Training Camp - Day 9

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Training camp, Day 9

Posted by Jerry McDonald - NFL Writer on Saturday at 6:11 pm

News and notes, sights and sounds from Saturday's training camp practice:

– The Raiders ran a 56-play scrimmage with friends and family in attendance. There was little in the way of offensive highlights until Daunte Culpepper rifled a 20-yard touchdown pass to Carlos Francis on the final play.

– Culpepper's bullet propped up Oakland's quarterback rating for the team's 13th practice session all the way up to 53.8. Along with Andrew Walter and Josh McCown, Raiders quarterbacks completed 13 passes in 30 attempts for 132 yards, one touchdown and one interception.

– Culepper finished 6-for-14 for 74 yards and the touchdown, and to get there, he had to go 5-for-7 for 55 yards in leading the third-team offense to a 60-yard scoring drive. The drive included an 18-yard completion to Francis on third-and-7 and a 13-yard flip to fullback Oren O'Neil.

Culpepper's first completion came in his second drive, a 19-yard strike on an out pattern to Chris McFoy on third-and-10. He was sacked once, by rookie defensive Jay Richardson. Kiffin did not use the headset to communicate with Culpepper as he did with the other two quarterbacks.

"He did do well on that last drive and obviously we have to protect him in the way we called plays because he only knows so much of the playbook right now," Kiffin said. "You saw that's why I went out there as opposed to going on the walkie-talkie just to help him through things with his reads."

– Going into the last drive, the the quarterbacks were a combined 7-for-23 for 87 yards, no touchdowns and an interception, a rating of 25.1.

– Walter started with the first team, giving him the misfortune of playing against the first-team defense. On the first drive, Walter's first pass in the left flat fell incomplete when Zack Crockett failed to turn around. His second attempt ended in a sack by Terdell Sands.

Walter committed both turnovers, forcing a ball toward Alvis Whitted which was intercepted by nickel back Chris Carr, and losing a center snap ifrom Jeremy Newberry in the red zone that he failed to go after.

On the snap previous to the fumble, Walter appeared to be pulling out from behind center a fraction too soon.

Walter seemed unsure whether he was supposed to fall on the ball or not, at first hesitating and then kicking at it. Defensive end Kevin Huntley made the recovery.

"How about picking the ball up,?" Kiffin yelled from the sideline. "It's laying there on the ground . . . jog off!"

On the snap previous to the fumble, Walter appeared to be pulling out from behind center a fraction too soon.

Walter was 3-for-8 for 22 yards, with none of his completions traveling more than 8 yards.

– McCown was 4-for-8 for 36 yards, no touchdowns and no interceptions. He had a 9-yard scramble to the 19-yard line during a 64-yard, 15-play drive which ended in O'Neil's 1-yard touchdown plunge.

McCown hit Alvis Whitted for a 10-yard gain on a third-and-5 to the 49-yard-line, but most of the drive came on running plays with dubious spots designed to keep down-and-distance in order and create situations beneficial for practice.

A crew of officials called penalties, but a Raiders employee handled the spots.

Justin Fargas carried 12 times for 55 yards, but a number of runs weren't nearly that far. Plays in which defenders made contact for losses (runners aren't actually brought down) were judged gains.

– To be fair, the Raiders are employing a zone blocking scheme heavy on cut blocking. Opponents are cut at the knees, never teammates. Which leaves the Raiders line at a distinct disadvantage during scrimmages.

"If you're going to line up and run a bunch of outside zone, you're not going to get the guys cut on the backside," Kiffin said. "I don't call as much because of that so the guys feel they are getting a little success. It is a totally different world obviously."

"The defensive line, they know they're not going to cut, so they don't have that fear of protecting their legs at all, so they play a little differently," center Jake Grove said.

– Sebastian Janikowski, with the wind at his back, easily hit a 58-yard field goal to give the McCown led offense a score on a 16-yard drive of which 14 came on McCown's pass over the middle to Dominic Rhodes.

Janikowski's opening kickoff, headed in the same direction, was a touchback, with Johnnie Lee Higgins taking a knee in the back of the end zone.

– Penalties included a hold on left guard Robert Gallery and hard-count offsides penalties against Tommy Kelly and defensive end Chris Clemons.

