It's been a lot of gloom and doom for the Oakland Raiders' in the time since Thanksgiving weekend, when the team defeated the Chicago Bears, 25-20. After that game, we've seen more than a few players go down with injuries, including the stand-out rookie receiver, Denarius Moore, in the game against the Minnesota Vikings. The worst news was the tragedy in cornerback Chris Johnson's family, and the player is, of course, having a difficult time with the situation.
But the tables could finally be turning for the Raiders. There are some pieces of good news this week that lead me to believe they could be.
The first, is that it looks like Moore will be back on the field against the Detroit Lions this Sunday. Head coach Hue Jackson was smiling once again during his media conference, and commented that Moore was back out at practice running around and catching some balls, and looking good. He said that his teammates were glad to see him back out there and gave them a little life.
Jackson also reiterated that Moore's return on the field could be a tremendous boost to the players and give them the added spark they need to win. In his last full game against the San Diego Chargers, he had a total of five catches, 123 yards and two touchdowns. On the season, he's got 24 catches for 410 yards and four touchdowns.
If you don't believe that Moore can make the difference, you're probably asking about the defense, which has definitely been a problem, especially in their two recent losses. Defensive tackle Richard Seymour's stats create a dim picture. In the Raiders' first five games, Seymour had five sacks, 15 tackles and three assists. In week five, he injured his knee in the game against the Texans, and he hasn't been the same since.
In the last five games, Seymour has had just one sack and one tackle. He hasn't missed a game, and instead has played through the pain because he knew how much the team needed him. He commented, "It's just been tough for me just because I haven't been able to practice much. It's just tough pushing through injuries. Earlier in the year, I felt good, it was going."
Coach Jackson spoke with Seymour today and feels comfortable that things will be better this Sunday, and Seymour said he is feeling better as well. Hopefully, he will be the boost the defense needs. Both Seymour and all of the players know that it's crunch time, and I believe they'll get it done.
The Raiders will be back home at O.co Coliseum for their seventh consecutive sold out game, and as Jackson said the fans bring a certain energy, and a special force to the team. With both the players and the fans in it to win, they can be unstoppable.
K.C. Dermody grew up in the Bay Area of California, and has been anOakland Raiders fan from the time she could walk. She has continued her loyalty to the team through its many ups and downs over the decades, and has been privileged to meet several of her favorite players, including famed quarterback, Jim Plunkett .
