Brooks-to-Moss

Brooks gives us reasons to believe
Ray Ratto

Saturday, August 26, 2006


So we presume Randy Moss is happy again, knowing that he can actually be found downfield. We assume Aaron Brooks is delighted to know that he won't be Collinsed out of town before Labor Day. And somewhere, the millions of Raiders fans who wouldn't have been caught dead watching their boys play another bad team for practice, have busted out the Jagermeister and silver body paint.

Yes, these are happy times in Oakland, and not just because the A's are doing their August banshee two-step through the American League. Brooks and Moss have found each other, the Raiders are 4-0 in busywork games for the first time since 1975.

Not that that's the point, mind you. The Raiders cleverly scheduled the NFL's softest underbellies imaginable this summer -- the 6-10 Eagles, the 9-7 (but don't be fooled by that) Vikings, the 4-12 49ers and the 5-11 Lions.

But since the Raiders are themselves one of said underbellies, they were in no position to put on any airs, except maybe with the football. And with nothing to lose but their self-respect and everything to gain, they have so far run the table, including Friday's 21-3 beating of a Detroit team that thought so much of the game that they flew in on game day.

Friday, though, it was more than a mere victory over another grisly and jet-lagged Lions team. Brooks was cured, at least temporarily, of the things that made Raiders fans dream their dreamy dreams of Andrew Walter. Moss found open space and Brooks found him, plus Doug Gabriel, plus Randal Williams, plus Ronald Curry, plus (Shock! Awe! Gasp!) even Jerry Porter.

That's right, even the newest member of the Raiders Non-Person's club, who caught an 11-yard out early in the second quarter, was booed when he caught it, but only a bit. Things were going too good for the crowd to object too much to one more first down.

Then again, there wasn't much of a crowd with which to build up any lingering animosity. Although the official crowd count was given as 43,889, there were barely 25,000 people in the building, and some of them were in Dayglo yellow coats hawking cotton candy and frozen malts. The Raiders are still a tough sell, even in these meaninglessly happy times.

But that's not the point of the evening, unless your life dreams include chartered accountancy. The Raiders finally got Brooks and the passing game fully acquainted, and even when he wasn't finding Moss scandalously open behind Fernando Bryant on the game's third play, he was finding him in a field of three Lions for a 25-yard score later in the half.

And when it wasn't Moss, it was Gabriel or someone else free beneath the Lions zone, or Brooks breaking out of the pocket in an intrepid but controlled fashion. This was the good Brooks the Raiders had heard about all these past months, and just when folks started to worry that the season might deteriorate into bad will and public recriminations even before the first real game.

"He's getting more comfortable," Raiders coach Art Shell said of Brooks. "He's clearing the old systems out of his head and putting in the new one. He's getting the system down more every week."

Brooks, ever the crafty politician, agreed.

"I was in one system (in New Orleans) for seven years," he said, "and this is my eighth year. That's why I tell you guys this is a process. Not only do I have to go through the process, but all the other players have to go through it, too."

There were indeed plenty of good things to unearth from the victory, which Comrade White has exhaustively catalogued for you, but because Brooks was the most troublesome issue, his nine completions in 15 tries for 187 yards and two scores looked even better than they actually were. I mean, he was throwing against the Lions, remember?

Still, command in the pocket is command in the pocket, and seeing the field while going through his full set of progressions is seeing the field. Not that Shell was going to seriously entertain the possibility of playing Walter in the season opener (Shell is a man whose opinions are not easily shifted once they are formed, as we know, and anyway, Walter being out Friday surely further delayed his inevitable debut), but this was the game Shell could point to when someone asked the nettlesome question, "But why do you believe in him so?"

Now if you think that isn't a load off his mind, then you don't know either Shell or the army of people ready to turn on Brooks the way they turned on Kerry Collins. Brooks needed to show just what he did Friday night, and other than catching a bit of stick for kneeling three times to run out the last 1:25 of the first half, he met and exceeded expectations.