– Two receivers dropped easy passes _ tight end Fred Wakefield in the left flat (Culpepper) and wide receiver Mike Williams on a post which could have been a 20-yard gain (McCown).

"You can't write about that dropped post," Williams implored to a reporter. "I don't drop balls. That's an anomaly. It doesn't happen."

– Richardson, the fifth-round draft pick out of Ohio State, started with the first team at right end.

– Francis, who caught 2 passes for 38 yards, didn't want to dwell too much on his injury-riddled past as not to jinx his health.

"I take every day like it’s my last," Francis said. "Just take care of my body _ that’s a big thing for me. I’m playing football. You’re away from it awhile and you forget. But it’s football and it’s fun to me."

– Kiffin said Isaiah Kacyvenski (knee) will probably out at least a month. Among those who did not play due to injury were G Ben Claxton, TE James Adkisson, DT Josh Shaw, T Chad Slaughter, WR Johnnie Morant, S B.J. Ward, , CB Duane Starks, WR Rich Parson and RB LaMont Jordan. RB Michael Bush and DE Derrick Burgess remain on the physically unable to perform list.

Ward has missed the last three practices with a back injury after being a standout in the early practices of camp.

– Defensive line coach Keith Millard, walking toward the field with his wife and young son, were greeted from a deep yell from the field house," "Yeah, Millard, I like the jersey," said the voice."

It was Burgess. Millard's son was wearing a Burgess No. 56 jersey.

– Originally scheduled for workouts at 8:45 a.m. and 7 p.m. Sunday, Kiffin instead gave his team a single 2:45 p.m. workout and some time to visit with their guests. Many players and coaches were making dinner plans.
 
Walter committed both turnovers, forcing a ball toward Alvis Whitted which was intercepted by nickel back Chris Carr, and losing a center snap ifrom Jeremy Newberry in the red zone that he failed to go after.
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McCown hit Alvis Whitted for a 10-yard gain on a third-and-5 to the 49-yard-line, but most of the drive came on running plays with dubious spots designed to keep down-and-distance in order and create situations beneficial for practice.
Click to expand...


What the fuck is this? the Alvis whitted show(one catch and countless int's)? He's first and second team offense? Oh WTF? if he makes roster i lose resppect for Kiff's power over personnel moves.
 
Just like last year, Raiders defense well ahead of offense

By JOSH DUBOW
http://www.gadsdentimes.com/apps/pb...708040765&SectionCat=SPORTS&Template=printart
AP Sports Writer

When the Oakland Raiders held their first intrasquad scrimmage of training camp, it looked a lot like last season. The defense was well ahead of the offense.

There were a pair of turnovers, two sacks, dropped passes, and miscommunication between the receivers and quarterbacks at times during the one-hour scrimmage. An offense that managed only 12 touchdowns last season still has plenty of work to do under new coach Lane Kiffin.

"I felt the defense really showed up today," Kiffin said Saturday. "There was a lot of tempo, energy, hitting and flying around. I was very pleased with them."

There were nine series in the scrimmage, with quarterbacks Andrew Walter, Josh McCown and Daunte Culpepper each getting three. Walter was the only one not to lead a scoring drive, fumbling a snap from center, throwing an interception to Chris Carr and going three-and-out on the first series.

Walter finished 3-for-8 and his most memorable play came when he dropped a snap from center Jeremy Newberry, looked at it for a moment, then kicked the ball before it was recovered by defensive lineman Kevin Huntley. Kiffin scolded Walter as he walked off the field.

"Sixty plays, two turnovers. That's two too many obviously," Kiffin said.

The offense did put together two long touchdown drives to end the scrimmage, though the first one anchored by McCown was aided greatly by friendly spotting on running plays that turned losses into gains. Rookie fullback Oren O'Neal scored on a 1-yard run to cap that drive.

Culpepper completed just one of his first seven passes - a pretty 18-yard third-down conversion to Chris McFoy - but finished strong. He went 5-for-7 on the final drive, ending the scrimmage by throwing a perfect 20-yard strike to Carlos Francis between Hiram Eugene and Levonne Rowan for a touchdown.

