Photo Marcio Jose Sanchez / AP                                                        CB Nanmdi Asomugha        

One has to question the logic in bringing back players that weren’t good enough to make the team the first time. Especially considering the sorry performances of some of those who did.

Recently reunited LB Robert Thomas was picked up to fill a void left by the injured Ricky Brown, but himself was inured after only one game,

Joseph was a former 1^st round pick, but has been plagued with injures, attitude and under performance. His saving grace may be that he’s decent on occasion against the run, something Oakland has been struggling with again this year.

As a run defender Joseph make a little more sense and as insurance for Sands and Warren. Sands who gets winded easily and warren who gets injured frequently could benefit from another guy in the rotation who isn’t Fred Wakefield.

Not sure what kind of message it sends to waive a player like CB DeAngelo Hall for "under performing" only to bring in and or keep players guilty of the same thing.

Of course theres the money issue with Hall, but it seems like an excuse and only part of the real reason that hasn’t and may never be revealed.

Not even sure if Hall knows for sure.

The move seems to have caused dissent especially in the secondary with the usually media shy Nnamdi Asomugha and pre season acquired FA safety Gibril Wilson.

Asomugha said he felt the move wouldn’t inspire players to work harder, but make them more cautious.

The fact is, aside from Asomugha and Wilson, they can’t play much worse than they have been.

Wilson stated "Hall was a good football player and we needed him."

He also felt Hall was growing and becoming accustomed to the Raiders unusually man heavy coverage scheme, but in all fairness, when you pay a 2 time Pro Bowl CB, you don’t expect him to play like an untalented rookie who gets burnt more than a candle.

At least 2 games were lost as a direct result of Hall’s awful and embarrassing performances and nearly a 3^rd when Hall’s ridiculously loose coverage and piss poor tackling allowed the Jets to escape a 3^rd an long pinned on their own goal line with time winding down in the 4^th.

The play helped set up a game tying field goal, but the Raiders managed a win in OT only with the help of a record setting field goal.

Hall is gone from the Raiders. Whether he plays well for someone else is another matter but the truth is, he was plain awful in Oakland and they may be better off with out him.

  Photo Paul Sakuma / AP                 

Brady Quinn will take the helm of the Browns disappointing offense and see if he can create a spark.

In the 08' draft and despite his plunge, the Notre Dame QB was touted as the "most NFL ready."

If Quinn does play well, Raider detractors and some frustrated fans will likely use his success as "proof" Jamarcus Russell was a bad pick with the 1^st over all selection of the 2007 draft or worse yet, a bust.

Russell hasn’t played an entire season so what he can and can’t do right now most likely won’t stay the same or get worse as his career goes on.

If his current quarterback rating of 69.0 hasn’t improved substantially by the end of 2009, the bust tag may start to carry more weight, but at this point, its too early to pull the trigger on the bust label.

Some point to the success of rookie QB’s like Baltimore’s Joe Flacco and Matt Ryan of Atlanta to bloster their claim, but the truth of the matter is neither of these comparisons carry much validity.

Flacco has been aided by the 2^nd best defense in the NFL and Ryan by the League's best running game.

The Raiders defense has been erratic to say the least, turning in some fine football for a half and then completely collapsing.

Oaklands once promising running game has evaporated. Some fans point to the absence of Darren McFadden, but the fact remains the Raiders finished 6^th overall last year with out him.

(So far in 2008, RB Justin Fargas has a measly 2.8 yd average and is showing last years 1,000 yd campaign was nothing more than a contract year anomaly.)

Drafted to help take pressure off of their "rookie" QB, McFadden has been a disappointment with nagging toe injures taking away yet another valuable target and weapon for the struggling Russell.

Who knows how well the young QB would be doing if he had some help, like Flacco and Ryan?

The fact is, he doesn’t and it shows,

If Quinn has success, that would seem to support the nay sayers because he doesn’t have the best defense or running game, but he does have 2007's 3^rd over all draft pick left tackle Joe Thomas and WR Braylon Edwards who caught 80 passes for 1,289 yds and 16 TD’s last year.

Photo Getty Images

Russell has a former 1^st round draft pick at left tackle too, but if anyone fits the bust label, its Kwame Harris who has very little business being on a professional football field.

For his go to receiver Russell has the non existent Javon Walker.

Another factor in Ryan and Flacco’s success is having the same head coach they started the year with.

To label Jamarcus a bust based on his performance and stats at this early stage of his career is not only premature and short sighted at best, it doesn’t acknowledge extenuating factors that are contributing to his lack of production and growth.

To compare his performacne so far to the success younger QB’s are having in the League dismisses the fact these other teams have some very good players and units behind them.

Its not Russell’s inability to play the game of football thats the cause of his failure so far at the pro level, its his inexperience, underperforming team mates and injuries hampering his chances for success right now.

                                                                     WR Roddy White

Oaklands defense faces the challenge this week of shutting down Atlanta's offense.

The Falcon's have former San Diego RB Michael Turner who as of last week was 3rd in the League in rushing yards.

Rookie QB Matt Ryan is making plays and has found a rhythm with emerging wide out, 6-4, 208 lb Roddy White who has come alive in the and proven to be a legitimate threat.

The Falcons are dinged along the o line having lost rookie starter Sam Baker at tackle but are still gettting the job done and are currently sitting 3rd in the League at pounding the rock.

On defense, Atlanta lost 6-6, 282 lb 2nd year defensive end Jamaal Anderson, who became a friendly fire casualty heading into the 2 minute warning of last weeks half time in Philly.

The seriousness of his concusion should keep him off the field for the Raider game and possibly beyond.

Thats good news for the Raiders terrible tackles, but the bad news is DE John Abraham is on pace this year to smash his personal best in sack tallies.

So far he has 7.

Whether they will be without the services of their best run stuffing DT and lane clogger Grady Jackson isn't known, but he has been implicated for a possible violation of League illegal substance policy. 

The Falcons D played well against a solid Eagles offense who had alot of their missing weapons back, getting to McNabb with well timed LB blitzes and front four pressure. 

With or with out Grady Jackson for the Falcons and with or with out RB Darren McFadden for the Raiders, Oakland will try hard to go ground against Atlanta's 23rd ranked run defense, but their corners and 24th ranked pass defense may be a better matchup for the Raiders.

CB Lawyer Miloy is the grisled veteran of the crew with 13 seasons to his credit, but he bit on plays and was burned badly by McNabb and the Eagles.

Dominique Foxworth has 4 yrs experience, David Irons and Chris Houston are in their 2nd season and former LSU DB Chevis Jackson is a rookie.

Oakland may be able to utilize its TE's more against Atlanta as Philly did before them, gaining yards and moving the ball quite well with theirs.

Philly roughed up QB Matt Ryan, but the kid has an arm and a knack for getting the ball in tight.

He also distributes it well too delivering the ball to 7 different receivers against the Eagles.

WR Roddy White will be a main focus of the Raiders secondary. White caught 83 passes for 1,202 yds in 2007 and has caught at least 7 passes in the last 3 games.

                                                 Former Falcon, current Raider DB DeAngelo Hall

Corner back DeAngelo Hall will try to put in a solid performance in his first matchup with the Falcons since his public and ugly divorce from them last year. 

This is a winnable game against the Falcons and the Raiders may be playing with a chip on their shoulder after a fairly humiliating loss at the hands of the Ravens.

Look for their defense to play tough against Atlanta's rookie QB who has struggled on the road this year.

Photo Carlos Avila Gonzales / SF Chronicle

                                                                                                              Raider LT Kwame Harris

Atlanta Falcons DE John Abraham is on pace to have the best year of his nearly decade long career.

With 7 sacks already he is on a pro bowl caliber pace.

Thats terrible news for an Oakland team with two of the worst tackles in the national football league.

Kwame Harris began last Sundays Ravens game with two of the worst offensive series I have ever seen at left tackle.

Nearly all of the tackles made by the Ravens D were made by guys he was supposed to block.

The sack on their first offensive possession that gave the Ravens excellent field position?

Kwame’s fault.

The sack on the next possession that gave up a humiliating, motivational killing safety?

Kwame’s fault.

                                           Tackle Mario Henderson was a late bloomer at FSU 

Former Seminole Mario Henderson is inexperienced and needs work, but filling for Harris when he was injured earlier this year seemed to galvanize the O line.

Robert Gallery was forced to focus when helping Henderson with assignments and the overall unit seemed to function better as a whole.

Have no illusions, Henderson missed blocks, especially in the 4^th against the Bills, but his pass protection (not his strong suit by the way) was light years ahead of some of Kwame’s frequently costly blunders.

Whether Henderson plays or not may come up this week after game films are studied because Harris was really that bad.

     Photo Gene Sweeney Jr. / Baltimore Sun

                                                                                       Mystery Man McAlister

Ravens coach John Harbaugh has not given reason why the teams interception leader from last year, CB Chris McAlister, has been benched.

Or for how long.

Harbaugh has not explained why the Ravens replaced the 3 time Pro Bowler with their 4^th string CB Frank Walker. When asked if McCalister would rejoin the line up for the Oakland game, Harbaugh stated:

"If he's one of the guys that we feel gives us the best opportunity to play the best defense at that moment, he'll be out there," "If we think there's a guy that can do it better, then he'll be out there."

With todays injury report, that should be a no brainer.

The Ravens were hoping corner back Samari Rolle and safety Dawan Landry might be available for Sundays match up, but both have been listed as "out" for the game.

If and until they disclose the apparent rift, its anyones guess as to why McAlister was held out of the Miami game, but with the obvious deficiencies in their secondary, if he is limited again or doesn’t play against Oakland, that would seem to indicate a serious issue brewing between the talented corner back and the Ravens.

Oakland will have a shot at exploiting former Raider corner back Fabian Washington and are well aware of his deficiencies and pluses.

With the Ravens #1 ranked run defense, Oakland will need to keep the momentum going in its passing game if it realistically hopes to have a chance at moving the ball effectively against Baltimore.

5 catches, 75 yds and a TD are hardly earth shattering stats, but compared to the numbers Raider receivers had put up thus far in the season, Javon Walker contributed a lot in last Sundays home win against the Jets.

Against the Ravens dinged up secondary, and outstanding run D, he'll have to do more.

With the McAlister mystery and injuries piling up, he and Oakland will have a shot at beating Baltimore, but the Raider offense as a whole will need to play better ball and commit less penalites if  it hopes to score points against an unforgiving Raven D.