Now whether this means new expectations before the San Diego game 16 days from now is another matter. Wasting the talents of Moss and LaMont Jordan is a sin that results in fairly comprehensive punishment, and Brooks will always be on the hook for that.

But Friday, he showed for the first time a full appreciation of the weapons beside him in the huddle, and full knowledge of how to make them operational at the line of scrimmage. This may not be the season that turns around this franchise's fortunes -- the real schedule has lots of teams prepared to put the Lions to shame, even when they splurge for an overnight stay -- but there are at least possibilities now.
 
New No. 2 Walter sits this one out

Bruce Adams

Saturday, August 26, 2006

Andrew Walter, the No. 2 quarterback on the Raiders' depth chart, was held out of Friday night's game with a sore throwing shoulder. Coach Art Shell said the decision not to play Walter was made before the game.

"He has tendinitis-bursitis in his shoulder," Shell said. "There were certain throws he couldn't make."

Walter cleared out of the locker room before reporters were let in after the game.

Starter Aaron Brooks and the first-team offense played the entire first half. Then No. 3 Marques Tuiasosopo started the third quarter.

Walter was seen warming up before the game but was on the sidelines in a warm-up jacket and baseball cap during the game.

Walter missed one day of practice this past week -- sitting out Tuesday with what Shell called a tired arm. He returned to practice and was throwing normally on Wednesday.

Coming into the game, Walter was the most productive of the Raiders quarterbacks. In three exhibition games, he completed 21 passes in 39 attempts for 293 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions. He had a team-best quarterback rating of 65.4, compared with Brooks' 58.7 and Tuiasosopo's 42.5.

Walter had apparently displaced Tuiasosopo, who was the No. 2 quarterback in his four years with the Raiders. Taken by the Raiders in the third round of the 2005 draft out of Arizona State, Walter was inactive for all 16 regular-season games last year.

New in the middle: Corey Hulsey, a guard in his last two years with the Raiders, made his first start at center - filling in for the injured Jake Grove (shoulder).

"At first, your nerves are going crazy," Hulsey said. "You settle down and it was alright."

Hulsey was also required to make the calls on the line, which was an adjustment for him.

"You play guard, you know what to do," he said. "But you're not the one running the whole line."

Injury updates: Shell said the Raiders came out of the game without any serious injuries.

Linebacker Grant Irons left the game with a slight concussion, linebacker Darnell Bing sprained his neck - with Shell saying X-rays were fine - and guard Kelvin Garmon went to the sidelines with muscle spasms.

Good D, no O: Nearing the end of the first half, with the Raiders leading 21-0, the Lions were driving downfield when the defense came up with a drive-killing turnover.

Detroit quarterback Jon Kitna scrambled, left the pocket and began running downfield when he was hammered from behind by end Tyler Brayton - causing a fumble. Safety Derrick Gibson recovered, giving the Raiders the ball at their own 30 with 1:25 remaining in the half.

The Raiders ran out the clock, with Brooks taking three straight knees.

Jordan scare: Running back LaMont Jordan limped off the field after a 10-yard run in the first quarter -- favoring his right leg. He returned on the next drive, catching a 15-yard pass from Brooks on the first play.

Curry back: Wide receiver Ronald Curry, who just rejoined the team Tuesday after sitting out with an Achilles tendon injury, caught a 7-yard pass in the first quarter.
 
Raiders Tame Lions 21-3

The Oakland Raiders defeated the Detroit Lions at McAfee Coliseum in Oakland. QB Aaron Brooks went 9 of 15 for 187 yards and two touchdowns - both to WR Randy Moss. Moss hauled in three passes on the night for 102 yards. RB Justin Fargas led the way on the ground with 10 carries for 62 yards. RB LaMont Jordan added a 14-yard touchdown run for the Raiders.
The Raiders won the opening coin toss and elected to receive. CB Chris Carr returned K Jason Hanson's opening kickoff 32 yards to the Raiders 36-yard line. Two plays later QB Aaron Brooks threw a perfect strike deep down the middle of the field to WR Randy Moss who rambled into the end zone for a 63-yard touchdown reception. K Sebastian Janikowski's subsequent extra point gave the Silver and Black a 7-0 lead after just 1:00 of play in the first quarter.

