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It's a game that screams blowout.  The Seahawks at home against the hapless Raiders.  But nagging at the Seahawks must be the thought: "Don't let us be the ones to give Oakland their first win".

What do we need to know about this game?

1) The Seahawks Defense Is Not What It Was Last Year:

In 2013, the Seahawks defense was a dominant force, taking control of a game and literally thrashing their opponents.  Look at their numbers in 2013: Passing yards per game - 172; Rushing yards per game - 102: 39 total turnovers; and 14.4 points allowed per game.  This is not the case this year at all.  So far this year the Seahawks defense is truly pedestrian: Passing yards per game - 227; Rushing yards per game - 90; only 7 total turnovers; and 21.4 points allowed per game.

Not even home field advantage, which with the "12th man" crowd caused so many problems for incoming offenses, has not gome completely Seattle's way as they are only 2-1 at home.

Seattles defense is obviously not what it was, but they should be able to handle the inept Raiders, but it is somethng to watch and makes the game somewhat more interesting (competitive????) than it would have been last year.

2) With Percy Harvin Gone, WR Doug Baldwin's Role and Production Has Increased:

Since Harvin's departure prior to week seven, Baldwin has become Russell Wilson's main target.  Baldwin's targets have increased from an average of 5 in weeks one through six, to 10 in week seven and 8 in week eight with cooresponding increases in catches and yardage.  Baldwin will continue to be Wilson's first look and should be in for a solid game this week.

3) Marshawn Lynch Is Key To Seattle's Fortunes:

Lynch must find his "Beast Mode" once again and Seattle needs to give him the ball.  In their three losses, Lynch has an average of less than 12 carries per game for an average of only 50 yards.  In their four victories, Lynch had an average of 19 carries for an average of 83 yards.  Clearly, getting Lynch going is paramount to Seattle getting their wins.  

Against a Raiders team giving up the 2nd most yards on the ground, look for Lynch to get into the action early and often, should this happen a Seahawks victory is that much more possible.

4) Andre Holmes Appears To Be The Key To The Raiders Offense:

So far this year the Raiders have scored more than 14 points in only one game, versus the Chargers.  What made that game different was the breakout of Andre Holmes.  Against the Chargers, Holmes had 121 yards and 2 touchdowns.  He is a dynamic WR and if Derek Carr can get him the ball downfield, he can open up more options for the team and give the Raiders at least a fighting chance against the Seahawks.

5) Seattle Must Put Aside Last Year's Super Bowl Victory And Concentrate On This Year:

It is time for the Seahawks to get over their Super Bowl headache and get down to business.  They are 4 and 3 and though tied with the 49ers, they are technically in third place in the NFC West and currently out of the playoffs were they to start today.  A loss to the Raiders would put Seattle in a very bad way in terms of the playoffs and this could be the single biggest key to this game.  If Seattle is truly going to make it back into the playoffs and contend for the SuperBowl again, they need to take this game and the Raiders by the scruff of the neck and shake it like a wild dog.  This is one they need to win.

There is no reason to assume that the Raiders will be able to beat the Seahawks at home in Seattle this week, but this is the NFL and on any given Sunday any team can win.  If the game goes according to "Chalk" Seattle should win handily, but if Oakland can muster any kind of offense it could be an intersesting game to watch, or at least check in on.

Have a great football weekend!!!

It's a game that screams blowout.  The Seahawks at home against the hapless Raiders.  But nagging at the Seahawks must be the thought: "Don't let us be the ones to give Oakland their first win".

What do we need to know about this game?

1) The Seahawks Defense Is Not What It Was Last Year:

In 2013, the Seahawks defense was a dominant force, taking control of a game and literally thrashing their opponents.  Look at their numbers in 2013: Passing yards per game - 172; Rushing yards per game - 102: 39 total turnovers; and 14.4 points allowed per game.  This is not the case this year at all.  So far this year the Seahawks defense is truly pedestrian: Passing yards per game - 227; Rushing yards per game - 90; only 7 total turnovers; and 21.4 points allowed per game.

Not even home field advantage, which with the "12th man" crowd caused so many problems for incoming offenses, has not gome completely Seattle's way as they are only 2-1 at home.

