Part two Once again Oakland Raiders Hats , I must start by saying how many difficult decisions were made. There is a lot of blame to go around in a game like this that had the Raiders fighting to get back in it several times. Several big plays by the Browns and mistakes by the Raiders were simply offset by those same players stepping up at other crucial times and thereby escaping the Buster label.BustersKolton Miller, Donald Penn, Brandon ParkerA lot of people want to give these rookie tackles the benefit of the doubt, and that’s fine. I have given Miller credit when it’s due. I also understand he was going against Myles Garrett a lot in this game, making for arguably his toughest match-up of the season. But that’s just how it goes sometimes.The first drive of the second quarter saw Donald Penn miss his block to give up a sack. Two plays later, on third and two, Garrett bull rushed Miller into Derek Carr’s lap, causing Carr to hit Miller’s helmet on the throw and it fell incomplete. The 47-yard field goal attempt was no good.The following possession, with the Raiders then trailing 9-7, Penn was called for a false start on third and 3 and the Raiders couldn’t pick up the third and long. Penn would give up a run stuff for a loss on the first series of the third quarter. The next series Miller would run into Jared Cook who was trying to get from left to right to block on a screen pass and causing a broken play.To Miller’s credit, he had a play that helped Marshawn get outside for his 52-yard run. But on third and three, Miller would miss his block on a Dwayne Harris end around and it was stopped for a loss and all the Raiders got out of the big run was a field goal to pull to within four.Penn would suffer a leg injury in the third quarter and Parker would replace him at right tackle. Early in the fourth quarter, with the Raiders having re-taken the lead, they were looking to extend it. They got a 49-yard return from Dwayne Harris, but three plays in Parker would give up pressure on Carr Oakland Raiders Womens Hoodie , disrupting a screen pass and they would settle for a field goal.The following possession would end with pressure coming from both sides to sandwich Carr in the pocket on what should have been a strip sack, but was ruled as just a sack and the Raiders would punt down 35-34.With 4:20 remaining and now down 42-34, the Raiders needed to score. On the first play of the ensuing possession, Miller gave up a pressure that led to an incompletion. Later in the same drive, with the Raiders in second and five at the Cleveland 6-yard-line, Miller missed his block to get Martavis Bryant tackled for a loss. Now in third and long, two incompletions would end the drive with a turnover on downs.Raiders would get the ball first to start overtime 2nd on the second play, Miller gave up a run stuff. Two play s later, he would give up a tackle for loss on a pitch out to Jalen Richard. A 7-yard completion would put the Raiders in range of a 46-yard field goal to win it. But on third and three, Parker would give up the sack for a 4-yard loss, pushing the field goal to a 50-yard attempt off the dirt and McRane missed it wide left.Rashaan MelvinI agonized over this one. He looked great on the first couple series and made the pass breakup on the final defensive play of the game for the Raiders on a deep attempt for Duke Johnson. But there were too many other crucial plays I couldn’t reconcile.On the first scoring drive of the day for the Browns, he gave up an 8-yard catch, a 21-yard catch on third and 12, and missed a tackle on a 5-yard run to the 8-yard-line. The drive went to the 1-yard-line and was luckily stopped to hold them to a field goal. Early in the third quarter, the Browns looked to extend their lead. Melvin gave up a 6-yard catch to put them in third and one. They converted and then moved into scoring range due to Melvin giving up a 23-yard catch.A Carr interception gave the Browns the ball back at the 31-yard-line and they picked up 24 yards on that on the first play with Melvin flagged for pass interference. Two plays later Womens Customized Oakland Raiders Jerseys , he gave up the touchdown from two yards out.Midway through the fourth quarter, the Raiders had retaken the lead. They lined up in third and five and Melvin gave up an 11-yard catch. The drive still alive, they would complete a 59-yard pass and then punch it in to take back the lead. They would, of course, add to that lead. So, that pass breakup in overtime was great, but had he not given up so much offense earlier, he may not have been in that position in the first place.Erik HarrisThe first Browns touchdown of the day saw a lot of players victimized as Nick Chubb streaked 63 yards for the score. Among them was Erik Harris who was the last line of defense but took a bad angle and couldn’t make the play. He would miss a tackle in the next touchdown as well from 49 yards out. In the third quarter, with the Browns in first and goal at the 7-yard-line, Harris was blocked down field to allow a 5-yard run. They scored the touchdown on the next play. Then on the Browns’ final touchdown, he was among those who missed the tackle on another long Chubb touchdown run, this time from 41 yards out.Martavis BryantHe had a few decent catches in this game. But nothing compares to one of the worst drops you’ll ever see. Down 17-7 in the second quarter, he got wide open deep and Carr put it where it needed to be for the touchdown and he simply didn’t make the catch. It was really quite amazing and rather hard to explain, let