The two teams traded punts, with DE Derrick Burgess helping to put a stop to Detroit's first possession with a 10-yard sack of Lions' QB Jon Kitna. During the Lions' second drive, Detroit drove to the Raiders 32-yard line before a holding call backed them up to the Oakland 42. Second-year LB Kirk Morrison picked off a Kitna pass on 2nd and 20, and returned the interception 12 yards to the Raiders 41.

Brooks then found RB LaMont Jordan who made some nifty moves en route to a 15-yard gain. After a 4-yard pass to TE Randal Williams, Jordan plowed his way over the right side for a yard. On 3rd and 5, WR Ronald Curry snagged a pass for seven yards and a 1st down at the Lions' 32. Brooks' first down pass for WR Doug Gabriel in the end zone was overthrown and fell incomplete. Jordan then danced his way to the 29 on a draw play, bringing up 3rd and 7 as the first quarter came to a close. Brooks then found Moss over the middle for 14 yards and a first down at the 15. A holding call backed the Raiders up to the Lions' 25. Brooks was forced to throw the ball away on 1st and 20, bringing up 2nd and 20. Brooks then threw a laser beam to the end zone and Moss made an amazing catch and kept his feet in bounds for the score. Janikowski's PAT capped off the 9-play. 59-yard drive which out the Raiders up 14-0 with 13:39 left in the 2nd quarter.

After the Raiders forced a Lions' punt, Brooks orchestrated another scoring drive with passes to TE Courtney Anderson, and WRs Doug Gabriel and Jerry Porter. Jordan capped off the 6-play, 75-yard drive with a 14-yard touchdown run. Janikowski's PAT put the Raiders up 21-0 with 8:51 left in the 2nd quarter.

Raiders DE Tyler Brayton put and end to the Lions last possession of the first half with a devastating hit on Kitna during a scramble. Kitna fumbled on the play and the Raiders recovered. Brooks took a knee on three straight plays to end the first half.

Kitna started the second half at quarterback for Detroit, but was unable to generate any points. Dan Orlovsky relieved him at quarterback. The Lions got on the scoreboard in the 3rd quarter when Hanson capped off a 8-play, 62-yard drive with a 38-yard field goal, cutting the Raiders lead to 21-3 with 2:12 left in the 3rd quarter.

The Raiders drove into Detroit territory with Marques Tuiasosopo at the helm, but TE O.J. Santiago fumbled the ball back to the Lions.

Both teams moved the ball back and forth between the 30s but were unable to score the rest of the way. Carr ended the Lions' finale scoring opportunity when he intercepted an Orlovsky pass with 1:01 left to play.

The Oakland Raiders improve to 4-0 on the 2006 preseason. The Silver and Black will travel to Seattle next week to take on the Seahawks on Thursday, August 31st in their final preseason game.
 
That was great to see Brooks and Moss' timing down with each other.....I will be back later.
 
Anyone have a video link on the Moss TD's ?? I didn't see the game, but it sounded pretty damn exciting on the internet feed.

Not that this comment will be very original or illuminating, but if there was ANY doubt about our starting QB, it's over now. Brooks will start the year and get his full 1-year audition IMHO. Frankly, Walter didn't do much of note to win the job anyway IMO. By all accounts I've heard & read, he didn't outplay Brooks during camp and aside from beating up on the 49er scrubs the past two preseasons, what has he really done?

Oh, and he has a 'sore arm'.

Time to support Aaron Brooks to the hilt.....
 
