Post by TheShadow on Dec 6, 2003 14:56:18 GMT -5
www.bayarea.com
By Craig Lancaster
Mercury News
When he signed with the Raiders on Nov. 18, Lorenzo Bromell was just happy to have a job after 11 weeks of waiting for a team to call.
Now he's the starter at left end for a team drained by injuries and desperate for pass-rush help. In 71 career games, Bromell has 26 1/2 sacks.
``I played in Miami for four years straight to my free agency, then I went to Minnesota and played there last year,'' said the sixth-year defensive end out of Clemson. ``I just didn't work out there. I couldn't get landed anywhere this year until Oakland picked me up. I've been running with it from there.''
Bromell sacked Denver quarterback Jake Plummer once last Sunday, and that was enough to qualify him as a force on the Raiders' sad-sack defense. Oakland has 18 sacks this season, the fourth-lowest total in the NFL. The team leader, Trace Armstrong with three, is on injured reserve.
With Bromell, at least for the final four games of the season, the Raiders hope to increase their sack production.
``There's no question,'' Coach Bill Callahan said this week. ``He can apply pressure to the quarterback.''
Callahan sidestepped questions about Bromell's long-term future with the team, and Bromell said he doesn't have expectations beyond making the most of this season. Clearly, however, the defensive end is happy to put a bad experience in Minnesota behind him.
He played all 16 games but didn't start until Dec. 1 against Atlanta. He claimed that he was punished for missing a voluntary mini-camp while he and his wife, Shontell, got married.
``It was ridiculous,'' Bromell said. ``I finished with five sacks'' (actually, it was four) ``and I didn't play but about 17 percent of the downs. And a guy who played 100 percent of the downs had seven. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure that out.''
Stubblefield improving
Defensive tackle Dana Stubblefield, inactive for the past five games, should be available Sunday at Pittsburgh, Callahan said.
Stubblefield, who has been fighting an ankle injury since early in the season, practiced all week. He comes available at a crucial time, because Sean Gilbert is expected to miss the game because of a groin injury.
``With Sean out, having Dana back helps our three-man rotation,'' Callahan said. ``We'll still have to decide whether to activate another defensive tackle to bolster and improve our play in the middle. I thought Chris Cooper and Rod Coleman battled every down in the Denver game, and we'd like to give them some help.''
The Raiders don't have a lot of options. They could move rookie defensive end Akbar Gbaja-Biamila inside. They also have recent addition Terdell Sands, who hasn't been active since signing Nov. 11.
NFL warns of threats
Callahan said Friday that he read the team a memo from the NFL regarding letters that have threatened some black players, including Miami defensive end Jason Taylor. The letters, postmarked from Erie, Pa., Cleveland and Youngstown, Ohio, criticize relationships between black men and white women. Taylor's wife is white.
Callahan said he had no knowledge of a Raiders player receiving such a letter.
``It's a sad commentary to even have to stand in front of your squad and address that issue,'' the coach said.
Weather watch
Although Pittsburgh was blanketed by snow Friday -- with more expected today -- the forecast for Sunday's game is just for cold weather. The game-day high is projected at 34 degrees; the low at 14.
Callahan said the team is prepared for harsh conditions.
``They know that the heaters better be warm on the sideline,'' he said.
By Craig Lancaster
Mercury News
When he signed with the Raiders on Nov. 18, Lorenzo Bromell was just happy to have a job after 11 weeks of waiting for a team to call.
Now he's the starter at left end for a team drained by injuries and desperate for pass-rush help. In 71 career games, Bromell has 26 1/2 sacks.
``I played in Miami for four years straight to my free agency, then I went to Minnesota and played there last year,'' said the sixth-year defensive end out of Clemson. ``I just didn't work out there. I couldn't get landed anywhere this year until Oakland picked me up. I've been running with it from there.''
Bromell sacked Denver quarterback Jake Plummer once last Sunday, and that was enough to qualify him as a force on the Raiders' sad-sack defense. Oakland has 18 sacks this season, the fourth-lowest total in the NFL. The team leader, Trace Armstrong with three, is on injured reserve.
With Bromell, at least for the final four games of the season, the Raiders hope to increase their sack production.
``There's no question,'' Coach Bill Callahan said this week. ``He can apply pressure to the quarterback.''
Callahan sidestepped questions about Bromell's long-term future with the team, and Bromell said he doesn't have expectations beyond making the most of this season. Clearly, however, the defensive end is happy to put a bad experience in Minnesota behind him.
He played all 16 games but didn't start until Dec. 1 against Atlanta. He claimed that he was punished for missing a voluntary mini-camp while he and his wife, Shontell, got married.
``It was ridiculous,'' Bromell said. ``I finished with five sacks'' (actually, it was four) ``and I didn't play but about 17 percent of the downs. And a guy who played 100 percent of the downs had seven. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure that out.''
Stubblefield improving
Defensive tackle Dana Stubblefield, inactive for the past five games, should be available Sunday at Pittsburgh, Callahan said.
Stubblefield, who has been fighting an ankle injury since early in the season, practiced all week. He comes available at a crucial time, because Sean Gilbert is expected to miss the game because of a groin injury.
``With Sean out, having Dana back helps our three-man rotation,'' Callahan said. ``We'll still have to decide whether to activate another defensive tackle to bolster and improve our play in the middle. I thought Chris Cooper and Rod Coleman battled every down in the Denver game, and we'd like to give them some help.''
The Raiders don't have a lot of options. They could move rookie defensive end Akbar Gbaja-Biamila inside. They also have recent addition Terdell Sands, who hasn't been active since signing Nov. 11.
NFL warns of threats
Callahan said Friday that he read the team a memo from the NFL regarding letters that have threatened some black players, including Miami defensive end Jason Taylor. The letters, postmarked from Erie, Pa., Cleveland and Youngstown, Ohio, criticize relationships between black men and white women. Taylor's wife is white.
Callahan said he had no knowledge of a Raiders player receiving such a letter.
``It's a sad commentary to even have to stand in front of your squad and address that issue,'' the coach said.
Weather watch
Although Pittsburgh was blanketed by snow Friday -- with more expected today -- the forecast for Sunday's game is just for cold weather. The game-day high is projected at 34 degrees; the low at 14.
Callahan said the team is prepared for harsh conditions.
``They know that the heaters better be warm on the sideline,'' he said.