02/21: vs. Memphis 105-117 [W] (42-12)
The Lakers are back and are locked and loaded for the 2nd half of the season after the All-Star break. Their opponent, the Memphis Grizzlies, have playoff aspirations, but face an uphill battle. An uphill battle they had for the first half of this game as LA locked them down in the first half. Though AD's lower leg injury marred this game for a bit, he was able to return in the 2nd quarter. The Lakers at one point had a 21 point lead and it was squandered away by silly fouls and the team overall losing their collective sh*t at the refs. Honestly, I'm not surprised at this. The Lakers will give their opponents some life until LeBron and AD knock the day lights out of them in the 4th quarter. That's what transpired this game. But hey, the "Carushow" had another highlight reel to start the 2nd half of the season with a putback dunk off an AD missed free throw. With this win, the drought of losing seasons is over as the team cannot finish below .500 at this point.
02/23: vs. Boston 112-114 [W] (43-12)
This game will go down as another classic in the NBA's historic rivalry. The last time the Lakers and Celtics met this season, it was an ugly blowout loss on the road. The Lakers were humiliated for a team that has been impressive on the road all season long. This matchup, they're looking to exact revenge. It wasn't pretty. The Lakers jumped to an 11-point lead with great play early on from Rajon Rondo on both ends of the floor. But, the Celtics wouldn't be denied as they roared back behind a career day from Jayson Tatum. Honestly, there was nothing the Lakers can do defensively. Tatum was cooking all game long. But, Frank Vogel made quite the adjustment to stop Tatum dead in his tracks: assign a double team on him and trap him whenever he has the ball. The double team worked and the Celtics were forced to have another player step up and win theme the game. Despite their struggles from the free throw line, the duo LeBron James and Anthony Davis rallied the Lakers as they combined for 41 points as well as Kyle Kuzma chipping in 16 points and being involved in key defensive stops when the Lakers needed it.
BONUS: Kobe Bryant and Gianna Bryant, A Celebration of Life
I spent a majority of my workday today, listening and watching bits and pieces of the public memorial of Kobe Bryant and daughter, Gianna Bryant. Though it has been a full month since the tragic helicopter accident, it was still hard to process Kobe, Gigi, and 7 others are gone. As Captain America once said in a teaser for Avengers Endgame: "some people move on, but not us. Not us." We have reached the "endgame" with a public memorial to celebrate the life of Kobe and Gigi.
Like Michael Jackson's public memorial 11 years ago, we didn't know what to expect. Who will be speaking, who will be performing was kept under wraps. As many gave their eulogies, without question, the eulogies that stood out the most was Shaquille O'Neal, Michael Jordan, and Kobe's wife and widow, Vanessa Bryant. Shaq reflected on the ups and the downs of the brotherhood with Kobe, when they dominated the first three years of the 2000's. But surprisingly, we hear from the GOAT himself. This was not via recording nor was it via a press statement, this was MJ speaking from the heart about his good friend and little brother, Kobe Bryant.
I thought Jordan gave a good analogy because it is organic about how the big brother-little brother relationship cycles. The little brother always gets on the big brother's nerves. He becomes nuisance as MJ pointed out. But at the end of the day, it was all love and admiration. It takes a lot to to get the GOAT himself to open up and for one final time, Kobe got to MJ as he always tried to do in his early basketball career. He even got him to acknowledge the viral Crying Jordan meme! This was a prime example of greatness recognizing greatness. And Kobe and Jordan fans, through the wars we've been through over the years on debating who's better, this event brought us together to bury the hatchet and to stop comparing and appreciate greatness.
Though, she was first to give a speech, it was good to see Vanessa breaking her silence in front of a huge crowd full of fans, friends, legends, and adversaries that Kobe has gained the trust of throughout his basketball career. She did a fantastic job giving Gigi her moment and giving Kobe his moment. Vanessa won the hearts of many when she closed her speech, telling Kobe to take care of Gigi while she takes care of Natalia, Bianca, and Capri. Though it's still hard to process, I'd like to thank Vanessa for approving this public memorial. I'd like to thank her for giving us a sense of closure by having this event as we find the strength to move on from this tragedy. To conclude this post, I'd like to share a little bit of my Christian roots in prayer...
Eternal rest grant unto Kobe, Gigi, and the 7 other lives who were lost in that tragic accident O Lord
And let perpetual light shine upon them
May all their souls and all the souls of the faithful departed rest in peace
Amen.
Monday, February 24, 2020
Friday, February 14, 2020
Lakers Weekly Roundup #14: Onto the All-Star Break
While everybody is spending Valentine's Day with the love of their life today, the only date that basketball fans have is NBA All-Star weekend. The break couldn't have come at a better time, but teams were not out of the woods yet. That bodes true for the Lakers. There was still business to take care of before LeBron, AD, and Dwight Howard head to All-Star weekend. Let's see how the team fared in this week's special Weekly Roundup.
