Black Hole: Insider Information from Raiders Training Camp

Each week, Sports Illustrated's Raider Maven takes you inside the Las Vegas Raiders to give you quality information from his vantage point inside.

The Black Hole: Go Inside Las Vegas Raiders Football

I get a lot of nuggets of information that alone, are not big enough for a story. When I have a few that I can assemble, I will, and when I only have one or two, I will post them on our community page. So, welcome to The Black Hole.

• Standing at camp this week, the most impressive play I watched involved Derek Carr and Henry Ruggs.
• I have no issues with fans being critical of Derek Carr, even if I think it is unreasonable.
• I do take umbrage with the national media preying off the enormity of the Raider Nation fan base and using Derek Carr as clickbait. Here is an example:
• How often do you hear the national media call out Carr's arm strength? So fans see alleged "experts" calling it out, so the fans do and assume that to be legit. Again, not mad at the fans.
• But if said media were at practice and not sitting behind desks, they would know that isn't true.
• Now to the play as mentioned above.
• It was a part of the camp that I am not allowed to videotape, and out of respect for the Raiders, and not wanting to give away any schematics, I will be careful in some details for obvious reason.
• Derek Carr threw a PERFECT 56-yard pass (yes, over half of a field) to a blazing Henry Ruggs.  Not only was the pass perfect, but he also led the speedster.  Ruggs had to hurry to get to the ball.  Weak armed quarterbacks don't throw 56-yard passes.  Weak armed quarterbacks don't throw to guys with the speed of Ruggs and hit them in stride.
• He put it, with pin-point accuracy, where only Ruggs could get it. Unbelievable, but in the words of Paul Harvey, here is "The rest of the story."
• The defender (no name necessary, not trying to embarrass him) had to hold of Ruggs' left arm and was holding him because Ruggs had beaten him. It was a clear pass interference (PI).
• One-handed, Ruggs, because the pass was perfect, put his right hand up and made a spectacular one-handed catch while being accosted by the defender.
• In that one play, you saw what Derek Carr didn't have last year.
• For all the critics, you can't throw that pass last year. You don't have guys who can get down the field in the amount of time that Carr had with an injured offensive line.
• Last year, had Carr tried that route and play, he would have been sacked or had to throw it away. But then the critics would say he was inaccurate.
• The best part of the play was the reaction of Jon Gruden. The vocal, and entertaining coach, who is always pushing, stood silent as the team exploded with cheers of amazement and joy. All he could do was smile.  At that moment, the team was celebrating like a bunch of kids playing in the back yard.  Raider Nation, this team is having fun.
• I can tell you that usually this far in training camp (and I have covered several NFL training camps) teams are tired. Not the Raiders.
• They flew around the field. The energy level was high. Ask any reporter or football person worth their salt, and they will tell you at this stage of camp that the team actions tell you what they have. Losing teams act like it. Winners embrace the battle and the heat. They come to the field daily, hungry wanting more.
• Folks, your Raiders are hungry. They know they have the makings of something special, and it is evident.
• One of my favorite players on this team is Clelin Ferrell. I like him as a player and a person.
• For a big man, he has a motor. He is all over the field, but two things stood out to me, I had to tell you.
• There are a lot of good players who can't take correction. I believe that when you love people, you aren't afraid to correct, and when someone you love corrects you, you aren't scared to take it.
• Clelin is a burgeoning star, but what makes him unique is his desire to be coached and taught.
• There are a lot of outstanding players on this Raiders defense. There might not be one with Ferrell's upside, and I can tell you that others may be as teachable as he is, but none more than him. He is a sponge. He loves football and being coached. Those my friends are distinctive traits.
• My other Clelin Ferrell story was just as good. In camp, guys only get specific reps. Often, older veterans will take a play off for a breather, and if a young player is smart, they will jump in trying to get on tape for the coaches their work ethic. Ferrell is the guy jumping in taking reps. He is a workhorse with a motor.
• The value of Marcus Mariota. You have to have two good quarterbacks to win big in the NFL. The first reason is that this is a violent game. Injury is a part of football, and many teams have gone sideways when their starter goes down.
• Mariota isn't just an adequate backup; he is a great one.
• He was often working with second-team guys, and while Carr was running the team, he was working on his footwork while watching the play progress. He is a worker.
