Gästebuch » Two defensive captains have been cut

ALAMEDA Trayvon Mullen Jersey 2019 , Calif. (AP) — Two defensive captains have been cut, a respected veteran retired and the team's No. 1 receiver was traded away.The losses for the Oakland Raiders have been mounting on and off the field in recent weeks as a season that began with optimism has fallen apart at the midway point.After four straight losses, including a blowout by Bay Area rival San Francisco, have left the Raiders (1-7) tied for the worst record in the NFL, it's time to start looking to the future. To that end, coach Jon Gruden called in his rookie class Friday following the 34-3 loss to the 49ers and delivered a message to the group."He was just telling us he needs more from us rookies," defensive end Arden Key said Monday. "He needs more, more, more. He said we're doing pretty good but he needs more. We need to lead the league in effort and we're not doing that as rookies. … It was a wake-up call and we answered."Little has gone right of late for the Raiders, who have been outscored by 85 points during a four-game losing streak. The team has also cut captains Bruce Irvin and Derrick Johnson during that span, watched cornerback Dominque Rodgers-Cromartie retire, and traded receiver Amari Cooper to Dallas for a first-round draft pick.That follows the trade one week before the start of the season that dealt star pass rusher Khalil Mack to Chicago for a package of picks, including two first-rounders.Oakland was last in the league with seven sacks before cutting ties with Irvin, who led the team with three. Only rookies Maurice Hurst (two sacks) and Key (one), along with Clinton McDonald (one) have sacks among players on the active roster.That's why Gruden wants more from his rookie class that also features defensive tackle P.J. Hall."I know right now the maturity level on this team has to rise up," veteran defensive lineman Frostee Rucker said. "We just have to be a complete team and do the little things better. That's what we're starting with today, trying to do the little things better."The Raiders also added some reinforcements Monday, signing defensive linemen Jacquies Smith and Kony Ealy to contracts.Ealy had 14 sacks in three seasons with Carolina from 2014-16, including three in a Super Bowl loss to Denver following the 2015 season. He was traded to New England in 2017, got cut by the Patriots and then signed with the New York Jets, where he had one sack in 15 games.Ealy spent training camp in Dallas before getting cut by the Cowboys on Sept. 1.Smith was originally signed as an undrafted free agent in 2012 and finally got his first chance to play in 2014 with Tampa Bay. He had 13 1/2 sacks in 27 games his first two seasons with the Buccaneers before suffering a major knee injury in 2016.Smith has played just seven games the past three seasons with Tampa, Detroit and Arizona, recording three tackles and no sacks in seven games. Smith was released by Arizona in September.Smith worked out for the Raiders in recent weeks and got the call Sunday Derek Carr Jersey White , a day after Irvin was released. Smith said he feels as healthy as he has since before the injury and is eager for the chance to show what he can do."It's been very frustrating," he said. "Obviously, I have a ton of confidence in myself. Obviously, I've made a ton of plays in this league. Just getting back and getting that opportunity to do that. I'm very confident in my ability. Obviously, these guys see something in me to give me a shot."NOTES: The Raiders waived James Cowser. … LT Kolton Miller didn't have a helmet at practice after re-injuring his right knee last Thursday. … LG Kelechi Osemele participated in practice despite injuring his knee again against the 49ers. … RB Marshawn Lynch stopped by practice for the first time since undergoing surgery on an injured groin last month. The Raiders no longer have a streak. And neither do the Browns.Oakland survived a ridiculous back-and-forth game, and put it away in the 68th minute on Matt McCrane‘s 29-yard field goal for a 45-42 overtime win.The win stopped their three-game losing skid to open the second Jon Gruden era, though it was far from easy. McCrane himself missed two field goals earlier in the game, creating plenty of tension.For the Browns, it denied a chance for a two-game winning streak.The last time the Browns won back-to-back games, Mike Pettine was their head coach, and after beating the Bengals and Buccaneers in November 2014, they were a clean 6-3. They proceeded to win five of their next 57 games.Now they’re still waiting.The game featured wild swings in either direction, with the Browns following Baker Mayfield‘s pick-six in the first quarter with 17 unanswered points, and the Raiders digging out of a 28-14 hole in the second half with 20 unanswered of their own.聽But the Browns seemed to make more of the big plays at opportune times, with Nick Chubb‘s 41-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter appearing to seal things. From a timing standpoint, it appeared even better than his 63-yarder early in the game.The game featured plenty of mistakes, with fumbles in weird places, and three interceptions between the quarterbacks. And what appeared to be a conversion late in the game which would have allowed the Browns to kill the clock was overturned on review. The Raiders then sent it to overtime with a touchdown and two-point conversion, with Derek Carr coolly moving them into position to even things up in the last minute.It was that kind of game.Baker Mayfield was 21-of-41 for 295 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions in his first start. Mayfield also fumbled twice.Carr had to deal with injuries up front (right tackle Donald Penn left with a leg injury) and drops, and was 35-of-58 for 437 yards, four touchdowns and two interceptions.