02/10: vs. Phoenix 100-125 [W] (40-12)
Oh, the poor Suns. They showed a lot of promise early on this season when it looked like the franchise was turning the corner. Heading into the break, they find themselves under .500 again. To make matters worst, while AD dominated with 25 points and 10 rebounds, it was Rajon Rondo doing the most damage. Playoff Rondo came to play this game, dropping 23 points and connecting on four 3-pointers. Literally, the Suns' defense was daring him to shoot and they paid for it big time. On another side of note, Dwight Howard had 14 points and 15 rebounds off the bench. He's outplayed McGee during this stretch at Center. As for the Suns, at least Devin Booker is an All-Star after Damian Lillard strained his groin.
02/12: @ Denver 120-116 (OT) [W] (41-12)
What a way to close out the 1st half of the regular season! It doesn't get any better than this. The two best teams in the West going head to head. LeBron and AD going up against Jamal Murray and the Joker, Nikola Jokic. It was a game of momentum swings as the Nuggets jumped on the Lakers to a fast start. Then, the Lakers went on a massive run spearheaded by LeBron and AD, the energy of Alex Caruso, and the hustle and defense from Dwight Howard. Dwight again has proven his worth. He and AD were frustrating Jokic all game long. Jokic this game was relying on drawing contact, hoping the refs would blow their whistle. They weren't having it this game. The 4th quarter and OT presented a classic finish to this game and the Lakers behind the clutch 3-point shooting from AD. This game showed the Lakers aren't waiting on "Playoff Mode" to be activated this year. They've been sloppy. They've been emotionally strained during this stretch of the season. But this gutsy victory in Denver to go up 2-1 against a team that is a legitimate threat is a great game to build off of heading into a much-needed All-Star break.
02/10: vs. Phoenix 100-125 [W] (40-12)
Oh, the poor Suns. They showed a lot of promise early on this season when it looked like the franchise was turning the corner. Heading into the break, they find themselves under .500 again. To make matters worst, while AD dominated with 25 points and 10 rebounds, it was Rajon Rondo doing the most damage. Playoff Rondo came to play this game, dropping 23 points and connecting on four 3-pointers. Literally, the Suns' defense was daring him to shoot and they paid for it big time. On another side of note, Dwight Howard had 14 points and 15 rebounds off the bench. He's outplayed McGee during this stretch at Center. As for the Suns, at least Devin Booker is an All-Star after Damian Lillard strained his groin.
02/12: @ Denver 120-116 (OT) [W] (41-12)
What a way to close out the 1st half of the regular season! It doesn't get any better than this. The two best teams in the West going head to head. LeBron and AD going up against Jamal Murray and the Joker, Nikola Jokic. It was a game of momentum swings as the Nuggets jumped on the Lakers to a fast start. Then, the Lakers went on a massive run spearheaded by LeBron and AD, the energy of Alex Caruso, and the hustle and defense from Dwight Howard. Dwight again has proven his worth. He and AD were frustrating Jokic all game long. Jokic this game was relying on drawing contact, hoping the refs would blow their whistle. They weren't having it this game. The 4th quarter and OT presented a classic finish to this game and the Lakers behind the clutch 3-point shooting from AD. This game showed the Lakers aren't waiting on "Playoff Mode" to be activated this year. They've been sloppy. They've been emotionally strained during this stretch of the season. But this gutsy victory in Denver to go up 2-1 against a team that is a legitimate threat is a great game to build off of heading into a much-needed All-Star break.
Monday, February 10, 2020
Lakers Weekly Roundup #13: Returning to Normal
*This week does not include tonight's 100-125 win over the Phoenix Suns*
No matter how much you put it, last week was a very tough week. But, the Lakers managed to stay strong and continue to push through this season. This week, it was time to get back to normalcy. Many have not noticed, but the top seed in the West is too close for comfort. With this notion, the Lakers must refocus. They've been reeling, especially against the better teams in the league. With a couple more games until the All-Star break, let's see how they fare to wrap up the first half of the regular season.
02/04: vs. San Antonio 102-129 [W] (38-11)
The Lakers and Staples Center returned to normal Tuesday after a somber week. This game, it was back to business. This stretch of the season should be favorable as the NBA inches closer to All-Star weekend. The Lakers and Spurs were always a headline on prime time. But with the Spurs' recent struggles, it's tough to view this matchup that way. Outside of DeMar DeRozan going off for 28 points, the Spurs struggled all around as a team. It was close though. Then, LeBron went bonkers for 6 three-pointers to help the Lakers pull away against the reeling Spurs. Not only that, the Lakers crushed the Spurs on the boards with 58 rebounds compared to the Spurs' 28 rebounds. Spurs should consider a rebuild at this point.
