By Paul Wexler
RaiderBeat.com Staff Writer
A year and a half after being taken with the fourth pick in the 2008 NFL Draft, Darren McFadden was named the Raiders starting running back for this season.
With seven quick words, coach Tom Cable ended most-drawn out training camp drama: “Our starting running back will be Darren McFadden,” Cable said Thursday night.
Cable kept the starting job a secret. Until last night, when either he felt comfortable telling the world or Justin Fargas’ injuries made the decision for him.
To the layman, the choice seems obvious. McFadden offers much more to the offense than Fargas, a point Cable made clear when pressed on why he chose McFadden over Fargas or Michael Bush.
“I just think for everything that he is in terms of being multiple [threat], running the football, catching the football,” said Cable. “He’s shown a high level of consistency all through camp and certainly brings some explosiveness like we’re trying to build with this offense.”
Starting in the Raiders backfield won’t correlate to 25-30 carries a game. Not as long as there are three talented backs on the roster. The plan will be for McFadden to get the bulk of the carries and for Bush and Fargas to get their touches as the game goes on and the defense gets worn down.
You can’t place enough importance on the fact that the Raiders backs need to be able to catch the ball. Quarterback JaMarcus Russell will check down and throw to his backs almost every time on the play after he misses on a pass or gets sacked.
McFadden and Bush have better hands than Fargas, who is better at taking the ball straight ahead and running between the tackles.
Many people expected McFadden to have the kind of immediate impact last season as Adrian Peterson did his rookie season in Minnesota in 2007. Turf-toe injuries derailed his rookie campaign, sapping McFadden of his speed and the ability to cut on a dime and robbing fans of seeing all of his talent.
Now that he has recovered from the turf-toe and shoulder injuries that plagued his rookie campaing, he finally is poised play to his talent level.
When McFadden is not lining up behind Russell, he still can help the team by lining up wide at receiver. The Raiders need to find ways to get McFadden the ball in open space. If they can’t open running lanes, then short slants are an appealing alternative. He is a threat to score any time he touches the ball.
To that end, Cable said he spent considerable time over the summer breaking down video of the Raiders games last season. In doing so, he hit upon a common theme.
“He’s a real key for us,” Cable said. ”When you look at us, when we used him many ways, not just as a runner, but many ways, we were much, much better offensively. So, it’s really to expand on that role and make him a key part of what we’re trying to do.”
Expect Bush, 6-foot-1 and 246 pounds, to get a disproporionate amount of carries in the second half of games, given he is a bruiser looking for contact and the kind of back capable of wearing down defenses. He also seems to get better the more carries he gets during a game.
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McFadden and Bush…a beautiful 1,2 punch for the Chargerless D. I hope Bush light up Merriman on Monday. Don’t be surprised if both get a 100 yards rushing. This is going to be sweeeeeeeetttttt!!!
OAKLAND RAIDERES 2009 AFC CHAMPS BITCHES!!!
run them dam ball over and over
Bush will have a good game if Cable gives him enough carrys and he gets his rythem.
GORAIDERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thank god for something else to focus on! Go Raiders!
Run the ball!! Run, Run, and then Run some more!!
What took him so long to announce that? Mcfadden should of been named the starter a long time ago. To me all that shows is how much cable isn’t ready to be a head coach.
I hope we can just pick up where we left of from last season. Alot of people have talked alot of negative shit about the RAIDERS even some of our own so called fans on this site. It has been hard to watch these last six years but every year and every game I am ready to watch some RAIDER football ! To all true RAIDER fans lets hope OUR team can kick some f@#kin ass this year starting monday night! To all you negative ass shit talking, fake ass , bandwagen bitches f!@k off GO RAIDERS!!!!
50million reasons why he should start
I can’t wait to read all the comment’s on tuesday from all you that have talked all your negative shit all offseason when the RAIDERS beat that charger ass. And if we don’t im sure all the little cry baby biatches will log in to talk more shit. This team shows improvement last year by winning their last two games and knocking tampa out of the playoffs in their house and all some of you punk ass shit talkers can think to say is negative shit? espn is brain washing all you weak minded little f!@ks. Like Gruden said right before he got fired the RAIDERS will be back! Trust that! Let’s just hope it’s this year.
