DENVER, CO - OCTOBER 1: Quarterback Derek Carr #4 of the Oakland Raiders celebrates after throwing a 64-yard touchdown pass in the second quarter of a game against the Denver Broncos at Sports Authority Field at Mile High on October 1, 2017 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images)
Though Antonio Brown’s injury has been getting a lot of the attention at Oakland Raiders training camp, the team is actually looking quite good in his absence. Specifically the offense. Quarterback Derek Carr looks to be at top form and some of the new receivers like Tyrell Williams and Hunter Renfrow have been coming on strong. That’s not even to mention the revamped offensive line that has been looking much improved.
The Raiders’ road to the playoff in 2019 won’t be easy. They have the hardest schedule in the NFL and a lot of rookies that will be thrust into starting roles. However, this team has a 2015 Raiders vibe to them. For those that don’t remember, Oakland put up an 8-8 season in 2015 and then followed it up with a 12-4 season the next year. Getting to seven or eight wins would be a huge improvement for the team and could lead to a really exciting future. Some people are starting to notice the team’s potential.
Louis Riddick Has High Expectations for 2019 Raiders
Former Director of Pro Personnel for the Washington Redskins and Philadelphia Eagles turned ESPN analyst Louis Riddick is pretty familiar with the Raiders. During his six years as an NFL defensive back, Riddick he spent one of those years with the silver and black. He’s been spending some time watching the Raiders at training camp and he gave a pretty promising take.
Looking at the @Raiders up close and personal today, let me assure you of this: this team is light years more talented than their team from 2018. They have athletes all over the field and a nice blend of young sprinkled with experience. They are no doubt my “surprise” team ‘19.
“Looking at the Raiders up close and personal today, let me assure you of this: this team is light years more talented than their team from 2018,” said Riddick via Twitter. “They have athletes all over the field and a nice blend of young sprinkled with experience. They are no doubt my ‘surprise’ team ‘19.”
Now, some might take Riddick’s analysis with a grain of salt due to his connection with the team, but he is a respected football mind with a ton of experience and he wouldn’t go out of his way to praise the team if he didn’t believe what he was saying. The truth is, the Raiders have a very good chance to surprise the world in 2019. Most in the media are counting them out because there seems like there may be some kind of bias against Jon Gruden. Regardless, Riddick’s words are exciting and it will be interesting to see how the team continues to develop in 2019.
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Colin Cowherd Goes on the Attack
On the flip side, Fox Sports radio host Colin Cowherd has been on the assault against the Raiders over the last couple of weeks. He recently made a claim that Gruden doesn’t like Derek Carr because he doesn’t show him enough love, which isn’t based in fact. With the recent premiere of Hard Knocks, Cowherd went on to attack the Raiders more.
Jon Gruden is more of a television star than a head football coach
@ColinCowherd on the Raiders HC ahead of HBO’s Hard Knocks premiere
“I think Jon Gruden is great for business, I don’t think he’s great for standings,” said Cowherd.
He seems to believe that Gruden is more fit for television than he is for coaching. It looks like winning a Super Bowl doesn’t mean much to Cowherd. Yes, Gruden hasn’t had success in years, but he should at least get a couple of seasons to prove that he can still field a winner before he’s regarded as a failure.
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Raiders Are ‘Light Years More Talented’ Than 2018, Says Analyst