Angry Pope
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Inside Slant
Posted 9/1/2006
In bringing back Art Shell as head coach and making little effort to re-make the roster other than the draft, the Oakland Raiders made it clear who was accountable for the debacles of the last two seasons.
It was Norv Turner and Kerry Collins, and with the beleaguered coach and quarterback out of the picture, the Raiders could get back to being the Raiders.
Of course, Oakland's struggles pre-dated Turner and Collins by a year — the Raiders are 13-35 over the past three years. but it's hard to call the early days of the Shell regime anything but an unqualified success.
Oakland won its first four preseason games, the last two impressively. The Raiders built on an existing defense that was better than its statistical standing last season, and began to reap dividends with a retro offense featuring heavy-legged running and vertical passing.
Most important, Shell made it clear who was in charge. Not since Jon Gruden arrived in 1998 has the Raiders' head coach been so, well, coach-like.
"It starts with respect," Shell said. "You have to respect someone in order to gain respect. You've got to earn that. I'm the head coach, and they're the players, but still there has to be a mutual respect among us. And that's being done."
Shell wasted no time in getting the team's most influential veterans on board — wide receiver Randy Moss and defensive tackle Warren Sapp.
Moss has praised Shell's sense of discipline and likened him to Dennis Green, with whom Moss had his best years in Minnesota.
Whether it was merely a symbolic coincidence or something more, the Raiders became a better team the day Shell threw them off the field in the second practice on the last day of double sessions.
"That was something that hadn't happened to too many of us," Sapp said. "We took notice. We don't want to be put in a position where he's not pleased with us. And we've started playing really well."
The only Raider out of step with Shell was wide receiver Jerry Porter, who had an office blowup with the new coach in February and said he wanted to be traded. Porter has thus far stood as a man alone — one who no longer has a starting job.
Shell has acted decisively since Day 1, remaking the offensive line by shifting Robert Gallery from right tackle to left tackle, Barry Sims from left tackle to left guard and Langston Walker from left guard to right tackle. Rookie third-round pick Paul McQuistan was anointed the starting right guard.
Aaron Brooks began training camp as the No. 1 quarterback, held his position through a shaky start and improved dramatically to remove all doubt that he would be the starter over second-year man Andrew Walter. Shell never wavered even though Brooks was horrendous in the first two-preseason games.
Tyler Brayton, miscast as a linebacker, was made a starting defensive end. Kirk Morrison, a rookie starter at outside linebacker, moved to the middle to make room for second-round pick Thomas Howard. First-round pick Michael Huff moved in as the starting strong safety.
New special teams coach Ted Daisher has cracked the whip on those units and is getting the usual high-standard from punter Shane Lechler and much improved performance from Sebastian Janikowski, who went 3-for-3 from 50 yards and beyond through four preseason games.
Although owner Al Davis first offered the job to Louisville's Bobby Petrino, who turned it down, he is clearly more comfortable with Shell in charge. He has often said firing Shell before the club moved to Oakland in 1995 was one of his biggest regrets.
"I know who he is. I know what he wants. I know his drive and determination," Davis said. "The only thing I said about (Turner) when we made the change was I never did see the running game nor did I see the deep passing game. I wasn't being negative. It just didn't happen.
"I just know (Shell). It's a lot different. I know the guy. I have a good feeling about him and I respect what he has done, and I am a little mad at myself because I let him down back in '94."
That's not to say the Raiders aren't looking at some rough times. Their commitments to running the ball and stopping the run will meet the acid test in the AFC West, where Oakland is 2-16 over the past three years and was 0-6 last season.
More than scheme, both those areas require a group effort and a mindset Shell has been trying to establish since the day he was hired. Although he has said he expects the Raiders to compete for a championship every year, and has cited examples of teams which have reversed their fortunes in a year, Shell seems to understand that winning seven games or even reaching .500 would be a considerable upgrade.
"We've made some strides as a team," Shell said. "We're getting close, but we're not there. And we probably won't get there until the middle of the season. We're still a work in progress, there's still a lot of work to be done. You have to get better each week in this league."
COACHING: Art Shell, seventh year, was 54-38 with Raiders from 1989-94.
REMEMBERING: 2005 record: 4-12 (fourth in the AFC West).
PREDICTING: 2006 regular season record 7-9 (fourth in AFC West).
NOTES, QUOTES
—The surprise arrival of Jeff George the week of the final preseason game came as a surprise to quarterbacks coach Jim McElwain, who apparently wasn't one of the people who coach Art Shell said had been discussing George since February.
"It was kind of funny," George said. "I walked in and the quarterbacks coach didn't know who I was. He said, `Oh ... when did we get you?"
—Free-spirited safety and special teams player Jarrod Cooper says he's putting up a thousand dollars and two tickets to the Raiders-Steelers game to the fan who can show him the best Raider tattoo.
Cooper asked reporters to publish the club's address and will view pictures of the tattoos, but the final judging will be in person.
One problem, Cooper, who seemed to be formulating his idea on the fly, set the deadline for the contest at Oct. 31. The Raiders-Steelers game is Oct. 29.