     Photo Bill Haber / AP                                      Interim Coach Tom Cable

Many were expecting miracles against the Saints, but even with the bye week, there wasn’t a lot of time to get the Raiders ready.

Thats probably why Oaklands offense looked eerily like former Coach Lane Kiffin’s game plan.

(By the way, great phone call Lane. Seems to have really helped.)

Combine this with the fact "rookie" Quarter back Jamarcus Russell has started exactly SIX games in his professional career and you get yesterdays "vanilla" offense.

Of course the fact Oaklands defense couldn’t get off the field against a talented New Orleans offense affected Oaklands offensive game plan as well.

Raider fans sick of losing hoped indeed Kiffin was the problem and once removed the offense would prosper.

That clearly was not the case on Sunday at least.

Several plays, especially in the red zone, have been run week in and week out by the Raiders even though they have yet to produce a TD or a completion.

Again, it could be there simply wasn’t enough time to get another game plan going in time, but the youth of Oaklands offense and lack of a clear leader to guide its rookies will continue to shorten the Raiders play book until they actually get some games under their belts.

Some fans have advocate replacing Russell with back up Andrew Walter, but the fact is Walter doesn’t have much more experience than the 2^nd year man he’d be replacing.

No one can really count Walter’s 06' survival mission as "experience" unless you count how to get buried by defenders as a skill.

Plus, like it or not, Russell needs the reps. This year will likely be a write off, again, for the Raiders and its long suffering fans as the extremely green Russell gets up to NFL speed.

It would help if Oakland had some decent targets for him to throw to, but his wide outs can’t get separation or hang onto the ball at this point.

Desperate fans hold out hope for a mega trade that will bring someone like Chad Johnson to the fold, but it will have to happen before Tuesdays trading deadline. Frankly, Oakland probably can’t afford to do anything so drastic and its affects would be negligible given the current state of the O.

Next weeks game plan against the Jets may have more of Knapp and Cable’s finger prints on it and if it doesn’t, it could simply mean Oakland and its young offense isn’t ready for anything more exotic than vanilla.

It may not be the Coaching at this point. It may be the Raiders offense simply isn't Cable ready.

                                                             QB Jamarcus Russell   

NFL Network’s Brian Baldinger choose the Oakland Raiders for his "Upset special" this Sunday citing the return of Justin Fargas and Darren McFadden to Oaklands running game.

The fact is, Oakland may have a chance of beating the Saints but not as Baldinger thinks.

The Raiders ground game has been very good this year and last, but rookie running back Darren McFadden’s turf toe may not be 100%, evidenced by the fact he wore a protective boot as early as Wednesday.

McFadden has been seriously affected by the injury to his right big toe, He has fallen nearly every time he attempts to cut to his left because he cannot or will not plant as he normally would with his right foot.

Even if DMC is healed, Fargas is designated the starting running back and will likely continue to do so at least he gets injured again.

Oaklands has a Bush at running back too and though its his second season in Silver and Black, like Russell, its really his "rookie" year. He’s green, but has already shown promise.

Oakland will need more than promise on Sunday.

As an analyst / commentator, Baldinger forgot to check the Saints stats against the run. I f he had, he would’ve seen they are currently 4^th overall in run defense.

The fact that they blew up one of the best offensive lines in the League Monday night and held Adrian "The grown man" Peterson to 31 yds on TWENTY ONE carries seems to have been dismissed by Baldy too.

     Guard Carlisle "Don't call me Kitty."                       

Oakland will be have crucial right guard Cooper Carlisle return from a high ankle sprain suffered against Buffalo when McFadden trying to cut left, fell on the back of his legs.

He participated in a full practice and though his replacement Chris Morris filled admirably, Cooper is with out a doubt Oaklands most consistent line man.

Even with Cooper back, the Saints defense is likely to stymie the run.

Teams have had success against the Saints secondary and a hand injury to their rookie corner back Tracy Porter leaves their questionable secondary all the more vulnerable.

The Saints present an opportunity for O coordinator Greg Knapp and interim Head coach Tom Cable to finally mount some sort of ariel fire works and bring Oaklands passing game back to life.

Rumor has it, thats exactly what they’ll do.

Whether it succeeds will have a lot to do with "rookie" QB Jamarcus Russell in his 6^th start ever. His mechanics have been poor lately and hence, so has his accuracy. Paramount will be Oaklands ability to protect him should they decide to go air.

Oaklands tackles have both struggled mightily already this year.

Starter, Kwame Harris is back from an injury, but some question wether he should’ve reclaimed the left tackle position from 2^nd year late bloomer Mario Henderson who performed better than expected in his absence.

On the right side, 9 yr vet Cornell Green has struggled his whole career with pass protection and when he misses cut blocks one on one, it usually spells disaster.

All is not well on the receiver front with Oakland either, but if they can field WR Javon Walker for an entire game, they could catch fire in the dome.

It will be interesting to see if it was Kiffin holding them back or if they needed to be.

NFL Network's Brian Baldinger may feel Oakland can win if they go ground, but more likely, the path to victory for the Raiders will be through the air.

We'll find out Sunday.

 

Paul Sakuma / AP                                                         Defensive Coordinator Rob Ryan

Some fans still think Ryan should have been the one fired.

He is after all "in charge of the D" and they have been horrid against the run ever since, well, ever since Warren Sapp signed on. Now that the mouth that bored has moved on to meaner pastures, Oaklands defense has quietly improved in all aspects.

At DT, Tommy Kelly has been relatively quiet, but his constant double teams (alot of which he breaks) are freeing up his fellow brawlers in the middle.

Terdell Sands is quietly dominating the LOS and Gerard Warren has put togehter a few very productive games.

Oaklands secondary has faultered thats for sure, but its likely something DB coach Darren Perry and D Hall will get worked out, especially if Oakland keeps getting pressure at the defensive core.

DE Kalimba Edwards is slowly erasing the memory of Chris Clemmons and hopefully, D Burg will be healed enough to begin contributing more big time sacks like he did against Brodie Croyle and KC.

Don't even have to mention the LBs.

Oakland has a very young defense that is learning and finally beginning to gel together.

Its starting to show on the field.

Ryan has done a good job of bringing this team along, keeping them motivated and focused.

Truthfully anyone watching the games this year with Oakland can tell this is not the same old defense we've sported the last 5 years.

They are getting respect and attention around the league and especially from the teams that have faced them so far in 08'.

If not for the blow out opener against Denver, Oakland would be much more highly ranked.

Again, with the exception of Denver, the Raiders have played solid football and thruth be told, it wasn't Ryan, it wasn't the prevent, it was some good play by Oaklands opponents and bad substitions at critical junctures.

Against the Bills and on the goal line Oaklands defense had the right side protected by scrubs Fred Wakefield, Safety Gibril Wilson and LB Jon Alston. result? 3 yd TD Bills and the beginning of an epic collapse.

Same thing happened against SD.

Critical plays, 2nd, 3rd string players and rookies on the field. Result? Big plays that shifted the game and saw leads evaporate.

Whats more likely the cause of these substitutions than bad coaching or sabotage is the fact Oaklands conservative offensive play calling and inability to generate a 1st down has had our D tuckered, dinged up and riddled with rookies and subs.

Ryan has a good D and has called some aggresive games this year and Oaklands wounded defense is improved.

As of this week,the Raiders defense is 18th against the run and 20th against the pass. L.T. was the 1st 100yd rausher against us and 41 of that was on one run against you guessed it, a 2nd stringer.

For those who'd lobbying to have him hoisted from the yard arm, Ryan's not the problem this year. Kiffin and the media circus that followed was. What the media missed while clambering onto the "We hate Al bandwagon" and lost in their 4th quarter collapses was the fact the Raiders have been playing some very good, competetive football.

Part of "The Davis Letter" mentioned Coach Lane Kiffin’s apparent displeasure with QB Jamarcus Russell. Kiffin claims the two spoke last night over the phone, but refuses to address the Russell comment Davis brought up or any of yesterdays accusations.

Whether there was contention over Russell’s selection is moot at this point, but what did Kiffin’s tenure mean to the development of Russell and where does his departure leave Oaklands "rookie" QB?

One could argue having Kiffin force the young QB to work on technique and accuracy required for a short yardage dump off type offense will accelerate his growth as a well rounded QB.

Russell did come out his Junior year and missed all of last years pre season. He has only 5 starts under his belt so its very early in his career, but so far, thanks to play calling, he has only suffered one interception this year.

His lack of experience shows when he is pressured in the pocket. He doesn’t have the learned sense of urgency and the critical automatic decision making as to when to throw it away, how to protect the ball when being sacked and when to run.

At 6-6, he should be able to see the field rather well. Making reads though, he's going to struggle at least for a while. He has a noticable tell just be fore he gets the snap from under center and tends to lock onto targets.

His mechanics have improved, but he occasionally has games where he’ll get happy feet and or not plant properly when he throws.

Commentator Phil Sims was impressed by Russell’s arm strength going as far as posting a graphic during the San Diego game that showed a leaping Russell pass sailing from 15 to 15 yd line or 70 yards in the air.

What would’ve been more impressive is if the pressured Russell had kept his feet and delivered the strike two yards more to the left where a streaking Johnnie Lee Higgins would’ve been the only one with a play on it.

Deciding to bring Kwame Harris back in to the rotation after 2^nd year man Mario Henderson played well in his absence may or may not have been a good thing. Who knows how the inexperienced Henderson would’ve played his first start against San Diego?

He missed key blocks late in the Bills game that cost the Raiders running game, but the fact the calls were easily readable, predictable and "safe" didn’t help his cause.

Harris, recouped and rested, still suffered mental errors and break downs in protection that cost the Raiders turn overs, points and in a large part, the game.

So far, Russell simply plays better when Henderson is in the line up.

Break downs on the right side with Cornell Green and an injured Justin Fargas haven’t helped Russell settle into a firm pocket yet either.

Last week on 3^rd and 2 at the Raiders 34, Darren McFadden demonstrated why Russell may have been tap dancing in the back field last Sunday.

As the play developed McFadden stepped in front of blitzing LB Jyles Tucker. McFadden set up for the block meekly and leaning off center. He was unceremoniously shoved aside as Tucker bear hugged and sacked an unaware Russell.

McFadden isn’t always horrible at protect, but Justin Fargas is far more reliable and consistent.

