No More Chicken-You-Know-What
A few months ago, as Raider Nation Podcast recently reminded me, Tom Walsh made the following comments when asked about his pending introduction to the latest defensive schemes: “There's a couple few wrinkles that change…It's like serving chicken. I mean one day it's fried, one day it's grilled, and the next day it's chicken marsala. And the next day it's something else. But it's still chicken. They still got 11 guys out there.”
Now, those of you who hang around these parts know that I’m an eternal optimist. Nevertheless, I’m not going to pretend that chicken-you-know-what is chicken marsala. And what we’ve seen on offense over the past two games is nothing but chicken-you-know-what.
For example, we haven’t completed a single pass to a running back so far this season. LaMont Jordan caught 70 passes last year, or an average of 4.4 passes per game over a 16-game season (and Jordan missed a few games last year, so he actually averaged a full five receptions per games played). He is an established threat as a receiver. A threat that has been oddly ignored so far this year.
Since passes to a running back are typically short dumps and sideline swings, they should be considered an antidote to the Raiders’ core offensive problem: the inability to protect our QB as longer plays develop. I’m not saying that passes to our running back are the lone cure for our ills. But they should surely be in our medicine bag, right?
I see this statistical curiosity as emblematic of a larger issue, in which our reality doesn’t mesh with our philosophy. In order to impose the philosophical simplicity of downhill running and deep routes, you need a few crucial ingredients. You need linemen who can protect. You need a quarterback with mature instincts. You need a running back who can blast through holes without hesitation. You need a collective and unyielding toughness across the board. Unfortunately, we’re a little short on these ingredients right now.
So how about getting our running back more involved in the passing game? How about some shotgun formations? How about a trick play or two? How about hurrying to the line to advance the tempo? How about some play action passes or rollouts? How about not doing seven-step drops in our own endzone? It’s not like the results can get any worse. If Tom Walsh is our chef, the question is: does he have the chops to devise some new recipes? Let’s hope so.
Chicken may be still be chicken, but, in retrospect, Walsh’s comments sound cavalier and out of touch. Coffee is still coffee, but it has become much more complicated and sophisticated over the past 15 years. The same goes with poultry dishes and the NFL.
So go ahead and cook me some chicken. But I want mine free range, with rosemary, garlic, lemon butter and a dash of sea salt, with a side of herbed couscous and a glass of Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir.
Because Kentucky fried just isn’t cutting it right now.
Now, those of you who hang around these parts know that I’m an eternal optimist. Nevertheless, I’m not going to pretend that chicken-you-know-what is chicken marsala. And what we’ve seen on offense over the past two games is nothing but chicken-you-know-what.
For example, we haven’t completed a single pass to a running back so far this season. LaMont Jordan caught 70 passes last year, or an average of 4.4 passes per game over a 16-game season (and Jordan missed a few games last year, so he actually averaged a full five receptions per games played). He is an established threat as a receiver. A threat that has been oddly ignored so far this year.
Since passes to a running back are typically short dumps and sideline swings, they should be considered an antidote to the Raiders’ core offensive problem: the inability to protect our QB as longer plays develop. I’m not saying that passes to our running back are the lone cure for our ills. But they should surely be in our medicine bag, right?
I see this statistical curiosity as emblematic of a larger issue, in which our reality doesn’t mesh with our philosophy. In order to impose the philosophical simplicity of downhill running and deep routes, you need a few crucial ingredients. You need linemen who can protect. You need a quarterback with mature instincts. You need a running back who can blast through holes without hesitation. You need a collective and unyielding toughness across the board. Unfortunately, we’re a little short on these ingredients right now.
So how about getting our running back more involved in the passing game? How about some shotgun formations? How about a trick play or two? How about hurrying to the line to advance the tempo? How about some play action passes or rollouts? How about not doing seven-step drops in our own endzone? It’s not like the results can get any worse. If Tom Walsh is our chef, the question is: does he have the chops to devise some new recipes? Let’s hope so.
Chicken may be still be chicken, but, in retrospect, Walsh’s comments sound cavalier and out of touch. Coffee is still coffee, but it has become much more complicated and sophisticated over the past 15 years. The same goes with poultry dishes and the NFL.