—Left guard Barry Sims said he wasn't concerned when the offense flailed about in its first two preseason games in search of a semblance of rhythm. Sims said the problem was a lack of film study because both teams — Philadelphia and Minnesota — were in their first game.
"We didn't have a whole to go off of," Sims said. "Once we played the 49ers, and they had played a game, it was a situation where we could study them a little more and expect certain fronts and certain looks."
—Quarterback Aaron Brooks unleashed a 25-yard strike to Randy Moss against what appeared to be triple coverage, but didn't think he was forcing the ball. Not when he saw the jersey numbers of all three defenders.
"I was able to get it there faster than they were able to turn around," Brooks said.
BY THE NUMBERS: 5 — The amount of times in the past 32 regular-season games the Raiders held an opponent to 13 or less points. The Raiders held their first four preseason opponents to 13 or less.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "Is that an AARP meeting?" — Defensive tackle Warren Sapp as reporters surrounded newly-signed 38-year-old quarterback Jeff George.
STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL
When Jake Grove suffered a shoulder strain which should keep him out for three or four weeks, coach Art Shell had a surprise regarding his replacement.
Instead of Adam Treu, a veteran of 44 starts, it was Corey Hulsey, a reserve guard who had never started an NFL game at center. Hulsey started at left guard against the San Francisco 49ers in a preseason game, replacing the ailing Barry Sims (elbow), then made his debut at center against Detroit.
Hulsey is considered the more powerful player of the two, a crucial element considering Shell's proclamation that the Raiders will establish a running game between the tackles.
PLAYER TO WATCH: RB Rod Smart — Primarily a special teams player with Carolina, Smart's receiving skills could make him a key offensive contributor on third down plays.
DRAFT PICKS TO STICK:
Rd. 1/7, SS Michael Huff, Texas — Wasted little time replacing Derrick Gibson at strong safety but will be used all over the secondary.
Rd. 2/38 WLB Thomas Howard, UTEP — Inserted as starter since Day 1, his speed gives Raiders a different dimension and also can be used on special teams.
Rd. 3/69 RG Paul McQuistan, Boise State — Selected as a left tackle in April, he was the starting right guard by May because of his aggression and tenacity.
Rd. 4/101 LB Darnell Bing, USC — A safety in college, Bing may play on some specialty defenses and will contribute on special teams.
Rd. 6/176 G-T Kevin Boothe, Cornell — His strength, smarts and athletic ability make him a keeper, although he may watch as a rookie.
Rd. 7/214 C Chris Morris, Michigan State — Extremely smart player whose long-snapping skills should keep him around.
cont'd...
Posted 9/1/2006
In bringing back Art Shell as head coach and making little effort to re-make the roster other than the draft, the Oakland Raiders made it clear who was accountable for the debacles of the last two seasons.
It was Norv Turner and Kerry Collins, and with the beleaguered coach and quarterback out of the picture, the Raiders could get back to being the Raiders.
Of course, Oakland's struggles pre-dated Turner and Collins by a year — the Raiders are 13-35 over the past three years. but it's hard to call the early days of the Shell regime anything but an unqualified success.
Oakland won its first four preseason games, the last two impressively. The Raiders built on an existing defense that was better than its statistical standing last season, and began to reap dividends with a retro offense featuring heavy-legged running and vertical passing.
Most important, Shell made it clear who was in charge. Not since Jon Gruden arrived in 1998 has the Raiders' head coach been so, well, coach-like.
"It starts with respect," Shell said. "You have to respect someone in order to gain respect. You've got to earn that. I'm the head coach, and they're the players, but still there has to be a mutual respect among us. And that's being done."
Shell wasted no time in getting the team's most influential veterans on board — wide receiver Randy Moss and defensive tackle Warren Sapp.
Moss has praised Shell's sense of discipline and likened him to Dennis Green, with whom Moss had his best years in Minnesota.
Whether it was merely a symbolic coincidence or something more, the Raiders became a better team the day Shell threw them off the field in the second practice on the last day of double sessions.
"That was something that hadn't happened to too many of us," Sapp said. "We took notice. We don't want to be put in a position where he's not pleased with us. And we've started playing really well."
The only Raider out of step with Shell was wide receiver Jerry Porter, who had an office blowup with the new coach in February and said he wanted to be traded. Porter has thus far stood as a man alone — one who no longer has a starting job.
Shell has acted decisively since Day 1, remaking the offensive line by shifting Robert Gallery from right tackle to left tackle, Barry Sims from left tackle to left guard and Langston Walker from left guard to right tackle. Rookie third-round pick Paul McQuistan was anointed the starting right guard.
Aaron Brooks began training camp as the No. 1 quarterback, held his position through a shaky start and improved dramatically to remove all doubt that he would be the starter over second-year man Andrew Walter. Shell never wavered even though Brooks was horrendous in the first two-preseason games.
Tyler Brayton, miscast as a linebacker, was made a starting defensive end. Kirk Morrison, a rookie starter at outside linebacker, moved to the middle to make room for second-round pick Thomas Howard. First-round pick Michael Huff moved in as the starting strong safety.