Seattles defense is obviously not what it was, but they should be able to handle the inept Raiders, but it is somethng to watch and makes the game somewhat more interesting (competitive????) than it would have been last year.

2) With Percy Harvin Gone, WR Doug Baldwin's Role and Production Has Increased:

Since Harvin's departure prior to week seven, Baldwin has become Russell Wilson's main target.  Baldwin's targets have increased from an average of 5 in weeks one through six, to 10 in week seven and 8 in week eight with cooresponding increases in catches and yardage.  Baldwin will continue to be Wilson's first look and should be in for a solid game this week.

3) Marshawn Lynch Is Key To Seattle's Fortunes:

Lynch must find his "Beast Mode" once again and Seattle needs to give him the ball.  In their three losses, Lynch has an average of less than 12 carries per game for an average of only 50 yards.  In their four victories, Lynch had an average of 19 carries for an average of 83 yards.  Clearly, getting Lynch going is paramount to Seattle getting their wins.  

Against a Raiders team giving up the 2nd most yards on the ground, look for Lynch to get into the action early and often, should this happen a Seahawks victory is that much more possible.

4) Andre Holmes Appears To Be The Key To The Raiders Offense:

So far this year the Raiders have scored more than 14 points in only one game, versus the Chargers.  What made that game different was the breakout of Andre Holmes.  Against the Chargers, Holmes had 121 yards and 2 touchdowns.  He is a dynamic WR and if Derek Carr can get him the ball downfield, he can open up more options for the team and give the Raiders at least a fighting chance against the Seahawks.

5) Seattle Must Put Aside Last Year's Super Bowl Victory And Concentrate On This Year:

It is time for the Seahawks to get over their Super Bowl headache and get down to business.  They are 4 and 3 and though tied with the 49ers, they are technically in third place in the NFC West and currently out of the playoffs were they to start today.  A loss to the Raiders would put Seattle in a very bad way in terms of the playoffs and this could be the single biggest key to this game.  If Seattle is truly going to make it back into the playoffs and contend for the SuperBowl again, they need to take this game and the Raiders by the scruff of the neck and shake it like a wild dog.  This is one they need to win.

There is no reason to assume that the Raiders will be able to beat the Seahawks at home in Seattle this week, but this is the NFL and on any given Sunday any team can win.  If the game goes according to "Chalk" Seattle should win handily, but if Oakland can muster any kind of offense it could be an intersesting game to watch, or at least check in on.

Have a great football weekend!!!

Oakland Raiders' rookie quarterback Derek Carr played a solid game Sunday, throwing for 328 yards, despite being pressured by Cleveland's defense for most of the game.  Carr completed 34 of 54 pass attempts, in addition to thowing a touchdown pass, while not tossing an interception in the game.  The Raiders elected to bring Matt Schaub in for a fake field goal play, which saw him fumble the ball, recover it, and then threw an interception to Browns safety Tashaun Gipson.

The biggest downside for the Raiders was committing three turnovers in the game, one of which resulted in a Cleveland touchdown late in the 4th quarter that sealed the game for the Browns.  Cleveland is now 4-3 and in last place in the AFC North, but only a half game out of first place.  Clevland has already had their bye week, while the remaining three teams in the AFC North haven't had their week off yet.

One fact that must be covered about this game, is how the Browns' offense remained efficient depite their running game being non-existent Sunday.  Cleveland's leading rusher in the game was veteran Ben Tate, who rushed for only 26 yards on 15 carries for a putrid 1.7 average per carry.  Rookie running back Terrence West couldn't get it going either, rushing for only 11 yards on 7 carries for a 1.6 average per carry.

If not for the three turnovers by Oakland, the Cleveland Browns might have given another winless team their first victory of the season.  A win is a win, but when you struggle for two straight weeks against winless opponents, it doesn't bode well for the Browns, who still have four tough home games coming up against the Cincinnati Bengals, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Cleveland's road schedule looks worse over the second half of the season, playing the Atlanta Falcons, Baltimore Ravens, Buffalo Bills, Carolina Panthers, and the Cincinnati Bengals.  If they intend to compete for the AFC North title, they must elevate their level of play to a point greater than what they showcased during the last two games against cupcake teams at this level.

