Enter Las Vegas Raiders Football 2.0

The Black Hole: Enter Las Vegas Raiders Football 2.0

I get a lot of nuggets and information that just aren’t big enough for a story. If I have a few that I can put together, I will, and if I have only one or two, I’ll post them on our community page. That, welcome to The Black Hole.

• One name you should not sleep at all, and I do NOT predict he makes the roster, is Keisean Nixon. But he’s on the hunt, and he keeps making plays. Is Nixon perfect? No.
• Nixon makes plays and has a short memory. What does it mean? If he makes a mistake, he does not pout; he fights back. He has “It.” I agree with him.
• Quarterback Derek Carr has had a great camp. Coach Jon Gruden loves him, and he plays well. I realize this does not fit the nation Clickbait model, but if you were in camp, I could tell you that it would be clear that there is NO QB controversy.
• If you did not like Derek, he would probably not like you either. But when you say there’s a controversy, you’re either ignorant or just working for a national media outlet that clicks.
• In the midst of a heatwave, every false Carr had to make it to Tuesday’s delivery, which he did at 100% full speed. EVERY ONE. Because he’s the number one QB, he takes on most of the reps, which is a lot of extra work, but his teammates saw it.
• Arden Key plays out of his mind. He flourishes under Rod Marinelli. He listens, gives 100 percent effort and does not repeat mistakes. He plays as a starter. Will he? Who knows, but he plays with confidence and looks agile, hostile and mobile.
• The defensive line is strong now. Perhaps Rod Marinelli was the most important addition to this team. Those players laugh with him and work for him. Get ready Raider Nation, as what we see in the transfer of camp to the season, the Raiders will catch several teams.
• Tight end Darren Waller is a Pro Bowl player, he should be, and he’s a flat out ballplayer. Today I saw him work as a tactician on his block. I will not give details that could hurt the Raiders, but he takes space when he blocks. That may not seem like much to many of you, but ask those who know the game. Football is a game of inches and if you have a tight end who takes up space that is enormous.
• I can tell you this: the Raiders’ tight ends are better because they see him working. He is humble and hungry. People love to talk about people’s past; I love talking about their futures. On and off the field, Waller is an excellent person, and I do not care what team you are rooting for, if you are a human, you should be a Waller fan.
• It does not matter to me what Waller did, he pulled himself up, and if he is not the best tight end the planet is currently running, I do not know who he is.
• I think one of his best traits is that he is a listener. I saw him working on the foot placement today, and it was fascinating. He loves to be coached and he listens.
• On his own, he spent significant time working three inches with his footwork.
• Another example of Waller was placing a ball where only he could get it. He looked like Michael Jordan was signing for the ball.
• I have no idea how tall he was, but it was easily above a basketball court.
• His hands are so soft; when the ball comes to him, he grabs it.
• Speaking of soft hands: Let’s talk Bryan Edwards. I will make this prediction at the moment: If he is not a week by a starter, then he will be at the end of the season. There is an adage in football that the best opportunity is available. He is.
• He always makes plays.
• Lynn Bowden did a lot of things in college. This is not a college. This is the NFL, and it’s hard to make plays on your back. Jon Gruden demands toughness from everyone, and if you are going to run for the Raiders to play, then you better be able to block and get off a block.
• He’s young, and I love him, but this is reality.
• Bowden is a tough player and is electric with the ball. But without the ball is where he needs to improve. Give him time, he has a great work ethic and will adapt. He is a special player with the ball in his hands.
• Veteran Erik Harris gave Bowden a welcome to the NFL rookie moment today. All I have to say is that if he was friendly, he would have asked the rookie if he wanted some syrup because he got pancaked.
• Josh Jacobs plays as a boss. His commitment is excellent, his attitude is exceptional, and despite all the praise, he is hungry. Every time I see him, I’m more impressed. Today I saw him with a manager, someone he did not have to handle properly, stop and help the man in the middle of a hot exercise. How you treat people who can do nothing for you is called character. Josh Jacobs is a great football player. But he is a better man. His family had raised him right away, and the air is the limit for someone with that talent and that character. Well done, Josh.
