This is, without a doubt my favorite time of year. Teams have made their roster cuts, players have studied the playbooks, and the preseason is behind us.

Now, it's for real.

Every week during the 2010 NFL season, I'll be releasing a slide show about what I think are the keys to the Oakland Raiders being successful against each opponent. These game plans will be released on Wednesdays or Thursdays.

I'll use my coaching experience to break down the opponent's roster and study their game film to determine their strengths and weaknesses. I'll then apply what I know about the Raiders to figure out the best way to win on gameday.

I'll attempt to find match up advantages for the Raiders to exploit. I will also look for ways for the Raiders to negate any match up advantages the opposing team might have.

Another useful tool in game planning is coaching tendencies. This allows a coach to predict how the opponent will react in certain situations, making it possible for his team to know something is coming based on down, distance, personnel, and formation.

Jon Gruden worked this aspect to perfection in the Raider Nation nightmare, Super Bowl XXXVII.

There is no way for me to know what head coach Tom Cable, offensive coordinator Hue Jackson, or defensive coordinator John Marshall are planning for any opponent. The best I can do is offer up my ideas and observations.

We'll start with the offense...

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As reports surfaced that Houshmandzadeh would be deciding between the Oakland Raiders and the Washington Redskins, it seemed like those fans might have their dreams come true. However, these hopes were shattered when Houshmandzadeh shocked the NFL by signing with the Baltimore Ravens.

Despite the Raiders' inability to land TJ Houshmandzadeh, there are still players available that could improve the Oakland Raiders roster this season.

One year ago this week, Mr. Davis and the Raiders unexpectedly traded for Pro Bowl defensive lineman Richard Seymour. Raiders fans should not be surprised if Mr. Davis pulls another surprise this year.

There are a number of big names who are still refusing to report to their respective teams as the result of contract issues. As the season is about to start, teams will need to either do something about these players' situations or else be ready to start the season without high quality players or compensation.This provides a team like the Oakland Raiders an opportunity to make a last minute trade that could have a serious impact on the season.

Of the big names still holding out, two, Marcus McNeil and Vincent Jackson, play for the San Diego Chargers. It is unlikely that San Diego would trade them to a division rival. Once you get past those two players, the best player still holding out is the Patriots Pro Bowl guard, Logan Mankins. Trading for a player the caliber of Logan Mankins would drastically improve the Oakland Raiders offensive line. What is now considered to be the Raiders biggest liability would suddenly become a minor concern.

While this trade seems unlikely to happen, it is not at all out of the realm of possibility. The New England Patriots have shown that they are willing to trade older players who were once considered corner stones of their franchise in order to save money. Just look at Deion Branch and of course Richard Seymour. In addition, the Patriots still have to deal with contract situations for their two star players in Randy Moss and Tom Brady. Given these circumstances, the Patriots would likely welcome a trade if the price is right and given their past dealings with the Patriots, the Raiders would make the most sense in terms of a trade partner.

While Logan Mankins would obviously make the biggest difference to the Oakland Raiders roster, there are other players available that would also help the Raiders but at a much smaller price.

First, there are two veteran centers who are without teams to start the 2010 season. Kevin Mawae, formerly of the New York Jets and Tennessee Titans, and well-traveled Justin Hartwig can both provide a positive veteran influence. While I believe that Jared Veldheer will have a good year as the starting center in Oakland, both of these players are quality linemen with a lot of experience. If either would be willing to play the guard position, they would be an upgrade over Cooper Carlisle and would provide depth to a unit that drastically needs it.

Also left without a team after last weekend's cuts is former Pittsburgh Steelers' star running back Willie Parker. While Parker is not quite the same back he was when the Steelers ran him rugged, he would still be a valuable addition to the Raiders backfield. When Michael Bush broke his thumb against the San Francisco 49ers in the third pre-season game of 2010, Raiders fans became painfully aware of how a few injuries could ruin the season for this team.

