Post by TheShadow on Jan 4, 2006 5:35:23 GMT -5
cbs.sportsline.com
Inside Slant
The last of seven new head coaches to be hired in 2003, Norv Turner was the last of seven to be fired in 2005.
"I think we all knew where this was going," Turner said in a conference call with Bay Area media following his dismissal Tuesday as coach of the Oakland Raiders.
Turner, 53, had a two-year record of 9-23 and was 1-11 in the AFC West. He joined Steve Mariucci (Detroit), Mike Tice (Minnesota), Jim Haslett (New Orleans), Mike Sherman (Green Bay), Mike Martz (St. Louis) and Dom Capers (Houston) on the unemployment line.
Kansas City coach Dick Vermeil retired, leaving voluntarily.
Turner met the same fate he did in Washington in 2000, when he was fired by Daniel Snyder.
"There have been some teams that have been able to turn it around in one or two years, and the nature of it is that it's going to happen fast like that," Turner said. "Sometimes it does. Unfortunately, sometimes it doesn't."
The reason for Turner's demise was broken down in simple terms by owner Al Davis. Hired to install a dominating offense, Turner fell far short of that goal.
"The facts are the facts. The resume is out there," Davis said. "You can read it. We didn't score. We didn't score enough points with the firepower we have. It's something we have to improve on."
And while much of the attention regarding Oakland's anemic offense focused on their inability to utilize Randy Moss, Davis was more concerned with the Raiders' 85.6 yards per game on the ground.
"I think we have to run the ball better. Let's be honest about it," Davis said. "It's unbelievable. I thought that one or our standards in gold this year would be our offensive line. We have some bright young players there. And we never did get the toughness or what I would call the power running that I thought we were going to get from our football team."
Davis gave little insight with regard to what he is looking for in his new coach other than he wants someone who will win. It could be someone with an offensive background or a defensive background, a first-time NFL head coach or someone getting another opportunity.
"I'd like our next coach to be winning oriented," Davis said. "I want the right guy."
Davis did say that the heart condition which prematurely ended the season of deposed Rams coach Mike Martz was a concern, whether it be as head coach or offensive coordinator.
"Mike has always been of interest because he's dynamic, he is not afraid," Davis said. "There is a fear right now of the physical ... I don't know if we are ready to accept that."
Turner, meanwhile, said he appreciated the opportunity to work for the Raiders. He talked about the difficult schedule, a 27-23, last-second loss to Kansas City on Nov. 6 in which the Raiders could have improved to 4-4, and the simple fact that his players didn't find their highest level under his direction.
"You're coaching to win, but really you're coaching to see players perform at their pure best," Turner said. "We had a lot of young guys who played well and grew as players ... but with the exception of (defensive end) Derrick Burgess, I can't think of another player on our team that I can say, `That player had a great year.' Ultimately, that's what you're trying to do is have individuals have their best seasons. When you get a bunch of them to do that together, that's how you become a real good team."
Unlike predecessor Bill Callahan, whose players couldn't wait for him to head out the door in 2003, many Raiders players voiced the unlikely hope following a season-ending loss to the Giants and were disappointed upon the news he had been fired.
"It's sad, because Norv was a real player's coach," fullback Zack Crockett said. "You hate to see a guy like him go."
Turner would not rule out the possibility of becoming a head coach again some day but realized his best bet in the immediate future was as an offensive coordinator -- a post he held with distinction in Dallas, San Diego and Miami.
"I'll look into that, but I won't rule anything out," Turner said. "I do know I want to coach."
Notes, quotes
--The Raiders finished the season with five interceptions, the lowest total in NFL history. Even in the nine-game strike season of 1982, the lowest figure was six interceptions, and three teams -- the 1972 Houston Oilers (14 games), 1996 Atlanta Falcons and 2004 St. Louis Rams had full seasons with six.
Free safety Stuart Schweigert, Oakland's leader with two interceptions, plans on using that number as motivation in the offseason.
"If we get five more interceptions, that could be three wins on our schedule. It could have meant a win (against the Giants)," Schwiegert said. "It will be something for us to talk about."
With Schweigert and cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha in their first full seasons as starters, along with rookie starter Fabian Washington at cornerback, youth played a part.
"Maybe we can start taking some educated guesses and making some plays on some balls," Schweigert said. "As a young guy, you don't want to make mistakes, and maybe we were a little too passive. That can change as we get experience."
--The Raiders led the league in penalties (147) for the third consecutive season and were second in penalty yards with 1,132, trailing only the Arizona Cardinals (1,185).