Oakland Raiders' rookie quarterback Derek Carr played a solid game Sunday, throwing for 328 yards, despite being pressured by Cleveland's defense for most of the game.  Carr completed 34 of 54 pass attempts, in addition to thowing a touchdown pass, while not tossing an interception in the game.  The Raiders elected to bring Matt Schaub in for a fake field goal play, which saw him fumble the ball, recover it, and then threw an interception to Browns safety Tashaun Gipson.

The biggest downside for the Raiders was committing three turnovers in the game, one of which resulted in a Cleveland touchdown late in the 4th quarter that sealed the game for the Browns.  Cleveland is now 4-3 and in last place in the AFC North, but only a half game out of first place.  Clevland has already had their bye week, while the remaining three teams in the AFC North haven't had their week off yet.

One fact that must be covered about this game, is how the Browns' offense remained efficient depite their running game being non-existent Sunday.  Cleveland's leading rusher in the game was veteran Ben Tate, who rushed for only 26 yards on 15 carries for a putrid 1.7 average per carry.  Rookie running back Terrence West couldn't get it going either, rushing for only 11 yards on 7 carries for a 1.6 average per carry.

If not for the three turnovers by Oakland, the Cleveland Browns might have given another winless team their first victory of the season.  A win is a win, but when you struggle for two straight weeks against winless opponents, it doesn't bode well for the Browns, who still have four tough home games coming up against the Cincinnati Bengals, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Cleveland's road schedule looks worse over the second half of the season, playing the Atlanta Falcons, Baltimore Ravens, Buffalo Bills, Carolina Panthers, and the Cincinnati Bengals.  If they intend to compete for the AFC North title, they must elevate their level of play to a point greater than what they showcased during the last two games against cupcake teams at this level.

The Oakland Raiders were once a dominant team in the late 70's to early 80's. Now they're a team that no one respects. The Raiders were coming into Sunday's game against the Cleveland Browns with a 0-6 record looking for their first victory. However, they found a way to lose the game 23-13, and now they are 0-7.

With a interim head coach Tony Sparano taking over, the players don't seem to be adjusting to his style. When will these players take some accountability for their lack of play? On paper the Oakland Raiders are a playoff team, but looks can be very deceiving.

When owner Al Davis was alive, he got in the faces of players that weren't getting in done on the field. That man loved his team. With so much talent on this roster, you would think that the leadership on this team was helping rookie quarterback Derek Carr's development.

In his first season as quarterback, Carr is playing the best he can on what he has on the field. Car doesn't have any help on the offensive line to protect him better, and his receiving core are playing below average. If the Raiders keep playing this way, they'll go 1-15 for the year.

Players that's not performing in the game should be benched, no questions asked. Tony Sparano should be disciplining these players more effectively, by showing them that he means business. From the looks of it, this team makes a lot of careless mistakes, and they aren't representing Raider Nation as their supposed to.

When you watch a Oakland Raiders game you can see that they're in it, but come fourth quarter they disappear and just can't hold on to win. Raiders running back Darren McFadden has underperformed with just 338 rushing yards for the season. If the Raiders want to win games in the future McFadden has to contribute more.

There is a rumor going around the NFL that John Gruden would be looking to only coach the Oakland Raiders if he came back. So by next season we should expect Gruden to take over this fallen team, and hopefully make them into a playoff contender.

The Oakland Raiders were once a dominant team in the late 70's to early 80's. Now they're a team that no one respects. The Raiders were coming into Sunday's game against the Cleveland Browns with a 0-6 record looking for their first victory. However, they found a way to lose the game 23-13, and now they are 0-7.

With a interim head coach Tony Sparano taking over, the players don't seem to be adjusting to his style. When will these players take some accountability for their lack of play? On paper the Oakland Raiders are a playoff team, but looks can be very deceiving.

When owner Al Davis was alive, he got in the faces of players that weren't getting in done on the field. That man loved his team. With so much talent on this roster, you would think that the leadership on this team was helping rookie quarterback Derek Carr's development.

In his first season as quarterback, Carr is playing the best he can on what he has on the field. Car doesn't have any help on the offensive line to protect him better, and his receiving core are playing below average. If the Raiders keep playing this way, they'll go 1-15 for the year.