With Darren McFadden seemingly incapable of playing an entire season without getting injured, running back depth on the Raiders is a concern. In fact, it is such a concern that the Raiders kept both Michael Bennett and Rock Cartwright on the team, while electing to only keep two tight ends.While Bennett had a good pre-season, Rock Cartwright did little to impress, likely earning a roster spot due to his versatility as he is a good receiving option and can play FB.

In spite of his versatility, Willie Parker would be much more valuable to the Oakland Raiders than Rock Cartwright would be. The Raiders need back up running backs who are able to make Oakland's ground game threatening enough to take pressure off of Jason Campbell and our young receivers. If Darren McFadden and/or Michal Bush goes down with an injury, Willie Parker would be a much bigger threat on the ground than Rock Cartwright would be.

Additionally, Cartwright's additional value as a pass catcher and fullback is far less important to the Raiders considering up and coming FB Marcel Reece and unsigned rookie free agent Manase Tonga (who is currently on the Raiders practice squad). Both of these players are young, pass catching fullbacks who provide the same kinds of skills that made Cartwright appealing to the Raiders in the first place. On top of that, Marcel Reece can also play the tight end position where depth is also concern for the Raiders.

The Raiders witnessed how disastrous a key injury can be for a team last year when guard Robert Gallery went out for a number of weeks. Caught in a bind, Tom Cable was forced to sub in tackle Langston Walker to play a position he had never played before. Preventing bad situations from becoming disasters as this one did, requires preparing for the worse. Adding reliable depth to your team is one of the best ways to ensure that injuries do not ruin a season.

Whether it is a game changing starter like Logan Mankins or a solid veteran to add depth like Justin Hartwig, Kevin Mawae or Willie Parker, the Oakland Raiders still have plenty of time and opportunity to solidify their roster. Doing so will help the Raiders stay on the path towards regaining their rightful place as an NFL power.

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After a visit to the Oakland Raiders website, I noticed a posting of "Connections." I read the post carefully.

I thought that it is curious to post these connections. The only reason they may be important is to remind the coaches and players to be conquerors and to have conquest over their opponents even if those opponents are former contacts or colleagues. 

Reflecting back on a game in 1970, I remember that Winston Hill, W. K. Hicks, and Warren Wells were friends in college. They played for Texas Southern University and they often socialized together during offseason.

They encountered each other on the professional football field. On the football field, they were fierce competitors. Their former connections did not matter. What mattered to them was winning the game.

Hill and Hicks played against Wells in the Jets-Raiders game on Dec 6. 1970. Wells and the Oakland Raiders played hard and smart. The Raiders won during the last eight seconds.

No doubt after the game, they may have all met somewhere in New York or New Jersey to remember their friendship during college. During the game, however, nothing mattered to Wells but catching the ball, getting to the endzone and winning that game.

So here is a record of some connections. Yet, what matters is that the Oakland Raiders defeat the Titans on Sept 12. Nothing else matters.

The List of Connections from www.raiders.com

RAIDERS: Head Coach Tom Cable coached Titans G Jake Scott at the University of Idaho...

T/G Daniel Loper played for the Titans from 2005-08...

DT John Henderson is from Nashville, attended Pearl-Cohn High School and went to the University of Tennessee...

Pro Football Hall of Famer Willie Brown, in charge of Raiders Squad Development, began his career with the Houston Oilers...

Quarterbacks coach Paul Hackett served in the same capacity at USC while Ttians Head Coach Jeff Fisher played there from 1977-80...

LB Quentin Groves and CB Walter McFadden were college teammates of Titans DT Sen’Derrick Marks at Auburn...

K Sebastian Janikowski and Titans SS Chris Hope were teammates at Florida State...

DE Richard Seymour and Titans MLB Will Witherspoon were college teammates at Georgia...

C Samson Satele and Titans CB Ryan Mouton played together at Hawaii...

CB Jeremy Ware played with Titans RB Javon Ringer at Michigan State...

DT Tommy Kelly and Titans T David Stewart played at Mississippi State together...

