One Postgame Take
Well, after canceling my season ticket package in a stroke of genius earlier this year, I waited until mid November to dip my toe back into the Coliseum waters.I arrived at the tailgate full of optimism. After all, we were entering the second half of the season, and some of our players were even talking about the possibility of going 8-0 for the remainder! If we could "just get back to basics" and "turn the corner" and "learn to execute," we would be supermen once again. Plus, we were playing the lowly Chiefs at home! Honestly, what could go wrong?
Well, that'll teach me.
Pathetic would be too generous of a word for what I witnessed. I would rather wash my eyeballs out with Comet than watch that game again. Forget about Commitment to Excellence. Our new slogan should be: A Cure for Insomnia.
Let me tell you: JaMarcus Russell is a bust. Sorry, I've been hedging on this, but now I am certain. I just don't see any potential there. It's one thing to be a young quarterback who struggles. It's another to be a young quarterback who struggles while showing no evidence of potential.
What do you build on with this guy? Accuracy? Acumen? Work ethic? Physical fitness?
Cable said he pulled Russell after two straight plays in which Russell "misread" the situation. Cable also said it was a matter of making a personnel decision that puts us in the best position to win the game.
Which explains why Darrius Heyward-Bey played on 54 of our 63 offensive snaps, right? I mean, there's a merit-based starter if I ever saw one.
The tailgate was a bit eerie. The energy has been sucked out of the Nation. Gone was the thumping music and riotous revelry of tailgates past. Don't get me wrong, it was still a blast, and I can't blame the Nation for having the wind knocked out of it. Still, it was eerie to experience such a subdued scene on the Coliseum asphalt.
The stadium was riddled with empty seats. At one point, things got so quiet, you could practically hear the traffic on 880. Still, the small crowd turned it on several times, showing that there's still a deep well of piss and vinegar that could easily be tapped with some competent football performances.
Anyhow, kudos to the jolly old popcorn vendor in the north end zone, who elicited some of the biggest cheers and smiles of the day with his impromptu dance moves.
Give that guy some pads and a helmet. He has good footwork, and I'd bet he could teach our team of "professionals" a few things, such as how to catch a football.
posted by Raider Take at 10:39 PM
134 Comments:
I agree about Jamarcuss. He's terrible on just about all levels.
People want Cable fired. What good would that do?
There's zero accountability with this team. Hasn't been any since Gruden left. When he came in he had control over the 53 man roster and his staff. Things had a sense of purpose and direction. Perform and keep your job. Don't and you're gone. Just ask guys like McGlockton and Trapp.
Until that happens, a coach is given authority, we'll never be relevant. End of story.
Tim
Al once said that Shell set the organization back 5 years with his non-sensical running of the team. Well guess what Mr. Davis, the selections of Russell and "Manos di Piedra" Bey have now set the organization back another 5 years. This is what the Raiders are building a team around? Good work!
RaiderMike
a few weeks ago, al davis said, in defense of jruss, that dan marino was the only "Nfl ready" Qb ever drafted.
this may or may not be true. but al, here's the question.
how come every game jruss plays, seems like his first game all over again ?
you never see any progress with jruss.
so, ok, fine. he's not dan marino.
but can he improve a little ? show that he's learning something from his many mistakes ?
i guess not. but al said he will be great, so pencil jbust in for the next 5 seasons.
Interesting that the comments so far target Al. Interesting and accurate, and a sign of the good mental health of the Nation.
Because let's be honest; Anyone who thinks this is about "the QB is a fat loser" or "our coach sucks" is kidding himself. Russell, Cable, and the long list of other problems are symptoms. The problem is Al.
I'm at the point where the only thing, and I mean the only thing that will give me juice and optimism about this team is Al getting front office help AND a credible coach. Until that happens it will be more of the same.
It's sad, but I'm heartened to see that 95% of Raider fans seem to know the score.
Chiefs secondary had been victimized all year.
Against the Chiefs this year:
Joe Flacco - 26 of 43 for 307 yards and 3 TD
Kevin Kolb (a backup) - 24-34, 327 yards, 2 TD
Eli Manning - 20-34, 292 yards, 3 TD
Tony Romo - 20-34, 351 yards, 2 TD
Philip Rivers - 18-30, 268 yards, 3 TD
JaMarcus Russell - 9 of 24 for 67 yards... and that's despite a season-best rushing effort that should have easily opened up play-action.
And to think, Lane Kiffin didn't want to draft JaMarcus Russell.
Russell will undoubtedly say he thought he played well, and that he “made all the right reads."
Sadder still is, if and when Russell throws for 50% completion and 120 yards, the Raiders will be celebrating his improvement....
In less than 2 weeks, the entire world will get to see how bad Russell and the Raiders are.
Buckle up, Al.
Good points NY but please don't make it sound like Kiffin had the answers all along. He's a punk and a liar. Otherwise I agree with you.
bama7
How can anyone still be blaming the players? Even randy moss sucked here. We are not an organization that creates winning nor a place for any young player to develop.
michael huff was the consensus best SS, FS and CB coming out of his draft. One notch ahead of cromartie if the dolts. In Oakland huff's a bust.
DMC, at a time when sec defenses were arguably their best and with no passing game to help him, finished with more yards than bo jackson, emmitt smith and herschel walker and was in th running for a heisman. In Oakland he's a bust.
Gallery was hands don the safest top 5 pick during his draft... a future stud at LT. In oakland he's bust at LT (that'll happen when you have to stop merriman circa 2006 from getting to the qb who is set up 7 yrds deep waiting on mike siani and jesse hester to run a fly route.
RT, don't discount any player that is failing at driving the clown car. These guys are all ruined.
Only one thing to blame here... the person that is blocking us from becoming a modern nfl franchise. anything else is really counter productive.
Again, we someohow made Randy Moss looked washed up and only worth a second day draft pick.
Of course Kiffin didn't have all the answers. He was a 32 yr old who, at the time, was CO-Offensive coordinator at USC. Did you really expect him to? As far as the liar comment, as time passes, we are seeing who the liar is.
Russell, seems Gerrard Warren is his shrink..Warren trying to talk him down after being pulled. Russell actually had a good start, his stats would have been much better if DHBEOTCH could catch. Perfect pass and the dweeb drops it AGAIN. Russell then threw another beauty to Murph and some dumb bastard gets called for FALSE START. BUT, his short passes are very uncatchable. When Grad came in, you could see a big difference there....IMO, Russell looks ready to take his MI*LLIONS and go home.
DBH, NOW HE IS A BUST. He is not a football player, plain and simple. Al, known for being a genius, PICKED THIS GUY? Holy fart dust Batman, he is so bad, I would laugh, if it wasn't so sad.
The fans that show up....should maybe pick up a new hobby, get a dog, go for walks, meet women, SOMETHING...seeing the Black Hole filled is cool, the MORONS and their COSTUMES are really starting to piss me off. They want to be seen, they couldn't careless about the Raiders. They use the Raiders to get attention...GET LOST.
Cable is going to fry today for putting in Grad...his time is short and it will be another case of " HERE WE GO AGAIN".
JONES
Bama, let's look at the flip side.
We have a history of misreading talent and overvaluing players, too.
Remember Jerry Porter...Ooooh...Hard to let him go. Gotta hang on to him.
He can't even get a job now.
LaMont Jordan. Dominic Rhodes. Stuart Schweigert. Andrew Walter. Ashley Lelie. Aaron Brooks. Alvis Whitted. Josh McCown. On and on.
We called these guys starters! The moment they left, they can't even stay on the field with one of the other 31 teams.
So maybe some of our guys are diamonds in the rough who would excel elsewhere. But it's equally possible that they just aren't that good. I mean, Nnamdi and Seymour manage to stand out as excellent, despite their surroundings.
You should have heard the reverent whispers followed by shouts of joy when Chaz Schilens took the field yesterday. Chaz! Look, he's back, there he is!
This kid has 18 career receptions and two touchdowns to his name, yet we've been reduced to hallucinating him as the next Jerry Rice because we have no other options or hope.
Nothing against Schilens, he's fine, but it made me laugh to see everyone on the edge of their seat at the RETURN OF CHAZ, as if it was the reincarnation of Cliff Branch or Tim Brown.
Actually watched my first Raiders game since late '05.
OMG! This team is virtually unwatchable.
RT is dead right. I'm voting with my wallet. No more merch, videos or books. And certainly no more games.
We would be 5-4 with Josh McCown starting at QB. Thats how bad Russell is.
The Raiders have never drafted a QB in the first round that worked out. Elridge Dickey and Marinavitch never panned out.
On the other hand, Raiders have had great luck with middle-to-late picks (Stabler), trades (LaMonica) or FA's Plunkett and Gannon.
We're going to get another top 5 pick in '10. I say we trade it and invest all that bonus money in a quality GM and Coaching combo to bring us into the the current NFL.
When your season is over in September for the 7th consecutive year, it's time to admit that the system no longer works and time to try new things.
It's easy for me to say because it's not my $23 million or whatever we've guaranteed Russell (I forget, it's something like that), but I just think we'll be throwing good money after bad if we keep trying to make it work with him.