Yeah he has a sore arm. :rolleyes:

I guess I agree although I was starting to think might as well go with Walter since the team has little to lose. Brooks' play in the first 3 games had been dismal from all accounts and now he's back to being the god of the QB battle. Well, OK, whatever. We'll see. One decent game really doens't make him the next coming but I guess it's soemthing that he looked pretty good last night. Of course I didn't see it cuz there was no love TV up here. :mad:

Back to Walter, the first thing I thought when I heard he had a sore arm was "Scott Dreisbach". :eek:
 
One thing to keep in mind is that Walter has played very little in two years. He was injured in college and he was injured during preseason last year. His first game this year his wasn't impressive but neither was Brooks.

Although Walter did well against the scrubs, he didn't have the benefit of playing with the first team...that is..the first team weapons and the first team offensive line.

For me, he performed as he should have performed, he did well as what we expected with what he had around him.

He does show some good skills that will make him a good quarterback in the future. Brooks just rose to the challenge and played like a veteran quarterback.

As for the sore arm, Gannon went through a stretch of a season where he had a sore arm as well. That was when Callahan had him passing forty times or more a game.
 
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Some of my thoughts on the game and in general...

Walsh has been doing a great job in a lot of different areas. He has gone up against the 3-4 and the Cover 2 and we have picked those defenses apart.

Walsh has also implemented checkdowns not only to open the offense but to provide safeguards against a young offensive line, quarterbacks getting used to a new system, and familiarity our quarterbacks have to new receivers.

The mayor has also mixed the play selections pretty well and has been creative.

Jordan is getting very good at picking up the blitzes and laying nice blocks in protection.

Schweigert appears to be tackling better this season.

Stanford Routt has looked very good. In this game, he missed a tackle that eventually set up the three points the Lions scored. I am very impressed with his confidence and agressiveness and all around play.

The secondary, what can you say, they are exciting to watch.

McQuistan looks very comfortable out there and I saw him pick up a stunt. With Gallery being known to run downfield run blocking and McQ on the other side and his mean streak blocking downfield, this running game is going to be special in my opinion. He is very quick when pulling.

As far as Gallery goes, he is progressing but needs to get mean and just kill someone....needs to be more agressive. He has whiffed on a couple of blocks. He also picked up a stunt but then missed one.

Brooks passes were perfect...in good positions for the catch. He also steps up in the pocket when feeling the pocket collapse. He goes through his progressions and is decisive. With Walsh adding a few different outlets on each play, I like that he is able to spot the open man quickly so far. His timing with Moss is a lot better much to our enjoyment.

Jordan pretended set at the line of scrimmage after the snap to block but leaked out where Brooks hit him in stride for a nice gain.

Our linebackers sure are quick to fill gaps but we need some more defensive tackles.

Rashad Moore is not aggressive enough and looks very slow.

Hawthorne is great. He takes no plays off and has a nice and consistent motor. He remembers to put up his hands (as does Sands), he busts through the line, collapses the pocket and drives his man back more often than not.

Tommy Kelly hasn't really done very much to set himself apart.

Sands can penetrate besides anchoring as well as drive his man back....he played well.

It is great that we got to play against a running quarterback. The different looks on offense confused our secondary. The lions were putting a guy in motion and he sets up where there are already two receivers. I am sure they will review that and adjust so that we are ready for it in the regular season.

Gibson did a nice job sniffing out a screen play.

Huntley is very active and gets into the backfield to apply pressure pretty well. He also came all the way back downfield, twice to help make the tackle on the ball carrier...that was nice hustle.

Fargas was more decisive today...picking his holes quicker, less wasted motion and he ran hard. All the other guys in the backfield block well and Fargas does on occasion but he needs to improve there.

EDIT: I forgot to mention Hulsey. He did very well both with the signal calls, helping other linemen out, and maintaining his blocks. He did well.

Garmon seems that run blocking is easier for him than pass blocking. It appeared that when he was having problems, it was almost always on pass plays.
 