02/06: vs. Houston 111-121 [L] (38-12)
The trade deadline passed and the Lakers chose to stand pat. For the Rockets though, they revamped the roster going ultra small ball by sending away Clint Capela. I mean they're throwing P.J. Tucker into the pit and asking him to play Center. The Lakers have the size and length advantage. This should be easy.
It was not. Honestly with the tall lineup the Lakers have, how do you lose to a team full of midgets? Well, Mike D'Antoni said it best: it doesn't matter if teams dominate all statistical categories against them as long as they score more than the opposition. The Lakers didn't use their size enough. This is a team where you see they have a small lineup, you use that size and bully ball inside. They didn't do that and instead try to play the Rockets' style of play: jacking up 3s and turning the ball over. We can't undermine Russell Westbrook's 41-point performance. In the midst of James Harden's struggles, he's picked up the load and he carried the team. As for the Lakers, y'all epitomized the story of David vs. Goliath this game. What a shame.
02/08: @ Golden State 125-120 [W] (39-12)
Classy on the Warriors organization's part in providing a tribute to Kobe Bryant and Gianna Bryant during the game. Respect.
It's the Lakers vs. the Santa Cruz Warriors...and Andrew Wiggins. That's what it really is. Despite the Warriors struggles, facing them on the road spells "trap" for the Lakers. Considering how they stunk up the joint vs. the Rockets the other night, I wouldn't be surprised if they played down to their level of competition. That wasn't the case the third quarter as the Lakers blew the game wide open to a 20 point lead. Time to rest AD and LeBron. But, they can't hold onto the lead that LeBron had to bail them out with another dagger 3. A win is a win. Call it that the Lakers are still recovering from an emotional past week. But, this is a cause for concern, especially when they didn't make any moves at the trade deadline. Luckily, there's two more games after this until the team heads into the All-Star break. Just reach 40 wins before the break please.
No matter how much you put it, last week was a very tough week. But, the Lakers managed to stay strong and continue to push through this season. This week, it was time to get back to normalcy. Many have not noticed, but the top seed in the West is too close for comfort. With this notion, the Lakers must refocus. They've been reeling, especially against the better teams in the league. With a couple more games until the All-Star break, let's see how they fare to wrap up the first half of the regular season.
02/04: vs. San Antonio 102-129 [W] (38-11)
The Lakers and Staples Center returned to normal Tuesday after a somber week. This game, it was back to business. This stretch of the season should be favorable as the NBA inches closer to All-Star weekend. The Lakers and Spurs were always a headline on prime time. But with the Spurs' recent struggles, it's tough to view this matchup that way. Outside of DeMar DeRozan going off for 28 points, the Spurs struggled all around as a team. It was close though. Then, LeBron went bonkers for 6 three-pointers to help the Lakers pull away against the reeling Spurs. Not only that, the Lakers crushed the Spurs on the boards with 58 rebounds compared to the Spurs' 28 rebounds. Spurs should consider a rebuild at this point.
02/06: vs. Houston 111-121 [L] (38-12)
The trade deadline passed and the Lakers chose to stand pat. For the Rockets though, they revamped the roster going ultra small ball by sending away Clint Capela. I mean they're throwing P.J. Tucker into the pit and asking him to play Center. The Lakers have the size and length advantage. This should be easy.
It was not. Honestly with the tall lineup the Lakers have, how do you lose to a team full of midgets? Well, Mike D'Antoni said it best: it doesn't matter if teams dominate all statistical categories against them as long as they score more than the opposition. The Lakers didn't use their size enough. This is a team where you see they have a small lineup, you use that size and bully ball inside. They didn't do that and instead try to play the Rockets' style of play: jacking up 3s and turning the ball over. We can't undermine Russell Westbrook's 41-point performance. In the midst of James Harden's struggles, he's picked up the load and he carried the team. As for the Lakers, y'all epitomized the story of David vs. Goliath this game. What a shame.
02/08: @ Golden State 125-120 [W] (39-12)
Classy on the Warriors organization's part in providing a tribute to Kobe Bryant and Gianna Bryant during the game. Respect.
It's the Lakers vs. the Santa Cruz Warriors...and Andrew Wiggins. That's what it really is. Despite the Warriors struggles, facing them on the road spells "trap" for the Lakers. Considering how they stunk up the joint vs. the Rockets the other night, I wouldn't be surprised if they played down to their level of competition. That wasn't the case the third quarter as the Lakers blew the game wide open to a 20 point lead. Time to rest AD and LeBron. But, they can't hold onto the lead that LeBron had to bail them out with another dagger 3. A win is a win. Call it that the Lakers are still recovering from an emotional past week. But, this is a cause for concern, especially when they didn't make any moves at the trade deadline. Luckily, there's two more games after this until the team heads into the All-Star break. Just reach 40 wins before the break please.