I'm convinced he's a bust after seeing him yesterday. I will be shocked if he's starting anywhere in three years. I don't see a point in trying to make it work, because I don't think it ever will with this guy.
So mark my words. If I'm wrong, I'll eat them. But I don't think I am.
I had a feeling you went to the game, RT. Sucker.
I watched the viking-lions game. The similarities between the lions and raiders are striking. The defense gets a turnover, only for the offense to go 3 and out. The offense finally does something good, only to have it called back by a stupid penalty. Maddening.
I could not watch the Raider game, but had play-by-play over internet. This is what I read:
Bush 5 yards
Fargas 2 yards
Bush 6 yards
Russel incomplete pass
Russel incomplete pass
Russel incomplete pass
The guy can't complete a pass to save his life, despite a decent running game. I was also on the fense about Russel, but yesterday he officially became a bust. A very expensive bust. Maybe his new nickname should be "boob-job."
JF
This comment has been removed by the author.
"On the next play, DHB got wide open inside the ten-yard line, came back for a perfectly thrown Gradkowski ball. Instead of catching it, Heyward Bey set it like a volleyball player in the air, tipped it again, then watched as Chiefs safety Mike Brown picked off the interception. And that play, ladies and gentlemen, neatly sums up the 2009 Raiders"
But wait...Al says he'll be a great player one day.
DHB, with the pass thrown to you by Gradkowski for the game winner, was there any adjustments that needed to be made?
"Na you see, your not always gonna catch the ball you know what I mean. I felt I had a great game today and ran my routes fairly well too. Its just timing man. Coach knows I'm the guy. Mr. Davis knows I'm the guy. That's why I was drafted." says a smiling DHB
AL Davis come on down, your today's guest on the Price Is Right.
What's you bid for DHB?
"$23.5 million guarantee?"
Thank God, I didn't watch the game.
Take....JaMarcus was given $32 million in guarantee. Together Al has tied up $80 million dollars in guarantee money with Russell, D-MAC and DHB.
Al is willing to just hand players money. I think Seymour will be the 1st ever $150 million dollar player. With $50 million plus in guarantee. Richard Seymour come on down!!!!!!!
I'll boil this down to two things that must be done for substantive change to occur with our beloved team.
1) Hire a GM this offseason AND GIVE HIM FOOTBALL DECISION MAKING POWER.
2) Said GM hires coach WHO HAS CONTROL OVER THE 53 MAN ROSTER AND SELECTS HIS OWN ASSISTANTS.
From those two steps comes an evaluation of every one on the roster by the GM & coach with every position up for grabs. No more of the size of the contract determining who starts. Walker is making $2.3 million just to sit on the bench. The nonsense must end. No more untouchables, sacred cows, or scholarships.
Next, the GM should clean house at the front office, starting with the scouting department. The philosophy of "speed above all" isn't cutting it anymore. The GM should install his criteria for what kind of players we should be looking to bring in. Its time the Raiders joined the 21st century on how to scout football players.
That's just on the football operations. If it were up to me I'd send John Herrera an d the rest of the sycophants packing and establish a modern PR department to start the process of enfranchising this disenfranchised fanbase before the Coliseum is completely empty on Sundays.
Until the GM and head coach(Cable is not the guy) situation is taken care of it will be groundhog day for the fans every Sunday.
Bama7
Huff is actually making plays this year.
Al has ran the team into the ground and is pushing away the fans.Even the tailgatensucks now. no music no energy no fans
Bama7,
i don't think that anyone is disputing the fact that al davis is the elephant in the room.
he is the cause, from top to bottom, of the disaster that is the oakland raiders.
but i don't think these players are worth a nickel either.
dhb = bad hands
jbust = can't read the D. can't hit the target. out of shape.
gallery = poor footwork for LT.
mcfadden = mcfragile. cannot stay healthy.
hey, we usually waive 2 or 3 of our draft picks before the season even starts. what should that tell us ??
Fellow Raider Fans,
It's time we join forces, and send Al Davis, and the entire organization a full blown message!! 7 long years of this crap cannot be tolerated anymore! Go to the following link, and sign the petition.
https://www.messagetoal.com
I have also donated some extra cash, so we can put up a Billboard right in front of the Raiders Building.
At least one KC secondary player was quoted as saying Russell regularly looked to one side of the field and/or right at his target.
With 9 straight games of horrific QB play, what are the chances Russell gets one right this year?
Then, after a coaching change in the off-season, I expect Russell to be back as starter next year. This thing is not over by a long shot. You can't teach an old dog new tricks. If you could, we'd already be acting on this ridiculous mess.
Messagetoal.com
No road trips, no nfl ticket, no dvr-ed games, no Raider clothing. Now it has come to this...
I made a donation.
Will he listen, probably not, but I feel better.
And who would of thought that Chambers would have been an upgrade? Johnny Lee is looking very scared out there. When he almost gets creamed, he mutters to himself as he goes back to the bench. You can see he has no guts, but he sure can run....Murph..he is dropping balls all year. Schilens...still rusty, AT LEAST HE CAN CATCH. DHB...nuff said.
O-line, Avg at best and still taking dumb penalties. D-line, not bad, Linebackers = invisible, DB's...have to play a better team to see their grade. QB...Russell needs to sit, he keeps regressing = PULL HIM. RB's Avg at best. WE HAVE A GREAT PUNTER THOUGH, JANO MISSED HIS FIRST and got pissed at himself...other players ( Russell,DHB) take note.
JONES
The Gradowski to DHB drop crystallized and confirmed everything for me.
On this play, DHB was wide open. Gradowkski threw a very catchable, accurate ball to DHB. So what does DHB do?
Inexplicably, he jumped in the air before attempting to catch the ball. He didn't need to jump up. He panics at the moment of truth and lacks football instincts.
His ball catching technique is deplorable. He literally fights the ball and has horrible hand placement. All of his talk after the games saying in effect that he is doing just fine is nothing more than hollows words to over compensate for his own inner lack of confidence.
For this guy to have any remote chance of becoming at least a serviceable WR, he needs to sit and watch. Running him out there each week goes against the entire spirit of competitive football.
As far as the "scholarships" and the investment in Russell, McFadden, and DHB ... once the 53 man is finalized before the 1st game, the Raiders are going to pay each player regardless of how much they produce on the field.
In other words, you pay DHB $23M guaranteed whether he is on the field or not. The players on the field should be based on merit not draft status, size of contract, or any other non-performance related criteria.
DHB has caught only 1 pass in 9 combined second halves. What sane, non-puppeteer NFL Head Coach would have a guy like DHB on the field for so many snaps with this type of production?
Side Note: I'm taking my nephew to the game vs. Cincy. I bought the tickets before the season started and it is always a good uncle/nephew bonding day. I'm interested in seeing if there are any signficant changes in the starter's reps.
"DHB has caught only 1 pass in 9 combined second halves"
Was that the pass he caught out of bounds on Sunday? Couldn't believe the refs actually gave the Raiders a call. DHB was out of bounds, if he just stops and toes the sideline, easy catch. But, because of his lack of football skills, he lifted his left foot and stepped out. Freakin decoy, anyone that ever said that DBH is a "decoy", has not one clue about football. Other teams laugh at how easy it is to play him.
JONES
DHB numbers:
By Game:
Game 1 - 0 catches
Game 2 - 1 catch, 18 yards
Game 3 - 0 catches
Game 4 - 1 catch, 18 yards
Game 5 - 0 catches
Game 6 - 0 catches
Game 7 - 2 catches, 28 yards
Game 8 - 1 catch, 10 yards
Game 9 - 1 catch, 22 yards
By Quarter
1st Quarter - 1 catch
2nd Quarter - 4 catches
3rd Quarter - 0 catches
4th Quarter - 1 catch
6 total catches, 96 yards
Game Avg = .67 catch, 10.67 yards
Anyone debating whether Cable is a puppett on the end of Al Davis strings, please see this distribution of snaps from Jerry Mac's blog:
- DHB 54 of the 63 offensive snaps.
- Chaz Schilens 38 snaps.
- Johnnie Lee Higgins 22 snaps.
- Louis Murphy 15 snaps.
As I mentioned earlier, this goes against the basic spirit of competitive football.
With Schilens returning from injury I understand the lower snap count. However, to play DHB 54 snaps to Murphy's 15 is ridiculous.
The played snaps of DHB & Murphy should be reversed to field a more competitive team. All the B.S. about 1 WR playing a side of the field or a X,Y,Z position is comical. You put your 2 best WRs on the field as many snaps as possible. Anything less is a disgrace to the team, the fans, and the players themselves.
This raider team is so bad I'm almost sorry for all of you die hard fans! I love to give it to you guys when the raiders lose, but now I don't even feel good writing any more since this group of losers are so bad that I actually think you guys are punished enough just being raider fans! "J-busto pop n fresh boy" and "dorkious hollywood bey" gotta be laughing their way to the bank, and your fearless leader the genius is completely inept. No I don't need to puch or kick you guys any more...You've been punished enough by the god of all football......And the bad part is, there are still 7 more losses coming, and I am positive that you won't see another W this season!
