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LaMarr Woodley confident in Raiders
Updated: April 23, 2014, 1:15 PM ET
ESPN.com news services

Will Raiders' Playoff Drought End In 2014?

LaMarr Woodley, one of several high-profile free agents signed by the Oakland Raiders this offseason, thinks his new team will end its 11-year postseason drought.

"I can definitely see [the Raiders] as a playoff team," Woodley said Tuesday during a radio interview with 95.7 The Game. "Last year, going back and watching some film on the Raiders, there were a lot of opportunities here where they just didn't close it out."

The Raiders went 4-12 in 2013, their 11th consecutive season without a winning record. Oakland has not reached the postseason since appearing in Super Bowl XXXVII after the 2002 season.

But the Raiders were aggressive in free agency this offseason, adding a bevy of former Pro Bowlers, including Woodley, Justin Tuck, Maurice Jones-Drew and Carlos Rogers. Oakland also signed former Green Bay Packers wide receiver James Jones and acquired veteran quarterback Matt Schaub in a trade with the Houston Texans.

Woodley, who spent his first seven NFL seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers, reiterated that he thinks Oakland, which lost six games by 10 points or fewer last season, will find a way to win close contests in 2014.

"Some games good in the first half, they just didn't close it out at the end of the game," the pass-rusher told 95.7 The Game. "So now we just have to learn how to close out games, and it'll be more wins than losses."

Several other Oakland newcomers echoed Woodley's sentiments Tuesday, the first day of the Raiders' voluntary offseason-workout program.

"Obviously, the record speaks for itself," Jones said. "I wasn't part of the team back then, but as we talked today, 4-12 is not good enough.

"When we played the Raiders in the past, we're kind of putting that 'win' on the board already. Now, everybody's got to look at their self in the mirror and we've got to understand that we really don't get no respect, and you're not going to get no respect when you're 4-12, so we've got to go out there and take it this year. And I believe we've got the right guys to do it."

Tuck, who won two Super Bowls during his nine-year stint with the New York Giants, also is excited about potentially reviving the Raiders.

"A lot of people always say you go to Oakland for your career to die," Tuck said. "I'm not looking at it like that. I'm looking at it like this is an opportunity to revive a storied franchise in a city with a great fan base behind this football team. The energy and excitement around this football team should be good. I'm excited about it."
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:hat
 
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New Raiders want to change team's bad reputation

ALAMEDA -- The Raiders’ reputation around the league is none too flattering. An 8-24 record over the last two years and a decade-plus without a winning season will do that to a club.

Typically, players aren’t doing the dogging. Before a game they’ll say all the right things, trying to avoid giving an overmatched opponent added incentive.

Get them away from such traps and answers are a bit more honest. Even, apparently, when the Raiders are writing the checks.

“A lot of people always say that you go to Oakland for your career to die,” new defensive end Justin Tuck said Tuesday. “No, I’m not looking at it like that.”

This older free agent class plans on using its pedigree and championship experience to change a losing culture inside the club and its perception around the league.

“When you played the Raiders in the past, you were putting that win on the board already,” receiver James Jones said. “Now everybody has to look themselves in the mirror; we have to understand we don’t get any respect. You’re not going to get no respect when you’re 4-12, so we have to go out there and take it this year. I believe we have the right guys to do that.”

The Raiders signed players with recent postseason experience. All told, new free agents have six Super Bowl rings. Even more have played in a Super Bowl. Six of 13 established imports have made the Pro Bowl. That isn’t coincidence. The Raiders brought those players in to teach incumbents how to win tough games.

That’s important because the 2013 Raiders couldn’t finish. The Raiders lost five games by less than 10 points, and a few more after sporting halftime leads.

“I would say we thought they were talented but hadn’t put together, as far as knowing how to win,” Tuck said. “They beat themselves a little bit. Just go back to our game (against Tuck’s New York Giants) last year. They had an opportunity to win, but just couldn’t close it out. That’s been the M.O., I guess.”

Tuck said learning how to close -- and adding a quarterback -- could make these Raiders last season’s Kansas City Chiefs, a 2-14 club in 2012 that was an 11-5 playoff team in 2013.

The free agents who spoke during Tuesday’s press conference swore their decision to don Silver and Black wasn’t just a cash grab from a team willing to write the biggest check. There’s a need to give back, and help turn around a once-proud franchise that’s fallen on extremely hard times.

“I’m looking at it like this is an opportunity to revive a very historic franchise in a city with a great fan base that is going to be behind this football team,” Tuck said. “The energy and excitement around this football team should be great. I’m excited about it.”
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“
I’m looking at it like this is an opportunity to revive a very historic franchise in a city with a great fan base that is going to be behind this football team.
”
— Justin Tuck
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I'm always excited for a new season but this year I'm extra hyped.
 
Only 1 primetime game :\. Not surprised though after a rough 2013 season.
 
Schedule is pretty brutal. Still excited tho 
smokin.gif
 
 
I believe we have a far more talented team. Hopefully Reggie hits some HRs in the Draft. If he does I say we go 6-8 Win Range
 
Even with a bunch of solid pick ups, I  really don't think we're much more  talented than last year, if at all. 

We should be more consistent defensively but we also should have have easily won 6 games in 2013. 

This season all comes down to how well Schaub does. Been trying to say it but both Pryor and McGloin were far from the worst thing under center in the NFL this past season. 
 
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ICE CITY FC said:
Even with a bunch of solid pick ups, I really don't think we're much more talented than last year, if at all. 

We should be more consistent defensively but we also should have have easily won 6 games in 2013. 

This season all comes down to how well Schaub does. Been trying to say it but both Pryor and McGloin were far from the worst thing under center in the NFL this past season. 
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Not better talent wise then last year??

1.) Name the last Raider with 11 sacks the previous year.... I'll wait. Tuck >> than any DE we've had in years.
2.) Woodley > than any LB we've had in years.
3.) Schaub outside of one bad season is better than any QB we've had since Gannon.
4.) Penn I think is gonna be =/> Veldeer honestly. Both guards and RT should be significantly better.
5.) Our corners are better than anything we've had in years.
6.) Pryor consistently got worse as time went on. That wasn't on anyone but himself. You don't regress like that if you're not putting in the work.
7.) For the 2 extra games you think we should have won, I'll name 2 that we should have lost. The Raiders were def a 4-12 team last year if not worse.

The Raiders are SIGNIFICANTLY better talent wise than last year. Night and day. I understand that some are long in the tooth, but talent wise, they are leagues above what we've had.

The Raiders are not gonna roll over for anyone this year. I'm not saying they're gonna contend for the division, but we're gonna be in almost every game.
 
WOW, THE SCHEDULE IS TOUGH ....i'll be happy with 6 or 8 wins ...and as long as they stay competitive 
 
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I agree that the most critical part to us succeeding is Schaub's play. The defense is much better equipped to keep us competitive, but we still have to score. Fortunately, I think Schaub can do a decent enough job with how we're approaching the RB position. He'll have his targets. He just needs to be accurate.
 
This schedule is too brutal, Chiefs twice, Broncos twice? I just really want to beat the Chargers both times.

God I really hope Matt Schaub does something this year :lol
 
We already knew the schedule was going to be tough.I have us losing to 4 teams Patriots, 49ers, Broncos, and Seahawks no way we beat them maybe the Broncos in Oakland. The rest are going to be tough but winnable.
 
looking forward to the season to start. hate how we're playing miami in london hope we beat them always seem to struggle against them :x :{
 
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