Post by TheShadow on Dec 2, 2012 12:37:43 GMT -5
www.insidebayarea.com
By Jerry McDonald
OAKLAND -- The Raiders' game against the Cleveland Browns on Sunday is a game only their most hard-core fans can love.
With each team 3-8, the playoffs are a pipe dream. The Raiders are reeling, having given up 169 points in their past four games, the last three of which were decided by early in the fourth quarter.
Cleveland is coming off a 20-14 win over Pittsburgh and had to fight to the finish despite getting eight takeaways. Unlike the Raiders, the Browns have hung tough in most of their losses.
The Raiders and Browns find themselves in the same place. Both organizations are in ownership transition, playing under a symbolic rain cloud that could well be a literal one in an O.co Coliseum quagmire.
The game is blacked out locally and will be seen by only a sliver of a national network audience.
For the Raiders, it's a chance to stop the bleeding before an intimate gathering of their most loyal fans.
"It's got to end this week against Cleveland," defensive tackle Tommy Kelly said. "We've got to try and get back on track. Everybody's got to dig down a little deeper, I guess."
The constant losses have the Raiders readjusting their sights on a weekly basis.
"We're looking at this thing as we're zero and zero and we've got a five-game season," coach Dennis Allen said. "Let's go out and see what we can do in the next five games. ... I don't sense there's a black cloud hanging over their head. I think they enjoy playing football. They're ready to get back out and play again."
Cleveland coach Pat Shurmur finds himself in the same situation as Hue Jackson with the Raiders last season. Jimmy Haslam officially became the Browns owner in October, and team president Mike Holmgren was swept out in favor of Joe Banner.
More often than not, new management wants its own coach, as Jackson discovered when Mark Davis and Reggie McKenzie decided on a new direction, with McKenzie deciding on Allen.
"I'm sure they are going to make some decisions here at the end of the season, but as coaches we don't worry about that," Shurmur said last week. "We're trying to put all our efforts into winning the next game. It's a very narrow-minded mindset from that standpoint, and you just see what happens at the end of the year."
The Browns' approach against the Raiders, particularly if the field is muddy, will be narrow-minded as well. They'll run rookie Trent Richardson, the No. 3 overall pick out of Alabama, early and often. And when Richardson is not running the ball, he'll be catching it.
Richardson has 755 yards rushing, averaging 3.6 yards per carry, and six touchdowns. He is also the favorite target of rookie quarterback Brandon Weeden.
"He's the primary focus of their offense and sets up everything they do in their passing game," Allen said.
Paying particularly close attention to Richardson is middle linebacker Omar Gaither, who replaces the suspended Rolando McClain in the 4-3 defense.
The Browns have lost 12 consecutive games on the road, a streak that began last Oct. 16 when the Raiders won 24-17 in Oakland on the day Jason Campbell broke his collarbone, which led to a trade a few days later for Carson Palmer.
Palmer, who is 9-3 against the Browns as a member of the Cincinnati Bengals, said: "They've always just been a salty group, a big physical group that can rush the passer, but really can stop the run. They can really push the line of scrimmage."
While it's conceivable running backs Darren McFadden and Mike Goodson will be active, offensive coordinator Greg Knapp said Marcel Reece, with 225 yards rushing in the past three games, would likely get the bulk of the work as McFadden and Goodson shake off the rust.
Allen said the Raiders are at the stage where they may want to get a look at younger players. Wide receiver Juron Criner had his role expanded against Cincinnati, offensive lineman Tony Bergstrom could see time somewhere along the offensive line, and Allen has hinted that quarterback Terrelle Pryor could get time in an unspecified role.
Kelly doesn't want to contemplate a fifth straight loss.
"It's mind-blowing. I would have never, in my wildest dreams, thought we would be 3-8 right now," Kelly said.
By Jerry McDonald
OAKLAND -- The Raiders' game against the Cleveland Browns on Sunday is a game only their most hard-core fans can love.
With each team 3-8, the playoffs are a pipe dream. The Raiders are reeling, having given up 169 points in their past four games, the last three of which were decided by early in the fourth quarter.
Cleveland is coming off a 20-14 win over Pittsburgh and had to fight to the finish despite getting eight takeaways. Unlike the Raiders, the Browns have hung tough in most of their losses.
The Raiders and Browns find themselves in the same place. Both organizations are in ownership transition, playing under a symbolic rain cloud that could well be a literal one in an O.co Coliseum quagmire.
The game is blacked out locally and will be seen by only a sliver of a national network audience.
For the Raiders, it's a chance to stop the bleeding before an intimate gathering of their most loyal fans.
"It's got to end this week against Cleveland," defensive tackle Tommy Kelly said. "We've got to try and get back on track. Everybody's got to dig down a little deeper, I guess."
The constant losses have the Raiders readjusting their sights on a weekly basis.
"We're looking at this thing as we're zero and zero and we've got a five-game season," coach Dennis Allen said. "Let's go out and see what we can do in the next five games. ... I don't sense there's a black cloud hanging over their head. I think they enjoy playing football. They're ready to get back out and play again."
Cleveland coach Pat Shurmur finds himself in the same situation as Hue Jackson with the Raiders last season. Jimmy Haslam officially became the Browns owner in October, and team president Mike Holmgren was swept out in favor of Joe Banner.
More often than not, new management wants its own coach, as Jackson discovered when Mark Davis and Reggie McKenzie decided on a new direction, with McKenzie deciding on Allen.
"I'm sure they are going to make some decisions here at the end of the season, but as coaches we don't worry about that," Shurmur said last week. "We're trying to put all our efforts into winning the next game. It's a very narrow-minded mindset from that standpoint, and you just see what happens at the end of the year."
The Browns' approach against the Raiders, particularly if the field is muddy, will be narrow-minded as well. They'll run rookie Trent Richardson, the No. 3 overall pick out of Alabama, early and often. And when Richardson is not running the ball, he'll be catching it.
Richardson has 755 yards rushing, averaging 3.6 yards per carry, and six touchdowns. He is also the favorite target of rookie quarterback Brandon Weeden.
"He's the primary focus of their offense and sets up everything they do in their passing game," Allen said.
Paying particularly close attention to Richardson is middle linebacker Omar Gaither, who replaces the suspended Rolando McClain in the 4-3 defense.
The Browns have lost 12 consecutive games on the road, a streak that began last Oct. 16 when the Raiders won 24-17 in Oakland on the day Jason Campbell broke his collarbone, which led to a trade a few days later for Carson Palmer.
Palmer, who is 9-3 against the Browns as a member of the Cincinnati Bengals, said: "They've always just been a salty group, a big physical group that can rush the passer, but really can stop the run. They can really push the line of scrimmage."
While it's conceivable running backs Darren McFadden and Mike Goodson will be active, offensive coordinator Greg Knapp said Marcel Reece, with 225 yards rushing in the past three games, would likely get the bulk of the work as McFadden and Goodson shake off the rust.
Allen said the Raiders are at the stage where they may want to get a look at younger players. Wide receiver Juron Criner had his role expanded against Cincinnati, offensive lineman Tony Bergstrom could see time somewhere along the offensive line, and Allen has hinted that quarterback Terrelle Pryor could get time in an unspecified role.
Kelly doesn't want to contemplate a fifth straight loss.
"It's mind-blowing. I would have never, in my wildest dreams, thought we would be 3-8 right now," Kelly said.