HUFF TAKES AWAY - THE SEQUEL: S Michael Huff intercepted two passes during the September 20 win over the Chiefs in Kansas City, upping his total to a league-leading three and adding to his turnover count to four. Huff had a hand in both turnovers produced by the Raider defense during the September 14 contest against the San Diego Chargers at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum. Huff recovered a first quarter fumble in Raiders territory to halt a potential scoring drive and added an interception in the third quarter. Three of Huff's four career interceptions have come versus the Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium.
ELLIS THE ILLEST: DE Greg Ellis collected his second and third sacks of the 2009 regular season during the September 20 win over the Chiefs in Kansas City. Ellis posted a sack in his first game as a Raider, dropping the Chargers QB for a five yard loss. Ellis, who totaled eight sacks for the Dallas Cowboys in 2008, now has 80 career sacks. He ranks eighth among active players in sacks.
LECHLER STARTS ANOTHER STREAK: Pro Bowl P Shane Lechler has picked up where he left off in 2008, with six of his seven punts traveling 50 yards or longer during the September 20 win over the Chiefs in Kansas City, including a 70-yarder, the seventh time in his pro career that a Lechler punt has traveled 70 yards or longer. He averaged almost 60 yard per punt versus Kansas City. Lechler recorded punts of 55 and 54 yards during the September 14 contest against the San Diego Chargers at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum. Lechler recorded punts of more than 50 yards in every game in 2008 and had at least one punt of 50 yards or longer in 13 games in 2007.
SPREADING THE WEALTH: Six different players caught at least one pass during the September 20 win over the Chiefs in Kansas City. Five different players caught at least one caught pass for the Raiders during the 2009 season opener against San Diego at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on September 14. TE Zach Miller paced the Silver and Black with six catches while rookie WR Louis Murphy recorded four receptions. RB Darren McFadden hauled in two passes—one from JaMarcus Russell and one from Bruce Gradkowski.
FIRST CAREER NFL CATCH FOR 12, 19: Raiders rookie Darrius Heyward-Bey posted his first reception as a pro, a 18-yard pass from QB JaMarcus Russell in the second quarter of the September 20 win over the Chiefs in Kansas City. Todd Watkins also recorded his first catch as a Raider and as a pro, a 28-yarder from Russell during the game-winning drive on September 20 at Kansas City.
TOUCHDOWN McFADDEN!: Raiders RB Darren McFadden, who led the Raiders in rushing touchdowns as a rookie with four, scored the game-winning touchdown on a 5-yard run in the waning moments of the September 20 win over the Chiefs in Kansas City. He scored his first NFL career TD on a 19-yard run last season in the Raiders' win over the Chiefs in Kansas City.
DOUBLE DIGITS FOR MORRISON: LB Kirk Morrison led the Raiders in tackles with 13 during the September 20 win over the Chiefs in Kansas City. Morrison established a career high in tackles last year (135) and has led the Silver and Black in tackles the past three seasons after finishing second as a rookie in 2005.
YOUTH IS SERVED: JaMarcus Russell, at age 24 and entering his third pro season, is the third-youngest starting quarterback in the NFL in 2009, behind two rookies—Matthew Stafford (21) of the Detroit Lions and Mark Sanchez (22) of the New York Jets.
YOUTH IS SERVED, PART II: The Oakland Raiders started two rookies at wide receiver—first round pick Darrius Heyward-Bey and fourth round selection Louis Murphy—for the September 14 contest against the San Diego Chargers, marking only the third time since 1977 that an NFL team started two rookie wide receivers in a season opener. In 1988, the San Diego Chargers started rookies Anthony Miller and Quinn Early at wide receiver while in 2000, the Cincinnati Bengals opened at wide receiver with Peter Warrick and Ron Dugans.
BIG PLAY: QB JaMarcus Russell and rookie WR Louis Murphy connected on a 57-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter against the Chargers at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on September 14. It was the first career touchdown for Murphy, who totaled four receptions for 87 yards in his regular season debut.
MILLER GAINS: TE Zach Miller led all receivers with six catches for 96 yards against the Chargers at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on September 14. His 96 receiving yards set a personal single-game high, eclipsing his 95-yard performance against the Chargers last season.
SEYMOUR ARRIVES: DE Richard Seymour collected two sacks for losses totaling seven yards in his Raiders debut against the Chargers. Seymour was one of just eight players in the league to produce two sacks on NFL Kickoff Weekend and is tied for the league lead in that category.
DYNAMIC DUO: RB's Darren McFadden and Michael Bush combined for 123 yards on the ground on 29 attempts against the Chargers at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on September 14. McFadden paced the team with 68 yards rushing, while Bush contributed 55 yards including a four-yard touchdown run in the first quarter. McFadden also hauled in four passes for 25 yards.
BRANCH BREAKS 'EM OFF: Tyvon Branch made his first career start at SS against the Chargers and established a career-high with nine total tackles including eight solo stops. The second-year player also added a pass defensed and a tackle for a loss.
HIGGINS MOVING THE CHARTS: Johnnie Lee Higgins' 67 career returns and 709 career yards already both rank 10th on the Silver and Black's all-time list.