So go ahead and cook me some chicken. But I want mine free range, with rosemary, garlic, lemon butter and a dash of sea salt, with a side of herbed couscous and a glass of Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir.
Because Kentucky fried just isn’t cutting it right now.
posted by Raider Take at 12:21 AM
24 Comments:
folks, pardon my sidestepping. take, what you said basically summarizes what i am afraid what we will see the entire year. BUT - this is the 06 season for me. i go with carl steward on this one. look at the schedule everyone. 3-11 is a VERY real possibility.
doesn't matter and i'll tell you why.
this year we play the nfc west and that means what? yessereebobber. we play the HATED whiners. if the raiders lose ALL their games this year but one - this is the one i DESPERATELY want them to win. everything else (as far as wins) is a bonus.
we're not booking any tickets to the postseason this year so let's face it. i'll be happy as long as walter gets a fair shake (see tui) and the defense (and hopefully the offense) continues to develop.
they've just gotta win that ONE game and for all of you whiner haters out there and i know you're out there, you know what i mean. winning that ONE game is MY superbowl.
please don't misunderstand me. of course i want my team to win. i'm just saying that that one game is of supreme importance to me. i've got some bets down and believe me - i DO NOT want to be wearing any of THOSE colors or lose any money if i lose my bets. i'm not very pleasant to be around when i lose to the whiners!
it's late. gotta run.
go raiders!
Now you've done it, Take!
Time for the chicken jokes to begin:
Why did the chicken cross the football field?
-He heard the referee calling fowls.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Art and Tom are at a restaurant. The waiter tells them tonight's special is chicken almondine and fresh fish.
"The fish sounds good; I'll have that," Art says.
The waiter nods and asks, "And the vegetable?"
"Oh," replies Art, "He'll have the chicken."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Why did the chicken only cross the road halfway?
-Because Walsh wanted to lay it on the line.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
And last, but not least:
After watching two dismal losses by his Oakland Raiders offense, Tom Walsh calls up the Pope and asks for a favor.
The Pope says, "What can I do?"
Tom says, "I need you to change the daily prayer from, 'Give us this day our daily bread' to 'Give us this day our daily chicken'. If you do it, I'll donate $10 Thousand Dollars to the Vatican."
The Pope replies, "I am sorry. That is the Lord's prayer and I can not change the words." So Tom hangs up. After another night of restless sleep, Tom panics, and calls again. "Listen your Excellency. I really need your help. I'll give you $50 thousand dollars if you change the words of the daily prayer from 'Give us this day our daily bread' to 'Give us this day our daily chicken.'"
And the Pope responds, "It is very tempting, Mr. Walsh. The church could do a lot of good with that much money. It would help us support many charities. But, again, I must decline. It is the Lord's prayer, and I can't change the words."
So Tom gives up again. After two more nights of horrible nightmares, Tom gets desperate. "This is my final offer, your Excellency. If you change the words of the daily prayer from, 'Give us this day our daily bread' to 'Give us this day our daily chicken' I will donate $100 thousand to the Vatican."
The Pope replies, "Let me get back to you."
So the next day, the Pope calls together all of his bishops and he says, "I have some good news and I have some bad news. The good news is that Tom Walsh of the Oakland Raiders is going to donate $100 thousand to the Vatican."
The bishops rejoice at the news. Then one asks about the bad news.
The Pope replies, "The bad news is that we lost the Wonder Bread account."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Please don't shoot me for these jokes, guys. It's times like this that one either has to laugh or else go running across the road screaming bloody murder.... LOL
Love it! Thanks for lightening up my mood, Ally Oop.
Al walks into Art's office. He says, "Art, I'm concerned about our poor playcalling and our poor execution. It's getting hard to tell where one begins and the other ends."
Art says, "I've been wondering the same thing. What came first, the chicken or the egg?"
Kentucky Fried Football Haiku
Raiders' play-calling
Comparable to chicken
An uncooked gourmet.
Sorry Ally, the chicken only made it halfway across the road because it took a seven step drop and was sacked because it had no back in the flat to dump off to.....
