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McQuistan starting again and other news
Posted by Jerry McDonald - NFL Writer on December 6th, 2006
Paul McQuistan confirmed what a single crutch in the locker of Corey Hulsey seemed to indicate.
There’s been another changing of the (left) guard, with McQuistan getting a second chance at being a stater, this time in place of Hulsey.
Hulsey is listed as doubtful and Art Shell believes original starter Barry Sims is still not ready to play, so McQuistan will be the third different player to start at that position this year.
As was suggested in Tuesday’s blog, getting McQuistan back in action is a good thing so the Raiders can get a second look at someone they were convinced would be a solid rookie starter at right guard only to shove him aside for Kevin Boothe in the third game of the season.
It hardly seemed fair at the time. McQusitan was talked up as the next Steve Wisniewski, Kevin Gogan or combination of the two, then promptly sent to the bench after drawing an incredibly difficult first two starting assignents _ a full strength San Diego and then Baltimore on the road.
Then Boothe gets to come in against Cleveland after a bye week.
McQuistan said he didn’t look at it that way. He also showed a fabulous gift for cliches, delivering a daily double with the classic line, “I’ve just got to roll with the punches and put my nose to the grindstone again.'’
He could have added he was just another spoke in the wheel, that he was going to keep plugging away and play ‘em one game at a time, but what do you expect for a rookie?
Guard Barry Sims is gradually getting in more practice time, but coach Art Shell said he is not inclined to start Sims right away because he has been out five weeks.
So flanking center Jake Grove against the Cincinnati Bengals will be McQuistan and Boothe, the third- and sixtrh-round draft picks from Weber State and Cornell.
Sounds like trouble on the surface, but perhaps not.
An educated guess as to how the Raiders think it can work in their favor:
With both McQuistan and Boothe starting, expect the Raiders to continue to shorten up their passing game as they did against Houston. Quarterback Aaron Brooks will be under orders to get the ball out quickly. They’ll look for seam routes and dumpoffs, and in the words of one insider, are “not going to sit back in the pocket and launch it every time.'’
The Raiders will look to run behind McQuistan and Chad Slaughter against the right side of the Cincinnati front four. Oh, and expect to see more of ReShard Lee carrying the ball.
The Raiders have a great deal of respect for left tackle Sam Adams, so McQuistan will go directly at John Thornton, with Slaughter taking on Justin Smith.
As unsightly as the Houston loss was, it was a huge upgrade in terms of scheme and playcalling. Erase the five turnovers, get another strong defensive effort, and who knows?
News and notes from Wednesday:
– DE Lance Johnstone needs minor surgery on his right knee either now or later. He said he’ll seek a second opinion next week in Alabama. He won’t play against Cincinnati, meaning Kevin Huntley will again be a nickel rusher.
Johnstone also has a broken toe, courtesy of Warren Sapp’s foot a few weeks back. He said compensating for the toe affected the knee.
– Cincinnati WR Chad Johnson told Bay Area reporters during a conference call he’s normally not one to talk up the opposition, but was glowing in his praise of Oakland corners Fabian Washington and Nnamdi Asomugha.
“Can I curse? You can bleep me out,'’ Johnson warned.
OK, Chad, go ahead.
“They’re (bleeping) good. Just bleep me out or ad-lib it. I watched them on film for the first time. Wendesday is the first team you really get a chance to look at them as a whole defense and I really didn’t pay the front, the linemen or the linebackers any attention. I just focused on the defensive backs. They are freakin’ blanketing everybody.
“Whether the guy makes the catch or not they’re always in the vicinity, in arm’s reach. And that’s surprising to me for a team to have that kind of trust in corners. Because it’s hard to play man-to-man, you know, part of the time. And the only times really get into man-to-man coverage is when they’re blitzing and leave a corner out there by himself. But it says a lot about the quality of corners that Oakland has. I have much, much more respect for those dudes after being able to see them on film because I haven’t been able to see Oakland in what, the past maybe three years. And watching them on film, they’re very good.'’
Johnson is riding one of the great hot streaks in NFL history, with 32 receptions for 664 yards in his last four games. The Raiders have not allowed more than 6 receptions to any one receiver or 89 yards to any one receiver all season long.
– PK Sebastian Janikowski is listed as probable with with a sore back and kicked during practice Wednesday. Last week Janikowski did not kick until Friday.
– Shell explained the reason for more use of Ronald Curry isn’t because he is replacing Alvis Whitted, it’s because the Raiders are using more three wide-receiver sets.
