"Offense: This time, last year"

Close to a year ago, on Oct. 1, 2006, the met with the Cleveland Browns in their third game of the regular season.Much like this year, Oakland was 0-2 heading into its home matchup versus the Browns and trying desperately to avoid another defeat.All said and done, the Raiders were unable to do so, and the results weren't pretty.The Raiders dropped the game by a score of 24-21 and went on to lose 11 of their next 13 contests, finishing 2-14 on the season.A year later -- 357 days, to be exact -- Oakland found a way to win under the same set ofSteelers 6 Super Bowl Champions jersey
circumstances.On Sunday, the Lane Kiffin-led Raiders held on to beat the Browns, 26-24, for their first win -- not third loss -- of the year. The victory can be attributed much in part to the drastic improvements made on the offensive side of the football. At this point, it's clear that the '07 Raider offense is much improved from the unit that hit the field just a year ago.Exactly how much better, though, is the Raiders' offense this year compared to the 2006 unit that fell to the Browns last season?To find out, simply begin each of the below statements with "at this time, last year."At this time, last year...... Oakland's front five had allowed 19 sacks through just three games. That's 6.3 sacks per game. This season, the O-line has surrendered a total of just nine, or three per game.... the Raiders' offense was netting a lowly 177 yards each game. This year? Nearly double that: 341.... the atrocious 'O' was 8 of 36 on third downs (22.2 percent). About 12 months later, Oakland has doubled that third-down percentage (20 of 45, 44.4 percent). ... Tom Walsh was calling the offensive shots. No further explanation needed.... running back LaMont Jordan had 49 carries for 183 yards, which included a 59-yarder in the team's third loss of the season. That's 3.7 yards per carry with the breakout run factored in and just 2.5 yards without it. This year, Jordan has 69 attempts for 350 yards, good for 5.1 yards per carry, and there's no fluke runs in that stat line.... no pass catcher on the Raiders' roster had recorded 50 or more yards receiving in a game yet. That's already been done four times by three different players this season.... Oakland averaged nine points per game. Now, the Raiders are good for 22.3 points every time they hit the field.... the team's quarterbacks were 27 of 69 (39.1 percent) for 326 yards, one touchdown and four interceptions. This season, through three contests, Josh McCown and Daunte Culpepper are 52 of 82 (63.4 percent) for 612 yards, four touchdowns and five interceptions.... Randy Moss was leading the team with 84 yards receiving. This year, three pass catchers (Ronald Curry, Jerry Porter and LaMont Jordan) have all surpassed that yardage total.... Art Shell's squad had picked up just 37 first downs in three games, or 12.3 per game. To date, Lane Kiffin's team has moved the chains 54 times, or 18 times an outing....Oakland's offense was on the field, on average, 25 minutes a game through three losses. Through one win and a pair losses this season, Oakland is winning the time of possession battle against its opponents, averaging over 33 minutes with the ball each game. That's a difference of eight minutes, or over half of an entire quarter.... Raider Nation was thinking NFL draft.... the Walsh-led offense reached the red zone just five times with one total score. This year, the Oakland 'O' has made it down inside the 20-yard line eight different times and has scored four times.... the Raiders'Steelers 36 Bettis Jersey
net passing total through three games, with sacks factored in, was 121 yards. Through the same amount of tries this year: 480 yards. That's a 297 percent increase.At this time, last year ... the were a year from respectability. ,