Huff looking forward to "real" defense w/out Al Davis calling it.

[MileHighRaider]

You do make a good point here Mile High.

There's been a thread about Nnamdi going on here and in the same scheme as Huff he flourished.

Gotta believe that some is scheme and putting players in a position at what they do best (hiding there drawbacks while accentuating there positives attributes).

But that will only take a player so far. At some point your going to have to stick your nose in there and make an open field tackle. Something Huff has quite frankly has, s-s-s-s-s-sucked at!

I say let him run his mouth. He really put his foot in it now and if he doesn't play like one of the best safeties in the entire NFL especially considering where we drafted him and what was expected of him he will be looking pretty stupid.

Thank you. That's what I've been saying. Except the part about letting him run his mouth. He should STFU IMHO, primarily because I just can't see him ever reaching the goal you speak of...



Now prove me wrong Michael.

[MileHighRaider]

Michael Huff has a lot to prove he's considered a veteran now and better start playing like one i want to see him make plays like Tyvon Branch who is the current leader on our defensive back field i also wanna see him become a leader too and a teacher to the younger guys and to the other safety's on our team. Michael Huff please step up your game this season we need you making plays and hitting people in the mouth like Oakland Raider safety tradition I want to see that Jack Tatum mentality in you because Branch has been showing glimpse's of that ever since we drafted him now it's your turn to STEP UP AND GO HIT SOMEBODY!!! Matt Giordano plays better than you and will be starting. Prove to us that you can be our starting FS or else you can go play for the rivals as well as far as super bowls go that's what the Raiders are built for so if you don't want to be apart of that go ahead and speak to Mr. McKenzie and he would be happy to trade you somewhere else.

Tackles, 2011:
Huff: 38
Giordano: 70

INTs:
Huff: 2
Giordano: 5

Yards returned off those INTs:
Huff: 24
Giordano: 130

Sacks:
Huff: 0
Giordano: 1

Giordano hits.
Huff... whiffs.

Who do you want out there?

Disclaimer: I do hope Huff turns into a first round draft pick-caliber player. But hope is not a plan.

[cheapshotartist]

Thank you. That's what I've been saying. Except the part about letting him run his mouth. He should STFU IMHO, primarily because I just can't see him ever reaching the goal you speak of...



Now prove me wrong Michael.

Word! I never heard Tatum run his mouth in PRACTICE, he had a lot to say on the field and when he did run his mouth while talking to the local press he backed up what he said during the game. Huff has a lot of nerve bad mouthing Al (RIP) when Al (RIP) was the one who used a 1st round pick on his weak tackling azz. Al (RIP) is the reason Huff is getting paid right now. STFU and make some plays.

[cheapshotartist]

Tackles, 2011:
Huff: 38
Giordano: 70

INTs:
Huff: 2
Giordano: 5

Yards returned off those INTs:
Huff: 24
Giordano: 130

Sacks:
Huff: 0
Giordano: 1

Giordano hits.
Huff... whiffs.

Who do you want out there?

Disclaimer: I do hope Huff turns into a first round draft pick-caliber player. But hope is not a plan.

That's a damn shame MH, how much money are we paying this clown? SMH

[MileHighRaider]

Word! I never heard Tatum run his mouth in PRACTICE, he had a lot to say on the field and when he did run his mouth while talking to the local press he backed up what he said during the game. Huff has a lot of nerve bad mouthing Al (RIP) when Al (RIP) was the one who used a 1st round pick on his weak tackling azz. Al (RIP) is the reason Huff is getting paid right now. STFU and make some plays.

Huff could learn a TON from The Assassin. If he stopped talking long enough to listen.

[speedkills]

the stats from last year are bs cause huff was hurt. That was the first time in his career he was hurt. Now you can argue that Giordano had 5 ints which is 2 more than huff has ever had in a year. however, tackles etc... Huff only played 12 games and a few of those hurt. in addition in 2010 Huff had 94 tackes, 4 sacks and 3 ints which was a very solid year.

As for running his mouth, Huff is just stating in a respectful way what we all knew. He did resign here so it's not like he dissed Al. Also huff tends to play the deep safety in our old outdated scheme. Tough to make tackles from 40 yards off the scrimmage!

[MileHighRaider]

That's a damn shame MH, how much money are we paying this clown? SMH

According to RotoWorld:

Huff: 4 year, $32M, $16M guaranteed. The revised contract actually only pays him $700K salary (+$7.3M signing) in 2012.
Giordano: Undisclosed signing in the off-season. League minimum?

Oh, BTW, Giordano led the Raiders in INTs last year.

If it was my choice, he'd get more playing time.

[MileHighRaider]

the stats from last year are bs cause huff was hurt. That was the first time in his career he was hurt. Now you can argue that Giordano had 5 ints which is 2 more than huff has ever had in a year. however, tackles etc... Huff only played 12 games and a few of those hurt. in addition in 2010 Huff had 94 tackes, 4 sacks and 3 ints which was a very solid year.

As for running his mouth, Huff is just stating in a respectful way what we all knew. He did resign here so it's not like he dissed Al. Also huff tends to play the deep safety in our old outdated scheme. Tough to make tackles from 40 yards off the scrimmage!

I can't find the stats but I bet you Huff had as much playing time as Giordano (edit) when you consider Huff is given starting player time vs. the substitute time Giordano gets (/edit). People like to quote Huff's 2010 numbers but how about:

2009: 59 tackles and 3 INTs in 16 games

or

2008: 28 tackles and 0 INTs in 16 games

As for his use in the schemes, is it any different than Giordano when he plays? And if you were to line up Huff or Giordano to try to stop the running play or hit the QB, who do you think would make the better hit? Obviously that's speculation, but I have my opinions.

