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Scott Ostler, Chronicle Staff Writer
Monday, November 26, 2007
11-26) 04:00 PST Kansas City, Mo. -- The job was starting to age coach Kiff.
Lane Kiffin's dream was turning into a nightmare, and going into Sunday's game at Arrowhead Stadium, you could see where deep worry lines will form on his face someday, like when he starts shaving.
Kiffin got a break Sunday. On a well-chilled afternoon, his Raiders came from behind in one of the toughest roadhouses in sport, beating the Chiefs 20-17 in a game that snapped a million Oakland streaks, all of them ugly.
This game might have saved Kiffin's job, and for sure it earned him a truckload of street cred from his players.
Had the Raiders crawled out of Arrowhead at 2-9 under their rookie coach, the player grumbling would have started, or picked up momentum. And the white steam coming from Al Davis' ears might have signaled a coaching change at season's end.
The Raiders' way in recent years has been for players - individually, then in groups - to start jumping ship about this time. Then, for Davis to pull the trigger.
On Sunday, the Raiders swaggered out of Arrowhead saying, in essence, "We won because our coach outcoached the other team's coach, and because our coach grew up and showed some brass."
By contrast, Chiefs coach Herm Edwards tripped over his shoelaces, making two classic goofs in the fourth quarter.
"Kiffin goes a little unconventional," Raiders defensive tackle Warren Sapp said, "and Herman hands us the game."
What Kiffin did was tell his players during the week that the coaching staff was going to become aggressive, fight the urge to play conservative late in a close game.
"We talked about it with our players," Kiffin said. " 'It's going to be in the fourth quarter, it's going to be like all these other games (close at the end), and we're going to go for it. We're not going to wait for something to happen, we're not going to wait for them (the opponent) to screw it up. We're going to go for it. We're going to attack.'
Kiffin talked the talk, as many coaches do, but would he back up that talk?
The Raiders trailed 17-13 with 10:51 to go in the fourth quarter, getting the ball on their 23 after the Chiefs missed a field-goal attempt.
The first two plays were Daunte Culpepper passes down field, 28 yards to Zach Miller and 35 yards to Jerry Porter. That softened up the Chiefs for Justin Fargas' 14-yard touchdown jaunt.
"I was very, very excited that we came out aggressive," Culpepper said. "I think it was the right thing to do. ... (Kiffin) did tell me (during the week) that we were going to take some shots. 'We don't know when, but be ready.' "
So the kid coach adjusted his philosophy, went against his conservative instincts and put the game in his players' hands. Players appreciate that.
The Raiders loved the gutsy halfback pass in the third quarter, 2nd-and-goal at the 5. LaMont Jordan couldn't find a receiver, so he ran it into the end zone. Good things happen when you bust out of stodgy molds.
A little bit of swashbuckling goes a long way with players. Especially Raiders' players weary of losing streaks and un-daring coaches.
Even on defense, the Raiders got a little crazy. When the Chiefs went for it on 4th-and-1 at the Raiders' 23 with 4:26 left in the game, defensive coordinator Rob Ryan sent in the goal-line defense, which is highly vulnerable to a pass.
Edwards cooperated by going old school. He called a play that was as predictable as a Kansas City barbecue - a run that the Raiders sniffed out easily and stopped cold.
Had the Raiders lost this game, Davis would have been drumming his fingers on his desk and riffling through mug shots of prospective coaches.
Davis recently was quoted griping that his coaches made a mistake by talking him into trading Randy Moss. It was Kiffin who wanted Moss gone.
But how supportive and productive do you think Moss would have been through several losses and Kiffin's Quarterback Follies?
Had Moss been on this team, weeks ago he would have led the mutiny. By 86ing Moss, Kiffin bought himself time to gain his team's confidence.
For a 3-8 coach, Kiffin is looking pretty good right now.
He talked Sunday about how excited he was to get, for the first time in his NFL career, a second shot at a team. The Raiders lost to the Chiefs five weeks ago.
"We did a lot (this time) that counteracted (what went wrong) last time," Kiffin said.
Most importantly, Kiffin stepped back from the X's and O's and rethought the whole NFL passive-aggressive thing.
As Fargas said, "When you play aggressive, when you play confident, good things happen, and that comes down from the head coach."
The Raiders haven't exactly jumped onto Davis' fantasy Super Bowl train, but Davis' zany hire of a 31-year-old coach looks less zany.
This wasn't a classic game. The Chiefs and Raiders, once noble blood rivals, are shadows of their former glorious selves.