Raiders line up in a I formation, McFadden behind O’neil in the backfield. Merriman showing blitz off the edge. Russell takes the snap, turns and hands to McFadden. Merriman has a bead on him, squares up and… O’neil out of nowhere lights Merriman up. McFadden spins around Cromartie, in what can only be described as Barry Sander-esque. D-mac down the right sideline, 45,40,35,30,25,20,15,10,5…
TOUCHDOOOOWWWNNN RRRRRAAAIIIDDDEERRRRRS!!!!!!
Oren O’neil just turned the LIGHTS OUT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The lone monster tandem we have until the WR’s start making an impact this year. The run game will be a must in order for JR to start getting an air show going. Keep control of the ball and keep in out of River’s hands as much as possible.
Great point Diablo. The run game is so important to our success! A lot of people have pointed to the Saints game as the beginning of the undoing of the 2009 season. Keep in mind after the Saints drove down for the TD we came out throwing. It was going well until that fumble by Russell, but in a regular season game I think Cable will run the ball in a situation like that to rest the defense.
i said this in other threads when folks started to shit bricks when fargas was listed as the starter. did anyone really doubt this was gunna happen? seriously. and if so, it would have only been a short time till DMC was in front.
3 more days to get thru nation!
GO RAIDERS!!!
CHARGERS= COMMITMENT TO MEDIOCRITY
Report: Raiders place Seymour on reserve/left club list
Posted by Mike Florio on September 11, 2009 10:34 PM ET
There’s a report tonight from Michael Lombardi of NFL Network that the Oakland Raiders have placed defensive lineman Richard Seymour on the reserve/left club list.
The news comes amid reports that Seymour received a “five-day letter” from the Raiders on Thursday or Friday.
We’re confused here because, as the league office explained the procedure to us, a player cannot be placed on the reserve/left club list until after the five-day period encompassed by the coincidentally-named five-day letter has expired.
If/when Seymour is placed on the reserve/left club list, he cannot play again in 2009, for anyone.
Also, we continue to have doubts as to whether the trade is truly official, given that (as a very good source has told us) the trade specifically hinges on Seymour reporting and passing a physical. That said, the mere sending of the five-day letter constitutes evidence that the Raiders regard Seymour to be their property.
Bottom line? Regardless of the precise state of affairs at the present time, the Raiders have bungled this situation by not including specific language that would have automatically scuttled the deal if Seymour didn’t report by a specific date after the deal was done.
It also might have been a good idea to get a feel for whether Seymour was willing to trade the gold standard in NFL franchises for the Black Hole before boxing up that 2011 first-round pick and shipping it to Foxborough.
the over under is 3!!!!!! how many chargers fans show to the game!! LOL
$20 says cowardfan4life won’t be there either. on the chokers site it even said Tila is even routing for the raiders! LOL
he’ll be in the closet with….lights out!!!
1nation so….he isn’t on the list yet right? the paperwork is more or less submitted and at the 5 day mark monday I take it THEN he’s blacklisted. sounds like a little motivation dontcha think? I wonder what items he has broken in his house up to this point? lol poor dog must have been kicked 1 side of the yard to the other
to the people who say cable was stupid to have a Competition between brown & morrison, between the running back, routt and johnson( like dumass outkast up here) think about it a little bit. there was no competition he was just trying to get that extra juice out of everyone just like jmac he was always the starter even when garcia was its just to push them before season starts so that every on is at there fullest putential before mnf “the season “
Boltssucknutz. I’m not sure what the he’ll is going on now. I’m just wondering if the raiders earlier than reported. Cause nobody really sounded sure about the reports that the letter went yesterday maybe Al sent it Monday or something. This whole thing is so freaking confusing right now I don’t know what to think
Oops I mean sent the five day letter earlier than reported. Sorry bout that
yeah I hear ya…it sounded too positive monday and ifthe letter was sent then we would have herd cause the reports I saw today were that he JUST got the letter. so…not sure what to think but…honestly you kick someone in the groin like that why would you want him on the team??? I hope they just swallow their pride (raider organization) dump the deal and say he never showed up or contacted the team and leave it be!!! get the pick back and look at other DT’s. we couldn’t possibly get screwed by the pats then!!!! opps…tuck rule,randy moss I stand corrected. the pats have their ducks in a row. they wouldn’t do this unless they were positive we’d get screwed!!! I’m sure there is some loop-hole they’ll bring out to keep the pick even after this was sour before the trade happened
And even if the rules say the pats have to give the pick back they won’t do it and the league will look the other way and they kill two birds with one stone they get to help billicheat again and screw the raiders again. I agree let’s move on I just doesn’t sound like any good is going to come out of this deal with this whiny ass baby. Wish alzado was still around so if Seymour does show up Lyle would take him aside and fuck him up with some truth
http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=4466811
Seymour will be here Saturday and play Monday.
