It's Halloween which means October is coming to a close. So, it seems fitting that today is the day we name our October players of the month for the Raiders

Offense

Denarius Moore

Over the first two games of the month against division rivals Chargers and Chiefs, he had in each game 5 catches, over 80 yards receiving and a touchdown. He had just two catches last week but his lack of production was also a product of the offense nearly shutting down in the second half to preserve the lead. In those three games , he had just one drop on a catchable ball. It was just his second dropped pass on the season.

Defense

Tracy Porter

Porter has cemented himself as the top cornerback on this team and one of the best off-season acquisitions. In week five against San Diego, he had 8 combined tackles (5 solo) and blocked a field goal attempt. Week six against the Chiefs, he didn't allow a single catch on 4 targets. Last week against the Steelers he had a brilliant interception in which he barely was able to get his fingertip under the ball to keep it from falling incomplete. He later had a textbook pass defended as well that shows you just the kind of talent the Raiders have in him.

Special Teams

Share: Marquette King, Taiwan Jones

I just can't see separating these two. King blasts it and Jones stops the return man in his tracks. Against San Diego, King launched a high, wobbly punt and Jones disrupted Royal's concentration on fielding it and caused him to muff it for a turnover. The next week in Kansas City, King averaged 52 yards per punt with a net of 45.3. Jones was responsible for three of the seven stops in the return game. Jones has been so good on special teams, he was given a shot to return kicks last week.

Rookie

Sio Moore

Sio's being named rookie of the month is definitely a case of ‘what have you done for me lately'. He had his best game last week against the Steelers in which he had two sacks and 5 combined tackles (4 solo). He also collected a sack in the Chiefs game before the bye. It's his preparation of late that has his play coming up. He is showing some of the swagger on the field now. It seems to have clicked for him and I would expect more of the same moving forward.

Upstart

Matt McCants

As quickly as Raiders right tackles can go down with injury, the team unearths a very good replacement. Early in the season it was Tony Pashos stepping up; now it's Matt McCants. He has put together three very good games over the month of October. While the line as a whole has struggled, he has remained solid. Even in the game in which Terrelle Pryor was sacked nine times, McCants gave up just one pressure all day with no sacks. Last week he kept Steelers sack leader, Lamarr Woodley, completely out of the Raiders' backfield. Not bad for a practice squad guy who was buried on the depth chart and not expected to see game day for this team. He gives them that ‘good problem to have' situation in which they have more right tackles than they know what to do with.

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