Oakland Raiders Defense

The Oakland Raiders are cautiously optimistic about the upcoming season.  They saw glimpses of what could be when JaMarcuss Russell was riding the pine last season.  Now that he is gone and Jason Campbell is under center, the Raiders defense might actually get a rest.

Raiders Pass Defense

The Raiders had a good pass defense last season. They rode on the heels of corner back Nnamdi Asomugha to be the 9th ranked pass defense in the NFL. But this number could be a little inflated because teams didn't have to pass on the Raiders to win. All they had to do was run the ball.

Oakland Run Defense

If Russell was the Achilles heel of the offense, the run defense was the downfall on the other side of the ball. They ranked 29th against the run last season, which didn't go unnoticed by the Raiders in the offseason. They added DE Quinton Groves, DT John Henderson and LB Kamerion Wimbley to help sure that defense up. Richard Seymore is now accepted the fact he is in Oakland and, by all reports, is a leader on the defense.

Raider Fans Hopeful for Offense

The Oakland Raiders have been one of the most dismal teams in the league for the last several years.  But now that the JaMarcus Russell era is over, Raider Nation is actually hopeful and excited to see the offense take a step.

Oakland Raiders Quarterback

The writing on the wall for Russell before Al Davis gave him his pink slip when they traded for quarterback Jason Campbell. Campbell became a quarterback in exile when Donovan McNabb arrive in D.C. via a trade from Philadelphia.

Campbell actually had a decent season last year number wise. He threw for a career high 20 touchdowns and had a completion percentage of 64.5%.

Raiders Running Backs and Receivers

Darrius Heyward-Bey was a bust as a first round pick. At least tight end Zach Miller, the teams leading receiver, picked up the slack. But Louis Murphy showed promise last year and it expected to take it up a notch.

It is also Darren McFadden's time to finally shine and prove he is that back everyone said he was coming out of college. McFadden is quick and elusive in the open field and adds a passing threat from the backfield. Michael Bush complements McFadden as being the bruising up the middle runner. His 4.8 yards per carry last season is impressive for a team playing from behind most of the season. It also topped McFadden's 3.4 ypc.