With him back in the line up, look for Oakland to take more shots.

A lot of reigniting the Raiders passing game will have to do not only with Russell’s protection but with Oaklands wide outs.

Frankly, if you watch Russell’s college film, you can see he was never forced to be accurate.

If Russell were in Green Bay with receivers that aggressively attack and go after the ball his chances of creating big plays with his canon like arm would be much better, but with #1 wide out Javon Walker MIA, Ronald Curry unable to create separation (Or catch for that matter) Ashley Lelie’s recent arrival and a slew of inexperienced and rookie receivers in Oakland, their haven’t been many targets available.      

 WR Ronald Curry

For now, it looks as if the ground game will remain the Raiders best offensive tactic.

All of these things have conspired against Oakland lighting teams up with their #1 overall QB. Some of them may be improved after the bye and when the Raiders meet the Saints. Probably not enough to see a dynamic new passing offense that scorches the heavens, but if Oakland can get and keep Javon Walker and Justin Fargas on the field, Russell could have a legitimate target and the protection he needs to pull off a few jaw droppers.

Unleashing Russell may result in more points (or not) but it will lead to more interceptions and mistakes.

Looking at his games so far, Kiffin seems to have been wise to curtail the inexperienced Russell, but honestly, the running game was always going to central to Jamarcus' slow introduction to the Pros.

Those expecting shock and awe ariel fire works with a new and offensive minded coach, may be in for a disappointment, at least to start off with.

Then again, you never know.

Maybe with the conservative Kiffin gone, Cable will unleash the hounds.

He has nothing to lose and everything to gain.

In the long run, having Kiffin in his formative years may have been a benefit for Russell, debate over whether he should've been thrown into the fire right away as opposed to developing slowly will rage on, but none of it will matter unless Russell and the Raiders find a way to win.

Soon.

                                                                                        Al Davis: "I cast thee OUT!" 

The following is a deconstruction and loose intepretation of what "The Davis letter" signifies and really means.

POINT by POINT

"Dear Lane:

Over the past months, you have made a number of public statements that were highly critical of, and designed to embarrass and discredit this organization, its players and its coaches. I left you alone during training camp in hopes that you would cease your immature and destructive campaign."

In retrospect, Kiffin's comments raised eyebrows, but his "honesty" with the press was respected and the fact is many, fans and media alike, were all too happy to jump on another "Al Davis is the devil" band wagon.

What started his "immature and destructive campaign" isn't mentioned. Perhaps that will be addressed tomorrow.

"However, you continue to make public statements that are critical of the organization, its players as a whole as well as individual players. Such statements constitute conduct detrimental to the Raiders and I will no longer stand silently by while you continue to hurt this organization."

Kiffin's remarks to the press speak for themselves. The points of interest should be which of his many statements were true and which weren't, but his motives may be known only to himself, at least for the time being.

Key too is whether ANY negative remarks about the Raiders "...constitutes conduct detrimental to the team,"

It would help explain Ryan's almost fanatic refusal to speak negatively about player performance and team Captain Kirk Morrison's suspicious and chronically sunny spin on all things Raider.

"Further, your contract is quite clear that you work “subject to the direction and supervision of the General Partner’’ and that the General Partner has the “exclusive right to do all things, which in its sole discretion are necessary to maintain and improve the Club, the football organization and their activities.’’

In layman's terms: "Thats MY shit punk!"

Kiffin cannot have been surprised at such a short leash and as RNS pointed out in an earlier article, some of Kiffin's reason's for woe simply didn't make sense. Davis addresses these later in the letter.

"I realized when I hired you that you were young and inexperienced and that there would be a learning process for you. Your mistakes on player personnel and coaches were overlooked based on our patience with you. But I never dreamt that you would be so untruthful in statements to the press as well as on so many other issues. Your actions are those of a coach looking to make excuses for not winning, rather than a coach focused on winning."

Exactly which "mistakes on player personnel and coaches" is not specified. Davis goes on to cite examples in the next paragraph, but there could be more than what the press has already reported.

Of course, it could be only what we already know, or it could be a laundry list we haven't heard about. Dirty laundry that Kiffin may use as ammunition against the organization. According to the tone of Davis' letter, if Kiffin has the dirt, he may be immature and vindictive enough to use it.

Lets hope not.

At this juncture after everthing thats happened the cure is as simple as winning.

If only that were simple.

For example, with the exception of Gibril Wilson, you were involved in recruiting all free agents and determining salaries for them and you were explicit in your desire to sign Javon Walker and DeAngelo Hall amongst others. All were a must to sign in your eyes, Hall in particular, because he played for Greg Knapp in Atlanta and Knapp gave him high grades. Do not run from that now.

Just how "involved" in recruiting FA's and salaries, isn't specified, but Davis blatantly lays the blame for under performing and seemingly over paid players Walker and Hall.

Kiffin of course may differ and the truth may get lost in a "he said, he said" round about.

Davis' scolding "Do not run from that now." is at once a warning and a threat.

Yikes.

"I do realize that you did not want to draft JaMarcus Russell. He is a great player. Get over it and coach this team on the field, that is what you were hired to do. We can win with this team!"

Russell certainly was not the top choice for a west coast hybrid offense. A junior out of college who only had one solid year was going to struggle with a complex varitation of a system it takes some QB's years to master, but Davis' wording suggests that Kiffin had initiated the "I don't like Russell" campaign.  By stating "I do realize" makes the phrase sound as it is a response to Kiffin rather than an accusation by Davis. "Get over it" leaves little doubt and shows his frustration.

Davis may be right about Oakland.

They may be able to win with this team.

Its a reach, but it could be suggested that if Kiffin was in charge, he threw games by blowing leads with bad calls and substitutions, but so what if he did?  Impossible to prove so those prone to look at such things should probably heed Davis' advice and "Get over it."

If they don't or the interim coaches fall short, Davis will again, be to blame. He always has been according to the contractual wording, but what happens over the next few seasons is important as they will likely be Davis' coda.

"In regards to your recent fabrications about the defense, during the final cuts you made every cut on offense and every cut on defense except for Wakefield on defense and Wand on offense. Further more, during the game Monday night Rob played your Cover 2 defense and we got killed on an approximately 50-yard touchdown pass and approximately 70-yard gain that led to a field goal."

Translated, the statement "In regards to your recent fabrications" means "Liar, Liar, pants on fire."

It seems again incredible for Lane Kiffin to have had so much input considering Davis' reputation for tyrannical rule.

Ryan mentioned the cover 2 defense played that night at a later press conference. Whether it was a stupid idea or whether individual players confused by the unfamiliar D is responsible for the obvious failures is up for debate and now, a moot point.

 "You meet every week with the defensive coaches to go over both the past game and to get a general feel for what will happen during the week in practice. You have the ability and authority to provide your input during those meetings and the preparation for the game plan. I do not have weekly meetings with Rob _ you do."

Some of Kiffin's early statements to the press seemed to suggest he had little or no communication with others at most levels of the Raider organization. Davis' letter seems to contradict that and make Lane look like he was not telling the truth and the connotations of that are at least puzzling if not disturbing at this point. Again, he's yet to give his side.

"During the week no one has ever told you what to do on either offense or defense. In addition, no one has ever told you during a game what to do on either offense or defense and you call every play on offense. During a game if you want to blitz more, all you have to do is let Rob know what blitz you want and he will do it."

Again, an astonishing amount of freedom for the youngest coach since the merger. Could it be Davis is exaggerating or is it that a biased press has had so much fun painting him as a hard core control freak they started buying it too?

I wish I could let Rob know when to call up a blitz now and again...

"Although you continue to use the media to express your dissatisfaction with others, no one has publicly pointed out to you that in 4 preseason games and one regular season game played this year, your offense has scored one first half touchdown. That put tremendous pressure on the defense."

Some of these statements seem awfully Rob Ryan friendly. Or is it simply the truth that Kiffin called all of the on field shots?

"I know that you wanted to bring your father in to run the defense and that Monte told me he wanted to come here even though he is under contract to Tampa. However, I did not want to tamper with another team. In any event that was over seven months ago. Do not also run from the defense and your responsibilities."

Davis states that he knew Kiffin wanted his father in Oakland and goes on to say, Monte might've been on board with that too. This paragraph could shed light on the whole Rob Ryan is fired, no Lane is merry go round.

From this paragraph it could be read to mean Kiffin went ahead and tried to oust Ryan in favor of Daddy. That would only have given Kiffin more of a power base against Davis and Al probably realized it.

Deals are always multi faceted. Davis' sentiment about not wanting to "tamper" with Tampa seems noble, but doubling up Kiffin's was almost assuredly on the old man's radar.

Davis' last warning, advising Kiffin not to "also run from the defense" and his "responsiblities" helps answer some of the comments Kiffin made to the press about Ryan's lack of blitzing and play calls. This suggests once again, that Kiffin had ALOT more to do with the show than he let on and more over that he was deflecting his short comings back onto other coaches.

If true, its ridiculous and Oakland should've fired him.

Kiffin's response should address these issues, but if its a blanket "I just want to move on" speech, consider him tarnished.

"This letter constitutes notice that if you further violate any term of your contract, in any manner whatsoever, you will be terminated for cause. I trust that this will not occur."

A.D. Football, Inc.

(Signed Al Davis)

Translation: Dead man walkin'.

Davis likely waited to fire Kiffin until he was sure a plan was in place to make a semi-coherant attempt to finish the season, but according to todays revelations, it was clear people were right about Kiffin being on borrowed time.

They just didn't understand the why. Who could?

He came off like a media darling, but if Davis' letter is to be believed in part or in whole, Kiffin may have had alot of people fooled.

It will be interesting to see how or if he counters, but after that, things have got to get back to football for Oakland. One imagines and interim coach has alot of work to do.

Like memorizing all of his players names for starters.

                                                             Davis looms behind Kiffin

A copy of the following letter was displayed on an overhead projector as owner Al Davis outlined his reasons for firing coach Lane Kiffin. Davis said the letter was sent following the Denver game and served as evidence as communication between the two. Kiffin said the two had not talked since before the Broncos game.

September 12, 2008

By Hand Delivery and Federal Express

Dear Lane:

Over the past months, you have made a number of public statements that were highly critical of, and designed to embarrass and discredit this organization, its players and its coaches. I left you alone during training camp in hopes that you would cease your immature and destructive campaign.

