Rastak
09-08-2007, 06:40 AM
Why To Watch
Offensive coordinator Mike Martz is loaded with weapons across the board. He has a stable of wide receivers to get involved in the pass game and is excited about veteran quarterback Jon Kitna, who still has the physical ability and football savvy to lead the offense. The Detroit defense will be put to the test every week, especially in the secondary. Rookie head coach Lane Kiffin will bring a new and fresh flavor to the revamped Oakland Raiders. While the defense remains one of the best in the NFL under defensive coordinator Rob Ryan, the offense will begin to develop an identity with QB Daunte Culpepper at the helm. Culpepper will bring his success and experience to one of the worst offenses in the NFL in 2006.
When the Lions have the ball
Rushing: The Lions may use the run game as a compliment to their passing attack this season. Kevin Jones is day-to-day with a foot injury that nearly placed him on the PUP list. Tatum Bell and T.J. Duckett will have bigger roles than anticipated in the run game. Bell is the likely starter and Duckett, a tough bruising running back, had a productive preseason and runs well in between the tackles. The additions of RT George Foster from Denver and LG Edwin Mulitalo from Baltimore improve the offensive line from a year ago. RG Damien Woody is back from an injury which forced him to miss 11 games in 2006. Oakland was on the bottom half of the NFL in run defense in 2006. Veteran defensive tackle Warren Sapp lost weight in the offseason to enhance his quickness and endurance, but the defensive line has struggled stopping the run in the past. They will have to rely on ILB Kirk Morrison again to make the plays against the running attack. The Lions will be able to spread the Oakland defense out with three and four wide receiver sets and run the ball.
Passing: It will be exciting to see how Martz will take advantage of the talented wide receivers in Detroit. Not only will Oakland have to key on rookie sensation Calvin Johnson, they also have to account for Roy Williams and Mike Furrey, who combined for 180 catches, 2,396 yards and 13 TDs in 2006. Kitna had a productive preseason and understands Martz's passing concepts well. Oakland will also have to account for the running back as a big part of Martz's offense in catching balls out of the backfield. But the Raiders had the best pass defense in 2006, led by CB Nnamdi Asomugha, who is quietly one of the best cover corners in the NFL. Asomugha, along with corner Fabian Washington and safeties Stuart Schweigert and Michael Huff, make up one of the best secondary units in the NFL. If any group can shut down the Detroit passing attack, it's this one.
When the Raiders have the ball
Rushing: LaMont Jordan has been a productive running back for the Oakland offense and has made the Raiders offensive line look better than they actually are. Offseason free agent acquisition Dominic Rhodes is suspended the first four games for violating the league's substance abuse policy and while that puts a bigger load on Jordan, he's used to it. Kiffin will try to establish Oakland's run game regardless, but Marinelli is determined to improve the Detroit run defense that was average last season. Marinelli brought in former Buccaneer DE Dewayne White in the offseason to bolster the defensive line. DT Shaun Cody played in only six games in 2006 after suffering a foot injury. The Detroit linebacking corps, with strongside OLB Boss Bailey, ILB Paris Lenon, and weakside OLB Ernie Sims, has speed and is starting to develop the type of aggressive philosophy Marinelli had in Tampa Bay.
Passing: Culpepper is the key to Oakland's passing game and will make everyone around him better, including wide receivers Jerry Porter and Ronald Curry. Oakland offensive coordinator Greg Knapp will incorporate some of the West Coast three- and five-step passing routes to quicken the release of the QB. That will also help the offensive line in pass protection. In the past, the seven-step vertical passing game owner Al Davis favors required longer protection time. The loss of Dre Bly to Denver is a big one for the Lions secondary. Bly was able to man-up any receivers he played against, which allowed the Detroit safeties to make plays over the top or offer help in other areas. Corners Fernando Bryant and Stanley Wilson will be under the microscope early in the season and opponents will try to exploit them. Sims, the outside linebacker, may have a bigger role in coverage this season to aid the secondary.
Special Teams
Detroit's special teams will feature a new coordinator in Stan Kwan, who takes over for Chuck Priefer, who helped the Lions special teams excel. Jason Hanson will once again provide the stability and accuracy in the kicking game. The scheme is aggressive on kickoff coverage and the return phase is still a five-man front with a four- or five-man wedge behind. In Oakland, rookie NFL coach Brian Schneider will install his own identity for special teams. With two exceptional specialists in K Sebastian Janikowski and P Shane Lechler, the Raiders should improve in all phases from a year ago. Returner Chris Carr proved to be a game-changing threat in 2006 doing both the kickoff and punt returns.
Who is the better choice at QB, Daunte Culpepper or Josh McCown?
Since Josh McCown has been with the Raiders longer and he's more familiar with the offense, he is the better choice to start on Sunday. In two weeks, it may be Culpepper who improves the Raiders offense with the combination of his arm strength, physical strength and experience as a starter, but he does not have enough support around him for Oakland to make a dramatic leap. This is an offensive rebuilding team and it will take another season or two to get the right offensive players in the organization to contend for the playoffs.