The Top Ten Meanings of "DHB"
Raider Nation:
As most of us (except for Al Davis) have realized, Jamarcus Russell is a certifiable bust. But let's not forget Sunday's "Hero" who almost single-handedly gave the game to the Kansas City Chiefs on a silver platter with his hands of stone: the anti-Michael Crabtree, Darius Heyward-Bey.
Here are the top ten meanings of DHB:
Number ten: Drop Him on the Bench
Number nine: Dosen't Have team's Back
Number eight: Displays Hands of Brick
Number seven: Drives Home crowd Ballistic
Number six: Defenses Have their B-atch
Number five: Doofus Has Brainfart
Number four: Dumbass Handles Ball
Number three: Doesn't Have Ball
Number two: (Al) Davis is Half Baked
...and the Number One meaning of DHB is:
DRAFTED HUGE BUST
Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Raiders of the Lost Cause Part VII- going strong since 2003.
It's the 50th season of a once, proud franchise and, sadly, one of its worse.
Calico - I would guess Cable's explanation regarding the lopsided WR distribution would be because Murphy and Schilens play the same side, and DHB the other. Apparently, Raider WRs can't be trusted to switch sides of the field... like they might drop a pass or something.
I can certainly see how these wily veteran WRs would be entrenched at their respective side.
What's the chance that Bill Belichick, or ANY other coach in the NFL would have stuck with Russell and Heyward-Bey through the last 9 games? ZERO!
If Cable has a hair on his ass, he will pull both of these guys.
Bengals are 9 1/2 point favorites... which seems light given the circumstances. 21 points seems more realistic.
As been mentioned before, the first line of change for this team is a GM. But usually the next thing out of the mouths of change is for the GM to hire his coach.
I disagree with this for the moment. The next thing that should happen if a GM is hired on the Oakland Raiders is for him to fire the current Scouting team, and hire competent scouts.
Read some of the posts here complaining about whom we have signed, drafted, and taken a risk on. Players that we called starters, who are now out of a job! That is scouting, not coaching.
After scouting is replaced, you give the current coach and staff one year. After that, all is fair in love and war.
Very clever, Wiltol!
It's a small thing, but I think it's telling...
When Russell gets benched, he putts on the beanie with the little ball at the top, the type that kids wear, or adults when they want to have a little style fun.
But when get yanked from an NFL field during a close game and you put one of those beanies on, it just looks inappropriate. It doesn't reflect the gravity of the situation.
Your workplace might be casual. But if there's a big meeting with the boss or a powerful customer, you remove your ball cap or take out your nose ring. It's simply a matter of demonstrating respect for the situation.
To wear that cute, fun-looking beanie in that situation shows more lack of judgment. He might be taking the situation seriously, but he just doesn't look like it.
Russell's comments, along with DHB's comments, are another indication that they don't "get" it. They don't seem to understand the rudimentary etiquette of professional football, and I don't think it's a coincidence that they are having trouble executing as well.
Bama7
Raider00, Realist and RT-
I'm not saying any of the players are good or bad. My point is we have no front office nor coaching staff and thus no chemistry nor postive atmosphere so let's fix those things then critique the players. No one can excel here.
Coach and scheme can make a difference. Gruden's scheme made Donald Hollis look half decent.
Think about that.
As for the QB, we are absolutely not a good place for a rookie QB.
Good point, Bama7. Essentially, it's almost impossible to evaluate our existing talent because we've done such a bad job of evaluating and securing our talent (players and coaches) in the first place.
Note to Russell: wear a ball cap!
'cmon now, dogging the beanie???
I think setting the WR's to a specific side has alot to do with them being rookies (i.e, 1/2 as many routes to learn initially, goes with the whole simplifying concept cable talks about).
To the guy that watched the play-by-play, probably half of those 'incompletes' should actually say 'dropped ball'.
Take, I cancelled my sunday ticket before the season also. I have found a website that lets me watch the game, kind of grainy and crashes time to time, but it does perform better than our offense.
But can I just 'check out'? Hell no! I'm a raider! Micheal Jackson couldn't make himself white, and there's nothing I can do about being a raider, through good and bad.
Does it hurt. Yea, it hurts. Hurts bad. We've arguabley had the worst stretch of any team EVER, and are close to making that a FACT.
Is the season over? Yep, nothing much left but practice and draft spot. Could we still go 8-8... probably a better chance Al sells the Raiders than us winning out.
Let me ask you guys this. If we can atleast make the rest of the games competitive instead of wood-shed time, is that an improvement? (I say yes, but it's bitter sweet if it happens like the Chef's game were we shoot ourselves in the foot with penalties all game long).
All this said, it's good to see the fan uproar that's happening, it means they care.
Personally, I'm haveing my blown out ACL and MCL repaired on Friday, so I'm on IR anyway!!!!
Of course that won't keep me from saying stupid shit on here :-)
Luckily I'm in Birmingham and Dr. Andrews staff will be doing the work.
-moshbucket
oh yea, forgot to mention this.
If the collective bargaining stuff does not get redone before it expires, doesn't that mean Al can cut anyone with NO cap reprocussions? i.e., if he wanted to cut JRuss, he would still owe him the guaranteed money, but wouldn't be pressured to keep him because he will eat up cap space anyway (i.e., atleast you save the salary money).
I hope he comes around, look at Vince young. I'm sure JRuss scored higher than a 7 on the wonderlick, maybe even double digits! Gannon was considered a bust by many until the gig here.
COMPLETELY different types of QB's, but just saying.
-moshbucket
PS: How close are you guys to getting the billboard up???? Can't wait to see that on BSPN.
Where I see things right now.
Moving...
Unless Al steps aside, no city will really want them. The doesn't preclude LA which could have a team shoved down their throat by the NFL.
Head Coach...
Well, now we've had the opportunity to see the Head Coach work hand in hand with Al. The results have been the same.
1st Round Picks...
JRuss is proving himself to be a dud daily. He never focuses on being the whole package at QB, but only works on each criticism individually and to the exclusion of the rest of the package. The light may switch on, but it seems less and less likely. Without a dramatic turn around before the end of the season, the Raiders should consider fresh options next season.
DHB has his head completely scrambled. He's doing everything right but tries to think each ball into his hands. Cliff Branch had these same problems early, but overcame them. It is very possible that DHB will also, but the Raiders should not pay the expense of giving him 53 snaps a game to figure it out.
McFadden is not our guy. Bush is our guy. Even with the money we're paying McFadden, we should use him as a kick returner. We should also get him split out wide as a receiver more often to give ourselves more value for what we pay him.
Organization
Unless Cable manages to when every remaining game, we should move on next season. Gruden extending his MNF contract I don't think eliminates him from accepting an NFL HC position.
Davis should work on both Bruce Allen and Gruden to come back, giving both more authority than they had before. Even working hand in hand with the HC, Davis has shown that he's too old to accomplish the things he used to accomplish. At any rate, Davis should work like hell to get Bruce back. Davis also needs to replace the lion's share of his scouts. Draft and free agent acquisitions have been too poor for a team in this predicament.
More later...
Nice work, Blanda!
Mosh, what happened to your knee? Dr. Andrews? That's orthopedic royalty. Nice.
Hey Take,
"The Score Takes Care of Itself" by the late Bill Walsh should be required reading for everyone in the Raiders front office. Great book on leadership.
Good idea. Bill Walsh and Al Davis were friends. I'll bet Mr. Davis has a copy. Maybe he should order extras as employee Christmas gifts.
after years of having 2 backup Qb's, tui & walter, that couldn't cut it. the raiders finally moved on.
to 2 more backup Qb's, gratkowski & frye, that can't cut it.
maybe the raiders should try to trade for marc bolger of the rams.
the rams are in rebuiding mode, and maybe we can beg them to take one of our great "young stars" like mcfadden, or dhb in the deal.
after dealing for bolger, we should hire mike martz for HC.
i also prefer the plan of al stepping aside, hiring GM and letting GM make the calls.
but how realistic is this to happen ?
so go to plan B. bolger & martz and at least we have one of the best offense minds in the Nfl.
see if he can get something out of all these nothings.
I'm to the point where I'd take Martz or Billick.
They're both cocky smart asses, but that may be just what the doctor ordered at this point. They might be crazy, but they they know how to chew ass and they aren't lacking self confidence. I don't think they'd be taking marching orders to play a guy like DHB.
I just don't see an elite prospect Cowher or Holmgren or Dungy taking the bait here. They have too many options.
At the same time, I'm not in the mood for some middling retread like a Jim Fassel (or other Norv Turner type).
Nor am I in the mood for some hot (or not so hot) college coach--look at Saban, Petrino, Kiffin...There's a high weasel quotient there. A lot of them end up wanting to go back to their collegiate cocoons.
Follow-up re Head Coach...
At this point I'd move in one of four different directions. First off, I'd secure the services of Bruce Allen and let him know that he had added authority to replace scouts and to pursue free agents.
As for the Head Coach, I'd take a serious look at each of the following candidates:
Jim Harbaugh
While Stanford is negotiating an extension, I'd like to see Davis get into the middle of it in private before any deal is consummated. I don't think there would be any tampering issues as Harbaugh is not in the NFL. I'd simply offer Harbaugh the job with the understanding that he can hire and fire his own coaches, work with Allen on free agency and be given deference in draft picks. If Harbaugh was willing to go for that deal, I'd go ahead and make the announcement before the end of the season.
