Impressions from the game

[jason]

1. Knox is the most hot or cold player in the NFL. One play he's falling down, the next he's running the wrong route, the next he's burning a DB for an incredible catch. He's incredibly frustrating. And just like I documented last year, his bad habits are directly responsible for INTs.

2. The OL still sucks at pass protection. Bad. It seemed that nearly every play Hanie dropped back there was pressure of some kind. There were maybe a handful of solid pockets the entire game in which actual pressure of the impression of pressure (i.e. the entire OL getting shoved back) didn't happen.

3. Roy Williams was open several times without a pass thrown his way. This was surprising. He comes out of his breaks sharp and hard.

4. It looked like the Raiders loved when the Bears went to a cover-2 zone. That FB pass wasn't a fluke. It was in that "skinny post" seam found just beyond the MLB and between the safeties.

5. The 80-yard fluke punt was wind-aided. The wind was blowing that way the entire game. I know this isn't a huge shock, but it was a back-breaker at the time.

6. One of the long runs to the visitor side by Bush contained an atrocious non-call for holding. Peppers got straight up bear-hugged. It was so blatant that the Raiders fans behind me were already upset before the end of the play because they knew it would be a hold. It wasn't.

7. Jennings is not good one-on-one. He's the one who got burned for the pass to Murphy, and if his side was the first read on every play, it would have happened more frequently. In other words, he got shucked ah the line of scrimmage nearly every time I foced my attention his way.

8. The play that I'm sure many hated (the roll out pass back to the TE that went for a long INT return) wasn't a bad play for the time, in my opinion. The passing game was just beginning to click, first of all. Secondly, the play was a misdirection that 91% worked. Why 91%? Because one defensive player made a great read, and an even better break on the ball. If you want to get mad at anyone for the play, get mad at Webb. He's damn near blind. He released from his DLine assignment at about the 10yard line and had over 5 yards to hit Curry, who made the big play. If Webb does his job instead of just wandering around like a fat zombie, the play goes for a TD to the weak side. An easy TD at that. When the unorthodox works, everyone is a fan. When it doesn't, everyone is a critic.

9. GREAT EFFORT by Louis on the INT return. At least one guy on the OL has his head on straight. I'm now firmly on the Lance Louis fan club for that play alone.

10. Hanie is average at best. The OL will have to make him feel a lot more comfortable for this team to do well the rest of the season. Either that or the running game will have to have huge numbers.

 

Raiders stadium/fans info:

-Fans are very energetic. There is a good vibe, a football vibe, throughout the entire place.

-The dangerous aspect is overrated and exaggerated.

-Many fans were quite nice, and intelligent. They seemed no different than any other fan base I've ever been around.

-They stand the entire game. Very rude and very stupid. I could see, but others with me couldn't. I saw more than one person sitting down and watching the jumbotron the entire game.

-Worst stadium hotdog I've ever had. Period. Scorching hot, pre-wrapped, a bun that's both soggy and rock-hard on opposing sides, and a taste that really reminds you you're eating pig anus, ears, and assorted parts.

-No smoking allowed, but apparently it's quite common for people to light up cigarettes as well as marijuana. Rude and illegal. Security didn't even show up. This was very disappointing to me.

-Exiting the stadium is a freaking nightmare. One bridge leads out the visitor side of the field to BART and other exit situations. Both ends of the field funnel into the bridge. Unfortunately the funnel lanes are set up as about 10 feet wide, and the tunnel can't be more than 15 feet wide. It's crime and danger just waiting to happen. If the Raiders had lost, I could see potential problems all around. Having been to roughly 30 pro stadiums for baseball and football all over the country, I can unequivocally say it's the worst situation I've ever seen. Nearly ruined the entire experience. That's how bad it was.

 

Wish the Bears had won. But they played til the end and gave me a good game.

[madlithuanian]

Thanks for sharing your experiences at the game. I'm glad you came away unscathed! ...and am glad to hear it seems a rare thing.

 

8. I don't disagree with your reasoning, but I just simply say it was a bad playcall for what was needed at that time. The execution was beyond poor by every single Bear involved in it, but it just wasn't needed

 

9. I cannot agree more! That was a pure hussle play. Sheer desire to stop it from happening. That kept us in the game. Louis has been a very pleasant surprise this season. I hope he continues to improve and becomes a foundation of our OL for years to come.