Monday, February 3, 2020
Lakers Weekly Roundup #12: A Time to Heal...
January 26, 2020 will go down in history as a dark day that rocked Laker Nation, the NBA, and the entire world of sports and entertainment. After one week, it is still impossible to wrap our heads around the tragic, unspeakable death of our beloved Kobe Bryant, daughter Gianna Bryant and the seven other victims: John, Keri, and Alyssa Altobelli, Payton and Sarah Chester, Christina Mauser, and Ara Zobayan in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, CA. Tributes poured around the NBA and all over the world. Teams took 24 second or 8 second backcourt violations on their first possessions of the game in honor of the numbers that Kobe proudly donned in the Purple and Gold for his entire 20-year career.
Without question, the tragic death of the late, great Kobe Bryant left a big hole in the heart of the Laker organization. What was supposed to be a celebration of LeBron James passing Kobe on the NBA's all-time scoring list was greatly overshadowed by grief, mourning, and a remembrance of the latter's life and passion of the game he truly loved. As difficult as it sounds, the Lakers must gather the strength to continue moving the game forward as he so desires in his final words upon the hour of death. The best way to honor Kobe? Play ball, lock in for the rest of the season, and win a title for him.
01/31: vs. Portland 127-119 [L] (36-11)
Full Kobe Bryant Tribute
Staples Center blacked out to pay tribute to the late, great Kobe Bryant. It was a memorial within a basketball game. Usher took the arena to church with a soulful rendition of "Amazing Grace" followed by a montage of tributes around the world for Kobe and his daughter Gianna. Professional cello player, Ben Hong followed with "Hallelujah" accompanying a video reel of Kobe's NBA career and sound bites of his word of wisdom on how he approaches the game of basketball and the game of life. Chants of "Kobe" and "Gigi" echoed around Staples Center. Boyz II Men followed with the national anthem. LeBron spoke from the heart saying that Kobe may be gone, but he'll never be forgotten.
This is a game where we would like the Lakers to win. But if they lose, we wouldn't be mad. This is bigger than basketball. Playing with heavy hearts takes a toll on the mental aspect of the game. And it showed this game. The Lakers started off slow as expected coming from a long road trip and a few days off since Tuesday's scheduled matchup against the Clippers was postponed out of respect for the organization in mourning. The Lakers ran into a Portland team with a couple of games under their belt during this week powered by a scorching hot Damian Lillard. Dame put on a show that would have Kobe smile from the heavens above with a 48-point eruption. Honestly, the Lakers tried this game. They at one point had the lead. But, Dame Time was just too much. Better offense takes down good defense any day of the week.
02/01: @ Sacramento 129-113 [W] (37-11)
In the NBA, the five stages of grief moves faster than normal. With the emotions of Friday night out of the way, it was time to get back to business the next day. There was no better way to honor Kobe by putting up 81 points in the first half against the hapless Sacramento Queens on the road. We saw some surprise performances. Avery Bradley put up his best scoring output of the season, pouring on 19 points and raining 5-9 shots from downtown. Most of his shots were set up by LeBron gravitating the Kings' defense towards him and Bradley was open all game. KCP, Alex Caruso, and Danny Green joined in on the 3-point barrage as they all drilled three 3-pointers each. This was a great all-around team win and it gives a sense of renewed focus. The three point game clicked and the Lakers played at a faster pace. This also helps other players outside of LeBron and AD to get involved in the flow of the game. It's needed if the team is serious in making a deep playoff run.
Without question, the tragic death of the late, great Kobe Bryant left a big hole in the heart of the Laker organization. What was supposed to be a celebration of LeBron James passing Kobe on the NBA's all-time scoring list was greatly overshadowed by grief, mourning, and a remembrance of the latter's life and passion of the game he truly loved. As difficult as it sounds, the Lakers must gather the strength to continue moving the game forward as he so desires in his final words upon the hour of death. The best way to honor Kobe? Play ball, lock in for the rest of the season, and win a title for him.
01/31: vs. Portland 127-119 [L] (36-11)
Full Kobe Bryant Tribute
Staples Center blacked out to pay tribute to the late, great Kobe Bryant. It was a memorial within a basketball game. Usher took the arena to church with a soulful rendition of "Amazing Grace" followed by a montage of tributes around the world for Kobe and his daughter Gianna. Professional cello player, Ben Hong followed with "Hallelujah" accompanying a video reel of Kobe's NBA career and sound bites of his word of wisdom on how he approaches the game of basketball and the game of life. Chants of "Kobe" and "Gigi" echoed around Staples Center. Boyz II Men followed with the national anthem. LeBron spoke from the heart saying that Kobe may be gone, but he'll never be forgotten.
