Forget about Kiffin - Ryan is the one that should go

Thoughts from the Dark Side

September 21, 2008

Forget about Kiffin - Ryan is the one that should go

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The Oakland Raiders got another loss, this time to the Buffalo Bills.� The Raiders outplayed the Bills for the better part of three quarters only to give the game away to the Bills 24-23.� As he did last week against Kansas City, once the Raiders were fully in control and on their way to a second straight win, Rob Ryan pulled out his 4th quarter playbook.

Ryan stopped pressuring Trent Edwards and began to play zone defense while the Bills were locked down within their own 5 yard line with a little over 17 minutes to go in the game.� After the game one had to wonder, "Why was all of the talk about Lane Kiffin being fired?"� At least I was wondering it, because you can't blame the head coach for a defensive coordinator that he wasn't allowed to fire last year.

Up until the 2 minute mark of the 3rd quarter, the Raiders defense had the Bills fans booing their own team by harassing Trent Edwards and stopping Marshawn Lynch for most of the day.� They had only let up one touchdown, due in large part to a JaMarcus Russell fumble at the Raiders own 20 yard line.

Pundits and some fans will say that the Raiders only lost in the final seconds and that if they could've played a better fourth quarter or had a better offense, they would've won.� Don't fool yourself.� If the Raiders had a 16-0 lead in the first quarter, Rob Ryan would've began playing prevent defense.� If you don't know this, you haven't watched the Raiders over the past 4 years.

In the past, this defense has been disguised by a horrible Raiders team.� Like in 2006, when the Raiders had one of the top defenses, Rob Ryan has been hidden on a bad team.� This year, he can't hide.� This team hasn't quit, doesn't have bad attitudes running amok, and also has the abilitiy to keep their own defense off the field.� Unfortunately, the defense isn't able to keep themselves off of the field with Ryan's playcalling.

Trent Edwards went from having less than 3 seconds in the pocket, due to blitzing, to having all day to find deep patterns with the zone.� The only thing more surprising than Ryan's inability to keep a lead is the pundits and professionals' inability to call him out for it.

Question:� Why was DeAngelo Hall playing 15 yards his man on 3rd and 5 at the 12?

Better Question:� Why didn't Ryan pull him after he had already been accosted all the way down the field by Edwards and the receivers?

Best Question:� Why didn't Ryan call any blitz packages on 3rd and 5, 3rd and 7, or 2nd and 20?

DeAngelo Hall might be the biggest bust since Larry Brown was signed in the 90's.� Doesn't he understand that to be a shutdown corner, you have to actually shut down the receiver that you're charged with defending?

He continues to mystify Raider Nation by his coverage technique of letting up 10 to 12 yards before the play starts.� Worse yet, he backs up while the receiver runs towards him.� This is a guy that ran a 4.2 40-yard dash at the combine, so what is he afraid of?� He gets beat by the double move and he gets beat by the under pass.� He's worthless, completely worthless to the Raiders.

The Raiders defense is based on the bump and run.� He doesn't have to bump and run, but he does need to be around 5 yards from the receiver so that he can protect the pass, and he doesn't.

If you watch the highlights, none of this will be evident to you.� If you watched the game, then you know what I'm talking about.� If Al Davis is really serious about winning, he'll make the right decisions to improve the team.

After the game, they asked Kiffin the following questions:

Reporter: This is such an emotional loss, what does this mean to you?

Kiffin: Well, we had a chance to finish the game off in the fourth quarter up by two scores and we didn't finish it off so, we'll go back to work and figure out a way to do better next time.

Reporter:� What do you think this means for you as the head coach of this football team?

Kiffin: Well I'm not worried about that.� I can't worry about the future, all I can worry about is what we're going to do this week to get better and finish off the game the next time we have a win in the fourth quarter when we're up by two scores.

Reporter: You have a long flight home with Al Davis on the same flight.� Will you have a conversation with him?

Kiffin: I don't know that.� See you guys.

Hopefully, the two do have a conversation about who the next defensive coordinator will be and how to get rid of DeAngelo Hall before next season.

Tags: NFL, Oakland Raiders, Raiders

Discussion

62 Comments on "Forget about Kiffin - Ryan is the one that should go"

Posted by Anthony, September 21, 2008 2:55 PM

If there's a silver lining to Ryan becoming HC within the next, say, 36 hours, it SHOULD mean that someone ELSE will call the defense.

