Angry Pope
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Training camp, Day 15
Posted by Jerry McDonald - NFL Writer on Friday at 4:43 pm
Enough footballs have littered the ground behind the Napa Marriott to begin the whispers of concern regarding the Raiders' offense.
No, it couldn't possibly happen . . . or could it?
Those of us who watched training camp last season know a bad offense when we see it. Or like to think we do. I remember writing before the first day of August how hideous the Raiders looked when trying to move the ball.
Here we are a year later, and once again it's a struggle.
Fear not, a repeat performance is simply not possible. No team scores 12 offensive touchdowns on offense in an entire season and manages to be that bad again the following year. Lane Kiffin isn't going to bring USC firepower to Oakland in a single season, but amid the incomplete passes are some signs of improvement that could get the Raiders all the way to mediocre.
Among them:
– Listen to Kiffin and Greg Knapp for five minutes and you're bound to hear, "Get it out! Get out!"
One day, Kiffin was lecturing his quarterbacks about having a clock in their heads with regard to getting the ball out of their hand. It's hardly groundbreaking stuff, other than it's exactly the opposite of what Art Shell told Raiders quarterbacks last year.
Shell even lectured the media about how his quarterbacks would not have a clock in their heads. They would hold the ball as it took for the receiver to come free.
With that change in philosophy alone, you can slice 25 sacks off the egregious total of 72.
– There's been some occasional confusion getting to the line as players become familiar with the system, but the tempo is so much better they'll have time to correct their mistakes provided the quarterback is good at recognizing what's wrong.
How many times were the Raiders getting to the line last season with the play clock already counting down, 5-4-3-TIME OUT! Either that or snap . . . sack.
– Tight ends, fullbacks and running backs are more involved, eligible receivers whose participation dovetail nicely with the order of getting the ball out on time.
– Boring as it sounds, this offense can be functional if not explosive at the start, and if the Raiders are as good on defense as they think, playing field position and punting without a turnover can be a good possession.
– One writer who visited the Saints among other teams last season was shaking his head in horror at the Raiders offensive performance, but conceded, "I thought the Saints were going to be awful last year."
A few storylines which won't be solved Saturday night but will begin to take shape:
– Adimchinobe Echemandu . . . is he a training camp practice flash who disappears or could he be one of those anonymous runners Denver seems to come up with who flourishes with zone blocking and one-cut running?
– No. 3 and 4 wide receivers . . . Ron Curry and Jerry Porter are secure. My guess is the Raiders would love to see Mike Williams and Johnnie Lee Higgins step up and seize the next two spots, but there's no guarantee they will.
– Robert Gallery's conversion to guard . . . some think a guard that tall can't possibly get low enough to be a good cut-blocker. Tom Cable thinks differently, because even when Barry Sims doesn't practice, Gallery has not moved back to left tackle.
– Jeremy Newberry's health . . . he missed both practices in a double session Wednesday, the first time that's happened. Could be being conservative for the long haul, but with Newberry's history, it's always a concern.
– Daunte Culpepper . . . can he seize the starting position before Week 1? And what happens when and if JaMarcus Russell signs? Which quarterback is the odd man out?
– Which rookie defensive end is most likely to start? Lane Kiffin keeps talking about Quentin Moses, Rob Ryan is raving about Jay Richardson.
– Is there enough depth at corner? Stanford Routt is out with a knee injury and wasn't all that impressive working as the No. 1 nickel back. The best player there might be Chris Carr. The Raiders usually stack the roster with corners at the expense of safeties, this year it's the other way around.
– Will the Raiders use their `Wolverine" more than their base defense? It's a 4-2-5 alignment nicknamed because it put former Michigan star Charles Woodson in the middle of the field instead of at corner. Now the three safeties are Michael Huff, Donovin Darius and Stuart Schweigert.
– The Condo watch . . . linebacker Jon Condo is being given the opportunity to succeed Adam Treu. A single bad snap in the preseason could have the Raiders looking for someone else. Maybe Treu couldn't cover like Condo, but you took his accuracy for granted. Rest assured Shane Lechler and Sebastian Janikowski did not.
– Russell . . . since he's buying a home in Oakland even without signing a contract with the Raiders, will he opt for a full season ticket plan or a five-pack?
Note: The Raiders held a walkthrough Friday which was closed to the media.