However, you continue to make public statements that are critical of the organization, its players as a whole as well as individual players. Such statements constitute conduct detrimental to the Raiders and I will no longer stand silently by while you continue to hurt this organization.

Further, your contract is quite clear that you work “subject to the direction and supervision of the General Partner’’ and that the General Partner has the “exclusive right to do all things, which in its sole discretion are necessary to maintain and improve the Club, the football organization and their activities.’’

I realized when I hired you that you were young and inexperienced and that there would be a learning process for you. Your mistakes on player personnel and coaches were overlooked based on our patience with you. But I never dreamt that you would be so untruthful in statements to the press as well as on so many other issues. Your actions are those of a coach looking to make excuses for not winning, rather than a coach focused on winning.

For example, with the exception of Gibril Wilson, you were involved in recruiting all free agents and determining salaries for them and you were explicit in your desire to sign Javon Walker and DeAngelo Hall amongst others. All were a must to sign in your eyes, Hall in particular, because he played for Greg Knapp in Atlanta and Knapp gave him high grades. Do not run from that now.

I do realize that you did not want to draft JaMarcus Russell. He is a great player. Get over it and coach this team on the field, that is what you were hired to do. We can win with this team!

In regards to your recent fabrications about the defense, during the final cuts you made every cut on offense and every cut on defense except for Wakefield on defense and Wand on offense. Further more, during the game Monday night Rob played your Cover 2 defense and we got killed on an approximately 50-yard touchdown pass and approximately 70-yard gain that led to a field goal.

You meet every week with the defensive coaches to go over both the past game and to get a general feel for what will happen during the week in practice. You have the ability and authority to provide your input during those meetings and the preparation for the game plan. I do not have weekly meetings with Rob _ you do.

During the week no one has ever told you what to do on either offense or defense. In addition, no one has ever told you during a game what to do on either offense or defense and you call every play on offense. During a game if you want to blitz more, all you have to do is let Rob know what blitz you want and he will do it.

Although you continue to use the media to express your dissatisfaction with others, no one has publicly pointed out to you that in 4 preseason games and one regular season game played this year, your offense has scored one first half touchdown. That put tremendous pressure on the defense.

I know that you wanted to bring your father in to run the defense and that Monte told me he wanted to come here even though he is under contract to Tampa. However, I did not want to tamper with another team. In any event that was over seven months ago. Do not also run from the defense and your responsibilities.

This letter constitutes notice that if you further violate any term of your contract, in any manner whatsoever, you will be terminated for cause. I trust that this will not occur.

A.D. Football, Inc.

(Signed by Al Davis)

The letter seems to show Kiffin was indeed telling tales to the media who praised him for being so honest and forthright. It appeared that he was when dealing bluntly with player performance and dealing with in the organization, but if the Davis letter can be believed, there appears to be ample reason to let Kiffin go.

It also serves as a letter of warning for other teams, college or pro, who may be interested in the youngest NFL coach since the merger.

(RNS has mentioned KC as a place Kiffin might land, but the college ranks may be more in his future and possibly not even as a head coach.)

The letter seems to call Kiffin out point for point on many of the issues he's brought up in the press to shift blame away from himself and some of them seem like bizzarre and uneccesarry out right lies. Again, if true, they paint Kiffin in a very unflattering light.

Kiffin must not have read his contract or at least the part stating the Coach is:

 “subject to the direction and supervision of the General Partner’’ and that the General Partner has the “exclusive right to do all things, which in its sole discretion are necessary to maintain and improve the Club, the football organization and their activities.’’

It can't really have come as a shock to anyone, especially Kiffin, that Al Davis would have final say over what does and does not happen within HIS oraganization, but Kiffin seems to have been granted an extraordinary amount of freedom with the team, especially for such a young coach.

Davis' letter also states it was Kiffin who insisted on Javon Walker AND DeAngleo Hall, both of whom are highly paid and under performing.

KIffin's response should be forth coming.

Davis' letter squarely lays the blame for all things upon the young shoulders of Lane kiffin and his response to these seemingly damning alegations.

His coaching career could likely depend on it.

To his credit Kiffin at least had turned around the locker room.

What happens there is T.B.D.

                                                                                                                     CB Nnamdi Asomugha

In a press conference and seperate interview that amounted to Davis and Kiffin calling each other liars, the media is left laughing and fans are shaking there heads.The Raider mogul conceded he felt bad because "He picked the guy."

Officially, Kiffin was fired for cause, but Davis didn't really offer any solid excuses other than Kiffin's statements to the press and a "fractionalized" organization, likely meaning, the players were listening to Kiffin and the ass kissing yes men were still fawning over Al.

One interesting note, Davis' watery eyes at the press conference weren't tears of frustration or sadness, but likely of pain.

I remember a story told about Humphrey Bogart's last movie and how a fellow actor had commented on multiple takes to get a scene because of Bogart's watery eyes made it look like he was crying.

It was Bogart's last film because he was terminally ill.

Granted Al Davis is an elderly man and this is pure speculation, but Mr. Davis does not look well. He was lucid and spoke well enough, but his health is obviously deteriorating.

Fired Coach Lane Kiffin spoke in a n interview and stated the move was very hard on his family (his wife is pregnant) and that a number of lies were being told to the media.

All Pro caliber corner back Nnamdi Asomugha was interviewed live on NFL Network moments ago and stated, Kiffin was well liked and appreciated by players for turning around Oaklands culture of losing and for keeping the media mess out of the locker room so the players could focus.

He also stated "Interim Coach" Tom Cable is not well known amongst the defense because players have a relationship with the head coach and not so much with the others. He did mention Cable is well liked and "Always gives each player advice or encouragement in the locker room before each game."

3 brief and ugly interviews in a short span. 3 views. One from the top with Davis. One from the out going Kiffin and one from the Raiders best player Asomugha.

Basically, what amounts to a media mother load for a press thats usually shunned by the organization.

Expect those doors to close soon enough and for hateful media hacks and their lazy, willing sycophants to spread ugly rumor and inuendo far and wide over the next few weeks and possibly the entire season unless the Raiders start to win.

                              Talented and popular young Coach Lane Kiffin walks into the sunset

With Al Davis finally pulling the trigger on Lane Kiffin, Oakland closes yet another sad chapter in Raider history.

Fans only hope who ever the next victim is, he can ignite Oaklands offense.

Given the fact Oakland needs offense, it’s a quarter of the way through the season, and Davis may want to shop in house, many feel O coordinator Tom Cable may be the next man in the line of fire.

Cable joined Oakland from Atlanta, but the 43 year old has 21 years of Coaching under his considerable belt.

He began his football career as a college guard at Idaho and played one year at Indy for the Colts.

He then returned to Idaho and served as a graduate assistant to his alma matters Vandal football team from 1987-88, but then moved back to his native California to assist at San Diego State through 1989.

In 1990, he bounced to Cal State Fullerton where he was a defensive line coach to Nevada Las Vegas where he coached the o line in 91.

He spent 1992-97 as offensive line coach at the University of California, but moved to Colorado where he started as O line coach in 98, but graduated to O coordinator the next year. A year that saw the Colorado Buffalos rank 14^th in offensive production averaging over 424 yds per game.

He returned to the Vandals at the U of I as their head coach this time and through 2001-2003, the Vandals offense averaged the same 424 yds of offensive production. His tenure in Idaho was accused of running the Vandals into a ditch and they were losers, but it may have had more to do with the team switching conferences from AA / Big Sky to D-1 where the competition was fierce and they were sorely dominated.

Back California Cable helped the Bruins of UCLA average 410 yds offense through 2004 and in 2005 that number increased to a 431 yd average. Cable managed as both offensive coordinator and o line coach during this time.

In 2006 the 43 yr old Cable moved to the bigs and settled in with the Atlanta Falcons and helped them lead the League in rushing that year.

Cable’s knowledge of the zone blocking system and his success instituting it was seen as the cure for the Art Shell implosion and for the most part, it was. Oakland managed a strong 6^th place finish in rushing in 2007.

Whether Cable can manage head coach duties and produce a winner is another matter completely, but if scuttle butt is true this time, Cable may be the guy.

Who ever Coaches Oakland after the bye when they face the New Orleans Saints will have a serious load to bear.

Despite being a losing team, Oakland will have the eyes of the media upon them and countless fans of the Raider Nation are already divided and ready to hang owner Al Davis from the yard arm.

Who ever ends up the Coach this week will face the task of organizing a team a quarter of their way through the season, a media shit storm win or lose and the wrath of unruly Raider fans.

All they have to do to make that go away is to do what Lane Kiffin in his brief tenure could not.

Win.

    Photo Andy Lyons / Getty images

People compare rookie running back Darren McFadden’s toe injury to one that sidelined Charles Woodsen when he was a Raider.

Face it.

Most writers worth a pension aren’t going to come out and say it, but most agree, Charles Woodsen dogged it his last few years with the Raiders.

He nursed that toe injury as Al ground his fangs as a bitterly ugly hissy fit played out in the public eye.

I won’t give it merit by running down stats from then and what he’s done in Green bay, but it’s a marked improvement, trust me.

Darren McFadden actually still wants to play football. Even if its for Oakland.

An intelligent and football savvy mind lurks behind that silver and black helmet on Sunday and if Lane Kiffin would only let slip the leash...

But according to tales told round the media, Kiffin is but a puppet.

He is lorded over by a dark and all powerful figure who haunts the shadows in polyester leisure suits. His wrath feared, his word law in Raiderland.

Though his visage be frail, his words and deeds still garner repect. People listen when he rasps.

Kiffin seemed to hoist himself on his own petard when conspiring with the enemy. The ever present and ravenous media.

Kiffin’s arrows seemed mis placed especially after it was pointed out his barbs at Davis in the press were mostly nonsense.

His ramblings seemed to suggest displeasure with not being more involved in all aspects of the team, but the fact remained, Kiffin had one year of experience at the pro level and had proven nothing to suggest he could or should be in charge of anything more than he was.

Davis’ refusal to address the press should’ve shocked no one, but served to only fuel the fire Kiffin had ignited.

Like an adult teaching a toddler about hot burners, Davis didn’t need to say "I told you so."

Some see Kiffin’s situation as a sword of Damocles, others as nothing more than a count down to "outa here" for the second year hire, but since his lesson in feeding the jackals, the young Coach seems to have buckled down and restored enough attitude in Oakland to inspire some of its better football in years last Sunday.