This is a game where we would like the Lakers to win. But if they lose, we wouldn't be mad. This is bigger than basketball. Playing with heavy hearts takes a toll on the mental aspect of the game. And it showed this game. The Lakers started off slow as expected coming from a long road trip and a few days off since Tuesday's scheduled matchup against the Clippers was postponed out of respect for the organization in mourning. The Lakers ran into a Portland team with a couple of games under their belt during this week powered by a scorching hot Damian Lillard. Dame put on a show that would have Kobe smile from the heavens above with a 48-point eruption. Honestly, the Lakers tried this game. They at one point had the lead. But, Dame Time was just too much. Better offense takes down good defense any day of the week.
02/01: @ Sacramento 129-113 [W] (37-11)
In the NBA, the five stages of grief moves faster than normal. With the emotions of Friday night out of the way, it was time to get back to business the next day. There was no better way to honor Kobe by putting up 81 points in the first half against the hapless Sacramento Queens on the road. We saw some surprise performances. Avery Bradley put up his best scoring output of the season, pouring on 19 points and raining 5-9 shots from downtown. Most of his shots were set up by LeBron gravitating the Kings' defense towards him and Bradley was open all game. KCP, Alex Caruso, and Danny Green joined in on the 3-point barrage as they all drilled three 3-pointers each. This was a great all-around team win and it gives a sense of renewed focus. The three point game clicked and the Lakers played at a faster pace. This also helps other players outside of LeBron and AD to get involved in the flow of the game. It's needed if the team is serious in making a deep playoff run.
Sunday, February 2, 2020
Chiefs Rally to Beat 49ers in Super Bowl LIV
TrueRaiderLaker Score Prediction: SF 23 KC 38
Actual Final Score: SF 20 KC 31
The Kansas City Chiefs end their 50-year Super Bowl drought. Andy Reid finally gets his hands on the Lombardi trophy. And Patrick Mahomes continues his stellar young career. Hands down, this Super Bowl was a lot better than last year's snooze fest. If there's anything taken away from this game, it came down to which team can finish the game.
Picking the winner of this matchup wasn't easy. It can go either way. You had a high flying offense and solid defense vs. the ground and pound running game and good defense. When it came to my prediction, the Chiefs from what we saw this postseason showed that no matter the deficit, they can come from behind due to the fact that they have #15 Patrick Mahomes and the superior weapons. The 49ers are clearly the more balanced team, but there's a lot to ask to have Jimmy Garoppolo put the team on his back if the running game didn't work.
The Chiefs improved run defense proved to be a plus here and it was one of the biggest keys for them to win the Super Bowl. As I mentioned, you contain San Francisco's running game, that puts pressure on Garoppolo to win the game. And you saw it tonight. Raheem Mostert had 220 yards and 4 TDs in the NFC Championship. Tonight, he had 58 yards and 1 TD on 12 carries. They only allowed one big run from Deebo Samuel and that was it. You gotta give credit to Steve Spagnuolo's unit. Spagnuolo's defensive play calling got off to a rough start. But when it mattered the most, his defense stepped up as was the case 12 years ago when he called plays for the Giants defense to beat the Patriots in SB XLII. He dialed up blitzes on Garoppolo. It didn't translate to too many sacks, but the pressure made Garoppolo uncomfortable.
We can't completely discredit the 49ers efforts. Their defense was able to get to Mahomes and they were able to generate two turnovers off of him. It's just that on that second turnover, the 49ers weren't able to go for the knockout blow and Mahomes did what he did best. He rallied the team. The entire offense went no huddle for the majority of the fourth quarter and he was able to toss two TDs to Kelce and Damien Williams to add to a rushing TD early in the 1st quarter. There was no question that Mahomes deserved Super Bowl MVP after dusting himself off of two turnovers. I think the key play that shifted the momentum for the Chiefs entirely was Mahomes' 44 yard bomb to Tyreek Hill. Clearly, the 49ers secondary can't keep up with the speed of the Chiefs' receivers and it showed tonight. Whether it was Tyreek Hill or Damien Williams out of the backfield, they were putting the linebackers and secondary on skates with some ankle-breaking plays.
