Angry Pope
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Inside Slant
Posted 9/7/2006 3:16 AM ET
Aaron Brooks is either cool under pressure or aloof and disinterested.
He is strong-armed and mobile or error-prone and susceptible to sacks.
He is "Kerry Collins with legs" or just the man to lead the Oakland Raiders out of a 13-35 wilderness and back into relevance in the AFC West.
The truth is, the Raiders have no idea what they have at this point and won't until the season starts playing itself out Monday night against the San Diego Chargers.
The Raiders raised more than a few eyebrows with their decision to make Brooks their quarterback. Fair or not, he earned the reputation as a quarterback that will make the killer mistake instead of as a man who compiled a pretty respectable 43-43 overall record through the 2004 season with one of the NFL's worst franchises.
The Raiders, in the off-season, parted ways with Kerry Collins after what amounted to a charade in terms of renegotiating a contract. Collins — perhaps unfairly considering his 20-12 touchdown-to-interception ratio — was targeted as the reason the Raiders were 4-12, along with coach Norv Turner.
Both the quarterback and coach had to go to appease a dwindling ticket base. Coach Art Shell's return has been met with mostly approval from Raider Nation. Brooks has been mostly a wait-and-see proposition.
The Raiders' stayed on the sidelines when it came to available quarterbacks such as Drew Brees, Daunte Culpepper and Steve McNair.
There is a faction of the fan base that is convinced second-year quarterback Andrew Walter is the answer.
Instead, the Raiders pounced on Brooks when the Saints cut him loose. The Walter camp has been quieted somewhat by their man's shaky play plus a troublesome throwing shoulder.
Brooks said he has grown out of attempting to argue with the critics regarding his stay in New Orleans or his potential in Oakland.
"I correct people and all of a sudden they're coming back and they've got some more fuel to throw on the fire," Brooks said. "So I'm not going to get into proving points to people or having confrontations through the media. I don't need that in my life right now. This team doesn't need it either. New place, new start, new foundation, new beginning. Everything is great for me. I don't want to do anything to bring all that craziness here."
In the pre-season, Brooks recovered from a terrible start in his first two games to look extremely sharp in the next two. He made a brief, ineffective appearance in the Oakland's 30-7 loss to close out the pre-season against Seattle.
Under new offensive coordinator Tom Walsh, the Raiders have gone back to a power-running, vertical-passing system similar to the one they ran during Shell's last tenure in Oakland from 1989-94.
It puts pressure on the quarterback to hold the ball for longer periods of time than normal and stress on the offensive line to keep defenders away. If the Raiders, 32nd and 29th the last two seasons in rushing, continue on that road, it will be a long year for whoever quarterbacks the Raiders.
Shell promises the Raiders will run effectively. Which means Brooks must be the man to keep wide receiver Randy Moss happy. Whispers of a chemistry problem between the two were temporarily quieted when they connected for touchdown passes of 67 and 25 yards in a 21-3 win over the Detroit Lions.
On the first play, Moss blew past single coverage and was in the clear. On the second, Brooks threaded the ball between three defenders who had their backs turned.
While Brooks has said all the right things regarding Moss and his ability, he refuses to get into discussions about force-feeding the ball to the Raiders top talent.
"I'm not concerned about that," Brooks said. "I have to do my job, and I have to throw the ball in the right places at the right times. I can't be concerned about the Randy Ratio. I think Randy understands that. I think Randy understands that his touches are going to come. It's not about satisfying what people want to see. It's not about satisfying egos. It's about team concept and being productive as a unit and really just trying to get victories."
SERIES HISTORY: 93rd meeting. Raiders lead series 54-36-2, but Chargers have won last five games by an average margin of 17 points per game.
NOTES, QUOTES
—Raiders coach Art Shell has seen Marty Schottenheimer's dominance of the Raiders from both sides.
From 1990 through 1994, Schottenheimer's Kansas City Chiefs were 10-1 against the Raiders, including a playoff win in 1991. When Shell was fired by Al Davis in favor of Mike White, he joined Schottenheimer's staff in Kansas City as offensive line coach. The Chiefs won three out of four.
