Raiders- Cardinals

I'm beginning to see a pattern develop, Carson Palmer is good for at least one interception in every single game. That really brings back memories of some past Raider "greats" Todd Marinovich, Jay Schroeder, Marc Wilson and  nobody killed drives with untimely interceptions like Kerry Collins. Here's hoping Carson gets them out of his system by the season opener. Reserve running back Mike Goodson fumbled the ball away twice and then left with a chest injury,(inflicted upon him by his own team mates, no doubt) This further depletes a depleted stable of running backs (Taiwan Jones is out with an injury and Mike Bush is gone)

Kevin Kolb started for the Cardinals and was so ineffective that Raider defensive end Tommy Kelly ripped him to the press "He is skittish, he is scared back there" Tommy was just getting started, "Anytime anybody gets close to him he starts looking at the refs" Kelly: "As a defensive lineman you love a quarterback like that, he ain't even trying to look at the routes no more. He is paying attention to us and you ain't going to get nothing done like that!" John  Skelton the pride of El Paso, Tx. came in and threw just five passes, one for a touchdown.

Ken Whisenhunt, quickly pulled Skelton out of the game before he could mess the bed,  thus setting up a Qb. controversy in Arizona "Not with only five plays for John, I think I'll have to get him some extended time this next week" said Whisenhunt when asked if Skelton now had the edge. (Kevin Kolb say hello to Mister Clipboard) Ryan Williams playing for the first time since tearing his right patella tendon, ran through the Raider defense like a healthy Darren McFadden, who ran through the Cardinals defense like a gimpy Ryan Williams.

Twelve of the Raider's points came from their placekickers, three field goals from Sebastian Janikowski and one from Eddie Carmona (who missed a PAT)  I'm not sure how much longer the Carmona experiment will continue, maybe The Raiders know something about Sea bass that they're not telling us. Add Hall Davis' fumble return for a Raider touchdown to the mix and The Raider offense only scored once (Lonyae Miller on a 1 yarder) Tommy Kelly added two points by dropping Kolb in the endzone for a safety.

Raider Recap:  Raiders receiver Jacoby Ford left with an ankle injury, Darrius Heyward-Bey dropped a sure touchdown pass, Rod Streater played like a Pro Bowler, Matt Leinart went down with an injury, a laceration of the index finger of his non-throwing hand (he's now been injured in two of the last three games he's played in) and a man was shot outside in the stadium's parking lot after a fight broke out during the third quarter of Arizona's 31-27 win.The man was reported to be in stable condition, no report on if he was a Raider or Cardinals fan for those who keep track of that stuff.  

For more information on the shooting let's go to the comments page of The Arizona Republic. Jesse Nance, Mesa,Az.: "I was at the Cardinals game and it was a Raiders fan who shot a Cardinals fan. It's because Raiders fans are a bunch of gang banging thugs" Duke Milagro, LaGuardia College: "you can't handle the Silver and Black son!" Jesse Nance: Mesa Az.: "The people wearing Silver and Black were punching cops and shooting people in the face, it's just a football game not the streets of Oakland"  

Pedro Plascencia, San Jose,Ca.: I like how everyone is jumping to a conclusion that it was a Raider fan, please don't categorize Raider fans with stereotypical bullshit!"  I can tell Pedro is a true Raider fan, because he can actually spell and put together a sentence that doesn't sound like some whining mid-schooler with a high pitched voice.  I'm not condoning violence by any means, but I thought Joe Arpaio had that place locked down tight? 

The comments go on to suggest that since there have been shootings at two separate Raider pre-season games in the last two years (i.e. the 49'er game) that maybe Roger Goodell and the NFL should step in and bring down the velvet hammer. Fuck that!, The Raiders are no more responsible for Raider fans than say the Baltimore Ravens (who fancy themselves The Raiders of the east coast) are responsible for their gun toting legion of crab patty munching fans.

The Raiders on Facebook are really quite entertaining and it gives you real time insight into the mindset of true Raider fans. Noe Rios, "Same story different year!" Sandra Hanneman, "Crap!" John Oglesby "I really,really,really like Rod Streater" so do I John, so do I. John Hart, "you guys suck big time, you guys are gone to lass all of your game" Frank Tinklepaugh, "Crap!" Mack Feez, "the Raiders really suck on the field, off the field just all the way around" Shawn Core, (bless his heart) reminds us that "It's just preseason people!, it's all about evaluating players." Mac Luv "Crap!"

Keep in mind it's only the second game of the pre-season, a fact lost on Eddie Ray Castillo a Raider fan on FB, who crowed "1 and 2 in pre-season not to shabby, not great but better" Joshua MIra added " win some loose some but live to be a rader anotha day" so much for Raider fans knowing how to spell. Chresean Williams "WTF?" John Lopez keeps it real: "Yea I can see another 1000 yard penalty season coming" Frank Chaudoin, "Don't mess with Raider kickers!"  Rock Reyes, "Crap!" Lupe Sotelo-Key, "What's with the Haters?!!!"  

Matt Leinart, a former Cardinal first round draft pick, was heavily booed by the crowd when he entered the game. As I previously mentioned, he left the game with a cut on his right index finger. X-rays on the hand were negative and he received stitches to close the wound. Leinart should be ready for the regular season opener against the San Diego Chargers. He is competing with Terrelle Pryor for the No. 2 spot behind Carson Palmer but it hasn't been much of a competition. Pryor to put it kindly is awful!

Back to Tommy Kelly's smackdown of Kevin Kolb, this is a story that's really grown legs on the internet. Kevin did not have a good game, on second down from his own 11, he was called for intentional grounding, placing the ball at the 1 yard line. On the next play, he scrambled around in the end zone long enough for a lumbering Tommy Kelly to nail him for a safety. When asked about Kelly's comments after the game, Kolb responded "Scared? Scared of what?" he went on "Taking a hit?, I have never been afraid of anyone on the field and that will never change"

As if trying to convince himself, Kolb continued with his tirade "That includes Number 93 [Kelly]. There's a fine line between holding in the pocket and trying to escape to make a play. Tommy Kelly is too clueless to know the difference. I don't mind people criticizing my play. Don't ever question my toughness." Naturally his lame response to Kelly's trash talk makes us question his toughness even more.  Big contract, big talk... little results, the time for Kevin Kolb to put up or shut up is right now. 

The Oakland Raiders have signed Korey Bosworth, a linebacker out of UCLA. Bosworth initially signed as a non-drafted free agent with the Denver Broncos in 2010, He was in training camp with Detroit and played in the Lions’ preseason opener last week vs. Cleveland. Bosworth's twin brother, Kyle, plays for the Jacksonville Jaguars. If that name rings a bell it's because Brian "Boz" Bosworth is their uncle. Boz the former Seattle Seahawks and University of Oklahoma linebacker is best remembered for getting pancaked by Bo Jackson. (and for that stupid haircut)

No other major transactions to speak of, Oakland will play host to Korey Bosworth's former team, the Detroit Lions in their next game. The Lions manhandled the Baltimore Ravens in their second pre-season game after losing to Cleveland in their first. My advise for the Raider secondary: beware of Megatron, Calvin Johnson is playing like a man amongst boys. The Raider offense is a long way from getting right, Carson Palmer has yet to throw a touchdown pass and McFadden has yet to rush for one.