Raiders vs. 49ers -- Post Game Analysis

Raider Nation

Raider Nation

Moral Compass
Joined
Oct 16, 2006
Messages
2,707
Reaction score
1,670
Good effort all around but of course, there are areas to improve.





What I liked:

  • Once again, the offensive line. Sims and Gallery really held down the left side. Cornell Green did a better job of pass-blocking than I had hoped for. The lone blemish? Jake Grove was again a step off. Newberry came in and immediately improved upon the run blocking up the middle in the 2nd quarter.
  • LaMont Jordan looked great. Yes, I'm the guy that has openly profused his concern over LaMont being able to handle the zone blocking scheme. And as I said in the pre-game thread, I'd rather be proven wrong than right. Tonight was a step in that direction. Good game, Lamont.
  • The tight ends. Sure seems like we have TE sewn up with Miller, Madsen, and Stewart doesn't it. Roll back the tape and look at Stewart's run-blocking in the 3rd quarter... this guy has a role on this team.
  • Tyler Brayton. Finally! A pass rush! He looked very quick getting up the field and pressuring the QB. He might work himself into a passing-down situational DT role yet.
  • Kirk Morrison. You sir, are a stud. I bow to you. You are the best player on this defense, bar none IMO.
  • I loved the fact that late in the game, when Mario Henderson was flagged for lining up too far off the LOS he was immediately pulled by Kiffin. Love it.





What I didn't like:

  • Still waiting for the WR group as a whole to get in sync with the QBs
  • Um, Michael Huff... that was a "punch the clock" performance if I've ever seen one (and I've NEVER been critical of you in the past)
  • It might just be me... but not having Darius available tonight made me a little bit uneasy about the S position.
  • Travis Taylor... that's 2 key dropped passes in 2 straight games. Not good.
  • Josh McCown is quickly earning the reputation of best practice quarterback/worst game quarterback
  • Every time I see Culpepper scramble I have the urge to grab a sheet of bubble wrap and twist it violently
  • Alvis Whitted needs to go away now. Does anybody else hope that the players "Davis likes that Kiffen doesn't" referred to in HB's Kirwan article pertains to Whitted?
  • Special Teams coverge was nothing to write home about tonight.
 
Raiders Fall to 49ers 26-21

August 18, 2007

On a cool, breezy, summer evening at Monster Park in San Francisco, The Oakland Raiders fell to the 49ers 26-21. QB Daunte Culpepper completed 6 of 8 pass attempts for 75 yards and 2 TDs, RB LaMont Jordan. had 8 carries for 67 yards and a TD, and TE John Madsen. caught 3 passes for 55 yards and a touchdown.

The Raiders won the opening coin toss ane elected to receive. K Joe Nedney’s opening kickoff bounced through the end zone for a touchback and the Raiders offense begane at their 20 with Andrew Walter. at quarterback. The Raiders were forced to punt after a shotgun snap on 3rd and 6 sailed over Walter’s head and was recovered at the 4-yard line. P Shane Lechler.’s punt was downed at the Oakland 41.

Alex Smith started at quarterback for San Francisco. After allowing one first down, the Raiders defense forced a field goal attempt. K Joe Nedney’s 43-yard field goal capped a five play, 15-yard drive and gave San Francisco a 3-0 lead with 10:53 left in the first quarter.

CB Chris Carr. downed Nedney’s ensuing kickoff in the end zone for a touchback and the Raiders offense took possession at their own 20. The 49ers forced a punt and took over at their own 39 after WR Brandon Williams returned Lechler’s 47-yard punt nine yards.

Nedney capped off the 7-play, 29-yard drive with a 50-yard field goal which gave the 49ers a 6-0 lead with 6:57 left in the 1st quarter.

Carr fielded Nedney’s kickoff in the end zone for a touchback. The Raiders first 1st down of the night came thanks to short passes to rookie TE Zach Miller. and WR Ronald Curry.. The Raiders drive ended when safety Mark Roman picked off a Walter pass and returned the interception to the Oakland 31.

Smith found TE Delanie Walker for a 19-yard scoring pass. Nedney’s PAT gave the 49ers a 13-0 lead with 3:34 left in the first quarter.

Carr returned the ensuing kickoff to the Raiders 23. RB LaMont Jordan. cashed in on a 3-yard touchdown run to cap off a 17-play, 77-yard drive. K Sebastian Janikowski.’s PAT cut the 49ers lead to 13-7 with 9:35 left in second quarter. The drive took 8:59 off the clock.

WR Bryan Gilmore returned the ensuing kickoff to the San Francisco 32. The Raiders held the 49ers to a three-and-out. P Andy Lee’s 37-yard punt was downed at the Oakland 30. Daunte Culpepper entered the game at quarterback for the Silver and Black.

Jordan ripped off a 32-yard run all the way to the 49ers 38. Culpepper finished the 9-play, 70-yard drive with a 12-yard touchdown pass to FB Zack Crockett.. Janikowski’s PAT gave the Raiders a 14-13 lead with 3:04 left in the second quarter.

The Raiders forced the 49ers into a field goal attempt. Nedney’s 45-yard field attempt missed wide right and the Raiders took over at their own 35 with :02 left in the 2nd quarter. After a short Fargas run, the Raiders took a one-point lead into the locker room at halftime.

The 49ers took the ball to start the second half and drove to midfield before the Raiders defense forced a punt. WR Johnnie Lee Higgins. returned the punt to the Raiders 20, and a penalty on San Francisco moved the ball to the 30. A few players later, Culpepper exploited a blown coverage and found TE John Madsen. for a 44-yard gain to the 5-yard line. Culpepper then hit Madsen for a 5-yard touchdown. Janikowski’s PAT gave the Raiders a 21-13 lead with 6:12 left in the 3rd quarter.

QB Trent Dilfer led the 49ers on a scoring march, Dilfer capped the drive with a three-yard TD pass to WR Ashley Lelie. K MacKenzie Hoambrecker’s PAT cut the Raiders lead to 21-20 with 1:08 left in the third quarter.

Josh McCown. entered the game at quarterback for the Silver and Black. The Raiders drove to the 49ers 29 before facing a 4th down. On 4th and 5, McCown’s pass fell incomplete and the 49ers took over at their own 29 with 12:43 left in the game.

The Raiders got the ball back after a 49ers punt. The 49ers forced a three-and-out and the Raiders were forced to punt. After Lechler’s punt, Shaun Hill entered the game at quarterback for San Francisco.

The Raiders forced a three-and-out of their own thanks to a 13-yard sack by DT Tyler Brayton.. Lee’s punt rolled to a stop at the Raiders 37. Several plays later, K Tyler Fredrickson missed a 40-yard field goal attempt and the 49ers took over at their own 30.

