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Raiders travel to Miami
By Stefani Rebekah Black September 26, 2007 |
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The wait the week before the Oakland Raiders meeting with the Cleveland Browns last Sunday, had Daunte Culpepper tight lipped but hopeful, that he could come into the ball game and get the start and get the call after it was determined that the Raiders starter Josh McCown would not get the call due to his foot injury. Why wouldn't Culpepper start anyway? Lane Kiffin said in practice that Culpepper had this game on the schedule when they first got Culpepper and brought him into Oakland after he was cut from Miami. Culpepper says he's been ready to get out there since not winning the starting job and prove that Kiffin made a mistake in not giving the starting job to Culpepper. The Raiders will have a lot to contend with Culpepper, is not the same quarterback they experienced when he was there in Miami. Culpepper looked to be back in season form last Sunday but of course Culpepper will never be what we want to be like we once were in our youth and we are what we are now. With the improvisation at the offensive line the Raider offensive line can get away with for two, or three seconds and give them sometime to connect to the receivers and Culpepper is the best bet and he's been the best bet in terms of winning games this season for the Raiders. JaMarcus Russell is not ready to play, and Kiffin is going to sit him out and sit him in front of Jason Taylor of the Miami Dolphins. You need somebody with experience and McCown was a journeyman who really didn't have the zip that you needed and he's great in terms of completing or maybe he's a 70% rating but winning games is what the Raiders want to do. Culpepper offers the club their best chance to be able to win, going up against that defense that is struggling that has been keeping them together as best as they can, but there are some issues there at corner that the Raiders can exploit. Kiffin is hopeful that Culpepper and the offense can help pull off this win in Dolphin Stadium against a 0-3 football club. No matter the records, it's always a good game in the AFC, it’s always been a struggle for the Raiders, and fighting the Miami Dolphins whether it’s at home or on the road there is always going to be a struggle. No team wants to go down to the Raiders but everybody plays their A game when it comes to facing the Raiders. The Dolphins are going to be prepared for this match on Sunday but the Dolphins have issues on offense and defense and have issues at quarterback and letting go of Culpepper, they don't have the experience they really need to lead the team so thats why their looking at 0-3 and facing their old released team mate Culpepper on Sunday in Miami. Ronnie Brown is been able to produce for the Dolphins but that really hasn't been enough to win games and if that running game is going to go up against the former #3 defense in the NFL on the Raiders and absolutely the Dolphins are going to have a struggle. The Raiders need to blitz and the Raiders have not been blitzing thus far in these last three games. The Raiders are going into their fourth game and they have to start blitzing and finding the pressure particularly against inexperienced quarterbacks on Sunday they really didn't pressure Jay Cutler of the Broncos in Denver and so the Raiders have to figure out a way to pressure this quarterback in Miami and attack the quarterback. Both sides of the ball have to have to attack. Also not to mention Sebastien Janikowski has to kick those field goals. So it’s off to Miami for week #4 with the Miami Dolphins (0-3) for the Raiders (1-2) a 10:00AM kick off at Dolphin Stadium. Stefani Rebekah Black covers Raiders football each week with Jeremy Harness pre view commentary and Jeremy Kahn game day coverage. |
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