• I have heard it said before, and I agree that professionals prepare as if they are taking over the next play. Mariota is engaged with this team, and he and Carr are communicating and helping each other.
• There is no ice like Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers.
• Derek Carr was running the offense, and there was a short break as the coaches were teaching a particular point of emphasis on something that had nothing to do with the quarterback or wide receiver. Mariota and Nelson Agholor instantly started working.
• When the veteran players don't take any time off, that impacts a young team. I have written all offseason about how big of a deal that was for the Raiders. Bringing in seasoned vets who know the game to teach these young pups how to become Raider dogs is a big deal.
• Speaking of Agholor, he is special. The way he uses his body to create separation is impressive. There are faster, bigger, and stronger guys in the NFL, but he is a seasoned pro technically. Like the best basketball players can create their shot, the best wide receiver can create his own space.
• On two separate plays against very talented young defensive backs, he used the technique to teach lessons. You can't put a price on that.
• A linebacker who got my attention was Nicholas Morrow. The fourth-year player showed tremendous effort. Bobby Bowden of Florida State fame once told me: "I like the guys that when you turn on tape, reveal themselves. They are always just around the football. You may not have been looking for them, they just showed up."
• The camp is long, but Morrow did just that. He is always around the ball, showing up on the film, I am sure. He has to keep that up, but he was impressive.
• Darren Waller is a stud. He looks like the best tight end in the NFL, and he works like it. He taught the young Raider defensive backs lessons.
• His route running is so crisp, his hands are so soft, but his most fantastic talent could be his footwork.
• It is a proven fact that people's proprioception comes from watching their shoulders and above.
• He can fake people with his upper body movement, while never deviating from his exceptional footwork.
• With Ruggs stretching the field and the offensive line healthy, Waller will have a MONSTER 2020.
• Speaking of the offensive line, it is shameful that I am five pages into my first "Black Hole" and haven't talked about the best offensive line in the NFL.
• They are healthy and working in unison. Perhaps ONLY the birth of my children is more beautiful than an enormous line working in unity. There are no museums in Paris, ballets in New York, or artwork anywhere that compares. It is my friends, a thing of beauty.
• Watching the Raiders offensive line communicate and work together should get fans fired up.
• I was standing and watching practice with my buddy Scott Gulbransen from Raider Nation Radio (AM 920 in Vegas), and we both commented how, on a particularly long run, all of the offensive line were hustling down the field only having to come back. They are energized. In 100-degree heat, amid grueling training camp, your offensive line Raider Nation was running extra celebrating a great play. They are paid to be there, but when you know you have something special is when paid grown men, forget, and show the energy of being 13, in the backyard with their buddies.
• Damon Arnette can move his hips on pivot unbelievably quickly. His hip rotation (Which is vital for a defensive back is as fast as any I have seen. He keeps his head on a swivel, and while he has a lot of upside, it was evident quickly, what the Raiders love about him.  Practicing against a loaded Raiders wide receiver group is going to make him a lot better, quicker.
• I was not asked to do this, but if you are a Raider fan and NOT listening to Raider Nation radio, you need to step it up.  If you live outside of metropolitan Las Vegas you can listen to the live stream when you CLICK RIGHT HERE.  You can hear me on there a lot and trust me, it is great radio all day.
• In my opinion, Alec Ingold is on the cusp of being the best fullback in the National Football League. If you love football, you have to love the way he plays football. When is the last time someone said of a fullback, "He stops on a dime and gives you nine cents change?" I just did. He is more than a fullback, he is an old school football player. Give him a leather helmet; he plays like a player from that era.
• I have said this many times this offseason, but it bears repeating.  There are going to be very good NFL players who don't make this roster.  Things have changed.  This team isn't perfect, but they are being sculpted with the expertise of Gian Lorenzo Bernini.  

I have so many more notes, and I promise that I will get them all in. Our "Black Hole" articles will happen once a week.

Perhaps during training camp, we can expand it to twice per week.

I can tell you this. Raider Nation has a ton to be excited about. This article is already long, or I could give you many more reasons and players to be passionate about. Keep your eyes out for the next "Black Hole," please tell your friends about it.

Tell us what you think in the comment section below.

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