 

x. Can I get on my Clutts soapbox for a minute? I swear either I'm selectively watching, or does it seem like we simply gain more yars when Clutts is in blocking for our runners? Barber had Clutts in on virtually every one of his runs, and he was popping 5-8 yards per carry. Forte would get the single back treatment and rattle off far less. Can we just put Clutts in there as least more often than not?

 

1. Knox is the most hot or cold player in the NFL. One play he's falling down, the next he's running the wrong route, the next he's burning a DB for an incredible catch. He's incredibly frustrating. And just like I documented last year, his bad habits are directly responsible for INTs.

2. The OL still sucks at pass protection. Bad. It seemed that nearly every play Hanie dropped back there was pressure of some kind. There were maybe a handful of solid pockets the entire game in which actual pressure of the impression of pressure (i.e. the entire OL getting shoved back) didn't happen.

3. Roy Williams was open several times without a pass thrown his way. This was surprising. He comes out of his breaks sharp and hard.

4. It looked like the Raiders loved when the Bears went to a cover-2 zone. That FB pass wasn't a fluke. It was in that "skinny post" seam found just beyond the MLB and between the safeties.

5. The 80-yard fluke punt was wind-aided. The wind was blowing that way the entire game. I know this isn't a huge shock, but it was a back-breaker at the time.

6. One of the long runs to the visitor side by Bush contained an atrocious non-call for holding. Peppers got straight up bear-hugged. It was so blatant that the Raiders fans behind me were already upset before the end of the play because they knew it would be a hold. It wasn't.

7. Jennings is not good one-on-one. He's the one who got burned for the pass to Murphy, and if his side was the first read on every play, it would have happened more frequently. In other words, he got shucked ah the line of scrimmage nearly every time I foced my attention his way.

8. The play that I'm sure many hated (the roll out pass back to the TE that went for a long INT return) wasn't a bad play for the time, in my opinion. The passing game was just beginning to click, first of all. Secondly, the play was a misdirection that 91% worked. Why 91%? Because one defensive player made a great read, and an even better break on the ball. If you want to get mad at anyone for the play, get mad at Webb. He's damn near blind. He released from his DLine assignment at about the 10yard line and had over 5 yards to hit Curry, who made the big play. If Webb does his job instead of just wandering around like a fat zombie, the play goes for a TD to the weak side. An easy TD at that. When the unorthodox works, everyone is a fan. When it doesn't, everyone is a critic.

9. GREAT EFFORT by Louis on the INT return. At least one guy on the OL has his head on straight. I'm now firmly on the Lance Louis fan club for that play alone.

10. Hanie is average at best. The OL will have to make him feel a lot more comfortable for this team to do well the rest of the season. Either that or the running game will have to have huge numbers.

 

Raiders stadium/fans info:

-Fans are very energetic. There is a good vibe, a football vibe, throughout the entire place.

-The dangerous aspect is overrated and exaggerated.

-Many fans were quite nice, and intelligent. They seemed no different than any other fan base I've ever been around.

-They stand the entire game. Very rude and very stupid. I could see, but others with me couldn't. I saw more than one person sitting down and watching the jumbotron the entire game.

-Worst stadium hotdog I've ever had. Period. Scorching hot, pre-wrapped, a bun that's both soggy and rock-hard on opposing sides, and a taste that really reminds you you're eating pig anus, ears, and assorted parts.

-No smoking allowed, but apparently it's quite common for people to light up cigarettes as well as marijuana. Rude and illegal. Security didn't even show up. This was very disappointing to me.

-Exiting the stadium is a freaking nightmare. One bridge leads out the visitor side of the field to BART and other exit situations. Both ends of the field funnel into the bridge. Unfortunately the funnel lanes are set up as about 10 feet wide, and the tunnel can't be more than 15 feet wide. It's crime and danger just waiting to happen. If the Raiders had lost, I could see potential problems all around. Having been to roughly 30 pro stadiums for baseball and football all over the country, I can unequivocally say it's the worst situation I've ever seen. Nearly ruined the entire experience. That's how bad it was.

 

Wish the Bears had won. But they played til the end and gave me a good game.