Small things make a big difference. One of the biggest mistakes the Raiders ever made (trade-wise) was sending Jim Lachey to Washington for Jay Schroeder. Immediately when drafted, Jim Lachey made a huge difference on the Raiders O-Line. The O-Line had been struggling until they got Lachey, and suspect QBs were getting no time to throw, and RBs were getting no holes to run through. When Lachey showed up, the QBs were still suspect, but they were getting time. When he left, we still had suspect QBs and, again, no time for them to throw. To my recollection, it was Shanahan who executed this master stroke. Lachey will be in the Hall of Fame. Jay Schroeder will be - well, not in the HOF.
But my point is that one lineman can make all of the difference. One of the things I kept hearing out of camp was the OL problems (while appearing to come from Gallery's side) were actually coming from the right side. McQ's side. While this seems counter intuitive, it could be there is some legitimacy to it. And this week, Boothe has replaced McQ in the starting unit for practice. What is true is that one weak link on the OL can cause problems up and down the line, because they have to work together and watch each other's backs.
Now, McQ has never played Guard. He's spent his career, both HS and college, as a Tackle. Boothe, on the other hand, played Guard originally before being moved to Tackle in his last year of college, and he has been continually improving on the pro level at Guard. From camp, I also heard that Walker was having trouble at RT. If the problem with McQ is just that he's playing out of his natural position, it could be that he will eventually supplant Walker.
Add this news with the fact that Gallery and Sims showed up on the practice field, injuries and all, because neither have been satisfied with their own performances, and it is apparent that the Raiders are seriously addressing some of their issues.
Additionally, during Shell's press conference, while the press obsessed with the fact that Art takes notes on a clipboard, Shell made it clear that he was aware of play calling problems regarding adjustments and the failure to use the whole playbook. In fact, he alluded to that in his press conference following the first game as well. Now, Shell is not going to publicly slam his OC. I doubt that he will ever fire Walsh mid season. Shell just isn't that type of guy. But if he can't get what he wants from Walsh, he will make a change by having someone else call the plays. We may never know that the change has been made, unless it leaks out from the players. Shell is not a stupid man, even though the press accuses him of it because of his inability to make Gruden-like faces on the sideline.
I expect a different look from the Raiders when they play on October 1st. It may not be pretty, but I think it will be different - and better.
ADJUSTMENTS, ADJUSTMENTS, whats all this talk about ADJUSTMENTS ?
Courtney Anderson Dudley couldn't catch a cold in Alaska. How do you ADJUST to that ?
Lamont Jordan is slow, can't cut back to a hole, can't make people miss, can't block. How do you ADJUST to that ?
Alvis Whitted has no clue, Porter is in street clothes, Curry has lost some speed due to injuries, there is NO fullback to speak of, Morant is a spectator. How do you ADJUST to that ?
The center Grove can't snap the football correctly. How do you ADJUST ?
If by ADJUSTING everyone means we need new players, wholesale changes, on offense, then I'm all for that. Unfortunately, this can not occur until the offseason.
Raider00, every pass to Courtney Dudley has been long up the seam. Nothing short. Yes, he hasn't made a catch "with his knees" as RT puts it. But how about ADJUSTING that call, by getting Jordan or Fargas out of the backfield short for 7 yards? Courtney Dudley, while going deep up seam, takes the outside linebacker and safety with him. By dumping it to the RB out of the backfield for 7, not only does he gave 7, he gains more yardage from being no OLB and safety.
How about ADJUSTING the running game, BY NOT GOING UP THE MIDDLE? Why not try an Off-Tackle run, or a Reverse with Curry or Moss?
The O-Line is sucking, how do you adjust to that? Well for starters, how about ADJUSTING to some more simple blocking schemes (like pulling the guards on a running play to the outside), and add a few blocking stunts as you go (like pulling the tackles up the middle on a run up the middle); instead of teaching rookies in new positions blocking stunts all at once?
Whitted can't catch, how do you adjust to that? Sign Whitted to the Practice Squad and call up Buchanon! Put Porter in the 2-hole, and Curry in the 3-hole; using Buchanon in a 4 WR set. That's how you adjust to that!