I guess. *shrug* Nuts to this -- Ryan is an awful coordinator, Hall should be benched in favor of Routt, and the Raiders have GOT to learn to stop snatching defeat from the jaws of victory.

Posted by Adrian, September 21, 2008 3:12 PM

Is Ryan sabotaging this team so Kiffin gets fired? Its is just a gut feeling I had. Those defensive calls on 3rd and 4th quarter was simply GARBAGE!!

Posted by Snowyfish, September 21, 2008 3:20 PM

What made that 4th quater performance so heartbreaking was that it was all so predictable and avoidable.

For whatever reason we look like a team intent on self-destruction at the moment.

Posted by Adam, September 21, 2008 3:21 PM

The organization from top to bottom is a mess. So much talent on that team it hurts me as a lifelong raider fan to see them blow these close games. Russel needs to be more mobile and not be scared to run. It is not Kiffins fault! He has only coached for a season and three games, but Al Davis should let his coaches coach instead of putting them on the hot seat after each game. You have great running backs but when you pass the first two downs and then run on third and ten there is a problem. By the way make Jevon Walker play, you payed him so much and hes just cruising on the sideline collecting a paycheck for being a waste of a uniform.

Posted by Raider Fan in Chief Country, September 21, 2008 3:43 PM

Why oh why did we rush 3 or 4 guys in the 4th Quarter when we obviously blitzed Edwards the whole game and made him ineffective. All we had to do up two scores was to keep blitzing and put pressure on him to make him skittish. We rushed 3 or 4 till third down and because it was third down they saw it comming. Piss pour defensive calls in the 4th

quarter allowed us to be beat again for the game.

Posted by Raider Fan in Chief Country, September 21, 2008 3:54 PM

Our defense after being up 2 scores with 6 minutes too play was terrible. C'mon Rob Ryan keep the faith. It worked all game long then run 3 or 4 to give Edwards more time. Losing Hall making a bonehead play didn't help!!!!!

Posted by Junior, September 21, 2008 3:57 PM

I agree that the defensive play calling was horrible in the 4th quarter.

I do have a bigger problem with one of Kiffin's decisions in the 4th quarter. Why on earth did he not go for 2 after JLH's touchdown?? If you don't make it, you lose by 2 from a last second field goal versus, 1 point. If you make it, that last second field goal forces overtime.

This loss can't be totally blamed on Ryan, Kiffin shares the blame. This is a coaches loss, it was obvious that the Raiders are talented enough to beat the Bills. The coaching on both sides of the ball got in the way.

Posted by Toni, September 21, 2008 3:57 PM

Ryan won't be fired.. if anybody goes it will be Kiffin. Ryan has lasted 5 years and what 63 losses? He's not going anywhere.

Kiffin isn't blameless, not using his timeouts at the end of the game is baffling to me... but he put the team in a position to win. And that's all he can do. The defense and Ryan pissed it away.

Mind boggling.

I don't want Kiffin to go, but I do want it over either the Raiders need to do something (official comment, PC - yeah right... or press release) and say Kiffin isn't going to be fired or fire him.

Posted by Raider Fan in Chief Country, September 21, 2008 3:58 PM

rush instead of run.

#10

Posted by Patrick Patterson, September 21, 2008 3:59 PM

Rob, I completely agree with your assessments.

They shouldn't let Ryan on the plane back to Oakland.

#11

Posted by Raider Fan in Chief Country, September 21, 2008 4:12 PM

If Kiffen goes we will have to wait another 3-4-5 years to get this team straight. We are not a bad team. We have coaches that change things that are working well. Stay the course Rob Ryan. Quit puuting our team in positions to lose in the 4th quarter.

#12

Posted by RaiderDoc, September 21, 2008 4:13 PM

I'd say 95% of this is on Ryan. They guy is killing us.

Kiffin deserves a couple percentage points though for the poor offense in the final minutes. Each of the last 2 possessions were 3 and out. Then, why once they are in field goal range, aren't we trying to stop the clock so we at least have a prayer of touching the ball one last time. Bad coaching 4th quarter on all sides.

