Post by TheShadow on Nov 28, 2003 19:31:00 GMT -5
www.bayarea.com
By Steve Corkran
CONTRA COSTA TIMES
ALAMEDA - Quarterback Rick Mirer found his way into the Raiders' starting
lineup only after season-ending injuries to reigning league MVP Rich Gannon
and up-and-coming youngster Marques Tuiasosopo.
Mirer replaced Tuiasosopo in the first half of Oakland's game against the
Detroit Lions on Nov. 2 and played like, well, the Rick Mirer people came to
know during his first 10 seasons.
He has looked nothing like the Mirer of old in his three starts since the
Lions game and is yet the latest in a growing line of quarterbacks making
the most of second chances late in their careers.
That list includes Tampa Bay's Brad Johnson, Kansas City's Trent Green,
Denver's Jake Plummer, the New York Giants' Kerry Collins, Pittsburgh's
Tommy Maddox and Cincinnati's Jon Kitna.
The glaring difference is, those aforementioned players own permanent
starting jobs and have proved themselves for longer than three games. The
perception here is that Mirer is keeping his hands on the wheel of Oakland's
offense only until Gannon and Tuiasosopo return next season.
Still, Mirer no doubt is giving coach Bill Callahan pause for thought as
Callahan stares into the proverbial crystal ball and looks toward next
season.
Gannon turns 38 on Dec. 20 and is scheduled to earn a base salary of $7
million next season. Also, he is fresh from surgery to repair a torn labrum
in his right throwing shoulder and faces a lengthy rehabilitation.
Tuiasosopo still is recovering from a torn medial collateral ligament in his
left knee and remains unproven in the NFL.
Mirer is only 33 and his body is still relatively healthy after not getting
hit much in recent seasons. Also, he is an unrestricted free agent at
season's end and earning only $755,000 this season.
So, add those factors to the long list of decisions that Callahan has to
make during the offseason. For what it's worth, Denver Broncos coach Mike
Shanahan said Wednesday that Mirer deserves a starting job, if not in
Oakland then elsewhere.
"He's playing extremely well," Shanahan said. "He's made a number of plays
running the ball in some crucial situations. He looks like the veteran
quarterback that he is, a guy that's played the game, the game's not too big
for him, and is playing with a lot of confidence."
Mirer threw two interceptions, got sacked twice and directed only one
meaningful drive in two-plus quarters against the Lions. He has been rock
solid ever since.
He completed 67 percent of his passes the past three games without any
interceptions and two touchdowns. His play has invigorated Oakland's
offense, right guard Frank Middleton said.
"He gets people fired up and wanting to play," Middleton said. "O-line
people like that."
Middleton said the entire team appreciates the way Mirer has sacrificed his
body on runs the past two games.
"When he came out and did that gutsy jump against the Vikings (Nov. 16) and
ran for that touchdown last (Sunday), that's not something you expected from
Rick Mirer," Middleton said. "He has surprised a lot of people. He is
showing that he should get a chance to start somewhere."
Right offensive tackle Lincoln Kennedy said he and his teammates weren't
quite sure what to expect from Mirer. They knew him as a person but never
saw him under the pressure of a game until three weeks ago.
"He's very calm, relaxed, really poised," Kennedy said. "He hasn't shown any
signs of feeling any pressure. He has really taken advantage of his
opportunities to prove that he can still play at a high level."
Mirer posted the majority of his statistics during his first four seasons,
from 1993-96. Green entered the league in the same draft as Mirer. He
bounced around from the San Diego Chargers to the Washington Redskins and
the St. Louis Rams before finding a home in Kansas City. His Chiefs are 10-1
this season.
Mirer knows all about Green's travails, just as he knows that Gannon didn't
shed his journeyman label until after 12 seasons and the Raiders gambled on
his being the proper fit for their offense. Gannon signed with Oakland
before the 1999 season at the age of 33.
"It's not the first time an older guy's come in and done OK," Mirer said of
himself. "You never know when it's going to be your turn. And hopefully you
get a turn. If it leads to other things, more years, we'll deal with that
when it's appropriate."