Those are some simple ADJUSTMENTS that can be made, regardless of your players, or lack thereof.
Notice on the QB sacks and O-line struggles, I did not go to the already mentioned, quick-outs, screens, shovel passes, and dumps take. I actually came up with blocking techniques and schemes to ADJUST TO, that will help the players (especially the rookies) in the new positions.
The Pope replies, "The bad news is that we lost the Wonder Bread account."
Priceless!
In the later days, I wasn't a huge fan of Gannon. As I've mentioned before, his failure to mentor Tui burnt some bridges with me.
That said, I do miss how he could change the play on the line, without missing a beat, or calling 3 timeouts in a single drive. (Sorry Walter, I know you'll get better).
Hell, even the Giants have figured this one out!
SPERO SUSPIRO DONEC
While I breathe I hope
Oh and on a follow up with my post earlier. It's not an issue of talent or lack of talent, it's how you use the talent.
Sure, if you, as a coach, work to the abilities of the talent that you have, and it's still not working; get rid of the player.
This isn't the case. We have a great mix of veteran leadership (Langston Walker, Sims, Treu, Shell, Eatman, Slater) on the offensive line to help out the rookies (McNasty, Gallery) to struggle with blocking schemes the way we are. This is clearly a coaching problem because even the vets are struggling with the schemes.
We have experience in the receiving spots (Moss, Curry, Blitnekoff) for someone (Andersen and Whitted) to try and catch passes with their knees. This is an example of a player issue.
Either way, the execution is poor, and proper adjustments (whether is coaching or player personnel) needs to take place.
raider rick:
Right you are. I was going off memory here. But the quality of Lachey was well known, and for that one game the improvement across the line was obvious.
The central point still remains the same. The quality of an entire OL can change with the addition or subtraction of one player.
When he found me having difficulty with a rather (shall we say for lack of a better word) "slow" patient, my supervising med professor advised,
"You know, you can't make chicken salad out of chicken$h!+"
What he meant, in his own downhome southern way, is I was expecting this individual to do things (like being responsible for and interested in her own health) that she was incapable of.
That was my bad, not hers.
What does this have to do with the Raiders?
I agree wholeheartedly there needs to be an outlet valve for the QB in the Sid Gillman offense. A TE, RB, or possession WR will do. There has to be someone to dump off to when the footsteps get loud in Brooks'/Walter's ears.
However, I respectfully disagree adding trick plays, shotgun formations, etc. and making things more complicated will help.
If these guys struggle with such fundamentals as simply snapping the ball, they are going to remind us of Kurt Cobain if they pick up a shotgun.
Verily, if Courtney Anderson, Alvis Whitted, etc. can't make a simple short yardage grab to move the chains, how is getting Ronald Curry to make the throw to 'em a la Randle El gonna improve the situation?
It's gonna go down Stooges style.
I understand folks' fascination with Big Ben, Randle El, and Whisenhunt since the Squeelers won it all last year. But the truth is, it wasn't the trick plays that got 'em there.
The Squeeler D with NT Casey Hampton, LB Joey Porter, and SS Troy Polamalu was very stout up the middle with 3 Pro Bowl caliber players.
The Squeeler offense was about smash mouth power running. Big Ben threw 2INTs and ZERO TDs in the big game.
The Seahag offense was about smash mouth power running. Let Hutchinson and Jones open up the lanes for Alexander... done.
The NFL is a copycat league in many ways. The blueprint for success is simple:
Run the ball. Stop the run.
Until the Raiders can grasp the fundamentals of doing this, a reverse-double-flea-flicker-statue-of-liberty to Randy Moss isn't going to make chicken salad out of this season.
Ken Whisenhunt calling plays instead of Tom Walsh up in the booth wouldn't mean a thing. These guys are struggling with basic blocking techniques.
How would asking them to do something more difficult than simply accounting for their man help?
In other words, these players are charged with learning what the buttons do on the microwave o they can pop a bag of Orville Reddenbacher for now.
