By all accounts - from players, coaches, media, fans, Napa Valley Marriott employees - the Raiders have had a very nice first seven days of training camp.

The team is getting better every day, and many players are pointing to last week - and jumping off on the right foot with head coach Dennis Allen's opening speech of camp.

"Coach Allen's speech in the first team meeting gave me chills," left tackle Donald Penn said.

Neither Penn nor Allen will reveal what the coach said, but Allen says that he wanted to "create the vision for this football team." He told the players in the converted hotel conference room on July 24, the night before the team's first practice in Napa, that he had confidence in them and that they could do great things this season.

The team's itinerary for this season was laid out, according to players, for all 16 regular-season games, the playoffs and the Super Bowl. It was the first time Allen has done that in his three years as coach.

"It wasn't the rah-rah stuff," fullback Marcel Reece said. "It was real. Not fake. The stuff he was saying made us want to get on the plane and play New York the next day."

Eric Risberg/Associated Press

The Raiders open the season Sept. 7 at New York against the Jets, and Allen has his team believing it's the first of many big steps.

"We want to be champions," Reece said.

Of the world?

"We want to be champions," Reece said again.

"Everybody was fired up the first night," tackle Khalif Barnes said. "Dennis is on a mission just like the rest of us."

Allen wouldn't confirm that he talked about the Super Bowl - "That's for me and the team to know" - but didn't dance around it too much.

"Put the goal out there in front of them and give them something to shoot for," Allen said. "I wanted these guys to know that I have confidence in them, and I wouldn't say that if I didn't feel it. ...

"We don't play 16 games to play 16 games," Allen said. "We play 16 games to have a right to play for a championship."

After two 4-12 seasons, Allen and general manager Reggie McKenzie think the team is on schedule in Year 3 of new management's renovation project.

"Year 3 was the year we said we need to be able to make some noise, we need to be able to go out there and compete and bring this organization back to the championship level it's been at in the past," Allen said.

Allen appears more relaxed with reporters this season. While some other players said Allen has always been passionate, they also said the dial on the volume and intensity has been turned up a little bit.

Allen doesn't necessarily agree, but did say he does "a ton" of self-evaluation after each season.

"The one thing that I have tried to do is express to the guys that we're not going to let anyone outside our building set limits on us. And they've got to have a vision and a goal, and something out there that they're shooting for.

"I just want them to understand that we've got a chance to make some noise, when no one gives us a chance."

Barnes and Penn said the team has picked up where it left off after a productive offseason program, and it got a little kick in the pants the first night to get it going again.

"One of the reasons why we're jelling so well at camp is that there is a different vibe here," Penn said. "Everybody wants it. Everybody is putting in the extra work."

"We are going to win this year, and that's a fact," safety Charles Woodson said.

Briefly: Defensive end Justin Tuck missed Friday's practice with a minor groin injury, and seventh-round pick Shelby Harris had a sack and made some nice plays in his place. "He's quietly moving up the depth chart," Allen said. ... Rookie Derek Carr also had a nice day, with some impressive deep passes to Mike Davis and Darren McFadden. ... Former Braves slugger Dale Murphy was on hand to watch his son, Jake, try to make the roster as a tight end. The undrafted rookie out of Utah is a long shot.