Overall, this was a refreshing Super Bowl to watch. Both teams were neck and neck in the first half. Niners had some momentum going in the 3rd quarter. But, they couldn't finish the track meet against the Chiefs in the fourth quarter. As a Raider fan, this matchup presented the biggest conundrum. The Chiefs are an AFC West rival. The 49ers are an ex-geographical rival. I'm sure outside of the Bay Area, many Raider fans are upset at the Chiefs winning. I understand that. For us Raider fans here residing in the Bay, the 49ers losing is sweet. They're the ones that helped drive out the Raiders in the first place and hoped to convert the remaining Raider fans here. Regardless, Mahomes and the Chiefs are gonna be a problem for a long time and the Raiders must shift their attention into building a big time counterpunch to that team. As far as the Niners go, they'll still be okay. However, I still question the Jimmy G extension after a small sample size in the 2017 season. So far, it's not a good look with the ACL tear last season and how vulnerable he looked tonight when the running game can't flourish. However, big congrats to Andy Reid for finally winning that elusive Super Bowl title to add on to a stellar head coaching career. Looking forward to next year. I'll see you guys later.
*Congrats Kansas City Chiefs. Super Bowl LIV champions! (I'm gonna puke!)*
Actual Final Score: SF 20 KC 31
The Kansas City Chiefs end their 50-year Super Bowl drought. Andy Reid finally gets his hands on the Lombardi trophy. And Patrick Mahomes continues his stellar young career. Hands down, this Super Bowl was a lot better than last year's snooze fest. If there's anything taken away from this game, it came down to which team can finish the game.
Picking the winner of this matchup wasn't easy. It can go either way. You had a high flying offense and solid defense vs. the ground and pound running game and good defense. When it came to my prediction, the Chiefs from what we saw this postseason showed that no matter the deficit, they can come from behind due to the fact that they have #15 Patrick Mahomes and the superior weapons. The 49ers are clearly the more balanced team, but there's a lot to ask to have Jimmy Garoppolo put the team on his back if the running game didn't work.
The Chiefs improved run defense proved to be a plus here and it was one of the biggest keys for them to win the Super Bowl. As I mentioned, you contain San Francisco's running game, that puts pressure on Garoppolo to win the game. And you saw it tonight. Raheem Mostert had 220 yards and 4 TDs in the NFC Championship. Tonight, he had 58 yards and 1 TD on 12 carries. They only allowed one big run from Deebo Samuel and that was it. You gotta give credit to Steve Spagnuolo's unit. Spagnuolo's defensive play calling got off to a rough start. But when it mattered the most, his defense stepped up as was the case 12 years ago when he called plays for the Giants defense to beat the Patriots in SB XLII. He dialed up blitzes on Garoppolo. It didn't translate to too many sacks, but the pressure made Garoppolo uncomfortable.
We can't completely discredit the 49ers efforts. Their defense was able to get to Mahomes and they were able to generate two turnovers off of him. It's just that on that second turnover, the 49ers weren't able to go for the knockout blow and Mahomes did what he did best. He rallied the team. The entire offense went no huddle for the majority of the fourth quarter and he was able to toss two TDs to Kelce and Damien Williams to add to a rushing TD early in the 1st quarter. There was no question that Mahomes deserved Super Bowl MVP after dusting himself off of two turnovers. I think the key play that shifted the momentum for the Chiefs entirely was Mahomes' 44 yard bomb to Tyreek Hill. Clearly, the 49ers secondary can't keep up with the speed of the Chiefs' receivers and it showed tonight. Whether it was Tyreek Hill or Damien Williams out of the backfield, they were putting the linebackers and secondary on skates with some ankle-breaking plays.
Overall, this was a refreshing Super Bowl to watch. Both teams were neck and neck in the first half. Niners had some momentum going in the 3rd quarter. But, they couldn't finish the track meet against the Chiefs in the fourth quarter. As a Raider fan, this matchup presented the biggest conundrum. The Chiefs are an AFC West rival. The 49ers are an ex-geographical rival. I'm sure outside of the Bay Area, many Raider fans are upset at the Chiefs winning. I understand that. For us Raider fans here residing in the Bay, the 49ers losing is sweet. They're the ones that helped drive out the Raiders in the first place and hoped to convert the remaining Raider fans here. Regardless, Mahomes and the Chiefs are gonna be a problem for a long time and the Raiders must shift their attention into building a big time counterpunch to that team. As far as the Niners go, they'll still be okay. However, I still question the Jimmy G extension after a small sample size in the 2017 season. So far, it's not a good look with the ACL tear last season and how vulnerable he looked tonight when the running game can't flourish. However, big congrats to Andy Reid for finally winning that elusive Super Bowl title to add on to a stellar head coaching career. Looking forward to next year. I'll see you guys later.
