Crossbones
The Savior is on his way!
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At this point in the season, Dominic Rhodes figured to have 50 to 60 carries and maybe a dozen receptions, numbers befitting his first five games as a Raider when taking into account the $1.5 million signing bonus he received and his $765,000 in pro-rated salary.
Instead, Rhodes has 10 carries for 23 yards and has caught one pass for 10 yards. Nine of those carries came in one game, against Kansas City. Throw in seven kickoff returns for 149 yards and, well, it isn't exactly what you'd expect from someone who gained 113 yards rushing in the last Super Bowl.
Two theories as to why Rhodes hasn't played much don't carry much weight. The first is that he put the Raiders in a bad spot because of his suspension for violating the NFL substance abuse policy, and the second is he got in Lane Kiffin's dog house by voicing his displeasure about his lack of work after not getting a carry in his first game back.
The fact is, the Raiders knew all about Rhodes' looming suspension before they signed him. Kiffin even brought it up during contract negotiations to set his mind at ease. The Raiders figured it would be good to get some fresh legs four games into the season.
When Rhodes talked about his disappointment about not playing after the San Diego game, Kiffin said he was fine with the comments because he wants his players to be unhappy about not playing.
Maybe that was coach double-talk, maybe not. It seems unlikely Kiffin would sit someone who could help a sagging offense just because he told the press he wanted to play.
So that leaves the following possibilities:
– He was pushed aside by the emergence of Justin Fargas.
Fargas became a much better runner in the zone blocking scheme than most anyone envisioned, and go ahead and assume that includes the coaching staff as well.
Kiffin noted last week that Fargas essentially attatched himself to running backs coach Tom Rathman and made big improvements in his game from the day the new staff arrived.
Fargas now has 518 yards, three shy of Jordan for the team lead.
When Kiffin talks about how he doesn't care about contracts or reputations and draft status, only about practice ethic and production, he need only point to the fearless runner he calls a "Crash-Test dummy" as an illustration that he means it.
Fargas is a poster boy for what Kiffin wants to establish.
– Rhodes wasn't the player the Raiders thought they were getting.
If so, it wouldn't be the first time they misjudged a Super Bowl star. Before riding the Colts wave in the postseason, Rhodes carried 187 times and gained just 641 yards, an average of 3.4 yards per carry. Throw in 13 games in 2005 and Rhodes gained 759 yards on 227 carries _ 3.3 yards per carry.
Operating behind the same line, rookie Joseph Addai carried 226 times for 1,081 yards _ a 4.8 average.
It was the most carries Rhodes had since breaking in with 233 carries for 1,104 yards as a rookie, taking over for the injured Edgerrin James. Between 2001 and 2006, Rhodes never carried more than 53 times in a season.
As a receiver, Rhodes can circle out of the backfield and catch the routine pass, but he has never been the kind of player who can be lined up in the slot or be put in motion and be a downfield or medium range threat. He has only 96 career catches since 2001 with no reception longer than 27 yards.
In other words, he's no Charlie Garner.
Things get interesting this week if the Raiders decide to promote Michael Bush to the 53-man roster. Bush has been running with the scout team for the past two weeks on an exemption. Kiffin said Bush must be placed on the 53-man roster by Wednesday if he is to play this season.
(Bush, interestingly, said his understanding was he had until after the Minnesota game).
With the Raiders already playing for next season, you'd think they'd want to get an idea of what Bush can do. Is he a multi-talented big back in the in the Chuck Muncie mold, or someone like Johnnie Johnson, the gifted ex-Cardinal and 49er who seemed to have everything but amounted to nothing in a football sense?
The sooner Bush plays, the sooner the Raiders find out.
If Bush is in, either Jordan or Rhodes could be out.
Jay Glazer of Fox Sports reported a few weeks back the Raiders were considering cutting Rhodes. Kiffin said it wasn't true and even went to Rhodes to talk with him about it.
Jordan was among the 45 active players against the Bears, but just barely. With Rhodes elevated to second-string status, and getting all of one carry, Jordan put on a pair of sweat pants over his silver game pants. It didn't exactly speak of the "body language" the Kiffin regime has stresses since training camp.
To be fair, Jordan has a back condition and was seen on the sidelines trying to to stay loose as the game went on. The sweats may have played a part in that. Jordan did say all the right things earlier in the week when discussing playing behind Fargas and vowed to be a team player.