On top of that, there is inconsistency with the offensive line play and offensive line coach Tom Cable has his hands full and the Oakland wide receivers were nonexistent in 2006. WR Jerry Porter has a positive new outlook in the Lane Kiffin era and he will have to prove himself to be a reliable deep threat that can stretch the field and come up with key possessions.
Can the Detroit secondary be productive without Dre Bly?
Bly's shoes will be hard to fill in the secondary, but starting fresh is sometimes the best situation for a position group. Strong safety Kenoy Kennedy is an eight-year veteran and he has leadership qualities that he will use in the secondary to get rookie FS Gerald Alexander adjusted to the NFL. Corners Fernando Bryant and Stanley Wilson will be asked to jam receivers at the line of scrimmage in Tampa 2 coverage in order to redirect and disrupt route timing.
The defense and secondary should resemble what head coach Rod Marinelli did in Tampa Bay more so this season than last and new defensive coordinator Joe Barry will make sure that the defense will take a liking to the schemes he brought with him from Tampa Bay.
Can Tatum Bell carry the work load for the Detroit running backs?
Bell has exceeded the expectations of offensive coordinator Mike Martz so far. On top of being a good runner, Bell has shown Martz that he can catch the ball out of the backfield with soft hands. That was a pleasant surprise for Martz. Another running back who has shown improvement with a bruising style of running in the preseason was T.J. Duckett. Duckett may be the change-of-pace back that Martz can use when and if the Lions are ahead in a game. He's a punishing back who runs with low pad level and inflicts pain on tacklers. Bell and Duckett may be the one-two punch that Detroit needs to get them over the edge. Kevin Jones may take another few weeks to completely get back to where he was last season and considered a contributor to the offense.
Scouts' Edge
The Scouts Inc. Position Advantage
QB RB WR OL DL LB DB ST Coach
Oakland has improved its situation by hiring Lane Kiffin to be the head coach but they still have a ways to go in rebuilding the offense. The Raiders defense will keep them in games all year and may even do enough to win one or two games by itself. The Raiders special teams should also be improved this season with new coordinator Brian Schneider taking over.
For now, the Detroit Lions have a renewed sense of urgency to be productive. The players are buying in to Marinelli's coaching style and the offense will be dangerous if it can stay healthy. The defense is also buying into the aggressive philosophy of the Tampa 2 and working up field and defending the deep throws.
Prediction: Lions 17, Raiders 7
Offensive coordinator Mike Martz is loaded with weapons across the board. He has a stable of wide receivers to get involved in the pass game and is excited about veteran quarterback Jon Kitna, who still has the physical ability and football savvy to lead the offense. The Detroit defense will be put to the test every week, especially in the secondary. Rookie head coach Lane Kiffin will bring a new and fresh flavor to the revamped Oakland Raiders. While the defense remains one of the best in the NFL under defensive coordinator Rob Ryan, the offense will begin to develop an identity with QB Daunte Culpepper at the helm. Culpepper will bring his success and experience to one of the worst offenses in the NFL in 2006.
When the Lions have the ball
Rushing: The Lions may use the run game as a compliment to their passing attack this season. Kevin Jones is day-to-day with a foot injury that nearly placed him on the PUP list. Tatum Bell and T.J. Duckett will have bigger roles than anticipated in the run game. Bell is the likely starter and Duckett, a tough bruising running back, had a productive preseason and runs well in between the tackles. The additions of RT George Foster from Denver and LG Edwin Mulitalo from Baltimore improve the offensive line from a year ago. RG Damien Woody is back from an injury which forced him to miss 11 games in 2006. Oakland was on the bottom half of the NFL in run defense in 2006. Veteran defensive tackle Warren Sapp lost weight in the offseason to enhance his quickness and endurance, but the defensive line has struggled stopping the run in the past. They will have to rely on ILB Kirk Morrison again to make the plays against the running attack. The Lions will be able to spread the Oakland defense out with three and four wide receiver sets and run the ball.
Passing: It will be exciting to see how Martz will take advantage of the talented wide receivers in Detroit. Not only will Oakland have to key on rookie sensation Calvin Johnson, they also have to account for Roy Williams and Mike Furrey, who combined for 180 catches, 2,396 yards and 13 TDs in 2006. Kitna had a productive preseason and understands Martz's passing concepts well. Oakland will also have to account for the running back as a big part of Martz's offense in catching balls out of the backfield. But the Raiders had the best pass defense in 2006, led by CB Nnamdi Asomugha, who is quietly one of the best cover corners in the NFL. Asomugha, along with corner Fabian Washington and safeties Stuart Schweigert and Michael Huff, make up one of the best secondary units in the NFL. If any group can shut down the Detroit passing attack, it's this one.