The 49ers mounted a late 10-play, 70-yard drive. RB Thomas Clayton scored from 1-yard out to put San Francisco up 26-21 with :47 left to play. The two-point conversion attempt failed.

McCown hit WR Alvis Whitted. for a 38-yard pass play to the 49ers 32. Twelve seconds remained on the clock when McCown spiked the ball. Whitted was unable to hang onto the ball in the end zone with :05 on the clock. McCown’s final throw of the night was knocked down in the end zone.

The Raiders fall to 1-1 on the 2007 Pre-Season and head home to face the St. Louis Rams at McAfee Coliseum next Friday night.
 
First quarter: 49ers 13, Raiders 0

Posted by Jerry McDonald - NFL Writer on Saturday at 7:49 pm
Scoring

49ers_Joe Nedney 43-yard field goal, 10:53

49ers_Nedney 50-yard field goal, 6:57

49ers_Delanie Walker 19-yard pass from Alex Smith, 3:34

Notes:

– Andrew Walter fumbled a shotgun formation snap deep in his own territory to set up the 49ers with the game's first points.

– Defensive end Derrick Burgess smothered Alex Smith on a deflected incomplete pass on third down, forcing the 49ers to settle for the field goal attempts.

– Travis Taylor dropped a nice throw by Walter on third-and-7 for what would have been a first down on the Raiders' second possession, forcing a three-and-out.

– Kirk Morrison sacked Alex Smith on a delayed middle blitz to put the 49ers in a third-and-17 situation that eventually forced them to settle for a 50-yard Nedney field goal after a 29-yard drive.

On third-and-17, Warren Sapp ranged to the sideline to stop Maurice Hicks on a screen pass for a 6-yard gain.

– Mark Roman intercepted an ill-advised Walter pass on a third-and-15 play to set the 49ers up with the ball on the Raiders side of the field. It helped set up a 19-yard touchdown pass from Smith to tight end Delanie Walker against Michael Huff. Smith threw the ball perfectly to Walker's left shoulder, giving Huff no chance to make a play.

– LaMont Jordan made his first appearance of the preseason with 3:28 to play and fumbled his first carry. He recovered his own fumble. The Raiders recovered and had a first down at the San Francisco 46 to open the second quarter.

Jordan caught a 19-yard checkdown pass on third-and-12 for a first down and had a 7-yard run. He would broke another run for 11 yards, but Jake Grove was called for holding Isaac Sopoaga.

Grove, competing with Jeremy Newberry for the starting job, had a false start to open the drive.



Second quarter: Raiders 14, 49ers 13

Posted by Jerry McDonald - NFL Writer on Saturday at 8:34 pm
Scoring

–Oakland, LaMont Jordan 3-yard run, 9:35

– Oakland, Zack Crockett 12-yard pass from Daunte Culpepper, 3:04

Notes:

– LaMont Jordan's 3-yard run capped a 77-yard, 18-play drive that consumed 8:59 off the clock. Jordan gained 34 yards on eight carries after fumbling on his first carry, looking strong and comfortable running behind the Raiders' zone blocking.

Andrew Walter recovered nicely from an interception that led to a 49ers touchdown, completing a 19-yards pass to Jordan, an 18-yard pass to Ronald Curry on second-and-14 and a 6-yard strike to Travis Taylor at the 3 on third-and-6.

– Daunte Culpepper again fumbled his first snap, but recovered to lead the Raiders on a nine-play, 70-yard drive which ended in a touchdown to Crockett on a flare pass to his left to give the Raiders a lead. Jordan had eight carries for 67 yards on the two scoring drives _ a better rushing total than he had in 15 of his 23 regular-season games as a Raider.

– With 3:04 left in the first half, teams heading toward the south end zone hold a 27-0 lead.

– Joe Nedney missed a 44-yard field goal wide right in a 49ers drive that stalled when guard Justin Smiley was called for back-to-back holding penalties in the red zone.



Third quarter: Raiders 21, 49ers 20

Posted by Jerry McDonald - NFL Writer on Saturday at 9:38 pm

Scoring

– Oakland, John Madsen 5-yard touchdown pass from Daunte Culpepper, 6:12.

– San Francisco, Ashley Lelie 1-yard pass from Trent Dilfer, 1:08.

Notes:

– John Madsen caught a 44-yard pass from Daunte Culpepper to help set up a 5-yard touchdown pass from Culpepper to Madsen for a 21-13 Raiders lead. Culpepper is balancing a disturbing habit of fumbling and juggling snaps with the ability to get out on the move and make plays.

His touchdown pass came on a roll to his right, and he also had a 13-yard run for a first down, finishing with a slide before being hit.

The Raiders have touchdown drives of 77, 70 and 70 yards.

– San Francisco came within 21-20 when Trent Dilfer hit Ashley Lelie with a 1-yard pass with 1:08 to play.

– Final blog and wrap-up will come later. Proximity to locker room requires departure before the game is over . . .



Final: 49ers 26, Raiders 21

Jerry McDonald

Scoring

SF_Thomas Clayton 1-yard run, 2:03

Notes:

– The 49ers drove 70 yards in 10 plays and withstood a late Raiders drive by Josh McCown to hold on for the victory.

– With less than 10 seconds remaining, a McCown pass hit Alvis Whitted in the end zone, with Whitted unable to hold on to the ball for the winning score. Whitted may have been pulled down by a defender before rising in an attempt to catch the ball. Whitted's 38-yard catch from McCown put the Raiders in position for the win.

– The Raiders finished with just one sack allowed and one turnover _ Mark Roman's 22-yard interception off Andrew Walter that led to a touchdown.

– LaMont Jordan, in his first action of the season, rushed for 67 yards on eight carries with a long of 32 yards. He scored one touchdown on a 1-yard run.

– Cornerback Fabian Washington went down in a heap in the first half along the Raiders sideline and did not return, but said afterward he was fine and had the wind knocked out of him.

– Quarterback Daunte Culpepper again fumbled his first snap, recovering it, but finished 6-for-8 for 75 yards and two touchdowns. He also had a 13-yard run for a first down and may have vaulted to the front of the quarterback race. Kiffin said he wasn't sure which quarterback would start Friday against the St. Louis Rams.
 
Last edited:
August 18, 2007

After taking a 13-0 lead with this 19-yard TD catch by Delanie Walker, the 49ers fell behind 21-13. A 1-yard pass from Trent Dilfer to Ashley Lelie late in the third quarter helped close the margin to within one.

1st Quarter, 49ers 13 - Raiders 0

Starting from their own 20 after Joe Nedney’s kickoff sailed into the end zone, the defense allowed Raiders RB Dominic Rhodes only two yards on his first down carry. Manny Lawson quickly wrapped up Rhodes on the following play for another 2-yard gain to bring up a 3rd and 6. A bad snap had quarterback Andrew Walter chasing the ball back wards which he finally recovered at the 4-yardline and was immediately tagged by Tarell Brown.