Benedict: Great job. I'm going to add my thoughts to your post since I mostly agree.

Walsh is serving up an excellent bed and breakfast offense. Crow omlettes and raspberry crepes for all the doubters. :p

I think Jordan is better at blocking because the scheme in front of him is more predictable. It's probably because the guys are getting it right now.

Stu is better at tackling, Routt needs to get with his program. But yep, overall the secondary is killer. It's fun watching Aso mirror the big WR's and Fabs taking on the quick guys.

McQ is definitely the shit! I've seen a couple Wiz-like late play pancakes on the opposite side of the field. He don't stop until the whistle. NICE!

Gallery has been repeatedly beaten by spin moves. I think he's getting his inside hand/arm caught because it should be there to catch the guy and isn't. I think both he and Walker could us a little more work on the backpedal and shuffle since they take too large steps at times and get caught off balance.

Garmon was indeed caught a couple times in pass protection, but it appears to me that we're playing an area protection scheme, and Garmon has been caught without a rusher at the snap and looking the wrong way when a man gets handed off to him. But he did a great job picking Gallery up a couple times when Gallery got caught off-balance: once deep and once inside. I was suitably impressed.

I would go to war with the 5 guys we started Friday, because they WILL improve with more time together.

Brooks was a little loose at times yesterday, but I would be pleased with that kind of production on a regular basis, even if the deep connections were just intermediate ones, because we'd keep drives alive. Solid work. Part of what makes him so comfortable is the approach of BOTH Shell and Walsh. There is no internal clock, there are no must-complete progressions. The QB is expected to react to what happens on every play. The OL is told to block as long as they possibly can. If he doesn't see it happening, and he has a lane, run. If he's got time, let them get open. It's all on him to make it work. Brooks has said the freedom is refreshing.

We're 6 deep at LB! Is that some shit? I can't remember the last time we were 6 deep. if I include Robert Thomas we're 7 deep. And the 1's are incredible. With Bing and Irons, we've got some crazy speed and depth. Clark and Thomas bring the veteran touch. Excellent stuff! We could keep freshlegs on the field all game, even if we're taking it in the shorts in T.O.P. And if we feel like a little 3-4, dangerous!

Here's my take on Kelly. Dude is playing the NT, and that's a far cry from DE. Big change. BUT, he's usually getting penetration before he tries to anchor, which is excellent. He's going to have to get a feel for beating the doubleteam, but that will come with experience.

Sands was a revelation yesterday. When dude is man-up with a gap responsibility, he can beat just about anyone. Holy crap! he doesn't get penetration like Kelly or Hawthorne against the double, and looks the least effective of the three against it. Very odd. But man up, he was punking guys, just running through them.

Hawthorne got a series agains Detroit's 1's. He was able to get good penetration against the double, but wasn't as effective as he was against the 2's. Oh there's a shock. Right now it doesn't look like we have a guy who can consistently beat the double. Kelly and Hawthorne look to have the most upside. Strangely enough, Sands looks like a great backup to Sapp, and he allows us to ignore strength changes on offense by just shifting alignment. Nice.

I think we'll be okay at DT. DE also looks okay. Johnstone still has quite a bit in him, and plays the run almost as well as Burgess. They both penetrate well and then get off their blocks to make a play. Good stuff. Brayton is a little slower off his block since he isn't as quick off the snap and gets a little more into the body than the other two. Hamilton is slowing down, but still has all his tricks. Huntley is really quick, but he is a little too aggressive and can get caught out of position. He was better this game than the 1st two. Maybe he's catching on.

Fargas played much better, and looks like a solid backup, FINALLY.

Gabriel still drops catchable passes, as does Williams, grrrr. It was great to see Curry back on the field. Did a Tim Brown dive after the catch. Smart move kid, smart move. You're a possession receiver now. Lull the defense to sleep, and then strike deep. All in good time. Porter left his feet to catch a chest-high pass again. Dumbass. But he still gets open like before. Morant running with the 1's. Man do we have some tools at WR!