Players that's not performing in the game should be benched, no questions asked. Tony Sparano should be disciplining these players more effectively, by showing them that he means business. From the looks of it, this team makes a lot of careless mistakes, and they aren't representing Raider Nation as their supposed to.

When you watch a Oakland Raiders game you can see that they're in it, but come fourth quarter they disappear and just can't hold on to win. Raiders running back Darren McFadden has underperformed with just 338 rushing yards for the season. If the Raiders want to win games in the future McFadden has to contribute more.

There is a rumor going around the NFL that John Gruden would be looking to only coach the Oakland Raiders if he came back. So by next season we should expect Gruden to take over this fallen team, and hopefully make them into a playoff contender.

Sometimes words do nothing more than harm an athlete’s ego. It is possible the words spoken by Miami Dolphins’ head coach Joe Philbin did nothing more than inspire quarterback Ryan Tannehill to play his best game of the early NFL season.

The 38-14 win over the Oakland Raiders in London proved these Dolphins have some life in them and more important, it showed Tannehill is still the best chance for this team to reach the playoffs. Earlier in the week, banter between the quarterback and coach led to a media swarm that depicted an angry coaching who called out his signal caller when the two could have met behind closed doors.

In the middle of a storm all week because his coach declined to endorse him as the starter, Tannehill threw for 278 yards and two touchdowns Sunday, leading the Miami Dolphins to a 38-14 victory over the Oakland Raiders at Wembley Stadium. This, according to the Associated Press.

Tannehill took advantage of a depleted Oakland defense to snap a two-game losing streak for the Dolphins (2-2).

The Raiders (0-4) scored on their opening drive but struggled after that. And starting quarterback Derek Carr was injured in the third quarter, replaced by third-stringer Matt McGloin.

Here is what we learned from Sunday’s win.

BETTER EFFICIENCY

This was Tannehill at his best.

Ryan Tannehill completed 17 of his 19 passes (89.5 percent) in the 1st half Sunday, the highest completion percentage in any half in his career (previous high was 85.7 percent in 2nd half of 2012 Week 15 game).

WHEN IT RAINS…

The Raiders (0-4) scored on their opening drive but struggled after that. And starting quarterback Derek Carr was injured in the third quarter, replaced by third-stringer Matt McGloin.

Oakland began the game without linebackers Nick Roach and Sio Moore, who were both inactive. Kaluka Maiava, who started in place of Moore, was then injured on the first Dolphins series, allowing Tannehill and his receivers to take even more advantage of the short pass.

Things got worse for the Raiders when Carr injured his left ankle and knee in the third quarter and was replaced by McGloin. Backup Matt Schaub did not make the trip to London.

On his second play, McGloin watched a bad snap fly by and then saw Finnegan snatch it up and run it in.

The Raiders have lost 10 straight dating to last season, putting the pressure on Coach Dennis Allen.

MORE FROM WEMBLEY

The Dolphins are now 1-1 at Wembley Stadium, the home of England's national soccer team. Miami lost the first regular-season NFL game played there in 2007, falling to the New York Giants 13-10.

Sunday's matchup was the first of three NFL games at Wembley this season. The Detroit Lions will face the Atlanta Falcons on Oct. 26, and the Dallas Cowboys will play the Jacksonville Jaguars on Nov. 9.

Sometimes words do nothing more than harm an athlete’s ego. It is possible the words spoken by Miami Dolphins’ head coach Joe Philbin did nothing more than inspire quarterback Ryan Tannehill to play his best game of the early NFL season.

The 38-14 win over the Oakland Raiders in London proved these Dolphins have some life in them and more important, it showed Tannehill is still the best chance for this team to reach the playoffs. Earlier in the week, banter between the quarterback and coach led to a media swarm that depicted an angry coaching who called out his signal caller when the two could have met behind closed doors.

In the middle of a storm all week because his coach declined to endorse him as the starter, Tannehill threw for 278 yards and two touchdowns Sunday, leading the Miami Dolphins to a 38-14 victory over the Oakland Raiders at Wembley Stadium. This, according to the Associated Press.

Tannehill took advantage of a depleted Oakland defense to snap a two-game losing streak for the Dolphins (2-2).

