8 Raider Predictions for the 2005 Season.

1. Collins goes to the Pro Bowl. Culpepper does not. Randy Moss makes okay quarterbacks seem great, and okay is all Culpepper has ever been. Rather than try to prove it to you, I ask you to click here and read the article. The most relevant excerpt:

“Culpepper must thank his lucky stars that he has Randy Moss making him look this good. I'm not saying Culpepper's not a good quarterback -- but it's worth pointing out that just about every quarterback who's played in the quarterback-friendly Minnesota offense in the Randy Moss Era has put up absolutely blistering statistics. Not just Culpepper, but Randall Cunningham, Jeff George, Gus Frerotte and Todd Friggin' Bouman. Don't believe me? In two starts last year, Frerotte's quarterback rating was 118.1. Two years ago, in five appearances and three starts, Bouman's rating was 98.3. We're not exactly talking about Pro Bowlers here -- but they sure did put up Pro Bowl numbers.”

Moss already said Collins is a better quarterback than Culpepper, which Culpepper called “crazy.” Collins took a mediocre team to Super Bowl 35 (you remember, the one we should have won, had Pope not let the tight end go, and Dorsett not taken the bad angle, and had Fat Bastard not purposely broken Gannon’s shoulder.) Culpepper has never been there, and with Moss gone, he never will be.

2. Raiders make the play-offs. Minnesota does not.

See Prediction 1.

3. Raiders sweep Dungver.

Bailey can’t cover Porter, much less Moss. Dungver is importing fat underachieving defensive lineman to improve their defense. The worm has turned in this battle of franchises. The good old days have come again.

4. CWood makes the Pro Bowl. Champ Bailey does not.

Reason A: CWood will have his best year.

1. He’s a free agent next year.

2. He’s practicing against Moss every day, which has to be humbling.

3. He’s had bad luck with freakish injuries the last couple of years. He’s due an injury free season.

Reason B: Bailey was never as good as CWood.

1. See prediction 3. How Champ Bailey made the Pro bowl after Porter toasted him repeatedly on national television last year is beyond me. After Moss burns him to a crisp, eats him, and then moons the Dungver crowd (with his pants down this time) and farts Bailey-ashes out, Bailey will no longer be considered Pro bowl material.

5. The Chargers lose their charge.

Why? I don’t know. Maybe not. I just hate their coach, so I hope it will be so.

6. Courtney Anderson and Antonio Gates have better years than Gonzalez.

Gonzalez is in his 10th year, and the Chiefs really have nobody else to throw to… Look for CWood to blanket him, to nullify him, when the Chefs play the Raiders, and look for other teams to make similar adjustments. Gates is already better than Gonzalez, and Anderson will break out this year.

Anderson might not be as good as Gonzalez, but after covering Moss, Porter, Curry, and Jordan coming out of the backfield, defenses will have no answer for “California.” (Get it, Courtney Anderson- CA- California- He grew up in Cali and went to college in Cali and now he’s a Raider, plus he’s that big? Just an idea. If it is already out there I apologize).

Btw, stat wise it is interesting to compare the three:

Anderson:

Height: 6-6
Weight: 270
Born: 11/19/1980
College: San Jose State
NFL Experience: 2

Gates:

Height: 6-4
Weight: 260
Born: 06/18/1980
College: Kent State
NFL Experience: 3

Gonzalez

Height: 6-5
Weight: 251
Born: 02/27/1976
College: California
NFL Experience: 9

So Anderson is the youngest, tallest, and the biggest. He is not, yet, the best, but Turner knows a thing or two about tight ends, and he seems to think Anderson is something special.

7. Raiders will win 10 games. Game by game I have us winning 11.

@ NE. loss

KC. Win

@ Philadelphia. loss

Dallas. Win

Bye

San Diego. Win

Buffalo. Win

@Tennessee. Win

@KC. Win

@Washington. Win

Denver. Win

Miami. Win

@SD. loss

@Jets. loss

@Cleveland. Win

@Denver. Win

@NY Giants. Win.

So that extra loss is for the officials screwing us out of at least one.

8. Raiders run defense will be top ten in the league.

They will have to throw to keep up with our offense, and Ryan has had a year to teach his system, and a year to learn his players. Plus, the way Danny Clark talks, and the way Collins talks about Danny Clark and the rest of the defense, is making me a believer.

GO RAIDERS!!!

Comments are greatly appreciated, even criticism, so don't be shy. For more Harkonnendog Raider articles visit:

1. Plunkett: Best Raider QB Ever? 5/19/2005
2. And yes MORE incompetent Raider reporting! 3/17/2005
3. More incompetence from the Bay Area media 3/4/2005
4. Monte Poole and Tim Kawakami = Sad but Funny 2/24/2005

(This is generally a political blog, with occasional short stories and such. If you're conservative this is for you. If you're a lefty, or a right for that matter, you might want to take a look at the UPC, which is a group blog made up of equal parts right and left-biased pundits which I'm proud to be part of.)