As for Hall. Scary bad. But I'm not sure he deserves all of the blame either. When we are playing aggressive (see 1st 3 quarters) he does ok. The times he is off 15 yards, I have to assume that is the play call. Someone would be up in his grill yelling at him if he was suppose to be closer to the line and wasn't. To me, that is on Ryan.

Let's hope Al and Lane talk... but let's hope it's about how to fix the D. And maybe, just maybe how that mean getting rid of Ryan or at least his version of the playbook that he seems to like when we are ahead or close. I know... wishful thinking.... but that's all we have right now.

#13

Posted by Raider Fan in Chief Country, September 21, 2008 4:25 PM

Rob Ryan is a defensive (genius) for one half. The bad thing is there are 4 quarters in a football game. It's like he is always trying to play not to lose instead of saying what we are doing is effective Stay The Course!!!!!!!!!!

#14

Posted by Coach Elkins, September 21, 2008 4:36 PM

You guys are amazing.....blaming the Defensive Coordinator......we might be the only group of fans who does this.....

Like I have said before, its on Kiffin...The guy is a born loser.

End of discussion!

#15

Posted by RaiderDoc, September 21, 2008 5:07 PM

So you think Ryan did a good job Elkins?

Kiffin made some mistakes (in my opinion, see above), but can't blame him for the defense especially when he wanted to fire the guy. The offense isn't winning games for us like it should (and eventually will), but the defense is actually losing them for us.

#16

Posted by Forget about Kiffin - Ryan is the one that should go | The RaiderCast, September 21, 2008 5:13 PM

[...] Read more. [...]

#17

Posted by Phil L, September 21, 2008 5:16 PM

Hall needs to sit,and everybody else needs to relax.We have a qb with 4 nfl starts and he didn't throw a pick ,a defense that looked pretty damn good for 3 quarters.this is a young team that played well today and showed great improvement.give it time so russell can learn. this is not a playoff team this year but we are young and maybe in the offseason the owner might let the coachs find thier own players to fit a up and coming team.Good job Coach Kiffin

#18

Posted by WHITE E, September 21, 2008 5:23 PM

God, I was watching the score tracker on my phone ( I live in KC and can't see the game), and I actually got exited. I saw that the Bills came back and it was a 2 point game and then all of a sudden we scored again. I thought we were going to win and prove all of the analysts wrong. I guess I was wrong. I can't believe we blew a 9 point lead with 5 minutes left. I knew right away it was Ryan's lovely play calling. I read from the stats we were blitzing and doing it good. Then all of a sudden we couldn't do shit. Typical...that's all I can say.

#19

Posted by jbo audioe, September 21, 2008 5:47 PM

Yesssss. Totally agree, Rob ryan did blow that 4th qtr. He did not blitz in the 4th.....he needs to be punished.....go run laps ryan

#20

Posted by Adam, September 21, 2008 5:59 PM

The team are underachievers. They been in the rebuilding process for 5 years now. When does it turn around? Or do we become a losing franchise like the lions and bengals were for many years

#21

Posted by letskeeplane, September 21, 2008 6:13 PM

i think deangelo hall is playing the package that his coach has told him every time he came up on a reciever on a curl or something like that he seemed frustrated that he wasnt on the guy or maybe hes just losing it i despretley hope its the first one

#22

Posted by Radier209, September 21, 2008 6:13 PM

Getting tired of this s***, I wake up every sunday to watch my team almost win. and I dont blame the players at all (although there are a few), its all about who owns this sort of organization. Let Rich Gannon take over. F!@#

#23

Posted by pat. T, September 21, 2008 6:15 PM

Im so disappointed! How much money did we spend on defense? Ok lets see Kelly got about $50 million.. Wilson about $35 million.. And oh man the biggest bust of them all DeAngelo Hall $70 million.. Plus a couple of other acqusitions! This is so embarrasing! Ryan's got to go!

#24

Posted by tampaRAIDERfan, September 21, 2008 6:16 PM

sent to feedback @raiders.com

sub:17 points given up in the 4th qtr, WTF?

