Jets will escape Black Hole October 18, 2008 The Jets can?t actually lose to the Raiders, can they? Well, yeah, but it would take a confluence of strange events. After getting hammered last week by the Saints in Tom Cable?s debut as interim coach, the Raiders figure to be in an ornery mood for tomorrow?s game in Oakland - that is, if they have any sense of pride. I guess that might be a question, but we won?t get into that here. But, after examining this game, the Jets just have too many matchups in their favor. Brett Favre should be able to throw against an Oakland secondary that was shredded by Drew Brees, who is shredding everybody these days. DeAngelo Hall, you?re in for a long day. The Raiders could be without their best pass rusher, DE Derrick Burgess, another advantage for the Jets. Rob Ryan, the most overrated defensive coordinator in the league (and Al Davis? lap dog), doesn?t blitz that much. When he does, they usually give up big plays. At quarterback, the Raiders have JaMarcus Russell, their version of Nuke LaLoosh. (Those familiar with the movie ?Bull Durham? will understand.) Russell can throw it a country mile - S Kerry Rhodes mentioned that he saw a 75-yard throw on tape - but he can?t throw it straight. And his receiving corps stinks. The Raiders? only chance is to run the ball, probably the only thing they do well. With a now-healthy Darren McFadden, Justin Fargas and Michael Bush in the backfield, they have the ability to control a game on the ground. We?ve been writing a lot about the Jets? improved run defense, which ranks third in the NFL. Well, this game will tell us a lot about that improvement. Sorry, holding the Bengals under 50 yards doesn?t count much in my book; the Bengals were playing one-handed without QB Carson Palmer. Eric Mangini has been talking all week about how the Raiders have outscored opponents in the first quarter, 20-7, and how they could easily be 3-2 if they hadn?t blown those two fourth-quarter leads. But they DID blow those leads, as bad teams are wont to do. And the Raiders are a bad team. How bad? They?ve reached double-digit losses in five straight seasons, dating to 2003. Who was the coach that year? Bill Callahan. Yes, the same Bill Callahan who coaches the Jets? offensive line. I submitted a request this week, hoping to speak with Callahan about the game and returning to Oakland, where he wasn?t a very popular fellow. The Jets? PR police denied that request. Apparently, they want only happy stories. Prediction? The Raiders will make it a game because they?re at home, but it?ll be Jets 23, Raiders 20. By Rich Cimini on October 18, 2008 11:40 AM | Comments (8)
Who cares if the Raiders are in an ornery mood. If Cimini thinks this team actually has a sense of pride after their coach was yanked away like he was, he is way off. The veterans there must be wondering if the end of the season is near. Sorry Raider fans. You have many more losing games to sit through. Well, maybe you all can beat the Chiefs. I hope we score early and pile it on so those mutant fans go back to the caves they came from.
23-20? After dissing every aspect of the Raider team and organization, Cimini predicts we win by a field goal?
I'll take any win....and yes I see this as a trap game - Isn't every game the Jets are favoured to win a trap game? on another note I had no idea Bill Callahan was our O-Line coach. I'm sure this ignorance makes me a bad fan but hey...I don't care Go Jets!!!
Keep in mind the Jets are only 3 point favorites for a reason. Personally, I can't figure out what that reason is, so I'm picking the Jets, but Vegas is smarter than I am.