alone describe. And it’s inexcusable, especially considering making plays like that are the whole reason he’s even on the team.See the BallersJon Gruden and Sean McVay with striking similarities www.raiderscheapshops.com , downplay mentor connection before season opening match-up The Los Angeles Rams caught everyone by surprise last year with their impressive offense and even better defense. There are honestly few teams more complete from top to bottom than the Rams are and they got undeniably better this off-season with the additions of DT Ndamukong Suh on defense and WR Brandon Cooks on offense. It’ll be a tall order to play them week 1 and come out if it with the victory.For the Oakland Raiders to get the underdog win Monday night against the Rams they are going to have to play their absolute best football. Besides having to stop Todd Gurley along with the impressive passing offense the Rams have, the Raiders are also going to have to score against the Rams stellar defense too. To make things even more interesting though, they also have to beat one of Jon Gruden’s prot茅g茅s with him having a very close relationship to LA coach Sean McVay.For those of you that didn’t hear the story repeatedly when the Raiders faced the Rams in Preseason week 2, Jon Gruden and Sean McVay have very close family ties. It was actually McVay’s grandfather who gave Gruden’s father his first coaching job, and the families have been extremely close ever since. Gruden even gave Sean McVay his first NFL coaching experience when he hired him onto Gruden’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers coaching staff. Raiders offensive coordinator Greg Olson was also on that Tampa Bay staff, and he was McVay’s QB coach last season with the Rams before returning to the Raiders with Jon Gruden this season. While in LA he couldn’t help but notice that Sean McVay had even inherited some of Gruden’s mannerisms.“I used to say Sean used to use a lot of Gruden-isms.” Greg Olson said of McVay at his press conference yesterday. “How he spoke to the team and his message and mannerisms. I think there were a lot of similarities there that Sean had picked up. Certainly, they’re two different coaches, two different people. When I first got to Sean’s staff I thought that was entertaining to say the least on some of the mannerism that he used.”Considering how close of a connection Gruden and McVay share it isn’t too surprising if McVay emulates some of Gruden’s style, though it does add an interesting level of intrigue to this upcoming season opener. Which one of these coaches will better use their knowledge of the other to lead their team to victory?It’s a tough question because of it being their first real game facing off against each other. Toss out the preseason game they just played too because neither coach tipped their hand in that one. It was as plain of play calling in that game as you will ever see, even by preseason standards that game was boring. It actually must have been difficult to coach a game that was that devoid of personality for both of these coaches.That won’t be the case Monday night, this time it’s for real. Will it be the teacher or the pupil who gets the better of the other though, that is what we will all be waiting impatiently to find out. However, if you think Gruden would admit to this game being more meaningful considering it’s against one of his closest friends and pupils you’d be dead wrong. Gruden says he doesn’t think about who is on the other side at all, a classic Gruden hyperbole if I’ve seen one.“I don’t really care who we play.” Gruden said when asked if the game mattered more to him because of McVay. “We always learned a long time ago the other team are faceless objects. You have to look at it that way. They can beat you up really bad in pro football, no matter who you play. So having the utmost respect for the Rams. Obviously Oakland Raiders T-Shirt , when the game is over it will be great to see Sean. You got to treat every game as its own and we want to win because it’s time to play.”As if it was right on cue, Sean McVay was asked about how he feels about playing Gruden too and his response was eerily similar. When reading this it makes you realize just how right Greg Olson is about McVay’s use of “Gruden-isms”.”Yeah, what you talk about is, I think everybody knows the appreciation you have for what Jon has meant to my family and to me personally, as a coach. But, this is about the Rams versus the Raiders. What we try to do a great job of as coaches, is really focusing on getting ready for that opponent and once you get into the stadium, it’s going to be about the Raiders versus the Rams and that’s exactly what it’s about.” McVay said at his Rams press conference.“Regardless of the relationships that you have, the coaching profession is such a small one, but it’s about doing everything in our power to try to come away with a win and I know he would say the same exact thing. We’ve got a whole lot of respect for what they’re going to present and a lot of different problems in all three phases and it’s a challenge that we’re excited about.”Yep, two peas in a pod. Now we will get to see if their play-calling is just as similar too when they face off this Monday. The Rams have the better roster (sorry, they do) but the Raiders have the mentor while the Rams have the pupil. Will that be enough for the Raiders to get the surprise victory or will it be the pupil who becomes the master instead? I don’t know, but I’m very excited to find out this Monday night.