A 37 yard punt gave the 49ers the ball in Raiders territory at the 41. Quarterback Alex Smith ran a play fake and then hit tight end Vernon Davis who made one player miss to pick up 14 yards. Maurice Hicks picked up one yard on the ground, followed by a carry for no gain by Michael Robinson. On 3rd and 9, Smith’s pass was deflected at the line of scrimmage which led to a Joe Nedney 43-yard field goal to take an early 3-0 lead.

On 1st and 10 operating from their own 20 again, Walter aimed for Joey Porter but Shawntae Spencer was right there to help force an incompletion. Rhodes picked up three yards on the ground, but on 3rd and 7 Travis Taylor dropped a would-have been first down completion.

Brandon Williams fielded a difficult punt, avoided one hit to get 9 yards on the return, setting up Smith and the offense at their own 39-yardline with 9:51 to go.

Smith came out throwing, slinging a 16-yard completion to Darrell Jackson along the 49ers sidelines to move into Raiders territory at the 45. Smith took a shot deep to Jackson but overthrew his target. Hicks found a running lane out to his left for a 7-yard gain to bring up 3rd and 3. Smith threw to Taylor Jacobs and although the pass was incomplete, the 49ers picked up a first down with a pass interference call. Robinson picked up one yard and on 2nd and 9, Smith was sacked as linebacker Kirk Morrison came barreling up the middle for an 8-yard loss. On 3rd and 17, Smith found Hicks on a screen. Hicks dodged one defender but only came up with 6 yards on the play. Nedney converted a 50-yard field goal to up the 49ers to a 6-0 edge with 6:57 to play in the quarter.

A short Walter pass went to Zach Miller for a 5-yard pickup, followed by a short completion to Ronald Curry who got past Nate Clements to pick up a first down at the Raiders 30-yardline. The Raiders stuck with the passing attack with Walter hitting Rhodes on a pass that went for 8 yards when he slipped out of a Brandon Moore tackle. Linebacker Manny Lawson burst through the line to tag Rhodes in the backfield on the following play for a 6-yard loss. After an incomplete pass to Curry, safety Mark Roman picked off Walter and returned the ball 22 yards to the Raiders 31-yardline.

Smith scrambled for 7 yards, but the Raiders were called for holding and the 49ers opted to take the penalty to set themselves up at the Raiders 19-yardline with a fresh set of downs. Smith then fired to tight end Delanie Walker for a 19-yard touchdown and a 13-0 edge.

A false start set Oakland up at their own 18, looking at a 1st and 15. LaMont Jordan fumbled the ball and was soon hit by Derek Smith for a loss of 3. A 6-yard completion to Curry brought up a 3rd and 12, but Walter hit Jordan out to his left who had plenty of daylight. The veteran back got out to the Oakland 40 for a 19-yard gain. Jordan followed that up with a 7 and then 9 yard run, although his second carry was called back due to holding, setting up a 2nd and 13 play. Walter’s 17-yard strike to Curry ended the first quarter of play.

2nd Quarter, 49ers 13 – Raiders 14

Walter opened the quarter with an incomplete throw meant for Joey Porter, but runs of 9 and 1 yards apiece by Jordan moved the chains for Oakland. Walter overthrew Curry, followed by a 4-yard run by Jordan to bring up 3rd and 6 from the 49ers 32-yardline. Walter found Taylor over the middle for an 8-yard completion and a first down at the 25. Jordan jetted up the middle for a 7-yard gain Jordan followed that up with a 5-yard carry and another first down at the 14. Walter took a shot for the end zone but overthrew his target. Walter hit Miller who was immediately taken to the ground by Marcus Hudson for just a 4-yard gain. On 3rd and 3, Walter picked up the first down with a completion to Taylor at the 3.

Jacobs could not make the catch on a pass from Smith on 1st and 10. Hicks found only a yard on the ground, followed by a hurried pass along the sidelines that was incomplete, bringing on Andy Lee for his first punt of the game.

With 8:37 to go, Daunte Culpepper came in at quarterback and fumbled the first snap from Jeremy Newberry. On 2nd and 10, his handoff to Jordan went for an explosive 32 yard gain. Justin Fargas was then tagged in the backfield for a 2-yard loss by Parys Haralson and Jeff Ulbrich. On 2nd and 12, Culpepper threw to Fargas who was drilled by safety Dashon Goldson for only a 4-yard pickup. On 3rd and 8, the 49ers were flagged for being offsides to set up a 3rd and 3 at the 49ers 31-yardline. Culpepper’s 6-yard pass to John Madsen was more than enough to move the chains. Working from the 49ers 24-yardline, Fargas rolled his way towards the end zone for a 9-yard gain. On 2nd and 1 Fargas was stopped for no gain but on 3rd and 1 he picked up 4 yards and the first down at the 12. Zack Crockett caught a short pass from Culpepper to go 12 yards for a Raiders touchdown and a 14-13 lead with 3:04 to go in the quarter.

A 6-yard run by Robinson led to a 20-yard Smith pass to Ashley Lelie to set the 49ers up in Oakland territory at the 43 at the two-minute warning. A 1-yard run by Robinson set up another pass to Lelie, this time a 14-yarder completion at the Raiders 28-yardline. A delay of game penalty on Lelie back the 49ers to the 33-yardline, but Smith then delivered to Davis for a 15-yard gain at the 18. Back to back holding calls on Justin Smiley pushed the 49ers all the way to the 38-yardline looking at a 1st and 30 with 43 ticks to go in the quarter. Smith threw a short pass to Robinson who avoided a few defenders but only picked up 2 yards. Smith then scrambled for 9 to bring up 3rd and 19 with 7 seconds. Nedney came on and missed a 45- yard field goal try.

3rd Quarter, 49ers 20 – Raiders 21

RB Arkee Whitlock started off the second half with an 11-yard gain that was negated due to a holding penalty against Billy Bajema. A penalty for encroachment against Oakland then put the 49ers at a 1st and 9 from their own 9. Whitlock carried the ball twice and netted six yards to set up a 3rd and 3 which Trent Dilfer converted on with a scramble up the middle for 13 yards. Dilfer found Zak Keasey on a short pass that Keasey was able to turn upfield for another 13-yard pickup out to the 41. Whitlock took a carry up the middle for a 4-yard gain, and then ran off right tackle for five yards to set up a 3rd and 1 at midfield. The line was pushed back by the Raiders defense which dropped Whitlock for a 1-yard loss.

