New-look Raiders seek to end losing ways

A general manager was brought on board to run the football operations, the team hired its first defensive-minded coach since the 1970s and there was a significant roster shake-up as the new regime tried to rectify mistakes that led one of the league's most storied franchises into a lost decade.

General manager Reggie McKenzie and coach Dennis Allen were widely praised for their overhaul. Now they get to find out if the changes in the organization lead to changes in results as the Raiders try to end a nine-year stretch without a winning season or playoff berth.

"We respect what Mr. Davis was able to do here, the brand he created with this organization," Allen said. "We're going to do it our way. That's the only way we know how to do it. Reggie and I have a plan and we hope to have success doing it that way."

Davis' way that was once so successful, leading to three Super Bowl trophies and 16 division titles in his first 40 seasons, had not worked of late. During this current nine-year run, the Raiders have gone through six coaches, four last-place finishes and a number of embarrassing moments that tarnished Davis' legacy before his death last October. That led to Davis' son, Mark, hiring McKenzie to oversee the football side of the franchise. He immediately fired bombastic coach Hue Jackson and replaced him with Allen, who has won over his players with his attention to detail that they hope will lead to more success.

"It is different," defensive tackle Tommy Kelly said. "Everything is detailed. Everything's got a plan to it. It's not just wait a minute and we'll find out. You know everything. You know what you've got to do, down to the second."

Despite a bloated salary cap and a paucity of draft picks, the new regime did not inherit a bare cupboard upon taking over, providing hope in the organization that the rebuilding can happen quickly.

Darren McFadden has proven to be one of the most dangerous running backs in the league the past two seasons when healthy.

Quarterback Carson Palmer came off the couch a year ago in a bold trade by Jackson and showed signs of being the topflight passer he was just a few years ago in Cincinnati. Palmer should be even better this season after a full offseason to learn the offense and build a rapport with speedy receivers like Denarius Moore, Darrius Heyward-Bey and Jacoby Ford.

The defense features an imposing line led by Richard Seymour and Tommy Kelly and versatile safeties in Tyvon Branch and Michael Huff. Then there's perhaps the top pair of specialists in punter Shane Lechler and kicker Sebastian Janikowski.