Hey AL; great defense in that 4th quarter in Buffalo...sure is a good thing YOU kept Ryan as D coordinator...HE SUCKS and YOU SUCK for keeping him..this is NO DIFFERENT than what we as fans have seen since he has been here...WHAT ARE YOU SEEING THAT WOULD MAKE YOU KEEP HIM??????other than him kissing your ball sack.......I'm so sick of defending this piece of SHIT team that YOU have given us in the raider nation...JUST DIE BABY!!!!

#25

Posted by letskeeplane, September 21, 2008 6:16 PM

by the way on many websites they say lane was seen trying to call a timeout before the final field goal and was ignored by the refs

#26

Posted by Radier209, September 21, 2008 6:17 PM

it seems like the only people that care are the fans, i dont know why I have so much faith in them

#27

Posted by letskeeplane, September 21, 2008 6:19 PM

please dont leave the nation,fans......

#28

Posted by Radier209, September 21, 2008 6:20 PM

I'll never leave, raider for life, its the organization I'm worried about

#29

Posted by letskeeplane, September 21, 2008 6:22 PM

true lane kiffin honestly is the only thing keeping the raiders heart in the game once al is gone i wont be suprised to see us back on top

#30

Posted by Radier209, September 21, 2008 6:24 PM

I just want to see some really ownership take place, its crazy how this team is ran compared to other teams. it seems like it all boils down to how a team is ran

#31

Posted by tampaRAIDERfan, September 21, 2008 6:24 PM

nice to vent here BUT...the raiders need to hear it...send it to feedback@raiders.com also....being on the east coast, can't get to the coliseum but I got the ticks for Miami and Tampa games plus the $$$ to the Directv organized crime family for the Ticket just to watch the RAIDERS lose the same way they have been losing since the Chuck Bresnihan days....If Kiff goes I'm done till the "owner" dies or sells...and to make things worse,tomorrow I got to hear how the Bucs (jon grudens team) won, coming back from a deficit in the 4th quarter, lucky me!

#32

Posted by letskeeplane, September 21, 2008 6:27 PM

ouch and miami beat new england so its twice as bad ohh and jacksonville oh boy

#33

Posted by tampaRAIDERfan, September 21, 2008 6:32 PM

luckily very few phins and jags fans here, lol...just the Bucs fanantics telling me how "our old coach" is awesome and the Raiders suck....tough to argue the point since the super bowl debacle....

#34

Posted by letskeeplane, September 21, 2008 6:37 PM

that was a debacle indeed

#35

Posted by SpokaneOakfan, September 21, 2008 6:44 PM

Elk- you hate Kiffin. We get it, already.

But a team that gives up 17 points in one quarter to another team that it whooped on all day has a shitty DC. End of story.

#36

Posted by tampaRAIDERfan, September 21, 2008 6:53 PM

wow, PFT has article on Gannon going off on the state of the RAIDERS....sounds like its been bad for a while even when they were winning....I'm sorry to say until the senile old man disappears the team is in real trouble...he still sign expense reports, WTF...time to modify the anal retentive wiki with AD's picture...someone in Oaktown get this guy laid....by a BBBBW and we can hope she crushes him...

#37

Posted by RaiderRoss, September 21, 2008 7:50 PM

RIGHT ON THE MARK!

#38

Posted by Big John, September 21, 2008 8:09 PM

Truer words are rarely spoken Rob. I believe that Hall is just playing how Ryan wants him to play though. Early in the game he was blanketing his man but when Rob "Relax, the game's in the bag" Ryan got satisfied with the lead, he called the dogs off. His prevent defense only prevents us from winning. I wish he would be let go but I'm afraid it's a double-edged sword. First, Al would rather fire Kiffin 100 times before he goes after Ryan. Second, I'm not sure the defense will respond positively when they hear that their coordinator gets canned.

Too much turmoil for the impact players to succeed and it might end up being a lost season, again. However, if we upset San Diego next week, which is entirely possible, given the way they've played this year with LT hurt, we would be 2-2 which would be how many saw us starting out. Going 2-2 into the bye is 100 times better than 1-3 and Kiffin in boiling hot water. We gotta keep up hope and it may pay off.

#39

Posted by Umer Waris, September 21, 2008 8:28 PM

Rob,

Great analysis.

That game was a heart breaker. That game should have been over when Higgins got that long TD.

