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2008 Oakland Raiders

Written August 9, 2008 by Jason Lowry

Its time to get going on another NFL season, and Jason Lowry is ready to bring you his 2008 Oakland Raiders season predictions. The Raiders struggled in 2007 going just 4-12 tied with the Chiefs for last in the AFC West. The Raiders are really hoping to improve this season, as they have added many new faces including WR Javon Walker, CB DeAngelo Hall, and RB Darren McFadden. To see just what the Raiders will look like this season, lets see who they plan on sending to the field when the season gets underway.

Offense:
This unit really depends on how JaMarcus Russell handles a full season as the starting quarterback. Russell really didn’t get substantial playing time till the final weeks of 2007, and ended up with more picks than touchdowns. The running game is thought to have received a big jolt with the Raiders landing McFadden at No. 4 in round 1 of this year’s draft. McFadden is likely going to share duties with Justin Fargas when the season gets underway. The receiving group definitely has talent in Ronald Curry, Javon Walker, and Drew Carter at receiver, and a solid young tight end in Zach Miller. The offensive line looks to be solid on the inside with Robter Gallery, Cooper Carlisle and John Wade, but the tackle spots could be a problem, and will really hurt this unit if they can’t give Russell time to throw.
Raiders Over/Under 6 wins in 2008 at Sportsbook.com

Defense:
The Raiders defense last season was great against the pass, but when it came to stopping the run they struggled big time. They have to get better against the run or teams will simply run over them again in 2008. The defensive line still remains a concern, as they need big performances from tackles Terdell Sands and Tommy Kelly. Also, this team could really use end Derrick Burgess to return to his 16 sack performance a few years back. At linebacker the team has some great pass defenders in Kirk Morrison and Thomas Howard, but both need to improve on stopping the run this season. The secondary looks like it could be really good this season, with Nnamdi Asomugha and DeAngelo Hall pairing up for one of the best corner duos in the league, while hard hitting Gibril Wilson and Michael Huff hold down the starting safety spots. This team could be dominant if it finds a way to stop the run, but until then it remains average.
Raiders +2000 odds to win AFC Championship at Sportsbook.com

Special Teams:
There are a lot of fans wondering if Sebastian Janikowski’s big leg is worth it, after missing 9 field goals a year ago. Punter Shane Lechler put together a a very nice season, and we should be able to expect the same from him. The return game looks like its going to be in the hands of backup receiver John Lee Higgins.
Raiders +4500 odds to win Super Bowl at Sportsbook.com

Prediction: 3rd in the AFC West
Its hard to see this team putting together a winning season after just winning 4 games in 2007, and come into 2008 with big questions concerning both the offense and defensive lines. We think the odds makers are right on the money with the Raiders as we see them finishing up right at 6-10 this season.

If you want to get a bet in on the Raiders or any other team’s odds for the 2008 season, head over to Sportsbook.com and get an account started today. Also if you want to get a little more info on the upcoming season, see what others are saying in these great Raiders predictions.

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