It was not enough.

They took a beating and unable to extricate themselves from battle, their defense lost numbers.

Wilson.

Gone.

Warren gone.

Burgess, wounded but in the fight.

                                                                                        DE Derrick Burgess

Dragged up and down the field like a heavy weight who came on to strong and got dragged, winded and wincing into the long minutes of late rounds, Oaklands D was battered.

They learned what it takes to build champions. They learned why they should push themselves harder in practice and why they should study and rest.

They learned hard, painful bloody lessons in Buffalo.

Sunday, we’ll learn if they’ll be put to use.

Will they emerge hardened and battle tested, focused and committed?

Or will they limp their way through another blow out. Another humiliating loss to an arrogant and sometimes smug division rival who has owned them for years.

Sunday is pivotal.

Sunday is the yard stick to measure whether Oakland makes a move forward this year or sputters and implodes for another demoralizing, agonizing year.

Yes, it is only week four.

But its week four of year 5.

The weary grow restless.

While Kiffin grinds on.

Fan clubs offering support have sprung across the internet and media outlets keep a death clock running all hours of the day and night for Oaklands imperiled young Coach , but what they may not realize is, their rapt attention could be the very thing keeping him alive.

To fire him and give the media its early coup doesn’t seem like something Davis would begrudge.

He may instead have chosen to let the young lad who bit the hand, sink or swim on his own merit.

Like most high risk endeavors, a lot could be gained if the long shot can be made to pay.

If Kiffin can make it work in Oakland? That would look all right on his resume.

1. Coached Pop Warner.

2. Coached High school ball.

3 Worked under Pete Carol’s championship machine at USC.

4. Turned around the Oakland Raiders.

"Turned around th...whaaa?!"

"Wow!" "My god!"

"Your him! You’re the Lane Kiffin!"

Imagine Kiffin killing the white whale.

Imagine him re-igniting the Raiders offense and creatively utilizing some of Colleges most talented weapons in McFadden, Russell, Miller and Bush.

Imagine Oakland winning.

Imagine Kiffin righting the ship.

If he can, he’ll become legend. Worshiped in Raider folklore. If not, he may become a foot note. Or worse another Mike Shanahan.( KC may look for a change next year.)

At this moment in time, by his own hand, the dye has been cast. The gauntlet thrown.

Now that its do or die, Kiffin may finally realize one of the keys to meaningful change.

When you’ve got nothing to lose, you’ve got it all.

"Control what you can."

Thats been his newly adopted mantra, but maybe, just maybe, its time to relinquish some of that control and let these talented young men play ball.

What do he and the Raiders have to lose?

   "The drowning pool" 

Kick off Oakland.

Ball returned to the 30 yd line by Bills. Good coverage Oakland.

6:18 1^st and 10 Buff 31

                                                                              K Rian Lindell 

After Kick off, Buffalo takes over at their own 30 yd line.

6:18 1st and 10 Buff 30

The Raiders send an all out blitz that forces an incompletion.

6:12 2nd and 10

Forced out of the pocket by a a blitzing Kalimba Edwards, Trent Edwards scoots out of bounds after a 4 yd gain.

5:44 3rd and 6 Buff 35  

Bills line up Shotgun 2 receievers wide right. Raiders blitz sending Howard and safety Branch against the Bills right side.

Right DE Kalimba Edwards drops into coverage with MLB Kirk Morrison. Despite Branch, Howard and D. Burg breaking down the right side of the Bills pocket, shadowing DT Terdell Sands takes a step to his left and Edwards is gone. Instead of sack or incomplete Edwards has scrambled for 4 yds through the spot vacated by the other Edwards, Kalimba.and out of bounds.

5:43 3^rd and 6 Buff 35

Shotgun.

Lynch joins Edwards to his right in the backfield. 2 wide outs to his left, Edwards has #82 Josh Reed singled again on DeAngelo Hall.

Hall continues to play 7 yds off.

Edwards fires a shot over the middle and Hall makes a half hearted swat at it as Reed snags the pass good for 22 yds before Branch finishes the tackle.

5:10 1^st and 10 1^st down Oak 43

Shotgun. 4 wide. Spread formation vs Big Nickle. Branch and Routt are in coverage. No pass rush with Wakefield in at left DT, but the ball is dropped by rookie wide out James Hardy who looked up field before reeling it in.

5:04 2^nd 10

Shot gun with 5-9, 171 lb WR Roscoe Parrish in the slot.

The Raiders line up a 3 man front that consist of DE Jay Richardson on the left, Fred Wakefield at NT and 6-5, 255 lb rookie practice squad fodder Trevor Scott at right DE.

Hall plays his typical 7yds off and with no pass rush, Edwards completes a simple come back to #83 Lee Evans against Hall for 13 yds.

4:28 1^st and 10 Oak 30 yd line

Kalimba Edwards comes in for Scott at right DE. No pass rush and Lee Evans lined up in the slot, he drags across the middle for 16 yds with a coverage mis match against MLB Kirk Morrison.

4:09 1^st and 10 Bills at the Oakland 14

After a Raiders time out. The Raiders crowd the line bringing up safeties at both ends threatening all out blitz.

They drop the safeties, but bring Howard crashing in from Edwards left. He casts running back Marshawn Lynch aside and bears down on Edwards who tosses a pass toward the left side goal line and then is leveled under the crushing weight of DT Terdell Sands.

His bull rush at the snap demolishes 6-3, 310 lb center Melvin Folwer and Sands is able to launch himself full force into the extended Edwards jaw and then flop on him with all his weight as Howard rode them down.

To his credit, the shaken Edwards regained his footing and made the side lines.

With Stanford Routt in coverage, the Raiders lose to the slot again as Parrish comes off the line unmolested to make the easy grab at the 2 and then stroll in for the TD.

Oakland 23 Buffalo 21

After K.O. touch back, Raider ball 1^st and 10 Oak 20 yd line

4:03

Russell stumbles away from center. He recovers but barely makes the hand off. Pulling right after snapping the ball an over eager Grove stomped on Russell’s foot causing the miscue.

Double teamed by Grove and RG Carlisle, DT Marcus Stroud is unmoveable. #95 DT Kyle Williams out quicks left tackle Mario Henderson’s cut block and tackles RB Michael Bush who fumbles on impact with the turf.

No gain.

3:29 2^nd and 10

Raiders line up I formation with 2 receivers left side and 6-5, 255 lb rookie TE Zach Miller on the line right side.

Hand off to Bush who tries right side.

Miller is blown backwards by #90, the 6-4, 264 lb DE Chris Kelsay. Cooper Carlisle is beaten so badly by left DT Marcus Stroud he grabs the big mans waist in a futile attempt to hold and is swung air borne semi-circle and is sent crashing on his back at the feet of Stroud who has tackled both Miller and 6-1, 245 lb running back Michael Bush.

2:47 3^rd and 12 at the Oakland 18

back in the Ace with 2 WR’s split out to his left and Ronald Curry the lone wide out right, Russell takes a 2 step drop, pump fakes, takes another step back and lobs a 38 yarder in the direction of Curry who is well covered by 3 Buffalo Bills.

He makes a half hearted leap at the ball but it is out of reach.

As he had several times through out the game, Russell locked onto his receiver. Had he done his progression, he might’ve seen WR Ashley Lelie lined up in the slot with mismatched LB Kawika Mitchell in coverage.

                                                                       QB Jamarcus Russell

Even with safety coverage up top, Lelie might’ve made a deep catch over the middle for big yards.

2:34 4^th down

Lechler has been brilliant all day and boots a 58 yarder thats covered well after a return of 8.

2:29 1^st and 10 Buff 34 yd line

DE Derrick Burgess returns to man the left with Kelly, Sands and K. Edwards filling the front four.

Edwards fades back as the 335 lb. Sands loops around the double teamed Kelly. He almost reaches Edwards and falls at the QB’s feet as the throws a completion to #82 Josh Reed across the middle. 10 yard gain. #52 MLB Morrison with the tackle.

2:05 1^st and 10 Buff 44

WR Roscoe parrish lines up on slot receiver Lee Evans’ heel and at the snap cuts inside him slanting across the middle. An area thats been extremely productive. It pays again. He sits center field and collects an Edwards pass between the closing LB Howard and CB Asomugha.

1^st down.

TWO MINUTE WARNING:

1:58 1st and 10 Bills, Oak 39

Hand off to Lynch. right side as LB Howard blitzes left. Sands at right defensive tackle over runs the play and Lynch cuts back. sands dives and misses. Morrison makes contact, but Lynch breaks tackle and falls forward for 4 more yards. with a cast on his right hand, its rookie safety Tyvon Branch that manages to wrangle the powerful running back down.

The Bills are now on the edge of kicker Rian Lindell's field goal range.

                                                          "Announcer" Dan Fouts

Announcer Dan "mostly I am wrong" Fouts contradicts himself after announcing Howard's blitz on the last play by stating the "Raiders had gone soft." "falling back and playing soft with zone coverage."

1:17 2nd and 3 Oak 33

As if to show up the former Charger QB, the Raiders send both LBs Morrison and Howard to attack the Bills right side. Screaming in behind them is rookie safety Tyvon Branch.

Lynch runs right side but adjusts as DE Kalimba Edwards rushes from the Raiders right taking himself down field and out of the play. DT Tommy Kelly grabs Lynch's right shoulder pad as Lynch scoots to his left for a gain of 7 as he kills the clock by stepping out of bounds inside the 25.

1:11 1st and 10 Oak 24

hand off to Lynch left DT Tommy kelly is double teamed and on the Raiders right #84 TE Robert Royal dominates DE Jay Richardson freeing pro bowl LT #71 Jason Peters to get second level and wall MLB Kirk Morrison from the play.

The clock marches on even though Kiffin has 2 time outs remaining.

:28 seconds 2nd and 5 Oak 19 yard line

DT TerdellSands caps a big game by destroying #67 center Melvin Fowler crushing Marshawn Lynch in the backfield. A blitzing Tyvon Branch piles on.

Why Kiffin never called for a time out to stop the clock or ice the kicker is anyones guess, but since there were 3 seconds and 2 time outs, Kiffin could have pulled the Shanahan only to have it back fire.

instead he let it ride.

He probably did not know that Lindell had made his last 41 attempts from inside the 40.

:03 seconds 3rd and 5 Oak 20

Rian Lindell. Field goal from 38 yards as time expires.