Culpepper, who had his first practice with the Raiders on Wednesday, is still behind the other quarterbacks in terms of knowing the offense.

"He did do well on that last drive and obviously we have to protect him in the way we called plays because he only knows so much of the playbook right now," Kiffin said. "You saw that's why I went out there as opposed to going on the walkie-talkie just to help him through things with his reads. He did finish well."

With most of the defense back from a unit that ranked third in the NFL last season, it's no surprise that there is a discrepancy in the play on the two sides. But Kiffin said he doesn't tell defensive coordinator Rob Ryan to go easy to help the offense gain confidence.

"I tell him to compete to win, win the drill or win the scrimmage whatever it is," Kiffin said. "Call the defense against us as if you're playing us, as if it were a big-time game. That's what we need. We want to put ourselves in the hardest situation. We don't want to go out and they play cover 3 so we can have some success here. I just don't believe in that."

Kiffin said the best part of the scrimmage was that there were no injuries. But the Raiders did get some bad news on a knee injury that occurred earlier this week to linebacker Isaiah Kacyvenski. He is expected to miss about a month, Kiffin said.
 
August 04, 2007

Training camp observations, Aug. 4

Today was scrimmage day.

Or as defensive coordinator Rob Ryan might call it, make the offense cry day.

The offense didn't look good most of the scrimmage. It's hard to gauge because the offensive line's schemes calls for cut blocking and you don't cut your teammates.

But some of the problems were familiar, cut or not cut blocking:

• Robert Gallery was called for holding while pass blocking.

• There was a botched snap between Andrew Walter and center Jeremy Newberry. Walter nearly mishandled a snap earlier on the same drive. Coach Lane Kiffin yelled, "how about picking the ball off the ground" as the offense left the field after the bad snap.

• Walter also threw an interception.

• The defensive line was able to dominate the line of scrimmage.

Coach Lane Kiffin said his playcalling was limited in running by the inability to cut block, but he wasn't pleased with two turnovers by the offense.

But there were some positives, just not many.

• Daunte Culpepper had the only touchdown pass - a 20-yard strike to Carlos Francis.

• The longest run was by Adimchinobe Echemandu, a 15-yard scamper along the right sideline.

• Sebastian Janikowski made a 58-yard field goal that cleared the uprights by at least 10 yards.

But the defense had its way, as expected.

A more accurate assessment of the offense will come next Saturday in the Raiders' first exhibition game against the visiting Arizona Cardinals.

--Jason Jones
 
Quarterbacks play for a job -- elsewhere

Michael Wagaman

Aug 4, 2007

It’s not likely the Raiders will take four quarterbacks into the regular season. JaMarcus Russell, if he ever signs a contract, is the only one guaranteed of a roster spot, meaning either Daunte Culpepper, Josh McCown or Andrew Walter will have to go.

Walter’s name has come up a lot, primarily because he was at the helm for a portion of last year’s offensive disaster. He’s continued to have his share of problems in training camp, and was quarterbacking the offense when it committed its only two turnovers.

But Walter’s roster spot is probably secure. Raiders owner Al Davis was so fond of Walter that he passed over Matt Leinart and Jay Cutler in last year’s draft. And during his press conference earlier this week, Davis made it a point to defend Walter.

Culpepper, if his knee and the rest of his body can stay healthy, isn’t going anywhere, either. The Raiders like that he and Russell have similar styles and would love to have someone like Culpepper around to mentor the youngster. It’s not even a stretch to say that Culpepper is likely to open the season as Oakland’s starting quarterback.

That leaves McCown, the journeyman quarterback who hasn’t thrown a pass in a regular season game since 2005. McCown was part of the draft day trade with Detroit and was brought to Oakland originally with the intent of being the starter until Russell was deemed ready. Instead, he finds himself fighting for a roster spot.

McCown has more trade value than Walter does were the Raiders to go that direction. They could play McCown the first two preseason games to showcase him to the rest of the league and see which teams, at that point, are in need of a quarterback. Atlanta no doubt will need one.

If a trade isn’t worked out, cutting McCown rather than Walter also makes the most sense. McCown, like Culpepper, signed a one-year deal, meaning the Raiders wouldn’t take a hit to the salary cap because of any accelerated bonus money. If Oakland were to cut Walter, they’d take a ding on the cap, though not a significant one.

