Mr. Johnson is Coming to Town

By MikeBullock  |   Wednesday, November 18, 2009  |  Comments( 13 )

Oakland Raiders
Got something to say?

Log In above and share your thoughts on this topic with other fans!
Insult will be added to injury this Sunday as former Chief Larry Johnson comes to Oakland with his new pals, the Cincinnati Bengals and their high powered offense. Chances are you won’t see Chad Johnson doing any Lambeau Leaps into the Black Hole, but you will see Larry Johnson driving his shoulders through gaping holes in the Raider defense.

While Cedric Benson is still the starter in Cincinnati, when he needs a breather from pounding the snot out of Raider defenders, Johnson will most likely be his change of pace replacement. And anyone with a memory knows when Larry Johnson goes against Oakland, it usually gets ugly fast.

In recent games, stopping Johnson had become viable for the Silver and Black, however the diminished passing threat made it easier for defensive coordinators to scheme to take Johnson out of the game. This time, with Carson Palmer, Chad Johnson, Andre Caldwell and the gang pursuing an aerial assault, Oakland may have no choice but to sit back and take a beating.

And, at 2-7, this team has proven they can take one with the best of them.

Historically, there are too many precedents for a troubled player who rejuvenated his career in the first game with a new team. What better opponent could Johnson ask for than Oakland so he could be the next to pull off the come-back magic?

In his last six games against the Silver and Black, Johnson has averaged 98.8 yards, with five touchdowns coming in that span. While those numbers aren’t back breaking, especially when you remove the 154 yards and two TDs on November 11th of 2006, the key ingredient is the offense he played on during those games. The Chiefs have not been a real threat to the AFC West crown since Marty Schottenheimer left the team, but Bengals coach Marvin Lewis has turned his team into a legitimate Superbowl contender over the last few months.

Don’t expect Johnson to have a career game, but it’s a safe bet to expect him to have a handful of plays that break the Raiders’ back. Especially if the Oakland offense can’t keep the ball long enough to give their defensive counterparts some rest.

Larry Johnson will most likely get all the hype going into the game, but the real matchup to watch in this one will be the other Johnson, WR Chad “Ochocinco” versus Raider corner Nnamdi Asomugha. After Johnson was shut down last week against the Steelers, he’ll be itching to get his groove on this week, but against the premier cover corner in the league, his groove just might turn into a rut.

Either way, the Bengals win and win big. And with visits to Dallas and Pittsburgh up next, get ready for 2-10, Raider Nation.
Got something to say?

Log In above and share your thoughts on this topic with other fans! (13)

Article Tools Share!   |  RSS  |  Bleacher Report About Bleacher Report
CommentsComments: 13  |  Sign Up  View all comments
Avatar
No.1
Raidehz		01:48 AM
11/19/2009
How are you other Raiders fans dealing with the depression? *seriously* Luckily, I don't have a Raiders website and i'm not an ...
Avatar
No.2
OAKTOWN BRO		12:49 PM
11/19/2009
i'm basically in the same therapy boat as you Raidehz. I still watch the games, but not usually the whole thing. I click in and ...
Avatar
No.3
neil b		01:33 PM
11/19/2009
Since 1989 when free agency first started we've had 6 winning seasons.When I read that I was shocked.You'd think you'd get use to ...
Team News  |  View All Raiders Content
All Aboard! – Coach Conducts ...
The Oakland Raiders hit training camp in far better shape than they di ...
1 day, 3 hours ago   |   All Aboard! – Coach Conducts Raider Express ( 0 )
Color By Numbers: Why the Ra ...
While other off-season predictions will rely on silly things like rost ...
1 week, 1 day ago   |   Color By Numbers: Why the Raiders Will Be in the Super Bowl ( 0 )
Commitment to Excellence: HO ...
As next month’s Hall of Fame inductions approach, let’s look at some O ...
2 weeks, 3 days ago   |   Commitment to Excellence: HOF Raiders ( 0 )
Commitment to Excellence: Nn ...
We all know Nnamdi Asomugha is one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL. ...
1 month ago   |   Commitment to Excellence: Nnamdi Asomugha ( 0 )
Some Fantasy Gems Could Be F ...
It’s a little too early to get into the real meat and potatoes of Fant ...
1 month ago   |   Some Fantasy Gems Could Be Found in Oakland ( 0 )