On to the Chargers.

[RaiderandBulldog]

After a successful week one win, the Raiders are going to their second home at the Chargers this week.

View from the enemy

https://www.thepowderblues.com/forum/fo ... gers-forum

[raidersince63]

People are making too big of an issue about Cousin's arm. Pushing the ball vertically was never his game and we don't have the outside speed to impose it anyways. With Mayer, Jeanty and Bowers we have the talent to work underneath and be effective provided the interceptions are cleaned up.

Agree...some of the same people clamoring about us not having a "WR1" are the same ones complaining about Cousin's perceived lack of arm strength. I don't see what difference it makes even if Cousin's does in fact have the arm strength when we supposedly don't have the receiver/s that can get past defenders to create viable a target?

[NoThanksSir]

People are making too big of an issue about Cousin's arm. Pushing the ball vertically was never his game and we don't have the outside speed to impose it anyways. With Mayer, Jeanty and Bowers we have the talent to work underneath and be effective provided the interceptions are cleaned up.

The tape tells a different story. Benson and Tucker both have speed and both were open at times but Cousins could not deliver the ball.

[raidersince63]

The tape tells a different story. Benson and Tucker both have speed and both were open at times but Cousins could not deliver the ball.

What tape?

[powski]

"Speedy" Nailer is fast too. But getting open medium long and deeper takes skill to do.

[Attyla]

Right now, it comes down to football intelligence. Everyone knows Mendoza can make all the throws Cousin can (and then some), but would Mendoza have made the same reads, the same decisions and the same completions?

The obvious answer is no. But, and this is where the rubber meets the road, would he have been as or more effective. That answer is there is no way of knowing. But that does not mean we bottle the kid up. At some point we do need to find out.

[SkullCrusher]

People are making too big of an issue about Cousin's arm. Pushing the ball vertically was never his game and we don't have the outside speed to impose it anyways. With Mayer, Jeanty and Bowers we have the talent to work underneath and be effective provided the interceptions are cleaned up.

I can recall many passes downfield over his career.

Stat wise he has averaged 40 explosive passing plays per season that puts him middle of the pack vs his contemporaries.

Now he's at the end of his career and he has lost some for sure, but he wasn't a bad down field passer in his prime, he was actually good. Sort of Gannon'ish, he lost reliability in his long ball in his later years.

[RI RAIDER]

The only reason Kirk is playing is to provide leadership, buy time, and get molly whopped. Its inevitable that Mendoza takes over in the near future. If its decided that our OL is better than advertised, it definitely pushes the time frame up.

[KillerRaider30]

The two picks Kirk threw weren't even tight window throws that were snagged because his arm couldn't get it there with zip. They were just dog shit throws that had no chance. The second one was worse than the first. The first one, I have no clue what he was doing. Maybe leading the receiver or just plain missed the throw

Id like to see just how much Kurk wound up on those 10y+ throws.
On one of the replays it looked like he really leaned into the throw and the ball went about 15 yards.

Maybe the tell

[chucker]

On the Chargers injury report Akheem Mesidor's position is listed as "OLD". Is this some position I haven't heard of before or a freudian slip in referencing a 25 year old rookie?

https://www.chargers.com/news/raiders-i ... ey-fantasy

[DanKD]

Porter played great in week 1 but its looking like he will be out week 2. Bowers will almost certainly be out as well. Rest of team is healthy

[KillerRaider30]

Heres one of hos ints. It just looks like a bad throw. He had some zip but it looked rushed as pressure was was closing the pocket. Mayer was open underneath and would've been an easy completion.

[Attyla]

On the Chargers injury report Akheem Mesidor's position is listed as "OLD". Is this some position I haven't heard of before or a freudian slip in referencing a 25 year old rookie?

https://www.chargers.com/news/raiders-i ... ey-fantasy

outside linebacker defense?

[KillerRaider30]

[chucker]

outside linebacker defense?

As opposed to outside linebacker offense?

[Goodtimes333]

The Raiders actually have plenty of speed at receiver. Tucker & Benson especially. Nailor is pretty fast in pads more than his shorts 4.5 would infer. I don't understand where this idea comes that the Raiders don't have speed at receiver, that's just false.

Its obvious Kirk has never had a cannon and he's lost some, but I'm gonna give him more than 1 game to really say his arm is shot & that he can't hit a deeper route. If he has time & steps into the throw I think he'll be able to hit those. If he proves he can't, then it is what it is. His mastery of the offense for the very most part is pretty obvious. I hated the bad picks but I'll also give him more than a game to outright say he's f[raiders_icon]cked.

When it comes to Fernando's arm I think the Raiders have an unexpected bonus. His arm looks better than what the initial scouting reports say. Chris Simms was talking about it during pre season & said that he was shocked to see how live Fernando's arm was. Also said he's got a top 3rd arm strength talent as it sits now. Chris had a cannon himself so that's an interesting observation. He was really able to get the ball out there with excellent zip on 15-25 yard throws. It was great to see. That's something to look forward to