Raiders Suffer Through Another Long Year

Reflecting and reviewing the Raiders’ season this year it was a season to remember. Kinda like the bad date you had in high school, you wanted to go out, and you wanted everything to go well but everything was awkward, clumsy, and forgettable. That pretty much sums up the Raiders campaign of 2012.

A change of management, and coaching staff-has not brought the desired results into a team, community, and fan base they have been waiting for. Players have been traded, dismissed or cut for the improvement of the team or the reduction of the salary cap.

Raider Nation has all the excuses in the galaxy to explain our current malfunction. Injuries, poor trades, bad draft picks, Venus and Mars did not line up correctly. The Aztec calendar was wrong. There are several more —please feel free to add in the comment section.

Dec 22, 2012; Charlotte, NC, USA; Oakland Raiders defensive tackle Tommy Kelly (93) and defensive end Lamarr Houston (99) react on the field in the second quarter at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports

With all the changes, the Raiders remain the same. Desperate times demand a calculated response and reaction. Tough times make tough people, and tougher decisions. One decision that must be made is the removal of Greg Knapp. He is not a players’ coach; he is sold on one way, his way to run a program. The strengths of the offensive players may have never been considered. It was the Knapp zone scheme or nothing.

The defense looked early in the year to be ahead of the offense in scheme and technique. As the season wore on, dismal performances were more common on the defensive side of the ball. Poor tackling, bad angles, and a secondary that couldn’t cover Shamu with a blanket.

Changes have to come on the defensive side of the ball as the secondary has proven to be inadequate for the majority part of the season. Rolondo McClain is on the Raiders’ roster, but don’t expect a happy ending here. A draft bust with a bad attitude. Looks like he could be moving on.

The Chargers will be the last blast for the Raiders and for many of the players that are on the roster. Norm Turner, head coach of the Chargers, may be on his way out as well. Matt Leinart and Terrelle Pryor may be having tryouts during the game to see who is back next year.

The last game of the season brings hope and expectations for next year.

Just win baby!