Bills 24, Raiders 23.

Assessment:

It was felt Oakland might have the upper hand dragging the largest offensive line into the 4^th quarter, but the Bills showed they have the stamina to play and dictate pace. The Raiders D was the one sputtering into the home stretch with injuries and blown up players after an grueling series of drives including the 8:11 second drive that began at the finish of the third and ran another 6: 57 seconds that complied 96 yds and 17 plays.

With Raiders like Warren and Burgess getting dinged and falling by the way side, the Raiders cobbled together second and third stringers like Alston and Trevor Scott limited play calling and productivity against a charged up Bills offense that executed and marched on the broken and battered Raider D.

$70 million dollar Corner back DeAngelo Hall is becoming a liabilty.

Many blitzes were executed contrary to forum board fodder, just not as successfully as they had been in the 1^st half when Oakland was had full strength starters who dominated. Under the mercilessly paced onslaught of the Bills "K" gun offense, it was Oakland who was dinged up, dragged into the deep end and drowned.

Conservative play calling not on defense, but on offense doomed the Raiders defense to take the field again and again. Telegraphed, predictable running plays on 1^st and 2^nd downs and 2 failed pass attempts on 3^rd downs late in the 4^th sent the patch work, gassed and blown up defense right back onto the field again.

That falls on Kiffin and O coordinator Greg Knapp.

They may have felt the pressure was too great to try anything that may result in a turn over in such a close game, but at this point even if the rumors are half true, what has Kiffin got to loose by unleashing the Raiders offensive weapons? Yes, they will make errors, but you can bet they will gain confidence when this young and extremely athletic offense starts to make good plays too.

As Shakespeare would say, "Cry havoc and let slip the dogs of war!"

Quietly though, Lane Kiffin is waiting for the press and his team to realize what he alluded to all along.

The Raiders lacked depth and the physical commitment to get in the kind of shape they need to win these kind of pitched battles.

At least now they know.

Now they know they better work hard late in practice. Take their cardio and diets seriously and stop getting drunk in between games.

Thats what it takes to beat teams like Buffalo. Thats what it takes to win.

If the loss to Buffalo sets the bench mark for the Raiders and opens their eyes to what it takes to be a winner in the National Football League, it may well have been worth it.

                                                                              Raider DE Kalimba Edwards pressures Edwards

"Its never wise to taunt your opponent. Especially with time on the clock."

We pick up at 12:47 left in the 4^th quarter

12:47 4^th quarter 2^nd and 7 Buffalo 40 yd line

The Raiders D runs Nickle with Stanford Routt. Shotgun Bills RB Fred Jackson motion, splits out right.

Edwards pass is deflected off 6-7, 295 lb O line man / TE / DT / DE Fred Wakefield’s helmet.

LB Thomas Howard covers Jackson out of the backfield and is flagged for P.I. call is challenged by Kiffin and over turned.

12:43 3 and 7

Front Four: LE Derrick Burgess, LT Tommy Kelly, RT Terdell Sands, RE Kalimba Edwards.

Trent Edwards fires a quick slant to slot receiver #82 Josh Reed who beats trailing one handed rookie safety Tyvon Branch over the middle for 7 yds and a 1^st down.

12:01 1^st and 10 Buff 48

Ineffective man rush by Raiders 4-3. Edwards throws to WR Lee Evans singled on CB DeAngelo Hall on Bills right side. Evans gains 16 yds.

Holding could’ve been called on bills #66 Derick Dockery who bear hugged DT Tommy Kelly or left tackle Langston walker who mugged DE Derrick Burgess.

11:32 1^st and 20 Buff 38 yd line

Incomplete to TE #80 Derick Shumann

11:24

Bills go shotgun with Edwards flanked by #84 6-4 ,255 lb TE Robert Royal to his right and RB #22 Fred Jackson on his right.

Edwards fakes the hand off to Jackson who runs right as TE Royal crosses in front of Edwards heading left. Right DE Kalimba Edwards takes 2 steps inside and reads the pattern too late but trails in coverage. MLB Kirk Morrison over reacts to the run fake right and now struggles to cover Royal who catches the ball for a crushing 17 yd gain.

10:43 3^rd and 2 45 yd line OAK

Bills go shotgun again with 4 wide. RB Jackson goes in motion right and lines up at TE.

Edwards finds WR Roscoe Parrish for 11 yds against Deangelo Hall for the 1^st down.

10:06 1^st and 10 34 yd line OAK

Bills with a single running back and Edwards under center. Edwards is forced to get rid of it quick with an un aimed pass that falls behind WR Lee Evans as the Raiders blitz him right side sending Howard, Morrison and safety Tyvon Branch.

                                                                         LB Thomas Howard

10:03

The Raiders line up in a Nickle package with CB Stanford Routt doing the honors.

The Bills line up shotgun slot left with RB Lynch in the backfield on Edwards right.

No blitz as Morrison and Howard fade 10 yds back into coverage. At the snap of the ball CB DeAngelo hall is 7 yds off the L.O.S.

With no pressure on him Edwards finds WR Josh Reed in front of Hall who is 3 yds off but closing, Reed is 3 yds shy of the 1^st down, but Hall takes a bad angle and ends up trying to horse collar the much stronger Reed who breaks away.

Morrison eventually tackles him inside the 15 yd line after a gain of 18.

Hall leaves the game with an apparent hand or wrist injury.

9:31 1^st down OAK 15

Run left by Lynch. 4 yds.

8:53 2^nd and 6 OAK 11 yd line

With RB Marshawn Lynch on his right as the single back in a shotgun formation and 2 WRs split left, WR Josh Reed is left on an island with Hall again. Hall plays a full 8 yards off and back pedals into the end zone as the ball is snapped.

(He may have been remembering the TD Bronco WR Eddie Royal caught over him week one.)

Reed runs the familiar inside hook pattern and snags the ball for a pick up of 7 and a 1^st down. Commentator Dan Fouts recognizes Hall playing too far off but mistakenly calls him Rashad Baker. (Hall is #23, Baker is #27)

Blitz right side Raider D picked up.

8:04 With ball at the 2 and ½ yard line and the Raiders in goal line D, Lbs Kirk Morrison and Thomas Howard cheat up to the line. On the Bills left side.

On the Raiders defensive left is #57 LB Ricky Brown at LT is Tommy Kelly and inside of him is #90 DT Terdell Sands. Unbeknownst to viewers DT Gerard Warren appears to have suffered what turns out to be a torn pec muscle. When this happened is unknown, but he was not in on this play. Instead the Raiders had 6-6, 280 lb DE / DT Jay Richardson lined up against the Bills6-4, 340 lb pro bowl left tackle #71 Jason Peters who bear hugged Kelly at the snap of the ball and drove him into the end zone.

Next to Richardson and up in the box is safety Gibril Wilson. Just before the snap wide out Josh reed comes in motion back toward the line from his left flanker position and locks onto Wilson.

Standing out side of Wilson is reserve linebacker Jon Alston who runs himself into the back field 3 yds away from the play.

Lined up tight at TE #84 Robert Royal cuts inside at the snap, grabs the Raiders Richardson by the waist and begins tugging him backwards as Peters continues to walk him back wards in a bear hug that pinned both is arms to his side.

Reed stretches fistfuls of Wilsons jersey as they go to the ground with Wilson on one knee standing over him. Wilson fires a well aimed brick break style palm heel strike to Reed’s right eye socket thats mostly deflected by Reed’s face mask.

Flags fly and Wilson is ejected.

Touch down Bills.

Raider ball on their own 16 yd line after a kick off by Lindell.

Assessment: With the Bills running modified Shotgun and Pistol formations, the Raiders may have felt their excellent cover D faired better against the receievers the Bills were sending out into patterns.

They may not have counted on CB DeAngelo Hall playing 7 yds off every down.

The Bills did.

Oaklands DT Gerard Warren may have been injured at this point and though he didn't leave the game for long, DE Derrick Burgess was injured too and may have a torn tricepts muscle. The emergence of TE / DE / O line man Fred Wakefield on the D line and rookie safety Tyvon Branch for the ejected Wilson may have factored into play calling.

Oakland did run blitzes with varying effect, but the fielding of 2nd and 3rd string players like Wakefield, Alston and rookie DE Trevor Scott in the 4th quarter appears to have cost them not only in match ups, but ability to run plays.

The Bills seemed to grow stronger as the Raiders were worn down by an incredibly long drive.

7:53 1^st and 10 OAK 16

I formation #80 TE Zach Miller goes in motion to his left. Hand off Darren McFadden. The play is designed to go through the "4" gap between the guard and tackle. At the snap, #64 Center Jake Grove fires out second level to block the line backer but stumbles as left guard Robert Gallery is driven to his right and into the gap vacated by Grove. #95 DT Kyle Williams steers the 6-7, 325 lb Gallery to his right and plugs the 2 gap.

Right Tackle #74 Cornell Green has a solid block as does right guard Cooper Carlisle who is dominating #99 6-6, 310 lb DT Marcus Stroud on this play. Locked up with Carlisle they are at a stand still at the LOS.

Full back Justin Griffith breaks through the 4 gap untouched and moves closing 5-10, 215 lb strong safety Donte Whittner aside to clear the way for McFadden, but instead of hitting the 4, McFadden runs into the back of Gallery now in the 2 gap, bounces off and breaks left where there appears to be serious day light.

Before the snap #33 5-11, 180 lb CB Jabari Greer had lined up split out to Oaklands left against WR Ronald Curry. Curry lazily ran a slant toward the middle Greer never bought and when McFadden jumped out left, their was no one to block Greer who came flying in and tackled McFadden for little or no gain.

If Curry had committed to the slant or blocked, McFadden could’ve gone all the way.

7:19 2^nd and 9

In I formation power left with TE #86 Tony Stewart in close to presumably block, the Raiders hand off running to their left between the tackle and the TE Stewart.

At the snap center Jake Grove gets destroyed by #95 Williams who bulls him into the backfield. TE Stewart deftly shoulder ducks past #94 DE Arron Schobel and tippy toes up field. Left tackle Mario Henderson (filling in for starter Kwame Harris) picks up scraping LB Kawika Mitchell with a fine block, but Williams and Schobel have crushed RB Michael Bush almost before he can reach the LOS.

6:36 3^rd and 9

The Raiders line up with 2 wide outs split right or an Ace formation with wide receiver Johnnie Lee Higgins in the slot.

