Post by TheShadow on Dec 4, 2003 19:39:36 GMT -5
www.bayarea.com
By Craig Lancaster
Mercury News
Nothing lasts forever, and certainly not winning in the NFL. Nobody knows like the Raiders.
Three consecutive AFC West titles. Two appearances in the AFC championship game. One Super Bowl. All of that seems so long ago -- the souvenirs of a team that wasn't 3-9, didn't need to find traction amid injuries and infighting, and never had to contemplate playing only for pride.
The good news -- and this may be the only time you will see that and these Raiders sharing space in the same paragraph -- is that turnarounds can be fashioned quickly in this NFL age of parity.
With that in mind, we offer five issues the Raiders must confront as they try to relegate this lost season to the bad-memory files:
Who's the coach?
Conventional wisdom holds that Bill Callahan won't be able to survive his team's poor play and his now-infamous declaration: ``We've got to be the dumbest team in America, in terms of playing the game.''
But here's the thing about conventional wisdom: The Raiders delight in operating outside convention. Callahan has had one enormously successful year and one enormously disappointing year. A case could be made for bringing him back, just as easily as a case could be made for booting him to the curb. There's no accurate way to predict what the Raiders will do, intemperate remarks notwithstanding.
``I don't think Bill all of a sudden forgot how to coach,'' said Brent Jones, a former 49ers tight end who will be the CBS analyst Sunday when the Raiders play at Pittsburgh. ``He made a comment that everyone outside the organization basically takes for gospel.''
Who's the quarterback?
In his first four seasons with the Raiders, Rich Gannon was as reliable as the sunrise. A game would come up, Gannon would settle under center and good things would happen. That all changed in Week 7 against the Kansas City Chiefs, when he suffered a torn labrum in his right shoulder. Now four big factors mitigate against his return to the team: age (he'll be 38 later this month), injury, diminishing play and money (he is due to make $7 million in 2004).
The Raiders face an interesting set of options. They could bring Gannon back (unlikely), let Marques Tuiasosopo and Rick Mirer battle for the starting job in training camp (risky), find a veteran with potential (speculative), or get somebody in the draft (highly speculative).
The second option might be the easiest and most economical. Bagging a Super Bowl title these days doesn't require a superstar; the past three winning quarterbacks have been Brad Johnson (Tampa Bay), Tom Brady (New England) and Trent Dilfer (Baltimore).
Rebuild the defense
Retirement is almost certain to claim defensive end Trace Armstrong and linebacker Bill Romanowski. Defensive tackle Dana Stubblefield has been injured and ineffective. The linebacking corps has been manhandled. Cornerback Charles Woodson could bolt in free agency.
There are a lot of decisions to make with the 28th-ranked defense in the NFL. If John Parrella comes back healthy, he legitimately forces double teams from his defensive-tackle spot. If free safety Rod Woodson can rehabilitate his knee at age 38, he's perhaps the Raiders' best defensive player. For better and sometimes worse, Phillip Buchanon is the man at right cornerback. Rookie Tyler Brayton looks like a keeper at left defensive end.
Almost everything else is in flux. Of course, that doesn't mean the Raiders will make wholesale changes, and Rod Woodson suggests that they don't.
``I don't think you need to overhaul a team,'' he said. ``I think that's the worst-case scenario you can do with any team in the National Football League. It's just the little things that make a difference between winning and losing.''
Big things make a difference, too. If the Raiders are in position to draft an impact player such as Oklahoma defensive tackle Tommie Harris, he would fill a huge hole right in the middle of the defense.
Better reception
Question: Has one team ever had a more prolific wide-receiver duo than the Raiders with Jerry Rice and Tim Brown?
OK, time's up. Any answer other than ``no'' is wrong.
But the time has come to acknowledge that Jerry Porter's time has come. He's bigger, faster, stronger and younger than Rice and Brown, and he consistently stretches the field in the way they can't anymore. The Raiders' two future Hall of Fame receivers are still viable and relatively affordable, but their greatest value would come as a second or third option against one-on-one coverage. Add another talented, young receiver to go with Porter and Brown or Rice, and the Raiders would be in business.
They would also take another step toward a youth movement that Jones, for one, heartily endorses.
``I completely agreed with the organization last year, bringing that team back,'' Jones said. ``They came together and played very well. But at some point, you have to get younger and faster.''
Cut out the penalties
Callahan's tirade was inspired by a series of gaffes by the Raiders, and that struck some longtime team observers as just a little bit funny.
After all, Raiders and penalties have a long, storied history together. Why is a big deal now?
Simple: Now the Raiders are a losing team.
``Like they say, winning's a great deodorant,'' Callahan said. ``When you win, you have an opportunity to overcome.''
The coach insists that the problem is emphasized and that team drills continually push the no-penalty message. Yet the Raiders still lead the league in infractions (112) and yardage (937).
They need to figure out what some of the least-penalized teams are doing and replicate it. They need only look at Kansas City (60), Indianapolis (65) and St. Louis (67) -- three of the better, and cleaner, teams in the league.
Of course, that would mean following someone else's path, which isn't exactly the Raiders' strong suit even when it leads them to something good.