But on a team already carrying four quarterbacks and just four receivers, keeping four halfbacks on the roster (Fargas, Jordan, Rhodes and Bush) doesn't make a lot of sense.
http://www.ibabuzz.com/raidersblog/
Instead, Rhodes has 10 carries for 23 yards and has caught one pass for 10 yards. Nine of those carries came in one game, against Kansas City. Throw in seven kickoff returns for 149 yards and, well, it isn't exactly what you'd expect from someone who gained 113 yards rushing in the last Super Bowl.
Two theories as to why Rhodes hasn't played much don't carry much weight. The first is that he put the Raiders in a bad spot because of his suspension for violating the NFL substance abuse policy, and the second is he got in Lane Kiffin's dog house by voicing his displeasure about his lack of work after not getting a carry in his first game back.
The fact is, the Raiders knew all about Rhodes' looming suspension before they signed him. Kiffin even brought it up during contract negotiations to set his mind at ease. The Raiders figured it would be good to get some fresh legs four games into the season.
When Rhodes talked about his disappointment about not playing after the San Diego game, Kiffin said he was fine with the comments because he wants his players to be unhappy about not playing.
Maybe that was coach double-talk, maybe not. It seems unlikely Kiffin would sit someone who could help a sagging offense just because he told the press he wanted to play.
So that leaves the following possibilities:
– He was pushed aside by the emergence of Justin Fargas.
Fargas became a much better runner in the zone blocking scheme than most anyone envisioned, and go ahead and assume that includes the coaching staff as well.
Kiffin noted last week that Fargas essentially attatched himself to running backs coach Tom Rathman and made big improvements in his game from the day the new staff arrived.
Fargas now has 518 yards, three shy of Jordan for the team lead.
When Kiffin talks about how he doesn't care about contracts or reputations and draft status, only about practice ethic and production, he need only point to the fearless runner he calls a "Crash-Test dummy" as an illustration that he means it.
Fargas is a poster boy for what Kiffin wants to establish.
– Rhodes wasn't the player the Raiders thought they were getting.
If so, it wouldn't be the first time they misjudged a Super Bowl star. Before riding the Colts wave in the postseason, Rhodes carried 187 times and gained just 641 yards, an average of 3.4 yards per carry. Throw in 13 games in 2005 and Rhodes gained 759 yards on 227 carries _ 3.3 yards per carry.
Operating behind the same line, rookie Joseph Addai carried 226 times for 1,081 yards _ a 4.8 average.
It was the most carries Rhodes had since breaking in with 233 carries for 1,104 yards as a rookie, taking over for the injured Edgerrin James. Between 2001 and 2006, Rhodes never carried more than 53 times in a season.
As a receiver, Rhodes can circle out of the backfield and catch the routine pass, but he has never been the kind of player who can be lined up in the slot or be put in motion and be a downfield or medium range threat. He has only 96 career catches since 2001 with no reception longer than 27 yards.
In other words, he's no Charlie Garner.
Things get interesting this week if the Raiders decide to promote Michael Bush to the 53-man roster. Bush has been running with the scout team for the past two weeks on an exemption. Kiffin said Bush must be placed on the 53-man roster by Wednesday if he is to play this season.
(Bush, interestingly, said his understanding was he had until after the Minnesota game).
With the Raiders already playing for next season, you'd think they'd want to get an idea of what Bush can do. Is he a multi-talented big back in the in the Chuck Muncie mold, or someone like Johnnie Johnson, the gifted ex-Cardinal and 49er who seemed to have everything but amounted to nothing in a football sense?
The sooner Bush plays, the sooner the Raiders find out.
If Bush is in, either Jordan or Rhodes could be out.
Jay Glazer of Fox Sports reported a few weeks back the Raiders were considering cutting Rhodes. Kiffin said it wasn't true and even went to Rhodes to talk with him about it.
Jordan was among the 45 active players against the Bears, but just barely. With Rhodes elevated to second-string status, and getting all of one carry, Jordan put on a pair of sweat pants over his silver game pants. It didn't exactly speak of the "body language" the Kiffin regime has stresses since training camp.
To be fair, Jordan has a back condition and was seen on the sidelines trying to to stay loose as the game went on. The sweats may have played a part in that. Jordan did say all the right things earlier in the week when discussing playing behind Fargas and vowed to be a team player.
But on a team already carrying four quarterbacks and just four receivers, keeping four halfbacks on the roster (Fargas, Jordan, Rhodes and Bush) doesn't make a lot of sense.
http://www.ibabuzz.com/raidersblog/