Russell stares down Higgins as he breaks toward the middle on a slant. 2^nd year LB, #55 Paul Posluszny reads Russell and fades to his left in coverage. Diving, he misses the low ball by millimeters as Higgins with good concentration snags the pass and breaks up the middle.

#30 free safety Ko Simpson dives at his ankles but Higgins is gone. Strong safety #20 Donte Whitner takes a bad angle mis judging Higgins speed and Higgins is off on an 84 yd TD stroll.

Higgins taunts the trailing Whitner by slowing down and speeding up. Whitner retaliates by tackling Higgins 5yds deep in the end zone.

Personal foul flags off set.  TD Raiders.

Oakland 23 - Buffalo 14 with 6:23 left in the game.

Assessment:

The center of Oaklands O line began to struggle. Especially Gallery and Grove. The run game sputtered and a lucky strike by Russell seemed to put Oakland back in the drivers seat.

Despite being inured, Cooper Carlisle dominated the usually disruptive DT Marcus Stroud most of the game. Cooper's loss will be tough to handle.

Likley filling for Cooper will be 6-4, 305 lb. 3rd year center / guard Chris Morris.

Coach Lane Kiffin's earlier and public laments about Oaklands lack of key depth may have been prophetic.

With only 2 standing TD's (Wakefield really doesn't count does he?)if DT Gerard Warren is out for any length of time or for the season,the Raiders will be in the market for line help.

Who knows, maybe they still have William Jospeh's number.,,

As far as depth goes and Kiffin's prediction, it is the Oakland Raiders, not the New York Giants. Not every team is lucky enough to have defensive ends and linemen stacked to the ceiling. Sometimes under performing teams have to make due.

More to come...

Next time, Part Three, Countdown to disaster.

Photo Rick Stewart / Getty images

                                                                                                RB Marshawn Lynch

Crucial moments Part One:

"They say you can learn more from your losses than your victories."

Raider special teams were awesome against a Bills team thought by many to be the Leagues best. Punting, kicking and returns were truly special Sunday.

The following is part of a critical series that helped propel the Bills over the Raiders.

Heres what happened:

 After a 44yd punt by Shane Lechler that pinned the Bills deep on their own 4 yd line.

1:54 3^rd quarter, 1^st and 10 Buff. 4yd line

Raider front four: LE Burgess, LT Sands, RT Fred Wakefield, RE Jay Richardson

Bills line up in a pro set with #80 TE Derick Shoumann lined up to QB Trent Edwards right and RB Marshawn Lynch lined up left.

#84, TE Robert Royal covering up left tackle Jason Peters.

Royal goes in motion and ends up lined on Raider right DE Derrick Burgess.

At the snap QB Trent Edwards fades back 2 yds deep into his own end zone, four man rush by Oakland, the 3 LB’s, Howard, Morrison and Ricky Brown fade into coverage.

Safety, #24 Michael Huff fades into coverage a yard past the 1^st down marker

Right guard, 6-7, 315 lb Brad Butler immediately gains leverage on DT Sands and washes him left and out of the play.

Sands ends up on the goal line, basically where DE Richardson had started.

Out matched, right DE 6-6, 280 lb 2^nd year man Jay Richardson is engulfed by 6-4, 340 lb all pro left tackle Jason Peters and ends up past the play and 3 yds deep in the end zone.

Center Melvin Folwer and left guard Derrick Dockery pointlessly double team the 6-7, 285 lb Wakefield.

On the right side, 6-4, 255 lb TE Robert Royal owns Burgess on this play.

Bills right tackle Langston Walker was supposed to help double team the massive 6-7, 335 lb Sands but simply cannot find him. Instead he fades to his left to assist with Royal with Burgess.

He doesn’t need him.

With the backers in coverage, Sands blown out and Burgess now doubled, a gaping hole emerges on the left side of Oaklands D.

With Burgess playing contain left being handled by Royal, TE / RB #80 Shoumann plods out into a passing lane and ends up half blocking the safety #24 Huff.

Huff hesitates in coverage until he’s sure Edwards is going to cross the L.O.S. Thats the proper play by Huff not to give up the dink pass down the sideline by Shoumann that could’ve been huge.

Edwards scrambles forward. LB Thomas Howard playing the Raiders strong side linebacker after motion by TE Royal instead abandons Royal and Shoumann and covers too far over to the right following along with Morrison and Brown, to focus on RB Marshawn Lynch coming out of the back field to that side.

Howard uses his incredible speed to cover the 10 yds he is out of position to slam Edwards down at the 8 yd lin with Huff’s assistance.

The play results in only a 4 yd gain, but gets the Bills out of serious trouble and it gives them room to maneuver.

Assessment: Sands and Burgess got owned. Howard may have been out of position. The under sized Wakefield was probably in because DT’s Tommy Kelly or Gerard Warren were either being given a break for the 4^th or were too gassed to go that late in the 3^rd.

With Sands blown out of position, Wakefield double teamed and Howard, Morrison and Brown fading to their right to watch Lynch, Edwards scrambled for critical yardage.

1:17 3^rd quarter 2^nd and 5

The Bills run left between the guard and tackle. Fred Wakefield playing right defensive tackle, makes an excellent read, slips through the line untouched and with assistance from MLB Kirk Morrison slams RB Marshawn Lynch to the turf for little or no gain.

                                                                              RB Marshawn Lynch

:30 seconds 3^rd and 5 Bills 9 yd line.

Front four: LE Burgess, LT Kelly, RT Gerard Warren, RE Kalimba Edwards.

The Raiders run a Nickle D with CB Stan Routt as the Nickle sitting where the strong side LB would be in a 4-3.

At the snap, 6-2, 260 lb left defensive end Derrick Burgess destroys 6-8, 366 lb right tackle Langston Walker off the line with an impressive bull rush.

Left DT Tommy Kelly defeat the double team with relentless power and speed collapsing what was left of the Bills right side pocket.

Burgess gets a hand on Edwards, but Walker, now standing where Edwards had originally planted to throw, uses his massive size and power to leverage Burgess, who is off balance from swiping at Edwards.

With DT Tommy Kelly applying more pressure to his right, Edwards scrambles for his life, spinning recklessly to his left.

Though locked onto by All Pro left tackle Peters, RB Marshawn Lynch chips Kalimba anyway on his way into a pass pattern and now stands alone at the Bills 4 yd line.

Morrison sees this and closes to cover as the Bills QB Edwards leaps and tosses the ball to his safety valve Lynch.

Morrison arrives just as the ball does, but gets caught flat footed as Lynch turns to meet him, he jukes Morrison so bad he whiffs with out laying a hand on Lynch.

Raiders DE Kalimba Edwards is finally released by Peters who’s shove sends him back into the action and he is able to close on Lynch and spin him down for the tackle but not until Lynch, on his own, has gained 6 yds and the 1^st down.

End of the 3^rd quarter and the beginning of a nightmare drive that all together accumulated 17 plays and 96 yds for an eventual Bills TD.

More to come...

Part two: How substitutions, not lack of blitzes helped cost Oakland the win.

posted 09-17-08 9:26 PM pac

                                                                      All Pro LT Jason Peters

Pro Bowl left tackle Jason Peters was activated last Saturday and will be eligible to play against Oakland. Peters sports hernia surgery in the off season and his hold out could have his cardio in question, but the Bills will present a challenge to the Raiders cardio this Sunday as well.

Many think the Dallas Cowboys sport the biggest offensive line in the game, but that distinction belongs to the Bills.

LT Jason Peters is 6-7, 340 lbs.

Left guard Derrick Dockery is 6-6, 330 lbs.

Center Melvin Folwer is the runt of the group at 6-3, 310

Right guard is manned by 6-7, 315 lb. Brad Butler and right tackle and former Raider Langston Walker is 6-8, 366.

And the Bills can block too.

All five starters returned and despite the fact they lost 28 years of experience when offensive line coach Jim McNally retired this last January, the Bills haven’t seemed to miss a beat.

His successor Sean Kugler seems to have taken the reigns and run with a similar style to the effective and popular McNally and the Bills have been playing very well giving up only 26 sacks all last year.

Kuglar’s prep work and blocking designs are in large part, responsible.

With the Bills tremendous size, the Raiders DT’s could be tested not only by the Bills tremendous girth leaning on them for 4 quarters but by a revival of the "K gun" or at least a hurry up offense in some situations.

They may be less apt to try this since Peters has missed so much time with the team, but against Oaklands often winded big men, it could be an effective tactic.

The Raiders will definitely need safety Gibril Wilson to have a good game and even though he missed a Thursday practice prepping for week 2, his elbow seems to be fine and he will in all likely hood start.

Along side him, safety Michael Huff has yet to have a major impact thus far in his pro career. Writers and fans alike predict a big game from him nearly every week.

This time they may be right.

Raider fans hope so.

Despite his broken hand, safety Tyvon Branch could get a chance to make more big plays like he did against KC where he picked off a deflected pass. If Branch could get healthy, his "football speed" and big hitting style could elevate the Raiders secondary.

DeAngleo hall needs to prove he’s worth the $70 million dollar contract he signed wen coming to Oakland. The Raiders will try to match up Nnamdi Asomugha against the excellent Lee Evans, but Hall could see his share of defenses.

Troublesome also is the minor emergence of wide out James Hardy.

The 6-5, 220 lb rookie out of Indiana out reached Jacksonvilles coverage in the back of the end zone for the game winner last week.

Kirk Morrison had a decent game against KC’s once vaunted ground attack and will need to continue if Oakland hopes to stop last years 1,000 yd rusher Marshawn Lynch.

                                                                             RB Marshawn Lynch

With Fargas and McFadden dinged, Oakland will need to stop the run in order to play to its defensive strengths.

No doubt Buffalo has watched the hapless Chiefs fall into this very trap last week and come away the loser.

Trent Edwards is a very accurate passer and if Oakland is to have success against the Bills passing game the front 4 will need to provide pressure, blitz or no.

Burgess could have success against the All Pro Peters with sheer speed, but Peters is obviously better than last weeks dinged up Damion McIntosh.

Speaking of dinged up, Bills QB Trent Edwards is a good QB, but has a reputation for being fragile.

If Oakland can reach and harass him like they did the Chiefs Damon Huard, the Bills would be down to mediocre back up, J.P. Losman.