When the Raiders have the ball
Rushing: LaMont Jordan has been a productive running back for the Oakland offense and has made the Raiders offensive line look better than they actually are. Offseason free agent acquisition Dominic Rhodes is suspended the first four games for violating the league's substance abuse policy and while that puts a bigger load on Jordan, he's used to it. Kiffin will try to establish Oakland's run game regardless, but Marinelli is determined to improve the Detroit run defense that was average last season. Marinelli brought in former Buccaneer DE Dewayne White in the offseason to bolster the defensive line. DT Shaun Cody played in only six games in 2006 after suffering a foot injury. The Detroit linebacking corps, with strongside OLB Boss Bailey, ILB Paris Lenon, and weakside OLB Ernie Sims, has speed and is starting to develop the type of aggressive philosophy Marinelli had in Tampa Bay.
Passing: Culpepper is the key to Oakland's passing game and will make everyone around him better, including wide receivers Jerry Porter and Ronald Curry. Oakland offensive coordinator Greg Knapp will incorporate some of the West Coast three- and five-step passing routes to quicken the release of the QB. That will also help the offensive line in pass protection. In the past, the seven-step vertical passing game owner Al Davis favors required longer protection time. The loss of Dre Bly to Denver is a big one for the Lions secondary. Bly was able to man-up any receivers he played against, which allowed the Detroit safeties to make plays over the top or offer help in other areas. Corners Fernando Bryant and Stanley Wilson will be under the microscope early in the season and opponents will try to exploit them. Sims, the outside linebacker, may have a bigger role in coverage this season to aid the secondary.
Special Teams
Detroit's special teams will feature a new coordinator in Stan Kwan, who takes over for Chuck Priefer, who helped the Lions special teams excel. Jason Hanson will once again provide the stability and accuracy in the kicking game. The scheme is aggressive on kickoff coverage and the return phase is still a five-man front with a four- or five-man wedge behind. In Oakland, rookie NFL coach Brian Schneider will install his own identity for special teams. With two exceptional specialists in K Sebastian Janikowski and P Shane Lechler, the Raiders should improve in all phases from a year ago. Returner Chris Carr proved to be a game-changing threat in 2006 doing both the kickoff and punt returns.
Who is the better choice at QB, Daunte Culpepper or Josh McCown?
Since Josh McCown has been with the Raiders longer and he's more familiar with the offense, he is the better choice to start on Sunday. In two weeks, it may be Culpepper who improves the Raiders offense with the combination of his arm strength, physical strength and experience as a starter, but he does not have enough support around him for Oakland to make a dramatic leap. This is an offensive rebuilding team and it will take another season or two to get the right offensive players in the organization to contend for the playoffs.
On top of that, there is inconsistency with the offensive line play and offensive line coach Tom Cable has his hands full and the Oakland wide receivers were nonexistent in 2006. WR Jerry Porter has a positive new outlook in the Lane Kiffin era and he will have to prove himself to be a reliable deep threat that can stretch the field and come up with key possessions.
Can the Detroit secondary be productive without Dre Bly?
Bly's shoes will be hard to fill in the secondary, but starting fresh is sometimes the best situation for a position group. Strong safety Kenoy Kennedy is an eight-year veteran and he has leadership qualities that he will use in the secondary to get rookie FS Gerald Alexander adjusted to the NFL. Corners Fernando Bryant and Stanley Wilson will be asked to jam receivers at the line of scrimmage in Tampa 2 coverage in order to redirect and disrupt route timing.
The defense and secondary should resemble what head coach Rod Marinelli did in Tampa Bay more so this season than last and new defensive coordinator Joe Barry will make sure that the defense will take a liking to the schemes he brought with him from Tampa Bay.
Can Tatum Bell carry the work load for the Detroit running backs?
Bell has exceeded the expectations of offensive coordinator Mike Martz so far. On top of being a good runner, Bell has shown Martz that he can catch the ball out of the backfield with soft hands. That was a pleasant surprise for Martz. Another running back who has shown improvement with a bruising style of running in the preseason was T.J. Duckett. Duckett may be the change-of-pace back that Martz can use when and if the Lions are ahead in a game. He's a punishing back who runs with low pad level and inflicts pain on tacklers. Bell and Duckett may be the one-two punch that Detroit needs to get them over the edge. Kevin Jones may take another few weeks to completely get back to where he was last season and considered a contributor to the offense.
Scouts' Edge
The Scouts Inc. Position Advantage
QB RB WR OL DL LB DB ST Coach
Oakland has improved its situation by hiring Lane Kiffin to be the head coach but they still have a ways to go in rebuilding the offense. The Raiders defense will keep them in games all year and may even do enough to win one or two games by itself. The Raiders special teams should also be improved this season with new coordinator Brian Schneider taking over.
For now, the Detroit Lions have a renewed sense of urgency to be productive. The players are buying in to Marinelli's coaching style and the offense will be dangerous if it can stay healthy. The defense is also buying into the aggressive philosophy of the Tampa 2 and working up field and defending the deep throws.
Prediction: Lions 17, Raiders 7