. A decisive QB, a mobile QB, and/or a #1 WR negates bad offensive line play. Great OL is really about run blocking, not pass blocking. What makes a great OL is chemistry, and motivation.

The Commanders ignored their bottom 3 OL and drafted Jayden Daniels. They've already been to the playoffs in two years. Mahomes has a great OL on paper, but it helps that he scrambles every other play.

Reggie McKenzie, who was a former lineman who really understood the position, grabbed a bunch of FA that he knew would have chemistry together, and were high IQ, and went on to have a top 10 OL. It also helped that '16 Derek Carr was a master of the quick passing game, and he was also mobile enough to move the chains.

If the Raiders draft Mendoza, I guarantee you the OL play with "suddenly" get better when there is a guy back there worth protecting. Not to mention we already have our C and LG upgrades on the team.

The irony is what you're saying is, the teams that are consistently the worst in the NFL, are the teams that draft OL the most (Raiders, Browns, Dolphins, Jets). The Jets drafted blue-chip can't miss tackles in the top 5 twice in the last 3 years and they are worse than we are.

Shell, Upshaw, Otto, Brown and Buehler would like a word with you. The only time we were relevant was when we had a dominant line.
But you go ahead and do you.

Cruisin with Tooz wrote: Fri Dec 26, 2025 2:18 pm For me, Stained Class was their best.

A favorite of mine too. I'm a big fan of Sad Wings of Destiny.

Viper wrote: Fri Dec 26, 2025 4:13 pm Shell, Upshaw, Otto, Brown and Buehler would like a word with you. The only time we were relevant was when we had a dominant line.
But you go ahead and do you.

We also had a top 3 defense with the best secondary in the NFL. We also had a top 5 RB, TE and WR.

mranquales wrote: Fri Dec 26, 2025 3:07 pm That's not true:

The Raiders drafted Robert Gallery in 04' along with Wiz (the two most important pieces to an OL). Did nothing for our team. The team that drafted a WR (Cardinals, Larry Fitgerald) were one stop away from a SB and had been to multiple playoffs.

I suggested that you check your work two weeks ago. Once again, you are way off: Robert Gallery was drafted in 2004 but Wisniewski was drafted in 2011. The Raiders did not create a good line drafting them together. BTW, the Chargers took Phillip Rivers right after the Raiders took Gallery and the Cards took Fitzgerald (it has a Z in it). After Rivers, the Redskins took Sean Taylor. Eil Manning went #1 just before the Raiders took Gallery at #2.

If we do screw up and beat the Giants, I believe that it will be because we will be playing guys/rookies who have something to prove and their roster spot may be on the line...I especially see this possibly happening more on defense.
As I've said before, we have been the worst tacklers in the league all year. And we may very well see a bunch of guys flying all over the place and hammering RBs and receivers, which I would really love to see for a change... of course this could also result a lot of defensive penalties and thereby help us to lose.

Oaktownonly wrote: Fri Dec 26, 2025 4:23 pm

What about the "Suck for Luck" campaign the Colts didn't "acknowledge."

Hellbound wrote: Fri Dec 26, 2025 3:12 pm Love anything with Steve Winwood

I remember Steve Winwood when he was still a teenager playing keyboards and singing for the Spencer Davis Group.