Hue Jackson Could Be A Goner In Oakland

With news that the Oakland Raiders have hired Reggie McKenzie from the Green Bay Packers, there has been speculation that McKenzie will come in and clean house, including sending head coach Hue Jackson to the unemployment line. 

After the Raiders collapsed down the stretch and were unable to capture the AFC West crown there might be more truth to that than rumor. There are probably Raider fans out there that wouldn’t mind seeing Jackson go considering he gave up most of the Raiders’ future to the Cincinnati Bengals for Carson Palmer after channeling his inner Al Davis. Also his in game adjustments (like having Rolando McClain cover Calvin Johnson going deep) might be enough to show him the door. There is the prevailing thought that Jackson took too much power in the organization after Davis’ passing and the rumor of him not being well liked by some players.

Green Bay linebackers coach Winston Moss is rumored to be a McKenzie favorite. Ironically Moss was a favorite of the late Davis. Both are former Raider linebackers. 

Conventional wisdom says that McKenzie comes in and gets rid of everyone that isn’t on board and starts fresh. Maybe Jackson will stick around if he concedes his so called power to McKenzie and wants to concentrate on being the coach. If he doesn’t he can kiss this job goodbye. This is a situation that bears watching.  

Hue Jackson Figured McClain Could Cover Megatron

Everyone is an armchair quarterback. I’m one of them. You know, questioning every decision that a coach or player makes. Some of the criticism is warranted, some isn’t. But a few things Oakland Raiders coach Hue Jackson did Sunday against the Detroit Lions made me scratch my head.

First was the third and two deep ball Carson Palmer threw to Chaz Schilens that fell incomplete.

I’m a Lions fan so I’m glad that the pass fell incomplete and saved the Lions some time. The Lions don’t have the greatest run defense so I was puzzled as to why the Raiders went deep. I can understand trying to bury someone, but to conventionally ice the game has never hurt anyone in the past.

Here’s the one Jackson gets defensive about. The deep pass to Calvin Johnson where Raiders linebacker Rolando McClain was hung out to dry in the defense that was called.

Go make that play,” Jackson said via the CSNCalifornia.com. “It isn’t a scheme issue. The ball’s laying up in the air, you’ve got to go make that play when you’ve got an opportunity. Their guy made it and we didn’t, so they won the game.”

“Yeah, that’s called the Tampa-2. That’s what the middle linebacker does — he runs right down the middle of the field. They made the play and we didn’t.”

First, I’ve seen the Tampa 2 up close and personal when Rod Marinelli coached the Lions and not once did I see a middle linebacker going deep 40 yards to cover an elite receiver. I never saw the non descript MLB the Lions had at the time trying to cover Randy Moss going deep down the middle. So I don’t see why Jackson is so defensive about the lousy defensive call that pretty much cost them the game.

Jackson must’ve listened to Rob Ryan on how to defend Johnson since he torched the Raiders for 9 catches, 214 yards and two touchdowns. Jackson would’ve been better off watching film of all the bracket coverage teams have been throwing at the Lions the past five weeks.

Jackson needs to go back to school and when he does he needs to major in “Watching game film 101”. Covering Megatron with a linebacker? Suicide!

      

Hue Jackson Named Raiders Coach

Hue Jackson has reportedly been named head coach of the Oakland Raiders. I’m glad Jackson got the job but Tom Cable shouldn’t have been fired in the first place. That’s just my personal opinion. I hope he hs thick skin because you know how Al Davis gives his coaches no wiggle room and zero margin for error. Also he’ll have to win over the locker room that had grown increasingly loyal to Cable. I don’t know how well Jackson got along with the players, but he is known for relating well to plaers and is a highly regarded play-caller.

If Jason Campbell can continue to progress under Jackson the Raiders could be threat to make the playoffs next season. Yes, I think Campbell will be the starter in Oakland next year. If Campbell regresses, Captain Al might start reminding Hue how much of a short leash he has.