The last point is this: McCown sat behind Jon Kitna in Detroit last season and played in only two games. Never once did he attempt a pass. The 28-year-old can’t afford to languish on the sidelines for two straight years. That’s why he signed with Oakland in the first place, to put up something on tape in order to cash in as a free agent next year.

Then again, maybe no one goes anywhere. If one in the bunch gets hurt, all bets are off.
 
Coach Kiffin Camp Q&A: Day 9

August 4, 2007

Head Coach Lane Kiffin addressed the media after the Raiders afternoon practice on Day 9. Coach Kiffin discussed the scrimmage style practice, Defensive Coordinator Rob Ryan's defense, and the Raiders' offensive line.


Kiffin: I felt that it was a good day as far as coming out, getting warmed up, [performing] a couple of drills; then went to scrimmage format and ran about 60 plays. A lot of guys got in about 20 to 25 plays each in an up-tempo [scrimmage] where guys [were] staying in the huddle and [we were] not switching guys in and out on every play. The most positive thing [was] that we came out with no injuries today. That part was great.

Q: With [Daunte] Culpepper in a scrimmage drive, that seemed like the best drive.

Kiffin: Yeah, he did do well on that last drive. Obviously we’ve got to protect him in the way we call plays, because he only knows so much of the playbook right now. That’s why I went out there, as opposed to going on the walkie-talkie with him, just to help him through things with his reads, but he did finish well. We did have a fumbled snap and we did throw an interception to Chris [Carr], so 60 plays, two turnovers, that’s two too many. I felt that the defense really showed up today. There was a lot of tempo, energy, hitting and flying around. I was very pleased with them.

Q: [Defensive Coordinator] Rob [Ryan] doesn’t want to go easy on the offense, do you pull him aside and say ‘Hey, are you guys going to bring it or do you tone it down a little for us,’ or do you react to whatever he’s goning to do?

Kiffin: I tell them to compete to win. Win the drill and win the scrimmage, whatever it is. Call the defense against us as if it [were] a big time game and that’s what we need. We want to put ourselves in the hardest situation. We don’t want to come out and say: ‘okay let’s play cover three so we can have some success here,’ because I just don’t believe in that.

Q: Have you been able to see (Tom) Cable’s influence on the offensive line out here?

Kiffin: No doubt. What they do everyday and the way they go at it and the way they practice, it would be hard to find another position group that practices harder than them in the course of a two hour practice. The way that they work, I’ve been extremely pleased [with] every one of them. They never have a complaint and never say a thing about working too hard. They really bought in.
 
McCown to Davis was a backup plan be it he couldnt get cullpepper i'm guessing. if that were true, then mcCown is odd man out. He is the only qb w/o a rifle arm, so thats a factor too for Al you'd think. The question is who is going to have a final say? Kiffin got his way with Moss. Davis made it known that it was Kiff's call to trade him. But we know kiffin can't win every battle(he's already won more battles with the dark lord than gruden did at this point), which is probably why Cullpepper is in camp.
 
Training Camp -- Day 9 ---------- BRUTAL
 
Seriously.

If our offense were performing well, that would scare me shitless.

"You mean Daunte Culpepper and Josh McCown are beating up this D? What will the Chargers do?"
 
Raiders' Newberry regaining old form

Steve Corkran

August 4, 2007 8:50 PM

NAPA, Calif. - Center Jeremy Newberry hasn't played in an NFL game since the 2005 season. Many of his Raider teammates still were in college when he racked up the second of his two Pro Bowl selections in '02.

Therefore, those who viewed Newberry as just another player hopeful of breaking camp with the Raiders can be forgiven. Veteran defensive tackle Warren Sapp knows better.

Just for good measure, Newberry provided a poignant reminder to those who doubt his ability to rebound from microfracture surgery on both knees to resuscitate his career.

The reminder came during a recent practice, when Sapp engaged left guard Robert Gallery but incurred the full wrath of Newberry.