The Raiders (0-4) scored on their opening drive but struggled after that. And starting quarterback Derek Carr was injured in the third quarter, replaced by third-stringer Matt McGloin.

Here is what we learned from Sunday’s win.

BETTER EFFICIENCY

This was Tannehill at his best.

Ryan Tannehill completed 17 of his 19 passes (89.5 percent) in the 1st half Sunday, the highest completion percentage in any half in his career (previous high was 85.7 percent in 2nd half of 2012 Week 15 game).

WHEN IT RAINS…

The Raiders (0-4) scored on their opening drive but struggled after that. And starting quarterback Derek Carr was injured in the third quarter, replaced by third-stringer Matt McGloin.

Oakland began the game without linebackers Nick Roach and Sio Moore, who were both inactive. Kaluka Maiava, who started in place of Moore, was then injured on the first Dolphins series, allowing Tannehill and his receivers to take even more advantage of the short pass.

Things got worse for the Raiders when Carr injured his left ankle and knee in the third quarter and was replaced by McGloin. Backup Matt Schaub did not make the trip to London.

On his second play, McGloin watched a bad snap fly by and then saw Finnegan snatch it up and run it in.

The Raiders have lost 10 straight dating to last season, putting the pressure on Coach Dennis Allen.

MORE FROM WEMBLEY

The Dolphins are now 1-1 at Wembley Stadium, the home of England's national soccer team. Miami lost the first regular-season NFL game played there in 2007, falling to the New York Giants 13-10.

Sunday's matchup was the first of three NFL games at Wembley this season. The Detroit Lions will face the Atlanta Falcons on Oct. 26, and the Dallas Cowboys will play the Jacksonville Jaguars on Nov. 9.

Sometimes words do nothing more than harm an athlete’s ego. It is possible the words spoken by Miami Dolphins’ head coach Joe Philbin did nothing more than inspire quarterback Ryan Tannehill to play his best game of the early NFL season.

The 38-14 win over the Oakland Raiders in London proved these Dolphins have some life in them and more important, it showed Tannehill is still the best chance for this team to reach the playoffs. Earlier in the week, banter between the quarterback and coach led to a media swarm that depicted an angry coaching who called out his signal caller when the two could have met behind closed doors.

In the middle of a storm all week because his coach declined to endorse him as the starter, Tannehill threw for 278 yards and two touchdowns Sunday, leading the Miami Dolphins to a 38-14 victory over the Oakland Raiders at Wembley Stadium. This, according to the Associated Press.

Tannehill took advantage of a depleted Oakland defense to snap a two-game losing streak for the Dolphins (2-2).

The Raiders (0-4) scored on their opening drive but struggled after that. And starting quarterback Derek Carr was injured in the third quarter, replaced by third-stringer Matt McGloin.

Here is what we learned from Sunday’s win.

BETTER EFFICIENCY

This was Tannehill at his best.

Ryan Tannehill completed 17 of his 19 passes (89.5 percent) in the 1st half Sunday, the highest completion percentage in any half in his career (previous high was 85.7 percent in 2nd half of 2012 Week 15 game).

WHEN IT RAINS…

The Raiders (0-4) scored on their opening drive but struggled after that. And starting quarterback Derek Carr was injured in the third quarter, replaced by third-stringer Matt McGloin.

Oakland began the game without linebackers Nick Roach and Sio Moore, who were both inactive. Kaluka Maiava, who started in place of Moore, was then injured on the first Dolphins series, allowing Tannehill and his receivers to take even more advantage of the short pass.

Things got worse for the Raiders when Carr injured his left ankle and knee in the third quarter and was replaced by McGloin. Backup Matt Schaub did not make the trip to London.

On his second play, McGloin watched a bad snap fly by and then saw Finnegan snatch it up and run it in.

The Raiders have lost 10 straight dating to last season, putting the pressure on Coach Dennis Allen.

MORE FROM WEMBLEY

The Dolphins are now 1-1 at Wembley Stadium, the home of England's national soccer team. Miami lost the first regular-season NFL game played there in 2007, falling to the New York Giants 13-10.

Sunday's matchup was the first of three NFL games at Wembley this season. The Detroit Lions will face the Atlanta Falcons on Oct. 26, and the Dallas Cowboys will play the Jacksonville Jaguars on Nov. 9.