In San Diego, Schottenheimer's teams have beaten the Raiders the last five times, running his career record against the Raiders to 25-7.
Shell believes the best way to conquer a bully is to fight back.
"The constant is he's going to try and run the ball down your throat," Shell said. "He wants to get after you physically. That's our personality, too."
—Schottenheimer believes the Raiders will have a different look with Shell returning to the helm.
"There will be considerably more discipline in how they go about their tasks," Schottenheimer said. "The thing I admire about Art is, while it may appear on the surface there's not a flame burning down there, deep down we know there's a volcano he just keeps a lid on most of the time."
—In 10 games against the Raiders, LaDainian Tomlinson has averaged 27 carries and 122 yards, with a high of 243 yards on Dec. 28, 2003.
Former quarterback Drew Brees also had some of his biggest games against the Raiders, including one when he completed 22 of 25 passes and threw for five touchdowns.
So defensive tackle Warren Sapp's strategy is to put the pressure on Phillip Rivers, the third-year quarterback who replaced Brees.
"If they have it in their minds this is going to be a tough night to run the ball, then they're going to look to their young quarterback and say, 'The game is on you son. You've got to win it,'" Sapp said. "And who knows what that will take."
—Running back LaMont Jordan wants to be recognized as a player in the run-heavy AFC West. He cited LaDainian Tomlinson, Denver's army of quality backs and Larry Johnson in Kansas City as those who are stealing his thunder.
"In the AFC West you have to be able to run the ball," Jordan said. "You have L.J. out there in Kansas City. The first time I heard L.J. I thought somebody was referring to me. Then I realized who the real L.J. is. I've got to compete with that."
Jordan's nickname? "Boogie."
—The Raiders open the 2006 season without a Heisman Trophy winner on the roster for the first time since 1978.
Heisman winners were Jim Plunkett (1978-86), Marcus Allen (1982-92), Tim Brown (1988-03) and Charles Woodson (1998-05).
cont'd...
Posted 9/7/2006 3:16 AM ET
Aaron Brooks is either cool under pressure or aloof and disinterested.
He is strong-armed and mobile or error-prone and susceptible to sacks.
He is "Kerry Collins with legs" or just the man to lead the Oakland Raiders out of a 13-35 wilderness and back into relevance in the AFC West.
The truth is, the Raiders have no idea what they have at this point and won't until the season starts playing itself out Monday night against the San Diego Chargers.
The Raiders raised more than a few eyebrows with their decision to make Brooks their quarterback. Fair or not, he earned the reputation as a quarterback that will make the killer mistake instead of as a man who compiled a pretty respectable 43-43 overall record through the 2004 season with one of the NFL's worst franchises.
The Raiders, in the off-season, parted ways with Kerry Collins after what amounted to a charade in terms of renegotiating a contract. Collins — perhaps unfairly considering his 20-12 touchdown-to-interception ratio — was targeted as the reason the Raiders were 4-12, along with coach Norv Turner.
Both the quarterback and coach had to go to appease a dwindling ticket base. Coach Art Shell's return has been met with mostly approval from Raider Nation. Brooks has been mostly a wait-and-see proposition.
The Raiders' stayed on the sidelines when it came to available quarterbacks such as Drew Brees, Daunte Culpepper and Steve McNair.
There is a faction of the fan base that is convinced second-year quarterback Andrew Walter is the answer.
Instead, the Raiders pounced on Brooks when the Saints cut him loose. The Walter camp has been quieted somewhat by their man's shaky play plus a troublesome throwing shoulder.
Brooks said he has grown out of attempting to argue with the critics regarding his stay in New Orleans or his potential in Oakland.
"I correct people and all of a sudden they're coming back and they've got some more fuel to throw on the fire," Brooks said. "So I'm not going to get into proving points to people or having confrontations through the media. I don't need that in my life right now. This team doesn't need it either. New place, new start, new foundation, new beginning. Everything is great for me. I don't want to do anything to bring all that craziness here."