After the punt, Oakland started with the ball at the 30. Culpepper’s pass to Mike Williams went for 4 yards. After another fumbled snap on 2nd down, Culpepper was able to move the chains with a 13-yard scramble. After an incompletion to Williams, Culpepper found a wide open John Madsen who broke one tackle and then dashed his way down to the five for a 44-yard gain. Culpepper took a strike at the end zone with Williams coming close to making a touchdown grab on a second attempt. On 2nd and 5, Culpepper avoided pressure from rookie Jay Moore and threw to Madsen for the 5-yard score.

After an incomplete Dilfer pass, the 49ers gained five when Oakland was called for encroachment. Rookie RB Thomas Clayton then weaved his way for a 13-yard gain on the ground out to the 49ers 47-yardline. An illegal contact penalty set the 49ers up at the Oakland 49 with a 1st and 10. Clayton managed to pick up 2 on the ground and led to a 2nd and 8 throw where Bryan Gilmore showed outstanding effort to make a leaping 15-yard catch at the Oakland 31. Dilfer was almost picked over the middle, and the 49ers then stayed on the ground with a 4-yard gain by Clayton. On 3rd and 6, Gilmore again made a nice grab for 7 yards and the first down at the 20. Dilfer went back to a steady find in Gilmore who made a 13-yard catch at the 6. Dilfer avoided the pass rush and fired to Clayton who fought to make it across the goal line but was held up at the 1. Forced out of the pocket, Dilfer had to throw the ball away to avoid a sack setting up a 3rd and goal from the 1. Dilfer gunned it to Lelie on a quick slant for the touchdown score with 1:08 left in the quarter. The 11-play, 71-yard scoring drive closed the 49ers to within 1.

A 1-yard pass from quarterback Josh McCown to Oren O’Neal, followed by a 6-yard run by Fargas ended the quarter.

After being called for a false start, Fargas carried for one yard to end the half.
 
Culpepper looks sharp, but Niners beat Raiders 26-21 in Battle of the Bay

GREG BEACHAM

08/18/2007

SAN FRANCISCO—If Daunte Culpepper can just hold on to the ball, he might be ready to become the Oakland Raiders' starting quarterback.
Alex Smith and the San Francisco 49ers' offensive starters also looked well-prepared before their backups won the annual Battle of the Bay.

Culpepper passed for 75 yards and threw touchdown passes to John Madsen and Zack Crockett, but 49ers rookie Thomas Clayton scored on a 1-yard plunge with 47 seconds left in San Francisco's 26-21 preseason victory Saturday night.

Culpepper, the former Minnesota star who signed with the Raiders on July 31, made the biggest impression on a Candlestick Park crowd harmoniously split between fans of the Bay Area's NFL clubs.

After a lost season in Miami, Culpepper is hoping to regain his Pro Bowl form with Oakland (1-1). He went 6-of-8, didn't throw an interception and even scrambled 13 yards for a first down.

Except for two fumbled snaps by a quarterback well known for his butterfingers, he looked sharp against the 49ers (1-1) in a performance that should put him in the lead in his three-man derby with Andrew Walter and Josh McCown—and with No. 1 pick JaMarcus Russell still apparently nowhere close to signing a contract.

But San Francisco jumped to a 13-0 lead in the first quarter, scoring on its first three drives while the Oakland offense floundered under Walter.

"We started off strong, but then they started converting some third downs," San Francisco linebacker Derek Smith said. "We have to do better."
After Culpepper put Oakland ahead in the third quarter, the Niners rallied in the final 17 minutes, capped by the decisive 70-yard TD drive under third-string quarterback Shaun Hill. The Raiders then made a desperate final-minute drive with no timeouts, but veteran Alvis Whitted dropped a sure TD pass from McCown with 5 seconds left.

With plenty of empty seats for company, the clubs' supporters sat side-by-side on a chilly night, mostly without trouble—appropriate for a benign Bay Area rivalry in which the clubs rarely meet in the regular season.

Alex Smith, the third-year pro and former No. 1 pick, again showed poise and maturity while playing the entire first half for San Francisco, going 8-of-12 for 106 yards and throwing a beautiful 19-yard touchdown pass to tight end Delanie Walker. Joe Nedney also kicked two first-quarter field goals to cap scoring drives.

LaMont Jordan rushed for 67 yards after missing the exhibition opener with a bad back, while Madsen also had a 44-yard reception in his bid to be the Raiders' starting tight end. The defense also had an encouraging night despite San Francisco's early lead.

"We caught on slow and tried to figure it out in the second quarter," Raiders linebacker Kirk Morrison said. "Once we started getting comfortable, everybody started understanding what we were doing. We're playing our brand of football."

The 49ers' defense looked tough against Oakland's first-team offense despite playing without all three projected starters on its 3-4 defensive line. Bryant Young (back), Aubrayo Franklin (knee) and Marques Douglas (personal reasons) all missed the game.

Walter fumbled a shotgun snap on the Raiders' first possession for a 20-yard loss, and Travis Taylor dropped a well-thrown pass for a sure first down on the second possession. Oakland's third series ended with safety Mark Roman's interception, and Smith needed just two plays to find Walker for a score.

After Walter led a 17-play, 77-yard scoring drive, Culpepper entered the game in the second quarter and immediately fumbled his first snap—just as he did in his Oakland debut against Arizona last week. He fumbled another snap in the third quarter.

After Culpepper put the Raiders up 21-13, Trent Dilfer hit Ashley Lelie with a short TD pass late in the third quarter.
 
Every time I see Culpepper scramble I have the urge to grab a sheet of bubble wrap and twist it violently
Click to expand...
I had to pause my Madden '07 game pre-snap. That one got me.
 
Despite the mistakes by both Walter and Culpepper, I think both did okay....McCown seems to still be running third.

Nice to see that players that have been joked about playing well...Jordan and Gallery.

Also the offensive line seems to be jelling a little quicker than expected.

The game clock kept running as the 49ers scored their last touchdown. Instead of 47 seconds on the clock, their should have been 56 seconds.

EDIT: One more thing is Zack scoring that touchdown. Whether he makes the team or not, he is still very cool and one of my favorite players.
 
Raiders still waiting for quarterback to take control

Steve Corkran

August 18, 2007

SAN FRANCISCO - Oakland Raiders coach Lane Kiffin started Andrew Walter against the 49ers on Saturday night in hopes of getting more clarity regarding a quarterback situation that remains unsettled three weeks before the regular-season opener.

If anything, Kiffin's task to determine the best option at quarterback got even more difficult based on what he saw in a 26-21 loss at Monster Park.

One play, Walter was mishandling a snap on a third down that lost 20 yards. The next, Walter was executing a well-thrown pass to wide receiver Travis Taylor on a third-down play that looked like a first down until Taylor dropped the ball.

Then came an ill-fated decision by Walter to force a pass into tight coverage for Taylor that 49ers safety Mark Roman intercepted and returned 22 yards. Finally, Walter completed 6 of 9 passes for 60 yards on a well-executed drive that culminated with a touchdown.

