Post by TheShadow on Dec 8, 2003 19:09:23 GMT -5
www.pressdemocrat.com
Santiago, Johnson, Jolley on field together several times to bolster running game, take heat off QB
December 8, 2003
By PHIL BARBER
THE PRESS DEMOCRAT
PITTSBURGH -- When Raiders coach Bill Callahan assessed his tight ends one day during training camp, he mentioned the team might employ some three-tight-end sets.
At the time, it seemed like a convenient, but not particularly realistic, way to praise the depth at the position. Why would Oakland put three tight ends on the field when it has a trio of talented wide receivers and several good running backs?
But against Pittsburgh, Callahan was as good as his word. The Raiders trotted out their trifecta of tight ends -- O.J. Santiago, Teyo Johnson and Doug Jolley -- many times, bolstering their running game and keeping some heat off wounded quarterback Rick Mirer. When they did, Jerry Rice and Tim Brown usually went to the bench.
It has been quite a year for Santiago, who sat out the 2002 season and looked like a long shot in Oakland. He started his third straight game, this time in a one-tight-end set.
"I've started my entire career," Santiago said. "I started in Atlanta, and then in Cleveland. I know I'm capable of playing at this level. I also know we have some good tight ends here. I just concerned myself with showing what I could do and being a contributor. The biggest thing is to be accountable."
NO MORE SHOTS
Defensive tackle Dana Stubblefield finally made it back onto the field Sunday. He originally hurt his ankle in Week2, when Cincinnati's Willie Anderson cut him from behind. Stubblefield played four games after that, then surprisingly went inactive for five weeks.
In Pittsburgh, he revealed he had re-injured the ankle against Kansas City in Week7. "At first it was getting better," he said. "That game, I hurt it bad."
Stubblefield had been getting painkiller shots before every game, leading up to Kansas City. Team doctors realized it wasn't doing him much good, and he has forgone needles since.
Stubblefield figures he played about 20 snaps against Pittsburgh, and the ankle held up well.
"It took a couple of plays out there to not be thinking about it," he said.
RESPECTED, AND PENALIZED
After a handoff to Tyrone Wheatley in the second quarter, Raiders guard Frank Middleton was praised by his opponent, defensive end Kimo von Oelhoffen. The officials didn't rate Middleton's play as highly. He got hit with a 10-yard penalty for holding.
"We were laughing about it," Middleton said. "(Von Oelhoffen) said, 'Good block, Dawg.' And then I get flagged for it. I guess it was just my turn."
Middleton started for the first time since Oct.12, when he hurt his quadriceps at Cleveland.
"I hadn't played in six weeks," he said after facing the Steelers. "I'm dying. I just want to curl up on my sofa and go to sleep."
COMING ON STRONG
For the second straight week, defensive end Tyler Brayton played like a rookie-of-the-year candidate. He had six tackles against Pittsburgh, but what really stood out was his hustle downfield.
Especially impressive was a pass play late in the third quarter. With cornerback Charles Woodson blitzing, safety Derrick Gibson wound up in coverage on Steelers wide receiver Hines Ward. That's a mismatch, and Ward wound up motoring for 38 yards. At the end of the play, it was Brayton, the 280-pound lineman, who caught him from behind.
"That's expected of the whole defensive line," Brayton said. "I can see it in all four guys out there, no matter who's out there. That's a motto in our room: Play hard. You can make up for a lot of mistakes that way."
PIPE DOWN
As if a severely strained ankle, nausea and the Steelers' ferocious front seven weren't enough to worry about, Mirer had the Heinz Field public address system to contend with.
"Their P.A. is going when we're in the huddle and when we're at the line," the quarterback said. "There were a lot of outside noises. It was like, 'HERE COMES THIRD DOWN ...' Shoot, you can't hear anything."
Santiago, Johnson, Jolley on field together several times to bolster running game, take heat off QB
December 8, 2003
By PHIL BARBER
THE PRESS DEMOCRAT
PITTSBURGH -- When Raiders coach Bill Callahan assessed his tight ends one day during training camp, he mentioned the team might employ some three-tight-end sets.
At the time, it seemed like a convenient, but not particularly realistic, way to praise the depth at the position. Why would Oakland put three tight ends on the field when it has a trio of talented wide receivers and several good running backs?
But against Pittsburgh, Callahan was as good as his word. The Raiders trotted out their trifecta of tight ends -- O.J. Santiago, Teyo Johnson and Doug Jolley -- many times, bolstering their running game and keeping some heat off wounded quarterback Rick Mirer. When they did, Jerry Rice and Tim Brown usually went to the bench.
It has been quite a year for Santiago, who sat out the 2002 season and looked like a long shot in Oakland. He started his third straight game, this time in a one-tight-end set.
"I've started my entire career," Santiago said. "I started in Atlanta, and then in Cleveland. I know I'm capable of playing at this level. I also know we have some good tight ends here. I just concerned myself with showing what I could do and being a contributor. The biggest thing is to be accountable."
NO MORE SHOTS
Defensive tackle Dana Stubblefield finally made it back onto the field Sunday. He originally hurt his ankle in Week2, when Cincinnati's Willie Anderson cut him from behind. Stubblefield played four games after that, then surprisingly went inactive for five weeks.
In Pittsburgh, he revealed he had re-injured the ankle against Kansas City in Week7. "At first it was getting better," he said. "That game, I hurt it bad."
Stubblefield had been getting painkiller shots before every game, leading up to Kansas City. Team doctors realized it wasn't doing him much good, and he has forgone needles since.
Stubblefield figures he played about 20 snaps against Pittsburgh, and the ankle held up well.
"It took a couple of plays out there to not be thinking about it," he said.
RESPECTED, AND PENALIZED
After a handoff to Tyrone Wheatley in the second quarter, Raiders guard Frank Middleton was praised by his opponent, defensive end Kimo von Oelhoffen. The officials didn't rate Middleton's play as highly. He got hit with a 10-yard penalty for holding.
"We were laughing about it," Middleton said. "(Von Oelhoffen) said, 'Good block, Dawg.' And then I get flagged for it. I guess it was just my turn."
Middleton started for the first time since Oct.12, when he hurt his quadriceps at Cleveland.
"I hadn't played in six weeks," he said after facing the Steelers. "I'm dying. I just want to curl up on my sofa and go to sleep."
COMING ON STRONG
For the second straight week, defensive end Tyler Brayton played like a rookie-of-the-year candidate. He had six tackles against Pittsburgh, but what really stood out was his hustle downfield.
Especially impressive was a pass play late in the third quarter. With cornerback Charles Woodson blitzing, safety Derrick Gibson wound up in coverage on Steelers wide receiver Hines Ward. That's a mismatch, and Ward wound up motoring for 38 yards. At the end of the play, it was Brayton, the 280-pound lineman, who caught him from behind.
"That's expected of the whole defensive line," Brayton said. "I can see it in all four guys out there, no matter who's out there. That's a motto in our room: Play hard. You can make up for a lot of mistakes that way."
PIPE DOWN
As if a severely strained ankle, nausea and the Steelers' ferocious front seven weren't enough to worry about, Mirer had the Heinz Field public address system to contend with.
"Their P.A. is going when we're in the huddle and when we're at the line," the quarterback said. "There were a lot of outside noises. It was like, 'HERE COMES THIRD DOWN ...' Shoot, you can't hear anything."