But how long has it been since the Raiders have had a coach, or a prayer? Now they might have both.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/11/26/SPONTIVAJ.DTL
Monday, November 26, 2007
11-26) 04:00 PST Kansas City, Mo. -- The job was starting to age coach Kiff.
Lane Kiffin's dream was turning into a nightmare, and going into Sunday's game at Arrowhead Stadium, you could see where deep worry lines will form on his face someday, like when he starts shaving.
Kiffin got a break Sunday. On a well-chilled afternoon, his Raiders came from behind in one of the toughest roadhouses in sport, beating the Chiefs 20-17 in a game that snapped a million Oakland streaks, all of them ugly.
This game might have saved Kiffin's job, and for sure it earned him a truckload of street cred from his players.
Had the Raiders crawled out of Arrowhead at 2-9 under their rookie coach, the player grumbling would have started, or picked up momentum. And the white steam coming from Al Davis' ears might have signaled a coaching change at season's end.
The Raiders' way in recent years has been for players - individually, then in groups - to start jumping ship about this time. Then, for Davis to pull the trigger.
On Sunday, the Raiders swaggered out of Arrowhead saying, in essence, "We won because our coach outcoached the other team's coach, and because our coach grew up and showed some brass."
By contrast, Chiefs coach Herm Edwards tripped over his shoelaces, making two classic goofs in the fourth quarter.
"Kiffin goes a little unconventional," Raiders defensive tackle Warren Sapp said, "and Herman hands us the game."
What Kiffin did was tell his players during the week that the coaching staff was going to become aggressive, fight the urge to play conservative late in a close game.
"We talked about it with our players," Kiffin said. " 'It's going to be in the fourth quarter, it's going to be like all these other games (close at the end), and we're going to go for it. We're not going to wait for something to happen, we're not going to wait for them (the opponent) to screw it up. We're going to go for it. We're going to attack.'
Kiffin talked the talk, as many coaches do, but would he back up that talk?
The Raiders trailed 17-13 with 10:51 to go in the fourth quarter, getting the ball on their 23 after the Chiefs missed a field-goal attempt.
The first two plays were Daunte Culpepper passes down field, 28 yards to Zach Miller and 35 yards to Jerry Porter. That softened up the Chiefs for Justin Fargas' 14-yard touchdown jaunt.
"I was very, very excited that we came out aggressive," Culpepper said. "I think it was the right thing to do. ... (Kiffin) did tell me (during the week) that we were going to take some shots. 'We don't know when, but be ready.' "
So the kid coach adjusted his philosophy, went against his conservative instincts and put the game in his players' hands. Players appreciate that.
The Raiders loved the gutsy halfback pass in the third quarter, 2nd-and-goal at the 5. LaMont Jordan couldn't find a receiver, so he ran it into the end zone. Good things happen when you bust out of stodgy molds.
A little bit of swashbuckling goes a long way with players. Especially Raiders' players weary of losing streaks and un-daring coaches.
Even on defense, the Raiders got a little crazy. When the Chiefs went for it on 4th-and-1 at the Raiders' 23 with 4:26 left in the game, defensive coordinator Rob Ryan sent in the goal-line defense, which is highly vulnerable to a pass.
Edwards cooperated by going old school. He called a play that was as predictable as a Kansas City barbecue - a run that the Raiders sniffed out easily and stopped cold.
Had the Raiders lost this game, Davis would have been drumming his fingers on his desk and riffling through mug shots of prospective coaches.
Davis recently was quoted griping that his coaches made a mistake by talking him into trading Randy Moss. It was Kiffin who wanted Moss gone.
But how supportive and productive do you think Moss would have been through several losses and Kiffin's Quarterback Follies?
Had Moss been on this team, weeks ago he would have led the mutiny. By 86ing Moss, Kiffin bought himself time to gain his team's confidence.
For a 3-8 coach, Kiffin is looking pretty good right now.
He talked Sunday about how excited he was to get, for the first time in his NFL career, a second shot at a team. The Raiders lost to the Chiefs five weeks ago.
"We did a lot (this time) that counteracted (what went wrong) last time," Kiffin said.
Most importantly, Kiffin stepped back from the X's and O's and rethought the whole NFL passive-aggressive thing.
As Fargas said, "When you play aggressive, when you play confident, good things happen, and that comes down from the head coach."
The Raiders haven't exactly jumped onto Davis' fantasy Super Bowl train, but Davis' zany hire of a 31-year-old coach looks less zany.
This wasn't a classic game. The Chiefs and Raiders, once noble blood rivals, are shadows of their former glorious selves.
But how long has it been since the Raiders have had a coach, or a prayer? Now they might have both.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/11/26/SPONTIVAJ.DTL