Raiders-Ravens for the stat addict

By Os Davis  |   Thursday, October 23, 2008  |  Comments( 20 )

Oakland Raiders
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Numbers, numbers, numbers: The statistics junkie is always looking for the numbers to explain and define the empirical data, loving every factoid and figure that merrily pops up on NFL Network telecasts, forever analyzing and endlessly craving new data.

In short, hello. My name is Os, and I am a stat addict. The following are a few numbers the addicted may look for in Sunday’s Oakland Raiders-Baltimore Ravens game.

Nine. How does Sebastian Janikowski top last week’s record-setting overtime field goal? By overtaking a legend’s career point-scoring total: Janikowski needs just nine points to pass George Blanda (863 and, insanely enough, every single one scored after the age of 40) as the all-time Raiders scoring leader. Maybe he’ll make the record-breaker on a 60-yarder ... yeah, and in overtime ...

At least 32 and 150. Specifically speaking (writing?), that would be carries and yards. Earlier this season, this year’s 10th-most prolific rushing offense ran up an even 300 yards against the Chiefs behind a whopping 47 carries and 297 by the Darren McFadden-Michael Bush-Justin Fargas trio. Versus the Jets and sans Bush last week, it was 38 carries for 153 yards with Johnnie Lee Higgins and Jon Alston (!) contributing long statistical runs. Even last season with mostly Fargas and LaMont Jordan, three of the Raiders’ four wins represented their top three rushing efforts.

No matter what happens to the coaching staff in the medium term, the Raiders are so far behind on quality receivers that “run” will be the word for the Oakland offense for years to come. Therefore, no time like the present to establish this principle.

14 and 7. The number of penalties assessed last week and per game this season. As though the recurrent fourth-quarter collapses, the tame offensive line and the even tamer receivers weren’t bad enough, the Raiders are now en masse collecting silly mental errors to drag games out and generally pollute the television broadcast with time wasters. Ugly! (Even if you get the win!)

This subject was covered at RealFootball365.com previously, while Cable kinda sorta suggested he had a solution with the oft-quoted high-profile lines: "This penalty thing is ridiculous. We have to address it. Not that we haven't in the past, but it has got to continue to be a point of emphasis. We have to get very detailed in our work and in our ideas toward that. The biggest thing to me is, really staying focused."

Well, all right.

35 and 28. It’s official: Instead of Samari Rolle and Dawan Landry on Sunday, those unfamiliar jersey numbers in the Baltimore secondary will be those of Corey Ivy (35) and Tom Zbikowski (28). Nice for the Raider Nation it would be if JaMarcus Russell and – dare we think he's finally re-instilled with confidence after a TD reception? – Javon Walker could exploit these fill-ins properly. Though the Dirty Birds’ D-line and LBs have been simply awesome this season, a couple long strikes could make the difference in a grind-it-out game.

55. That’s linebacker Robert Thomas’ jersey number. Starting on the Raider practice squad in 2007, Thomas was eventually activated for the big team for 11 games, starting 10 and amassing 62 tackles (51 solo). Poor Thomas injured a knee in 2008 camp, however, and had been on the practice squad until TE Ben Troupe was placed on IR to free up a roster spot. Welcome back, Mr. Thomas, and good luck!

Minus-9, or the point spread for the home Ravens. Ah, life is short so what the heck? Take the Raiders plus the nine on a final score of Baltimore Ravens 21, Oakland Raiders 20.
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About Os Davis

Os Davis has taken a twisted route to get to RealFootball365.com in his nearly 17 years in professional writing, working in any number of capacities in the sportswriting, news reporting and film criticism worlds. In print media, Os has served as editor at a few publications, including Albuquerque's ...
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