[speedkills]

I can't find the stats but I bet you Huff had as much playing time as Giordano (edit) when you consider Huff is given starting player time vs. the substitute time Giordano gets (/edit). People like to quote Huff's 2010 numbers but how about:

2009: 59 tackles and 3 INTs in 16 games

or

2008: 28 tackles and 0 INTs in 16 games

As for his use in the schemes, is it any different than Giordano when he plays? And if you were to line up Huff or Giordano to try to stop the running play or hit the QB, who do you think would make the better hit? Obviously that's speculation, but I have my opinions.

Giordano gets a lot of tackles cause he basically ummm stinks in coverage so when guys catch it in front of you you get tackles. Tackles on corners is a useless stat cause it means that guys are catching the ball. Same with FS. Matt also had 5 passes defensed last year all coming on his Ints. Huff had 14 passes defensed in 2009 and 11 in 2010. Matt is a solid backup player, but Huff while not is a start is a much better Safety overall. the comparison isnt even close actually, okay maybe Matt had a better year last year . But don't delude yourself he is a solid backup who probably had a career year. Huff is a much better overall player. I want to see huff in a real scheme where he can line up at CB, disguise blitzes etc... Huff and Branch are very good blitzing safeties as we saw in 2010 so it will be interesting to see how Allen uses them.

[Sardonicus]

My view on this is that I don't mind what he said, I just wish it came from someone else's mouth. I'm not the biggest Huff fan. all I ask is that he now goes out and back his words, because after this the excuses are all used up.

and to Jeff's comment, i like the 4-3 as well, and I really didn't mind Al's basic philosophies. I just preferred a higher football player to athlete ratio, discipline, fundamentals, and more creative ways to get to the QB.

^ I completely agree with this ^

Some people wanna act as though Huff somehow sinned by saying what he said. Based on what other players, beat writers, etc. have stated, Al Davis ran the show. He wanted to do things his way because his way won in the past. Problem is this isn't the past. You cannot win with just speed. You cannot win with stagnant defensive schemes.

I agree, Huff has been less-than-stellar with his on-field production, but that doesn't magically negate his statement. If it had been any other player who had said the same thing some posters on here would find a way to bash the player while ignoring the statement, be it Seymour, Kelly, or anybody else.

The bottom line is this, one factor remained constant: Al Davis. Not coaches. Not players. Al Davis.

Ask yourselves this: If Al Davis had been the GM of any other organization in the NFL and had produced the exact same results as in Oakland this past decade, how long do you think he would've kept his job?

[speedkills]

ed Reed had 52 tackles and 3 ints last year too.

Man I guess Giordano is better than him too!!

Ed Reed by the way hasnt had more than 70 tackes in a year since 2004 and why? Cuase he can actually fuking cover and guys DONT catch the ball in front of him and he doesn't have to make a tackle.

[JoeKiev]

I wonder if Okie will eat his dish of crow now.

[StickShift]

Huff's best year by far was 2010. I don't think it is a coincidence that in 2010 Marshall was going against Al's wishes and getting a lot more creative with blitzes and different looks for the safeties and the defense in general. Huff and Branch combined for 8 sacks, and Huff made a handful of game changing plays.

I am not 100% sold on Huff, but if he can build off his play in 2010 and Branch continues his ascent, our safeties will be a strength on this defense.

[RunOvrByHubbard]

I am glad I started this thread if for no other reason we Raider faithful still are coming to grips with the absence of Al Davis and what he meant and where we go next. The death of of an owner for any other team is not the same in terms of the product on the field. So I see it as healthy that we discuss Al for quite some time. At times it will get a bit unruly. We are Raider fans after all -- that part of Al will be around for a awhile. It is a bit easier for us to do this in an anonymous website setting than for a player to do so in the media! So I think Huff probably did not show good discretion on his part and I agree with those who are saying he should STFU and start making plays. He should have just said he is looking forward to a new scheme and wants to improve HIS play.

Al did not leave us with a playoff caliber roster although he did better the last couple of years. He made way too many bad personnel and moves the last ten years and even longer, as I consider the Gannon/Gruden uptick to be a bit of a fluke. Al did not like that offense! The vertical offense and all the rest was not working for a long time. And the rule changes were not a conspiracy against Al Davis -- he did not adapt well enough to a changing game. Only baseball stays the same over time (except for lettIng starting pitchers stay in for hIgh pitch counts). So we are modernizing and there will be growing pains on all sides.

My only lament is that I worry that this team and organization becomes too straight (one measure being the emphasis on getting religious players). At least when they did not win in the old days, the team was hella entertaining. Watching a team of straight-a**es lose might be too much for this old-timer to take. It wont seem like the Raiders just because they wear the same uniforms. But I am optimistic about the new coaching staff and GM and think we will be OK in 2012 and better going forward. I love Al Davis but time had passed him by.

[cheapshotartist]

the stats from last year are bs cause huff was hurt. That was the first time in his career he was hurt. Now you can argue that Giordano had 5 ints which is 2 more than huff has ever had in a year. however, tackles etc... Huff only played 12 games and a few of those hurt. in addition in 2010 Huff had 94 tackes, 4 sacks and 3 ints which was a very solid year.

As for running his mouth, Huff is just stating in a respectful way what we all knew. He did resign here so it's not like he dissed Al. Also huff tends to play the deep safety in our old outdated scheme. Tough to make tackles from 40 yards off the scrimmage!