SEYMOUR WILL BE IN OAKLAND SATURDAY MORNING AND WIL BE READY TO PLAY MONDAY NIGHT!!!!!!!!!!!!
seymour yeeeeeeeeee.
http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=4466811
I hope you’re right Rick I would much rather have this guy than not. I just hope when and if he shows up he plays hard and having him for Monday night would be huge
Seymour is on his way !!!!!
As it turns out, that “five-day letter” might have provided defensive lineman Richard Seymour with the splash of cold water that allowed him to process the anger and disappointment that arose after he was traded to the Raiders.
According to Adam Schefter of ESPN, the Raiders and Seymour are “in the final stages” of planning his arrival in Oakland.
He is expected to fly to California as early as Saturday, and he could play in Monday night’s game against the Chargers.
It leaves little time for Seymour, a career 3-4 defensive lineman, to become comfortable in his role within Oakland’s 4-3 front.
But the move will preserve Seymour’s ability to earn $3.685 million in base salary this season, and his shot at becoming an unrestricted free agent in what likely will be the uncapped year of 2010.
If the Raiders don’t apply the franchise tag to Seymour.
tag his ass!!! then let the drama begin
Ha ha. Yea I’m curious to see how this all plays out hopefully we didn’t trade a first round pick for a one year guy hopefully he will sign a contract tomorrow
SEYMOUR will arrive just in time to play against the dolts i dont see him playing much in the game but i do see him coming in at times too bust rivers in the neck and brake LTS legs big game Monday for the Nation Football is finally here got too love it GO RAIDERS
Man Adam Schefter is saying he is coming in to play under his current deal wich ends this year and he becomes a free agent. If that happens what are the chances he stays in Oakland? This better not be a one and done unless ol Al has something up his sleeve and just wants him here this year and then Al will make moves to bring other people in.
He has played alot in the 4-3 in New England at times so it shouldnt take him long to catch on possibly. Maybe he will play more than we think.
franchize tag!!! he is screwed! LOL welcome to oakland…you ain’t goin anywhere! LOL
I told you guys,I don’t mean to sound like a smart ass or anything I know I was pissed about Seymour taking so long to show up(against his will I might add)but I never doubted that Al wouldn’t be able to bring him here sooner or later.You don’t f**k with AL Davis when it comes to negotiating.
You may not like the sound of it Seymour but welcome to Oakland!
Now lets kick some Charger ass!Not that you’ll have much to do with it.
hhhhhiiiiiiiissssss DHB! LOL no offense but don’t expect much from him now! he got paid the brat got his way. time for a lackluster performance
None taken:),I figured that much.
Once the Raiders start winning Seymour will get on board. Love or hate Al Davis, the crusty old f**k still spends money trying to rejuvinate the Raider mystique. It will happen again. The Raiders were struggling in the late 90’s before regaining old form and everyone was talking shit back then too. I take pride in riding out the bad years with my team, True Raider fans are not pussies who give up when the chips are down. Went to see the Raiders at KC 2 years ago when we were losing regularly, but us Raider fans took over Arrowhead and watched Justin Fargas and the Raiders win.
chargers4life (Tila Tequilla)!!!!
chargers4life (Tila Tequilla)!!!!
Where you at B*tch!! Don’t worry I won’t smack you around like your boy friend Shawn Ferriman!!
rivers is pissing himself sayin ” oh shit didn’t expect that” now we need barnes to get healthy see him and chaz in 2 weeks.
seymour growing up a raider fan. news doesn’t get much better, goes to show the raider nation is infact throughout the entire nation
can ya hear it hes rumblin stumblin bumblin
whoop whoop whoop he….. could…. go ….. all…. the …….way. touchdown raidaaars
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