Oakland’s Offensive Gambit: Does it have the pieces?

Looking at any team, there are several key pieces that are needed for a team to move forward. A strong offensive line, talented running backs, fast WR options, even a strong TE option helps. A quarterback with good sense of location, able to control all aspects on the field and talented enough to create, should things fall apart. For the Raiders, several places seem to be lacking. Oakland’s line, abused and ignored, finally got some help via the draft, with Jared Veldheer and Bruce Campbell. While Veldheer has been impressive, Bruce is still learning on the fly. Oakland’s new offensive coach, Hue Jackson pretty much let the players know that penalties would not be accepted…he was heard berating Khalif Barnes for his false start, asking for a new left tackle. As for other components, the one thing they need to meld together, is time. For some of these players, working with JaMarcus Russell was a chore. How can a person who falls asleep during practice be counted on ...