''He ended up playing pretty well after that rough start,'' Kiffin said.

Kiffin is waiting for Walter, Josh McCown or Daunte Culpepper to seize command of the position so he can begin game-planning with that player's abilities in mind. The waiting game isn't over quite yet.

Culpepper complicated matters by engineering an impressive scoring drive of his own on his first series in relief of Walter and another in the third quarter.

He completed all three of his passes for 22 yards, including one for 12 yards that running back Zack Crockett turned into a touchdown, on his first drive. He hooked up with tight end John Madsen for a 5-yard touchdown on the other drive.

McCown started the Raiders' first exhibition game. He was the third quarterback to play against the 49ers and did little to distinguish himself. It's not difficult to envision what's coming Friday night against the St. Louis Rams.

It makes perfect sense that Kiffin will start Culpepper against the Rams so that he has the added benefit of having videotape of each quarterback playing against a first-team defense in helping him make his decision.

''We all understand that it's part of the rotation, so it's cool,'' McCown said. ''The competition has been good, though, because we're pushing each other upward.''

Imagine how difficult it would be for Kiffin if rookie quarterback JaMarcus Russell had signed a contract by now and been in uniform. At least now he doesn't have to factor Russell into this already messy equation.

Most teams already have identified their starting quarterback by now. The Raiders likely won't know who their main man is until they ready themselves for their exhibition finale against the Seattle Seahawks on Aug. 30.

''I couldn't tell you,'' Culpepper said, when asked if he is starting against the Rams. ''Whenever I'm called on to play, I'm just going to be ready.''

Kiffin said after the game that he hasn't decided on a starter for the Rams game.

Deciding upon a full-time starter sooner rather than later would benefit the quarterback, the offensive line and the receivers, just as it would Kiffin.

Identifying a starter would enable that player to get more repetitions in practice. It also would give the offensive line more time to learn the tendencies of their quarterback, and the receivers more time to acclimate themselves to things such as how hard the quarterback throws the ball and where he likes to put the ball.

A quarterback also needs ample time to get a feel for how fast his receivers are, how precise they run their routes, and who has a penchant for making plays in crucial situations.

As it stands, everyone is going through the paces, letting the process run its course, and waiting for Kiffin to make a decision.

McCown and Walter have had their shot at convincing Kiffin that they are the right man for the job. McCown, like Walter, did just enough good things to keep it interesting but not enough to end the debate.

Fortunately for Kiffin, the rest of the pieces that comprise his team seem to be coming along pretty well.

The starting defense played well for a second straight game. Starting running back LaMont Jordan sparkled in his first game since he sustained a knee injury late last season. The retooled offensive line did a nice job protecting the quarterback for the second straight game.
 
Jordan's not running away from challenges

He's playing tough and trying to prove he should be a starter.

Jason Jones

August 19, 2007

Veterans aren't supposed to make plays like this in an exhibition game.

LaMont Jordan was near the end of a 32-yard run with the sideline to his right and 49ers defensive backs Dashon Goldson and Keith Lewis to his left.

Jordan tucked the ball and barreled into the 49ers rather than step out of bounds.

The Raiders' offense was supposed to be tough last year and got pushed around. The talk is the same this year, and Jordan flashed some of what head coach Lane Kiffin wants to see.

"We're not looking to run out of bounds when there's extra yards to be made," Kiffin said. "We're looking to be physical. We want our backs to be physical; we want our line to be physical."

During the Raiders' 26-21 loss to the 49ers at Monster Park, Jordan ran hard, knowing he needs to impress the new coaching staff.

Jordan admitted he didn't like the plan for the running game when the new coaching staff arrived.

He said offensive-line coach Tom Cable was key in helping him understand the system and the "sideways running" of the zone blocking scheme.

"I knew if I was going to have success, I had to stick to my reads," Jordan said. "Trust the offensive linemen and be patient."

Jordan ran for 67 yards and a touchdown on eight carries in his first exhibition action. He also had a catch for 19 yards.

Jordan returned to practice last Monday after missing more than a week with back and hamstring injuries.

Jordan took a pay cut to stay with the team and saw the team sign Dominic Rhodes.

Kiffin wants the Raiders playing with something to prove every snap. Jordan showed he isn't planning to concede the starting running back job.

"For me, my goal today was to come out and show coach Kiffin and this coaching staff that I'm the guy," Jordan said. "I have two more years left on my contract, and I think this has to be the year that I show them that I'm the guy."

Jordan said he wouldn't have been the guy Saturday night if not for the offensive line, which is enjoying playing the scheme Jordan shunned initially.

"Of course my name is going to be credited with all the yards, but the most important thing is our offensive line did a good job," Jordan said. "I can go out there and have the ability, but it's those guys up front blocking that makes that happen, and tonight they did a good job."

Kiffin still isn't completely happy with the running game. He'd like more consistency and not to see as many runs for zero or negative yards, even if Jordan did have runs of 32 and 18 yards.

He likes the "big ones" but wouldn't mind more four and five-yard runs, too.

"We've got a long ways to go, but there are some good things going on up front," Kiffin said.
 
Raiders/49ers Notes: Second string puts it on the line with three out

The backups play into the third quarter on the defensive line.

Matthew Barrows and Jason Jones

Sunday, August 19, 2007

SAN FRANCISCO -- The 49ers were without their top three defensive linemen for Saturday's game against the Raiders. Left defensive end Bryant Young and nose tackle Aubrayo Franklin missed the game because of injuries. Right defensive end Marques Douglas was home with wife, Sparkle, who was expecting their second child.

With the three starters out, the second string began the game and played into the third quarter.

Rookie Ray McDonald, a third-round pick out of Florida, started in place of Douglas.

Ronald Fields substituted for Young, who has been nursing a bulging disc in his back.

Isaac Sopoaga made his second consecutive start for Franklin, who is expected to miss the remainder of the exhibition season with a sprained knee ligament.

Tight-end two-step -- Vernon Davis, who went without a catch Monday against Denver, was Alex Smith's first target of the day. Smith hit Davis for a short pass, which the tight end turned upfield for a 14-yard gain.

Last week, the 49ers started the game with Davis and fellow tight end Delanie Walker in the lineup. Saturday, it was Davis and tight end Billy Bajema.

New guard -- San Francisco backup offensive linemen Joe Staley and David Baas got a chance to play with the first-string unit, entering the game on the 49ers' third possession, which lasted only three plays and ended with a 19-yard touchdown pass to Walker. The two were in on the fourth possession for the first-team offense, a three-and-out that ended in the 49ers' only punt of the half.

Frontline flexibility -- The Raiders continue to do different things with their most versatile defensive lineman.