Jon Gruden...
Not likely Gruden could be coaxed back this year, but Davis should reach out to the idea as soon as the season ends if he cannot secure Harbaugh.
Kevin Gilbride...
The Giants' OC has asked for the job on a couple of occasions. He has done a fantastic job of culling out an offense where none existed before. He has Super Bowl experience. He should also be given authority over roster and staff. I'd see Gilbride as the most likely to come aboard, as I think Harbaugh will chose to stay at Stanford and Gruden will not want to return to the Raiders (I don't think his wife liked living in Oakland).
Denis Green...
I like Green in this situation because he does have the ability to light a fire under players, and when they won't ignite he's more than willing to cut them lose. Jim Fassel would be another coach along this same line.
I view neither Fassel nor Green as a long term solution, but only to rehabilitate the franchise in terms of expectations and desire to win. Once that is accomplished, we'd likely have to go elsewhere to get us to the Super Bowl.
Bama7
I like Shottenheimer, with his choice at GM.
Maybe he and Al could work out a deal: Al gives him free reign & the let's him choose the GM and in turn Al gives him the opportunity to get that championship that has always eluded him.
At this point it's obvious nothing will work without Davis backing off. That's a big "if" folks.
Davis has shown he is prepared to ride the Raiders into the ground, i.e., six feet under.
Raider00 - I think Gradkowski and Frye are a big improvement over Walter and Tui. I would go as far as to guess we would have won at least two more games with either as the starter and DHB off the active roster. Part of what Russell lacks, both these guys have, e.g., accuracy and understanding of basic football 101.
Blanda - I like the idea of using McFadden more in returns and receiving. The guy has talent; but he may be suffering from Raider-syndrome. I'd bet he'd excel on most teams.
It was painful to watch Holland returning kickoffs. Slow, no moves. That's the best we've got? Impossible.
I haven't given up on McFadden. I see too much flashes of extraordinary talent. He just isn't an everydown back.
To use him as a swiss brand army knife weapon (KR, PR, WR, Wildcat, RB) is the best way to maximize his speed and talent. The argument that he shouldn't be used as a returner due to injury risks should go out the window. How bout' getting the most bang for our buck and let the chips (or bones) fall where they may.
As far as Cable ... he has become the master of coach cliche' and double-talk. A perfect example is the current discussion about who should play QB this Sunday. Here's a snippet of his pc yesterday:
Q: The decision will be mostly focused on JaMarcus or …
Cable: It will be focused on winning, period, what gives us the best chance to win.
Oh yeah, Tom? That's funny because I thought the whole premise behind winning is putting your best, most productive players on the field as much as possible. If you are truly focused on winning, you would minimize DHB's snaps, you would use more 2 TE sets, you would ride the hot hand (Bush) more, you would isolate Nnamdi on the opponent's best WR for multiple snaps, you would use McFadden in more creative ways ... and on, and on.
Head Coach Water Cooler Talk ...
Fassell, Green, and Gilbride seem the most likely hires but who cares if there isn't a GM on board. Harbaugh & Gruden are pipe dreams.
NYR -
I am literally sick to my stomache whenever I hear about a WR "being used exclusively on one side of the field".
Didn't we all play touch/tackle football as kids? 3 on 3 in the street, on the playground, or makeshift field.
I know that I'm not fast or athletic or phyisically gifted. But GD it, it isn't rocket science to "play" WR. As a kid who played thousand of football games, it makes ZERO difference if you are lined up on the left side or right side, in the slot or outside. ZERO. You run a route, get open, and catch the ball.
This whole notion that a professional athlete who has played the position of WR for AT LEAST 8-12 years can only play the X, Y, or Z WR position is completely insane.
You mean to tell me that Murphy is incapable of playing WR on the left side of the field? Yeah, FN right! You mean to tell me that it is more important to "dumb down" the sets/schemes because of rookie WRs?
I'm sick and tired of hearing this BS. Put your 2 best WRs on the field as much as possible. If a WR isn't able to adapt to lining up anywhere on the field, he has no business making millions of dollars.
fassell, green and gilbride ?
question. can things get even worse for the raiders ?
answer...fassell, green, and gilbride...YES.
No matter who the new coach is, he will be handcuffed just like all the coaches before him.
Cable has had a better relationship with Davis than about any coach in recent memory, yet he has produced the worst results. I guess the more its done Al's way, the worse it gets.
I like the Schottenheimer idea. Everywhere that guy goes he wins.
He is quintessentially exactly what we need to return to glory.
And Marty would pick a GM whose tangibles and style would compliment his.
Trouble is, he hates the Raiders. Always has, back to his playing days.
So getting him to come out of retirement to work for Davis would be nearly impossible.
PS: if Marty starts Gannon over Grbac in the 1997 AFC Playoff game v Denver, no way Elway gets a ring.
Check this veiled reference to DHB by Jerry Mac:
http://www.ibabuzz.com/oaklandraiders/2009/11/18/chad-ochocinco-mostly-uncensored/#more-8228
Seems Chad Ochocinco has a better grasp of scouting a WR than our scouting department does.
"And Marty would pick a GM whose tangibles and style would compliment his."
Shouldn't Al pick all the assistant coaches first?
I can understand all the wishful thinking regarding potential coaches, but I carry zero expectation that the process (or lack thereof) regarding how the Raiders (Al Davis) handle their business will change.
I fully expect a coaching change, with minimal diligence.
DOWN GOES RUSSELL, DOWN GOES RUSSELL...
Cable did what I thought he might do a couple of weeks ago. He benched Russell, he says, for the remainder of the season. Cable announced that Gradkowski is the new starting QB.
That's the right move. It may not be the end of Russell, but from now on Russell will have to earn his time on the field, barring injury. I think it will do Russell some good to watch - even if he's only watching Gradkowski make mistakes.
I don't have high hopes for Gradkowski, but he does intrigue me. He's an undrafted free agent who managed to work himself into a starter for a brief time under Gruden (and didn't do badly for a rookie - certainly better than Russell has done in three seasons). If Gradkowski can infuse his teammates with a little energy, he could wind up being a positive story for the Raiders. We'll see.
My expectation, however, is this will send Cable back to the running game. We'll see a lot more of Bush, McFadden and Fargas. I simply hope that we see a lot more of McFadden split wide, and a lot less of DHB.
I'm not at all ready to call DHB a bust. He runs good routs, and does a tremendous job blocking down field. But he is currently such a head case attempting to catch the ball that he tries to let the ball come to him, and doesn't go out to get it. If we can find a coach or a player to teach him that mind set, he could wind up being worth the draft pick.
DHB does NOT, however, deserve to be in on 53 snaps a game at this point.
Next season we need to bring in a veteran QB. Someone who is around 30, with a lot left in the tank. Someone who is a "gym rat" (as Cable describes Frye) and willing to get in the face of his receivers.
Russell has taken "the Franchise" tag off of himself by his own weak efforts. A veteran QB should feel confident coming in that the starting job is there for him to take. But I still think he must take it, and not have it given to him.
Right now I have no clue who this new QB might be. Any suggestions.
NOT MARTY. I don't think he's ever won a playoff game, has he?
Oh, and we can suspend the talk of Al moving the team. The Raiders have just signed an extension through 2013.
Well at least the Raiders re-upped their lease for another 2 years so we don't have to deal with speculation about them moving to LA.
As far as the game/team analysis. It's pretty much a broken record at this point. We all know what needs to happen, it is up to Al. My money is on a few/several more seasons of pain.
Roy
Actually, I think that pretty much guarantees that the Raiders aren't going anywhere. The only venue I could see them moving to would be LA, and that will be filled by 2013. The only other possibility would be for the Raiders to replace a team that moves to LA in the venue they vacated. And I don't see him moving to Jacksonville.
Cable at his diplomatic best:
Q: How did Bruce handle the backup role?
Cable: Very well. I mean, he and Charlie are absolutely pros. I mean, they’re here all the time. They’re here early. They’re here late. They study. They watch film. They talk about it. They draw it up. They involve they’re teammates to a great degree. Just what you’d expect.
Q: All those characteristics you speak of, is that where JaMarcus is coming up short?
Cable: Well, I think this – I think those guys helped him in that area, in terms of putting in the time and what it takes to be prepared.
The lease seems kind of short. Four seasons? They clearly don't want to commit to the Coliseum for long.
Maybe they really have a plan to find a way to build something new in the Bay Area over the next four years.
Or maybe they're trying to time it with the new L.A. stadium. Read the FAQ on L.A., they say it will take two years to complete AFTER it breaks ground. The earliest they can break ground now is 2010. Do the math.
Am I the first person to point this out?
Blanda - DHB is a bust, because he can never live up to the expectation of being a 7th pick in the draft. He never had the skill set to be a #7 pick in the first place.
That said, the Raiders have grossly mismanaged his development by putting him out there as their #1 WR, where high expectations and piss poor QBing have shattered what little confidence the kid may have had.
The two biggest contracts on this team represent the two biggest reasons we can't win a game... all else being equal (i.e., Davis is going absolutely nowhere... he is and will continue to be the GM and player scout).