Asking them to cook like Emeril is completely out of the question, regardless of whether or not the O-coordinator does or does not have the recipe.
Good points. I'm not suggesting that we make trick plays a cornerstone, just that repeating the same thing that doesn't work simply doesn't work, and is in fact a definition of insanity.
If sideline swings to our RB, play action passes, short drops, slants and rollouts are too complicated for this team, then grab the TNT, because we might as well just blow the place up.
Brooks, Jordan, Crockett, Moss, Sims, Gallery, Grove, Walker, Anderson, Curry, Porter...When did this core veteran offensive unit suddenly turn into kindergarten?
Here is bottom line on The Raiders..they are now an inept organization that has lost it's way. Fixing the o-line,play calling etc... are all symptoms of a larger, underlying problem(s). Al has been great, but not anymore. Time to turn the reins over and regain lost glory (i.e.Yankees,although Steinbrenner was smart enough to do it sooner rather than latter= championships. I, like you all had hope for at least a competitive team,but now am convinced nothing will change this season. Raiders forever!!
Raider Nate75:
I have to disagree when you say this is not an "Issue of talent, or lack of talent". That is presisley the issue at hand. How could you come to such a conclusion ?
I'm sure you, as a fellow Raiders fan, know the great, deep, history of all the great players who wore the Silver & Black. All the great players who are in the Hall of Fame, and the many more that should be. How can you say that talent doesn't matter ?
Didn't Marcus matter, and Howie ? What about Shell, Upshaw, Otto, Snake, Branch, Guy, Biletnikoff, and Tatum ? Didn't their talent matter ?
Lester Hayes, Mike Haynes, Dave Casper, Todd Christensen, Ray Chester, Dave Dalby, George Blanda, Phil Vilapiano, Ted Hendricks, Mike Davis, Van Mclroy, Jim Plunkett...none of them mattered ??
When you think of the names above, it makes you realize that these ADJUSTMENTS everyone is calling for, amount to nothing more then surrender.
Can't run the ball, try a reverse.
TE has bad hands, throw'em a five yarder.
O-line can't block, pick up the blitz, or snap the ball, let's make it baby simple for them.
I have a good idea. Why doesn't Al Davis stop drafting/signing all these strange players, who need yrs, and yrs of on the job training, only to find out in the end, that they really were never football players at all.
Why doesn't he return to the thinking that helped the Raiders get all those great players I mentioned earlier.
I bet you will find, once the Raiders have some good talent, that it's the system that really doesn't matter.
The word "talent" can be very misleading. It is usually associated with sheer physical abilities.
To me talent is the ability to perform your assignment. Talent is a combination of the player's physical tools, football intelligence, passion for the game, and ability to focus and execute under pressure.
Was the slow and small Freddie B a talented receiver? You bet.
The deficiencies that our offensive players have are correctable IF they are passionate about their profession and committed to the game.
The players that are truly committed to the team find a way to compensate for any shortcomings through their practice habits, technique, work ethic, film study, work outs, game preparation, etc.
Calico,
I agree with your definition of talent 100%. If you look at all the great names I listed, you can see that while some were better atheletes then others, they all were hard working football players.
I disagree when you say "The deficiencies that our offensive players have are correctable if they are passionate, and committed to the game".
Let's keep in mind that while Fred Biletnikoff was indeed slow, and small, he had a lot more going for him then just passion, and hard work. He had the hands of a wizard, and could run a near perfect pass pattern every time. He also was a very smart football player.
If it sounds like I've given up on players like Anderson, Jordan, Walker, Whitted, Grove, it's because I have.
I don't think their very good, and I don't think they ever will be.
That's my opinion, and I'm basing it on what i've seen from them on the football field. Not just this season, but their entire careers, which, for all of them, has been a few years now.
Raider 00 - The only point I was trying to make about correctable deficiencies is that each player has an opportunity to improve.
Are you implying for example that a dedicated Courtney Anderson can't reach a certain level of pass catching ability even if he dilligently works on it in practice?
The improvements would be possible based largely on a mix of intangibles (heart, dedication), technique (practice, studying film), and focus (game preparation, performance under pressure).
