Palmer & Co.’s challenge — keep up in a breezy affair
Football players are a confident bunch and would never do a rain dance thinking they needed Mother Nature to help slow down an opponent.
Too bad, because maybe Mother Nature wants to help the Raiders against the Saints on Sunday. Drew Brees and New Orleans have won four of their past five games after an 0-4 start and must have enjoyed the game film of Oakland’s 55-20 loss in Baltimore last week.
And the 42-32 loss to Tampa Bay the week before.
The Raiders’ defense has allowed 934 yards over the past two weeks — 7.5 yards a play — and as much as they try not to say it, their teammates on offense are thinking they need to win a shootout.
“We need a win desperately,” Raiders quarterback Carson Palmer said. “They can score a lot of points, and we know we have to score a lot of points to keep up with them. It’s going to be an exciting game.”
Palmer has tried to bring Oakland (3-6) back the past two games and has amassed 782 yards passing and six touchdowns. But with no running game and no defense, those are empty numbers when it comes to trying to win a game.
The Saints have given up at least 400 yards in each of their games, but their pass rush and running game have improved. Brees threw for 298 yards and three touchdowns in last week’s win over previously undefeated Atlanta, but the defense came up with a goalline stand in the fourth quarter.
New Orleans has won 13 straight games in November since 2009.
“This team has weathered the storm, stuck together and not pointed fingers, and they are trying to get better every day,” said interim coach Joe Vitt, who missed the first six games because of a bountyrelated suspension.
Brees ranks first in the NFL with 2,847 yards (Palmer is third with 2,723), loves to “look off” cornerbacks and safeties and distributes the ball all over the field. Brees has thrown 15 touchdown passes and just four interceptions during the team’s 4-1 stretch.
“Things have been fun,” tight end Jimmy Graham told reporters. “Winning, you can’t ask for much more. Drew’s playing amazing. We have a little momentum on our side, but it’s going to be a battle up there in Oakland, and we know that.”
Graham had a career-high 146 yards and two touchdowns last week, and the Raiders had plenty of trouble with Ravens tight ends. Oakland gave up passing plays of more than 25 yards to tight ends Dennis Pitta and Ed Dickson, and to three other receivers in that game. That’s not easy to do.
It’s also difficult for Raiders offensive players not to feel desperate in the first half.
“I don’t let myself go into a game thinking, ‘You have to score on this drive. You have to score on this drive,’ ” Palmer said. “You can get yourself in trouble and get your team in trouble doing that, but I understand what we’re up against. I understand that we have to keep up with these guys.”