``The Raiders handle things in a way it's not handled by 31 other teams,'' Jones said.
By Craig Lancaster
Mercury News
Nothing lasts forever, and certainly not winning in the NFL. Nobody knows like the Raiders.
Three consecutive AFC West titles. Two appearances in the AFC championship game. One Super Bowl. All of that seems so long ago -- the souvenirs of a team that wasn't 3-9, didn't need to find traction amid injuries and infighting, and never had to contemplate playing only for pride.
The good news -- and this may be the only time you will see that and these Raiders sharing space in the same paragraph -- is that turnarounds can be fashioned quickly in this NFL age of parity.
With that in mind, we offer five issues the Raiders must confront as they try to relegate this lost season to the bad-memory files:
Who's the coach?
Conventional wisdom holds that Bill Callahan won't be able to survive his team's poor play and his now-infamous declaration: ``We've got to be the dumbest team in America, in terms of playing the game.''
But here's the thing about conventional wisdom: The Raiders delight in operating outside convention. Callahan has had one enormously successful year and one enormously disappointing year. A case could be made for bringing him back, just as easily as a case could be made for booting him to the curb. There's no accurate way to predict what the Raiders will do, intemperate remarks notwithstanding.
``I don't think Bill all of a sudden forgot how to coach,'' said Brent Jones, a former 49ers tight end who will be the CBS analyst Sunday when the Raiders play at Pittsburgh. ``He made a comment that everyone outside the organization basically takes for gospel.''
Who's the quarterback?
In his first four seasons with the Raiders, Rich Gannon was as reliable as the sunrise. A game would come up, Gannon would settle under center and good things would happen. That all changed in Week 7 against the Kansas City Chiefs, when he suffered a torn labrum in his right shoulder. Now four big factors mitigate against his return to the team: age (he'll be 38 later this month), injury, diminishing play and money (he is due to make $7 million in 2004).
The Raiders face an interesting set of options. They could bring Gannon back (unlikely), let Marques Tuiasosopo and Rick Mirer battle for the starting job in training camp (risky), find a veteran with potential (speculative), or get somebody in the draft (highly speculative).
The second option might be the easiest and most economical. Bagging a Super Bowl title these days doesn't require a superstar; the past three winning quarterbacks have been Brad Johnson (Tampa Bay), Tom Brady (New England) and Trent Dilfer (Baltimore).
Rebuild the defense
Retirement is almost certain to claim defensive end Trace Armstrong and linebacker Bill Romanowski. Defensive tackle Dana Stubblefield has been injured and ineffective. The linebacking corps has been manhandled. Cornerback Charles Woodson could bolt in free agency.
There are a lot of decisions to make with the 28th-ranked defense in the NFL. If John Parrella comes back healthy, he legitimately forces double teams from his defensive-tackle spot. If free safety Rod Woodson can rehabilitate his knee at age 38, he's perhaps the Raiders' best defensive player. For better and sometimes worse, Phillip Buchanon is the man at right cornerback. Rookie Tyler Brayton looks like a keeper at left defensive end.
Almost everything else is in flux. Of course, that doesn't mean the Raiders will make wholesale changes, and Rod Woodson suggests that they don't.
``I don't think you need to overhaul a team,'' he said. ``I think that's the worst-case scenario you can do with any team in the National Football League. It's just the little things that make a difference between winning and losing.''
Big things make a difference, too. If the Raiders are in position to draft an impact player such as Oklahoma defensive tackle Tommie Harris, he would fill a huge hole right in the middle of the defense.
Better reception
Question: Has one team ever had a more prolific wide-receiver duo than the Raiders with Jerry Rice and Tim Brown?
OK, time's up. Any answer other than ``no'' is wrong.
But the time has come to acknowledge that Jerry Porter's time has come. He's bigger, faster, stronger and younger than Rice and Brown, and he consistently stretches the field in the way they can't anymore. The Raiders' two future Hall of Fame receivers are still viable and relatively affordable, but their greatest value would come as a second or third option against one-on-one coverage. Add another talented, young receiver to go with Porter and Brown or Rice, and the Raiders would be in business.
They would also take another step toward a youth movement that Jones, for one, heartily endorses.
``I completely agreed with the organization last year, bringing that team back,'' Jones said. ``They came together and played very well. But at some point, you have to get younger and faster.''
Cut out the penalties
Callahan's tirade was inspired by a series of gaffes by the Raiders, and that struck some longtime team observers as just a little bit funny.
After all, Raiders and penalties have a long, storied history together. Why is a big deal now?
Simple: Now the Raiders are a losing team.
``Like they say, winning's a great deodorant,'' Callahan said. ``When you win, you have an opportunity to overcome.''
The coach insists that the problem is emphasized and that team drills continually push the no-penalty message. Yet the Raiders still lead the league in infractions (112) and yardage (937).
They need to figure out what some of the least-penalized teams are doing and replicate it. They need only look at Kansas City (60), Indianapolis (65) and St. Louis (67) -- three of the better, and cleaner, teams in the league.
Of course, that would mean following someone else's path, which isn't exactly the Raiders' strong suit even when it leads them to something good.
``The Raiders handle things in a way it's not handled by 31 other teams,'' Jones said.