 

 

 

 

 

                          

 

                                                                Raider rookie RB Louis Rankin

 

 

Though Coach Kiffin reported injured RB Justin Fargas was having an MRI at the time of this mornings press conference, results have not been made public.

With an apparent groin pull preliminarily, its feasible he could miss several games and worst case the rest of the year. With only 3 RB’s in the back field to start with, Oakland is now down to 2 which is not a good thing.

With "rookie" QB Jamarcus Russell playing behind 2^nd year left tackle Mario Henderson the Raiders managed a win against Kansas City last week. Henderson was constantly berrated in the media by Kiffin who hoped his brutal honesty would focus the struggling former Seminole and it did.

When San Fran transplant Kwame Harris went down week one against the Broncos with a knee injury, Henderson was forced to man the critical left tackle "blind side protector" position.

Though Kiffin compensated with designed rolls and other plays away from Henderson during passing plays, Henderson stepped up and made big strides as the Raiders focused on the running game, but the fact is the untested Henderson is nowhere near as proficient a run blocker as Harris.

Given the loss of Harris and now another key peice of their ground offense, the Raiders may look to unleash more of Jamarcus Russell's multi-million dollar arm and bolster its back field with an in house rookie.

With damage to their line and backfield already, the Raiders may play conservative like they did most of pre season, with dump offs to backs, but rivals KC and Denver have both shifted gears on Oakland and started playing more man coverage, helping to negate the "J to Z" combination Russell was developing with 2nd year TE Zach Miller.

Because of these two major factors and despite a receiving corps that is injured, untested or unfamiliar Oakland may look to put the ball up against the Bills.

Especially if they can actually keep Javon Walker on the field.

The extremely well paid Walker has yet to make more than token appearances, but now the run game may not be as able to cover for him, he needs to step up.

Of course the Raiders have 2 backs that seem to be on their way to being very good, but 4^th overall pick Darren McFadden has been dinged too, missing time against Denver with a stinger and suffering an apparent turf toe the next week against KC.

Bush came in to close out the game and fumbled, but finished with 90 yds and a TD. He too is untried at the NFL level coming off a year on the bench and before that a seriously broken leg suffered his Senior year at Louisville.

That leaves Oaklands run predicated offense in a lurch, but before prognosticators start calling on Shaun Alexander, they may want to start a little closer to home.

Undrafted rookie Louis Rankin may not be the well rounded blocking, receiving and running back Oakland would like to have, but the former Washington Husky has shown speed, quickness and flashes of ability.

 

 

 Rankin at Washington

 

 

Pre season means squat but Rankin did break a few very nice long runs including a 72 yarder against San Francisco. He finished pre season with128 yds on 21 carries for an average of 7.0 yds per.

Oaklands zone blocking system is known for propelling mid level backs to 1,000 yd seasons (Justin Fargas anyone?) and Rankin seemed to excel.

Up against a good Buffalo Bills front line, the Raiders O may look to air it out instead of focusing on the ground attack, especially with Walker on the field, but if Fargas is out for a lengthy period of time, some are wondering if Rankin could be elevated from the practice squad, or if the cash strapped Raiders will ride with only 2 inexperienced running backs and one tested full back.

Oakland lost starting FB Oren O'Neil to a potentially career ending knee injury. The injury came on the opening kick off of week three's pre season match up with the Cardinals.

When asked about it later, Coach Kiffin commented, "Its as bad as it can get." 

The Raiders did sign perennial practice squad jumper Luke Lawton who caught everything thrown at him against Seattle in the final pre season, tallying 4 catches for 37 yds. Again, pre season, not exactly the yardstick, but at least the 6-0, 240 lb FB can catch the ball, but leveling backers second level like O' Neal did, thats another thing.

Of course this is speculation at the time of this writing, for all we know Fargas could be back sooner than anticipated, but that scenario doesn’t seem likely. Even if he is, history has shown its just a question of time before he goes down again.

With an unreliable Fargas, the Raiders may have in an in house solution to spell the two starters and a guy who can come in on certain downs like a Napolean Kaufmann (himself a former Husky)

 

             http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vf3g4QQuqJQ

 

 

     

 

                                                                                                     Breaking News:
Tommy Kelly Arrested?                                                                                  posted 1:10 pm 09-16-08            

Radio station KHTK 1140 AM reported Oakland Raider defensive lineman Tommy Kelly was arrested for a DUI.

Kelly drew gasps when Al Davis signed the injured and unproven lineman to a then record setting contract in the off season. All this despite the fact Kelly was recovering from reconstructive knee surgery.

IF indeed the story turns out to be true, Kelly and the Raiders may not be impacted immediately since the case would likely go to trial, but Oakland may have to look at either bringing a line man up off of the practice squad or seek the services of released line man William Joseph.

Whether or not disciplinary action will be taken by the League and or the organization remains to be seen at this early stage, but I would not be surprised to see Kelly in this weeks crucial match up against Buffalo.

Denver Bronco wide receiver Brandon Marshall was convicted of a DUI after being arrested 3 times in one year and received what amounted to a 1 game suspension and 1 year of probation.

6-3, 330 lb rookie out of Mexico City, Mauricio Lopez is the only "DT" currently signed to the Raiders practice squad.

Again, even if the story proves to be true, disciplinary action may be a while coming, but certainly bodes poorly for the Raiders thin DT and under performing defensive line.

It also makes AL Davis look like more of a stooge for making such risky signings not only of Kelly, but embattled and oft injured wide out Javon Walker who, 2 weeks in, has yet to make significant contributions to the team during a game.

       Raiders vs. Bills PreviewOakland could go Air                                                                                                                                        AP Photo by Eric Risberg
                                                                                                   WR Javon Walker "Stretch that hammy!"

At 2 and 0 the Buffalo Bills are a much better team than the rebuilding Chiefs.

If Oakland can manage a win against them, they could silence many of their critics and prove they actually can play football.

Against the Chiefs the Raiders were able to rack up 300 yds on the ground, but sputtered through the air with Ronald Curry dropping another easy catch.

Granted, with the ground game functioning on all cylinders, there was little need to air it out, but as Al Davis is fond of pointing out, the best teams are never one dimensional.

Against the Bills defense the Raiders aren’t likely to have such a field day on the rushing the ball and will likely need to go air.

Key to that will be the return of a hopefully healthy Javon Walker. Walker saw action yesterday and contributed some good blocking for Oaklands ground game, but a nagging hamstring has kept the highly paid WR for the most part, out of the line up.

If he can return and become a viable threat, Oaklands offense has a much better chance against Buffalo.

TE Zach Miller has contributed with good blocking of his own and did manage 2 catches for 24 yds against the Chiefs, but could figure more prominently against he Bills as a target for Russell.

The two have a connection known as the "J to Z", but kept in on blocking assignments for the Raiders shaky O line, he hasn’t been much of a threat receiving down field.

Sunday could see that change.

Oaklands ground game gashed the rebuilding Chiefs who were missing MLB Napoleon Harris who was sidelined with a sore knee, but the Bills have a solid defense anchored by big man DT Marcus Shroud, who joined Buffalo via a trade with Jacksonville this off season.

2^nd year LB Paul Posluszny out of Penn State along side former Super Bowl Giant LB Kawika Mitchell combined with Shroud are strong against the run and Oakland may have to take its chances throwing against CB rookies Leodis McKelvin and Reggie Corner.

Even with veteran presence in Jabari Greer, Terrance McGee and 3^rd year man Ashton Youboty, the Raiders should have an advantage.

None of them are over 5-11, 200 lbs.

Ashley Lelie was silent for the most part this week end thanks again to the running game, but proved himself a quick study with the familiar play calling of former Atlanta coordinator Greg Knapp.

Lelie scored a TD and contributed 3 grabs for 37 yds against Denver week one and could be a major player against the Bills especially if Walker is MIA again and Curry keeps dropping the ball.

Oaklands secondary received a bit of a pardon after the Broncos this week thrashed the Chargers, one of the best secondaries in football last year.

Cutler to Marshall was an unstoppable combo yesterday and rookie WR Eddie Royal showed his big game against the Raiders was no fluke.

Still, the Raiders vaunted and improved DB’s remain an unknown quantity after facing off against KC’s 3^rd string QB most of the game.

Though he’s only 5-10, 197 lbs, Buffalo’s WR Lee Evan’s is one of the League’s finest and 6-5, 212 lb rookie wide out James Hardy showed flashes last Sunday with a pair of catches that included a 7yd TD.

Michael Bush showed what he can do to tote the rock and will certainly work on securing the ball after a late game fumble that gave the Chiefs a spark.

He atoned with some solid running and a TD to salt the game away.

With lead RB Justin Fargas likely out with a pulled groin muscle, Raider fans should see more of Bush the former Louisville star who appears to have recovered fully from a severe broken leg his Senior year.

As most die hard Raider fans know, Bush sat all of last year, his rookie year and is looking to contribute big time in the Raiders west coast hybrid offense.

Bush is a solid football player with blocking, passing and receiving skills to compliment his running game.

Another reason the Raiders may go air against the Bills is Darren McFadden’s toe.

After being run down by KC safety Bernard Pollard on a break away he would’ve scored on in college, some questioned why DMC hadn’t finished the run.

Coach Lane Kiffin offered the explanation McFadden is suffering with a sore turf toe which may explain why the rookie who ran a 4.3 40 at this years combine was caught from behind on a play he should’ve taken hizzy.

With Fargas out and McFadden dinged, Russell could be called upon for the first time to carry the load.

Oaklands porous run D will have to contend with RB Marshawn Lynch who is a fine running back and major contributor to the Bills offensive attack.

On the other side of the ball, many fans worried, with just cause, about left tackle Mario Henderson who despite horrid play this pre season fared well against the Chiefs.

Of course there was no pass rush from last years Chiefs stand out DE Jared Allen who left for Minnesota and the success of Oaklands ground game eased his transition, but if Oakland opts air, the real test could come this Sunday.

Many have criticized 2^nd year man Henderson for his meek demeanor (His father left early on and his mother passed away while he was a pre teen) but he has made giant leaps since left tackle and former #1 draft pick Kwame Harris suffered a knee injury game one against Denver.

For Russell and Oaklands sake, they hope he continues.

If Oakland can at least cut down on stupid penalties, execute and eliminate turn overs they will have a fair shot at beating the solid Buffalo Bills.

With or without Lane Kiffin.