The truth is that every week some part of each team has to rise up and do something extraordinary to help put a win on the board. This week it wasn't hard to select six coordinators who put a plan together and got the execution necessary to get a victory. There were a few surprises where a performance was much better than expected and there was one performance where injuries had to be overcome to get the job done. This week's unsung heroes in the NFL:
5. GREG KNAPP, offensive coordinator, Oakland Raiders
The Raiders were close to winning two straight weeks prior to Sunday. In those two games, the offense handed the defense the lead, which it could not hold. On Sunday the Raiders broke an 11-game losing streak with a backup quarterback and a commitment to the running game. Oakland had a few great calls in this game. On fourth-and-1 in the third quarter at midfield they ran the ball to the left for the first down. Later in the drive, on a third-and-23 situation, Knapp called for a slip screen to LaMont Jordan and he went for 27 yards. At the end of the day the Raiders offense had 396 yards, ran the ball for 4.5 yards per carry and controlled the clock for close to eight more minutes than the Browns. Knapp deserves credit for the game plan; the work to prepare Duante Culpepper, who went 8-for-14 in his first game as a Raider; and an offense that doesn't look anything like the 2006 version. Lane Kiffin has a big influence over this offense but the blend of their two philosophies looks like a match.