I am still petrified by the Hall was playing. That last drive had balls thrown all ON THE RIGHT SIDE IN HIS DIRECTION!

And where was Hall during that time, 5 to 10 yards away from his reciever.

Hall proved what he could stop recievers in man coverage when he got that interception so why the hell would u stop him from playing at his best level??!?!?!

One last question, man:

WHY DIDNT KIFFIN CALL THE TIMEOUTS WHEN HE KNEW THAT THE BILLS WERE IN FIELD GOAL RANGE IN ORDER TO PERSERVE TIME AND HOPEFULLY SCORE?

He is young coach with a pretty young team that is still maturing. If anything that game showed that the Raiders are no joke this season.

Hey Rob,know it was a game that we should have won but nonetheless, its only highlights a team in progress.

That is why I am with Kiffin remaining Head coach. He brings that yound mindset to the team and all the players & coaching staff are in sync with what he has already established.

For God's sake, Mr. Davis if you still ever want to "Just Win, Baby" then you better keep Kiffin around.

From my opinion, no one is better for the growth of our young QB, risising offense and talented defense then Kiffin, Knappp, Cable, Rathman, etc. (Excluding that bitch of a Rob Ryan)

Heres to taking out the Chargers next week....

STAY UNITED RAIDER NATION... GOOD THINGS ARE YET TO COME!

#40

Posted by raideralex909, September 21, 2008 9:09 PM

WHAT THE FU***K RYAN NEEDS TO DIE IN THE FLIGHT HOME THIS PIECE OF S**T/ C*-**KSUCKER SUCKS ASS FOR 5 F***** YEARS WE HAD TO DEAL WITH HIM HE MUST HAVE SOME NASTY ASS PICTURES OF AL DOING SOMETHING WRONG THTAS THE ONLY REASON WHY HE STILL HAS A JOB/HE DID THAT CRAP ON PURPOSE SO THAT KIFFIN CAN GET FIRED HIM AND THE PERSON CALLING ALL THOSE CRAPPY PLAYS IMMM SOOOO SICK OF THIS CRAP RYAN AND AL NEED TO CHOKE ON SOME CHICKEN BONES AND DIE I REALLY HATE BOTH OF THEM FOR TURNING OUR TEAM TO SH**T

#41

Posted by raider aldighno, September 21, 2008 9:18 PM

incredible blog.says it all perfectly.the 06 Dwas such a mirage.the Raiders havent stopped anyone on adrive that mattered in7 years. rob ryan doesnt blitz and everyone knows it and takes advantage of it. we continue tosign busts like meangelo and javon walker.doesnt this team have a scouting department?compare this mess to the giants, who switched D coordinators and won a super bowl by blitzing,letting gibril go and not signing expensive busts. i think im giving up my tickets.

#42

Posted by Umer Waris, September 21, 2008 10:01 PM

Hey u guys,

Dont lose hope just yet

Like I said in my post above, that game just sums up how far this Raiders team can go.

Remember the Bills beat out the Division champ Seahawks and the AFC contenders in the Jaguars all iin two weeks.

Came week 3 and the raiders nearly took out those same Bills.

Optimism is still amid Oakland... as long as Kiffin remains coach.

STAY UNITED RAIDER NATION� GOOD THINGS ARE YET TO COME!

#43

Posted by Rebel2124, September 21, 2008 10:06 PM

Calling it like I see it...

I'm reading a lot of blogs blaming Ryan for this loss, but this one isn't on him. The Bills are a pretty explosive team and our guys did a pretty good job containing them defensively. You can only expect to keep a team like them bottled up for so long and we did.

This game was lost in the 3rd quarter just before we punted to the Bills with a 16 to 7 lead and they went on that 94 yard drive. You absolutely must stay aggresive against a team like the Bills and we didn't and thats why we lost. Kiffin called three consecutive conservative run plays against what looked like a nine man front that didn't amount to anything. The game was lost on that posession. Although Shane punted the ball well, Kiffin put unnecessary pressure on the defense to come up with a stop at this point in the game. He should've been aggressive in his play calling, threw the football and looked to score to seal the victory. 16 - 7 is not a large enough lead to get super conservative with a whole quarter and change left to play. Sorry dude, that was dumb as hell.