*Congrats Kansas City Chiefs. Super Bowl LIV champions! (I'm gonna puke!)*
Saturday, February 1, 2020
A Season in Review: 2019 Raiders
Sorry for the long wait guys. Typically, I post "Season in Review" posts during playoff football, but I had too much on my plate for the entire month of January. Anyway, welcome in to your Season in Review post for the 2019 Oakland Raiders. As everybody knows now, they're now officially the Las Vegas Raiders as of this year. It doesn't roll out the tongue quite well yet, but we'll see where it goes.
The Raiders welcomed the Gruden-Mayock era with a 7-9 record. If we can infer from last season, Jon Gruden is rebuilding this team under his own image. The controversial Khalil Mack and Amari Cooper trades are evident of that. Mike Mayock comes in from a TV gig and succeeds Reggie McKenzie as the Raiders' new GM. For the most part, the offseason and draft was solid to start. They snagged offensive tackle Trent Brown and veteran guard Richie Incognito to shore up the O-line. And the draft was also solid as they picked up Clelin Ferrell, Josh Jacobs, Johnathan Abram, Trayvon Mullen, Maxx Crosby, and Hunter Renfrow to set the foundation. We also saw huge strides from individuals. Darren Waller was the most prominent with a 1,000 yard season as a Tight End.
Despite a solid rebuild, they've had their shares of bumps on the road and most of it was detrimental to the team's progress. We'll never forget the clown show that was Antonio Brown. The Raiders brought him in to be Derek Carr's go-to-guy and he clowned himself out of the league. Abram got hurt on opening night. Trent Brown was in and out due to injury. The NFL suspended Vontaze Burfict indefinitely after a "dirty" hit in the Colts game. The team found themselves back in square one: a team that was devoid of talent.
Surprisingly though, this team showed a bit of fight in them and opening night's win against Denver showed the potential of what they would become. They exonerated Gruden from blame for the Khalil Mack trade in a 24-21 comeback win vs. the Bears in Week 5 and prior to that, they snagged a win in Indianapolis for a bounceback win. As much of a joke the AFC wild card race was (negated by Tennessee's improbable playoff run), the Raiders hung around that race and at one point, were neck and neck with the Kansas City Chiefs for the AFC West. Unfortunately, this team was overmatched against more of the better teams in the league. That doomed their playoff push. Also, I can't forget about that soul-crushing loss to the Jags in the last home game in Oakland in Week 15. That game goes beyond an undeserved playoff spot. They let a city and community down and they just made Oakland fans more pissed off as this team transitions to Sin City.
Now that's over with, let's evaluate the state of this team as they relocate. As I mentioned before, just because this team is moving doesn't mean that their fortunes will change at the blink of an eye. But, they do have to make Las Vegas' investment worth it. The city took a chance on them despite an ugly past decade, brand new shiny stadium and all. The product must improve. And quite frankly, this team still has a lot glaring holes despite a few good pieces. If I can summarize this team, Josh Jacobs, Darren Waller, Hunter Renfrow, and Maxx Crosby are guys that are legit. Trayvon Mullen flashed some potential. Clelin Ferrell was a little disappointing. But, he can improve. I saw a lot of comparisons of Ferrell's production to Khalil Mack's rookie season production. Even if Mack didn't flash, opposing teams knew to gameplan for him because he can wreck a game. I didn't see that in Ferrell. I didn't think offensive coordinators respected him and he's a top 5 pick. As I mentioned, he's a good player, but not worth a high pick. Teams typically invest in a top 5 pick on someone who can be a franchise-changing player, not invest for need. The Ferrell pick stands as that, but we'll wait and see what a player he'll be in 3 years.
Then, you have the Derek Carr conundrum. At this point of his career, DC is a polarizing figure among Raider Nation. Yes, he's better than what the Raiders had in years past, but he's not living up to be that franchise quarterback. When you think about in retrospect, the Raiders invested big time in the offense for 6 years to surround Carr with talent, but he has failed in making the most out of it. I heard from a fellow Raider fan that "no quarterback has a perfect bed to sleep on." And that's true. The great quarterbacks find ways to make the team better in a bad situation. And we didn't see a great quarterback in Carr at this point of his career. Yes, he's had two 4,000+ passing yards season in Gruden's system, but honestly, how many of those games were the Raiders competitive in? Despite the criticism, Carr gets one shot in Vegas and the stars are aligning for him. He's playing in a dome now, so he'll deal with less bad weather. The talent is expected to improve. But, if he still can't get it done, he and his apologists are out of excuses.
In closing, this team needs to know how to get better. For the last 14 seasons, NFL teams get better, but the Raiders find ways to take two steps back in the revolving door of deconstruction and rebuilding. If they want to be up to par to where the Mahomes-led Kansas City Chiefs are, this franchise has to wake up and get right. I hope they do. But realistically speaking, they have a long ways to go. Luckily, they're starting off right with two first round picks in 2020. However, you can have all the draft capital in the world, but it won't mean much if you can't develop them. Have fun with this team Las Vegas. The investment in this team better be worth it.
