NAPA -- It's been a while since the Raiders had a wide receiver have a big season. When Randy Moss topped 1000 yards back in 2005, his season was seen as a disappointment.
Considering how the Raiders have looked in the passing game since, Moss' 1,005 receiving yards would be praised.
Raiders coach Hue Jackson said the lack of production from the wide receivers is due to change:
"Somebody's going to jump out of that pack, there's no question. I truly believe that. Somebody will jump out of the pack and have a bang-up season, and I suspect there's going to be a couple players that will do that. Our offense is multi-faceted. We're going to do everything we can to create opportunities for guys to make plays. Guy shows me he can make plays, I am going to keep giving him opportunities to make plays. That's what this is all about."
Who might that player be? Louis Murphy and Jacoby Ford are still recovering from injuries.
Chaz Schilens is bothered with a knee injury.
Could Denarius Moore shock us all with a rookie season that would surprise everyone? Then there's Darrius Heyward-Bey.
Last year Zach Miller led the team in receptions. And when the tight end is your leader in receptions and yards, that's usually a sign the offense is not dynamic.
Here's more of Jackson on that:
"We can't be the same offense that we were a year ago. To say that we would be would have meant that he would have led the team in receptions again. It's time for these receivers to step up. It's time for our quarterback to truly step up and it's time for the o-line to step up. Darren McFadden I can't wait until he's back out here because I think he's going to be one of the greatest runners in football this year. I think we have the makings of a very good offensive football team and I think we just need to keep practicing and keep growing and keep working."
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