To use a boxing analogy, we backed them into a corner and dazed them and just when we had the chance for a knock out, we stopped throwing punches. Sorry, theres no way I blame this one on Ryan. This one is on Kiffin! Kiffin then came out the next few drives with the exact same conservative approach running the ball on both first and second down putting us in 3rd and long situations. So now we've got a young QB and a run-of-the-mill LT in a very bad situation - on the road with the game on the line with the crowd getting back into the game.

I heard the defensive players went to Ryan and asked him to call the game more aggresively. Russell needs to do the same with Kiffin. This is an aggresive game that calls for aggresive play from the players and smart aggresive play calling by the coaches. Anything less and you can forget it. The Bills didn't beat us, we beat ourselves and thats the reason I'll be pissed off for a while about this one.

Kiffin, take off the dress and piss standing up!

#44

Posted by Ralph Castro, September 21, 2008 11:01 PM

chris mortensen is reporting that kiffin will be fired as early as monday morning....

i hope this is chris being a hater but i doubt it

all i can say is hello to the first pick overall and russel is now going to become a bust a mcfadden is a unknown. i hope none of these perdictions are true and im being more pessimistic than optimistic.

you happy now elk

#45

Posted by Umer Waris, September 21, 2008 11:39 PM

Rebel2124,

Not a bad call.

That 3rd quarter drive that you referred to was the one in which they threw it all on the right side with Hall REMAINING 5-10 yards from the reciever. Why?

Because Ryan wouldnt know better what to do with Hall if he was the player himself.

The man had just got an interception from playing man on man and yet you still put on him zone.

If you ever see the replays, you will note that they were all quick in routes and slants on the right side in at drive and all of them going for 15-20 yards.

Yes I could have seen Rusell making some more throws but hey what would you have done... given the ball to a growing QB (who had already fumbled) or handed it off to an already proven run game.

If you read my first comment, you will see why i still support Kiffin on this one. Hes still young and learning and frankly, so is this team.

You couldnt have said it any better when you stated that the Raiders beat themselves, but hey thats all in the process of maturation.

Like you, this game is going to hangover me for quite a while. It should have easily gone in the 'W' column for us.

This game does prove how good of a team it can become UNDER KIFFIN!

STAY UNITED RAIDER NATION� GOOD THINGS ARE YET TO COME!

#46

Posted by Raider Raul, September 21, 2008 11:56 PM

Rob,

Thanks for writing such a candid article after this devastating loss. Al, please do the right thing ONE TIME. The answer is right under your nose. Kiffin is a good coach with a proper attitude. He's cerebral and calm. However, I wasn't thrilled with his playcalling and overuse of McFadden today, and his lack of timeout to ice the kicker. That being said, Rob Ryan has proven once again that he's a wuss. He's afraid to play agressive with the game on the line. Kiffin trusts his players, Ryan doesn't. Get rid of Tweedle Ryan & Tweedle Martindale, and an aggresive, attacking coordinator. (or what about Keith Millard or Ray Rhodes?). Ryan is a chump who gets lucky once in a while.

Better yet, LET KIFFIN decide who he wants as DC???

The JLH TD gave me hope that we could actually pull this off, but after we couldn't do CRAP on our last drive, I just knew it wasn't good. We need Warren, Fargas and McFadden to get better SOON. I can't wait for all the Kiffin fired articles this week already. Al, please don't fire Lane, FIRE RYAN!!!

#47

Posted by Lorde Vereste, September 22, 2008 12:14 AM

Ryan lost two key players in the 4th (Walker and Wilson) and lost the ability to continue blitzing, plus the d D had played hard and well all day, they got tired. Kiffin, in my opinion threw the game with appalling play calling and the disgraceful failure to call time out(s) before the kick.

It looked like hew was saying ***k you to Al as he knows he's being fired... Al Davis is an old fool.

#48

Posted by #1R8Rfan, September 22, 2008 12:20 AM

YOUR ARTICLE IS COMPLETELY WRONG!

You're sreading falsehoods and should retract it immediately!

Go back and watch the game again. You can clearly see Howard, Morrison and I think even cornerbacks blitzing multiple times inthe 4th and against that 17 play drive that started at the end of the 3rd quarter.

There were some 3 man fronts to be sure, but there were also several blitzes dialed up.