New special teams coach Ted Daisher has cracked the whip on those units and is getting the usual high-standard from punter Shane Lechler and much improved performance from Sebastian Janikowski, who went 3-for-3 from 50 yards and beyond through four preseason games.
Although owner Al Davis first offered the job to Louisville's Bobby Petrino, who turned it down, he is clearly more comfortable with Shell in charge. He has often said firing Shell before the club moved to Oakland in 1995 was one of his biggest regrets.
"I know who he is. I know what he wants. I know his drive and determination," Davis said. "The only thing I said about (Turner) when we made the change was I never did see the running game nor did I see the deep passing game. I wasn't being negative. It just didn't happen.
"I just know (Shell). It's a lot different. I know the guy. I have a good feeling about him and I respect what he has done, and I am a little mad at myself because I let him down back in '94."
That's not to say the Raiders aren't looking at some rough times. Their commitments to running the ball and stopping the run will meet the acid test in the AFC West, where Oakland is 2-16 over the past three years and was 0-6 last season.
More than scheme, both those areas require a group effort and a mindset Shell has been trying to establish since the day he was hired. Although he has said he expects the Raiders to compete for a championship every year, and has cited examples of teams which have reversed their fortunes in a year, Shell seems to understand that winning seven games or even reaching .500 would be a considerable upgrade.
"We've made some strides as a team," Shell said. "We're getting close, but we're not there. And we probably won't get there until the middle of the season. We're still a work in progress, there's still a lot of work to be done. You have to get better each week in this league."
COACHING: Art Shell, seventh year, was 54-38 with Raiders from 1989-94.
REMEMBERING: 2005 record: 4-12 (fourth in the AFC West).
PREDICTING: 2006 regular season record 7-9 (fourth in AFC West).
NOTES, QUOTES
—The surprise arrival of Jeff George the week of the final preseason game came as a surprise to quarterbacks coach Jim McElwain, who apparently wasn't one of the people who coach Art Shell said had been discussing George since February.
"It was kind of funny," George said. "I walked in and the quarterbacks coach didn't know who I was. He said, `Oh ... when did we get you?"
—Free-spirited safety and special teams player Jarrod Cooper says he's putting up a thousand dollars and two tickets to the Raiders-Steelers game to the fan who can show him the best Raider tattoo.
Cooper asked reporters to publish the club's address and will view pictures of the tattoos, but the final judging will be in person.
One problem, Cooper, who seemed to be formulating his idea on the fly, set the deadline for the contest at Oct. 31. The Raiders-Steelers game is Oct. 29.
—Left guard Barry Sims said he wasn't concerned when the offense flailed about in its first two preseason games in search of a semblance of rhythm. Sims said the problem was a lack of film study because both teams — Philadelphia and Minnesota — were in their first game.
"We didn't have a whole to go off of," Sims said. "Once we played the 49ers, and they had played a game, it was a situation where we could study them a little more and expect certain fronts and certain looks."
—Quarterback Aaron Brooks unleashed a 25-yard strike to Randy Moss against what appeared to be triple coverage, but didn't think he was forcing the ball. Not when he saw the jersey numbers of all three defenders.
"I was able to get it there faster than they were able to turn around," Brooks said.
BY THE NUMBERS: 5 — The amount of times in the past 32 regular-season games the Raiders held an opponent to 13 or less points. The Raiders held their first four preseason opponents to 13 or less.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "Is that an AARP meeting?" — Defensive tackle Warren Sapp as reporters surrounded newly-signed 38-year-old quarterback Jeff George.
STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL
When Jake Grove suffered a shoulder strain which should keep him out for three or four weeks, coach Art Shell had a surprise regarding his replacement.
Instead of Adam Treu, a veteran of 44 starts, it was Corey Hulsey, a reserve guard who had never started an NFL game at center. Hulsey started at left guard against the San Francisco 49ers in a preseason game, replacing the ailing Barry Sims (elbow), then made his debut at center against Detroit.
Hulsey is considered the more powerful player of the two, a crucial element considering Shell's proclamation that the Raiders will establish a running game between the tackles.
PLAYER TO WATCH: RB Rod Smart — Primarily a special teams player with Carolina, Smart's receiving skills could make him a key offensive contributor on third down plays.
DRAFT PICKS TO STICK:
Rd. 1/7, SS Michael Huff, Texas — Wasted little time replacing Derrick Gibson at strong safety but will be used all over the secondary.
Rd. 2/38 WLB Thomas Howard, UTEP — Inserted as starter since Day 1, his speed gives Raiders a different dimension and also can be used on special teams.
Rd. 3/69 RG Paul McQuistan, Boise State — Selected as a left tackle in April, he was the starting right guard by May because of his aggression and tenacity.
Rd. 4/101 LB Darnell Bing, USC — A safety in college, Bing may play on some specialty defenses and will contribute on special teams.
Rd. 6/176 G-T Kevin Boothe, Cornell — His strength, smarts and athletic ability make him a keeper, although he may watch as a rookie.
Rd. 7/214 C Chris Morris, Michigan State — Extremely smart player whose long-snapping skills should keep him around.
cont'd...