--Wide receiver Doug Gabriel caught eight passes for 100 yards -- his second 100-yard game of the season -- and had a touchdown in the season finale.
"In our minds, we had to go out with a bang," Gabriel said of the Raiders' passing offense. "Man, we were clicking. It was good for the most part -- except for the victory."
--Wide receiver Randy Moss, perhaps angered that he was off the field when the Raiders failed four times from the 1-yard line to score while trailing 31-20 with 3:44 to play, was in a sweat suit and headed to the parking lot as the media was making its way downstairs.
Coach Norv Turner said he didn't realize Moss wasn't present when he addressed the team after the game and didn't plan to make an issue of it.
"I'm not going to ... we've gotten through this thing," Turner said.
Strategy and personnel
PLAYER PERSONNEL NOTES
--OL Jake Grove, a second-round draft pick who opened as the starting center, ended the season on the inactive list for the last two games. Grove missed the fourth and fifth games of the season with arthroscopic knee surgery, and he never fully recovered his health upon his return.
Grove ended up starting six games at center and two at left guard. He was inactive four times, played once as a substitute and did not play in one game in which he was active.
--DE Derrick Burgess ended up outperforming more high-profile acquisitions Randy Moss (trade) and LaMont Jordan (free agent). He led the NFL in sacks with 16, a new franchise record, and made his first Pro Bowl.
Sean Jones, now a member of the Raiders personnel department, had 15.5 sacks in 1985.
"Someone's going to have to break it now," Burgess said. "Sean held it down a long time. Sean was a great player. Now it's over with. Wait for the next cat to break it."
--WR Jerry Porter led the Raiders in receiving for the second consecutive season.
Last season, Porter had 64 receptions for 998 yards, averaged 15.6 yards per reception and scored nine touchdowns. In 2005, Porter had 76 catches for 942 yards, averaged 12.4 yards per catch and scored five times.
--T Robert Gallery suffered a non-displaced fracture of the right fibula on the second play against the Giants. He spent the last three quarters watching the game in a protective boot.
Gallery's injury is not considered serious, with a six- to eight-week healing time. Gallery said he expected to be ready to go well in advance of training camp.
--QB Andrew Walter will have surgery to repair damage to his left groin. He will be treated in Philadelphia by Dr. William Meyers, who repaired Donovan McNabb's sports hernia.
Walter battled the injury all season after being hurt in training camp.
REPORT CARD VS. GIANTS
PASSING OFFENSE
B -- Kerry Collins was 26-for-48 for 331 yards -- Oakland's biggest passing output since Week 3. He didn't throw an interception. The Raiders got big plays from Randy Moss (seven receptions, 116 yards, two touchdowns) and Doug Gabriel (eight receptions, 100 yards, one touchdown). Protection much improved over recent weeks. TE Randal Williams dropped two passes.
RUSHING OFFENSE
F -- One final slap in the face. The Raiders gained 25 yards on 17 carries against the Giants and couldn't score on four rushing attempts from the 1 in the fourth quarter with a chance to get back in the game. Oakland didn't rush for a first down. The Raiders finished 29th in rushing with 85.6 yards per game, 31st in attempts at 22.6.
PASS DEFENSE
C -- Oakland was decent in stretches but was done in by the big play. Plaxico Burress (five receptions, 128 yards) got loose for a 78-yard catch-and-run touchdown from Eli Manning because of overpursuit in the secondary. The Raiders never could figure out how to guard Tiki Barber out of the backfield (six receptions, 60 yards, long of 28 yards).
RUSH DEFENSE
F -- The Raiders gave up a season-high 211 yards on the ground, with Barber gaining 203 yards on 28 carries. Barber turned a simple run up the middle into a 95-yard run to begin the scoring. The rest of Barber's game -- 27 carries, 108 yards -- was more in line with how the Raiders played run defense this season, but the damage was done.
SPECIAL TEAMS
D-minus -- Two huge mistakes swung the game in favor of the Giants with the Raiders within 20-14. Denard Walker was called for a marginal illegal block in the back, negating Chris Carr's 33-yard punt return to the 49-yard line. Instead, the Raiders opened at their own 6, punted, and Chad Morton returned it 58 yards to set up a 1-yard touchdown by Brandon Jacobs. Game over.
COACHING
C -- Three huge plays -- a 95-yard touchdown run, a 78-yard touchdown pass and a 58-yard punt return -- had more to do with player breakdowns than coaching mistakes. The Raiders seemed resilient and ready to play despite their record. Norv Turner grossly mishandled his last chance at a touchdown, wasting time off the clock on four unsuccessful line smashes that came up empty with the team trailing 30-21.