PS I blame Davis for a lot, but give him the benefit of the doubt regarding the stadium lease renewal. There almost certainly is an escape provision for the Raiders to make a move, should they decide.
RR,
Notice that Chad contradicts himself on that?
First he said NO NO NO NO NO I wasn't ready my first year, then he said you have to be ready to come into the NFL.
If anything, Chad's analysis gives me hope for DHB.
-moshbucket
Blanda- As you know the qb position in the NFL sometimes takes years to perform at a high level. Jamarcus is a long shot at this point of ever getting it. The man doesn't seem all that bright or possess any leadership qualities. That being said there is still a sliver of hope for whoever cares at this point. Now DHB is a whole other story. This is looking like the worst high first round pick in the history of the NFL. This guy's a total joke. I have never seen a receiver at this level so totally inept at catching a goddamn football. This guy is a BUST if ever there was a bust. It's too late to teach a 23 year old man how to catch. You think someone would have figured this out before he was drafted. I'm still hopeful of McFadden; and Huff and Gallery are turning out to be nice players (certainly not dominant players that you would expect of their draft status). If Al doesn't get some real football people in here after this year this franchise is done-period.
RaiderMike
Take,
Dirtbike. bike went down and pinned my lower left leg and I rolled. I thought it dislocated, but doc said that was actually my kneecap I saw pop out and back in.
Luckily my bro was on a 4wheeler, so we swapped up and I got to ride it out 2 miles or rutted up fire and powerline trails back to the house, and got to watch LSU/Bama on pain killers.
-moshbucket
Did you guys hear Sapp say "we" when talking about the raiders on the pregame show this weekend?
I know alot of you guys hate 'ol Sapapotomose, but I don' see any difference in the things he's said and the things Gannon has said.
-moshbucket
Check out Mosh, put him on the field, he'd probably run tougher than Higgins. Dude rides four-wheelers with a busted knee, then goes home and watches football on Vicodin while yanking the bottle caps off his beer with his teeth.
Plus, unlike Javon Walker, he knows where to get the knee procedure done. He goes to Dr. Andrews, not Ecuador or wherever Walker went.
RT, in order for them to break ground, they have to have a tenant. They wanted to have a tenant on board by February, 2010. Once they break ground, it's too late for Davis.
"Or maybe they're trying to time it with the new L.A. stadium. Read the FAQ on L.A., they say it will take two years to complete AFTER it breaks ground. The earliest they can break ground now is 2010. Do the math."
It comes down to whether or not the league wants the Raiders in L.A. Maybe Al thinks he has a shot, IMO, he has no chance UNLESS he does an about face on how he does his business....what are the odds?
JONES
Nobody had more trouble catching footballs his first season than Cliff Branch did. Of course Branch was a lower draft pick, but I don't see the difference that makes. The only difference is expectations.
The LA stadium is still very much in play. Here's an excerpt of an interview with Roski from just four weeks ago:
Q: What's your best guess on when a team will return to Los Angeles?
A: It would be inappropriate for us to speculate on timing when there are so many uncontrollable variables in play. After the NFL season is over and we sit down with the League, we will have a clearer picture of our timeline moving forward.
Q: When will you break ground on your stadium?
A: We will break ground on a new stadium the moment we have secured an NFL franchise for the people of Los Angeles.
-------
I'm not saying the Raiders will do it, but they could. Come to an agreement next year or the next, take two years to build the stadium, and move right in.
Branch was a football player, DHB is not a football player. Branch had football athletics, DHB has running athletics. Jerry Rice had trouble catching his first yr too, but there is no way in hell I am going to compare DHB to him either.
DHB doesn't belong on the field, PERIOD. As far as DHB running good routes, they are only good if they get OPEN. By his amount of catches....doesn't look like he is getting open. Blocking? Come on, will you say ANYTHING just to make out like a banana is an apple?
JONES
The comparisons of Branch & DHB are apples to oranges in terms of development, expectations, cost, and instincts.
When Branch was drafted in the 4th round, he basically sat on the sideline for his 1st 2 years learning his craft in practice and working his way up the depth chart slowly but surely. He was used as a KR & PR in his rookie year. By his 3rd season, he was a productive, confident WR.
The Raiders 1st mistake was drafting DHB at #7.
The Raiders 2nd mistake was taking DHB in the draft at all. A struggling team blinded by combine speed instead of taking a true football player who plays an impact position.
To waste a 1st round pick on DHB was a very costly mistake by Davis. A team buried in double digit loss seasons can ill afford to whiff on a 1st round pick and tie up $23M on a player is the ultimate ROI blunder.
The Raiders 3rd mistake was thrusting DHB into the starting lineup even though he wasn't ready.
The Raiders 4th mistake was to continue to trot out DHB game after game and crushing his inner confidence.
Cable needs to take the pressure off of DHB, limit his snaps to 3 WR sets, and try to rebuild his confidence.
Jouron is gone so why wait?
I use to look forward to games so much. Now I shudder at the fact there are SIX left.
Big Al's never ending story. It's MY TEAM, AND DON'T YOU ALL FORGET IT!
the thing that makes the DhB pick even worse to me is, the raiders had so many other pressing needs.
we needed, and still need, DT's, LB's, OL's, amd more.
instead we take a fast project, with suspect hands.
only good teams are in a position to gamble with high picks. not the raiders.
we have to stop wasting time. we need to get tougher on defense, and better at blocking.
every fan can see this.
why is it so hard for al davis to see ?
excuse my french bu F*** me!
al davis, you threw a curve at me and i am very surprised. happy for the extension and what i can say is to give credit where credit is due. thanks!
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/11/18/SPAG1AMR7T.DTL
DHB is the projected starter for Sunday's game. As I suspected, the reason is that he plays the opposite side that Murphy and Schilens play, so the latter two will more or less split snaps... not DHB.
Cable claims to be putting the players on the field that give the Raiders the best chance to win. lol
The Raiders are as blind now as they were when they picked the kid #7.
Even Pavlov's dog would have changed this behavior after so many repeated failures.
RT, there is no way the Raiders will sit in a stadium for two years where the fans of that city know he's leaving. How many butts would be in the seats with the current record along with the understanding that the team is moving? Keep pushing that line if you like, but it makes no sense.
I think it most likely that's where the Jags will wind up, and an announcement will likely be made in the off season. Davis made the current extension with the idea of keeping fans in the seats because of the all the rumors swirling that they'd move.
As for DHB, as I've said previously, while he can't seem to catch the football, he has shown great ability at his other football skills (down field blocking, etc. - note that it was the blocking of DHB that allowed Bush's 60 yard run last weekend). And a reminder for folks, Branch was also a track star and not a pure football player.
And I've said many times, I think that DHB has been getting way too much time on the field, and if you go back to the pre-season posts, you'll note that I said he should be used as a slot receiver where I expected he'd probably get about 26 receptions in his first season. And I think that if he was used that way, that's about as many as he'd have gotten. I was counting, then, on Schilens and Higgins (or Walker) being 1 and 2.
It kills me that folks on this site seem to feel that something is either ALL BAD or ALL GOOD. No in between.
Blanda - The Raiders can't afford to have a "blocker" as their #1 WR.
IMO, Al Davis and Tom Cable have gone out of their way to make sure the Raiders do not field competent WRs, and it probably cost Russell his job (and a chance to develop into an NFL QB).
With the injury to Schilens, wouldn't it have made more sense to start Walker and Higgins, with Murphy in the slot? Even with Schilens healthy, that still makes more sense than to leave DHB in their at #1 so we have a blocker downfield for the extremely slim chance that Bush might break one.
The Raiders are lucky to have one or two plays a game that go for more than 20 yards. We don't need the added help of a professional blocker... a WR that can catch should due fine.
Blanda, I'm not pushing anything.
I'm just saying that the lease extension of three years doesn't keep them in the Bay Area for the next 20+ years. It's a short-term extension that does not preclude a move.
Are you telling me that this three-year extension precludes a move and guarantees the Raiders will stay in the Bay Area for decades to come?
You yourself said: "In order for them (LA) to break ground, they have to have a tenant."
After breaking ground, it will take two years to compete. There are no plans for an expansion team. That means that ANY team that would move under the circumstances you outline would have to play in its current city for at least two years prior to moving.
As for things making "no sense," that's exactly what the Raiders have been doing on multiple fronts for years now.
If they were so concerned about empty seats, they would have improved their marketing and their product by now, right?
You yourself said that Al Davis doesn't care what me or the fans think, and that we have no say in anything they do.
Unlike a private company in the free market that would have surely gone bankrupt for such reckless organizational behavior and lack of customer development over so many years, the Raiders belong to a communal league enterprise, sharing equally with the other 31 teams in the massive television revenue pie.
This is what keeps the severe drop-off in paying customers from being catastrophic. This is what shields them from the full consequences of doing things that make no sense, like still not hiring a GM or drafting DHB.
Therefore, I am not convinced that they wouldn't weather a few more years of bad attendance if they thought there was a pot of gold awaiting them in Los Angeles.
Russell is due a $11.5 million base salary next year..he held out for the $$$$ and he is stealing Al's money even if he shows up out of shape
NYRaider, I don't know of anything in my post that says I disagree with you. With one exception. We don't know if the WRs are bad because of JRuss, or if JRuss is bad because of the WRs. Gradkowski might give us chance to figure that out.