''He gave me a shot in the ribs, and I was like, 'Whoa, where did that come from?'''' Sapp said. ''I told him, 'This ain't the 49ers and the Raiders anymore, Big Boy.' He's a beast. He lets you know that he's been around for a while. I told him, 'I'm going to know where you are from now on.' That boy can play, that's for sure.''

There was a time when few matched Newberry's level of play. He started 79 of 80 regular-season games from 1999-2003 and earned Pro Bowl honors in '01 and '02.

Then came the knee injuries-he has had seven in all-coupled with Newberry's fierce desire to return sooner than recommended for someone fresh from such a delicate surgery. As a result, he has appeared in only 11 games since his ascension to one of the game's top centers.

Time now is his ally, even though he turned 31 in March and hasn't played in a regular-season game in almost two years. However, the Antioch High School graduate said the long break has enabled him to regain his confidence and the strength that makes him such a load.

''If I'm healthy and I'm ready to play, I don't think there are too many people in this league that are going to beat me out,'' Newberry said. ''I let that take care of itself, and the coaches will make the decision on their own.''

That decision won't be as easy one for Raiders coach Lane Kiffin. Newberry is competing against incumbent Jake Grove, a three-year starter.

''Jeremy brings you something every day, and it's a special thing that he brings,'' Kiffin said. ''He's a great competitor. As you watch him go through individual drills, he goes through it like he's the youngest guy there, the way that he works and the way that he handles those guys. Coaches can't do everything. You need some players that can take charge sometimes when you're not around. He's that type of guy.''

Newberry is a standout in one-on-one pass-blocking drills. The way he uses his strength, balance and experience make it difficult for defensive linemen to get past or around him.

Newberry worked with Raiders offensive line coach Tom Cable when they were at Cal. Cable calls Newberry's value to his linemates ''like gold.''

Yet, it's the value to the Raiders overall fortunes that Kiffin is most concerned about. He signed off on the one-year, $1.5 million deal for Newberry in hopes he could make the Raiders better through competition.

Sapp said the Raiders got much more.

''I don't see why he can't start,'' Sapp said. ''You don't find many players like that who are that strong and that sound technique-wise. We just got to remind him that he ain't in San Francisco anymore so he takes it easy on us in practice.''
 
– Going into the last drive, the the quarterbacks were a combined 7-for-23 for 87 yards, no touchdowns and an interception, a rating of 25.1.
Click to expand...


Blurb,blurb,blurb... the sound of offseason optimism circling the drain :D


Seriously, that the defense is way ahead of the offense isn't a big surprise, especially when they have a familiarity with the offensive sets after seeing them every day in practice and because it usually takes the offense awhile to get their timing down, especially a new offense... That said, I'm really disappointed with all the mental errors (fumbled snaps, not jumping on fumbles, dropped passes)... We sure better tighten the concentration level...

That our QB's are all off kilter as far as running the offense is exactly why I believe there is zero chance we carry 4 QB's once JaMarcus signs... The guys there are going to need every snap possible to build timing... In fact the sooner we settle on the top 2, the better...


– Richardson, the fifth-round draft pick out of Ohio State, started with the first team at right end.
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This is a little surprising considering all the glowing reports Moses has been getting... I'm assuming Huntley started at LE in place of Burgess?...
 
25% QB rating ??

Fuck me running
 
:woot:
Ugly Nipples said:
25% QB rating ??

Fuck me running
Click to expand...


Granted JR isnt in camp yet but... kinda makes you glad we drafted a stud Qb #1 overall. It obviously is an area that still is a problem. Lets go AL! :woot: Sunday is the best day to sign a franchise QB!(wishful thinking)
 
Training Camp

August 5, 2007

Quote of the day: "Sixty plays, two turnovers. That's two too many, obviously." Raiders coach Lane Kiffin, on the offense after the team scrimmage.

Play of the day: One of the few positives for the offense. Daunte Culpepper hit receiver Carlos Francis with a bullet of a pass for a 20-yard touchdown on the last play of the scrimmage.

Saturday's buzz: Dominant defense. Chris Carr intercepted an Andrew Walter pass and the defense recovered a fumbled snap by Walter. Defenders couldn't tackle the quarterback, but if they could, there would have been several sacks and solid hits.