Posted by Jerry McDonald - NFL Writer on December 6th, 2006
Paul McQuistan confirmed what a single crutch in the locker of Corey Hulsey seemed to indicate.
There’s been another changing of the (left) guard, with McQuistan getting a second chance at being a stater, this time in place of Hulsey.
Hulsey is listed as doubtful and Art Shell believes original starter Barry Sims is still not ready to play, so McQuistan will be the third different player to start at that position this year.
As was suggested in Tuesday’s blog, getting McQuistan back in action is a good thing so the Raiders can get a second look at someone they were convinced would be a solid rookie starter at right guard only to shove him aside for Kevin Boothe in the third game of the season.
It hardly seemed fair at the time. McQusitan was talked up as the next Steve Wisniewski, Kevin Gogan or combination of the two, then promptly sent to the bench after drawing an incredibly difficult first two starting assignents _ a full strength San Diego and then Baltimore on the road.
Then Boothe gets to come in against Cleveland after a bye week.
McQuistan said he didn’t look at it that way. He also showed a fabulous gift for cliches, delivering a daily double with the classic line, “I’ve just got to roll with the punches and put my nose to the grindstone again.'’
He could have added he was just another spoke in the wheel, that he was going to keep plugging away and play ‘em one game at a time, but what do you expect for a rookie?
Guard Barry Sims is gradually getting in more practice time, but coach Art Shell said he is not inclined to start Sims right away because he has been out five weeks.
So flanking center Jake Grove against the Cincinnati Bengals will be McQuistan and Boothe, the third- and sixtrh-round draft picks from Weber State and Cornell.
Sounds like trouble on the surface, but perhaps not.
An educated guess as to how the Raiders think it can work in their favor:
With both McQuistan and Boothe starting, expect the Raiders to continue to shorten up their passing game as they did against Houston. Quarterback Aaron Brooks will be under orders to get the ball out quickly. They’ll look for seam routes and dumpoffs, and in the words of one insider, are “not going to sit back in the pocket and launch it every time.'’
The Raiders will look to run behind McQuistan and Chad Slaughter against the right side of the Cincinnati front four. Oh, and expect to see more of ReShard Lee carrying the ball.
The Raiders have a great deal of respect for left tackle Sam Adams, so McQuistan will go directly at John Thornton, with Slaughter taking on Justin Smith.
As unsightly as the Houston loss was, it was a huge upgrade in terms of scheme and playcalling. Erase the five turnovers, get another strong defensive effort, and who knows?
News and notes from Wednesday:
– DE Lance Johnstone needs minor surgery on his right knee either now or later. He said he’ll seek a second opinion next week in Alabama. He won’t play against Cincinnati, meaning Kevin Huntley will again be a nickel rusher.
Johnstone also has a broken toe, courtesy of Warren Sapp’s foot a few weeks back. He said compensating for the toe affected the knee.
– Cincinnati WR Chad Johnson told Bay Area reporters during a conference call he’s normally not one to talk up the opposition, but was glowing in his praise of Oakland corners Fabian Washington and Nnamdi Asomugha.
“Can I curse? You can bleep me out,'’ Johnson warned.
OK, Chad, go ahead.
“They’re (bleeping) good. Just bleep me out or ad-lib it. I watched them on film for the first time. Wendesday is the first team you really get a chance to look at them as a whole defense and I really didn’t pay the front, the linemen or the linebackers any attention. I just focused on the defensive backs. They are freakin’ blanketing everybody.
“Whether the guy makes the catch or not they’re always in the vicinity, in arm’s reach. And that’s surprising to me for a team to have that kind of trust in corners. Because it’s hard to play man-to-man, you know, part of the time. And the only times really get into man-to-man coverage is when they’re blitzing and leave a corner out there by himself. But it says a lot about the quality of corners that Oakland has. I have much, much more respect for those dudes after being able to see them on film because I haven’t been able to see Oakland in what, the past maybe three years. And watching them on film, they’re very good.'’
Johnson is riding one of the great hot streaks in NFL history, with 32 receptions for 664 yards in his last four games. The Raiders have not allowed more than 6 receptions to any one receiver or 89 yards to any one receiver all season long.
– PK Sebastian Janikowski is listed as probable with with a sore back and kicked during practice Wednesday. Last week Janikowski did not kick until Friday.
– Shell explained the reason for more use of Ronald Curry isn’t because he is replacing Alvis Whitted, it’s because the Raiders are using more three wide-receiver sets.