RT, when viewing the situation you have to take into account all of the facts on the table. Davis can't keep quiet for three years because the someone else will move to LA. If they make a commitment, then the focus of team will become preparing for the move. At the age of 80 I really doubt that Davis will want to take that on, in view of the fact that he says he'd like another couple of Lombardis before he's done.
Now, I suppose you could argue that Davis is never logical. You might even argue that Davis is insane. But the fact remains that with the extension you have to put logic through all kinds of contortions in order to believe that Davis will move at this point.
If the Raiders move, it will be because he sold the team and the new owner moved them. But one would definitely think that would make the folks around here very happy.
Hmmmm... Guess who stayed after practice for extra work. JRuss. I think Cable should have made the change two weeks ago when he was first pulled from a game.
Still intrigued by Gradkowski, and I have been since they signed him. He's a hard worker, he can light fires... If he plays really well he could become a story this season and create a real controversy for the off season. Of couse that would have to be because the problem with the WRs is in fact JRuss. But my guess is that he will be a much better game manager.
blanda according to KFFL the following are 2010 QB FA (I think this is based on a new CBA)
Kyle Boller
Mark Brunell
Jason Campbell
Kellen Clemens
Brodie Croyle
Jake Delhomme
Tarvaris Jackson
Jon Kitna
Eli Manning
Josh McCown
Matt Moore
Kyle Orton
Chris Redman
Ben Roethlisberger
Sage Rosenfels
D.J. Shockley
Troy Smith
Brian St. Pierre
Charlie Whitehurst
The only ones that remotely intrigue me would be Kitna or Brunell and only really as mentors to Russell.
I agree it will be interesting to see if Russell is the victim of our WR's or vice versa. Not that I have tremendous faith in Gradkowski but maybe he can at least show some energy out there.
As for the lease I think it means that the Raiders have given themselves an out and time to seriously look for another venue but I don't believe it's LA. I can't see Roski getting 40% of the Raiders, regardless of the pot of gold at the end of the LA Stadium rainbow.
Personally I think the Bills move to LA, and it would make sense for the Niners and Raiders to share a stadium. It would be more sustainable, easier to finance and some of the economic projections that always go along with opening a sports venue may come closer to being a reality with at least 16 games vs. 8.
Speaking of the CBA, anybody have any thoughts if it doesn't get done? Will the players get locked out?
Thanks for the list Toni.
The QB that intrigues me and would probably intrigue Davis is Tarvaris Jackson. I like the way TJax has handled himself as a complete professional when Favre was signed. I also like that he doesn't have any sense of entitlement and would genuinely compete to be a starter.
I think Buffalo, Jacksonville, and Minnesota would be the front runners to make a move to L.A. If the Raiders & Niners were able to get some serious support from the league to help finance a joint stadium, it has a chance. IMO, the Niners will try to get their own stadium first and then rely on a partnership with the Raiders if it fails on their own.
Thanks for the list Toni.
The QB that intrigues me and would probably intrigue Davis is Tarvaris Jackson. I like the way TJax has handled himself as a complete professional when Favre was signed. I also like that he doesn't have any sense of entitlement and would genuinely compete to be a starter.
I think Buffalo, Jacksonville, and Minnesota would be the front runners to make a move to L.A. If the Raiders & Niners were able to get some serious support from the league to help finance a joint stadium, it has a chance. IMO, the Niners will try to get their own stadium first and then rely on a partnership with the Raiders if it fails on their own.
Regarding the CBA, it would be foolish and negligent on the owner's parts to have a lockout ... I think the union & league will come up with a short term extension at the last hour.
We don't really need to see how Gradkowski does at QB to know if it was Russell or his WRs.
Russell showed no accuracy and his WRs couldn't catch. Together they produced about, if not the worst passing stats in NFL history. Those are the facts.
What intrigues me about Gradkowski.
He's a guy that nobody expected to make the cut in his first pre-season. Instead, he wound up starting 11 games for Tampa Bay under Gruden.
Paul Hackett was his QB coach in Tampa, and one must believe that Hackett was responsible for getting him to the Raiders. Hackett was also responsible for bringing Ganon to the Raiders. And while most in the NFL figured the signing of Gradkowski was merely "camp fodder," he has worked his way above Charlie Frye (who has the most experience as a starter on the team), and firmly into the back-up position for the man called "the face of the franchise."
Gradkowski may not have the talent that Russell has, but he's obviously a gamer. Ganon didn't have the talent that Russell has, but Ganon was a gamer, a game manager, and was always aware of his own limitations.
If he's successful, expect a full on QB controversy in the off season.
Here's Gradkowski's college history from Wiki. Hard to believe he was a 6th round pick. With the paragraph below, it easier to get to making DHB a first round pick than it is to making Gradkowski a 6th Round pick.
"After redshirting as a freshman at Toledo in 2001, Gradkowski saw action only as the holder on the special teams unit. In 2003, he was thrust into the starting position as a sophomore. He set a Mid-American Conference season record by completing 71.2% of his passes. He threw for 3,210 yards, with a school season record of 29 touchdowns and 7 interceptions and a final passer rating of 161.53. He proved he could scramble by rushing for 504 yards and a score on 91 carries (5.5 avg). In 2004, Gradkowski honed his skills and passed for 3518 yards with 27 touchdowns and 8 interceptions. Statistically, his senior year was his weakest, but he pulled off a victory in the GMAC Bowl and won MVP. Other MVPs of the GMAC Bowl have included Byron Leftwich, Ben Roethlisberger, LaDainian Tomlinson, and Omar Jacobs. After he finished his senior year he declared himself eligible for the 2006 NFL Draft. He majored in business marketing."
He came into the league a year before JaMarcus. He has been given nowhere near the same opportunities, but earned his way. He may be, currently, the closest thing we have to Rich Ganon on this team.
Gradkowski probably had better WRs in college than he has now on the Raiders. That's most definitely the case for JaMarcus Russell.
The Raiders have managed to field sub-standard WRs, despite using their top draft pick.
If they had just signed a vet WR before the season started and played him with some regularity, they'd probably be leap years ahead of the piss poor production they've had.
Given that Nick Miller is still out after 9 games and Javor Walker will never see the light of day, there was plenty of room on the roster to sign a player at or near the league minimum.
Chaulk it up to another brillant year of personnel decisions by Al Davis.
NyRaider,
i don't think you can put all the raiders offensive woes on the WR's alone.
i have seen Jruss, unpressured, miss open receivers by 5 feet.
the blocking, and pass protection has been mediocre at best.
and, despite using high picks to draft Rb's mcfad, & bush, the running attack still falls to fargas.
add in the poor play of the wideouts, and it has been a total collapse for the offense.
even worse than the B&B days.
It has appeared to me that for most of the season, Cable has put the rushing attack on hold to focus on acquiring a passing game. I think that's primarily the basis for the weakened running attack this season.
Cable seems to feel, and standard football strategy would seem to back it up, that his offense won't work unless both are functioning to some proficiency.
Since Gradkowski doesn't have the arm that Russell has, I think that Cable will throw fewer deep passes into the works. The running backs will likely have a more active game than they've had this season - unless we fall way behind early.
Because of Gradkowski's work ethic, I feel he likely has a much better feel for the WHOLE package than Russell does. From reports, Gradkowski also has better communication skills with the players around him, making him more likely to go to the receivers on the sideline to learn what's going on down field.
On a different subject, I see Gruden is under attack by PFT for not being negative enough. Negativity is really the order of the day, isn't it. Everything sucks, and boy am I pissed off! (Yawn.)
From another blog:
The recent firing of Buffalo Bills head coach Dick Jauron has caused me to wonder what is next for the Raiders. They have a better record than we do at 3-6 and Jauron has a better pedigree and more respect throughout the league than Cable does. If he is ‘fire-able’, why isn’t Cable?
I can't get excited about Gradkowski. I don't think he is the answer to one of many questions.
I would feel better if, like the bills, the org. would make some movement forward. I know that's not how they operate and the precise reason I continue to worry.
Never in my life have I been so frustrated with my team. There are no answers. Fire cable? Who will coach there with Al's presence. Replace JaMarcus? With what retread? Or what coaching staff to coach another up n coming hall of famer? Is our future based upon Al stepping aside? How can greatness turn so inept? Im greatful for the ghost of the past, but I dont think I will ever see a future. Im thining about becoming a Saints fan. Give me hope?
I've never considered that the Raiders have a legacy of losing. They don't. They haven't reflected the Raiders of the '70s and early '80s except for the brief time under Gruden, but that was still under the same ownership. But they WERE able to rebuild a Super Bowl caliber team.
The problem with the team that Gruden build was that it had a built in short shelf life. Gruden built the OLDEST team in the national football league, and the expiration date came due.
After that, Davis attempted to go back to the old ways and throw money at the problem. In today's media environment, and with coaches often demanding the same money and attention as players, that idea failed badly.
When Cable came on board, the decision was made to rework the whole team, beginning with youth. We now have the youngest team in professional football, and with the children leading us, we have, so far, come up short.
