Post by TheShadow on Dec 9, 2003 20:04:21 GMT -5
www.oaklandtribune.com
Coach believes Raiders moved past 'dumbest team' comment with effort
By Jerry McDonald, STAFF WRITER
ALAMEDA -- Bill Callahan is not one to cry over spilled milk. More likely, he'd look you straight in the eye and tell you the glass remains half full.
Having put the "dumbest team in America" episode in the rearview mirror, the Oakland Raiders coach Monday had his rose-colored glasses focused on a 27-7 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
"After watching the film this morning with the coaching staff, I felt there were a lot of positive signs," Callahan said. "There were positive plays in the game."
True, there were enough short gains at Heinz Field on Sunday to add up to 161 yards of total offense and one touchdown.
Not only that, but the Raiders appear not to have lost another quarterback, as Rick Mirer was walking without a limp and optimistic he will be ready to go when the Raiders host the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday at Network Associates Coliseum.
Teams that plunge from a conference championship and into contention for the top pick in the NFL Draft have to take their good feelings where they can get them.
And positive vibes were in short supply after the Raiders were beaten decisively against a struggling Pittsburgh team which had struggled running the ball all season, but saw Jerome Bettis rush for a season-high 106 yards.
Oakland ran well itself behind Tyrone Wheatley and Charlie Garner, but on the same field where they gave birth to their aggressive short-passing offense in 2002 by passing 65 times, the Raiders had their most ineffective air attack of the season.
Mirer, his movement affected by a sprained left ankle, was 10-for-25 for 68 yards, was sacked four times for 29 yards of losses, intercepted twice and had a poor 14.6 passer rating.
The net passing yardage was 39 yards, or 1.3 yards per play.
"We had a few plays here and there," Mirer said. "There weren't too many easy completions, though. Those guys did a good job of covering us. We'll look at the film and I'm sure there are things that will show up ... that's tough, when they're just jumping everything that you're trying to run."
The Steelers gave the Raiders precious little time to operate, controlling the ball for 35:51 to 24:09. And assuming he is healthy enough to face Baltimore, Mirer's time could be even similarly limited if the Raiders continue to be pushed around defensively against the run.
Over the last three games, the Raiders face the Nos. 1, 2 and 6 rushers in the NFL in Baltimore's Jamal Lewis (1,622 yards), Green Bay's Ahman Green (1,463 yards) and San Diego's LaDainian Tomlinson (1,260 yards).
Lewis is coming off a 180-yard game in a 31-13 win over Cincinnati and earlier this year set the NFL single-game record with 295 yards against the Cleveland Browns.
The Raiders, meanwhile, are ranked No.31 against the run, giving up 149.4 yards per game. Oakland has surrendered 18 rushing touchdowns. Only Atlanta (20) has given up more.
"You're really making my day. I'm trying to be positive here," Callahan joked when that trio was brought up in conjunction with Oakland's porous run defense. "We're going to have to do our best job of run defense than we ever have because (the Ravens) present the No.1 challenge in my mind."
Linebacker Eric Barton expects all three teams to give Oakland a steady diet of runs until the Raiders prove they can stop it.
"That's what I'd do if I was the coach," Barton said. "That's just football."
Barton believes the deficiencies are small errors which are correctable.
And although Callahan repeatedly defended Oakland's level of effort, he also said the Raiders simply aren't doing enough physically at the line of scrimmage.
"There are points in time where we get blocked and don't get off blocks," Callahan said. "We do have good gap control and the right assignments, but it comes down to making plays, separating from a blocker, shedding and getting disengaged and finding a way to the football."
Coach believes Raiders moved past 'dumbest team' comment with effort
By Jerry McDonald, STAFF WRITER
ALAMEDA -- Bill Callahan is not one to cry over spilled milk. More likely, he'd look you straight in the eye and tell you the glass remains half full.
Having put the "dumbest team in America" episode in the rearview mirror, the Oakland Raiders coach Monday had his rose-colored glasses focused on a 27-7 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
"After watching the film this morning with the coaching staff, I felt there were a lot of positive signs," Callahan said. "There were positive plays in the game."
True, there were enough short gains at Heinz Field on Sunday to add up to 161 yards of total offense and one touchdown.
Not only that, but the Raiders appear not to have lost another quarterback, as Rick Mirer was walking without a limp and optimistic he will be ready to go when the Raiders host the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday at Network Associates Coliseum.
Teams that plunge from a conference championship and into contention for the top pick in the NFL Draft have to take their good feelings where they can get them.
And positive vibes were in short supply after the Raiders were beaten decisively against a struggling Pittsburgh team which had struggled running the ball all season, but saw Jerome Bettis rush for a season-high 106 yards.
Oakland ran well itself behind Tyrone Wheatley and Charlie Garner, but on the same field where they gave birth to their aggressive short-passing offense in 2002 by passing 65 times, the Raiders had their most ineffective air attack of the season.
Mirer, his movement affected by a sprained left ankle, was 10-for-25 for 68 yards, was sacked four times for 29 yards of losses, intercepted twice and had a poor 14.6 passer rating.
The net passing yardage was 39 yards, or 1.3 yards per play.
"We had a few plays here and there," Mirer said. "There weren't too many easy completions, though. Those guys did a good job of covering us. We'll look at the film and I'm sure there are things that will show up ... that's tough, when they're just jumping everything that you're trying to run."
The Steelers gave the Raiders precious little time to operate, controlling the ball for 35:51 to 24:09. And assuming he is healthy enough to face Baltimore, Mirer's time could be even similarly limited if the Raiders continue to be pushed around defensively against the run.
Over the last three games, the Raiders face the Nos. 1, 2 and 6 rushers in the NFL in Baltimore's Jamal Lewis (1,622 yards), Green Bay's Ahman Green (1,463 yards) and San Diego's LaDainian Tomlinson (1,260 yards).
Lewis is coming off a 180-yard game in a 31-13 win over Cincinnati and earlier this year set the NFL single-game record with 295 yards against the Cleveland Browns.
The Raiders, meanwhile, are ranked No.31 against the run, giving up 149.4 yards per game. Oakland has surrendered 18 rushing touchdowns. Only Atlanta (20) has given up more.
"You're really making my day. I'm trying to be positive here," Callahan joked when that trio was brought up in conjunction with Oakland's porous run defense. "We're going to have to do our best job of run defense than we ever have because (the Ravens) present the No.1 challenge in my mind."
Linebacker Eric Barton expects all three teams to give Oakland a steady diet of runs until the Raiders prove they can stop it.
"That's what I'd do if I was the coach," Barton said. "That's just football."
Barton believes the deficiencies are small errors which are correctable.
And although Callahan repeatedly defended Oakland's level of effort, he also said the Raiders simply aren't doing enough physically at the line of scrimmage.
"There are points in time where we get blocked and don't get off blocks," Callahan said. "We do have good gap control and the right assignments, but it comes down to making plays, separating from a blocker, shedding and getting disengaged and finding a way to the football."