FS Michael Huff played with Titans FS Michael Griffin, FB Ahmard Hall, TE Bo Scaife, and QB Vince Young at Texas...

QB Bruce Gradkowski was college teammates with Titans P Brett Kern at Toledo...

RB Michael Bennett and Titans DT Jovan Haye were teammates with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 2007-08...

Gradkowski also played with Haye in Tampa Bay from 2006-07...

LB Kamerion Wimbley was a teammate of Haye with the Cleveland Browns in 2006...

DT John Henderson and T Khalif Barnes were teammates with Titans LB Jamie Winborn in Jacksonville in 2005...

T Erik Pears and Winborn were teammates with the Denver Broncos from 2007-08...

QB Kyle Boller and Titans MLB Will Witherspoon played together with the St. Louis Rams in 2009...

Conclusion

As you can see, there are many connections and affiliations between the Oakland Raiders and the Tennessee Titans.

What matters most to the Raider Nation is a victory on Sept 12.

Go Raiders! Once you win the game then you can have a heart and connect with your former colleagues or affiliates. For now, remember your mantra: Just win, baby!

Source

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Last year, about this time Oakland was preparing for a season with its hopes hinged on Jamarcus Russell, a late addition of Richard Seymour, and Darrius Heyward-Bey.

As it was, Russell was busy with a drink, or drank, Richard started strong but couldn't lift the defense, and Darrius was suffering, both of his own curse but also with Russell's poor passing ability.

A year later, changes came across the board, from the quarterback change, a new coach in Hue Jackson and a solid draft, Oakland stands a chance to finally turn the page.

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The roster, barring one or maybe two last-minute additions or subtractions is set. The coaching staff have drilled their plans and schemes into the players during the off-season.

There is little else left to do apart from prepare for the Tennessee Titans, because Week One of the 2010 season is actually here.

The Raiders are widely believed to be one of the most improved teams this year. After dumping last year's starting quarterback JaMarcus Russell, and making some smart moves on the trade front. They also drafted nine players, all of whom are still employed at the time of writing.

Now after all of the above, and the much talked about the positive atmosphere and new mind set in Oakland under Tom Cable, it is time to play football. All the positive talking and good reviews in the world won't mean a thing if the Raiders can't produce quality football on the field.

So can the the Oakland Raiders walk the walk?

The revamped Raiders run defense will get a big test on Sunday in Tennessee against Chris Johnson and the NFL's No. 1 run offense.

Can Lamarr Houston, Kamerion Wimbley, and Rolando McClain make a difference?

Whether or not they shut Johnson down entirely, they need to show that they are considerably better than last's year's defense and limit him at the very least. To do that they need to do the two things that have eluded Raider defenses over the past seven years.

They need the defensive line to win the battle in the trenches, and the linebackers and the secondary to wrap up and tackle better when in counts.

If they can't do those things, it's going to be a long day for the Raider defense.

It will be important to put in a good performance on Sunday to keep that positive mind set going. After so many years of defeat that mindset is fragile. Week One can set the tone for an entire season.

I remember crushing losses on Opening Day in previous years kept the fans away all season long from home games, and left players doubting themselves and the team.

Tennessee will be a good yardstick for this Raider team to measure themselves by, and not just in the running game. The Titans are well coached team in all phases under Jeff Fisher, and have been competitive at the utmost every year he has coached there.

So this is it, the pressure is on, and the time is here.

Can the Oakland Raiders walk the walk?

We will find out on Sunday.

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Could this be the year that the Raiders return to their commitment to excellence? Let’s face it without JaMarcus Russell, Oakland have turned out to be a better team, winning three of their preseason contests behind the sold play of quarterback Jason Campbell.

But will Campbell be the hope that turns the past seasons’ misery around leading the Raiders to their first winning season since 2002, after finishing 5-11 in 2009?

He certainly has the tools to get it done with a supporting cast including RB Darren McFadden and Michael Bush–currently out with a thumb injury– along with some speedy receivers that should bolster the Raiders pitiful air assault that ranked 29^th a year ago.