SUBSTITUTIONS like Fred Wakefield and Jon Alston on the Raiders right side goal line against the Bills D cost us a TD at the end of that lengthy drive.

The Bills had better cardio and played harder.

Ryan dialed it in, but the Bills made the adjustments and picked up the blitzes. I assure you, there were many of them.

#49

Posted by yersini, September 22, 2008 2:00 AM

Deangelo does need to be benched. He has yet to cover a single receiver in the first three games of the season. Ryan's play calling in the fourth quarter was absolutely horrendous. Kiffin's calls were the same, garbage ! How in the hell are you going to crush someone for three quarters and then completely abandon your game plan in the fourth quarter just because you have the lead? To not go for two after Johnnie Lee's touchdown was retarded and failing to call any timeouts after they had reached field goal range was totally inept and inexcusable. This was one of the lamest fourth quarter coaching jobs I have seen. That being said, we are still a very young team with plenty of talent and a head coach who has 19 games in his brief career. The team seems to be responding well to Kiffin and it would be a total shame to have to start over again, especially with our young quarterback who would have to learn a whole new system after just barely is getting familiar with the one in place. Al seriously needs to speak with Lane and Ryan (although Ryan should freakin know better by now !) about game management but I don't think he should fire Lane. Ryan, maybe, but if we have to start all over again with a new head coach, we will just be garbage again for a couple of more years. Definitely, definitely, definitely , DEFINITELY freakin bench Deangelo's non-receiver covering arse ! !

#50

Posted by WHITE E, September 22, 2008 2:07 AM

Holy crap. I thought you were making a ploy on Chris saying Kiff could be fired as early as Monday. Shit, he said that last week.

#51

Posted by silver&black88, September 22, 2008 6:30 AM

I got in a fight with a drunk fan but got attention from bills cheerleaders at the game. Woulda been better had the Raiders won.

Hall is not to blame; I think Ryan is. Hall characteristcly has been over-aggressive (ala get a pick or get burned) so Ryan probably tells him to play off more.

I blame Ryan, f his prevent defense as it always prevents the Raiders from winning

#52

Posted by RochesterKiffinFan, September 22, 2008 8:00 AM

Losing Gibril Wilson and Gerard Warren in the 4th definitely hurt our pash rush ability. That still does not make up for the piss poor play calling by Rob Ryan. He is the PROBLEM in oakland. He has been doing it since he has been there. The cover 2/prevent defense does not work for us. If you look really closely at our best defensive player Asomugha, when Ryan goes to the cover 2/prevent, he still plays man. Thats why he never gets beat. DeAngelo Hall is not getting beat playing man coverage either.Ryan calls the same D for 4 quarters and stays aggressive and we win this game. We are a middle of the road team on the rise right now and in a year or so teams will fear us again... if we keep Kiff and let him develop this team. Like someone already pointed out we have been "rebuilding" for 5 years... because we keep changing coaches

#53

Posted by Forget about Kiffin - Ryan is the one that should go - Oakland Raiders Forum | Message Board - Where, September 22, 2008 9:20 AM

[...] about Kiffin - Ryan is the one that should go Thoughts from the Dark Side | MVN - an Oakland Raiders independent news, commentary, analysis, and m... The Oakland Raiders got another loss, this time to the Buffalo Bills. The Raiders outplayed the [...]

#54

Posted by angelodebo, September 22, 2008 9:35 AM

Right after JLH touchdown, I turned to friend " We are going to rush 3, go into a prevent defense, and lose by one point..Cuz the Defensive Coordinator sucks." My exact words.

He said.."six minutes left-up nine points- no way he'll go into a prevent!" (Obv. he's not a Raider fan)

Of course..Rob Ryan goes into a prevent. Rob Ryan sux!! Period! The offense wasn't great..but the Defensive play calling was an absolute JOKE!

Fire Rob Ryan!