• Okay, a name you probably do not hear much about, but the man who works his tail off is Jalen Richard. You can tell he’s a guy who knows he’s not guaranteed on the roster, and he’s working hard.
• Who knows if he will make the team. It’s certainly fair to ask, but he belongs in this league.
• Richard is a classic example of why COVID-19 is destroying careers. Richard has been in this league for a while. He will be OK, but young players who deserve to stay, without pre-season film, are in trouble.
• Devontae Booker is another man who fights for a place.
• I can tell you this, he is dominant at the point of attack. He does not kill people. He hits her. He plays with zero fear. While certainly not the same size, he reminds me of former NFL great Cory Schlesinger when he blocks. Cory was a fullback, but Booker blocked with that kind of reality.
• Alec Ingold reminds me of the old-fashioned helmet worn by football players.
• He just loves the game. There is not much he can not and will not do. I love to practice him. The way he works, the way he smiles, he loves the game.
• Take Ingold’s salary, and he’s playing in a cow meadow in Wisconsin. A great player without ego.
• William Stanback is another run back. He is so consistent. I’m constantly asked how many wide receivers the Raiders hold and how many running backpacks.
• I’m telling you people, they’re loaded.
• Stanback’s consistency falls short, but if Bowden plays both spots, who will not make it?
• As mentioned earlier, some great players will play for other NFL teams on Sunday because the Raiders can’t keep them. That’s all you need to know about the 2020 version of the Silver and Black.
• Derek Carr beat a lot of guys in a fight on Tuesday. Most fans do not understand how important that is. A pass that does not advance for a man slows him down, which helps the defense. But if you can lead a man in the lead and hit, it turns a three or four yard win into a 15 yard win. As mentioned earlier, Carr has had a fantastic camp. He throws hundreds of balls a day, and he’s not 100%, but he’s at 95%, and the competition is not close. He got in shape in camp.
• Say what you will about Carr, he’s ready to fool some people. He knows the weapons he has, and to me he seems hungry.
• That is a character trait when it is clear that the boy’s job is safe.
• Zay Jones has fantastic vision, the way he sees the field and maneuvers in and out of distraction while never moving his head. He is so disciplined, vision wise. There is so much about football that many people miss. These guys make it easy on television, but when you look at Jones, the way he maneuvers and trusts his instincts while keeping his eyes on goal tells me that his football IQ is high, and his peripheral vision is unusual.
• Do you remember the late great George Perles? He and I were very close, and I stay close to his family today. He was the inventor of the Pittsburgh Steelers’ 4-3 stunt defense (the Steel Curtain). He was famous for saying, “Good things happen when you quit and do your job.”
• He told me, “Average Joe Greene was the best football player of all time. He kept quiet, did his job and was great.”
• I always think of George when I see Hunter Renfrow. He makes his job difficult, keeps his mouth shut, and just produces. Hunter Renfrow is only in competition with Alec Ingold as the best player no one talks about, other than Raider Maven from Sports Illustrated.
• Twice on Tuesday, Derek Carr stepped up with Henry Ruggs III passes that went in the air more than 55 yards. Again, they went in tight windows. I would bet many of his critics could not spray on a foot of an 18-inch window, throwing a major wind over 55 yards into an 18-inch window.
• Here’s something Mike Mayock and Jon Gruden did not get enough credit for. They have introduced a ton of men of high character as free agents. Those free agents are not dumb. They know this team is really deep, and young players (and in many cases cheaper) push them for spots. But they continue to teach and help. I’ve been playing football for a long time. The Raiders are one of the complete teams for unity I have seen. Sure, sitting at home at COVID-19 might have helped, but give owner Mark Davis and his management team credit.
• Be proud of that Raider Nation.

I have so many more notes, and I promise I will get them all in. Our “Black Hole” articles will take place once a week. Maybe we can extend it during campus to twice a week. I have a lot more to tell you, but I’m already on five pages.

Let’s try it again in a week. I will let you know via social media. @HondoCarpenter

I can tell you this, Raider Nation has a ton to be excited about. This article is long overdue, or I could give you many more reasons and players to be passionate. Keep your eyes peeled for the next “Black Hole.” Please tell your friends here.