In the pre-season, Brooks recovered from a terrible start in his first two games to look extremely sharp in the next two. He made a brief, ineffective appearance in the Oakland's 30-7 loss to close out the pre-season against Seattle.
Under new offensive coordinator Tom Walsh, the Raiders have gone back to a power-running, vertical-passing system similar to the one they ran during Shell's last tenure in Oakland from 1989-94.
It puts pressure on the quarterback to hold the ball for longer periods of time than normal and stress on the offensive line to keep defenders away. If the Raiders, 32nd and 29th the last two seasons in rushing, continue on that road, it will be a long year for whoever quarterbacks the Raiders.
Shell promises the Raiders will run effectively. Which means Brooks must be the man to keep wide receiver Randy Moss happy. Whispers of a chemistry problem between the two were temporarily quieted when they connected for touchdown passes of 67 and 25 yards in a 21-3 win over the Detroit Lions.
On the first play, Moss blew past single coverage and was in the clear. On the second, Brooks threaded the ball between three defenders who had their backs turned.
While Brooks has said all the right things regarding Moss and his ability, he refuses to get into discussions about force-feeding the ball to the Raiders top talent.
"I'm not concerned about that," Brooks said. "I have to do my job, and I have to throw the ball in the right places at the right times. I can't be concerned about the Randy Ratio. I think Randy understands that. I think Randy understands that his touches are going to come. It's not about satisfying what people want to see. It's not about satisfying egos. It's about team concept and being productive as a unit and really just trying to get victories."
SERIES HISTORY: 93rd meeting. Raiders lead series 54-36-2, but Chargers have won last five games by an average margin of 17 points per game.
NOTES, QUOTES
—Raiders coach Art Shell has seen Marty Schottenheimer's dominance of the Raiders from both sides.
From 1990 through 1994, Schottenheimer's Kansas City Chiefs were 10-1 against the Raiders, including a playoff win in 1991. When Shell was fired by Al Davis in favor of Mike White, he joined Schottenheimer's staff in Kansas City as offensive line coach. The Chiefs won three out of four.
In San Diego, Schottenheimer's teams have beaten the Raiders the last five times, running his career record against the Raiders to 25-7.
Shell believes the best way to conquer a bully is to fight back.
"The constant is he's going to try and run the ball down your throat," Shell said. "He wants to get after you physically. That's our personality, too."
—Schottenheimer believes the Raiders will have a different look with Shell returning to the helm.
"There will be considerably more discipline in how they go about their tasks," Schottenheimer said. "The thing I admire about Art is, while it may appear on the surface there's not a flame burning down there, deep down we know there's a volcano he just keeps a lid on most of the time."
—In 10 games against the Raiders, LaDainian Tomlinson has averaged 27 carries and 122 yards, with a high of 243 yards on Dec. 28, 2003.
Former quarterback Drew Brees also had some of his biggest games against the Raiders, including one when he completed 22 of 25 passes and threw for five touchdowns.
So defensive tackle Warren Sapp's strategy is to put the pressure on Phillip Rivers, the third-year quarterback who replaced Brees.
"If they have it in their minds this is going to be a tough night to run the ball, then they're going to look to their young quarterback and say, 'The game is on you son. You've got to win it,'" Sapp said. "And who knows what that will take."
—Running back LaMont Jordan wants to be recognized as a player in the run-heavy AFC West. He cited LaDainian Tomlinson, Denver's army of quality backs and Larry Johnson in Kansas City as those who are stealing his thunder.
"In the AFC West you have to be able to run the ball," Jordan said. "You have L.J. out there in Kansas City. The first time I heard L.J. I thought somebody was referring to me. Then I realized who the real L.J. is. I've got to compete with that."
Jordan's nickname? "Boogie."
—The Raiders open the 2006 season without a Heisman Trophy winner on the roster for the first time since 1978.
Heisman winners were Jim Plunkett (1978-86), Marcus Allen (1982-92), Tim Brown (1988-03) and Charles Woodson (1998-05).
cont'd...