#55

Posted by KO, September 22, 2008 11:43 AM

These Raiders just gives me pain in the A--! They just make me so dam mad that I don�t even want to watch football, I feel like jumping in the TV and kicking someone in the A--! I�m sorry I wasted my money on those DirecTV NFL tickets. Both sides of the coaching needs be improved. The team looks better under Kniffin that with Norv and Art. I put most of the blame on Al and Ryan. If Al would just let his coaches coach and stick to what owners are suppose to handle the Raiders would be in better shape. Al can�t seem to get it out of his head that he�s not the coach anymore and that�s why we can�t get any quality coaches. The good young ones we had he chases them out (Shanahan and Gruden). The last good Defense Coordinator I can remember is Willie Shaw, he turned the defense around to be one of the top in league and then guess what Al fires him. We need touchdowns when we get in the red zone because we can�t rely on the defense to hold anybody. They need to throw that prevent shit out of the window. We applied pressure all game long and when we get to the forth quarter Ryan wants to play that prevent shit! Hall was playing to far off the receiver what is he afraid of, he�s just as fast as them and you are only allowed 5 yards to make any type of contact to throw the receiver off. Asomugha don�t play like that and Woodson didn�t play like that. Hall needs to study Hayes and Haynes tapes and become a physical shut down corner (man up, dam) and he�s has one advantage over them all SPEED. I also think we have the worst set of receivers in the league except Miller, we played 3 games and I don�t they a combine of 20 receptions between them and that f�king ridiculous. Al draft the quarterback with the strongest arm in the league and then turn around and trade the only threat he had (Randy Moss) for who? I�m a true Raider fan, since the 70�s and now they�re just make me sick to my stomach to watch.

Al, please loosen up and let your coaches do want they are paid to do and stop over paying these players that haven�t proven anything. I still don�t know why he gave Walker and Hall all that money and what have Kelly done or is doing to justify his money.

#56

Posted by RaiderGirl, September 22, 2008 1:34 PM

so true fuck ryan I hate this guy !!!

kiffin should stay for sure he's doing a good job I mean we look alot better this year that's for sure if it wasn't for ryan we would have wont that game to the bills

#57

Posted by RaiderGirl, September 22, 2008 1:35 PM

won***

#58

Posted by Canadian Raider, September 22, 2008 2:31 PM

Keep Kiffin Fire Ryan!!!

Same old predictable prevent defence has cost them every close game they have been in in the last 5 years! The only reason Davis wants Kiffin gone is because he wont kiss his ass like Ryan does! We need someone to stand up to Davis's 90 year old bad decisions (Yes Deangelo this means you!)

#59

Posted by AMY TRASK, September 23, 2008 11:56 AM

The Curse is sqeezing the Evil one at Raider headquarters, hang in there Raider nation.......

#60

Posted by Oaktown2, September 23, 2008 3:38 PM

Fellas I', so tired of this BS with Rob Ryan, he's a big pussy, I told my lil brother when we went up by 9 , that Ryan was going to go in retreat mode (prevent defense) because he has no heart and that we were going to lose by 1. I was so angry I wanted to throw a brick threw my big screen T.V. I 'm sick of him, he's nothing like his brother Rex, all of your great D Cord consistenly brings pressure no matter up by 3 or up by 30.

He wants to be one of the best like Rex, Jim Johnson and Monte Kiffin, but he has know heart. We have the talent to play with anyone, but our D Cord is so predictable my Wife can see his defense coming a mile away!

He has to go!

#61

Posted by Beat Mode breh, September 23, 2008 9:32 PM

You guys aren't looking at the big picture. the one who really needs to go is Al Fagit Fucking Davis! He's an old senile stupid MF. His age is affecting his ability to make good decisions such as keeping kiffin. Fuck you AL DAVIS!!

#62

Posted by David, September 28, 2008 8:47 AM

Alright, other than the no call on timeouts (young coach mistake), what is going on is not Kiffin's fault. He should have been allowed to fire the defensive coordinator that keeps giving up 4th qtr leads for years now. Not sure this is the Ryan's fault either. I recall the Raiders doing this with prevent D for the last 20 years. Usually we were good enough to overcome AL's favorite tactic. Why bother spending millions on one shutdown corner after another so you can run man to man defense then piss it all away with prevent d? Prevent you from winning that is. Charles Woodson looked bad here in that defense. Seen him with Green Bay lately. Hall was outstanding before he got here, not Hall's fault either. If he wasn't being told to play off in prevent he would be getting screamed at for doing it. Unless Rob Ryan is throwing games so he can be Head coach that is. Lord help us