The Raiders welcomed the Gruden-Mayock era with a 7-9 record. If we can infer from last season, Jon Gruden is rebuilding this team under his own image. The controversial Khalil Mack and Amari Cooper trades are evident of that. Mike Mayock comes in from a TV gig and succeeds Reggie McKenzie as the Raiders' new GM. For the most part, the offseason and draft was solid to start. They snagged offensive tackle Trent Brown and veteran guard Richie Incognito to shore up the O-line. And the draft was also solid as they picked up Clelin Ferrell, Josh Jacobs, Johnathan Abram, Trayvon Mullen, Maxx Crosby, and Hunter Renfrow to set the foundation. We also saw huge strides from individuals. Darren Waller was the most prominent with a 1,000 yard season as a Tight End.
Despite a solid rebuild, they've had their shares of bumps on the road and most of it was detrimental to the team's progress. We'll never forget the clown show that was Antonio Brown. The Raiders brought him in to be Derek Carr's go-to-guy and he clowned himself out of the league. Abram got hurt on opening night. Trent Brown was in and out due to injury. The NFL suspended Vontaze Burfict indefinitely after a "dirty" hit in the Colts game. The team found themselves back in square one: a team that was devoid of talent.
Surprisingly though, this team showed a bit of fight in them and opening night's win against Denver showed the potential of what they would become. They exonerated Gruden from blame for the Khalil Mack trade in a 24-21 comeback win vs. the Bears in Week 5 and prior to that, they snagged a win in Indianapolis for a bounceback win. As much of a joke the AFC wild card race was (negated by Tennessee's improbable playoff run), the Raiders hung around that race and at one point, were neck and neck with the Kansas City Chiefs for the AFC West. Unfortunately, this team was overmatched against more of the better teams in the league. That doomed their playoff push. Also, I can't forget about that soul-crushing loss to the Jags in the last home game in Oakland in Week 15. That game goes beyond an undeserved playoff spot. They let a city and community down and they just made Oakland fans more pissed off as this team transitions to Sin City.
Now that's over with, let's evaluate the state of this team as they relocate. As I mentioned before, just because this team is moving doesn't mean that their fortunes will change at the blink of an eye. But, they do have to make Las Vegas' investment worth it. The city took a chance on them despite an ugly past decade, brand new shiny stadium and all. The product must improve. And quite frankly, this team still has a lot glaring holes despite a few good pieces. If I can summarize this team, Josh Jacobs, Darren Waller, Hunter Renfrow, and Maxx Crosby are guys that are legit. Trayvon Mullen flashed some potential. Clelin Ferrell was a little disappointing. But, he can improve. I saw a lot of comparisons of Ferrell's production to Khalil Mack's rookie season production. Even if Mack didn't flash, opposing teams knew to gameplan for him because he can wreck a game. I didn't see that in Ferrell. I didn't think offensive coordinators respected him and he's a top 5 pick. As I mentioned, he's a good player, but not worth a high pick. Teams typically invest in a top 5 pick on someone who can be a franchise-changing player, not invest for need. The Ferrell pick stands as that, but we'll wait and see what a player he'll be in 3 years.
Then, you have the Derek Carr conundrum. At this point of his career, DC is a polarizing figure among Raider Nation. Yes, he's better than what the Raiders had in years past, but he's not living up to be that franchise quarterback. When you think about in retrospect, the Raiders invested big time in the offense for 6 years to surround Carr with talent, but he has failed in making the most out of it. I heard from a fellow Raider fan that "no quarterback has a perfect bed to sleep on." And that's true. The great quarterbacks find ways to make the team better in a bad situation. And we didn't see a great quarterback in Carr at this point of his career. Yes, he's had two 4,000+ passing yards season in Gruden's system, but honestly, how many of those games were the Raiders competitive in? Despite the criticism, Carr gets one shot in Vegas and the stars are aligning for him. He's playing in a dome now, so he'll deal with less bad weather. The talent is expected to improve. But, if he still can't get it done, he and his apologists are out of excuses.
In closing, this team needs to know how to get better. For the last 14 seasons, NFL teams get better, but the Raiders find ways to take two steps back in the revolving door of deconstruction and rebuilding. If they want to be up to par to where the Mahomes-led Kansas City Chiefs are, this franchise has to wake up and get right. I hope they do. But realistically speaking, they have a long ways to go. Luckily, they're starting off right with two first round picks in 2020. However, you can have all the draft capital in the world, but it won't mean much if you can't develop them. Have fun with this team Las Vegas. The investment in this team better be worth it.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)