Hard work and passion are certainly avenues to improvements.
Calico,
Yes, let me be clear, I'm saying that Anderson is no good. He can't catch. He has bad hands. He will never get any better. He really isn't even an NFL caliber player. If he were waived tomorrow, I doubt that anyone would even pick him up. He would have to go drive a truck with Teyo Johnson, and we can only hope that whatever he is delivering, would not be fragile.
My question to you Calico is: How much longer are you willing to wait for these guys to develop ? This is, what, Anderson's 3rd, or 4th yr ? How many yrs for Walker ? How many for Jordan ? How long will we wait ?
Would you be comfortable if all these guys returned as starters next year ? I mean, only if they promised to work real hard, of course.
These guys were failures in Norv Turners system last yr. They are failing in Shell's system this yr, and I don't care if we dig up Vince Lombardi, they would be failures in his system next yr.
I've seen enough. I'm tired of watching these guys make the same mistakes every week. Let's get Fargas on the field. Let's get Morant out there. And if they can't play, let's find somebody else.
What are we waiting for ???
There's got to be eleven people, somewhere on this planet that can play good/tough/smart/hard, football for the Raiders.
How quickly you forgot the preseason, raider00. Courtney Anderson was the biggest receiver for our QB's. It was who Brooks and Walters threw too consistently, and he made the plays in our wins.
Courtney Anderson is not our only problem. His current state of stonehands is an issue that can be fixed with concetration and hard work. How? When they do receiving drills have a linebacker/safety running up behind him, not hitting him, but giving him that feeling, and helping him, as a coach like Freddie B, concentrate on his task, not what's behind him.
As far as the O-Line goes. The one thing I have noticed in our group is this. We haven't had someone step up and be the Offensive Leader in the line since Barrett Robbins. Grant it, he has problems, but he was the glue to the offensive line when Gannon was running the show. We haven't had the vets of our line step up in that area of "captain" the way Barrett did. This is where I thought the coaches would step up.
You have to remember too, that the Raiders O-line is made up of a bunch of Tackles, being shifted to play Guard and Center as well. They are learning new positions and techniques, and having to throw the majority of what they've learned about football out the door. They have the talent, they have the ability, it's there. They know what it takes to get there, which is why Gallery and Sims went to practice this week inspite of their injuries, and practiced through their injuries because they both recognize (in their own words) that they "are screwing up, and are not playing to their potential; and we need to work through it and give it our best. Sitting on the sidelines healing isn't going to make us better."
That speaks volumes to me. That is the type of commitment and leadership we've lacked.
Let's be honest here. What is the issue with the Raiders in the first 2 games. Offensive execution. Our defense has been solid, but when your on the field 40+ minutes out of 60, your going to give up points. Our special teams is phenominal. I was upset when they let go of Joe, but our special teams have improved dramatically from last year. It seems that our team is there, but there is something not clicking with the key component, the offense. I think it's lack of leadership. I think it's lack of coaching. I think the will to win is there; but there is no clear communication on the execution.
People are going to drop passes, miss blocks, etc; but to do it every play the way we have the past 2 games tells me there is confusion between the players and coaching staff. That's a lack of communication, and or stubborness on the coaches part.