Tommy Kelly played defensive tackle most of last season, but the Raiders started him at defensive end for the second consecutive exhibition game, something he did toward the end of last season.

Kelly began playing more defensive end with Terdell Sands playing defensive tackle in part to solidify the run defense.

Kelly has played end and tackle in the exhibition season.

The Raiders' base defense against the 49ers was Kelly and Derrick Burgess at defensive end with Sands and Warren Sapp inside.

Kelly slides back to defensive tackle on passing plays.

Defensive-line coach Keith Millard said Kelly has the size (6-foot-6, 300 pounds) to be a force at either position. Millard likened Kelly's versatility to that of four-time Pro Bowler Trevor Pryce, whom Millard coached in Denver.

Offensive look -- Besides Andrew Walter starting at quarterback, the only change on offense for the Raiders was starting Justin Griffith at fullback instead of Zack Crockett. Raiders center Jeremy Newberry was a team captain against his former team, but Jake Grove started.

Newberry entered the game with 14:04 left in the second quarter and joined the starting offensive line to finish the first half.

Newberry was in for both of the Raiders' scoring plays in the second quarter.

Grove had a false start and a holding penalty on the drive before coming out.

Raiders injury report -- Strong safety Donovin Darius sat out the game with a left calf injury.

Darius was hurt during Thursday morning's practice in Napa while defending a pass. Darius landed awkwardly and left the practice field shortly afterward.

Drought ends -- Smith completed his first pass to receiver Ashley Lelie since the May minicamp. The two hooked up on a 20-yard completion with two minutes left in the first half.
 
Raiders start game sloppily, but get act together quickly

David White

Sunday, August 19, 2007

The Raiders looked so last year, with the fumbled shotgun snap, fumbled normal snap, fumbled handoff, double-team interception, false start and offensive holding, all before the midway point of the second quarter.

Then, before Oakland fans could scream, "Not again!" the Raiders did something they rarely did during last year's two-win stinker of a season: They got off the green, shook off the flubs and got back in the game.

With consecutive touchdown drives in the second quarter, the Raiders took a 14-13 halftime lead before the 49ers' third-stringers outdid Oakland's third-stringers in the final minutes to give San Francisco a 26-21 victory in Saturday's exhibition game at Candlestick.

Sure, the Raiders lost, but they looked better, and more competent - despite dropping to 1-1 in the exhibition season - than they ever did during last year's 4-0 practice start.

"Started off extremely poor," Raiders coach Lane Kiffin said, "but we did OK coming back."

They did it, not merely with an infusion of new players, but by using the reworked holdovers from last year.

The first touchdown drive was run by quarterback Andrew Walter and running back LaMont Jordan - two big faces behind last year's offense that ranked worst in the NFL in scoring.

Their improved play made it plain to see the Raiders' offense has made significant strides under Kiffin.

Of course, it didn't start that way.

On Oakland's first drive of the game, Walter let a third-down snap bounce off his hands and over his head for a 20-yard loss to the Raiders' 4. One drive later, wide-open receiver Travis Taylor dropped an 18-yard pass on 3rd-and-7.

The third drive ended when Walter forced a throw toward Taylor in double-zone coverage. Niners safety Mark Roman intercepted the pass and returned it 22 yards to the Raiders' 31, setting up a 49ers touchdown and 13-0 lead with 3:34 left in the first quarter.

Jordan entered the game on the next drive, and promptly dropped the handoff from Walter for a 3-yard loss. Center Jake Grove threw in a false start and a holding penalty for bad measure in the first six plays of the drive before leaving with a knee injury.

Last year, that would have been precisely when the game would freefall out of hand. Instead, Jordan gathered himself to power a 17-play, 77-yard touchdown drive capped by his 3-yard touchdown run.

"I thought we had a couple bad breaks," Walter said. "We had a (17-play) drive after some adversity and you can't do any better than that."

Jordan got it started with a 19-yard screen catch. He followed with seven rushes for 38 yards, making the necessary cuts to find the open holes in the zone-blocking scheme.

Walter, making his first start of the exhibition season, was 6-for-9 for 60 yards with four third-down conversions on the drive. He finished 9-for-16 for 78 yards.

Daunte Culpepper took over the job with 8:37 left in the second quarter, and fumbled his first snap from center Jeremy Newberry. Jordan busted out a 32-yard counter run on the next play, his final run in an eight-carry, 67-yard appearance.

His run opened a nine-play, 70-yard drive that ended with fullback Zack Crockett - another holdover from last year - catching a 12-yard touchdown pass from Culpepper for a 14-13 lead.

The drive was held together by the first-team offensive line, which played the entire first half and did not allow a sack for the second straight game.

Yet another sign of progress for a unit that yielded a league-high 72 sacks last year, and rest assured, Raiders fans will take that over an exhibition victory any day.
 
Newberry's homecoming includes ups and downs

David White

Sunday, August 19, 2007

The team captain looked familiar enough to the Niners crowd. Same stodgy frame, same intricate arm tattoos, same buzz cut.

If not for that silver helmet with an eye patch, Jeremy Newberry would have looked the same as every other game at Candlestick Point, where he called home the past nine NFL seasons.

Instead, Newberry showed up as the backup center for the Oakland Raiders for Saturday's exhibition game, which the 49ers won 26-21 on his old turf now known as Bill Walsh Field.

The two-time Pro Bowler from Antioch got plenty of face time.

Newberry was the Oakland offense's team captain, walking to midfield for the pregame coin flip.

When starting center Jake Grove was hurt at the end of the first quarter, Newberry took over in the second quarter and played into the fourth.

His struggled only with snapping the ball to quarterback Daunte Culpepper, who fumbled twice at the point of exchange.

The Raiders have taken it slow with Newberry in training camp, giving him every other practice off to take care of his surgically repaired knees. He is still considered a candidate to win the starting job for the Sept. 9 season opener against the Detroit Lions.

Burgess starts: Raiders defensive end Derrick Burgess looked game-ready in his exhibition debut. He got to play a second series, even though Raiders coach Lane Kiffin said he'd play only one.

Burgess ended the 49ers' opening drive with a deflected pass. In the second series, he applied outside pressure to force quarterback Alex Smith into a sack by middle linebacker Kirk Morrison.

New fullback: Justin Griffith, picked up as a free agent in the offseason from the Atlanta Falcons, made his first start as a Raider fullback.

He moved ahead of 13th-year fullback Zack Crockett, who entered the game in the second quarter and caught a 12-yard touchdown pass from Culpepper.

Griffith's highlight was a lead block for LaMont Jordan's 3-yard touchdown run earlier in the second quarter.

Darius out: Strong safety Donovin Darius missed the game with a tight calf, forcing the Raiders to switch their defensive emphasis.