By Steve Corkran
CONTRA COSTA TIMES
ALAMEDA - Quarterback Rick Mirer found his way into the Raiders' starting
lineup only after season-ending injuries to reigning league MVP Rich Gannon
and up-and-coming youngster Marques Tuiasosopo.
Mirer replaced Tuiasosopo in the first half of Oakland's game against the
Detroit Lions on Nov. 2 and played like, well, the Rick Mirer people came to
know during his first 10 seasons.
He has looked nothing like the Mirer of old in his three starts since the
Lions game and is yet the latest in a growing line of quarterbacks making
the most of second chances late in their careers.
That list includes Tampa Bay's Brad Johnson, Kansas City's Trent Green,
Denver's Jake Plummer, the New York Giants' Kerry Collins, Pittsburgh's
Tommy Maddox and Cincinnati's Jon Kitna.
The glaring difference is, those aforementioned players own permanent
starting jobs and have proved themselves for longer than three games. The
perception here is that Mirer is keeping his hands on the wheel of Oakland's
offense only until Gannon and Tuiasosopo return next season.
Still, Mirer no doubt is giving coach Bill Callahan pause for thought as
Callahan stares into the proverbial crystal ball and looks toward next
season.
Gannon turns 38 on Dec. 20 and is scheduled to earn a base salary of $7
million next season. Also, he is fresh from surgery to repair a torn labrum
in his right throwing shoulder and faces a lengthy rehabilitation.
Tuiasosopo still is recovering from a torn medial collateral ligament in his
left knee and remains unproven in the NFL.
Mirer is only 33 and his body is still relatively healthy after not getting
hit much in recent seasons. Also, he is an unrestricted free agent at
season's end and earning only $755,000 this season.
So, add those factors to the long list of decisions that Callahan has to
make during the offseason. For what it's worth, Denver Broncos coach Mike
Shanahan said Wednesday that Mirer deserves a starting job, if not in
Oakland then elsewhere.
"He's playing extremely well," Shanahan said. "He's made a number of plays
running the ball in some crucial situations. He looks like the veteran
quarterback that he is, a guy that's played the game, the game's not too big
for him, and is playing with a lot of confidence."
Mirer threw two interceptions, got sacked twice and directed only one
meaningful drive in two-plus quarters against the Lions. He has been rock
solid ever since.
He completed 67 percent of his passes the past three games without any
interceptions and two touchdowns. His play has invigorated Oakland's
offense, right guard Frank Middleton said.
"He gets people fired up and wanting to play," Middleton said. "O-line
people like that."
Middleton said the entire team appreciates the way Mirer has sacrificed his
body on runs the past two games.
"When he came out and did that gutsy jump against the Vikings (Nov. 16) and
ran for that touchdown last (Sunday), that's not something you expected from
Rick Mirer," Middleton said. "He has surprised a lot of people. He is
showing that he should get a chance to start somewhere."
Right offensive tackle Lincoln Kennedy said he and his teammates weren't
quite sure what to expect from Mirer. They knew him as a person but never
saw him under the pressure of a game until three weeks ago.
"He's very calm, relaxed, really poised," Kennedy said. "He hasn't shown any
signs of feeling any pressure. He has really taken advantage of his
opportunities to prove that he can still play at a high level."
Mirer posted the majority of his statistics during his first four seasons,
from 1993-96. Green entered the league in the same draft as Mirer. He
bounced around from the San Diego Chargers to the Washington Redskins and
the St. Louis Rams before finding a home in Kansas City. His Chiefs are 10-1
this season.
Mirer knows all about Green's travails, just as he knows that Gannon didn't
shed his journeyman label until after 12 seasons and the Raiders gambled on
his being the proper fit for their offense. Gannon signed with Oakland
before the 1999 season at the age of 33.
"It's not the first time an older guy's come in and done OK," Mirer said of
himself. "You never know when it's going to be your turn. And hopefully you
get a turn. If it leads to other things, more years, we'll deal with that
when it's appropriate."