Where we are currently failing, except on defense, is finding the right veterans to infuse work ethic and leadership. That seems to me to be the next logical step.
Davis will not fire Cable in the middle of the season after firing Kiffin in the middle last season. He will, at the very least, allow Cable to finish out the string. If the Raiders show promise over the course of the remainder of the season, Cable may not be fired at all. One of the things we've all been crying for is consistency - to give a HC time to build something. But if they don't improve, at least to the point where they are not beating themselves, Cable will be gone.
The next logical step (regarding the team) is to bring in veteran leadership on the offensive side of the ball. Primarily that would help in the area of QB. And that will be true no matter who is the HC in 2010.
Gradkowski is a far better leader than JRuss. He obviously has more drive than JRuss. And this is HIS time. The rest of his career will depend on how he answers this moment. Given this opportunity in the past, I have watched Tui fail, I have watched Walter fail.
And the Raiders are way past due. I'm very curious to watch this play out. If Gradkowski fails as well, then we need to find a veteran QB and wide receiver in the off season.
And from JMac at practice we get this:
When asked what Gradkowski brought to the huddle, running back Justin Fargas was quick to answer Friday.
“One, a passion for the game, a love for the game that he shows in the way he plays, the way he calls plays. The way he works on details of nplays with players, in between,” Fargas said. “I think that’s the main thing I’m seeing with him. It’s just, he’s a `get after it’ type guy.”
Gradkowski has the boundless enthusiasm of a puppy to go along with a penchant for details which the Raiders hope can jump-start their sagging offense.
“You want to make a play for your quarterback but when he shows that type of passion for the game, obviously guys are going to feed off it and try to give him that same effort,” Fargas said.
“Bruce gives us the best chance to win right now,” tight end Zach Miller said. “We’ve got to be out there and play better football than we have the last few games here.”
Coach Tom Cable noted an increase in completions during practice
“Bruce was very good this week in terms of going out and managing and throwing completions,” Cable said. “ I think that got everybody in rhythm in timing.”
I think Cable need to go, at least as head coach (maybe he can return to offensive line coach).
Everyone got all jacked up because we won two games to end the season last year, and ostensibly that's what precluded the organization from conducting a legitimate head coaching search. Let's not fall into that trap again.
Fair or not, Cable is a symbol of the current organizational culture, one in which the coach's true authority is questionable. Do you really think that our players think that Cable is giving DHB all these snaps because he believes that DHB gives us the best chance to win? Of course not.
We need a new culture, and the old symbols will no work when we get it.
Additionally, I just don't think Cable has the chops.
I don't want consistency for consistency's sake. We've been consistent. Consistently bad on the field. Consistently awful in the draft. Consistently poor at head coaching selections, etc.
We need a GM, a new head coach, a new quarterback. Then we need consistency.
Blanda,
i blogged earlier that attempting to aquire Rams Qb, Marc Bolger, and reuniting him with offensive guru, Mike Martz, might be a good idea this off season.
al davis loves a vertical passing attack, and martz is a modern day coach who has proven he can get the ball up field.
Bolger is a solid Qb, who is familiar with martz' system.
the rams are rebuilding, and might be open to moving bolger.
we have scored 88 points so far this season.
there is no future with gradkowski, or frye, and maybe even russell.
we have to do something smart for a change.
It's been tough the past many years been a fan of the Raiders . . . but . . . folks should try to stick with them . . . I still think there's a very, very good nucleaus of young players there, in McFadden and Russell, and others. While DHB might not be another Jerry Rice, give him time. Who knows? Maybe he'll be another Cliff Branch. Give him time. And give Russell some time, too: he'll be a very good QB soon enough. Even gunslinging Terry Bradshaw had difficult time when he started out. What if we gave up on Plunkett in 1980 year? If you ask me: I think Davis should open that really nice wallet and get nothing but all pro line men -- forget skilled position players -- we have them already.
Raider00 - Exactly! Every facet of the Raiders offense sucks, from player performances to play calling. It’s all bad. That’s why Gradkowski, no matter how well he plays, is not the answer for this offense. There are so many other missing pieces.
While, on the surface, having Gradkowski at QB and Schilens at WR should be an immediate improvement, if DHB continues to get 50+ snaps, there is little hope for a rounded and consistent passing offense.
Blanda - the disproportionate pass offense results from playing behind in most games where running the ball is no longer a viable option. There have been more blowouts this year than I can ever remember.
bh1170 - “Give me Hope?” That’s a tall order. Sorry.
For those writing off Gradkowski, I'd ask that you do a little research into his history. If he sucks as bad as JRuss, THEN go ahead and write him off, but not before.
Also, I haven't written Cable off just yet.
Also, reading JMac today, I'm getting the impression that the players may have been secretly lobbying for this move.
If the tempo has increased with a 2-7 record, that reflects to me a certain amount of excitement about this move. Everyone has seemed to notice an increase in pass completions during practice.
According to McFadden, players can no longer "give up" on plays, because Gradkowski finds a way to keep them alive. And giving up on plays seems to have been a large problem that I've noticed during the season.
Blanda - I don't think I'm writing off Gradkowski. I just don't believe he will be given every opportunity to succeed, just as Russell wasn't.
DHB is still the #1 WR on this team. That speaks volumes to my point.
I pretty much agree with what you've said about Gradkowski being a better game manager, having superior work ethic and the chance that players might rally around him. But will that be enough? This ship is still sinking.
I think I may understand the essential difference between JRuss and Ski, and why the insertion of Ski might make a big difference.
JRuss is still a child. Since coming on board he has been scolded and brow-beaten, and told all of the things he must do (or not to do) to prevent failing. He has failed to meld that coaching to his natural and learned abilities, and treats his current position as a foreign occupation.
For instance, if he is told he must have already released the ball on a certain play, he is merely focusing on getting the pass off on time - whether or not the play has, in fact, sufficiently developed. On those occasions he fails to use his ability to move and the strength of his arm to keep the play alive for the proper moment.
Ski, on the other hand, knows his strengths and weaknesses, and will meld his understanding of the play with his natural ability, keeping the play alive until a receiver comes open.
The latter is what made Ganon so effective. Nobody was a bigger stickler for running the play correctly. But if the play broke down, even in the slightest, Ganon would find the timing necessary to make it work in spite of whatever errors other players were making. He would then correct the error when the offense came to the sideline.
We'll see at game time.
NYRaider, I understand, but if Gradkowski does, in fact, succeed where JRuss failed, you've given me the perfect nickname for him with your comment, "This ship is still sinking."
Bilge Pump.
The players are backing me up on this.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-
bin/blogs/raiders/detail?blogid=11
&entry_id=52111#readmore
Blanda:
On your comment on Marty coaching the Raiders.
Marty has actually won playoff games - those heartbreakers he lost to Denver while coaching Cleveland were in the AFC Title game - so he'd already won a game that year. ( I could be wrong ).
The point is that he always has his teams in or near the playoffs.
When's the last time we can say that about our team?
For 7 consecutive Septembers we've beeen out of contention.
Lets not forget that the great John Madde lost AFL/AFC title games in 1968-69-70-73-74-75 before he ever got to the SB. Then promply lost one last time in the Rob Lytle fumble game in 1977.
My wanting Marty is simple: He's a big name, he wins everywhere, he'd bring instant credibility (where we now have zero) and he'll kick ass and take names.
Won't happen under Davis, but I'd sure like to see a new management system in place. What we have now isn't working.
Tinfoil, I call it "prettiest girl at the dance" syndrome.
The Raiders have it, and so do some among us. They still think we're better than the rest. We're 2s acting like 10s.
Schottenheimer? He can't win a playoff game! GM? Hmmph. DHB with the seventh pick in the draft? You bet, we know better than everyone else.
Of course, we can't beat the Chiefs at home and are set to EXTEND the NFL record for consecutive seasons of futility, but hey, we're still the prettiest girl at the dance.
Schottenheimer would be LUCKY if we offered him the job, considering his track record, right?
I have the highest respect for Schottenheimer as a Head Coach.
He has a track record of molding teams into tough, disciplined, playoff caliber teams that fought the opponent tooth & nail.
There seems to be no hope of signing Schotty since he has an adversarial relationship with Davis.
GM, HC, QB, OLine, proven WRs, playmaking LBs ... our team is the equivalent of an expansion franchise in it's 3rd year of existence with a few good parts (Seymour, Asomugha, Lechler, SeaBass, maybe Henderson) but a lot of rebuilding ahead of us.
The rebuilding really can't start in earnest or gain solid traction w/o a GM and capable HC. All we've been doing for the past 7 years is chasing our tail.
Just great CJ.
Thanks for nothin'
Off to the fridge for a 7.2 micro brew. Three Floyds from Munster IN. Hope yer happy....
Sorry CJ forgot this
;-)
Enjoy your weekend Mendf. I'm well past the point of dressing up this pig with lipstick UNTIL there is tangible change in how business is conducted in Alameda.
If you want to be a successful team, the bare minimum requirements is to have:
(a) a capable GM on board
(b) a well qualified Head Coach
(c) an above average QB
(d) shrewd evaluation of talent
(e) a modern offense and defense
(f) management with a plan
Currently we have none of the above.