With the offseason addition of Darius, defensive coordinator Rob Ryan has increasingly turned to his "Wolverine" package, a 4-2-5 alignment that puts three safeties on the field.

The scheme got its name from Charles Woodson, a former Michigan star who played as a third safety in the middle of the field.

The Raiders stuck with their traditional 4-3 defense, with outside linebacker Sam Williams often lining up on the edge.

So close: Receiver Alvis Whitted's 38-yard sideline catch gave the Raiders a chance to pull out a last-second victory.

One pass play later, he kept it from happening as he dropped Josh McCown's 32-yard pass in the end zone with 5 seconds left.

Briefly: Raiders cornerback Fabian Washington was treated by trainers after a sideline collision in the second quarter. An injury update was not given. ... Backup cornerback Hiram Eugene also required treatment on the field.
 
GOOD

* I concur with Natty... If we get this kind of O-line play on a weekly basis, we'll be all right... I also thought Mario Henderson looked much better this week... To add to this, I'm really pleased with the way our receivers as a unit have been blocking... BMW and Whitted had some especially effective blocks...


* It's safe to say that Lamont showed his critics something, though it's a concern that he looked like he needed an oxygen tank and an adrenaline shot to the heart at one point... He needs to get in better shape.... Fargas also had some nice runs but boy does his running style open him up for some hits...

* Welcome to the Raiders Justin Griffith... Some awesome lead blocks out there... Sad to say, as hard as Zach Crockett runs when he carries the ball, he really doesn't seem to give much effort as a lead blocker...

* Quickly becoming my favorite offensive play: Flooding one side of the field with WR's and allowing John Madsen to work against single coverage on the other... Just wait till we start leaking out a back behind that... Just say setting up mismatches baby...

* I just love seeing these long, clock eating drives, especially when we're running the ball as effectively as we were...

* Sam Williams... I thought he had a standout game....

* I really like the effort we're seeing from Brayton inside, and I also like what I have seen from Ricky Brown... He reminds me a bit of Riki Ellison...

* Antaj! Nips boy did some nice things out there... I'm still hoping we pick a fat toilet clogger up before the season, but Taj and Brayton have shown that they can get penetration and make some plays...


NEEDS WORK

I'm sure I'll come up with more when I watch the tape:

* Mike Huff: I don't mind the TD the TE caught on him since it was more or less a perfect throw to a perfect spot, but the missed tackle and losing outside contain on that kick return are a concern... I'm hoping the glowing practice reports translate to the field soon....

* Chris Morris: I guess he's strictly a guard now as that's where he's gotten his snaps... Good luck to you in whatever you do after we cut you because you just haven't looked good...

* Our RE spot: Richardson looks great playing the run but just tries to bullrush a pass rush... He really looks like a future DT to me.... Moses didn't look good out there a lot of the time and may be a guy better suited to spot play for now... Kelly looks like the starter there as things stand right now...

* Too many penalties and snap problems obviously

* Me... I kept referring to Travis Taylor as Ronald Curry because TT is wearing the #1 Curry wore at UNC....


QB'S

* Walter: He does things that really excite me, but he always seems to temper that by making a couple of killer mental errors... That INT was just plain bad decision making and bad field vision... As a pocket passer, he's absolutely dialed into patterns run between the hashes and he throws a really nice ball when he is able to set his feet... I didn't like that he threw off his back foot again when Kiff called a rollout for him...

* Culpepper: Outside of rumbling and bumbling through the center-QB exchange again, he looked good out there... His timing could be better as evidenced by his miss to BMW, but he looks confident... The scramble is definitely a good sign... None of this matters if he keeps putting the ball on the ground though....

* McCown: I like that he puts pressure on the defense with his rollouts, but he was looking like Nuke Laloosh with some of his throws out there... Just not a very good night for him....

It'll be interesting to see what our QB rotation looks like next week since it is considered the pivotal preseason game...


There's alot of work ahead but there's also a lot to feel good about and build on... The O-line was solid and the first team defense looked swarming when Ryan turned them loose... Ryan really seemed to dial things back early tonight and squat in our base defense...

On another note, Patrick Willis looks like he's going to be an absolute stud for the Niners and Frank Gore should never give interviews because he comes off as being as dumb as a rock... The Niner coverage was pretty good and I found their announcers pretty fair in their game assesments...
 
Aug 19, 2007

Tough night for Grove, Huff

Center penalized twice on same drive; safety misses key tackle, blows coverage

Phil Barber


SAN FRANCISCO -- Center Jake Grove and safety Michael Huff are in the middle of the Raiders' offensive and defensive schemes -- figuratively and literally. Saturday, they found themselves the centers of attention, for all the wrong reasons.

Grove was flagged twice on one drive, for a false start and holding. His infractions pushed the Raiders into first-and-15 and second-and-14, though they overcame both for first downs. Grove also sent a shotgun snap past quarterback Andrew Walter, though it didn't appear to be much off the mark.
Veteran Jeremy Newberry replaced Grove midway through Oakland's third possession, before any other offensive linemen came out.

Huff, meanwhile, looked nothing like the No. 7 overall pick of the 2006 draft. He's supposed to be able to tackle and cover with equal skill, but had trouble with both. On the 49ers' first play from scrimmage, Huff missed a tackle on tight end Vernon Davis and let him escape for a first down. Later, he got locked in coverage with tight end Delanie Walker and never turned around to see Alex Smith's 19-yard touchdown pass.

Huff even flubbed on special teams, getting picked off by a blocker on a Raiders kickoff.

COACH ON THE MEND

A week ago, spending 4½ hours on the field at McAfee Coliseum knocked out coach Lane Kiffin. He got a case of mononucleosis and wound up spending two days in the hospital. Kiffin made it through Saturday's loss to the 49ers, but looked a bit spent in the post-game interview room.

"I feel fine," he said. "I know you're doing your job, but I feel bad that it's a distraction to the team."

EXTRA POINTS

For the second week in a row, safety Hiram Eugene was the first player to line up at nickel back for the Raiders.

Outside linebacker Sam Williams had two nice-looking tackles on the Niners' first three plays from scrimmage.

One of the Raiders' more successful plays was the quick hitch pass to Ronald Curry. Walter hit him twice on such throws, and Curry juked a defender each time.

Tight end John Madsen wound up with no one within 20 yards of him on a third-quarter pass. He caught the ball from Daunte Culpepper, shook Keith Lewis' tackle and gained 44 yards.

Culpepper fumbled twice for the second consecutive week. The Raiders have fumbled seven times in two games, though they have lost only one.

Linebacker Ricky Brown had five tackles to lead the team, as he did against the Cardinals a week earlier.

The Oakland captains were defensive tackle Warren Sapp, center Jeremy Newberry and kicker Sebastian Janikowski.
 
