Oakland Raiders’ running back Darren McFadden spoke with the Buccaneer media earlier this week about what he has seen from watching the Buccaneers play this season, changes within the Raiders, and how he and his teammates are playing thus far.

According to the running back, he and his teammates will have to be on top of their game on Sunday against the Buccaneers.

 “One of the main things for me that stands out is their guys out there flying around and getting to the ball,” McFadden said. “Their front seven gets after it really. So I feel we are going to have to come with our “A” game.”

McFadden is aware that the Buccaneer defense is one of the top in the league against stopping the run. Not drifting away from the game plan on Sunday will be key for the Raiders.

 “Like you said those guys have been great against the run every week,” McFadden said. “It is one of those things for us where we just have to go out there and just try to stick to our game. Just go out there and grind those guys and keep playing hard.”

The Oakland Raiders have gone through many changes this offseason. One such change was the hiring of new head coach Dennis Allen, who is the youngest head coach in the NFL at 39. Even though he may be young, Coach Allen has his team buying into his ways.

“He is a very enthusiastic coach,” McFadden said. “He is going out there and he is getting it out of guys. He wants you give 110 percent to every play. I feel like guys have really bought into his system. They have been doing it.”

Along with the new head coach there is new personnel. For the players and everyone involved, they are just trying to get acclimated to everyone and the new system.

“Definitely have a lot of different personnel coming in,” McFadden said. “A lot of new coaches and everything. We are just getting used to everybody all over again. We went back to a different offense and this defense I feel like it is one of those things just getting used to everybody and getting to know everything all over again.”

Change can be good at times, as such is the case for Oakland, where the change has brought about a positive demeanor in the team.

“I feel like it has helped everybody come with a positive mind,” McFadden said. “A lot of people used to say stuff about the Raiders and things, but with all the new changes we have I feel like no one has even thought about that. We are just coming here playing ball [and] trying to get better each week.”

Even though his numbers have not been as high as in previous years, McFadden does believe that the overall offense is getting better.

“I feel like for me personally it has been a slow start,” McFadden said. “The offense we are just [getting] a slow start to the season. It is one of those things where we just have to keep sticking to the offense and just keep grinding out there. I feel like our offense is starting to come together. We are starting to move well together. It is starting to get better each week.”

McFadden has nothing but praise for his veteran quarterback Carson Palmer.

“He is a great quarterback behind the center,” McFadden said. “He gets us in all the right positions. He goes in these great reads and all and makes the right plays. The one thing there that has been helping us out is having a great veteran quarterback back there that knows what he is doing.”

McFadden also credits two of his teammates in Darrius Heyward-Bey and Denarius Moore in their ability to help open up the running game for him.

“Those two guys are two great receivers I think,” McFadden said. “They have been doing a great job all year just going down field and spreading it out. Even in the run game they have been making great blocks for me in the running game and it really helps out a lot.”