To rekindle my hope for the team I have love for a very long time, the above criteria needs to be dealt with and addressed in a decisive manner ... yesterday.
Enjoy your micorbrew! :D CJ
D-Mac on Gradkowski:
“He’s a different type of quarterback,” running back Darren McFadden said. “You can’t give up on the play when you’re out there with him. “
That seems to imply that players did give up on plays with Russell.
How can Russell ever be an NFL QB without virtually all the intangibles that define players like Gannon, Favre, Manning, etc? At least Russell got his bling. Now he can sit back and watch others do his job.
I'll take a "gamer" over an athlete every day of the week, and at every position on the field.
Take:
I usually agree with you on nearly everything.
But in this case I respectfully disagree that Marty would be lucky if Raiders offered him a job.
The Raiders have become such a laughingstock , that we'd be the LUCKY ones if any proven, hardnosed coach like Marty, Cower, Gruden would says yes to working for He Who Controls All.
We've turned into the Dan Snyder Redskins of the AFC.Big Names, Blown Bonuses, Constant Coaching Changes - and a history of losing. Even Joe Gibbs couldn't work for that turkey.
I can't stand that jerkweed GM in San Diego, but can't argue with his success.
I love the Raiders, I really do. But until we get a strong GM and Coach in place that have the power to build it their way, this is not (not now, not ever) going to end well.
Tinfoil, I hear you, my intent was sarcasm when I said that Schotty would be lucky to be offered the Raiders job.
Marc Trestman's name has surfaced in PFT's rumor mill as a potential Head Coach for the Raiders next year.
Trestman has a sharp mind when it comes to the offense. He now has 3 years of experience as a Head Coach (CFL). He has a relationship with Davis and had success as our OC in 2001.
Considering I'm not holding my breath for a high profile HC candidate to be viable or that we will get a GM, Trestman would be a pretty good option.
First, we'd need to know what our new GM thinks about Trestman...Oh, wait...
Anyhow, I'm skeptical of Trestman.
Trestman has been out of the NFL since 2004. Art Shell had been out of the NFL for years. Kiffin had never been in the NFL. Cable only had a few years of NFL experience before being named interim head coach.
Can we get a guy who's truly plugged in?
Even Gruden had been a OC for three years and had been in the NFL for six straight years before he got the Raiders gig.
But I know what you're saying CJ, you're grading on a curve here and being realistic. I know Trestman's not your first choice.
Short of doing it right (hiring a GM to essentially start over), I think the best thing we can do is keep Cable. Not because Cable will find his way as an NFL HC, but because anyone else we bring in will have to do it Al's way. In this regard, Cable will be ahead of the curve with a year and a half under his belt.
We’ve all seen the quality of coaching Davis gravitates to, e.g., inexperienced individuals looking for any chance to enter the HC arena, retreads and yes men.
Who really wants to start that over again. Davis will not hire a GM, and he won't be able to hire a quality HC that he doesn’t promise full autonomy, which he won't.
So, let’s draft another top ten speedster and try and scratch out 6 or 7 wins next year. That’s got to be better than winning 2 or 3 games a season and being the laughing stock of the NFL, right?
Not sure I agree with 6-7 wins as being OK.
We're setting our goals way too low.
When we sucked in the late 80's and mid to late 90's, except for the horrible Bugle year, we were usually in the 7-9 to 9-7 range.
Heck, 9-7 got Shell fired after the 1994 season.
That wasn't Ok then and it shouldn't be OK now.
We need to aim higher and reattain our status as a feared team that nobody wants on their schedule.
I think we dump the first round pick and take that money and set it aside in some kind of escrow account that Davis can't screw with and import some top level talent.
We've proven we can't win or draft.
So lets bring in some guys that can run/build a team and draft.
This article about what to do with Russell is interesting.
http://raiderbeat.com/?p=5923
Tinfoil - No offense. I actually like your enthusiasm. But this is what the Raiders have become, a team stuck in the mud for the better part of a decade. We can keep on knocking, but nobody's home.
Besides, who am I to raise the bar for a team that's steeped in failure? The Raiders have gotten out exactly what they put in, and I'm not referring to the money.
I'll be right here waiting for a sign that something will change inside this organization, but so far I don't see it. Do you?
Just because I root for them to win 16 games doesn't mean they will. Sorry.
nyraider:
No offense. What I've always liked about this site is that fans can have discussions and differing opinions and still get along.
I actually agree with what you're saying.
My point is, damn, I'm sick and tired of being sick and tired of my team.
I realize that I'm having a Raiderswetdream. I want what I want and I want it now. And that is to win, be relevant and to be able to wear all the damned Raiders gear my kids and friends (both of em) give me annually.
Take care and lets see how it goes v Bengals.
Calico,
correct me if i'm wrong, but doesn't marc trestman run a west coast style offense ?
if so, i certaintly cannot see jrussell running this offense.
You wouldn't believe how many short passes I saw last Sunday, most of them for about five yards on third and eight.
It looked like an accidental West Coast offense experiment gone bad.
Vertical game, my a**.
The thing that amazes me the most about Al is that he believes in, “no team chemistry.” That concept just doesn’t compute to those of us who are logically intelligent. Al believes in, I supply you with everything and you just make it work, concept is years beyond old. You mean to tell me that all those years before this debacle of the past 7 years was solely based on individuals who did not share in team chemistry? The years that Madden, Flores and Gruden had no team chemistry? It’s quite a different story when there is talent laden at every position on a team. Cohesiveness begins with great players who display leadership and know that everyone is accountable until the very end and those individuals don’t know the meaning of giving up. Al has from day one given certain player’s way too much latitude to do as they please. But those players of the 60’s, 70’s, 80’s and 90’s were very, very gifted or talented players who could pull it off. But those kinds of players are no longer coming to Oakland. Why because look at the way the captain runs this ship. His insensate approach has caused us to be the laughing stock of the NFL. And there seems to be no end in sight. Having a sound GM, who hires a sound HC maybe possible in a perfect world? But Al still plays this thing like he’s still in the streets of Brooklyn. He still thinks he’s got what it takes to still fight in the streets? The sad thing is that he doesn’t realize that those streets are empty, because ppl have moved onward. Al in reality is really fighting himself. And that my Raider brother’s, is why we will be still at the bottom of the pit regardless who coaches us or who is the GM. May God help us soon.
Cin. Bengals 35- choketown faidas 3, "seabiscuit" is great isn't he? Well at least you have a hell of a FG kicker...."J-pop n' fresh" is DONE take him out of the oven and knock im' in the head! The faidas will lose for 10 more years setting an unbreakable NFL record that will never be equalled! 2-14
RT: Trestman 20 years of NFL coaching experience that includes QC, RB coach, QB Coach, OC at Clev, SF, AZ, and Oakland. The final piece was gaining 3 years of HC experience in the CFL.
As coach:
1981-to present;
University of Miami (VC)
University of Miami (QC)
Minnesota Vikings (RBC)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (QC)
Cleveland Browns (QB)
Cleveland Browns (OC)
Minnesota Vikings (QC)
San Francisco 49ers (OC/QC)
Detroit Lions (QC)
Arizona Cardinals (OC/QC)
Oakland Raiders (QC)
Oakland Raiders (OC)
Miami Dolphins (QC/AHC)
North Carolina State (OC/QC)
Montreal Alouettes (HC)
If you remember his stint at Oakland, it was more of a hybrid WC offense. We all know that Davis gravitates towards offensive minded HC candidates. Would I prefer a more high profile, plugged in, proven HC candidate? Of course. I guess the realist in me sees Trestman as atleast a plausible, reasonable, qualified candidate who already knows the inner workings and dysfunction of Oakland.
here are the top 3 HC candidates i would like to see.
1) Mike Martz. instant offense.
knows the modern passing game,
and how to mix in the run.
would actually make the
Raiders fun to watch again.
2) Dick Vermail. i know, he's old. but he is one of the best coaches EVER at running a practice and having his team prepared on game day. also is friends with al, so this could help.
3) Not Marty, but his son, Brian Shottemhiemer. this is a bit of long shot, but the young guy can coach. and it would get under Marty's skin, so why not do it ?
The problem with hiring a young upstart HC is that if he doesn't play it Al's way, we may have to sit through an extra 6-12 months of termoil until Al can fire him for cause and save a few hundred thousand dollars.
Nobody has even mentioned Rob Ryan as our next HC. Yeah, he's a D coach, but he was a Davis yes man. Personally, I don't think Ryan is that desperate.
One thing is for sure, whom ever coaches the Raiders gets a free black mark on his professional coaching career. A bonus, if you will.
Two teams heading in opposite directions.
Passing:
Palmer - 2010 yards
Russell - 1064 yards
Rushing:
Benson - 859
Bush - 350 yards
Receiving (by WR):
Ochocino - 46 catches
Murphy - 16 catches
46 catches by Ocho is 10 more than all Raider WRs combined.
TDs:
Bengals - 24
Raiders - 7
And the Bengals are only favored by 9.5 points?
Russell really shouldnt have been the starter this year, but because he has a large contract and was the top pick a couple years ago, they had to give him another shot and find out what they had.
Post a Comment
<< Home