Anderson looks great at TE. Dude is just huge! 6-6 270 and is pretty damned quick regardless of size. He won't just bet bumped out of bounds. It'll take a decent lick.
 
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Random observations on the Lions game

Phil Barber

OK, Art Shell and Ted Daisher, can we call off the Doug Gabriel experiment yet? Throughout training camp and the preseason, Gabriel and Chris Carr have shared duties on punt and kickoff returns. Carr takes a few too many risks, but he's an electric open-field runner. That was in evidence Friday night, when he was one toe tackle away from a possible touchdown on the opening kickoff, and later when he made about five guys miss on a punt return.

And Gabriel? He has fumbled two punts this summer. Fortunately for the Raiders, they managed to get both of them back. Even if he manages to hang onto the ball, Gabriel is more straight-line fast than quick, which doesn't suit him well to kick returns. It's time to hand the job to Carr.

And speaking of Gabriel, I hate to pile on but he drops too many passes. We've seen it at training camp, and we saw it again against Detroit, on Aaron Brooks' first pass of the night. If Jerry Porter can screw his head on tight and Ronald Curry can go a few games without a major injury, Gabriel might soon find himself the Raiders' fourth receiver.

CAPTAIN KIRK

Middle linebacker Kirk Morrison was all over the field Friday. He tied for the team lead (with Jarrod Cooper) with six tackles - some of them were superb plays -- intercepted one pass with a nice catch and broke up another from an unexpected angle. Morrison isn't as big as many Mike backers, and he isn't super-fast. But he's proving in his second season that he has the diagnostic skills to justify Danny Clark's demotion to the bench.

GOOD CATCHER/BAD CATCHER

The Raiders wasted no time getting Curry onto the field, sending him out as a slot receiver only three days after his first practice of 2006. (That would seem to reinforce Curry's notion that the team was sitting on him all summer rather than continually evaluating his Achilles' injury, but that's another story.) And when Brooks hit him with a little seven-yard hook late in the first quarter, the crowd swelled with cheers.

On the Raiders' next possession, Porter hauled in a 12-yard pass at the sideline. This time, the reaction was mostly a rain of boos. Raider Nation is pugnaciously, almost insanely loyal to its players. But when you cross the line, the Nation doesn't forget.

WAS IT SOMETHING WE SAID?

Randy Moss was simply spectacular. There are other guys who can race past a corner like he's standing still and snag a 63-yard touchdown pass in stride. There are others who can leap like a gazelle, spin to their right and negotiate the back line of the end zone with three defenders in pursuit. But few in the NFL can do both, as Moss did Friday.

Unfortunately, after two pleasant and interesting interviews - after the games in Canton and Minneapolis - Moss seems to have reinstituted his ban on the media.

FINAL AUDITION

Tyrone Poole, the odds-on favorite to end up as the Raiders' nickel back in passing situations, had also been getting work as a second-team cornerback. Friday night, the latter job went to another veteran newcomer, Duane Starks.

With the first round of cuts coming Tuesday, this seemed like a final test for Starks, who has major injury issues. (He missed half of the 2005 season with a shoulder problem that isn't entirely behind him.) If it was, Starks met the challenge, making a couple of good-looking tackles.
 
I think the exact same thing of Moore as you do. He's slow to react, and doesn't demonstrate much power. In a guy his size I would suggest that it is a lack of motivation. If the reason is lack of strength, which it appears to be, then why hasn't he developed it? At his size, I can understand his being a bit slow (not that those around him of similar size are as slow as he is), but at that size he should be quite strong (also similar to those around him). Neither seems to be the case. Could he be worth something next year after a solid program? He sure could. This year, he's an easy cut in my book.
 
This may have already been noted, but that was a NICE blitz p/u by LaMont Jordan.

Do you think Garmon held on the play? It appeared that way to me.
 
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