Aug 19, 2007

Offense difficult to gauge

First three drives fail; Walter, Culpepper good vs. mostly backups

By Phil Barber


SAN FRANCISCO -- The exhibition season is meant to answer vital questions for football coaches. Who are my best players? Which plays are effective? How good are we? Sometimes, though, it can all be a giant enigma.

Take Saturday night's 26-21 loss to the 49ers at the newly christened Bill Walsh Field at Monster Park. You could say the Raiders' first-team offense flailed against the Niners' starting defense in three head-to-head series, and note that the defense allowed points on each of its first three trips onto the field.

Or you could argue that the Oakland offense settled down to mount some nice drives, taking control of a game that the fill-ins eventually gave away, finally caving in when receiver Alvis Whitted dropped a potential game-winning touchdown pass with 5 seconds left.

There's no denying how badly the Raiders' first three possessions ended. The first died when quarterback Andrew Walter let center Jake Grove's snap sail through his hands on a shotgun snap on a third-and-6 play; Walter gave chase and recovered at the Oakland 4-yard line. The second was snuffed when Walter threw a strike to Travis Taylor on a third-and-7 play, and the veteran receiver dropped it.

The Raiders finally got a couple first downs on their next try. But on third-and-16 from his own 36-yard line, Walter put up an ill-advised pass that Mark Roman intercepted. San Francisco capitalized on all three stops and jumped to a 13-0 lead.

The next time out, the Raiders looked like they would self-destruct again, beginning with a false start and a handoff fumbled by LaMont Jordan. But on second-and-18, they came alive. They picked up six first downs -- four of them coming on third-down snaps -- and powered 77 yards in 17 plays, chewing up 8:59 of the clock.

Coming on the heels of two extended first-half drives last week against Arizona, the 77-yard march was further evidence that Lane Kiffin's offense not only can control the ball efficiently (Oakland had a 10:34 edge in time of possession in the first half), but can deliver in the red zone. LaMont Jordan punched in a touchdown from three yards out, powering through Jeff Ulbrich's tackle.

"(Defensive coordinator) Rob Ryan was saying the other day that they try to keep the offense out there for a long period of time, because they figure eventually (the offense is) gonna screw up," Walter said. "So to be out there for 19 plays (including two penalties) and then get a touchdown was sweet."
The next time Oakland got the ball, Daunte Culpepper had replaced Walter at quarterback, but with most of the starting offensive line intact. And Culpepper was equally productive, leading the Raiders 70 yards in nine plays and finishing the drive with a 12-yard touchdown pass to fullback Zack Crockett.
Walter finished 9-of-16 for 78 yards; Culpepper was 6-of-8 for 75 yards and two touchdowns -- the second was a five-yard toss to tight end John Madsen that followed a bobble snap and a nifty reverse rollout by the quarterback -- before giving way to Josh McCown late in the third quarter.

Clouding the issue was the level of competition. The 49ers pulled their defensive starters midway through Walter's long drive. So he and Culpepper were working largely against second-stringers when they got things rolling.
One thing that can't be disputed is the effort of Jordan, who looked excellent in his first action of the summer.

Jordan has been nursing back and hamstring strains, but showed no ill effects in running around and through the 49ers. He had 63 yards from scrimmage on the 77-yard drive, and he did it in a variety of styles -- sometimes sprinting around the edge, sometimes wiggling up the middle and occasionally bulling into defenders. It boded well for a running game built around offensive line coach Tom Cable's zone-blocking scheme.
 
Aug 19, 2007

Raiders have hot commodity in Culpepper

Lowell Cohn


I admit to a weakness for Daunte Culpepper. The Raiders have something like a million quarterbacks, and of course, the main quarterback, JaMarcus Russell, isn't even signed yet and he missed the entire training camp and he's not ready to play, not any time soon.

And I think, no big deal because Culpepper can be the starter. You may say I'm nuts. Well, fair enough. The preseason is a time for arguing and speculating and wondering what may be. And this is what I know. Culpepper is 6-4, 265 pounds, for heaven's sake. He's a big guy who can run, which makes him a precursor of Russell, who's the same kind of quarterback. I know in 2000, Culpepper's first season as a starter, he took the Vikings to the NFC championship game. He threw 33 touchdown passes that season and everyone -- I repeat everyone -- thought he would be the next great quarterback in the league. I also know he handled the competition between wide receivers Randy Moss and Cris Carter like a real champ. Those were two big egos and each would whisper to Culpepper to throw the ball to him. And Culpepper would smile and then play the game the right way. Teammates like him. Because he runs like a truck, opponents have trouble structuring coverage against him. He has tremendous talent and equally tremendous flaws.

He has a rocket arm and thinks he can laser the ball wherever he wants, and he throws too many interceptions. He has a reputation for mishandling the ball -- and he fumbled his first snap Saturday night. His knees have not held up well.

He's had an up-and-down career, sometimes playing dreadfully and getting booed, and he got run out of Miami after only one year. All that should cause concern. But he's shown signs of greatness. In 2003 he was the NFC's starting QB in the Pro Bowl. And in 2004 he passed for a whopping 4,717 yards.

It was absolutely correct for the Raiders to take a chance on Culpepper, and it fits Al Davis' profile as a man who resurrects players -- he looks at Culpepper and wonders if he can be Jim Plunkett.

So understand this. The rookie Russell is not a factor at this time. Andrew Walter looked good on Saturday, but we've seen what he can do, and Josh McCown has been around and is a modest talent. Culpepper is the only Raiders quarterback who can make a loud statement, who can induce fear in other teams.

After fumbling that first snap in the second quarter, he looked confident and efficient and upbeat. He threw a rope to Justin Fargas on the right side. He hit tight end John Madsen on a crossing pattern. He found Zack Crockett all alone in the left flat and hit him with a perfect pass which Crockett ran in for a TD, and that put the Raiders ahead 14-13 at the half. He led a nine-play drive that covered 70 yards and used more than 5½ minutes. Not bad.

What Culpepper did to start the third quarter was, well, it was vintage Culpepper. Naturally, he fumbled a snap -- his second of the night. He'll always mishandle the ball -- it's one of his flaws. But on the very next play, he ran for 13 yards, got a first down. And that's Culpepper, demonstrating the bad and the terrific in successive plays. After that, he hit John Madsen for 44 yards and then he sprinted left, set his feet, let the ball fly and hit Madsen alone in the end zone for a touchdown. In the process, he proved his legs are healthy and he still can run and stop and throw, and he seemed to answer the big question looming over his career.

Coach Lane Kiffin said, "He's unique to watch on game day. He's a dynamic competitor. We heard that about him."

We all did.

I hope the Raiders think bravely and creatively. Culpepper can be a big presence, a difference maker, and he's the quarterback Oakland desperately needs and he should be the starter when season begins.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top