Sideline to sideline range

Michael Huff's sideline to sideline range may have been ok, but how about how he does on the other side of the white chalk? I'm just curious because that's where Michael Huff will be starting the game out on Sunday. The five game run with him as the Raiders' free safety has come to an end, for the time being. Hiram Eugene will start in his place.

It's about time some new blood got injected into the secondary. The way DeAngelo Hall has been covering this year, it won't hurt to have someone lively back there. Someone not afraid to lay the wood to someone. Someone that can help over the top of DeAngelo and still help out in the run game and tackle well in the open field.

In all honesty, regardless of the position, what's it hurt to shake things up a bit? What do we have to lose? Another game? We're not exactly battling for the league's best record, so let's put some guys on the hot seat, let's make people put forth the effort and earn their spots.

It also sounds like things will get shaken up at the wide receiver spot. Chaz Schilens is going to see the field more. It sounds like Javon Walker and Ronald Curry will still get the start, but Schilens will see significantly more playing time. Hopefully, this will inject some life in the passing game. Now, if Russell is throwing balls 10 rows deep into The Black Hole, it won't matter. But, again, what's it going to hurt?

At least the staff is trying things. They can see that the best we can do is run the ball 50 times a game and just stop the run on defense. Something has to give in the passing game and in the secondary. Let's hope these moves can help things along.

A few notes for Sunday:

- The game is sold out, so it will be on local TV in Oakland (for all you Bay Area members of Raider Nation)
- Derrick Burgess did not practice again with the triceps injury. He's listed as questionable for Sunday.
- Darren McFadden's toe is healing and the pain is subsiding. Hopefully his cutting ability will return and this should translate into more carries this Sunday.
- Ben Troupe did not practice with a foot injury (Guess we'll be waiting another week to see how that acquisition will pay off.)

You are who you are.....

We're a team that still has a three headed monster at running back. We're a team still without a receiving threat, now that the trade deadline has come and gone. We're a team still questioning how to move the ball on offense after our passing experiment proved to be a failure. We're a team with a coach that is more optimistic than a 17 year old male on prom night. After his first week and another dismantling, maybe that optimism is what we need (among other things).

Maybe that'll get him to focus on the overall team now, since he admittedly wasn't all that involved with the defensive gameplan and didn't focus much on the offense in practice. Something tells me the gameplan will be one more geared towards the running game than throwing the ball 35 times. Now, that's just a hunch, but I do know this: Bush and McFadden need to see the field more at the beginning of the game. They do leave a bit to be desired in blitz pick up, but we have to keep the change of pace and Russell has shown that 35 passes a game is too much. That needs to be cut to 25 attempts a game, 30 max.

The pass rush needs to be better, but it appears Derrick Burgess does have a strained triceps. Trevor Scott will probably have to fill in. That would definitely leave our already weak pass rush in worse shape. The defense will definitely need the offense to help them out this weekend and allow them to get off the field, especially if Burgess can't go.

We'll see if these things are addressed this week. Updates on injuries and DeAngelo Hall's search for his work ethic and desire to come tomorrow.