But much off Oakland’s success will still rest firmly in the shoulders of the defense, which had their own share of troubles last season mainly stemming from the offense leaving them out on the field for more than half of their games.

The Raiders finished 2009, 26th in total team defense while 29th against the run. They did however rank 7th against the pass, with a solid pass rush that racked up 37 sacks.

Oakland will look to new defensive additions Lamarr Houston, Rolando McClain, and Kamerion Wimbley to breathe life into the a hapless Raiders defense who will be put to an early test as they try to contain one of the best running backs in the league –Tennessee’s  Chris Johnson.

Johnson finished 2009 with 2,006 yards on the ground and 14 TDs and is still a viable threat for a potent Titan’s running attack that will once again be the success of the Tennessee offense.

After dropping their first six games last season, the Titans brought in QB Vince Young in replacement of a struggling Kerry Collins, and ended their campaign winning eight of their last 10 that included a five game win streak finishing the season at 8-8.

Now Young, who has earned the starting role again for the Titans, will have the opportunity of a fresh season to prove that he still has what it takes to led Tennessee back to the top of the AFC South.

Although fair from being a confident, refined veteran NFL quarterback, the 27-year old knows how to win and possesses the wherewithal to get to done. He tossed for nearly 1,900 yards and 10 TDs after coming off the bench a year ago. Despite a few fundamental issues, he will only improve by seeing more playing time in 2010.

Besides having the run support, Young will have plenty of receiving options including WR Kenny Britt  who will flank wide out Nate Washington  who lead  the Titan’s with six touchdown receptions a year ago.

Matt’s Free Prediction: Tennessee -6 – The Raiders have a lot of obstacles to overcome if it they want to avoid their eighth season-opening loss in a row. Despite the new defensive additions, the run defense still has holes. They will be challenged by Johnson who will be looking to break Eric Dickerson’s NFL season record of 2,105 rushing yards. If the Raiders can’t force Tennessee to battle them in the air, this game could get lopsided in a hurry, as the Titans roll over the Raiders.

For more advice on how all the week 1 games, check out our expert NFL picks from the top NFL handicappers in the business.

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Since Oakland drafted Routt, he has never lived up to his potential. He quietly made the team each year, but was never more than a nickelback.

On Saturday, it became clear that Routt had won the starting job. After Johnson’s final preseason showing it wasn’t a huge surprise, but it marked the end of Routt’s career long goal to start in the NFL. 

It also marked the beginning of his next challenge.

For the rest of the year, his jersey will have a massive bull’s eye on it to opposing quarterbacks.

Chris Johnson has been the most active corner in the NFL for most of the last two years. He has shown the fortitude to handle the barrage of throws that come his way. Until recently, he held up reasonably well considering how low he began on the depth chart.

Johnson was generally the first man on the field during game day. If you ever showed up early to the Coliseum, Chris was generally working out up and down the sidelines with his earphones preparing for the game.

Stanford Routt is going to need to do the same.

He may not need to go about his pregame the way Johnson did, but he needs to find a way to take the abuse that’s coming. In the past, his confidence has clearly been shaken when quarterbacks saw him as a weak link in coverage. There is no room for that any longer.

He has proven himself to the coaching staff and now needs to prove himself to himself. He’s going to have bad games, but that comes with the territory when coordinators won’t let their quarterbacks throw at Nnamdi.

Physically, Routt has the size (6’1", 200 lbs) and speed to compete with any wide receiver in the league. If he can handle the mental aspect of the game and have a short memory when necessary, he has a chance to have a special season.

Check out theRAIDERNATION.net for news, opinion, etc. Twitter.com/Raiders-Nation

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For instance, one writer on B/R once wrote that interceptions in the real game are circumstantial because the Madden defender will intercept a pass that looked like it was over his hands.

By the same idea, the receivers often make catches that a real player would not make.

Yet, many know about the Madden curse of being the player on the cover. 

I caution against deriving too much from Madden, but I cannot deny the fact that Madden has become an integral part of the culture around the NFL.

