This is how bad things have been for the Oakland Raiders: They actually celebrated going 8-8 in 2010.
Just mediocre, baby.
That 8-8 season wasn't good enough in the eyes of owner Al Davis, and he fired coach Tom Cable. The new coach is Hue Jackson, who helped jump-start the offense last season as coordinator.
Jackson takes over a team that has a lot of young, fast talent, which is just the way Davis likes it. They don't have a first-round pick this year, so they will have add to the roster with the later rounds and maybe through free agency.
The key will be the quarterback play of Jason Campbell. Jackson has already publicly backed him.
"I am looking forward to Jason leading our offensive football team to winning this AFC West championship and the playoffs," Jackson said. "Jason Campbell came in last year and in my opinion did a tremendous job. I thought over the last half of the season he did a tremendous job of leading our team and making the plays that big-time players have to make in this league, and that's what he did. So I'm expecting him to take that next jump."
If Jackson's right, the Raiders might push for a division title. They went 6-0 in the AFC West last season, so they know what it takes to win inside the division. If they can improve outside the division, who knows? Maybe mediocre won't be the word anymore and it will be back to "just win, baby."
QB: Jackson's backing of Campbell is a good sign. Campbell came on late in the season and looked much more comfortable running the offense than he did early on. I think he has a chance to be OK. It will be good for him to be in the same offense for two consecutive seasons, something he hasn't had in his career. Bruce Gradkowski has shown he can start games in this league, but it's unlikely he'll be returning in 2011.
RB: Darren McFadden is a beast when he's healthy. He showed last season what he could do when he stays on the field. McFadden is a home-run threat every time he touches the football. Michael Bush is a potential free agent, so the Raiders might look for a backup. Fullback Marcel Reece was one of last season's surprise players.
WR: There's plenty of speed with this group. Although Darius Heyward-Bey hasn't lived up to the expectations, he has the speed teams love. I think he takes a big step forward in his third season. Louis Murphy is a nice third-year player, but the real speed guy is Jacoby Ford, who had a good rookie season. He averaged 18.8 yards per catch. Chaz Schilens is a nice backup.
TE: Zach Miller is one of the more underrated players in the NFL. If he played with better quarterbacks, his numbers would be even better than the 60 catches and five touchdowns he had last season. He's also a decent blocker. Brandon Myers is a reasonable backup.
OL: This has been a trouble spot for the Raiders for some time, but two 2010 draft picks should help change that. Jared Veldheer started at center and tackle but has settled in at left tackle. Bruce Campbell, the team's fourth-round pick, will move in at left guard with Robert Gallery moving on. Campbell struggled to make the move from tackle to guard last season. Center Samson Satele had a good season, but guard Cooper Carlisle is slipping some. Right tackle Langston Walker is a mauler on the right side. Depth is needed.
DL: They have talent here. Veteran Richard Seymour played well when he was healthy and got rewarded with a two-year deal. Tommy Kelly bounced back from a sub-par 2009 to play well last season. Matt Shaughnessy is a nice young pass-rusher. Rookie Lamarr Houston was one of the unsung guys on this roster last season and should be even better in 2011. Veteran John Henderson played well when he was healthy and will be back.
LB: Rolando McClain started slowly as a rookie but came on as the season moved along. He should be a quality player inside. The outside linebackers are just OK. Quentin Groves has more bark than bite. Kamerion Wimbley had nine sacks, but he is little more than a situational pass-rusher. Ricky Brown is a nice special teams player. Travis Goethel is a young player they like. They could use some help here.
DB: Nnamdi Asomugha not returning, it means Stanford Routt takes over as the top corner. He played at a high level last season, but he was a two-game starter the year before. He isn't Asomugha, that's for sure. Chris Johnson will get a crack at the other corner, but the Raiders can also bring in guys to challenge him. Michael Huff played solidly at safety last season, but Tyvon Branch regressed. He missed too many tackles and was a liability in coverage after an impressive 2009 season. Hiram Eugene is a nice backup. Mike Mitchell, a surprise second-round pick in 2009, has to get on the field more this season, or he'll be a waste.
Source: http://feeds.cbssports.com/click.phdo?i=7c49152cdb0e9b49435ee3c1a4a1d21a
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