Post by TheShadow on Dec 6, 2003 16:01:16 GMT -5
www.pressdemo.com
December 6, 2003
By PHIL BARBER
THE PRESS DEMOCRAT
ALAMEDA -- When the Raiders activated Shurron Pierson from the practice squad in November, they were hoping he could provide support for Travian Smith at linebacker. When Smith was placed on the injured reserve list shortly thereafter, the promotion seemed particularly astute.
But in the wake of Oakland's 22-8 loss to Denver last Sunday, coach Bill Callahan has another reason to appreciate Pierson. The rookie from Southern Florida looked like a special-teams whiz against the Broncos, making three tackles on kickoffs and downing one of Shane Lechler's punts at the 3-yard line.
"He's shown a lot of speed, and we were able to put him on the (wide) gunner position on kickoff coverage," Callahan said. "He's handled it well. He's shown the ability to break the double-team. It's caused other teams to take notice, and hopefully he'll continue to impress us with his play."
Not bad for someone who never before had played special teams. It isn't exactly what he envisioned when the Raiders drafted him in the fourth round last April, but Pierson is happy to get the action.
"Yeah, why not?" he said. "If I'm gonna be out there playing, I can be on special teams. I'm all for it. At the same time, I'm still playing linebacker."
As many young NFL players do, Pierson is learning that kick coverage is a little trickier than it looks. Quickness and courage are big factors, but so is learning the correct angles to take and the proper way to break down for tackles.
"It ain't all speed," Pierson said. "We have different schemes -- we might be crossing or taking different lanes. You're running hard, but you have to know what you're doing. You're breaking down and going to the ball."
With the Raiders still experimenting at linebacker -- the current incarnation has Tim Johnson in the middle, with Eric Barton and Napoleon Harris outside -- and Pierson proving his worth on special teams.
"It think it's only a matter of time before they let me get in (at linebacker)," Pierson said. "In the meantime, I just stay in my (play) book. So that when I do get out there, I'll know what I'm doing."
MARRIED AND UNEMPLOYED
After joining the Raiders on Nov. 12, it took Lorenzo Bromell exactly 12 days to work his way into the starting lineup at left defensive end. He got his first sack against Denver last week. Clearly, the six-year veteran still has some game, which leads to an obvious question: Why did the Minnesota Vikings cut him in August?
According to Bromell, it was because he missed a voluntary spring camp -- to get married.
"It was a developmental camp," said Bromell. "I'm a five-year guy, and it's voluntary. That's not a mandatory camp. I wouldn't have missed a mandatory camp ... never meshed again after that."
Though Bromell claimed it was all water under the bridge, it's obvious he is still a little wounded by the treatment he believes he got from coach Mike Tice and Vikings management.
"I came back, and it was empty excuses," he said, "telling me this and telling me that -- 'We were adding a lot of defenses in,' 'We'll rotate you back in.' One lie compounded another lie, and it ended up being Week 13 (before he started). It was ridiculous. I finished with five sacks, and I didn't play but about 17 percent of the downs. And the guy who played 100 percent of the downs had seven. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure that out."
Unfortunately for the viewing public, Bromell signed with Oakland just days too late to line up against the Vikings.
EXTRA POINTS
Callahan said Derrick Gibson will play safety Sunday, though he wasn't sure if Gibson would start. If he doesn't, Nnamdi Asomugha will be at free safety and Anthony Dorsett at strong, as they were last week. Asomugha would then move to a corner position in the nickel.
When the Raiders line up against Pittsburgh on Sunday, it will be exactly 364 days after their last road win. Since beating the Chargers, 27-7, at San Diego on Dec. 8, they have played 10 games away from Oakland -- including Super Bowl XXXVII (also at San Diego) and a pair of exhibition-season contests -- without a victory.
December 6, 2003
By PHIL BARBER
THE PRESS DEMOCRAT
ALAMEDA -- When the Raiders activated Shurron Pierson from the practice squad in November, they were hoping he could provide support for Travian Smith at linebacker. When Smith was placed on the injured reserve list shortly thereafter, the promotion seemed particularly astute.
But in the wake of Oakland's 22-8 loss to Denver last Sunday, coach Bill Callahan has another reason to appreciate Pierson. The rookie from Southern Florida looked like a special-teams whiz against the Broncos, making three tackles on kickoffs and downing one of Shane Lechler's punts at the 3-yard line.
"He's shown a lot of speed, and we were able to put him on the (wide) gunner position on kickoff coverage," Callahan said. "He's handled it well. He's shown the ability to break the double-team. It's caused other teams to take notice, and hopefully he'll continue to impress us with his play."
Not bad for someone who never before had played special teams. It isn't exactly what he envisioned when the Raiders drafted him in the fourth round last April, but Pierson is happy to get the action.
"Yeah, why not?" he said. "If I'm gonna be out there playing, I can be on special teams. I'm all for it. At the same time, I'm still playing linebacker."
As many young NFL players do, Pierson is learning that kick coverage is a little trickier than it looks. Quickness and courage are big factors, but so is learning the correct angles to take and the proper way to break down for tackles.
"It ain't all speed," Pierson said. "We have different schemes -- we might be crossing or taking different lanes. You're running hard, but you have to know what you're doing. You're breaking down and going to the ball."
With the Raiders still experimenting at linebacker -- the current incarnation has Tim Johnson in the middle, with Eric Barton and Napoleon Harris outside -- and Pierson proving his worth on special teams.
"It think it's only a matter of time before they let me get in (at linebacker)," Pierson said. "In the meantime, I just stay in my (play) book. So that when I do get out there, I'll know what I'm doing."
MARRIED AND UNEMPLOYED
After joining the Raiders on Nov. 12, it took Lorenzo Bromell exactly 12 days to work his way into the starting lineup at left defensive end. He got his first sack against Denver last week. Clearly, the six-year veteran still has some game, which leads to an obvious question: Why did the Minnesota Vikings cut him in August?
According to Bromell, it was because he missed a voluntary spring camp -- to get married.
"It was a developmental camp," said Bromell. "I'm a five-year guy, and it's voluntary. That's not a mandatory camp. I wouldn't have missed a mandatory camp ... never meshed again after that."
Though Bromell claimed it was all water under the bridge, it's obvious he is still a little wounded by the treatment he believes he got from coach Mike Tice and Vikings management.
"I came back, and it was empty excuses," he said, "telling me this and telling me that -- 'We were adding a lot of defenses in,' 'We'll rotate you back in.' One lie compounded another lie, and it ended up being Week 13 (before he started). It was ridiculous. I finished with five sacks, and I didn't play but about 17 percent of the downs. And the guy who played 100 percent of the downs had seven. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure that out."
Unfortunately for the viewing public, Bromell signed with Oakland just days too late to line up against the Vikings.
EXTRA POINTS
Callahan said Derrick Gibson will play safety Sunday, though he wasn't sure if Gibson would start. If he doesn't, Nnamdi Asomugha will be at free safety and Anthony Dorsett at strong, as they were last week. Asomugha would then move to a corner position in the nickel.
When the Raiders line up against Pittsburgh on Sunday, it will be exactly 364 days after their last road win. Since beating the Chargers, 27-7, at San Diego on Dec. 8, they have played 10 games away from Oakland -- including Super Bowl XXXVII (also at San Diego) and a pair of exhibition-season contests -- without a victory.