Anthony Carroll’s Friday Raiders mailbag

By Anthony Carroll  |   Friday, July 07, 2006  |  Comments( 10 )

Oakland Raiders
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In his second mailbag editorial, Anthony Carroll--a senior writer for Realfootball365--responds to fans' questions and comments submitted via RaidersLive.com:

Conor Davison, 20, Australia: Hello Anthony, I have been a Raider fan since I was young, runs in the family. Anyway, I was wondering how you feel about the Tom Walsh hiring and how successful he will be running this elite offense.

AC: Hiring Walsh was certainly a questionable move for Art Shell to make. However, the majority agree that appointing Shell as head coach was in the best interest for the organization as a whole. At this point in the season, you can only sit back and trust Shell's instincts in bringing Walsh back into the game. He hasn't coached on the professional plane since his departure in 1994; however, he also hasn't sought any other NFL coaching position since then. As for making the offense successful, I believe that will be more dependent on the offensive line and LaMont Jordan than the man calling the offensive plays. A handoff between the tackles will look identical on gameday, regardless of who transmits the play to the quarterback. Ironically, it is those small between-the-tackle handoffs that will open up the offensive plan most for the coordinator and make the opposing defense most vulnerable. Luckily for Oakland, their head coach is a Hall of Fame lineman.

Ryan S., 32, Memphis, TN: How do you feel about Junior Seau reportedly talking to the Raiders? For the right price, do you think Seau would be worth the gamble?

AC: To be honest, I would rather see Thomas Howard constantly confused than see Seau constantly winded and injured. As rookies, you can only expect Thomas Howard and Darnell Bing to get better, while 37-year-old Junior Seau will only get worse. In his last three seasons, the 16-year veteran's tackle total has dropped from 96 to 57 and, finally, down to 36. Furthermore, he has missed more than half of his games over the past two seasons with injuries to his quadriceps, pectoral muscle, calf, and Achilles tendon. With a defensive unit centered on youth and speed, Seau would have trouble fitting in, even for a knowledgeable 16-season vet.

Chris, 39, Sacramento, CA: I really liked the Raiders draft. By adding Huff, Howard and Bing, the D sure is a lot faster. My question is how do you think Bing will adjust to OLB? And do you think he has any chance at starting?

AC: For any rookie, fine-tuning to the changes of the NFL is difficult. However, for a 21-year-old who has never taken a defensive rep from the outside linebacker slot, it will be an even bumpier path. Fortunately, Bing possesses both the size and physical capacity to develop himself into a perennial playmaker in the NFL. In his rookie season, the 230-pounder will likely adjust slowly to the dimensions of being a well-rounded linebacker; however, it will be a productively slow path. Most of the USC grad's reps will likely come off the bench on passing downs, as that is where his safety intuition will be most utilized. In the AFC West--with tight end threats Tony Gonzalez and Antonio Gates present--having Bing shadow the big men with his quick 6-2 frame should help greatly. With just that alone, drafting such a highly-touted defensive prospect in the fourth-round was a good decision for Oakland's front office, even if he develops slowly at linebacker.

Greg, 27, Oakland, CA: With all the talk surrounding Rob Ryan and the defenses he's going to be using next season, do you think he has done a good job thus far?

AC: Oakland's defense has finished 30th and 27th over the past two regular seasons. Even with that in mind, a strong argument can be made in support of Rob Ryan. Even the brightest of football minds would have trouble transforming players like Grant Irons, Sam Williams, and Tyler Brayton into respectable full-time linebackers. Luckily, each of those names will now be listed only under the defensive end chart, and a few impressive rookies' names will fill-in the linebacking grid on the roster. Alongside an array of defensive injuries--particularly in 2005--Ryan has still managed to improve a less-than-stellar cast of defensive players. From 2004 to 2005, the Raiders defensive unit improved in virtually every category, including yards allowed per game (by just over 40 yards), yards-per-play, third down percentage, and time of possession. With a strong defensive offseason already in the works, there is no reason for Oakland's progress to come to halt in 2006. Even so, the defense still has a far way to go and the '06 campaign will be a critical one for Ryan to take more lengthy strides in the right direction.

Want to be in next week's mailbag? Visit RaidersLive.com for a chance to enter Anthony Carroll's Friday Mailbag...get more on the Oakland Raiders at Realfootball365.com

Anthony Carroll can be contacted at acarroll@realfootball365.com
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About Anthony Carroll

Anthony Carroll began writing for RealFootball365.com on Sept. 26, 2005, making him one of the longest tenured contributors to the “365” team. As a senior writer, Anthony has taken on the task of delivering original content to the silver and black faithful year round, despite having to deal...
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