Sometimes words do nothing more than harm an athlete’s ego. It is possible the words spoken by Miami Dolphins’ head coach Joe Philbin did nothing more than inspire quarterback Ryan Tannehill to play his best game of the early NFL season.

The 38-14 win over the Oakland Raiders in London proved these Dolphins have some life in them and more important, it showed Tannehill is still the best chance for this team to reach the playoffs. Earlier in the week, banter between the quarterback and coach led to a media swarm that depicted an angry coaching who called out his signal caller when the two could have met behind closed doors.

In the middle of a storm all week because his coach declined to endorse him as the starter, Tannehill threw for 278 yards and two touchdowns Sunday, leading the Miami Dolphins to a 38-14 victory over the Oakland Raiders at Wembley Stadium. This, according to the Associated Press.

Tannehill took advantage of a depleted Oakland defense to snap a two-game losing streak for the Dolphins (2-2).

The Raiders (0-4) scored on their opening drive but struggled after that. And starting quarterback Derek Carr was injured in the third quarter, replaced by third-stringer Matt McGloin.

Here is what we learned from Sunday’s win.

BETTER EFFICIENCY

This was Tannehill at his best.

Ryan Tannehill completed 17 of his 19 passes (89.5 percent) in the 1st half Sunday, the highest completion percentage in any half in his career (previous high was 85.7 percent in 2nd half of 2012 Week 15 game).

WHEN IT RAINS…

The Raiders (0-4) scored on their opening drive but struggled after that. And starting quarterback Derek Carr was injured in the third quarter, replaced by third-stringer Matt McGloin.

Oakland began the game without linebackers Nick Roach and Sio Moore, who were both inactive. Kaluka Maiava, who started in place of Moore, was then injured on the first Dolphins series, allowing Tannehill and his receivers to take even more advantage of the short pass.

Things got worse for the Raiders when Carr injured his left ankle and knee in the third quarter and was replaced by McGloin. Backup Matt Schaub did not make the trip to London.

On his second play, McGloin watched a bad snap fly by and then saw Finnegan snatch it up and run it in.

The Raiders have lost 10 straight dating to last season, putting the pressure on Coach Dennis Allen.

MORE FROM WEMBLEY

The Dolphins are now 1-1 at Wembley Stadium, the home of England's national soccer team. Miami lost the first regular-season NFL game played there in 2007, falling to the New York Giants 13-10.

Sunday's matchup was the first of three NFL games at Wembley this season. The Detroit Lions will face the Atlanta Falcons on Oct. 26, and the Dallas Cowboys will play the Jacksonville Jaguars on Nov. 9.

Though the Oakland Raiders’ recent history is the essence of putridity, they have a long and storied history of success mainly with outcasts and madmen.  As their eccentric and posthumous Managing General Partner (even if you’re a Raider-hater, you gotta love that title) Al Davis would often boast, the Raiders had the highest winning percentage of any professional sports franchise from 1967-1985.

But what makes the Oakland Raiders one of the NFL's storied franchises are colorful knicknames of their players (The Snake, the Mad-Stork, The Intimidator, Lester-the-Molester to name a few), and the plays that have gone down in NFL historical anals (The Immaculate Reception, The Sea of Hands, The Holy Roller and The ghost to the Post).

Longtime NFL Films narrator John Facenda personified the Raider mystique best in “The Autumn Wind,” which Raider Nation has adopted as it theme song:

His face is weather beaten.
He wears a hooded sash,
With a silver hat about his head,
And a bristling black mustache.

The beauty of any best of list is the debates sparked by who was left off the list.  Knowing this, I thank the detractors in advance for your outrage for leaving off any Raider who was prominent during their 13-year experiment in Los Angeles.

With that being said, the list is a combination of a number of factors:

1)      The players contribution to the Raider mystique:

2)      Hall-of-Fame Career:

3)      Pro-football-reference’s Approximate Value (AV):  “an attempt to put a single number on the seasonal value of a player at any position from any year (since 1950),” according to pro-footballreference.com founder Doug Drinen.

SOURCES:

https://linkonym.appspot.com/?http://http://www.footballnation.com/content/oakland-raiders-the-5-greatest-players-all-time/30390/www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/rai/career-av.htm