You are telling me that there is no talent on our team. Gallery is a talented player, and offensive lineman. Even though he is struggling right now, there are a lot of teams that would love to have him. The same with McNasty, Sims, and Langston Walker. There is some truth to what haters say when they say that there is no guidance or direction with these players from the coaches; the evidence, is in the games they play. I said it in the preseason that this team seemed to have bought into the schemes that Art Shell brought to the table. It has blown up in their faces. The players have shown a commitment to adjust, and work to improve their weakness offensively. But the coaches haven't. The coaches have not adjusted their game plans to help take the pressure off, and to help make it easier for them to fix their game time mistakes. When you have Sims and Gallery practicing to learn their positions, even though they are injured; that says a hell of a lot about the character of those guys! But it also says a lot to me about "The Mayor's" attitude as a coach. To me, his attitude is reflecting, "This is how the game plan is going to be, it will not change. So until you grasp it, you will continue to look bad." That is the mentality of Norv Turner, and Bill Callahan. That is what has killed us the last 4 years. The unwillingness to tweak the game plan, and help the players reach their potential by making adjustments to help the players execute their assignments; is what has killed us. And that my friend is the very definition of the job a coach performs. You cannot throw a toddler into the deep end of the pool, and expect them to swim. You have to give them tools (arm floaties, safety vests, etc) to help them develop the motor skills of swimming, and staying afloat. This is what adjustments to the game plan does. The screens, quick outs, shovel passes, etc; helps not only to stop the bullrush of the opposing defense, but it helps the O-line recognize the defensive scheme, and their blocking assignments in the passing game. It helps develope the whole offensive unit to accomplish the game plan they are trying to achieve by setting the defense up. That is what coaching is suppose to do. If you look at our games from the last preseason game against Seattle to current, we've played a "cut-throat, all or nothing" style of offense. We are not sneaking up on someone, we are tipping our hand by going "all in." That's a coaching problem.
Raider 00 -
I won't endorse your statement that Anderson (or any other player) won't get better. Anderson has had basically 1 bad game (Chargers) and 1 dropped ball thrown at his knees (Ravens). Anderson played well in the exhibition season and last year whenever Turner used him which was very infrequently.
I'm willing to wait for these guys to develop throughout the season AS LONG AS there isn't someone on the roster right now that is clearly better. For example, I want Curry and Morant to move ahead of Whitted right now.
As far as whether or not I would be comfortable with these guys returning as starters next year;
each player should be evaluated on a case by case basis. Considering we have 14 games left in the seaason, it is premature to make that call. Obviously if Anderson continues to play like he did against the Chargers than the Raiders will need to use the draft or free agency to upgrade the position.
I think the entire organization needed an overhaul prior to the season, but we have what we have and most likely we'll see more of the chicken-you-know-what. It has to change at some point just when is anyone's guess...
Raider Nate 75, & Calico,
There really is very little the Raiders can do, roster wise, during the season. The players currently on this team will have every chance to prove themselves during the remaining 14 games, just as they had last season.
I am not willing to blame everything on Walsh, and bring these guys back next yr to watch yet again their special brand of keystone football.
We just can't keep blaming the coaches all the time. Sooner or later, some of these players are giong to have to do the job, or be cut loose.
I don't know what you really expect from this offense over the next 14 games, but I have a feeling it's going to be a lot like last season, when most of these very same players were on the field.
As far as Courtney Anderson Dudley, and his great preseason. When we want to win the "Preseason Bowl", he should be the first guy we look up.
I agree with you, that the players will need to take their share of blame when it's due. Right now, I don't think they are to blame, for reasons mentioned in my last post of recognizing their mistakes and their will to improve.
When you get into game situations, and you don't let your players adjust by calling audibles, etc; and you go out there with the mentality to just execute, that is poor coaching. Look at Gannon, Brady, both Mannings, Brees, Favre, Hasselback, Parmer, Grossman, McNair, and Rothlesberger. Grant it, their coaches give them that ability by leaving open the idea to make adjustments as necessary. They want to win the game, and they understand that as coaches, they can only lead them to make right decisions. They recognize that the players on the field see more than the coaches on the sidelines.
My point, at least they are given the chance to adjust. Whereas, the Raiders under Callahan, Turner, and now Walsh; are not even given the chance to adjust to the situation on the field; nor given the opportunity to play to their ability because they are bound to the coach's game plan.
You will not win football games at any level doing that. A game plan should allow you to make adjustments to how you execute, and our players are not even given that chance to decide. How is that the player's fault again?
And there is not "very little" that they can do with their roster. You aren't using Tuiasosopo, and looks like you never will, trade him for something. I proposed a trade that would send Tui to Washington for TJ Duckett, to help Jordan. If you are not going to use Porter, trade him for something. Al Davis' "I'm going to ruin you" attitude isn't helping matters to better our lineup where we are struggling. But the main point is, it doesn't matter who you pick up; if your coaching staff is not willing to make adjustments, and lead the players in their decision-making abilities; then your players on the field are not going to win, period.
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