Injury report: Safety B.J. Ward (back), cornerback Duane Starks (hamstring), tight end James Adkisson (hamstring), tackle Chad Slaughter (calf), cornerback Stanford Routt (knee), guard Ben Claxton (knee), running back LaMont Jordan and cornerback John Bowie (Achilles') missed the scrimmage. Receivers Johnnie Morant and Rich Parsons were out with undisclosed injuries. Linebacker Isaiah Kacyvenski (knee) could be out a month, Kiffin said.

-- Jason Jones
 
Raiders' offensive line tunes in to Cable

The new position coach's job is to improve a beleaguered unit that gave up 72 sacks last season, most in the NFL.

Jason Jones

August 5, 2007

NAPA -- Mike McCartney's job as an agent is to protect his clients' interests.

So while some might consider him delusional to steer a quarterback, fullback and tailback he represents to play behind the Raiders' offensive line, all McCartney had to know was that Tom Cable was the new position coach.

"Coach Cable's going to end up being their MVP because their offensive line will be a lot better," said McCartney, who represents quarterback Josh McCown, running back Dominic Rhodes and fullback Justin Griffith -- each of whom signed free-agent contracts with the Raiders in the offseason.

The offensive line really had three coaches last season. Jackie Slater and Irv Eatman were co-coaches. Head coach Art Shell, like Slater a Hall of Fame left tackle, also spent time working with the line.

Cable doesn't have Hall of Fame credentials, but no one is confused about who's in charge.

Cable's job is to improve the unit's play and repair its damaged psyches. The Raiders allowed an NFL-high 72 sacks and finished 29th in rushing. Yet Cable sees -- honestly -- talent.

"You've got guys that have very little belief in themselves or have had that," Cable said. "So you really have to start over with them."

Cable doesn't want them to start over completely. It's OK to hold on to the mental anguish of last season.

"Don't forget how much that hurts and how people kicked you (below the belt) and talk about you the way they do; remember that part," Cable said. "But forget what you know and let's just start over."

Cable, who the Raiders hired after he was let go with the rest of Jim Mora's staff in Atlanta, is a toned-down version of the man who ran Tommy Tough Camp as Cal's offensive line coach from 1992 to '97. Cable referred questions about Tommy Tough Camp to center Jeremy Newberry, a free-agent addition that played for him at Cal.

"It was a whole lot of (expletives) coming your way," Newberry recalled with a laugh. "He used to ride everyone's (butt) back then."

He's trying to find the best group to run the new zone-blocking scheme that has been successful in Atlanta and Denver.

Part of that is moving players. Robert Gallery was drafted as a left tackle but Cable won't try to "put a round peg in a square hole." Gallery is now playing left guard.

"If this is where a guy can do it and he embraces it, then turn him loose," Cable said. "The guy is a hell of a talent ... all he can do now is go out, prove them wrong and play."

Though the line can't cut-block in practice -- which would fairly gauge their improvement -- the group has welcomed Cable.

"It would be hard to find another position group that practices harder in the course of the two-hour practice," said head coach Lane Kiffin. "... Every one of them that's still here never has a complaint, never says a thing about working too hard."

Cable said he only knows one way to coach. It was taught to him by offensive line guru Alex Gibbs.

"Love them all and be (mad) at them all at the same time, and that's what it is," Cable said. "Because we're all in it together. Me and them are one, and let's just go do it together."
 
Thanks AP. I cant get off of this site because you keeep posting crucial article's! Its 3:30 a.m here on the east coast. Let a brutha get some sleep!

The more i read about Cable, the more Iam glad we landed him as the O-Line coach. This guy motivates me and im just reading quotes! Im ready to lay some one out in the kitchen, hopefully my roomates are asleep or someone might get hurt!Im about to have a HS flashback in this bitch.
 
You gotta love Newberry's nasty streak. Hope it rubs off on some of the other cats. I just hope his knees can hold up because I think he's going to get the starting gig.

I know it's a new offense and all but these mental errors are killers. I think Mssr. Walter is playing himself out of a job. I just thought Kiff's upbeat style and tempo would lend itself to a more efficient offense, instead it loooks painfully similar to last season.:shakehead: I just hope to hell we have some semblance of a running attack this year.
 
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