Musings and Mutterings:

I've been able to slice and dice defenses with the Raiders by effectively using audibles, despite the fact that Madden rates the Raiders at a platy 71 overall. 

I do so much so that Darrius Heyward-Bey once caught 230 yards and two touchdowns, while Chaz Schilens, Louis Murphy, and Zach Miller have always been money, so long as the pass protection holds up.

And I'm not talking about just lousy teams like the Browns and Rams.  I'm talking the big boys like the Steelers, Cowboys, and Saints.  One of my favorites is to audible to a deep pass and then audible back to a running play and hand the ball to Darren McFadden.  Effective use of the audibles can mislead the coverage, and thus create gaping holes.

If using audibles can cause misdirection and confusion by the defense, I can only imagine what you could do if you knew the defensive play in advance.

This lead to a leap of intuition. 

Since I have been able to deceive the A.I. of the game, I remembered that every Super Bowl winner has been predicted by the Madden game when the two teams are pitted against each other...except once. 

Can you guess which one?

That's right, folks.  The 2001 New England Patriots that were outed for stealing signals in 2007.  The Patriots of 2001 are the only team to win the Super Bowl, after losing the Madden match-up before the game.

Gee, I wonder why?

If we are to believe the fanboys at ESPN, everyone cheats and that stealing signals doesn't matter, anyway.  Which begs the question, if it doesn't matter, why would everyone do it? 

I have, of course, written repeatedly that it does not make sense to believe that the Patriots would steal signals on the road against Pittsburgh and St. Louis in January of 2002, but would not do so at home against the Oakland Raiders in the same postseason.

The same people, however, will be more than happy to label the Raiders as cheaters, even though the Raiders *technically* never broke the rules, while the Patriots did officially break the rules.  Maybe we should have Madden decide the "real" outcome of the 1980 AFC Championship game in a "rematch" between the Raiders and Chargers.

But, I digress.

All that I have really learnt from Madden is that the Raiders need Schilens to be healthy and that Darren McFadden can torch defenses that don't commit to the gaps, but even that might be saying too much.

However, I do find it quite amusing that a game named after Raiders Hall of Fame coach John Madden could in fact suggest and prove the importance of cheating by stealing signals.

How I love irony!

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Although preseason records themselves mean little, the games can definitely highlight a team's strengths and weaknesses as they head into the regular season.

The addition of Jason Campbell and Hue Jackson to the offense has sparked a definite improvement on that side of the ball, but there is still a long way to go.

Adding Rolando McClain and Lamarr Houston early in the draft and trading for Kamerion Wimbley has improved the run defense and the pass rush on the defensive side of the ball.

There are numerous players that are waiting with baited breath to hear their fate from Coach Tom Cable as final roster cuts loom. Snakes, voodoo, and various other superstitious rituals are in full effect, as players try anything they can to avoid being on the blacklist.

Here are some observations, both good and bad, regarding the Raiders and players on the roster bubble, and how the preseason factors into those observations.

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Meanwhile, the Oakland Raiders had the Al Davis-Lane Kiffin Civil War of 2007-08 which followed a two-win season under Art Shell in 2006. 

The Kansas City Chiefs fell into a nose dive which included coaching changes, Priest Holmes' retirement, Tony Gonzalez asking for a trade and receiving one to Atlanta. Let's not forget the Larry Johnson ordeal that left a sour taste in the mouth of Chiefs fans. 

Then the Broncos lost Mike Shanahan to a premature retirement followed by trades of emerging stars Jay Cutler and Brandon Marshall.

Yet this year looks different, for better or worse, for all four teams in the division.  Here are my predictions for the AFC West teams in 2010.

1. Oakland Raiders

With such a storied and historic franchise, it is impossible for the Raiders to be bad forever.  Raiders fans have had false hope in the latest off-seasons caused by new coaches or star player signings and blockbuster trades.  This year, many experts agree that the Raiders have got it right. 

