Five reasons the Raiders will win on Sunday

By Anthony Carroll  |   Thursday, September 06, 2007  |  Comments( 34 )

Oakland Raiders
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Two desperate teams will enter McAfee Coliseum in Oakland on Sunday with one common goal: to win.

The Detroit Lions, who finished with just three victories in 2006, will take on the Oakland Raiders, a two-win franchise from last season. Both teams earned the title of being the worst in their conference last year, combining for 27 hard-to-watch losses.

Luckily, for at least one of the teams, somebody will walk off the field this Sunday with a win and a 1-0 record.

Here are five reasons why the Raiders will be that team:

5. Stuart Schweigert

I'm serious. Well, not completely. The 26-year-old free safety, though, does have a special interest in this game. A native of Saginaw, Mich., Schweigert saw plenty of the Lions growing up in the same state.

"This game is special to me because I am from Michigan," Schweigert said a week ago. "[I'd] love nothing more to send them back home with a loss on their record."

After recording no interceptions in 2006, I'm feeling a big one in this game. Remember that. (Unless he doesn't get one.)

4. The confusing quarterback quandary

No matter what Lions head coach Rod Marinelli says, not knowing whom Oakland's starting quarterback will be on Sunday is a disadvantage to his team. Both Marinelli and Detroit's defense had to deal with ESPN reporting Culpepper as the starter, Adam Schefter reporting Josh McCown as the top man and head coach Lane Kiffin saying, "Ugh...I don't know." Whomever it might be, the Lions won't know until it's too late to game plan around that person.

3. Short corners...tall wide receivers

Compared to Oakland's wideouts, Detroit's cast of cornerbacks doesn't look all too impressive. The team's top two corners, Fernando Bryant and Stanley Wilson, both list at a modest 5-foot-11, and neither has recorded an interception in their five combined years with the Lions. On paper, the Raiders have the advantage, hoarding athletic receivers Jerry Porter (6-2), Ronald Curry (6-2) and Mike Williams (6-5). The Lion secondary will find it hard to win one-on-one battles.

2. Tall, fast wide receivers...equally tall, fast corners

On the flip side, Oakland matches up with quarterback Jon Kitna's main targets very well. The 6-3, 212-pound Roy Williams will line up alongside first-round rookie Calvin Johnson, who will be manned up against the 6-2, 210-pound Nnamdi Asomugha and the smaller Fabian Washington. Though Washington lists at 5-11, he makes up for any height disadvantages with quickness and an above-average vertical jump.

Combined, the duo of starting corners recorded 90 tackles, 12 interceptions and 19 passes defensed last season. With '06 first-rounder Michael Huff and Schweigert back at the safety spots, it's hard to imagine even the big-play Lions wideouts getting behind Oakland's secondary.

1. Defense wins championships...and games against Detroit

You won't hear it much from the mouths of most NFL analysts, but the Raider 'D' is one of the best in the league. Along with a top-ranked secondary, the unit is strong across the board, from the pass rush, to the linebackers to the coordinator. The Rob Ryan-led unit features one of the fastest linebacking corps in the league, made up of OLBs Thomas Howard and Sam Williams and middle man Kirk Morrison.

Throw in a strong pass rush from Derrick Burgess, Tommy Kelly and Warren Sapp, and the Oakland 'D' should have no problem flustering Kitna.

We all know what happens when Kitna is flustered.

Anthony Carroll, a senior writer for RealFootball365.com, 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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