Posted by Jerry McDonald - NFL Writer on Friday at 4:43 pm
Enough footballs have littered the ground behind the Napa Marriott to begin the whispers of concern regarding the Raiders' offense.
No, it couldn't possibly happen . . . or could it?
Those of us who watched training camp last season know a bad offense when we see it. Or like to think we do. I remember writing before the first day of August how hideous the Raiders looked when trying to move the ball.
Here we are a year later, and once again it's a struggle.
Fear not, a repeat performance is simply not possible. No team scores 12 offensive touchdowns on offense in an entire season and manages to be that bad again the following year. Lane Kiffin isn't going to bring USC firepower to Oakland in a single season, but amid the incomplete passes are some signs of improvement that could get the Raiders all the way to mediocre.
Among them:
– Listen to Kiffin and Greg Knapp for five minutes and you're bound to hear, "Get it out! Get out!"
One day, Kiffin was lecturing his quarterbacks about having a clock in their heads with regard to getting the ball out of their hand. It's hardly groundbreaking stuff, other than it's exactly the opposite of what Art Shell told Raiders quarterbacks last year.
Shell even lectured the media about how his quarterbacks would not have a clock in their heads. They would hold the ball as it took for the receiver to come free.
With that change in philosophy alone, you can slice 25 sacks off the egregious total of 72.
– There's been some occasional confusion getting to the line as players become familiar with the system, but the tempo is so much better they'll have time to correct their mistakes provided the quarterback is good at recognizing what's wrong.
How many times were the Raiders getting to the line last season with the play clock already counting down, 5-4-3-TIME OUT! Either that or snap . . . sack.
– Tight ends, fullbacks and running backs are more involved, eligible receivers whose participation dovetail nicely with the order of getting the ball out on time.
– Boring as it sounds, this offense can be functional if not explosive at the start, and if the Raiders are as good on defense as they think, playing field position and punting without a turnover can be a good possession.
– One writer who visited the Saints among other teams last season was shaking his head in horror at the Raiders offensive performance, but conceded, "I thought the Saints were going to be awful last year."
A few storylines which won't be solved Saturday night but will begin to take shape:
– Adimchinobe Echemandu . . . is he a training camp practice flash who disappears or could he be one of those anonymous runners Denver seems to come up with who flourishes with zone blocking and one-cut running?
– No. 3 and 4 wide receivers . . . Ron Curry and Jerry Porter are secure. My guess is the Raiders would love to see Mike Williams and Johnnie Lee Higgins step up and seize the next two spots, but there's no guarantee they will.
– Robert Gallery's conversion to guard . . . some think a guard that tall can't possibly get low enough to be a good cut-blocker. Tom Cable thinks differently, because even when Barry Sims doesn't practice, Gallery has not moved back to left tackle.
– Jeremy Newberry's health . . . he missed both practices in a double session Wednesday, the first time that's happened. Could be being conservative for the long haul, but with Newberry's history, it's always a concern.
– Daunte Culpepper . . . can he seize the starting position before Week 1? And what happens when and if JaMarcus Russell signs? Which quarterback is the odd man out?
– Which rookie defensive end is most likely to start? Lane Kiffin keeps talking about Quentin Moses, Rob Ryan is raving about Jay Richardson.
– Is there enough depth at corner? Stanford Routt is out with a knee injury and wasn't all that impressive working as the No. 1 nickel back. The best player there might be Chris Carr. The Raiders usually stack the roster with corners at the expense of safeties, this year it's the other way around.
– Will the Raiders use their `Wolverine" more than their base defense? It's a 4-2-5 alignment nicknamed because it put former Michigan star Charles Woodson in the middle of the field instead of at corner. Now the three safeties are Michael Huff, Donovin Darius and Stuart Schweigert.
– The Condo watch . . . linebacker Jon Condo is being given the opportunity to succeed Adam Treu. A single bad snap in the preseason could have the Raiders looking for someone else. Maybe Treu couldn't cover like Condo, but you took his accuracy for granted. Rest assured Shane Lechler and Sebastian Janikowski did not.
– Russell . . . since he's buying a home in Oakland even without signing a contract with the Raiders, will he opt for a full season ticket plan or a five-pack?
Note: The Raiders held a walkthrough Friday which was closed to the media.
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