Gone is JaMarcus Russell and in comes a new play-caller in Hue Jackson and new quarterback Jason Campbell.  You can look at Campbell’s win-loss record and say he hasn’t done anything or you can look at his stat card and see the progress he has made. 

Last year, he threw for 3,600 yards and 20 TDs with 15 INTs in the Redskins offense.  This year, he has a rising star at TE in Zach Miller and a rejuvenated WR in Darrius Heyward-Bey.  The running backs will combine speed (Darren McFadden) and power (Michael Bush) to give the Raiders an effective ground game. 

On defense, there are seven new starters including: CB Stanford Routt, DE Lamarr Houston, DE Matt Shaugnessy, DT Richard Seymour (moved from end), MLB Rolando McClain, OLB Quentin Groves and OLB Kamerion Wimbley. 

These seven men, plus Nnamdi Asomugha will give the Raiders a stronger defense than they’ve had in recent years.  The Raiders team success will be determined by the success of the run defense, which allowed 155 yds/game last year.

2.  San Diego Chargers

The last time we saw the Chargers, they lost in the AFC Divisional playoffs to the Jets.  You may ask how do I think they will fall from the top of the division?  I have two reasons: 1. Marcus McNeil  2. Vincent Jackson.  These two men are Phillip Rivers’ best friends on Sunday with McNeil blocking Rivers’ blindside while he looks down field to throw the ball to Vincent Jackson. 

San Diego also won’t have the same rushing attack without LaDanian Tomlinson, signed by the Jets.  Even with L.T. near the end, it will be hard to replace him, especially with rookie Ryan Mathews. 

The die-hard Chargers fans will tell you that the trade for Patrick Crayton will boost their offense and fill the void by Jackson’s holdout.  Crayton will have no preseason or training camp to learn a new offense and quarterback so I would not expect instant results from him. 

But San Diego still has TE Antonio Gates to catch the ball from Rivers as well as OLB Shawne Merriman and DE Luis Castillo leading a strong defense.  In my opinion though, San Diego won’t be the same after losing three pieces (L.T., Jackson, McNeil) on offense.

3.  Denver Broncos

The Broncos already got off on the bad foot for 2010. OLB Elvis Dumervil, the NFL's sack leader last season, has been placed on the IR. The injury bug also bit hard in the backfield with Knowshon Moreno and Correll Buckhalter, but they are not expected to miss regular season time. 

Denver also lost Brandon Marshall, via trade, who was by far their best weapon on offense.  On the bright side, the Broncos will feature an offense with Kyle Orton, who posted an 86.8 rating in 2009 as he threw for over 3,800 yards and 21 TDs.

The Broncos are like the guy who starts a marathon by sprinting and then falls apart in the middle and loses in the end, as illustrated by starting 6-0 without a playoff appearance in 2009. 

Tim Tebow has already taken the role of franchise quarterback from the fans, but not from the coaches.  He is not expected to play at all this year, but who knows what will happen in the next couple of months. 

4.  Kansas City Chiefs

The Chiefs have finished last place every year since 2007 (tied with Oakland) and I expect the trend to continue.  Yet that is not as bad as it sounds.  Some say that the Chiefs are a newer version of the New England Patriots because of their love for former Pats, with QB Matt Cassell, LB Mike Vrabel and GM Scott Pioli. 

The Chiefs also have a good core of young players led by fifth overall pick in the 2010 draft, S Eric Berry.  Expectations vary on DE Glenn Dorsey, their top pick in 2008, who has only two sacks so far in his NFL career.  Branden Albert, 15th pick in 2008, is another player to watch as he enters year three of his NFL career.

The fact of the matter is that the Chiefs are a rebuilding team.  Plain and simple.  Expectations shouldn’t be too high, but in the NFL any year could be “the year” for a team to break out of a slump. 

A reason for optimism can be found in the new staff of assistants surrounding head coach Todd Haley. With veteran coaches Romeo Crennel (defensive coordinator) and Charlie Weiss (offensive coordinator) to give some guidance to the young talent, the Chiefs look ready to improve from a dismal 2009 season.

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