BlitzChick

Look at it like this, the replacement refs were untrained lingerie football league and Division III officials. The regular "real" refs, while I understand are human, and make errors, this is outrageous. In one game they don't blow a whistle when a player is obviously down, and a few days later, in another, they blow a live ball dead. And then screw up the call on the next play. I am betting the NFL could have come up with other officials from the USFL, AFL or even the CFL, but they chose not to do that. They expected fans to settle for the mediocrity of these "real" officials. BTW, their approal rating was a mere 55%, where as the replacements had a 45% approval rating. Both failed, but that 10% difference is not so huge considering one group was not used to NFL speed and didn't know the rules.

Now we are stuck with this poor officiating. It was supposed to improve with the new contract, but it didn't. Basically the NFL needs to scrap everything in place now, get new scouts, new trainers and a new system on which to judge officiating, and a repercussion system with some teeth. I believe that will happen when pigs fly.

I digress. After the last TD scored, the Bengals ended up with another field goal, which gave us the final score of 34-10. Again, how easily correct calls by the officials could have changed that.

This isn't to even try to say the Raiders would have won, but the 3rd quarter, which has been their worst quarter, was actually one of their best this game. They had momentum, despite the early turnover of the 4th quarter, because of the moral victory of the field goal. The officials killed it.

Now I am going to talk about our head coach, Dennis Allen.

One of the things the booth guys mentioned is how Dennis Allen stated that the Raiders players do not have confidence. Usually I am not so sure about that. Matt Giordano, though a lot of people tend to not think highly of him, managed to stop 2 touchdowns today. Our running game seemed to come alive, and the blocking up front offensively looked different to me. Dare I think we were power blocking this game some?

Marcel Reece plays with confidence. I think Carson Palmer does, too. I have no problem with the confidence the players have in themselves. This also just smacks of when Bill Callahan called the Raiders the stupidest team.

I will again state I think the players are not buying what the coordinators are selling. I think Dennis Allen needs to have a chit chat with EVERY starter, then the back ups, to figure out what is working and not working, because he doesn't seem to have a clue just by watching games and film.

I will also say again, it looked like we were practiced to play, but not to play a specific opponent.

It just gets me angry.

I will agree with the belief that this wasn't a Super Bowl calibre team, but I think we have talent to have a better record than we do.

I don't necessarily want to see McKenzie or Allen go, but those two need to have a talk with the young Mr. Davis about where this team is headed before the end of the season. (Subtle hint: There is no time like the present!)

It doesn't look like players are on the same page, or even running the same plays at times. This is much too late in the season for some of the errors we see, game after game.

This season truly can not be salvaged. I know we are trying to build something, and well, Rome wasn't built in a day, and neither can a productive football team. I still expected more than what I am seeing.

All the team has left is playing for pride, and the fans. They get their paychecks either way.

Hopefully they will remember that, and play their hearts out for the remaining game.

All I can say now is that I am still going to root for my team and hope for the best. I love the Raiders.

As ever,

Win, lose or tie, RAIDERS til I DIE!

BlitzChick